Cycling the Underground Railroad

  DAY 11: LIVINGSTON TO ALICEVILLE, AL A bit warmer, still sunny, with light and variable winds, 75% of today's ride was on more secluded backroads, very few cars and decent pavement.  That made it easier and more enjoyable to take in the sights and sounds of my last full day in Alabama. Out from the forest, a rare vista of the western Alabama countryside. Because this route has taken me mostly through forested, hilly country, "vistas," the places where you can see a long distance and really get a feel for the landscape, have been pretty rare.  Today, cresting a hill, there was such a view (above).  Alabama looks nothing like this when one is riding tucked into the valleys and hollows.  It was good to get another perspective.  Today I would parallel the Tombigbee River and the Tenn-Tom Waterway (more on that a bit later).  Evidence of western Alabama's extensive forestry industry was again evident.  The timber industry is prolific in this part of ...

  DAY 10: LINDEN TO LIVINGSTON  The plan was to start cycling today at 8 am, except... it was 38 degrees.   So I pushed back the rollout time to 9:30, when the temp hit the mid-40s (which is still a bit on the nippy side for me, but one has to keep moving). It is difficult to imagine the freedom seekers of the Underground Railroad trying to make their way to the North, undetected, through the thick, swampy pine and hardwood forests in these hills.  It takes some mental stamina to ride these undulating roads on a modern bicycle during the daytime, but nothing compared to the courage and fortitude it took to escape slavery,  especially when you knew your chances were greater getting recaptured than actually making it. Rolling terrain with some steep hills was the order of the day. On the bright side (pun intended) of today's weather, the skies were clear and sunny.  The colors trying to make themselves known in this early Spring season seemed to "pop" to...

  DAY 9:  SELMA TO LINDEN  Today's ride was joyfully uneventful.   There was nothing really "special" about this segment--it was just getting me back to the Underground Railroad route after my excursions in Montgomery and Selma. I unintentionally toured several of the neighborhoods in Selma as I was finding my way out of town.   This wasn't particularly a problem as the wind had shifted directions and was slightly at my back.   And the fruitful rest day yesterday gave me new strength and a positive outlook on life this day (even though it was a bit chilly for my liking.  The roads were more rural and the absence of trucks, slower speed limits and lighter traffic made an enjoyable cruise.  Pit Stop at the Farmer's Market in Orrville, Alabama--combination of gift shop, convenience store and restaurant. About 20 miles out of Selma I stopped at a country store (it was the only such place on today's journey) in Orrville, Alabama. The own...

  DAY 8: REST DAY IN SELMA, ALABAMA For a number of reasons, it was decided that a true "rest day" was warranted, so I opted to stay in the quasi-civilization of Selma for the day. So what did I do?  I rested!  Including a 3 hour nap this afternoon.  (I rarely take naps, so I must have needed it!) Room at the "Luxury Inn and Suites" motel in Selma.  Low price, great room! My theory is that if a motel has to put the word "Luxury" in its name, it usually isn't (luxurious, that is). The "Luxury Inn and Suites" in Selma may be an exception to this rule.  Extremely clean and well furnished (including a recliner). I would definitely give it an "A" for the price. A nice place to "rest"! 😀

  DAY 7: MONTGOMERY TO SELMA This is a day I had been eagerly awaiting waiting; the opportunity to retrace the route of the history-defining March For Voting Rights of 1965. There's a lot of history behind this, but I'll attempt to be concise.   Since the Civil War, Alabama, along with most other Southern states, made it almost impossible for Blacks to "qualify" to register to vote.  Even though the Civil Rights Act of 1964 asserted the right of everyone to vote, it seemed impossible to prohibit states from erecting unreasonable barriers.  But people were persistent, among them Amelia Boynton Robinson. Monument honoring Amelia Boynton Robinson and Marie Foster for their leadership in the Selma March. Some citizens of Selma peacefully protested this unjust situation, only to be brutalized by police.  On February 26, 1965 in nearby Marion, a young unarmed military veteran, Jimmy Lee Jackson, was fatally shot by a former Alabama State Trooper as s result of pr...

  DAY 6: MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA  As I type this blog, there are tornado warnings all throughout Alabama, including here in Montgomery.  Fortunately, I am dry in my hotel room (instead of camping in a tent).  Hotel management will inform me if I need to go hide out in the bathroom (seriously!).   Montgomery became the center of the Southern domestic slave trade when the railroad was completed from Mobile. Today, there was a little bit of rain, but not enough to put a damper on my day exploring the history of this fascinating city.  Jefferson Davis was installed as President of the Confederacy in Montgomery.  The order to attack Fort Sumner to start the Civil War came from here.  Rosa Parks and the year-long city bus boycott (the start of the modern Civil Rights Movement), the Freedom Riders, and the Selma to Montgomery March for Voting Rights all centered in this city.  It also became one of the largest domestic slave markets in the South....

DAY 5: LINDEN TO MONTGOMERY,  BY TRUCK Last night the storm moved in, and by this morning the sky had broken open and rain was pouring down.   The ride to Montgomery during the day-long downpour. As we had discussed last night, my riding partner Susan found two great gentlemen,  Butch (on the right) and Robert (left) who drove us and our bikes two hours in the deluge from Linden to Montgomery. Robert, Susan (riding partner for part of the trip), myself and Butch arriving in Montgomery. According to the Weather Service, the storm is supposed to move through early Thursday morning.  We'll wait out the thunderstorms here in downtown Montgomery tomorrow,  and visit several of the museums related to the "second" Civil Rights Movement (the original being the Underground Railroad/Abolitionist Movement). View of downtown Montgomery, Alabama from my 4th floor motel room. Thursday, weather permitting,  I'll ride the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail....