Chamber Of Commerce Pitch

Elkmont, Alabama

Weather: low 33 degrees, high 62 degrees, mostly cloudy skies

I was still a little under the weather today, as I feel like I'm fighting several little bugs. I had a good night's sleep, which always goes a long way toward making me feel better. The morning was spent trying to get over some dizziness on my part (no, I don't have vertigo like Carolyn does). We managed to get out after lunch for a ride in the beautiful countryside.

The new home base is located in Limestone County, Alabama. It is in the extreme north central part of the state, and the Tennessee state line is only about three miles away. Most of the terrain around here is rolling hills to flat fields and woods. The predominant soil is red clay, which must be fertile because of the amount of farming that takes place.

The climate is usually hot and humid in the summer, with winters that can be colder than we're used to. Snowfall occurs here, although it's usually not to the extent that we have seen this winter. I saw in the newspaper today that the coldest temperature on record in Alabama occurred near here about 45 years ago when the low was -27 degrees. That's hard to imagine.

The area, which includes Huntsville, Madison, Athens, Decatur, Florence, and Muscle Shoals, is what I would consider fairly prosperous. There are a lot of federal government facilities, universities, colleges, industrial activity, research parks, and tourist attractions. The area is fortunate to have low taxes and a low cost of living. Then, add in the natural beauty of the area, and it's easy to see why the area has withstood the recession so well.

Our goal today was to take a road that we hadn't been on before, and end up in Tennessee before we came home. Well, we took a road that we hadn't been on, but we didn't make it to Tennessee. Somehow, we got turned around and headed west toward Rogersville. Realizing our mistake, we started the GPS and got straightened out as to where we were. By then, however, I was starting to fade a little, so we headed home. On our way, we saw several old houses and barns that would have made good pictures. But.... If you leave the camera at home, it's hard to take pictures. Next time, we'll take the pictures.

By the time we got home, I was ready to meditate, which turned into a little nap. I guess I was more under under the weather than I thought, because I usually don't sleep in the day time. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.

More later, be safe.

Today's Town - Decatur, Alabama: The Ballooning Capital Of Alabama

Not all who wander are lost.