Thanks Buchanan Elementary-- What a GREAT visit to Baton Rouge!

On stage with Mrs. Martin in front of students at Buchanan Elementary!

Yesterday I was MAJORLY spoiled in Baton Rouge by a wonderful group of kids at Buchanan Elementary in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Thanks to Mrs. Martin's class and her wonderful group of fourth graders for the warm welcome, the very sweet cards, and the alligator cake which I demolished for dessert last night.

And not only did I get to speak to Mrs. Martin's class, I also got to chat with many other classes who came in and out of the auditorium on their way to and from lunch. Those kids had some great questions and comments-- especially about setting and keeping my goals. I found it pretty rejuvenating to talk to them. Thanks Buchanan-- you have a GREAT school.

After visiting Buchanan Elementary I road downtown and visited the Louisiana History Museum. I learned so much about the many claims there have been-- Spanish, English, and French-- to Louisiana. I also learned about the critical and devastating role the Mississippi River has played in the history of the state. There was a flood in 1927 that was so bad that many places continued to be flooded for MONTHS afterwards. During that time, Herbert Hoover set up refugee camps to help the hundreds of thousands that lost their homes. But also during that time African American men were forced to build back the levees while their families waited at the end of the line each day for supplies.

As promised: a few more words on the differences between the North and the South. For today: religion. In Seattle and where I grew up just north of Washington, D.C. in Maryland, religion has been important to my life, but to be honest, I don't know what the role of religion played on my teachers' lives, in the life of the mayor of my town, or really anyone else except for my close family and friends.

Down South, religion is of utmost importance in people's lives. There is an abundance of churches in both the rural areas and the city; prayer before a meal shared with family or with new friends is commonplace; and most schools I have come across have at the very least a moment of silence to start the day. Schools in Seattle do not have a moment of silence or prayer, and for the most part, people do not share their religious views in public(work places or schools).

An interesting difference, Dear Reader, that I thought you would be interested in. In the next posting I will write about differences I have noticed in schools. Have a GREAT weekend!

Yes, Ma'am, No Ma'am, and Other Musings on the Way to Baton Rouge

Camping by the levee Wednesday night. If you click on the picture, you can see Bear :)

Hello Dear Reader! I hope that your week is going well. Mine has been good. I've had a few technical difficulties with my wheels (i.e., I've had more than that last flat tire I told you about), but otherwise life has treated me quite well.

Once again, time has just slipped by so quickly and it occurred to me again that I have forgotten to mention some cultural differences that I have come across along the way. Lest you think that the country has gotten to be homogeneous, I assure you that here in the South-- some aspects of life are quite different than up North.

Let's start with formalities. Dear Reader, could you imagine referring to every singe adult you meet and most of the adults you know as Ma'am or Sir? Well if you're a Southerner reading this the answer I am guessing is a resounding YES. If you're in Seattle right now, I'm guessing you may be a bit confused. Well get this: it's true. And I've rather gotten used to it. I refer to every adult I meet as ma'am or sir until they tell me otherwise. Kids I meet along the way are calling me ma'am. The only drawback I can see so far is that I am getting worse at remembering people's actual names.

Anyway, I wanted to write to you about this because of little Grace, the two year old I got to meet when I was in Amite County. She is now being taught to finish her yeses and no's correctly (with a ma'am or a sir). Keep at it Grace. :)

Other musings: I camped out right next to a levee last night along the Mississippi River south of New Roads, Louisiana, and I have to say that I am glad to have experienced that and I don't feel the need to do it again. As the weather has warmed up, the mosquitoes are out in force-- especially by a river. (Duh, Ms.V.)

And the last musing: libraries are cool. So are expensive hotels that let you use their business center even when you aren't staying there. In case you're wondering those two places are how I have been able to keep up the blog. And can I just say: I am super impressed with the Parish libraries that I have seen so far since crossing the Louisiana state line. (Parishes are just like counties.)

There are other differences too that I have noticed regarding religion and schools, and I'll get into that one in my next post. Cheers, Dear Reader!

Read All About It: A Wonderful Weekend in Liberty, Mississippi

Taking a walk along Clark Creek.

I just had a GREAT weekend staying in Liberty, Mississippi-- as a guest of Mr. and Mrs. McGehee. I was just going to stay Friday night, but as it turned out I had such a wonderful time in Liberty that I ended up staying until yesterday afternoon (Monday).

The last time I wrote, Dear Reader, I was in Gloster speaking at Gloster Elementary School. Well, over the weekend I got to take a fantastic nature hike with Mrs. McGehee at Clark Creek, eat crawfish chowder atop catfish (and many other TASTY meals), hang out with some adorable grandchildren, and attend church at the First Baptist Church of Liberty-- a beautiful historic church right in downtown. I also got to have extended conversations with both Mr. and Mrs. McGehee about the civil rights era in Amite County and the current state of race in the county now-- especially in regards to schools. It is amazing how much you can learn through conversation. So thanks to the McGehees' and their extended family for the wonderful hospitality.

Oh-- and get this: I was interviewed for the town newspaper and I was very surprised to see that the article was on the front page. Ha! So read all about it. :)

The newspaper in Liberty comes out in the afternoon, so I waited until then to head out of town. That, and I got a bit lost heading out from the property where I was staying to downtown Liberty. Thanks, Mr. McGehee, for picking me up :) He also set up a place for me to stay with Lea and J. Williamson in Jackson, Louisiana. (Thanks Lea and J.!) I am at the Jackson Library at the moment writing to you. I'll head off when I'm done to St. Francisville. And in a couple of days I'll get to Baton Rouge.

Oh-- one more thing: for those of you that have been hurting your knuckles knocking on wood for me to not get a flat tire-- you can stop now. I go my first flat tire this morning on the way to the library. No worries-- I fixed it up in no time. :) Cheers!

A Great Time in Gloster

Four students from the third grade class joined Mrs. McGehee and me in front of the school.

Yesterday I left Natchez by way of Liberty Road and headed toward Route 33 leading me in the direction of Gloster, Mississippi. There were no stores on the road for thirty-five miles, so I was glad that I had filled up all three water bottles and bought a LARGE bag of trail mix. I had scheduled this visit before I left for the bicycle trip by calling Mrs. Susan McGehee, principal of Gloster Elementary School.

As I passed through Crosby on the way to Gloster, Mrs. McGehee picked me up and took me to where she lives-- farther north in Amite County (pronounced a- MITT). I got to meet her family, including new twin grandsons-- seven weeks old! So cute. Mrs. McGehee is running for superintendent of the county and I hope that she wins-- she's already a WONDERFUL principal.

This morning I rode the 10 miles from Mrs. McGehee's family property over to the school and got to meet with seven classes or so here at the school. The school is a K-8 school. There is one other K-8 school in the county and one high school. It's pretty different in Seattle. There we have over 60 elementary schools, 10 middle schools and 12 high schools. I had lunch with a great group of seventh grade girls and answered questions from them, first, second, third and fifth graders today!

So thanks Gloster Elementary for the FANATSTIC southern hospitality. Kids at this school are sharp and witty and awesome. I've had a great day. From here I'll be headed south and I'll be in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by next Thursday.

Holding on to History in Natchez, Mississippi

One of the antebellum homes on the Pilgramage Tour. Check out the docent dressed up on the second floor!

Happy Spring, Dear Reader! Of course depending on where you are this may or may not mean a thing to you. Here things are warming up. Temperatures have been in the high seventies. Oh, I'm sorry... it's only 50 where you are? And raining? Oh, there was a blizzard three days ago for you in Boston? Oh, well... come on down south-- the weather's perfect here.

Ha! Well enough about the weather. Time to talk about the fine town of Natchez, Mississippi. It's right here on the Mississippi River, and all sorts of countries have laid claim to this land. That makes for fascinating architecture and history.

Antebellum homes are enormous homes that were built in the 1800's for wealthy merchants and businessmen who came from all over the country to make money off of the cotton industry. That industry (and the antebellum homes) at that point in time of course would not have been possible had it not been for the African slave trade. Natchez had the second busiest slave port in the nation.

One thing that I really appreciate about Natchez is that there is an enormous effort to preserve history. This month and next is the 75th Annual Natchez Pilgrimage, where people come from all over to see the antebellum homes. Also in Natchez is the Natchez Museum of African American History & Culture which is an invaluable resource to the community, and two of the antebellum homes, now owned by the National Park Service, that were built by African Americans who were free men before the Civil War.

I learned today that Natchez had the largest population of free African Americans prior to the Civil War. These folks had to be freed by their owners and though free, lacked most basic civil rights and had to carry their papers proving they were free at all times. One of these free African Americans was William Johnson, a barber, whose diary was found in 1951. As it turns out, barbers have always been the biggest fans of gossip. This diary was the most complete story of what life was like in the mid 1800s in Natchez.

My goodness, Dear Reader! There is so much to say about Natchez. So read on to find out about the other cool things I got to do here: like tour the synagogue, hear the Holy Family Gospel Choir, and eat really, really good food. My next stop is Gloster, Mississippi in Amite County. I'll be getting there tomorrow and I'll get to meet the kids at Gloster Elementary School. YAY!

Beaded in Jackson, then Back on the Trace

Click on the picture to read Bear's button.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Dear Reader. Ok, I know that I'm a few days late, but boy did I have a good time in Jackson at the largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the south-- led by the famous Sweet Potato Queens. It was hysterical, and as you can see by the picture, Bear is still celebrating even though we have made it to Natchez and it is now Tuesday the 20th of March.

Beads were being thrown by just about everyone in the parade. Beads? Yes, beads. I know, I though it was a Mardi Gras thing too, but apparently it's also for St. Patrick's Day. I caught so many that I started to give them away to people around me. The only ones I have left are still on Bear.

That's about the extent of what I got to do in Jackson. All the buildings downtown were closed due to the parade. I did get to have dinner on Friday night with James and Bonnie and their family after going to services at Temple Beth Israel. Services were great-- and so was dinner-- thanks for the hospitality and my first taste of challah in months!

I got back on the Natchez Trace on Friday after coming back from Philadelphia. I'm still glad that I went, but my trip there has fully consumed my thoughts since then. When people ask how my trip is going, I find myself talking about Neshoba County. Thanks to family and friends who have written and called since that last posting.

Getting back on the Natchez Trace was a blessing. The parkway itself is a blessing to the South. What a wonderful break from traffic and rushing around to be on a road where only bends and hills and spring beauty abound.

I'm here now in Natchez and I look forward to telling you all about this wonderful town in the next posting. Cheers Dear Reader!

Philadelphia, Mississippi

Good day, Dear Reader. I'm writing to you from Philadelphia, Mississippi, the county seat of Neshoba County. It is home to one of the most famous and pivotal civil rights killings-- the deaths of Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman. They were killed on June 21, 1964 by the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Please read the links here as they provide so much information. The one from the Neshoba newspaper at the time of the slayings is a disturbing and yet fascinating read. It gives a true sense of what the feelings were at the time in 1964.

Facts for third and fourth graders
More background for folks in fifth grade and older
A clipping from the Neshoba newspaper in 1964

It is unfortunate to say the very least that in so many ways not much seems to have changed here. The town is incredibly segregated, and hardly anyone I came across yesterday wanted to talk to me about what the town is so famous for: the slaying of those three men. The marker (above) sits at the Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, a church in the African American community side of town. If I hadn't had the good fortune of finding someone at the court house to point me in the direction of the marker, I would have never found it. The church is at the corner of Carver and Rea off of Railroad Avenue.

In 2005 the Mississippi State Government named a section of the highway the men were driving out of town on the "Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman Highway". There is a sign outside of town to mark that. I was honked at three times as I stopped to take pictures of it.

As I was coming back to the motel last night where I was staying here in Philadelphia, I talked with a woman in her 60's about what she remembered about life back then. I was horrified at her perspective. I asked if there would ever be a marker in the center of town she shook her head, and then she said "those boys got what was coming to them". "They were trying to change us". "It's just like slavery...people always blame the whites". "People need to just let it go and forget about it".

From my travels in general on this bike trip through the South, it seems like that extreme racist sentiment is generational for the most part. That is to say that the older white generation that lived through what happened in 1964 often have the very same feelings they did back then. People my age (in their 30's) seem to feel less so, and their children (people your age, Dear Reader) feel even less so.

In any case I am leaving Philadelphia today with a heavy heart and sore eyes. I hope that one day there will be a monument for those men in a prominent place in town... one that everyone would see if they went through the town-- like in the park across from where I sit perhaps-- near the town square. There are statues there dedicated to Neshoba County men who died in World War II and even to the people who died in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. on 9/11/01. More importantly though I hope that monument stands for something-- for acknowledgement of what happened here. It is something that I hope is never forgotten.

From the Birthplace of Elvis to the Birthplace to Oprah on the Natchez Trace Parkway

The flower "Spring Beauty" on the side of the road on the Natchez Trace

Dear Reader, I feel like I have taken a break from the South. Not that I needed a break... don't get me wrong. But being on the Natchez Trace Parkway is just, well, an entirely different experience than anything I've experienced up to this point. It's quiet. There are no gas stations, no stores of any kind, no houses.... just a long road lined with budding trees, spring beauty, and historical markers every five miles or so. It's a road that has been used for at least hundreds of years first by the Choctow Indians and then by the early white settlers and now it is a National Historic Parkway. Check out the link.

Because there aren't many stores, I've had to be mindful to carry enough snacks and water to last through the day. As you can see by checking out the calender, my days have been nice and short, allowing me to relax at each stop. There are a couple of towns that are right on the Trace and one of them is French Camp. I had a great lunch there today-- certainly a relief to eat a nice meal after not so great dinners I've been making for myself on the stove :)

I started on the Trace in Tupelo, Mississippi- birthplace of Elvis, and here I am now in Kosciusko, the birthplace of Oprah. (I only read that, I haven't actually seen it yet.) I haven't had much time to explore the town-- I just got here, and was excited to catch up with you so I headed straight for the library.

I'm thankful that the library was open. You see I have passed by many towns that don't have a library, or towns that have a library that is open rarely. In fact, I passed by one library in Alabama that was open from 1-3 pm on Mondays through Thursdays. Isn't that sad? Dear Reader-- that would mean that the only time you'd be able to go to the library would be during spring break or summer break. Anyway, I'm happy surrounded by books and in front of a computer here in Kusciusko.

Just before I started to catch up with you I did some research here at the library on the town I'll be going to next. I'll be heading east away from the Trace to go to Philadelphia, MS. That is where three civil rights workers- Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman were killed in 1964 when they were working towards getting more African Americans in this area to register to vote. I look forward to writing to you about that in the next coming days.

Until next time Dear Reader. Oh-- thanks for the comments-- they've been so great!! Make sure you go back to the comment page you wrote on to see my response. Also-- I'll put more pictures up just as soon as I can. Cheers!

From Guin (not Gu-win), Alabama, to Tupelo, Mississippi

At the birthplace of Elvis in Tupelo sporting my Beaverton, Alabama Coffee Cup t-shirt.

Wow, it's been so long since I've written to you Dear Reader that I actually had to ask my mom to write a blurb in the blog about my whereabouts. I was afraid that I would not get to use the computer until I got to Jackson (which will now be at the end of this week-- March 16th). But alas I have found the library in Kosciusko, MS. Aren't you glad that you don't have that word on your next spelling test?

But before I tell you all about Kosciusko. , I need to catch you up on my trip north (Birmingham to Tupelo) before I changed directions and came south (Tupelo to Jackson). After the last time I wrote you, I was lucky enough to find a great place to put up my tent in Guin, Alabama. No, not Gu-win-- that's a different town four miles east of Guin. Anyway, Mr. and Mrs. Webb let me stay on their property that night and actually took me out for dinner in Detroit. No, not Detroit, Michigan, but Detroit, Alabama. We ate at the Woodpecker-- a place I never ever would have found on my own. Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Webb!

After I packed up and had coffee with Mrs. Webb the next morning (Saturday, March 10th)-- I headed onto Beaverton, where I had a delightful breakfast (my favorite-- two fried eggs, toast and hash browns). There were four women having breakfast at the next table and they questioned me up and down and sideways about my trip. When I finished eating, everyone in the diner headed out to give me a send off and check out my bike. I got to take a picture of all of them with Bear and the bike, and they gave me a Coffee Cup t-shirt. I also saw those four woman again in their car as I pedalled down the road. Thanks!

I got all the way to Tupelo that day, and checked out Elvis Presley's birth home-- now a museum. It was fantastic. There is something about heading to Tupelo that made me start singing. I tell you-- it might have been the fact that it was a 63 mile day and I needed to distract myself-- but I think it was actually the fact that I was going to see Elvis's birthplace that made me start singing Blue Suede Shoes. Ask your teacher to play it for you. You'll catch on quick and you'll be singing it too.

Cheers, Dear Reader!!

A Post from Ms. V's Mom

Dear Reader,
This is just a note to let you know that Marcia is fine and dandy. She is on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi somewhere betweenTupelo and Jackson. She's looking forward to getting to Jackson by Thursday. She'll update you on the whole week when she gets there. Have a nice day!

Birmingham and Beyond

Spending a morning with forth graders at Wright Elementary in Birmingham

I left Birmingham on Thursday morning after learning a TON and having a wonderful time with the AWESOME family I got to stay with-- Drew, Tamara, Francisco and Santiago. Thanks for the wonderful hospitality :)

I spent the day on Wednesday exploring the downtown area of Birmingham-- primarily in the Kelly Ingram Park area. That is the park where children all over downtown Birmingham came on May 2,1963 to demand the end to segregation and better treatment for African Americans.. The children were met that day with fire hoses and dogs. The water was so strong that it took the skin off of many children. And the scene was so terrible that people all over the country-- in fact all over the world-- were horrified by what they saw.

Across from the park is the 16th Street Baptist Church. That was the scene of a bombing on September 16th, 1963 where four little girls were killed. I didn't get to go in to the church, but I did see it from the outside. Pictures and links to come :)

Also across from the park is the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute which teaches about the Children's March, the bombing at the church, the Freedom Riders (I'll talk about that when I get to Jackson), and many other key events in the Civil Rights Era. I learned SO much. It's been so amazing to learn about people that have been so brave.

On Thursday morning I got to talk two groups of fourth graders at Wright Elementary School in Birmingham. They asked awesome questions and even made me take a spin on the bike around their gym! Ha! Their P.E. teacher Mrs. Pierce sent me away with a bright yellow Wright Elementary t shirt. Thanks! Now I'm even more visible on the road!

I also want to mention this about Birmingham: If you happen to go, you must try out a place called Niki's West-- I learned the importance of the good old Southern meal of "meat and 3" -- that's three vegetables and a meat dish. Stacked HIGH on the plate-- this filed me up for what seemed like would be the next week and a half!

I headed out of town after talking at Wright Elementary on Thursday and there is not much to say about the route I took.... not many positive things, anyway. Who knew (not me) that route 269 is the most dangerous road in the state of Alabama? From Birmingport (12 miles out of Birmingham) to 12 miles out of Jasper, I was passed over and over by HUGE coal trucks. Coal mining is a BIG industry here. But check out this bright spot: I met another bicyclist! Jonathan braved the road with me after he got off work (he is a truck driver), and we talked all about the pleasures of touring. Good luck Jonathan! Hope to see you down the road someday.

Well that's about all for now, dear reader. I'm off to Tupelo, Mississippi, and then I'll be heading down the Natchez Trace Parkway all the way into Jackson. Cheers!

On the way to Birmingham with Boiled Peanuts and Sweet Tea

I got to Birmingham last night and it occurred to me that I haven't really written about what the daily pleasures have been while riding down South. Later this week I look forward to writing all about my experience in the great town of Birmingham which I can't wait to explore today, but in the meantime, here's a glimpse of life on the road.

First off. Let's talk about sweet tea. In Seattle, we don't have sweet tea. Sweet tea is akin to maple syrup with ice that you would drink for lunch, throughout the afternoon and into the evening all over the South. It can be found in any restaurant. I have actually built up the taste buds for straight sweet tea. When I first started my bike trip in Savannah, I had to ask for half and half tea-- that's half sweet and half unsweetened tea. In Seattle when we go to a restaurant and ask for tea, we get a hot cup of herbal or caffeinated tea. That's not the case here.

Next: Boiled Peanuts. Why, you might ask, would you boil peanuts? Well, dear reader-- they taste REALLY good! I had a bad batch of these in Savannah, so I wasn't going to mention it on the blog, but then I gave it another shot on the way up to Birmingham a couple days ago and WOW! It's good stuff, dear reader! I find stands for boiled peanuts every few miles along the road-- especially at fruit stands. So now I will make it a daily stop.

Bad news: there are no shoulders in Alabama. No silly, I'm not talking about people's shoulders, I'm talking about a place for a bicyclist to ride on the road. I've been riding as far to the right as I can and drivers have been very kind-- passing to the left to give me room--- knock on wood. But I have to admit, I miss the shoulders of Georgia, and I wonder what I might find in Mississippi and Louisiana over the next several weeks.

So now I am in Birmingham staying with friends of my friends Lynn and Tammy-- Drew, Tamara, and their two very cute little boys. I'm going to explore the town today and tell you all about it in the next post. Cheers!!

Living History in Selma at the Jubilee

I'm so thrilled and honored to have gotten the chance to be in Selma and Montgomery this weekend. The Bridge Crossing Jubilee in Selma ended yesterday with a reenactment of the actual crossing of the bridge.

In continuation of the theme of being in the right place at the right time (knock on wood), there were several very prominent politicians also in Selma. Here are just a few: one former president, Bill Clinton, and two people running for president in 2008, Senators Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama. Senator Clinton spoke at the First Baptist Church and Senator Obama spoke at the AME Brown Chapel-- the churches are a couple blocks away from each other.

My parents and I decided to try to see Senator Obama speak and suprised ourselves by actually getting in. We were very moved listening to the entire service at Brown Chapel-- the exact place where the March started 42 years ago. I was so moved as well by listening to Mr. Obama who could very well be the first African American president. Follow the link to hear what Senator Obama said yesterday.

After the church service, Senator Clinton walked down from the First Baptist Church and we got to hear her speak as well. How moving as well to hear from a woman who could be the first woman to be president of the United States. Follow the link here to see what she had to say. The crowd cheered loudly for both senators, and no matter what the news reports may say-- there was nothing but unity in Selma yesterday.

So then: get this.... I said farewell to my parents. They were SO bummed, having to leave before the actual bridge crossing. Anyway, I turned around and saw a few people-- at the end of what was starting to be the march through Selma-- running into the neighborhood across the street from Brown Chapel. I was curious, so I followed and WOW!!!! Dear Reader, there in front of me was former president Bill Clinton. He was here to be with his wife Hilary- but also to get an award from the National Voting Rights Museum. He was also being followed by MANY reporters and tons of people who saw him and wanted to shake his hand. Well I of course wanted to do the same, and I did! People were so full of joy having seen Obama, Hilary Clinton, and now Bill Clinton (a few told me they would wait awhile before washing their hands). He had come to the Jubilee before and as I walked with the marchers I kept talking to people and hearing how they had now gotten to meet him twice! He is very loved here and seemed thrilled to be in Selma yesterday.

What a great day in Selma yesterday. Check out the pictures of the event here. And what an honor to be part of history. The biggest lesson for me in the last few days is this: EVERYONE that can vote should vote. EVERYONE. People died for the right to vote. They were beaten, lynched, shot-- all for the right for every single person 18 or older to vote without having to count the number of jellybeans in a jar, prove they have money, or take a literacy test. So there you have it dear reader. Look forward to turning 18 for that very reason. And if you're older than that.... I hope you vote in every election.

Cheers! The next time I write to you will be from Birmingham.

Learning so much in Montgomery

At the Civil Rights Monument in Montgomery. Water rushes over the names of the martyrs and major events of the civil rights movement.

As promised, I'll start of this post by telling you about the school visit I had on Thursday. As you recall, I got out of harm's way by getting a ride to Montgomery from Malenna and Ray. Ray runs a small boys high school in Montgomery. I took him up on the offer and on Thursday I got a chance to talk to a group of some pretty awesome guys. The tornado sirens were going off and all of us were in a hallway when I got to speak to them on Thursday. These young men asked very smart questions and most importantly, laughed at my jokes. I had such a great time talking to them! Thanks guys!

My Mom and Dad came down to Montgomery from Maryland on Thursday to visit all of the museums and monuments with me here and take part in the festivities of the Bridge Crossing Jubilee this weekend in Selma. The Jubilee commemorates
Bloody Sunday in 1965, and is chock full of events. Check out that link on Bloody Sunday because the pictures are striking and the explanation is better than any I could give. Bloody Sunday is a day that people in Selma and elsewhere are working hard for people to not forget. It was a tragic day in American history and set into motion the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Yesterday Mom, Dad, and I started the day by visiting Civil Rights Museum and Monument. The monument itself is incredible. Water rushes over the major events of the civil rights movement-- including the names of the martyrs of the movement. The museum teaches about each of the martyrs and also has a section that commemorates people that have been killed recently due to racism, xenophobia, and homophobia. I was deeply impressed by the monument and museum.

Next we got a tour of the Southern Poverty Law Center across the street. The SPLC has three missions: To give out free fantastic teaching materials to teachers called "Teaching Tolerance", two, they track hate groups in the United States, and three-- they defend people in court who are victims of hate crimes and intolerance. Great group, huh?

Montgomery is where the famous bus boycott took place, and yesterday Mom, Dad and I learned so much about what it took to plan that bus boycott and keep in going by visiting the Dexter Ave. King Memorial Baptist Church and the Rosa Parks Museum.

We saw so much yesterday and we were all so moved by what we learned. There is something about being here.... walking the streets of Montgomery... touching the names of the dead on the Civil Rights Monument... that teaches me so much more than any picture or film about the movement. I really wish that kids in Seattle could come over here for a field trip and visit all of these places with me. I hope that someday you guys do come here on your own. There is so much to learn.

Tonight I am going to a "Mock Trial" in Selma at the Dallas County Courthouse. It is one of the first events of the Jubilee. I look forward to telling you all about that in the next entry!

Lastly, I wanted to thank so many friends and family for checking up on me the last couple of days. Thanks to Malenna and Ray who gave me a ride on Thursday-- I'm safe and sound here in Montgomery. The tornado hit Enterprise which is south of where I am and what happened there is quite sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families there.

J.E. Terry Elementary School, an Avon Meeting, and Missing a Tornado

Thanks Ms. Chance's class for a GREAT visit!

Today I write to you from Montgomery, Alabama. And all I have to say is WHEW! I woke up this morning from camping out behind Tom's gas station north of Plantersville, and went into his store after packing up. He had the TV on because there are severe weather warnings for pretty much the entire state of Alabama.... Tornado warnings to be exact.

The weatherman said that the bad weather would start at about noon, so I got on my bike and pedaled fast-- hoping to get to Montgomery by noon (48 miles). Well I didn't make it more than 10 miles when I started to get a bit worried. I stopped riding, and a pick-up truck pulled over. Ray and Malenna picked me up and took me to Montgomery. Ray runs a school here in Montgomery and asked if I would speak to his kids-- of course I said yes! More on that school visit in the next post.

My visit yesterday to J.E. Terry Elementary School went fantastically well. Those kids were GREAT. I spent the afternoon with Ms. Chance's fourth graders at this small country school-- about 140 kids. They asked smart questions and gave me good advice about where I should go while I'm in their area. I hope to see many of them at the Bridge Crossing Jubilee in Selma this weekend!

So now I know... you're dying to know.... an Avon meeting?!?! Well, yes. On Tuesday night I pulled into the Living Waters Church five miles north of Selma and asked Pastor Wayne if I could spend the night in the church's backyard. He said yes, and after I set up my tent his wife Marleen came by. She invited me not only to take a much needed shower, but also to an Avon meeting she was going to that evening. I took her up on both, and had a wonderful time.

We went over to Mrs. Hatch's house and I listened to a presentation on the latest product line while having the tastiest ham and cheese sandwich I've ever had. Due to space considerations regarding my four panniers I did not get any Avon products that evening.

I also got to talk to Mrs. Hatch who has lived in Selma all of her life. She was working at a movie theater same day as Bloody Sunday in 1965, and told me all about what life was like for her at that time. Thanks everyone-- especially to the Hatch family and to Pastor Wayne and Maureen for such wonderful southern hospitality.

Cheers!

See you later Georgia-- Hello Alabama!

"Blocks" a quilt made by Anna Mae Young, part of the Quilters' Collective in Gees Bend

Dear Reader, what a whirlwind of the last several days! As you can see by the calender and the map, I'm in Alabama-- just north of Selma. (There will be lots to read about Selma in the next few posts!)

The last time I wrote to you I was in Macon, Georgia. After writing I hung out in Macon a little bit longer and then biked to Warner Robins where I met up with my friend Becky. Becky is very good friend of mine from Philadelphia who came all the way down to meet me partway through my trip and hang out in the South for a few days.

We didn't waste anytime, that's for sure. Another friend of Becky's was in town--Steph-- for a folk music show that we got to see that night. The next morning after breakfast with the band, Becky and I went in the car with the bike, all the panniers and Bear heading west. First we stopped back in Plains-- I wanted to show Becky the National Historic Site. After catching up with my new friends there, we kept on west and got to Tuskegee. We wanted to start out the day on Monday checking out the Tuskegee National Historic Site. It is home to the Tuskegee University-- an all-African American college started by Booker T. Washington. George Washington Carver was a teacher at the school.

Monday morning we went to the site and we learned so much about those two men. I was pretty blown away by all of the discoveries that George Washington Carver made in his day. Let me just tell you-- he deserves credit for a WHOLE lot more than peanut butter. As a scientist his made so many discoveries that were helpful to farmers. Read for yourself in the links.

Becky and I were very surprised that we found nothing in the Carver museum on the campus of Tuskegee about the clinical trials that have been in the news. For years in the 1930's through the 1960's the US government preformed trials on African American men with a disease called syphilis. The men-- most of whom did not know how to read or write, were told that they were getting help for their disease. That was a lie, and the government has finally apologized.

Becky and I drove on from the Tuskegee Institute to Boykin, Alabama. Boykin is home to the quilting collective of women called The Qulilts of Gees Bend. Ms. Mary Ann Pettaway, one of the quilters, showed us around the quilter's warehouse. Many of the quilts are now on display at museums elsewhere. In fact the quilts will be coming to Tacoma this fall! The quilting collective has been active since the final days of slavery. Generations of women in the Pettaway family have taken part. It was SO fantastic.

Becky and I spent the night in Camden last night which is across the river from Boykin. Becky drove off this morning and she's headed back up to Philadelphia. Thanks for visiting, Beck!!

I'll be writing lots about Selma and Montgomery in the next few days. I'll be in this area-- Selma and Montgomery until Sunday as my mom and dad are coming down from Maryland to explore the area with me. We'll all be here for the Bridge Crossing Jubilee. More on that later too! Mom and Dad won't be biking-- they'll have a car-- just like Becky.

Tomorrow I get to go to J.E. Terry Elementary Schoolin Plantersville, Alabama and spend the afternoon with Ms. Chance's fourth graders there. I'm really looking forward to it and can't wait to tell you all about it.

I'll be responding to posts tomorrow. Cheers, Dear Reader!!

A Day in Atlanta... then on the road to Macon, Georgia

At the Ebeneezer Baptist Church

Due again to fantastic Southern kindness and hospitality, I got to go to Atlanta. As you may recall, I was not going to get a chance to visit Atlanta on this trip, due to fact that it's quite dangerous to bike in and out of that city. However, Jill- who splits her time between Atlanta and Plains, gave me, my bicycle, panniers, and Bear a ride up to the Atlanta area. I got to spend a couple of fun nights with her and the cutest dog in the world-- Thomas, and a day walking around Atlanta. Thanks, Jill!

The crux of my day in Atlanta was going to President Jimmy Carter's Presidential Library and Museum, and then taking the 1.5 mile "Freedom Walk" to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. The walk teaches visitors the commonalities between these men-- including their lifelong fight for human rights and winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

I'll start with vising the King National Historic Site. Dear reader, the National Historic Site for Dr. King includes his boyhood home, the Ebeneezer Baptist Church, a fantastic museum, and a fire station that was the first in Atlanta to be integrated. His tomb is there as well-- with Coretta Scott King. I spent much of the morning I was there weeping, for I have been teaching about Dr. King's life for all the eight years that I have been an elementary school teacher-- and there I was .... looking into his childhood room from the hallway, sitting three rows back from where he preached, standing next to his tomb. I was so very moved by this experience and in the days to come I hope to have the words to describe more what it was like to be there. Right now I am still speechless. The lucky children in this area get to go on field trips to the National Historic Site-- pretty great, huh? I wonder if they appreciate how special that is.

After meeting President Carter and getting to hear him speak in person, I truly enjoyed this trip to his library and museum. There I learned even more about the days when he was in office. I was only a little girl when he was president, so this trip has taught me so much about him and what he was able to do while he was president and since he has been president.

Right now I'm in Macon. It is a very pretty town-- and there are even a few cherry blossom trees in bloom. Yesterday I went to the Tubman Museum, an awesome home to African American history and folk art. Today I have a few more hours before I'll head south to Warner Robins. It took a couple of short days to get here by bicycle. I have to say-- those short days are pretty nice-- the wind was at my back and I was cruising along-- powered up by the candy that Betty made for me in Plains. I just finished my first bag-- I have three more to go. Thanks Betty!!!

More pictures will be posted soon. Cheers, Dear Reader!

A Couple of Precious Extra Days in Plains

What a wonderful time I had in Plains, Georgia. I got to see President Carter and his wife Rosalynn again today-- this time at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new biodiesel plant that is going to be opening up in Plains by the end of the year. Biodiesel is an alternative to using regular diesel, and is made by using plants such as soybeans. Many folks out in Seattle have been using biodiesel for years-- they have used the excess oil from fast food restaurants and using that to run their diesel cars. Well now bio diesel is being made in factories using the oil from plants. Way to go Plains!!!

Why is this good? Well, for one thing, it is so much better for the environment to use plants that you can grow every year to run cars and trucks rather than using fossil fuels that are going to run out at some point. Also, much of the fossil fuels that we do use to run our cars and trucks come from countries that don't like the United States very much. One more thing: farmers here in Georgia and all over the country grow soybeans every year. So isn't it great that we're going to start using fuel that can be made right here in Georgia?! Make sure you read all about what the newspaper had to say about this great event today.

What else was I up to in Plains? Well, Betty continued showing me all around the town. I got to visit President Carter's Boyhood Home -- check out the pictures of that in the Plains folder. Also, I went with Betty and Boze to the pre-Biodiesel Plant opening dinner, pre-ceremony breakfast, and post-ceremony lunch. It was there that I learned more than I ever thought I'd learn about bio-diesel production plants from folks who work in the industry and investors alike.

Dear Reader, this might be the first time that I ever gain weight on a bicycle trip. Betty sent me away with five bags of homemade candy. Thanks Betty! Southern hospitality is truly amazing.

Right now I'm just south of Atlanta. I didn't think that I'd get to go to Atlanta on this trip, but Jill, the owner of the Bed and Breakfast in town, gave me a lift up to Jonesboro (just south of Atlanta) with my bicycle and panniers. I'll spend the day in Atlanta tomorrow, and then on Thursday I'll head south (back on the bike!) to meet up with my friend Becky in Warner Robins.

Cheers!

It was Chilly on the Bike...but it's been VERY warm in Plains

Happy Sunday Dear Reader. I'm writing to you from Plains, Georgia, the home of Betty and Boze Godwin-- the family of my friends Melinda and Chris back in Washington State. Boze is the mayor here in Plains, which is the also the home of our 39th President, Jimmy Carter.

President Carter, his wife Rosalynn, the Godwins, and many other folks in town attend the same church: the Maranatha Baptist Church. In fact, President Carter is a deacon at the church and teaches Sunday School before services fairly often. So guess what I got to do today? I got to go to Sunday School and sit next to President and Mrs. Carter during services. What an honor--it was so great!! Among other Sunday School topics, President Carter talked about his latest trip to Africa where the Carter Center is working hard to eradicate diseases that we are fortunate enough not to have in this country.

The Plains High School is now the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site. Betty and I went there today and I learned all about President Carter's time in High School, how he became Governor of Georgia and then on to become President of the United States. He has always been a champion of civil rights in this country and human rights throughout the world, and he won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2002. He is very, very loved here in Plains. Tomorrow I'm going to visit his boyhood home right outside of town.

So when I say that it has been warm here in Plains, I do not mean the weather-- it hasn't warmed up quite yet. No, I mean the hospitality. I feel like the kindness is coming at me from all directions, and I am so very thankful.

There is so much else to talk to you about, dear reader. The three day ride between Waycross and Plains was good, but it was COLD. The wind was slowing me down significantly and I only rode an average of 7-8 miles an hour on one day-- even on the downhills. It has been so bitter cold at night that I have had to stay in motels. That can be fun for sure, but I'm looking forward to the weather turning a bit warmer.

The most interesting town I got to between here and Plains was definitely Fitzgerald. Check out this site-- what an interesting history! It was started as a colony for Union soldiers just after the civil war.

To check out the distances I have gone each day, check out the calendar and the route. I'll be staying in Plains for another couple of nights. Thanks for keeping in touch and writing. I'm really loving all of the comments and e mails.

Cheers, Dear Reader!

Camping with Ferris Wheels

Ha! Tonight I'm writing to you from a Holiday Inn in Waycross, Georgia. I'm pretty thankful to get to use the computer here especially because I am not staying here tonight-- I'm staying next door. Hooray for southern hospitality and kind people.

So get this, dear reader, last night I camped out in a carnival work yard. That's right. I was four miles out of (48 miles southwest of Savannah), and I asked permission from the boss to camp on the land, and he was kind enough to say yes :). There was a pony, a goose, many ticket booths, a sideways ferris wheel, and a carousel. The rides were being worked on (welded and painted) in order to be ready for the carnival to go on the road in March. It was an excellent camping spot-- the only thing was that the goose was pretty loud. :)

This morning I headed out and into the town of Ludowici where I found Debbie's Diner. Dear Reader, the folks at that diner were the kindest people I have encountered so far on the trip. I got into a GREAT conversation and laughed so hard my belly hurt. It always feels good to make new friends.

Now I'm in Waycross, and I just had a burger for dinner. Good to get some protein for the road. I was super hungry after my 56 mile day. Get this: while eating, I got into a conversation with a couple of guys there at the restaurant. One of them asked: Do you ride with a teddy bear? He had seen me on the road. Bear's famous!

Check out the pictures! I'll be here in Waycross for a couple of nights-- tomorrow I'll spend the day the Okeefanokee Swamp Park. Cheers!!