(pending uploads)
From San Ysidro, I have gone:
- Back to LA
- Nevada (Hoover Dam)
- Four Corners (Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico)
- Utah (Zion National Park)
- Encircled Colorado (Durango to Salida to Denver to Boulder to Steamboat to Ft Collins) with the plan of then heading South to Brownsville
However, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (for me) of seeing an eclipse totality would only occur on August 21, 2017, and only in a narrow band across the U.S., much of which would be difficult visit because of massive travel plans of many other people, led me to bide my time in the interior of the United States.
So while waiting for August 21, I traversed:
- Wyoming
- South Dakota
- Iowa
- Nebraska
- Kansas
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Tennessse
- Kentucky, where I saw the eclipse totality on perfect day in Paducah.
At this point, I resumed my travel toward Corpus Christi / Brownsville TX.
- Missouri
- Arkansas
- Texas
Then tropical storm Harvey appeared seemingly out of nowhere and loomed (then) as a potential (and ultimately a massive) hurricane directly in the path of travel to and the area of Corner #8. It seemed then to be literally impossible to make that journey on a motorbike, and has sadly for the people of Southwest Texas to a devastating weather event. So I have abandoned Corner #8 by heading East and declared Savannah GA as my backup Corner 8 (using Texarkana TX, my furthest reach into Texas seemed pretty weak as a “corner”).
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Georgia
- South Carolina
Along this last diversion I’ve gotten to visit the boyhood homes of three of our Presidents: Harry Truman (Lamar MO), William Clinton (Hope AR), and Jimmy Carter (Plains GA). And, as a special bonus, I got to see and hear President Carter (and Mrs. Carter) at their church (Maranatha Baptist) in Plains where he still teaches Sunday School at (nearly) the age of 93.
LA to Las Vegas and Nevada
Natchez Trace (from Jackson MS to Natchez)
There is a not well-known, but beautiful highway known as the Natchez Trace. Here’s text from the National Park Service:
A Drive through 10,000 Years of History
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile recreational road and scenic drive through three states. It roughly follows the “Old Natchez Trace” a historic travel corridor used by American Indians, “Kaintucks,” European settlers, slave traders, soldiers, and future presidents. Today, people can enjoy not only a scenic drive but also hiking, biking, horseback riding, and camping along the parkway.
The only Triumph dealer in Mississippi was in Jackson. I needed a new, and final, rear tire to get home safely. After great service there, I took the Trace from Jackson to go to Natchez MS and Louisanna.
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez sits on the eastern shore of the Mississippi River. The two scenes below are taken from the Arkansas side viewing east of downtown Natchez. Watching the flow of the river and thinking of the many thousands of years of history that occurred right at this area is humbling: so many have watched it flow, used it for travel and as a source of water and you are just one blip in the myriad.
Much of old Natchez has been preserved, restored.
Natchez has been the site of sad and difficult times of racial injustice, and conflict. Various memorials provide context and history.
And other parts of Natchez reflect the decay of once thriving towns now facing population loss, and economic downturns.
Plains, Georgia
The small town was made famous as the birthplace of President Jimmy Carter, and of his almost equally famous brother Billy. Jimmy was a Naval officer, Governor of Georgia, and of course President of the United States (after President Ford and before President Reagan). Billy owned the gas station in Plains, gave great folksy / regular guy interviews, and had his name affixed to quite a low grade beer. (The joke was that the beer had been sent out for analysis; the report came back “We’re sad to tell you, sir, that your horse has diabetes.”)
President Carter has had a long and distinguished career after his presidential term ended in 1980. He is still alive, and active, and will turn 93 in the Fall of 2017. One of his primary callings is that he continues to teach an adult Sunday School as he has for perhaps 50 years. It is open to the public, but one needs to get there–Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains–before 7 a.m. to be screened by the ever present Secret Service, and participate in a briefing at 9 a.m., before Sunday School starts at 10 a.m., followed by the church service at 11 a.m.. If, and only if, you stay for church, you can stay over and get your photograph taken with President Carter and his wife, and former First Lady, Rosalyn Carter.
So, my ride to get to Plains began at about 2:30 a.m., followed by a beautiful Georgia sunrise:
The church is smaller than one might think, but typical of a small town Baptist Church. One Sundays when President Carter is teaching, the typical Sunday congregation of 35 or so people is multiplied by a factor of 10 or 20. During the Summer of 2017, President Carter was teaching primarily from the First Epistle of Peter.
One of President Carter’s talents and interests is woodworking. He actually made the wooden cross that hangs on the front wall, and the collection trays. Note his initials on the bottom of the tray below–which are striking because of course they are the initials of Jesus Christ, though “Christ” is not the surname of “Jesus” but rather His title in Greek of the Hebrew word “Messiah” meaning anointed One (as sent by God).
President Carter teaches for the full hour of Sunday School primarily focused on the Bible by interspersed with references to his time as Governor and President. All his sessions can be purchased either as audio only or full video by writing to the church. (My recollection is that each session is $10 for the audio only, and $15 for the DVD). For those of us old enough to remember his Presidency it is especially interesting, and amazing, to hear him in this context now more than 35 later.
After regular church ends, everyone is invited to cue up for photos.
(It was a little embarrassing to be in the picture wearing my armored motorcycle pants and only a travel shirt as I did not bring anything else suitable). (I am holding the Gospel of John booklet which I thought I would hand him, but it didn’t seem appropriate; but I did give two them to two of his Secret Service agents). The Cross made by President Carter is visible on the wall behind the President.
The below picture captures essentially the entirely of the business section of Plains.
Though Billy Carter died long ago, his infamous gas station lives on. 
At President (and Rosalyn’s) Carter’s former high school, in Plains, now converted into a museum, one can sit at a replica of one end of the Oval Office. It’s quite amazing to think of the solemnity of issues and decisions that have been made there.
Savannah, Georgia (my revised Corner 8)
Savannah claims to be the oldest city in the United States, and is certainly one of the most beautiful. It sits on the Savannah River and overlooks (to the north) South Carolina. The river was a major element in its prosperity as ‘king cotton’ farmed all over Georgia was brought to Savannah for sale and shipment by sea all over the world, as it is to this day. The city was well planned with numerous city squares and endless live oak trees. It was blessed by escaping the fate of destruction by other southern cities during the Civil War.
The famous Catholic Cathedral. 
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Many movies have been located in Savannah. One of them is Forest Gump. At the Georgia welcome station there is a scene set up with ‘Forest’ and his box of chocolates (“My mom always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get”) that is the subject of endless photos, including mine.
Here’s Tom Hanks in the scene from the 1994 movie:
One of the favorite sons of Savannah is Johnny Mercer. He wrote (lyrics) many many songs of “The American Songbook,” including: Moon River, Summer Wind, On the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe, Autumn Leaves, Day In Day Out, Fools Rush In, Blues in the Night, Satin Doll, I Wanna Be Around, The Shadow of Your Smile, Emily, I Remember You, One for My Baby and One More for the Road. Just hearing those titles evokes the melody and story contained in them. Many of the best songs were made famous by incomparable story telling singing of Frank Sinatra. An incredible legacy of music.
So the leg home leg to home will be from the area of Savannah GA, not Brownsville, and is here:
Return to 8 Corners Start Page here: