St. Augustine has to be one of my favorite cities in the South to visit. It ranks only second to Savannah Georgia. It seems like every time I pay a visit, I find something different to photograph. St. Augustine, listed as the oldest city in the country, is filled with homes with unique doorways and windows, gated gardens and statues.
Every time I head south to the east coast of Florida, I try to make a run over to Merritt Island and the National Seashore. Established in 1963 as an overlay of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge provides a wide variety of habitats provide habitat for more than 1,500 species of plants and animals.
Many recreational opportunities are offered at the Refuge. Bird and wildlife observation, a wildlife drive, manatee observation deck, fishing and hunting opportunities, and boating and paddling are examples of available activities. The Visitor Information Center located 4 miles east of Titusville, Florida, is a great place to start your visit.
I like most travel photographers, I enjoy getting out and driving around in search of interesting items to photograph. On a recent weekend drive along some backroads near the Alabama and Mississippi stateline I came across an abandoned derelict hotel or something along those lines anyway.
Finding something like that is not really uncommon, but what I found interesting was that someone had spray painted No Fishing on one of the buildings. Well, this got my curiosty peaked because there was no sign of anywhere that someone could actually do a little fishing, no pond, no lake, no nothing.
After a closer inspection of this building I did find a pipe with water flowing into the area that at one time was a office of some sort.
So I guess if you're really determined to do a little fishing then anyplace that has water is a go place to sink a line.
Have a little fun and get out over the weekend and see what you can uncover.
Throughout rural Alabama, old abandoned barns can be found ready for you to pull out the camera to take a few shots.
2012 Trail of Tears – Remembrance Ride
Every year on the third Saturday of September, thousands of avid motorcycle riders ascend of the city of Chattanooga Tennessee for the annual ride to pay respects to the Indian nation.
Excerpt from the official TOT website:
"This ride is not about which trail we ride, or the remembrance of one particular group of people that traveled the Trail of Tears. It is about the remembrance of the plight of the Native American people ripped from their homes, their lands and forced to endure the terrible hardship placed upon them when forced to a new land, forced to a land full of uncertainty, unknowing, and a feeling that their aggressors may again change their mind and force another removal, or worse annihilation."
The ride starts off in downtown Chattanooga Tennessee, follows the trail taken by the Native Americans, around Lookout Mountain to Monteagle, TN. The route transverses some of the most scenic routes in Tennessee, as it meanders throughout the area before a the convoy takes a short break in Fayetteville, then heads off towards Florence, AL where for most, the rides wraps up. For others, it's an overnight stay before pulling out for Wewoka, Ok
For many, the Trail of Tears Remembrance Ride is an annual event, where they can share, renew and form new relationships with their fellow riders.
Slide show of the Chattanooga Events:
Mark your calendar for next year's event.
Posted at 11:54 AM in Articles, Comments, Current Affairs, News, Opinion, Sports, Stock Photography, Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: 2012 Trail of Tears, Chattanooga Tennessee, Cyclist, Motorocycles, Native American, People, Remembrance Ride, Riders
Digg This | Save to del.icio.us | Tweet This! |