Destination Attained in This Small World

Valdosta, Georgia. Finally. After arriving at Amarillo, Texas, Rick Husband International Airport yesterday morning at 9:00 a.m. to fly to Jacksonville, Florida and then drive to Valdosta, Georgia, for anticipated arrival yesterday around 5:45 p.m., I finally arrived today in Valdosta at about 8:00 p.m. That is 36 hours for the trip that could have been driven in less time.

According to Mapquest, it is 1282 miles from Amarillo to Valdosta. At an average speed of 60 miles per hour it would take a little over 21 hours of driving time. I would have saved 15 hours!!

The weather was the culprit. However, it was exacerbated by the desire of the airlines to be efficient. They have cut flights so that every plane is loaded to capacity. There is absolutely no slack in their scheduling. It doesn't take much of a glitch for the house of cards to come tumbling down. I think next time it would be best to charter a plane.

I love the Southeast. I love the accent -- yeah, I know, I'm the one with the accent -- Texas accent. There is nothing more melodic than English spoken with a deep south accent. It sings. I think it must be in my blood.

Numerous generations ago, my predecessors came out of the hills of northern Georgia after arriving there from South Carolina where they offloaded from ships arriving from Scotland. Tracking the genealogy is difficult because much of it was lost in the War of Northern Aggression when Sherman burned the courthouse in Atlanta. Maybe it's best. What little family history we have shows heavy tracks of a few outlaws in the tree (hanging by their necks -- not their tails as a good friend likes to say). However, there is also a generous mix of a few heroes so I guess that makes me about average. Humph! I never thought of myself as average. Oh, well.

As I checked into the motel here in Valdosta, a gentlemen was standing behind me waiting to speak with the desk clerk. He asked what part of Texas I was from and I told him that it was near Amarillo. He was wearing a Clemson shirt which is where he is currently associated with their Extension Service. It seems that he was from Winters, Texas. I asked him if he knew a particular individual who graduated from High School with me and now lives in Winters. He knew him well. It is a small world.