Cheha Mountain

On the road to Cheaha Mountain

There is something about the open road that frees the spirit. The scene above was snapped while standing just outside the door of the Casita on the second morning of my vagabond though the Deep South.

It was late in the evening, as I was driving east on Interstate 20, when  I noticed the exit sign for Cheaha State Park.  The wisdom of heading down an unknown backroad after sunset is questionable, but I could not resist the urge to explore. 

After driving a wonderfully twisty-curvy road for about 20 minutes, I came to an overlook and decided to stop for the night. I fed Max and fixed a simple supper for myself, then sat outside in the cool night air watching the stars and the twinkling lights of a village far below. When I awoke the next morning, I was greeted by the scene you see above.  I wish that a photograph could convey the smell of wild honeysuckle and the sound of the birdsongs that accompanied my breakfast coffee as I sat outside the Casita that morning. 

Although I grew up in Alabama, I had forgotten how wonderful the scenery is. Cheaha Mountain, at 2405 feet, is reportedly the highest point in Alabama. It is a part of the Blue Ridge chain of the Appalachians. For me, there is no pleasure that can compare to waking to so much natural beauty!