Heading home to Texas

We left Tybee and headed for home through Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, and I-40 home. 

Outside of Atlanta we decided to stop and see Stone Mountain.  It is the largest exposed dome of granite in North America and has a carving on it depicting Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis.  Pretty awesome.

Heading into Birmingham we stopped for a quick view of Talladega.  They were closed but we can say we have been there!  As we were making our way through/around Birmingham, in the rush hour traffic I might add, we stopped in a traffic jam.  Found out later it was a wreck.  I think we were in that traffic for about 45 minutes.  But as we sat we started noticing the trash and “neglected” houses with blue plastic on the roof and shredded trees.  Tornado!  We were driving by one of the paths of a tornado.  Our hearts just broke for these people all over again.  You just cannot imagine the devastation.  Oh, you hear about it and see it on TV, but in person it is so much more.

After that we spent the night in the last two motel rooms in Jasper, AL.  All rooms were taken by either displaced residents or construction workers helping to clean up.

Our next quick stop was Mempis, TN, Beale St.  From here we went to Ft. Smith, AR to spend the night.  Actually we stayed in Alma.  I messaged a cousin there, Gary Hood, and he and his wife Judy came to the motel to visit.  Loved it. 

Then we went home, to Texas and our own beds!  With wonderful memories.