Day 1: Friday, December 5:
Today we traveled to Scottsboro, a two-hour drive.
We stopped at McDonald's in Huntsville for breakfast, where we bought a sausage and Biscuit, and a Sausage, egg, and Biscuit, and spent $6.74.
We traveled US 72 to Huntsville and then to Scottsboro. We stopped at McDonald's in Scottsboro to use the restroom.
We boarded the Eagle bus out of Rome, Ga, number 1031 at 7:15 and were on the road by 7:30 A.M.
We pick up passengers in Fort Payne (8:10 A.M.)and Springfield (9:15 A.M.)
We stopped for a Restroom break at a Travel Center.
We arrived at the Old Mill Kitchen in Opelika at 12:07 P.M.
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| Old Mill Kitchen Opelika |
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| Key Lime Pie |
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| Baked Chicken, creamed potatoes with gravy, Peas, and cornbread. |
I ordered baked lemon pepper chicken breast, with field peas & snaps, Mashed potatoes & gravy, cornbread, and for dessert, Key Lime Pie.
The bus was too tall, and it was raining, so we just stopped for a look at the
drive-thru Museum of Wonder in Seale.
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| Drive-thru Museum |
We checked into the Hampton Inn by Hilton Hotel around 3:30 P.M. in room 206.
At 5:30 P.M., we were served a private welcome dinner at the Shorter Mansion.
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| Table setting |
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| Homemade bread pudding with white Chocolate Sauce |
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| Salad Spring Mix with fresh fruit and a raspberry vinaigrette |
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| Smoked pork tenderloin with Jezebel Sauce, green beans, and creamed potatoes |
The meal consisted of a salad, pork tenderloin, roasted haricot vert (green beans), baked loaded potato, and chocolate bread pudding.
Before we sat down to eat, we toured the Shorter Mansion.
We returned to the hotel around 7:30 P.M., took a hot bath, and went to bed.
Iphone photos
2153-2157 Old Mill Kitchen Opelika @ 12:07 P.M.
2158-2169 Downtown Opelika at 1:40 P.M.
2170-2177 Drive-Thru Museum of Wonder @2:17 PM
2179-2188 Eufaula @2:50 PM
2192-2248 Shorter Mansion Tour @7:05 PM
2249-2253 Meal at Shorter Mansion @6:05 PM
2272-2274 Hampton Inn at 7:32 P.M.
Steps 8,298, Zone 32, 3.11 Miles, Cal 1,555
Day 2: Saturday, December 6:
I walked to Walmart to buy Hubby a couple of diet Mountain Dews and a white top for myself. And spent $25.47.
At breakfast at the hotel, I had scrambled eggs with cheese, a biscuit, cream cheese, grape jelly, and apple juice.
We boarded the bus around 8:30 A.M. and began our tour of eight homes decorated for the holidays.
We had lovely weather up until noon.
We toured the Stinson House, Fendall Hall, and Gatty-Arnold Home and Kendall-Utley before returning to the Shorter Mansion for a boxed lunch. It contained chicken salad, pasta, broccoli salad, and a cookie with water to drink.
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| Getty-Arnold House |
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| Fendall Hall |
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| The Stinson House |
It had begun to rain, so everyone returned to the bus to get their raincoats and umbrellas.
We had two more homes to tour. The two homes were close by, but it was pouring rain.
We toured the Martin Cottage and the Bray-Bennet Home, then returned to the hotel to change clothes and rest before heading downtown to shop.
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| Bray-Benton House |
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| Martin Cottage |
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| Kendell- Utley House |
Later that day, we loaded onto the bus and headed to the Church Bazar and downtown shopping.
The rain had stopped by now.
I bought a small bag of White chocolate pretzels at the Big Mouth Store.
We returned to the Shorter Mansion for entertainment, hors d'oeuvres, and wine.
It was dark when we returned to the hotel. I took a hot bath and wrote in my journal.
Iphone photos
2275 Breakfast @7:15 AM
2276 Hampton @ 7:33 AM
2277-2291 Downtown Eufaula @8:50 PM
2297-2328 Toured the Stinson Home @9:13 AM
2329-2379 Toured Fendall Hall @9:54 AM
2380-2381 rode passed the Holy Redeemer church @10:42 AM
2382-2410 Toured Gatty-Arnold House @10:48 AM
2411-2425 rode passed old building with windows out and more homes @11:222 AM
2424-2447 Toured the Kendall-Utley House @11:29 AM
2449-2453 We stopped for lunch at Shorter Mansion at @12:20 PM
2455-2497 Toured the Martin Cottage @1:16 PM
2498-2518 Toured the Bray-Bennett House @2:06 PM
2519-2525 We rode downtown to the Christian Bazar and downtown shopping at @4:05 PM
2526-2537, we toured Eufaula at 4:22 P.M.
2530-2533 We stopped at Large Mouth Store @7:27 PM
2534-2535 Martin Theatre @5:04 PM
2536-2537 Lights @5:06 PM
11,169 steps, zone 60, 4.11 miles, cal 1,728
Day 3, Sunday, December 7:
I ate white chocolate pretzels with a Diet Coke for breakfast, which I had bought the night before.
I walked to Walmart, where I bought three Christmas soaps and a large bag of hot chocolate, and spent $29.89.
I gave the soaps to Angie to give away during Bingo.
We loaded onto the bus at 8:15 and were on our way at 8:30 A.M.
Our first stop was a Travel Center in Montgomery, where we spent $10.64.
We stopped to see the town of Spectre, which is a movie set on a private island on Jackson Lake.
During the rainy season, you cannot reach the town of Spectre. We crossed over onto the island after paying an entrance fee.
Several of our group were trying to throw a pair of shoes on the pole where other shoes were hanging.
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| The Movie Town of Spectra, Shoes hanging on line, and goats |
I began walking around, taking pictures, and was returning from the lake when a truck pulled up next to me. I said I was with the bus tour, and he asked me if I wanted a couple of bags of carrots to feed the goats.
When the goats saw that we had food, they came running. They loved the carrots but would not eat any that were dropped onto the ground.
We ate lunch at Copper House Deli in Wetumpka, where we bought a Hoogie with a moggie two chip and two diet Cokes, and spent $22.40.
It was a small restaurant that was usually closed on Sundays but opened just for us.
After everyone finished eating, we walked around Wetumpka.
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| The Grinch & Max |
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| Santa and Reindeer |
Bought 10 silver charmsnand a bottle ottle of Necked Bee lotion, spent $18.48.
I took photos of the historic and Military markers at the courthouse. Took pictures of the town, the Santa and his two reindeer, some metal art, and the Alleyway murals full of art, culture, and the history of Wetumpka.
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| Alleyway Murals |
Wetumpka has been the film location of "The Grass Harp" (1995), "The Rosa Parks Story" (2002), and
"Big Fish"(2003), "Sons of the South" (2019), and HGTV Hometown Takeover (2021).
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| The Big Fish |
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| The Big Fish House used |
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| Big Fish Movie |
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| The Rosa Parks Story was filmed at this location |
We played bus bingo on our ride home.
We began our journey home, stopping in Springfield to drop off several passengers, then in Fort Payne to drop off more.
Finally, we arrived in Scottsboro, loaded everything into our car, and began our journey home.
We stopped at Krystal in Athens for some Krystal Cheeseburgers and fries.
We ate then on the way home.
It was late when we arrived home.
Iphone Photos
2538-3541 Bus and Hampton Inn @6:57 AM
2542-2543 Traveling at 10:31 A.M.
2544-2552 Coosada @11128 AM
2553-2567 Town of Wetaumpka 12:36 P.M.
Canon EOS R6
6636-6686 Town of Spectre @ 12:18 Bigh Fish Movie
6689-6849 Town of Wetumpka @1:25 PM
8,045 steps, zone 79, 3.01 miles, 1,589 cals
There were six governors from Barbour County
The Homes we toured:
1. Shorter Mansion 340 E Eufuala Ave
2. Bray-Bennett 413 N Randolph St
3. Wilde-Gray House 703 N Randolph St
4. The Martin Cottage 119 Shorter St
5. Fendall Hall 917 W Barber St
6. Gatty- Arnold House 125 Cherry St
7. Kendall Utley House 238 Sanford Ave
8. The Stinson House 148 Anderson Dr.
