2017 April 18, Tuesday, Day Trip to Cullman, Alabama (Ava's First Trip with us)🍓🍓🍓

We rode past the Paper Mill in Town Creek (that is being torn down) to Highway 31 to Decatur.
Ava ate half a banana, and crackers and drank some milk before we stopped for lunch.
We stopped at Logan's Roadhouse in Decatur for lunch.
Hubby ordered a hamburger and fries. 
Ava and I shared ALASKAN cod, fried to perfection in a Samuel Adams Boston Lager batter. 
Served with crispy house-made potato chips.

Ava eating lunch

Fried Cod and chips 

Fried Cod and chips

Ava watched Kong Fu Panda, Little Mermaid, and Dory on the TV screen in our van.

Our first stop was the Decatur Train Depot 309 1st Street Cullman there we saw several train benches, a miniature train, a light, and a couple of cases of artifacts.

Train Depot 

We walked across the parking lot to Depot Park where Ava enjoyed stretching her legs after the long ride.

Ava enjoying the fountain at Depot Park 

We saw a farmer's market across the street so we took Ava by the hand and entered the crosswalk that leads to the farmer's market.
At the farmer's market, they were selling fresh homegrown strawberries.

Cullman's Farmers Market

Fresh Strawberries

We bought a gallon and before we knew it Ava was filling up on strawberries.
I had a baby wipe ready as the red juice flowed down her sweet face.
As soon as she finished one berry she was saying more.
I sat next to her in the back seat so I could feed her and clean her up.
Our next stop was the dollar store where hubby bought him a diet Mt. Dew and Ava a bottle of Apple Juice.

Clarkson Covered Bridge

Finally, we arrived at the Clarkson Covered Bridge.
We were all ready to get out of the van. 

I said that we should all walk across the bridge but Ava said scared so she and hubby walked to the cabin that had a swing, while I walked across the bridge.

Some kind of animal jumped out at me when I started back across the bridge.

I walked back to the cabin where Ava and hubby were looking at a green lizard.

Green Lizard

Me and Ava on the Clarkson Covered Bridge 

Cabin and Mill

We walked to the creek across a smaller bridge and took a few pictures.
It was awful muggy and by the time we arrived at the van, we were all sweating.
We were relieved to feel the cool air from the air conditioner.

Clarkson Covered Bridge
Sometimes called Legg Bridge
this 270-footbridge was constructed in 1904, destroyed by a flood in 1921, and rebuilt the following year. The only remaining covered bridge is Cullman County. It was restored by the Cullman County Commission in 1975 as an American Revolution Bicentennial Project. Named to National Register of Historic Places on 6~25~74.
Alabama Historical Association 1975

Side view of Clarkson Covered Bridge 

A smaller bridge that crossed the creek 

Ava with only a few strains of strawberries on her dress 

Snowball bush at the cabin

There were signs all throughout the park 

1. What is Water Pollution? #1

2. Where does your drinking water come from? #5

3. What Happens to my wastewater? #6

4. Monitoring Watershed Health #8

5. What's the Big Deal about Litter?! #9

6. Birds of Alabama #12

7. Alabama's Aquatic Biodiversity #13

8. Alabama's Physical Diversity#14

9. Land Use and Water Quality #15

We rode past the Civil War Museum we did not stop because we were all too hot and tired.

We came back on Highway 157 through Moulton.
We stopped at a local nursery for some tomatoes and peppers.
We dropped Ava off at her house and came home.
Too tired to get off the couch.
After resting for a couple hours we took the time to plant our vegetables in our garden box.