Fort Desoto State Park, Alabama

 


Driving days 1 and 2, home to Alabama


May 9 2025 Friday

Today is a travel day with Fort Desoto State Park as our destination. One of our favorite Bluegrass groups, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage is performing on Saturday in the nearby town of Henagar Alabama. 

First obstacle to the 240-mile run today is Atlanta. Feared by many travelers, I’ve never really had a trouble getting through the city. Today was no exception and we streamed right through along with a several thousand other travelers, but heavy traffic doesn’t bother me, as long as everyone keeps moving. 

From Atlanta we had to steer northwest to the upper right-hand corner of Alabama. We took I-75 partway and then a series of secondary roads. 

Fort Desoto State Park, Alabama


May 10 Saturday

What I remember most about our stay in North East Alabama was the cold damp rainy weather. Saturday was pretty much a wash out with rain all day, Hiking was out of the question but we tried to do the driving tour of the Little River Canyon, but after getting wet at the first couple overlooks be decided to put it off and try again tomorrow. 

Wet day in northeastern Alabama


West Fork of the Little River


In Fort Payne we refueled the truck, and had lunch at a local sports bar called Jeffersons. The food was somewhat greasy but the walls were covered with one-dollar bills so the locals must like it that way.  We then drove over to the town of Henagar where there was a bluegrass festival. It was outside under a large open tent shelter; the audience was bundled up in coats and under blankets. Even Rhonda Vincent and the Rage performing later in the day wasn’t enough to keep us there. 

Scottsboro Alabama


 Our plans are always in a state of flux so we scrubbed the festival and substituted a 20-mile trip to the airlines lost luggage store in Scottsboro as an afternoon activity. This place has been here a long time, I was here back in the early 2000’s. I didn’t think it was a bargain then and my impression hasn’t changed. Millie is a consummate bargain shopper  and she walked out empty handed, that should tell you all you need to know.


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