wandering

Gee’s Bend

Posted on by Seniye Groff

This morning I left Camden (goodbye!) and headed to Gee’s Bend. Gee’s Bend refers to the area historically known as Gee’s Bend (but currently listed as Boykin, AL on maps). This is an extremely remote area with not even a coffee shop. I did drive by an assembly of double wide trailers with a Hunting Club sign. Private. Keep out. Clearly hunters outweigh coffee drinkers here.

My friend told me about this area a couple of years ago and I was intrigued. The quilters of Gee’s Bend are currently residing in the area or are descendants of folks from that area. The Quilters Collective is located within Boykin. These quilts have received worldwide acclaim.

https://www.geesbend.org/history-of-gees-bend

My plan was to complete the self-guided tour and then meet up with one of the quilters. The signage isn’t great so it took me a bit to find it (and a few phone calls to my friend). Unfortunately, the person I was supposed to meet did not show up so I drove around and read the panels and looked at the beautiful photos of the quilts. I had forgotten that Sundays in the South are extremely quiet. I am sure my quilting meeting would have happened if it were not a Sunday.

My plan was to move on to Selma and I secured a short-term rental for the night. It was about a 45 minute drive and I arrived around noon in Selma. The perimeter of the city was lovely so I was really surprised when I drove down Broad Street. Buildings were empty, boarded up and some were falling down. Glass was everywhere. I couldn’t imagine leaving my rental at night (even during the day was sketchy). I decided to walk Pete over the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge. As I was walking over the bridge I realized I did not feel comfortable enough to stay the night.

My dilemma became what to do next. The three museums I wanted to see in Montgomery are closed Monday and Tuesday, which meant Sunday until Wednesday I would need to figure out how to fill the time. I looked at the map and realized a drive to Atlanta would only be about 3.5 hours. And so that is what I did.

With travel, flexibility is key and with a car I can pivot easily. Pete is thrilled to be out of the car and running around in a large backyard. I look forward to creating a routine and digging deeper into Atlanta. I can visit Montgomery during a day trip or a quick overnighter while I am here.

Shreveport, LA to Vicksburg, MS

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I arrived in Shreveport, LA around 3 p.m. yesterday and found my historic B&B called Fairfield Place. It was a large manor from the 1800’s. It was nestled in the Fairfield Historic District where old, large homes reined. I took Pete for several walks just to look at the houses (and even though they are large and historic many were priced in the $200’s which compared to Portland is insane).

Once we were settled I headed with Pete to R. W. Norton Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens. Although Pete was not allowed in the gallery, we were able to walk the incredible gardens. It is important to note that the gallery and gardens are in the middle of a picturesque neighborhood of homes. We then drove to the Riverfront to see the Red River. It was pretty touristy and the main attractions are the casinos so a drive-by was all I needed.

I decided to focus on B&Bs while in the south because they are often steeped with history given they originated as a manor or plantation house. For example, Ruthie (an employee at the B&B) grew up in Shreveport on the plantation that her father was an overseer for. I have to say I had the best night of sleep last night and John (the owner) provided a large breakfast before I took off.

John highly recommended the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum so I visited. It was fascinating and one of the best museums I’ve seen. There were 22 very detailed dioramas made with wax depicting life in Louisiana, focusing on agriculture (sugar cane, fishing, farming) and business (oil, glass, textiles and clay for dishes). The building was round so visitors walked in a circle replicating the passage of time. There were displays of other artifacts, too. I did not realize that Libbey Glass was in Shreveport (closed in 2020). The executive director was a wealth of knowledge and her pride of Louisiana was evident.

I drove 190 miles to Vicksburg, MS. Vicksburg was on my radar because a good friend mentioned the Vicksburg Civil War Museum that should not be missed. It is the only Civil War museum owned by a Black man and his knowledge is unmatched. Unfortunately, when I arrived it was closed. I will try again tomorrow. I drove around town looking at all the historical buildings and grand homes instead.

I’m staying at another B&B named Inn at Cedar Grove. It’s pretty spectacular and the current owners saved it from being demolished. It is majestic and I’m told it has a ghost (hopefully it won’t visit me!). Tomorrow after breakfast I am taking a house tour and will learn even more history.

I am getting the hang of driving long distances every day. Pete still doesn’t love it. I will say the worst thing about the driving is the truckers on the road. They are dangerous and sometimes don’t see the cars on the road or swerve around (maybe from fatigue). Defensive driving is key! The other thing I am noticing on my travels is the pride displayed wherever I go. Every person I talk to believes their area is the best place to live and are very proud to be from there. I think that is pretty awesome.

Tulsa, OK

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Today I drove about an hour and forty-five minutes to Tulsa. I went to the Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center in Tulsa. It shared the story of Greenwood as a successful enclave of Black business until the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921. This museum created an immersive experience. My favorite was the barbershop where I was able to sit in the barbershop chair and watch holographic barbers talk about early dreams for Greenwood.

The museum shared examples of systemic oppression and asks visitors to commit to racial reconciliation. I loved the message of the museum through media, stories, pictures and interactive displays. The museum does not shy away from the work that still needs to be done by all of us.

http://www.greenwoodrisong.org

I then drove down Route 66.

Afterwards I wandered the downtown area to see the many churches, examples of art deco and numerous murals. Tulsa was very clean but few people are out and about on the streets.

Oklahoma City, OK

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Once I crossed the border into Oklahoma (which I did not even realize because there is no grand announcement or large sign like many other states) I immediately saw Windstar Casino which is quite the vision – look it up! I did a double take.

After digesting it, I was struck with the wide open space on both sides of the highway. Wind turbines were present (another unexpected sight) and the air smelled so sweet and fresh. I took a quick detour to Turner Falls but could not walk it because no dogs are allowed (even though AI told me the opposite). I am learning AI cannot be trusted. I have found so many inaccuracies as I have used it during my travels.

My senses were alerted to all of the unexpected glimpses of Oklahoma. I love how travel can oh so quickly dispel the false notions of what is my head about a place! The surprises continued as I reached downtown. The city is beyond clean (like Singapore clean). Just wow!

I am visiting Oklahoma City because my mentee asked me to and I am so glad I did. We met for lunch as soon as I arrived in Norman, Oklahoma. Norman is the cutest town with University of Oklahoma as its main tenant. After a meeting, we met at the dog park. Needless to say, Pete was thrilled to meet all the fun-loving Oklahoma dogs! We then went to dinner in an area called the Paseo Arts District.

After dinner we went downtown since I wanted to see the Clara Luper Sit-In Memorial. I did not know about Clara or what she did. Her bravery was incredible and the bronze life-sized statues were impressive. Afterwards, we went to Tellers. It is a restaurant, hotel, bar and apartments in an old bank building. The bar is in the vault and we had a drink, of course. I also learned that Oklahoma has a sinners tax so be prepared for your liquor bill to have a 13.5% tax on top of the 8.5% sales tax! Thank goodness the building was beautiful, historic and so cool.

The next morning I visited the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, which was a sobering lesson in the Oklahoma City bombing. We walked the site with the ranger and he explained all the thoughtful details that went into designing and building the site including leaving the building wall with its damage exposed and the chairs in the garden that represent all the folks that were killed, including five lined-up chairs that represent the five people outside the building on the street that lost their lives.

I then drove to Myriad Botanical Gardens. Although this is not its prime season, it was still pretty and has a lot of great elements such as the ponds, children’s area, a stage and downtown as its backdrop.

I also drove through Bricktown. Needless to say, the weather has been amazing. My introduction to Oklahoma has been educational and surprising. I am really enjoying this part of the country. Tomorrow I will see Tulsa!

Saguaro National Park East

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Today we ventured to the east NP. This park has an 8 mile one-way loop that takes visitors through the park. There are plenty of lookouts and parking to do some short hikes. This park felt a little wilder with lots of greenery and cacti of the desert (not just saguaro cacti) but not as groomed as its west sister-park. Together visiting both east and west creates a great experience of the Sonoran landscape.

Sonoita and Elgin

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I did not realize that Arizona had a wine region but they do! At about an elevation of 5000 feet (for reference Tucson is at about 2500 feet) the vineyards are plentiful in this beautiful area of grasslands, rolling hills, Santa Rita Mountains and ranches (both cattle and horses). I stopped at Sonoita Vineyards and the Elgin Winery and Distillery. I tasted a few wines and bought a bottle. The wines were very good (to my unsophisticated palate).

The drive took about an hour each way and was beautiful. Cactus gave way to yucca plants and grassland was plentiful. The vineyards often couldn’t be seen from the road but once I drove up the dusty driveways, the rolling hills with vineyards emerged.

Tumacacori and Tubac

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Tumacacori and Tubac are an easy 25 minute drive from where I am staying so I ventured south. I visited Tumacacori Mission first, which consisted of a church and planned community near the Santa Cruz River. There was a church, convent, cemetery, plaza, orchard and large garden area. It was peaceful and interesting. The grounds were lush and the remaining buildings were well-preserved. I really love the adobe structures.

Three miles north is Tubac. Tubac is historical and artsy in the cutest way. I started at the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Museum but didn’t spend too much time there. I then walked the streets of Tubac starting with the Tubac Center of the Arts. A juried competition was showing and the art was impressive. I then meandered the three streets filled with art, jewelry and other things you didn’t know you needed! The village boasts being founded in 1752 and the arts and crafts were impressive. I especially loved all the garden art.

Tucson Surprises

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Similar to running into an old friend that I didn’t realize I missed, Tucson continues to surprise me. A few years ago after Tucson came onto my radar, I joined a few Facebook groups focused on the city. I figured it would give me a little insight into the culture, pluses and minuses and some secrets, too. I do this for any city I’m visiting if it is remotely a possibility as “the place”. As expected, some comments are negative but mostly the tidbits have been positive. As I am exploring, I find Tucson has a lot to love about it and I am enjoying discovering its nooks and crannies.

Tucson is clean. There is no garbage littering the downtown area or any other place I’ve explored so far. I found a dog park last night and even that was spotless. It is impressive.

Food is important here and I sense a certain amount of pride with the offerings at the various restaurants I’ve visited. I found a fantastic market called Time Market. It has fresh grocery items but also an attached cafe and bakery offering morning pastries, pizzas, salads and sandwiches. Artisan bread comes out of the oven at 7 a.m. and I suspect it is worth getting up for! My croissant was delicious.

Next to the Tucson Museum of Art is the Presidio neighborhood. Since the museum was not open when I arrived, I walked the hood. It was another charming, historical area with some stunning homes – not ostentatious or large – but instead with character and details worth observing.

I visited the Tucson Museum of Art, which although is small, has an impressive collection of varied art. The collections include ancient Americas, contemporary Latin American, Indigenous, Latin American Folk Art and Modern Art. The size of the museum makes all of this digestible and three other buildings outside the courtyard add more to see.

I then walked about 13 minutes to Barrio Viejo and along the way this beautiful plaza appeared! I also landed on an ice skating rink with holiday music and kids skating and smiling. Wandering is the best way to be surprised.

As I headed to my short-term rental I stopped at University of Arizona to check out the turtle pond. I found it, but no turtles, just large goldfish.

Tucson offers so much variety and beauty. Tonight I will attend an opening at the Etherton Gallery. Today is my fifth day in Tucson and she has been generous with her gifts of warmth, beauty and accessibility.

Death Valley National Park

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I stayed truly in the middle of nowhere last night (Ridgecrest, CA) but it is the only place to stay to enter the park from the west side. It still was an hour and a half drive to get to Death Valley this morning. I drove through Trona, which was a wasteland of mining mounds and smokestacks. I found it interesting that there was a sign posted that if you litter there is a $1000 fine, yet the desecration of the land seems to be just fine. I also drove through Lost Hills yesterday. There were hundreds of oil drilling machines in the large oil fields. I’ve never seen anything like it. I am not in beautiful San Francisco any more!

Fortunately, Death Valley trumps Trona and Lost Hills by a thousand fold. Death Valley was amazingly beautiful and varied. On one side of the road there were smooth, colored, layered mountains and on the opposite side of the road jagged peaks like one would expect. I visited:

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Sand dunes in the middle of this park were amazing to see.

Badwater Basin. The lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. The salt looks like snow. Because of the recent storms, the flats were actually covered with water and looked like a lake. The storms also prompted some road closures.

Artists Drive. The colorful hills with layered rock formations were mesmerizing.

Zabriskie Point. The golden colored badlands were my favorite thing in the park. It was nice that Pete was able to see them, too.

After I left the park I drove four plus hours to Needles, CA. It’s another very small town in the middle of nowhere. But tomorrow will only be a five hour drive and we will be in Tucson!