Purple Heart Trail

I awoke before 5 in Jax-ville. Cracker Barrel's parking lot is full of feral cats, adding to the country store image. When I pulled in Saturday night, they were lounging around on car hoods, chasing one another, putting on quite a show...like they owned the place. During the night I heard one on the roof of the van. Sunday morning didn't quite dawn. Heavy fog. I drank coffee and waited until 730 to leave. By 830 the fog had lifted somewhat and I was in GA. That's when I remembered Danny hadn't had his heart meds so I looked for a place to pull off. As many times as I've driven in and out of FL, I promised myself I would "one day" follow the exit to St. Mary's Historic District and check it out. No better time...we pulled off and headed toward the coast and Cumberland Island. In 1979 when Bob and I took the "Louise" down the Intracoastal Waterway from Norfolk to Islamorada, we navigated around Cumberland Island and it's a wilderness paradise. You really need to see what's off I-95...it's a whole "other world" experience. St. Mary's is a perfect slice of the old South. Sunday morning didn't have the locals wide awake, but the tourists were heading out of Cumberland Harbour on a tour boat. The main street, Osborne Road, was decorated with plain green wreaths and red velvet bows. Spanish moss hung heavy from century-old trees. The buildings were quaint and well cared for. The whole little town was like a postcard. I saw two B&B's on Osborne Rd. Spencer House Inn, circa 1872, is pictured here along with an antebellum mansion named Orange Hall. Couldn't tell if it was privately owned or a public building and there was no one to ask! One of the signs read 35mph, slow traffic to the right. That'll give you the idea. Lovely little diversion. Driving through southern Georgia, you'll see one of the most appealing sights along the coastal US....vast salt marsh plains. A bit like the Everglades except here the hammocks are hardwood and pine trees. Then there's Brunswick GA...the wind was blowing the wrong way, carrying the odor of rotten eggs to I-95. Guess if you live there, you get used to it. Like the paper mills in Franklin VA.

This stretch of I-95 has "Purple Heart Trail" signs every few miles. The "Purple Heart" is a US military decoration awarded to those wounded or killed while protecting our country. One of the most respected decorations, it is also one of the oldest awards. Eventually the "Purple Heart Trail" will cover all 50 states. The signs are meant to remind all US citizens of the debt we owe our military. It is my understanding that the Trail was conceived by Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower after he became our President. When you see these signs, be thankful and remember our men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan.

With all the stops for Danny and a little sightseeing, I was midnight getting to VA. Slept in the van again. Feels like home already.