[Magdalen] Day 1

[ROGER STOKES]

I have now had my first full day of this trip stateside.  It started with the shuttle ride to the airport, picking up at the Sheraton on the way where there appeared to be a farmers' convention in attendance viewing new tractors and similar agricultural machinery.  The presence of a couple of pumpkins suggested some of the kit was designed for harvesting them and then placing them in another vehicle to transport them. Breakfastof pancakes at Ihop before taking the skytrain to the Rental Car Canter to collect my car ready to hit the road.  GPS was included but fortunately I brought my own as the one supplied seems to be defective as it would not hold any charge worth speaking about.  

After  a diversion due to the uncooperative GPS I made it to Jim Handsfield's to meet him and Marcy.  They are both charming people and the adaptations Jim has described on list certainly seem to have provided a livable space for them to continue to enjoy. After a chat at their place we went off to enjoy lunch at their favourite restaurant.  Having witnessed the accessibility of the premises and the attitude of the wait staff I can see why they like going there.  After lunch we stopped by St Bede's, which has been developed very well to provide all the facilities a thriving Episcopal church might want.  The nave has been well-designed so you enter by the font with flowing water and your eyes are automatically drawn to the sanctuary.  It is clearly designed to allow a large number of people to be "close to the action".

It was then time to return to their place to collect my rental car so I could navigate my way out of Atlanta and hit the I-275 North.  Variable speed limits needed some watching out for the electronic signs to the side to see what the limit happened to be at that place and time before we got out of town. I had forgotten how being so much further South meant the sun would be so high and it was distinctly hot with it beating through the car windows.  Having driven and been driven through Atlanta it seems quite unlike any other US city I have encountered.  I understand that many of the roads follow old Indian trails and so adapt to the landscape rather than being driven straight through it.  That and the amount of tree cover outside downtown make it very attractive.

There was some delay on the I-275 due to a wreck which had blocked all lanes.  Though they had been cleared the traffic still needed time to get up to normal speed again. After that it was an esay drive up to Chattanooga and to the ChooChoo hotel.  The old station has been adapted sensitively and new buildings added to provide more accommodation rather than simply in railroad cars.  I sampled an ale or two in the old waiting room before sauntering across the side street to the Terminal Brewhouse for something to eat, a very succulent piece of salmon with steamed vegetables.  It was busy, and getting busier, so I headed back to my room and slept.

If anybody wants to contact me I now have a connected cell phone on 404-781-1056.

Roger