Pictures of the Week 2009-6
Hello All,
September found us staying in Alabama and taking in some of the local attractions. Unfortunately, the southern states were hit with heavy rain storms in 2009 which resulted in a lot of flooding. Whenever there was a break in the weather we would grab our cameras and try to take advantage of it.
One of our first adventures was to take in “Oka Kapassa-Return to Coldwater.” This annual event is a special Native American gathering and is held at Spring Park in Tuscumbia, Alabama. It is dedicated to celebrating the culture and traditions of American Indians who once thrived in north Alabama. The gathering is a coming home of sorts for the tribes that were forcibly removed from their homes in the Southeast. There were basket makers, flute makers, flute players, storytelling, Indian dancers, bow and arrow demonstrations, stickball games, blowgun demonstrations, stone carving, jewelry makers, and a host of other cultural activities to take in, along with the usual food venders.
One of the Indian dancers was Lyndon Alec. He has preformed his hoop dances all over the world, including the Olympics in Beijing, China. At times he had as many as 30 hoops wrapped around him in ever changing patterns. He was kind enough to allow Miss Barb to have her photo taken with him.
September found us staying in Alabama and taking in some of the local attractions. Unfortunately, the southern states were hit with heavy rain storms in 2009 which resulted in a lot of flooding. Whenever there was a break in the weather we would grab our cameras and try to take advantage of it.
One of our first adventures was to take in “Oka Kapassa-Return to Coldwater.” This annual event is a special Native American gathering and is held at Spring Park in Tuscumbia, Alabama. It is dedicated to celebrating the culture and traditions of American Indians who once thrived in north Alabama. The gathering is a coming home of sorts for the tribes that were forcibly removed from their homes in the Southeast. There were basket makers, flute makers, flute players, storytelling, Indian dancers, bow and arrow demonstrations, stickball games, blowgun demonstrations, stone carving, jewelry makers, and a host of other cultural activities to take in, along with the usual food venders.
One of the Indian dancers was Lyndon Alec. He has preformed his hoop dances all over the world, including the Olympics in Beijing, China. At times he had as many as 30 hoops wrapped around him in ever changing patterns. He was kind enough to allow Miss Barb to have her photo taken with him.
Tuscumbia and much of the
Shoals area played an integral part in “The Trail of Tears” with the Tennessee
River route and the overland routes. In 1825 the U. S. Government formally
adopted a removal policy, which was carried out extensively by Presidents
Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren. The result was particularly overwhelming
for the Indians of the Southeast, primarily the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw,
Creek, and Seminoles. While some resisted removal by escaping, each tribe
suffered numerous hardships, battles, and death. This period of time is
referred to in the Cherokee language as “nu du hi du na tlo hi lu i” or “Trail
Where They Cried” now called the “Trail of Tears.” This was the start of one of the darkest
chapters in relations with the United States Government and the Native
Americans. In all, some 90,000 Indians were relocated to the West while
thousands died along the trail.
Creek Indians began to pass through Tuscumbia on their way west as early as 1827. Generally, the Indians were treated well in Tuscumbia. A Creek Chief, Chilly McIntosh wrote to a Tuscumbia newspaper after he arrived at the reservation in Oklahoma: “The citizens of Tuscumbia have treated us like brothers, and our helpless women were furnished by the good women of the town with clothing. As long as our nation remains upon this earth, we will recollect Tuscumbia.” (November 30, 1827) This is the primary reason Indians have chosen to hold this reunion in the Shoals area.
Our next adventure was to McFarland Park here in Florence to watch the arrival of the annual Trail of Tears motorcycle rally. McFarland Park is one of the many stopovers along the route. The inclement weather didn’t slow the riders down one bit. Much of the park was flooded from the weeks of torrential rain but that didn’t break the spirits of the riders. Upon arrival they parked their bikes wherever they could find a dry patch of land, mostly on paved parking lots.
Creek Indians began to pass through Tuscumbia on their way west as early as 1827. Generally, the Indians were treated well in Tuscumbia. A Creek Chief, Chilly McIntosh wrote to a Tuscumbia newspaper after he arrived at the reservation in Oklahoma: “The citizens of Tuscumbia have treated us like brothers, and our helpless women were furnished by the good women of the town with clothing. As long as our nation remains upon this earth, we will recollect Tuscumbia.” (November 30, 1827) This is the primary reason Indians have chosen to hold this reunion in the Shoals area.
Our next adventure was to McFarland Park here in Florence to watch the arrival of the annual Trail of Tears motorcycle rally. McFarland Park is one of the many stopovers along the route. The inclement weather didn’t slow the riders down one bit. Much of the park was flooded from the weeks of torrential rain but that didn’t break the spirits of the riders. Upon arrival they parked their bikes wherever they could find a dry patch of land, mostly on paved parking lots.
This rally motorcycle rider in particular really
got our attention when he entered the park. Take a close look at the photo. Do
you see anything unusual about the motorcycle and rider?
Talk about following your
dreams and not letting a handicap slow you down. Wow, he really commanded our
respect. He had his motorcycle customized to allow him to ride it in his wheel
chair! You have to take your hat off to this guy. Here’s another angle to see
his bike setup a bit better.
Our next trek took us to the
Shiloh National Military Park in Tennessee.
This is where the historic Civil War battle took place April 6-7, 1862.
The 2-day battle was one of the bloodiest of the war. Official records list
23,746 total casualties at Shiloh, or 21.6% of the 109,784 men present for duty
on both days. We had visited the park
many times before and were always impressed with the immense number of cannons
scattered throughout the battlefield.
During the Labor Day weekend the Military Park conducts field artillery demonstrations. The first demonstration included the loading and firing of 6-pound smoothbore cannons. We were informed that during the Civil War a gun crew could ready, sight, and fire every 30 seconds. And, if they didn’t “sight” they could rapid fire a cannon every 15 seconds. The smoke from hundreds of cannons firing resulted in the battlefield being encased in smoke as heavy as thick fog. This must have been a terrifying experience.
During the Labor Day weekend the Military Park conducts field artillery demonstrations. The first demonstration included the loading and firing of 6-pound smoothbore cannons. We were informed that during the Civil War a gun crew could ready, sight, and fire every 30 seconds. And, if they didn’t “sight” they could rapid fire a cannon every 15 seconds. The smoke from hundreds of cannons firing resulted in the battlefield being encased in smoke as heavy as thick fog. This must have been a terrifying experience.
Note the amount of smoke
produced by a single canon!
Rock Springs on the Natchez
Trace Parkway was our next destination. The 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway
commemorates an ancient trail used by animals and people that connected
southern portions of the Mississippi River, through Alabama, to salt licks in
today’s central Tennessee. Visitors can experience this National Scenic Byway
and All-American Road through driving, hiking, biking, horseback riding,
picnicking, and camping.
Rock Springs is at milepost 330.2 on the Natchez Trace. There is a short half-mile loop Nature Trail that leads you away from the traffic of the parkway to Colbert Creek. The creek has large pools of water created by the local beaver population. The banks of the pools are covered with Jewelweed. The reason for our visit was in late summer when the Jewelweed is in bloom it is a stopping place for ruby-throated hummingbirds as they migrate south.
Rock Springs is at milepost 330.2 on the Natchez Trace. There is a short half-mile loop Nature Trail that leads you away from the traffic of the parkway to Colbert Creek. The creek has large pools of water created by the local beaver population. The banks of the pools are covered with Jewelweed. The reason for our visit was in late summer when the Jewelweed is in bloom it is a stopping place for ruby-throated hummingbirds as they migrate south.
We were a bit disappointed
with the few hummingbirds we saw by the pools. Heck, Miss Barb has more
hummingbirds on her feeders in the backyard than we saw at the pools. Here are five
at one of her feeders.
While observing a pool of
water at Rock Springs, the ground under Dave’s left foot suddenly gave way,
dropping his leg in a hole to above the knee. Getting out of the hole was a bit
tricky and he was bleeding like a stuck pig! Luckily, he was standing still and
not walking or it might have snapped his leg. The culprits that caused the weak
ground were probably bank beavers. These guys dig burrows in stream banks as
opposed to building dams. Guess you could say that Dave left his mark, and has
the scars to show for it.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns