Alabama: Part 1
The wedding wrapping up I had several weeks till I was to be meeting up with a friend for Thanksgiving near Huntsville, Alabama. Now that I didn’t have a destination it felt like van life was beginning. I could go where I wanted, when I wanted, for as long as I wanted (until Thanksgiving). I decided to checkout Alabama’s national forests for the next 3 weeks
Talladega National Forest
I spent about a week bumming around and hiking around Talladega NF and reaching the underwhelming high point in Alabama, Mt. Cheaha.
Birmingham , AL
On my way across Alabama to the Bankhead NF I stopped for a day or so in the historic and beautiful Birmingham. I spent the first day exploring the downtown area and walking through the civil rights district. It was eye opening to read about the civil rights movement of the 60s and see the parallels between those times and our current civil rights movements. I also took some time to explore their food and beer offerings which are exploding after decades of laws preventing microbreweries have slowly been repealed. I wrapped up my trip with a peaceful walk through the beautiful and expansive Birmingham Botanical Gardens and hike to the Moss Rock Preserve High Falls. I’d share more pictures but I didn’t take many and most of them are very mediocre.
Sipsey Wilderness
After Birmingham I headed to the Bankhead NF and Sipsey Wilderness. I spent a week enjoying the woods and hiking along the creeks and hills of the wilderness. On one hike I came across a small family burial plot in the midst of the wilderness area that had headstones dating back to the revolutionary war.
To Huntsville
I set out on the road towards Huntsville and stopped off at the Wheeler National Wild Life Refuge. I went for a short run and nearly had my foot introduced to a Cottonmouth snake. That aside I enjoyed the day and headed towards my friends house for Thanksgiving.
