September 18,2010

When is the last time you visited the coast of Georgia? I was almost 40 before I ever saw the Atlantic Ocean from the shores of our beloved home state. It seems that when folks in Haralson County want to see the ocean, it means a trip down through Columbus, Eufaula, and Dothan into the panhandle of Florida into the land of airbrushed t-shirts and scooter rentals. Haralson County's Jimmy Mize invited me to speak to about 500 folks recently in Savannah. I stayed at the Westin over looking the Savannah River and the beautiful spires of the churches and the top of the Chatam County courthouse. A drive down Bay Street had tourists from Missouri and Kentucky looking for pralines and Paula Deen's restaurant. Savannah is known for top notch seafood and barbecue restaurants like Johnny Harris . The only seafood I had on the trip was a fish sandwich from Burger King. I ordered room service one night. A cheeseburger, fries, and Grey Poupon set me back about $25.00. If that sandwich was worth that, then Mrs. Owens at the Burger Chick can raise her prices to $100 dollars a burger. The trip to Savannah is a long drive from Atlanta. From Macon to Savannah is about 170 miles of lonesome. I-16 is the "lost highway" that Hank Williams sang about. As a boy I remember getting a map of Georgia from Butch Treadaway who worked at John Phillips' Standard Oil Station. I examined the map and wondered about the our home state's coastal communities like Jekyll Island, Brunswick, St. Simons, and Savannah. Mrs. Rambo taught us in the 6th grade that James Oglethorpe founded our state when he landed in Savannah and it became the first city in Georgia. The only other thing I knew about Savannah was that Dixie Crystals sugar was refined there that my grandmother used in her baking of cakes, cookies, and pies. Savannah is a beautiful city with many parks and squares that seem to be on every other block of downtown. A trip due east of the city carry you over to Tybee Island. Driving over one night I crossed a bridge and thought of Savannah's Johnny Mercer who composed "Moon River" as a tribute to his beloved home town. I had not been to Tybee Island in about 14 years. Back then there were few restaurants and accommodations. Their best hotel back then made the Golden River Motel look like the Ritz-Carlton. Tybee Island has really come up being a more appealing place. Shifting gears, I want to thank those of you who supported the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon. The event raised over $1.7 million dollars to help fight the over 40 neuromuscular diseases under the MDA umbrella. Working with Ken Cook the past 18 years is a terrific way to spend Labor Day weekend. Ken Cook not only is my favorite television weather guy, he is also a classy and wonderful individual. 39 years ago I was in the drum line for the Marching Southerners at Jacksonville State University. I plan on going to the Georgia Dome this afternoon to watch Jax State play the fledgling first year Georgia State Panthers. Actually I'm going just to see one of the greatest marching bands in the Southeast at half-time.