THE FOLLOWING PIECE IS A DISPATCH FROM TONY FROEHLICH. LAST SUMMER TONY LEFT WORK AND DECIDED TO TRAVEL THE UNITED STATES IN HIS LITTLE CAR, WHICH HE LIKES TO CALL “PIGGY.” THE NEXT THREE PIECES WILL BE INSIGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS THAT TONY HAS MADE ON THE ROAD. THEY ARE INTERESTING AND FUNNY AND I AM SURE YOU WILL ENJOY.
Southern Hospitality... It ain’t just something they say cuz it rolls off your tongue nicely, that's for sure. I haven't met nicer people in all my life. Now it could be that I just can't understand a word anyone is saying to me, but I prefer to think of them as being nice. They seem thrilled to find out that I come from Seattle, "That's better than a Yankee" they usually say.
I'm in Montgomery Alabama today, I set up fort (that's what I call my camp now a days) just across the Alabama River from downtown in a very quaint state park. This city is full of amazing history. So far, I've taken 2 city tours where my main question is "I'm sorry, what was that?" there was a nice lady sitting in the seat across from me, from Georgia, who got a little fed up with my interruptions and started translating everything for me ~ Bless her heart. Just to give you an example, they call this very library the “Lie-Berry.”
I've seen the capital, where I tried to set up an appointment to visit with the governor. Jessica, his secretary, didn't seem at all amused with my request, not even when I mentioned that I had once ate lunch with former Senator Slade Gordon... I moved on to the first White House of the Confederate States, the church where Dr. Martin Luther King preached, the corner where Rosa Parks refused to get off the bus, the cemetery where Hank Williams Sr. and his wife are buried, the war museum, Dr. Martin Luther King’s former home and the civil right’s memorial. Next I'm heading to the Rosa Parks Museum and then back to “the fort” for a good night sleep as tomorrow I head to Georgia.
Piggy (my car) is still running like a camp, although, I can tell she's getting tired. We've bonded over the miles and I do my best not to make her go to fast up hills or around corners and she seems to be enjoying the more casual driving. So far 5623 miles. Hope all is well!
Love and miss you,
Tony
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