Seg #1 Maiden Ride Epilogue
Geoff reminded me of a funny (not at the time) dog versus
bicyclist story on our Chief Ladiga-Silver Comet ride. We were on the last leg
of our ride. Our water was on the low side and we were looking for a place to get
buy drinks. I don’t know if the “town” had a name or not but it could have been
Hiram or Powder Springs. We followed a hand scribbled sign proclaiming
“Drinks”. Geoff and Chris were ahead of me, jawing with each other, when I
heard barking. Immediately a pack of dogs shot out into the road; circling
Geoff’s bike, barking profusely and threatening to bite. The persistent yappers
were not interested in Chris or me. I was concerned that one of the more
aggressive dogs would bite Geoff in the butt; like what happened to Connie
years ago in Nebraska City, Nebraska. One scraggly mutt leaped toward Geoff but
only yipped at his buddies and acted like a big shot. Eventually we rode
through the obnoxious bags of fur and found a place to buy drinks. It was a
small back room casino that I wondered if it was legal. At least we all got the
stare of death when we walked into the smoke filled, dimly lit, noisy back room
of a converted gas station. After buying some much needed sodas, Powerades and
water, we headed back toward the dog pack, only to find the mob had moved on,
completely vacating the scene.
Another epilogue to the Maiden Voyage is a response to Ruth’s
questions regarding history related to these two trails. Chief Ladiga (La dee ga) was the Creek
(name given by white settlers to Muskogee Indians) Indian leader that was “hood
winked” by Andy Jackson (7th President) and his boys to sign the 1832
Cusseta Treaty; contributing to the displacement and death of thousands of
Indians on a “Trail of Tears”. Ladiga and his wife also “sold” a chunk of land
to a group of speculators for $2000. This land later was used for the town of
Drayton which was renamed Jacksonville after our illustrious president. In 1990
with funds from a Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) grant, the first 8.9 mile section of the
Ladiga rail trail was built on the railroad right of way abandoned by the
Seaboard/CSX and Southern Railroad. The Southern is the same
railroad that sold its abandoned line in Georgia to make the Silver Comet Trail.
These two trails make for the longest (95 miles) hard surfaced recreational
trail in America. We Maze boys did the 95 and a little more during the Maiden
Ride.
The Silver Comet Trail in Georgia is named after the Silver Comet
passenger train that ran from New York City to Birmingham, Alabama. The modern,
full service line was operational from 1947 to 1969 when passenger and mail
service dwindled below “make money” levels. Thank goodness some forward
thinking leaders such as Ron Griffith, director of Cobb County Parks and
members of the Georgia Rails Into Trails Society, procured the right of way, the
rest is history.
