April 24th – McCalla, AL to Gadsden, AL

This really is about our time in Birmingham, AL. We started the morning at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. It is a superb garden with paved and wood chip paths. The garden is divided into sections, each representing a locale or theme. Southern Country living was nicely presented with gazeboes and setting areas surrounded by beds containing plants that do well in this area. Azaleas, Rhododendrons, and Iris were well represented. They have what appears to be an extensive rose garden but that area was closed for spraying.

Next stop was the Original Pancake house for breakfast. This is a chain that started in Portland some years ago and has been spreading nationwide. The menu is just about the same as it was when we first ate in the “Original” Original Pancake house in Portland. Our favorite, the Apple Pancake, is made in the dutch style, oven baked with plenty of apple slices, cinnamon in a rich buttery batter.

We just had to stop at a little place right in downtown Birmingham – The Peanut Depot. They roast their peanuts right in the shop. We picked up a pound of freshly roasted peanuts for our travels.

(Peanut Roaster)


We wanted to take the Mercedes-Benz factory, yes, their only US factory is located here, but the tour was not available until Thursday morning, so we decided to continue our travels.

We are staying the next two nights at the Noccalula Falls Campground. Nice place just outside of Gadsden, AL. The rate is only $18 with 30 amp service and cable TV.

Tomorrow we are going to hike around the Noccalula Falls park.

The tracker seems to have developed a problem. It doesn't sound right. Wish I had brought a second unit to diagnose the problem. All I have is another 2-meter rig, I really need a TNC to see if the signal is being transmitted correctly. Guess I'll work on it will we are in the campground.