First Trip of 2026

We got an early start on vacations this year! We no sooner came back from our last trip of 2025 and we are off again. This is the year for taking it slow and enjoying the ride. So often we jump in the truck and “gotta get there!” No rush this time. Our first stop was in Prattville, AL–just a little over 100 miles. My goodness it is barely out of town. Our goal was to take our time, enjoy every stop. Well this one may be close to home but it was also not far from Selma, AL where the Civil Rights March began in 1965. Our goal was to drive the route that these brave leaders took. (We did cheat a little by taking I-65 a couple exits).
Going to give you all a little history lesson here and most is quoted from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “On March 7th, 1065, 600 marchers led by future CongressmandJohn Lewis and Hosea Williams met at Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, AL. The marchers departed for a planned 54 mile journey to Montgoery on foot to advocate for the equal voting rights for Black Americans. They made it to the Edmund Pettus Bridge (which is only half a mile from the church) where they were stopped and brutally attacked by local law enforcement. The violence, filmed by news broadcasters, shocked the nation, and the event became known as “Bloody Sunday.” The march restarted a few weeks later, where after four days of travel, the crowd swelled to over 20,000 in Montgomery. The events swayed public opinion and motivated the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.”

Black men were given the right to vote in1870 but, many southern states disenfranchised them through poll taxes, literacy tests and threats of harm.

An Interpretive Center was built around the halfway mark and we were lucky enough to get there before the close. Here are some pictures from our drive. John had to take a picture of the meter. We had to pay 5 cents to park for our picture of the Capitol.

We did not get pictures of Campsite 2 as it was on the opposite side of a divided 4 lane hwy. Campsite 3 was just a sign. I got a picture of the sign but, that part wasn’t special.

The Lowndes Interpretive Center was very interesting. It is so sad to read some of the plaques telling how Black Americans were mistreated, abused, oppressed. I cannot imagine having so much hatred for someone based on the color of their skin. So much hatred that you could harm someone just because. They weren’t doing anything wrong.

After our journey we went into Prattville to see the town. Just like a Hallmark movie still decorated in holiday lights, trees, wreaths. It was beautiful. Our host at the boondocker sight suggested we visit the town and stop at Uncle Micks Cajun–so we did. We brought it home since we had the dog in the car and it was already getting dark.