AUGUSTA, CAROLINA AND HOME

Upon completion of the Savannah exploration, Bill and Jane packed up and navigated the Bus west on I-16 and then north on US 17 to Wrens, Georgia where they found a good-old-boys campground in proximity to Augusta and Dearing. The next day they made a day trip to Augusta to see what the city has to offer.

AUGUSTA

Augusta was founded two years after Savannah got it's start when James Oglethorpe sent a small expedition up the Savannah River to build an outpost at the point where the navigable part of the river ends. The city fell twice to the British in the Revolutionary War and has also served as Georgia's capital. The Civil War saw over 2000 Augustans fight for the Confederacy, and thankfully Augusta was spared the destruction of Sherman's march to the sea. Augusta is most famous for hosting the Masters Golf Tournament every spring. Like Savannah, Augusta thrived when cotton was king but the downtown area now is struggling to keep its' stores and business' from leaving. Fort Gordon is a huge Army base that employs many of the locals, and Augusta has several large research hospitals downtown. Bill and Jane began their tour on the Riverwalk Augusta, a beautiful renovation of the Savannah riverfront that is actually built on several levels. It includes an amphitheater, an art museum, a marina, a museum of history and links all along to Broad Street, Augusta's main thoroughfare for shops and restaurants. After a long walk along the river, Bill and Jane crossed over to Broad Street for some supper and quality dark beers. Bill got into a long discussion with a local about who is better in the SEC, Tennessee, Georgia or Alabama. Bill eventually had to sheepishly admit that he was an Orange fan from Syracuse.

Downtown Augusta

The Riverwalk -upper level

Confederate war monument on Broad Street

Lower level of Riverwalk - Savannah River behind and really nice homes in S. Carolina on opposite shore.

VISIT WITH UNCLE NORMAN AND FAMILY IN DEARING

The next day Bill and Jane put their trust in the Garmin and traveled to Dearing, Ga. about 20 miles west of Augusta and the home of Bill's Uncle Norman Almeter and two of his children. Tom Almeter lives next door with his wife Josie and Joe Almeter lives on the other side with his wife Nau Ghan (sp) from Vietnam. Dan Almeter lives in Augusta and came to the "reunion" and Mary Almeter also lives in the area but was out of town that day. Uncle Norman is 98 years old but is still sharp as a tack and enjoyed telling deer camp stories, the early years of his marriage and family in Hilton, NY, and dozens of other topics. Later the cousins gathered in Tom's house and swapped stories about their children (now mostly gone), life in Georgia as opposed to NYS, and of course, kick the can. That evening Joe and Nau Ghan hosted a Vietnamese dinner which is hard to describe but was indescribably delicious! Nau Ghan was assisted by her 87 year old mother Min who lives with them and her other two sons in America. They all immigrated here from Vietnam after the war. The next day (Sunday) Bill and Jane went to church in Thompson, Ga. which is the closest Catholic church, along with most of the Almeter clan. Afterwards Joe and Nau Ghan put on a blueberry pancake breakfast that was awesome. Next Joe and Nau Ghan took Bill and Jane out to the new property Tom and Josie bought to develop into a beef cattle ranch. Unfortunately Tom fell from the roof while working on it and seriously injured his back. He is on the mend but the accident has slowed the development of the new property. They plan on living there with Tom's daughter and son-in-law who is being discharged from the Marine Corps.

Nau Ghan, Joe, Bill and Uncle Norman

Joe, Jane, Bill and Uncle Norman

Joe, Bill, Tom and Josie in Tom's livingroom

Barn on new property - lower roof is where Tom fell to the ground

Tom and Josie's new house under construction

Tom and Josie's old house in Dearing - soon up for sale

Joe and Nau Ghan's house

REUNION WITH NORM AND MARGE LEFORT

Bill and Jane continued traveling north across the Savannah River through South Carolina and into North Carolina. They stopped in Mooresville, N. Carolina which is the home of Bill's cousin Norm Lefort and his wife Marge. They met at Norm and Marge's beautiful home and did some catching up over drinks in the rear enclosed sunroom. Then they all went out to a fancy Japanese Restaurant for supper. It was a fun evening but unfortunately Bill and Jane forgot to takes pictures - must have been the sunroom! Next, back to New York State.