DAY 2 -
Thursday - April 30, 2009We woke up and weather was not as predicted - weather was awesome all day long. No rain and even a bit warm in Shiloh park. We took 45 north out of Corinth, Mississippi for about 60 miles to Corinth. Corinth was important because this is where the rail station was that the Confederates had that the Union wanted. The Confederates that would fight at Shiloh were based here and decided to march north to Shiloh and meet Grant before he could get reinforcements from Savannah, Tennessee.
Well, before we took off, first things first.....
First, you load the bikes and tell a few final lies......
Then you find the FINEST EATING ESTABLISHMENT YOU CAN......
You eat the special of the day........
(with LOTS OF COFFEE - remember, there was a pool party).....
Then you ROLL to Corinth - good highway up 45. Not much traffic and there were a LOT of police, but they were all pulling over semi's for some reason. We got some gas and water in Corinth and shot north to Shiloh. Just a few miles north of Corinth, you are going to get on 22 that will take you up to Shiloh Park. Folks, 22 is an awesome road - goes up and down some hills, the road is GREAT and the curves are all sweepers. When we rode it, many are blind curves, so we took it at speed plus 5-10, you can take them as fast as you want. GREAT ROAD. You will go through one or two little "villes" but the rest is some awesome roads with some great scenery. The park is well marked for any turns you have to take.
Okay, now for the park. If you don't know the history, PLEASE read about it on the internet. Don't watch the 30 minute movie. It was made like in 1957 and the actor's beards will start to fall off and stuff. The history of Shiloh is interesting, but don't waste the 30 minutes with the movie.
"Battle of Shiloh, also called the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, engagement of the American Civil War. The name Shiloh was taken from that of a meetinghouse, 5 km (3 mi) from Pittsburg Landing, that is on the Tennessee River, 14 km (9 mi) north of Savannah, Tennessee. Here on April 6, 1862, a Confederate army of 40,000 men under General Albert S. Johnston surprised and attacked a Union army of 45,000 men under General Ulysses S. Grant. During the battle, which lasted from dawn to dusk and was one of the most desperate of the war, the Union troops were steadily driven back, but Johnston was killed, and his successor, General Pierre G. T. Beauregard, ordered operations suspended a few hours later. The following day Grant, with 25,000 reinforcements under General Don Carlos Buell, attacked the Confederates and forced them to withdraw to Corinth, Mississippi. Thus, Grant regained all the ground he had lost, and the two-day battle ended without a conclusive victory for either side. Casualties numbered more than 10,000 in each army."
This was the line with more than 60 cannons that shelled the "hornets nest" or the sunken road - Ruggles Battery - "After infantry attacks failed to break the Hornets’ Nest line, the Confederates employed the guns from 11 Southern batteries to bombard the Union position. Under cover of this barrage, Confederate infantry outflanked the Union position. As a result, Union Gen. William Wallace was mortally wounded and General Prentiss was captured along with 2,250 Northern troops.
For Smokin'Joe and Road Warrior - this was the Tennessee Memorial:
For Redvalk and all the Alamabama folks at Cheaha - this was the Alabama Memorial:
This was the bloody pond that turned red with the wounded from both sides trying to get water.
And Pittsburgh Landing.....
I can't imagine fighting a battle in the woods that this was fought in.......
And the most poignent to me.....
The Confederate Memorial.
The Confederates had the battle won but when the battle broke for the night, the Union got reinforcements and the battle was lost.......
Get ready for this.........
This was put up by the Daughters of the Confederacy.....
If I remember right, it was like Victory was in the center, night was to the left and death was to the right.
Anyway, we had a great ride through the park.....
We then took the roads up to Savanah, Tennessee and 69/20 from Savanah to Florence, Alabama - another AWESOME ROAD that you can take faster than posted. We had a semi riding our arse that Lyn Del kept off in the cage - God Bless You. Rode down through Muscle Shoals (home of the swampers) and I need to go back some day to see if the recording studio is still there. I saw one - but don't know if it is the ONE. Rode down to Russellville on 43 and across to Moulton on 24 and down to Cullman on 157. These were all 4 lane state highways in great condition and little traffic. Nice scenery. Pulled up and Chrome Dome came walking out!
We arrived in Cullman, Alabama, checked in and told a lie or two at the Grill.....FOLKS, LIKE I SAID, IF YOU ARE WITHIN OHHHHHHHHHHHH 300 miles or so, you GOTTA CHECK OUT THE CULLMAN GRILL! Went and checked in at the hotel and got in the cage with Lyn Del (so we could have an adult beverage if we wanted) and went to Brother Frog's house for a BBQ - fit for a KING ya'll......it was a mixture of friends, family and VRCC and EVERYONE was made to feel like they were family - THANK YOU WAYNE AND FROG........It was an awesome night!!!!!!! There were folks from Alabama, Louisiana, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois all hanging around and telling lies - it was one of those special moments that will live with you forever and again, I thank you.
Life is even better!
End of Day 2 - Thursday - April 30.
