Road trip, April 5, 2012. I started a 10 day trip to Florida and South Georgia by spending the first night in Cordele, GA. Cordele was a good starting place since it was an easy jump over to Hwy. 41 which parallells I-75 to Tifton. Hwy. 41 used to be the main road from Atlanta to Florida before I-75. The two-lane road passes through small towns like Ashburn and farm land with remnants of cotton bolls lying on the Georgia red clay. Along the way, I had to stop to photograph this decaying traditional house with details that told of a former grace. I was curious about the story behind this beautiful example of Southern architecture-Who lived there? Why was it in such a state of decay? Was it part of a larger estate? That mystery will have to wait for another day.
Further South, I got back on I-75 and was bombarded with billboards-one after another on both sides of the freeway. I was glad I had started my trip that day on the backroads where my senses were not assaulted by this urban blight. So I decided to take a side trip to a lake that I had seen on a Georgia map- the Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge. There I found a pristine lake of cypress trees and water lilies and even though midday is not the best time for photos, its a great time for blue skies, white puffy clouds and reflections. This one is on my list for a return visit. 
