August 24, 2016 – Partly cloudy, 90 degrees

Miles Today: 78

Miles to Date: 15,077

States to Date: 41

 After two days of being spoiled by the Silver Comet / Chief Ladiga Trails it was hard to share the pavement with cars again. Google Maps offered a nice looking route that took me to Eulaton Gate Road, which I’ve learned is code for entering a military base. Sure enough I came up to the gate of the Anniston Depot where the friendly guard turned me around. Instead of navigating any complex on the run, I simply took US 78 all the way to Birmingham. This proved a good decision. US 78 runs parallel to I-20 so it has almost no traffic. The pavement is good and the shoulder adequate.

I enjoyed Pell City, a sleeping little town where I mused about the activities that occupy downtown storefronts after Wal-Mart shifts commerce to the superstore on the highway. One result of our world full of stuff: lots of thrift shops.

The town also had some excellent examples of small-stone houses that I see all over northern Alabama.