Taking A Walk

by Dwayne Phillips

It was hot today folks. 80 degrees at 6AM and 95 in the afternoon. During today’s walk, I drank four 20-ounce bottles of water, one 20-ounce bottle of Gatorade, one 20-ounce Welch’s Grape Soda (the number 2 best soft drink in the world), one 12-ounce Coke, and one cup of coffee.

I managed to walk 18 miles in the heat. That probably isn’t good for an old man like me, but whatever, there was road in front of me. Saving me was the time of year – the sun is low in the fall – and the tall pine trees along the road. I was in the shade about half of the day.

The Cuba Memorial

The last town in Alabama was Cuba. I like Cuba. Almost all the homes in the area were well kept. People here seem to like it here and want it to look nice. Pictured here is the Cuba memorial. If you click and enlarge the photo you may be able to read the inscription on the marble. Basically, this memorial is from the residents of Cuba saying thank you to those who settled here years ago. It is a thank you to their parents and grandparents. I have the sense that people here like it here. I feel real community pride that becomes action.

I put a photo of the Cuba Post Office on the Wikipedia page (yes, there is one for Cuba). I also put a photo of the Cuba Museum – yes, these people have built their own historical collection. It wasn’t open at the time of morning that I passed it. Yes, I think these people like the place where they live.

All you see of Cuba on Route 11 are a couple of gas stations, the memorial, and the museum. I like this place.

I walked into Mississippi. I really wanted a photo of me next to the “Welcome to Mississippi” sign, but there wasn’t such a sign. I knew I was in Mississippi because the pavement changed and I could see the “Welcome to Alabama” sign in the other direction. What a shame, I had such hopes of me and that sign.

The Simmons-Wright Company

The first place in Mississippi was Kewanee. Nothing there but this store and a closed truck weigh station. I ventured into the store and found treasure. This place has been owned and operated by one family since 1884. The current manager has only been at it for three years. This is his retirement after 30 years working in logging. His great-grandparents opened this store.

This store is a museum. The architecture is fabulous. Notice that is appears to be a two-story building. The second story is a catwalk around the perimeter of the building. The ceiling for the first floor must be 30 feet high. Almost everything from the cash register to the coke machine (still working) is an antique. Photos of the family from the late 1800s are on the wall. Places like these are real treasures – living treasures.

The next place was Toomsuba. There were a few homes on Route 11 and these two churches – one Baptist and one Presbyterian. The Presbyterian church was founded in 1836. That is pretty old for this area.

Up next is the big city of Meridian – a city of about 40,000 people.