Athens, Alabama

WELCOME TO ATHENS, ALABAMA

As you enter Athens, AL you will see this welcome sign.
It is a new sign made of metal, which replaced the old wooden sign that was beginning to fall apart. Had I know that they were going to be replaced I would have gotten a picture of it, and if I had, I would have a then and now picture. Oh well.

If you stop at the welcome sign, bring a packed lunch/ picnic and sit at the picnic tables to eat and look at the army plane. This plane is at the welcome sign to draw attention to the Veteran Museum that Athens has. More about that later.

Atlas really liked the plane. He wanted to fly it, never mind that did it did not have a motor.

He wanted to have this view from the other side of the glass.

"Oh, I love you!"

There is so much more to tell you about Athens, Alabama! This is just the beginning.

Highway 31 South

Athens, Alabama

Alabama Welcome Center Entertainment

So, the Alabama Welcome Center was celebrating the thirty fifth year of its opening. There was all sorts of fun happening.

Many people got their face painted. Atlas wanted to paint my face before he was distracted by this guy.

His name is TOPPS which stands for Temperature Oxygen Pressure Protection Suit. He is the mascot of Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. He is a nine foot astronaut and Atlas thought he was so great.

He yelled, "Hey, look at me! I am in outer space!"

 

He wants to go to Space Camp and be an astronaut.

Then he met Saber Tooth.

Atlas was like, "Hey, how are you?" and he just stuffed him in his mouth! You should have heard Atlas squeal! He was not scared at all. Such a brave turtle.

She was like, "We have talked about this!" and he was like "What do you mean?"

 

Then he was like, "See he's all good." Atlas piped up with "Hey!"

"La La La, I have a turtle on my head!"

"Good lunch. I mean turtle!"

Saber Tooth is from the Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age exhibit at the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center. Atlas is so excited about going to this exhibit. He talked me into it.

We got to meet the people from U.G. White from Athens, Alabama. If you ever get the chance to visit, I would suggest it. They have all sorts of goodies. We visited them and will tell you more in a later post.

He exclaimed that he wanted to drive it home. I had remind him that he already has a vehicle to drive. Then it was time to go.

Alabama Welcome Center Honors Veterans Lost

The Alabama Welcome Center honors the military beautifully with a couple of memorials.

There is also this sign that speaks for itself. It fit in nicely with the memorials.

 Atlas posed in front of the Vietnam Veteran War Memorial.

Inscribed on one side is the list of Alabama soldiers lost during this war.

That would be our reflection (Atlas on my shoulder).

Also included here is the Korean War Memorial.

This is the center, it has four more stone radiating out from the center.

As we were currently located in Limestone County, Alabama, we decided to take a picture of the stone that had Limestone County's lost soldiers.