Steve and Mary at the Southeast Regional Toastmasters Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina.

This afternoon, we arrived back at GRG HQ, thus ending the brief "TRC (Toastmasters, Roads, and Counties) Roadtrip of 2009".

On the way back, I snapped several photos (please click here for gallery), shot some new video in the Carolinas and Georgia for future "ROADGEEK-CAM!!!" episodes, and "clinched" my 110th Georgia county... Stephens County.

In North Carolina, I added the stretch of I-77 between I-85 and I-485 in northern Mecklenburg County to my collection of Interstates driven.

Once we crossed back into Georgia on I-85, I decided to go "off the beaten path" for the rest of our journey home. Here's the path...

- I-85 to GA 17 (Exit 173) near Lavonia.
- GA 17 Northbound to US 123/GA 365 Southbound.
- US 123/GA 365 Southbound/GA 17 Northbound to US 23/441/GA 15.
- US 23/441/GA 15/GA 365 Southbound to Cornelia.
- US 23/GA 365 Southbound to Gainesville (where GA 365 becomes I-985).
- I-985/US 23/GA 365 Southbound to GA 53 Westbound (Exit 17) near Oakwood.
- GA 53 Westbound to GA 369 Westbound.
- GA 369 Westbound to GA 306 Westbound.
- GA 306 Westbound to its end at GA 20 near Cumming.
- GRG HQ!!!

GA 17 is part of the Appalachian Foothills Parkway, which stretches from I-85 and skirts the mountains all the way westward toward Dade County in Northwest Georgia. It is also part of the north-south US 1/GA 17 GRIP Corridor (Future GA 545) from the US 23/441/GA 15 and US 123/GA 365/GA 17 "split" in Habersham County to the Florida State Line in Charlton County. As a matter of fact, I traveled the southernmost portion of this particular GRIP corridor from the Florida line to Waycross just last month.

The Lavonia-Toccoa-Cornelia-Gainesville route was mostly 4-lanes, with a 2-lane stretch through Franklin and Stephens Counties, but it was a nice, scenic, and relaxing alternative to I-85. Timewise, it made very little difference, plus we didn't have to deal with all that Gwinnett mess. For you bicyclists out there, GA 17 is part of Georgia Bike Route 85.

Finally, here are some "shout outs"...

First, here's a "shout-out" to David, a fellow Toastmaster from Mooresville, NC, near Lake Norman. When we first met and he told me where he lived, I just had to ask him about the I-77 northbound traffic I encountered Friday. He did confirm that it was typical a typical Charlotte traffic jam with commuters. Thanks to David for the confirmation.

The final "shout-out" is to the rest of our fellow "Toastmaster buddies", most of whom we haven't seen in at least 4 years. It was great to see all y'all again and though this may be the very last Southeast Regional Toastmasters Conference, we've just got to have a "get together" every so often.

I am ever so grateful to Toastmasters for not only the personal growth, but most of all, for all the friends Mary and I have made over our combined 40+ years of Toastmastering. Heck, if it weren't for Toastmasters, Mary and I would never have gotten together.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading and please come back again.

        

 

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