Auburn


26
May 16

My last hours in Auburn

That sounds melodramatic, I suppose, but it is what it is. I spent two years trying to get here, then five years living here and then nine years missing it and, returning, six more years here. That’s, all told, more than half my life thinking about the place. And, in most ways, that’s unrequited. I don’t really have a lot of other ways to talk about it than that.

And now I’m leaving it. Don’t want to, but there it is. Here we are. Here we go.

So I rode around one last time and took a few pictures of buildings because … I don’t know, but that’s what you do.

My first class was in this building, many years ago, just off to the right. It was an 8 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday class. Animal Dairy Sciences:

Comer Hall, my major lived in there. This is the top of ag hill, and I spent half of my undergraduate career there.

A few more views of Comer:

And this is Duncan Hall. I did my internship there, and worked for another year or so besides. Did some writing, some photography, some online work, some radio editing, some satellite uplinks and so on:

And one of the better oak trees on campus. Always looked like a place to climb or read or kiss.

Tomorrow we sign our papers and drive away, on to the next thing.


20
May 16

Let’s ride bikes

A quick selfie before a ride around town …

We went out riding with one of her graduate students. I suppose he’s a former grad student now, having graduated and all that. He’s from Florida and he was not prepared for anything where his bike, which he’s dusting off and riding again after a good long while, pointed up. And we don’t have real hills here. But we had fun! And that’s the purpose of the bike. One of the points. I’m presently using it for at least three of its modern purposes.


19
May 16

The penultimate Lee County historic markers post

OK, next to last set of marker shots from Lee County, Alabama. This particular project wraps next week, but first there are two markers and a locally-quarried stone marker within a block of each other. They mark the history of Auburn and the place where town and gown meet at Toomer’s Corner. Also there, the old Auburn Bank (which was until recently a series of bars and is now a pizza joint).

Toomer's Corner

That is the gate onto campus, donated by the class of 1917. The eagles had previously perched atop the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Building in Philadelphia and then in a yard there for some years. They arrived in Auburn in 1961 where they stayed until being removed for renovation in 2011. The ones you see here are actually re-casted replications of the originals, which have been removed. The transition is, thus, complete. Everything feels like a gift shop now.

You can see all about the downtown markers here. Check out my entire run of the county’s historic markers here.


13
May 16

Not a bad Friday

From this afternoon’s 34-mile ride in Columbus, Georgia. That’s Alabama on the left shore, by the way.

And that marks 80 miles for the week so far.

This guy knows how to pick a motorcycle helmet.

At James Brothers, our local bike shop. This beautiful machine is a Felt AR3. List price is $3499.

And this exquisite monster is a Felt IA time trial bike. If you guys want to chip in and buy me a new bike this one lists at $4999.99.

Baseball! And a cell phone shot. You can actually see the baseball.

Not bad at all.


12
May 16

A few more historical markers

After this, you can count them on one hand. You can count a lot of things on one hand these days. Anyway, as a refresher, I started some years ago riding my bicycle around the county to take pictures of all of the historic markers. And then I took a very long time off that project. And now I’m wrapping up the project in these last few small batches. You can see them all here. Or you can read a little bit about the sites below and then hit the links to the specific posts.

For instance, during the Civil war, the college was closed and, after the Battle of Atlanta, used as a hospital. I always imagine being wounded and having to make that trip from Atlanta. It was July and hot. It is a good hour and change by interstate today. What must that have been like? Anyway, the chapel was one of the facilities used as a hospital. It is the oldest building in town.

Auburn University Chapel

Also, it is said to be haunted by the spirit of a Confederate soldier. See the markers.

Now this contraption was used to make cannons.

The Lathe

Later it had other industrial uses, lathes being versatile machines. When it was retired it was brought to town and now it is on display with one humble little marker. Legend has it that if you go to the lathe at the right time of night under the right moon and do a dance and say a few chants … you’re doing a dance and saying a few chants. Also, the lathe will move. But that’s just a legend. See more about the lathe here.

Max Morris was a student, and later a hero, and then a warrior. He was one of the Frozen Chosin. And the university named its drill field in his honor. After service was no long compulsory the ROTC of course shrank in size. Eventually the drill field became …

Max Adams Morris Drill Field

You can learn more about Max Morris, and see the ROTC facility, here.

Here are two extras. Right by the lathe is the big iconic building. And on it are a few extra little historical notes. This one notes the campus being used as a hospital.

hospital

And this one is the cornerstone to the iconic administrative building. It isn’t the original, which burned in the 1880s, but this one, the replacement, still predates most things still standing around here now.

cornerstone