10βͺNOVEMBER 2023βͺshop . cmausa . org |
MILES : 50 road miles 2 water miles
TIME : 1.5 hours riding . 5 ferry ride Take your time there is plenty to see
FOOD : Gaines Ridge Dinner Club Pecan on Broad ATTRACTIONS : Alabama River Gee β s Bend Ferry Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy Cultural Arts Center , Camden
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By SHAWNA Hall
HAVE I got a trifecta for you ?
History , scenery , and food ! This whole adventure began with the book Leaving Gees Bend by Irene Latham . If you enjoy reading Historical Fiction , this is a delightful story set in 1932 and inspired by Gee β s Bend β s rich quilting traditions . It is filled with adventure , heartbreak , and love . Once I started , I couldn β t put it down . Since then ( 2014 ), I have wanted to go to Camden , Alabama , and Gee β s Bend to see this historical area I envisioned .
Now , just a reminder , this is South Alabama . I don β t recommend doing this
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ride in August like Brad and I did . It was almost 114 degrees , we didn β t bring any water , and Gee β s Bend is very rural . We really tested our marriage for this article , and Brad may or may not have ridden off and left me during part of it . The adventure begins when you arrive at the ferry landing . Be sure to check the schedule ahead of time to arrive at just the right time . ( Brad and I had to wait 40 minutes while we stood there dehydrating due to lack of water and heavy perspiration !) Riding across the Alabama River to the peninsula of Gee β s Bend shows you just how remote the area is . When you arrive on the other side , you almost feel like you have stepped back in time .
The residents of Gee β s Bend are direct descendants of the enslaved people who worked the cotton plantation established in 1816 by Joseph Gee . They have continued the quilting tradition and have established themselves as Living American History . The Gee β s Bend Heritage Trail commemorates ten Gee β s Bend quilts that appeared on the U . S . postage stamps in 2006 . They are located near where their creators lived and worked .
I recommend riding the loop and stopping to read these . Instead of riding the ferry back , we made a loop back to Camden , Alabama , using County Road 29 through Alberta , Alabama . You must visit the Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy for a richer history . They are open Tuesday-Saturday , 10:00 AM-3:00 PM ( FQBLegacy . org ).
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