Cotton Fields: A Snapshot of Rural Alabama

November 4, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

I have never seen cotton fields before, especially so many with the cotton balls opened and ready for harvest. The cotton balls open in the fall.

The state of Alabama ranks ninth in the nation for producing cotton, and cotton is the primary row crop now grown in Alabama. Cotton is what made Alabama. Cotton is grown in 59 of the 67 counties in Alabama.

I wondered if people still pick cotton in Alabama. I discovered that cotton is picked by machines called cotton pickers. These machines can cover six to eight rows at a time and can harvest up to 190,000 pounds of cottonseed per day.

It reminded me of when we saw so many sunflower fields in North Dakota. I love driving around America and seeing things like this.

Have you ever seen the cotton fields of Alabama? Thanks for seeing them with us.

Valley View Awe at Cherokee Rock Village

November 3, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

Leesburg, Alabama

I am so glad we found this gorgeous gem of a park on Lookout Mountain just outside of Leesburg, Alabama. My pictures don’t do it justice because I couldn’t get out and climb or hike through the rocks. You can get a better view of it on the park website.

This is a beautiful nature park with well-maintained parking areas, camping areas, picnic areas, and hiking paths.

The park ranger did not charge us to enter the park. We told her that we were just planning on driving through and right back out. She told us to go ahead and enjoy the park. A normal day pass is $7 per vehicle.

This park is a rock climber’s dream. It features crags, cliffs, and tall rock formations for climbing. Definitely not something Rich or I can do. Some of the sandstone boulders are as high as 200 feet.

Hiking trails for all levels from easy to moderate to steep, tent and RV camping sites, modern restrooms, and a new playground make this park the perfect destination for a day trip or a longer stay. And what a beautiful day it was for a drive!

All photos are taken with my iPhone. It does a great job don’t you think?

The view of the valley below encompassing nearby Weiss Lake is a view worth staring at for quite a while. I felt so small in comparison to this vast and beautiful landscape.

I was impressed with how nice the wooden viewing platform is.

We stood in silence for the longest time just enjoying the view. The valley below was breathtaking. It stretched out for miles. The sky was a brilliant blue.

We travel around the country from place to place and are always amazed at how beautiful each place is. When we are surrounded by such beauty, we are so grateful to be alive and healthy enough to see places like this.

The drive up Lookout Mountain to the Cherokee Rock Village Park in Leesburg, Alabama was time well spent.

I hope you enjoyed seeing it with us.