Paul and Julie on the Road: CALLAWAY GARDENS & WARM SPRINGS, GA MAY 20-21 2015

Our beautiful campsite at the F.D. Roosevelt State Park made it difficult to leave early each morning or maybe we're just learning to enjoy our "homesite" as much as the touring and historic sights around us. So, as has become our habit, we took a beautiful walk and then sat most of the morning to enjoy the view. I also was working on finding us a place to stay with the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. There are only a couple of times that campgrounds fill and the 3 summer holidays are some of them. So, rather than read more of my book, I worked on the iPad and phone finding a park for the coming Friday and Saturday nights.

Once that was done and nearly noon, we drove about 25 minutes to Warm Springs for lunch at Bulloch House, known for its southern cooking and fried chicken served buffet style. Sadly as I was looking for details this morning, I just read that fire destroyed this built home on Wednesday. The little town of 500 will truly be affected by the loss of this attraction in town. How lucky we were to have chosen it for lunch just a few weeks ago.

Next it was time to see President Roosevelt's Little White House where he came hoping to find a cure for the polio that had struck him. He actually built the house while he was governor of New York, the year before he became president. Swimming in the pools did bring him relief and it is said that many of his New Deal Progrmas were based on his experiences in this small town. The new FDR Memorial Museum was fascinating with so many items, the best being two of FDR's cars equipped with hand controls so he could drive into the surrounding area and stop to talk to people along the road.

From the time he built the house in 1931 until his death there in 1945, this tiny house six room one-story cottage with a combination living room/dining room, three bedrooms and a small kitchen he visited as often as he could.

In the dining room stands the "Unfinished Portrait" of FDR, painted as he was seated in that very room when he had a massive stoke and died later that afternoon.

Not far from the cottage are the Historic Therapy Pools and Springs Complex once used by FDR. The spring water still bubbles from a small fountain.

On our way back to the campground, we stopped at Dowdell's Knob where President Roosevelt often picnicked and found solitude overlooking the valley below. A life sized sculpture of the president marks the site.

With only one day left, we put the bikes on the car and left early for the beautiful Callaway Gardens, 5 minutes outside the park.

The gardens are spread over 6500 acres and include a resort complex and lots of recreational activities but we were only there for the gardens. Begun in 1930 after finding a rare azalea growing in the area, Callaway Gardens opened to the public in May 1952. The 10-mile Discovery Bike Trail weaves through wooded gardens making it so easy to see all the different areas.

The lovely glass house with sliding ceiling panels and doors

The Memorial Chapel

The lake in the center of the Azealea bowl, sadly no blooms...we missed it by a month!

the Butterfly House

and The Victory Garden and darling barn used on the weekends to sell the products from the very large garden

But this one was Paul's favorite. It's actually just a covered deck that looks like the entry to a home, so Paul's idea is to build it in front of our RV someday when we find a place we want to settle down but still want the mobility of our lifestyle.

Finished with our wonderful hours of riding bikes in through the gardens we drove into the little town of Pine Mountain for coffee (PK) and wine(me) and to pick up our mail. Sweet little town with lots of small shops and cafes.