After an unexpected stopover in Titusville, Florida due to our frustrating and frightening experience with two blown tires on our fifth-wheel, Lucy, we canceled our reservation at Eagle Hammock RV Park at the Naval Submarine Base in King’s Bay, GA. The frightening part is understandable—blow-outs on a busy interstate highway are unsettling at best and downright scary at worst. The frustrating aspect of this experience came with the canceled reservation. Helen and I looked forward to our first trip to Eagle Hammock because we visit that part of the country often and were eager to try out a new campground near the coast.
With one new tire and a spare mounted on Lucy, we decided to shorten our route to Knoxville because we had doubts about the lifespan of the two remaining tires on Lucy’s other side. Although the route we chose would take us through Atlanta’s heavy traffic, we would shave a few hundred miles off of our original plan and allow us to get home and replace the old tires. After checking out the options on the MilitaryLiving.com website, we placed a call to the Marine Logistics Base in Albany, GA and secured a campsite in the RV park for two nights. We arrived late in the afternoon and parked Lucy in a very spacious campsite under a large Live Oak tree. It wasn’t on the coast, but it wasn’t bad either.
The next morning, I received a call from a friend, and, in the course of our conversation, I told him we were in Albany. It turns out that my friend had visited the area many times in previous years to hunt quail on some prime hunting ground. Albany, with its beautiful pine trees, numerous plantations, and pecan farms advertises itself as the quail hunting capital of the world. My friend told me of the many visits he made to those plantations and, he also told me about the best place to eat lunch in the entire State of Georgia—Abbott’s Grocery. Helen found it on Trip Advisor, accompanied with a high rating.
My friend described Abbott’s as a small country grocery with a hot food counter inside. The menu usually included such items as fried fish, fried chicken, smothered steak, collards, pinto beans, black-eyed peas and similar items all designed to fill up hungry southern boys during lunch after the morning hunting session. Inside the store, it was usually standing-room-only during hunting season. Outside, the parking lot was just as full with hunters, bird dogs, and big pickup trucks. As a return favor for sharing this gem with us, my friend asked us to pick up a sack of White Acre tiny peas for his wife’s Valentine Day present. Assigned a mission now, we put Abbott’s on our busy schedule for lunch.
We found Abbott’s after a delightful drive through some of those plantations and pecan farms only to discover that Abbott’s was now Crossroads Market. Thinking that we might be in the wrong place, we drove around the building and spotted a sign for Abbott’s Meat Processing. We returned to the front of the market and went inside. The market was no longer a small country store. The shelves were full, the aisles well-lit, and there was a large butcher shop in the rear.
Around the corner from the butcher counter, a small dining area contained two or three tables and a counter for ordering food. Today’s menu, a hand-written list of meals, lay next to a large tip jar. I had to order the vegetable soup and cornbread…so good. The number of customers was certainly not standing-room, but there was a steady crowd on hand to keep the kitchen staff busy. We finished our soup, tipped the cooks, and went in search of White Acre peas. We found them in the freezer on a shelf above the Mountain Oysters (don’t ask, but it’s a delicacy in these parts).
We bought two sacks of peas, including a sack for us, and some ham hocks to cook with them, then walked back outside. As I stood in front of the market taking pictures for my friend, an elderly gentleman walked by. We nodded at each other. After walking ahead for about ten steps, he turned and came back to me and introduced himself as Mr. Abbott.
“I owned this store for 43 years,” he told me in a molasses-thick Georgia accent.
“I finally sold it, but I come in often to make sure they’re treating my customers right. My son owns the meat plant in the rear. I taught him everything he knows and he’s making a killing,” he said with a slight chuckle.
I told him about the rave reviews my friend gave Abbott’s Grocery and all of the great meals he shared there with his hunting pals. Mr. Abbott seemed pleased to hear that.
“We served a lot of meals to those hunting fellas. I got to be friends with a lot of them, and they came back every year. I miss those days, but I decided to let it go—not gettin’ any younger, you know.”
We chatted for a few more minutes before I asked him if he would pose for a picture. He accepted, but I’m not sure if he wanted the attention. We shook hands and he turned toward the store saying it was time to check on “things.” He glanced back once before going inside. Helen and I admired the yard art in front of the market, then took our peas back to the Marine Base and placed them in Lucy’s freezer.
We left Albany the next morning and drove back through Atlanta and beyond without incident. Although our trip to Florida and the Florida Keys had been a rousing success, it passed by too quickly. One month isn’t enough time in warm weather. I understand snowbirds a bit better now. Hopefully, we can stay longer next year. Retirement is such a good gig.
Ah, Al would be so jealous if I showed him that pic of Quail hunters. Sounds like a fun trip dispite the tire situation. And yes, next winter you’ll need to plan a longer trip.
Good morning, Ingrid,
You and Al should come to the southeast for a fall or late winter road trip. Would love to take Al dove and quail hunting. I’m working on next winter this week…much longer. Great to hear from you. Hope the cold is better.
Oh dear, do I even mention this to Al? 😆 He loves Dove, Quail, and Pheasant hunting. We had Brittany Spaniel dogs for years. (pointers). Hmm, we’ll need to sit down and visit when you guys get to AZ. Keep me posted on what part of the state you’ll be visiting and let’s see if we can arrange a get together.
Ingrid,
Let’s work on it. I just sent you an email.
Hello Joe,
I love the stories and I enjoy your pictures, especially the one of the live oaks in Albany, GA. Glad you and Helen were safe when the tire blew.
Wheat a treat to run into Mr. Abbot.
Joe, thanks again for sharing your adventures in retirement. ‘Keep ’em comim’.
Bill Griffith, in Pittsburgh, PA.
Hi, Bill,
We were very much surprised at how pretty the area around Albany was. I love big farms with a lot of open ground and this place has it. Thanks for stopping by. We’re home for a few weeks, then back on the road again. Hope you’ll join us. Joe
Sure glad you liked Abbot’s and thanks for bringing us the Lady Peas. Mighty fine eating back there in that corner of the store. And among the legions of bird hunters who ate there there were many stories about old friends and great dogs and missed shots.
Hi, Joe,
This was a real treat. Loved the countryside around the store as much as anything. It wouldn’t have done me any good to hunt around there. I can’t hit a barn from 15 feet away. We haven’t tried our peas yet, but will soon.
Wow, Joe. I wish I had known you were in Albany (pronounced Al beny, accent on the “beny). That is the area of the world my husband grew up in. His Dad was the farm manager of one of those hunting plantation for years. It’s a way of life I knew nothing about until we moved to Tallahassee and I met Don. As I said, I wish I had known you were in that area, I would have had you bring me some of those White Acre peas. Don and I were talking about them the other day. I’m going to have our niece or nephew send us some and maybe some seed so I can grow my own. The “old South” food is one of the things I miss about living in that area. And the giant Live Oak trees with the moss and tall pines that have the most wonderful pine cones. That area of North Florida and South GA from Miccosukee, FL, Thomasville and Cairo, GA up to Albany are really beautiful and an entirely different way of living from what we grew up in. It is changing fast though. A lot of the hunting plantations that were there when we moved there in 1968 have sold out in the last 20 years and are not subdivisions. Sad.
Good afternoon, Dianne,
Places like Albany are one of the reasons that I love the RV life. We had to alter our route after our tires blew and decided to take a shorter route home. Neither of us were very excited about going there, but once we did a little exploring, we were so glad that we got to visit. There is nothing like finding the gems in our country. Great to hear from you!
Hi, Joe – Yes! Retirement is an excellent gig! I greatly enjoyed this post and felt that I was right there with you. Scary about the blown tires. I love how your last minute alternative plan turned out so well. And meeting Mr. Abbott? Icing on the cake!
Hi, Donna,
Another day on the road less traveled. I love it when unexpected events turn into a positive experience. Thanks for coming along with us. Please stay in touch.
Joe, that’s one of the best things about being on the road. Every town provides the opportunity for new experiences and adventures – like your chance meeting with Mr. Abbott. I’d call that a living history moment, and you and Helen are lucky ducks!
Good morning, Mary,
I love the small towns. People seem so down to earth in them and have the ability to “enjoy the moment” rather that rushing to keep up with the pace. When I retired from home building, I took a part-time job as an inspector for HUD. The job took me all over East Tennessee and Western North Carolina to inspect foreclosed homes. I loved the experience of traveling the small towns tucked into these hills–places I would never have visited on my own. Sadly, the job only lasted three years, but I have small town memories to cherish forever. Stay in touch.
Hi Joe from TN! This is my first visit, thanks to Donna. Boy, what an exciting life your living. That first photo is stunning! It’s great to meet you.
Hi, Jill,
Thanks so much for stopping by. I’ve visited your blog several times, but didn’t comment. I’m very impressed with both your writing and the thoughtful comments of your readers.
We’re blessed to be able to spend about six months a year traveling this beautiful country then return to our home in the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains. I hope you will stop in again soon.
Hi Joe,
Well you made some lemonade our of your lemons. One of the big purchases for us prior to our rv adventure is new tires for trailer as well as the truck. Scary, indeed!
Local places are the best, aren’t they?
Hi, Nancy,
You were very smart on the tires. I would recommend a tire pressure monitor as well, although our blowout happened too fast for the monitor to pick up on it. I love small towns and the people in them.
It’s great to hear from you. Just this morning I was thinking that I need to start working on a trip to New England and spend some time exploring Maine and New Hampshire. Maybe next summer, I haven’t spent a lot of time in your part of the world. Please stay in touch. Joe