Wind Songs: Tullahoma

I had planned on taking a few pictures in downtown Tullahoma this morning and then driving to Short Springs and hiking the upper trail system high on the ridge that in part looks down over the falls.

I never made it to Short Springs today and instead took a leisurely walk in a small section of town and then a residential section immediately adjacent to it.

As long as I have known and then later lived in Tullahoma I have never really walked a lot of it and on a very sunny and surprisingly warm day today I enjoyed a quiet walk more than I expected that I would.

There are some very pretty sections of town but it does not have a central town square as so many other towns surrounding it do and therefore no real and formal "downtown".

I have always been surprised at how much traffic there is for a town of just under 20,000 people.

And truthfully I do not find it to be an inspiring town as much of it is located on a 3 or 4 mile long strip of two lane highway that barrels through the center of Tullahoma and is overwhelmed by strip malls, banks, medical clinics, quick change oil places, and all the mom and pop and fast food restaurants of every variety that you could possibly dream up or want.

The two lane parallels the railroad tracks with large residential areas leading off from these main arteries.

There is supposed to be one side of the tracks that is the "good" side and one side that is the "not so good" side.

I don't remember which one is which but hope that my house is on the "good" side.

But there is such an eclectic mix of upper, middle and lower income homes spread out on both side of the tracks that I am not even sure if that belief even holds true anymore.

My home is on a decidedly middle class street.

The next street over in one direction begins middle class and ends up in higher end homes.

The next street over in another direction begins middle class and ends up in lower class which leads to another street that contains projects.

Eclectic indeed.............

There is a very small park in town located interestingly enough between two establishments that are primarily restaurants by day and bars by night.

It is aptly named The Downtown Park.

It contains a small green space, a bandstand that will soon be decorated with lights for the Christmas season, and a large red-berry-filled holly tree that will also be filled with Christmas lights soon.

Today it was still decorated with the signs of Fall..............

Londons is one of those restaurants slash bars that is especially popular with people who work in town.

Immediately after work the joint is usually packed with loud and laughing city folks winding down from their day.

I dropped by Londons' a couple of weeks ago to catch up with an old colleague (or maybe it was the place next door called Fast Jacks - they are similar and I have not visited either place often enough to remember which is which).

Whichever place I stopped at has renovated inside since the last time I visited and they unexpectedly found wonderful old brick and wood work when they began tearing out existing ceilings and walls.

Pictures for another day and an excuse to visit once more............

A view north on Jackson Street.

The main thorough fare through town.

Further down this road are restaurants, bars, hotels, Wal-mart, Lowes, you get the idea.............

A long-time antique store directly across the road from where I was standing..............

In all the years I lived in the area and then lived in town I never made it to the Christmas Parade.

I think I had better make it this year............

The colors of Fall are quickly coming to an end.

But you wouldn't know it from many trees I bypassed in town today.

The weather is gorgeous. The trees are gorgeous. Fall is the most beautiful season of the year in Tullahoma............

Even in early November the weather here is still warm enough for planter boxes and small downtown gardens.............

Before leaving this side street I spent a few more minutes at the downtown park............

At the small park is this very large holly tree.

It is filled with red berries and soon it will be filled with lights.

The official tree lighting ceremony takes place immediately prior to the Christmas Parade in early December.........

This building on the corner of the street is currently for sale and contains four apartments.

These balconies are outside two of those apartments and look out over the street............

There are three or four sets of railroad tracks that effectively divide the east and west sides of town.

One of Tullahomans favorite diversions while driving around town is watching for oncoming trains.

If they see one set of gates go down and thereby block traffic from passing over the tracks, many residents race down one of the streets paralleling the tracks trying (sometimes successfully and sometimes not) to beat the train to the next set of gates.

Maybe.......just maybe.........they can make it to the next crossing before the arms drop down..........

I have no idea what Couch's is.

Everybody calls the place Daddy Billys.

Another restaurant. Another bar.

The kind of ambiance you would expect in a place called Daddy Billys.

But the beer is cheap and the food is good and on Fridays and Saturdays they have local bands squeezed into the front section of the place pounding out very loud country and country-rock music.

It is a very fun and easy-going place.............