The Long Way Home

My youngest niece was graduating high school, so I took a vacation and headed home to North Carolina. I didn’t want to just drive straight there, so I planned a route through cities I hadn’t photographed yet, and Augusta was the first stop.

Downtown, I walked along the Riverwalk, past fountains, gardens and sculptures. Broad Street honors James Brown, the city’s own Godfather of Soul, and General Oglethorpe stands watch over the Augusta Common. The side streets were lined with old brick storefronts and grand Victorian homes, and a sign over one building asked everyone to Keep Downtown Augusta Funky.

Augusta was a good way to start the road home. It has deep roots and still carries a little swagger, and it reminded me that the long way around is usually worth it.