Day 9: What’s the frequency, Athens?

DAY 9: Athens, Georgia
Miles traveled: 1,360
States visited: 7 (just added: Georgia)
Weather: 68, sunny & incredibly windy

Athens is the second college town I’ve visited, and it puts Charlottesville to shame. Compared to Athens, Charlottesville is a DUMP. It’s a WASTE OF HUMANITY!

Ok, I exaggerate, but Athens might be the coolest college town I’ve ever visited. It reminds me of State College, only with more interesting shops and more alternative types wandering around. There are a bunch of restaurants with outdoor seating that faces the university. There are small music clubs. There was a Ben & Jerry’s which had a line around the block – apparently it was free cone day. There’s a place called The Junkman’s Daughter’s Brother, which is a lot like Spencer’s gifts, only it’s four times as big and sells stuff you’d actually want to buy. I could’ve spent hours there.

There was a thrift store called Dynamite! that I liked, except that it was a bit too pricey. There was a restaurant called the Last Resort Grill, which fully lived up to its name – it was completely empty, even while all the other restaurants were doing plenty of business.

I wanted to grab a meal at Michael Stipe’s vegetarian restaurant Grit but didn’t get a chance. I did stop in to Wuxtry, the record store where Peter Buck used to work. I also drove by something called The Tree That Owns Itself. Evidently, in the 1800s, this guy owned a really nice tree, and when he died, it was in his will that the tree be given to the tree itself. I’m not sure how that works legally but now the tree is famous. If you ask me, that tree is just a publicity whore.

Today I’m on to Atlanta to stay with some folks from couchsurfing.com. I’m not sure what to do there but I’ve been told to visit Five Points. I’ll be there until late Thursday.