If you live in Auburn and get on Higway 14 and head west, then keep driving until you almost run into Mississippi, you’ll be at the Tom Bevill Lock and Dam Visitors Center. It was a shorter trip up from Demopolis today. The Visitor’s Center (unfortunately) is closed on Saturday and Sunday, but we parked and walked around the closed gate and wandered around for a few pictures. If you’ve never seen a old paddle wheel “Snag Boat”, they have one in permanent display. It’s the Montogomey. Unfortunately, since 9-11, the Army Corp of Engineer’s doesn’t allow easy access to the lock area. Before that you could watch the operations of boats coming and going from the locks. Now you have to be back a bit. This visitor center allows a pretty good view of the top pool. After this it was off to a nearby marina, then up the Warrior River (well along side by car) to yet another lock and dam just north of Tuscaloosa. Grabbed some wings and a coke (that’s right no Sunday Beer sales here) at the Hooter’s. It’s one of my favorite family resturants. I hope to take some pictures in a Hay Field tomorrow, unlike anything you may have seen before.
From the Archives — originally published on the Opelika Daily News on November 15, 2009. View the original page.
