29 Dreams Vandiver AL November 2006

The 29 Dreams is located just outside Vandiver AL. It is owned and run by Tim Langley and his wife Cathy. Kelsey and I went down for the weekend to meet with Ray and Linda Upton. These were old friends that I had not seen in 12 years. Ray and I used to have a half share each in a Cessna 172 and we learned to fly together. Brendan was to join us at Pell City which is only 45 minutes from where he lives.

Its only about a 165 miles from Conyers so it is an easy three and a half hour ride with stops for gas.

Just outside Atlanta we were passed by a young guy on a scooter, ass in the air and head held almost below the handlebars as he passed doing about 80 mph. We were holding a steady 70 mph, but he managed to pass us quite comfortably.

We stopped just over the Alabama/Georgia line for gas and to reset our watches to Central Time. Parked at the pumps gassing up was the scooter. It was a 200cc Vespa and the guy was on his way to Birmingham AL to visit his girlfriend for the weekend. I was quite impressed. I don’t think that when I started to ride in the days of the Triumph Tiger Cub and the BSA Bantam, that there was anything that was 200cc that could do 80mph.

We put on rain gear as it looked like rain ahead, so did the guy on the Vespa. We pulled back onto I-20 and after about a mile or so we went through a cold front and the temperature dropped about 10 or 15 degrees to around 50 degrees ( 10 Celsius) followed soon after by heavy rain. We plowed on to just before Pell City where we stopped for a cup of coffee as we were through the rain storm. It was a little chilly and the coffee was welcome. Brendan was supposed to meet us at Pell City and we were early, so we spent some time chatting while we waited. Brendan called to say he was running late and would go straight to the 29 Dreams and to meet him there.

We arrived at the 29 Dreams to find Ray, Linda and Brendan had just beat us by a few minutes so the timing was good. We met our hosts Tim and Cathy who turned out to be absolutely incredible hosts. Tim built a huge fire outside and, as it was now deep dusk, we were soon outside, foot up on the fire ring, glass in hand telling lies. Entertaining and being entertained. We had twelve years of lies to catch up on, so we had a lot of talking to do as the smoke from the fire made us move round and round the ring. Its amazing that, no matter where you stand, the smoke follows you forcing you to move again and again.

The cabins are dinky little log cabins that have two bunk beds and a double bed, and by nine o’clock we were fed and in bed with the heat on. None of us were used to going to bed that early, so we were sitting up in bed chatting at five in the morning waiting for Tim to open the kitchen at six thirty so that we could get some coffee.

Tim and Cathy served a great southern breakfast buffet style with three different styles of egg, biscuits, grits, hash browns, fruit, bacon, sausage (links and patties), so we ate like motherless children and were on the road soon after nine. We rode with Ray, Linda and Brendan to Pell City and then Ray and Linda went on to Huntsville AL. We had coffee with Jennifer and Kelyn in Pell City and then Kelsey and I split for an uneventful trip back to Conyers. Sunny and clear, but cold.

The 29 Dreams is terrific place and we look forward to returning in the summer. We would camp then, as we normally do, as the cabins have to be booked months in advance as there are only 7 of them. But who would want to sleep inside in the summer anyway.

Tim and Cathy have a great attitude and make you feel very welcome. As an ex lawman Tim has some very strong feelings about riding drunk, so when the bar opens the front gates are locked and no one leaves ’till morning! He also maintains a gravel parking lot and driveways that discourage doughnuts, burnouts and wheelies. And no colors.

Great place.

Plan to do this again in the summer when its warmer and we can camp. Besides, I look forward to seeing Ray and Linda again as there are still many lies to tell and a few yet to create between now and then.