The Plains Experience

The main goal of our 4 day jaunt through parts of TN,GA and NC was to visit former President Jimmy Carter's Sunday School class at Maranantha Baptist Church in Plains. Our visit to Plains began on Saturday afternoon where we visited Plains High School (a museum of Carter memorabilia), the campaign headquarters at the Plains Railroad Depot and The Boyhood Farm where he grew up and the rather small town itself. The National Park Service has taken over operations of the main Carter sites in Plains. We had great Southern cooking twice at Mom's Kitchen in Plains. I had sweet potato pie for the first time. It was real good. The people we met were exceptionally friendly. Even the Police Chief stopped while we were outside the Plains Depot and took a picture of us and chatted for a while. We were made to feel right at home. Both of us felt like this was the most awesome vacation experience we've ever had.

The Segway was an attraction in and around Plains. The minister of the church, Jeff Summers, asked me to show it to him after the service. I talked him into getting on it (it wasn't hard as he was eager to see how it worked) and experience traveling a few feet forward and backwards.

The Sunday School lesson was excellent. Here was a former US President asking us what determines greatness. His answer was that it was not found in one's accomplishments, great wealth or obtaining a position of great power, but rather to be more Christlike.

After this picture was taken, the former President told me that he had ridden them (Segways) before and found them to be a lot of fun. He further said to me "You can leave it here when you leave Plains" and flashed a typical Jimmy Carter smile.