Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Big rocker, why it's there and enjoying the ride


- How I managed to pass this over sized rocking chair, in the middle of nowhere, in northeast Georgia:  I was coming back from my festival trip late Sunday afternoon and took a detour road home that brought me to this rather desolate highway (GA-52) near Lula, Georgia.  I spotted this unusual sight, backed up and stopped to take the photos.  There was no explanation for it.  I love things like that.  (Of course.)

- But the wonders of Google gave me this:  "Just outside Lula, down a winding country road is a hard-to-miss attraction that keeps people in its seat.

Dwight Oliver, of Goldbrook Pumpkin Farm, said he originally built the giant rocking chair as a place for schoolchildren visiting the farm to gather for pictures.  The fifteen or so foot chair, he said, can hold thirty kids.

Oliver said he sees car tags from all over as people stop to take a look or get a picture of the orange-and-white chair.  Some folks have even sat in the chair waving at passers by as if they were sitting on their own front porch, he said.

And everyone around knows about the big chair on the corner of Persimmon Tree Road and Lula Road.  According to Oliver, the farm can't move the chair anywhere else, or "people won't know where we are."  After seven years, the chair is a permanent fixture."

- The oddest thing was that I realized later that my GPS took me this way, when there was a much more direct route home.  But I loved this long and winding road, with its farms and rolling country fields.  I guess GPS knew I'd like to see this giant rocker.  :)

15 comments:

Joanne said...

That is crazy! And kind of cool, especially since it was so unexpected!

Lynn said...

Joanne -

I know. :) I love taking state highways home from there, rather than the expressway. But the most direct route takes me through a "theme park" type town (Helen, GA) that takes a long time to get through. So I had the bright idea to go around it, taking a detour that I had a fairly clear picture in mind of its route. When the GPS suddenly instructed me to turn left when I was certain keeping on the same road would be correct, I just did it for giggles. And it was a delightful drive.

Sara said...

I loved the story of both how YOU discovered this rocking chair and also how it came to be in Lula. That's a great name for a town:~)

Not long ago, we heading towards Atlanta for some golf thing of Jim's and the GPS on his phone took us through back roads, instead of I75.

At first, I was annoyed, but I ended up really enjoying going through the small towns. I especially liked how ONE road changed names as you drove on it,even though we didn't turn off it. Hope that makes sense:~)

Elephant's Child said...

Quirky and fun. Love it. And I suspect I would have had to climb into that chair - no photos, just for the ride.

Riot Kitty said...

30 kids! That sounds like fun.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

How WONDERFUL!!! Great Chair and Great Story, too....Google certainly is a fund of information...! And I love that you just happened on this amazing sight!

Just telling it like it is said...

life's biggest mysteries are along ur journey. Good luck

Snaggle Tooth said...

I thought Paul Bunyan wanted one for his sunset years...
Funny about the GPS fluke getting you on the Rocker tour there!

G. B. Miller said...

Gotta love it when you find something unexpected while meandering down a country road.

Lee said...

Hoagy Carmichael would have been inspired to write a sequel to his great song "Old Rockin' Chair" if he'd seen that one!

Lynn said...

Sara -

Lula is close to Cornelia - surely someone named these tiny towns after beloved women.

I know - I love back roads, too. It does make sense.

Elephant's Child -

I thought about it, but rain was looming in the distance. It did fall before I made it home an hour later.

Riot Kitty -

So fun - I can just see it.

Naomi -

Thank you - it was wonderful. And I love amazing sights like that - it was meant to be, I think.

Lynn said...

Just telling -

Thank you for coming by.

Snaggle -

A rocker for Paul Bunyan - brilliant!

G -

I know - I do love that.

Lee -

I'll have to look up that song and listen. :)

LL Cool Joe said...

I'm glad you didn't miss it! Looks like it could do with a lick of paint, or maybe they were going for the rustic look? :)

TALON said...

I'm laughing at the giant chair, because up in the Muskoka region (where we used to live) there is the largest Muskoka chair ever. Kids adored it!

Lynn said...

Joe -

Either way - I don't know. :)

Talon -

Now I have to look up Muskoka!