November 4, 2008 (Election Night): Florence, AL

Today we cruised through beautiful Pickwick Lake formed by the dam and lock we came through last night. The dam construction began in 1935 and the lock first opened for traffic in 1938. This is a huge reservoir which is located in Hardin County in Tennessee, Tishomingo County in Mississippi, and Colbert and Lauderdale Counties in Alabama. So presumably we were in all three states today. Our own favorite Lake Gaston itself (with over 20,000 acres and 34 miles in length) is half the size of Lake Pickwick (at 47,500 acres and 53 miles in length). It was another beautiful sunny day to be on the water and we had a picnic lunch on the back deck with our shoes off.

Tonight we are docked in Florence, Alabama, next to a number of significantly larger vessels. We came to a marina with the major intention of getting a cable connection to watch the CNN coverage of the US Presidential election. The marina did not have cable, but the yacht next to us had a private connection pulled out on the pier. The dock master agreed to loan us the connection since the boat owner was not on his boat tonight. Tom lucked out again. We borrowed the marina pickup truck for a quick trip to Pizza Hut and then whizzed back to the boat to watch the election returns.

You know “America offers opportunities to those who would have the will to seize them” as McCain said tonight in his very gracious address to his supporters. As Tom and I have traveled from Philadelphia where our founding documents were signed and around our country studying our land and her history, it is amazingly momentous evening. So 221 years after the signing of the our US Constitution, which did not give African Americans the right to vote, Barrack Obama has been elected as the 44^th President of the United States of America.

We pray for him and all our elected officials that they will be wise and lead us well. President Elect Obama called on us all for a new spirit of service and a spirit of sacrifice: Tom and I are filled with hope for the new administration , and my Momma would be happy.