Glennwood Road Ent
Member
Last night, I had a dream where my autistic girlfriend Megan and I went to Montgomery, AL (Alabama State Capitol) to check out the transit system around Montgomery Area on my 2nd autism spectrum date. Montgomery Area Transit System is the operator of mass transportation in metropolitan Montgomery, Alabama. The organization was founded in 1974, after years of tumultuous relations between private bus operators and passengers. In 2013, the system underwent a rebranding to The M. Currently, the system is operated under contract by Transdev. My autistic girlfriend asked me "Would you like to go exploring with me to Dexter Avenue Baptist Church to learn about the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott history started by the late Rosa Parks?" I replied to her "Yes and I kissed on her forehead and her cheeks.
When we got there via Route 11 bus (1106: 2011 Gillig Low Floor 35' HEV), we spotted the The National City Lines bus, No. 2857, on which Rosa Parks rode before she was arrested in 1955 (a GM "old-look" transit bus, replica version), parked by Dexter Avenue Baptist Church for historical display and that's where the late MLK Jr. began a citywide bus boycott, led by a new local minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The boycott lasted 381 days, made to work by African-American citizens, many of whom made sacrifices of time and energy to walk to work and other destinations. As they comprised the majority of bus passengers, the boycott greatly reduced the profits the bus company earned. Eventually, the a ruling by the United States Supreme Court, in a related case, declared bus segregation unconstitutional. The boycott was important for mobilizing people in the civil rights movement both in the Deep South and on a nationwide basis across the United States. The historical tour of the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott sites were very about 2 hours long and my autistic girlfriend loves it and she felt excited. I took many photos and video of Rosa Parks bus and the interior and exterior of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church including my autistic girlfriend.
Later on in the afternoon on our lunch date, Megan and I went to the restaurant named The Cork & Cleaver where she ordered Portabella Grilled Cheese with chicken fettuccine Alfredo and lemonade. I ordered Steak Sandwich with chicken fettuccine Alfredo and pink lemonade and for our deserts is White Chocolate Bread Pudding. By the next 30 minutes, we saved our leftovers for our dinner later on in the evening for 54 miles drive from Montgomery to Selma via Megan's Blue 1983 Ford Mustang SSP.
For the Open Road Scene in my dream, I asked Megan to program her GPS system from Montgomery to Selma to visit the historical Edmund Pettus Bridge where Bloody Sunday was held in 1965.
The drive from Montgomery, Alabama to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama covers approximately 50 to 54 miles (about 80 km) and takes roughly 52 to 55 minutes under normal traffic conditions.
Route Overview and Directions:
The standard and most direct driving route follows the historic path of the 1965 voting rights marches along US-80 West
Key Stops Along the Historic Trail
Driving this route reverses or parallels the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, which commemorates the historic 1965 civil rights march. Important landmarks on or near the drive include:
When we got there via Route 11 bus (1106: 2011 Gillig Low Floor 35' HEV), we spotted the The National City Lines bus, No. 2857, on which Rosa Parks rode before she was arrested in 1955 (a GM "old-look" transit bus, replica version), parked by Dexter Avenue Baptist Church for historical display and that's where the late MLK Jr. began a citywide bus boycott, led by a new local minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The boycott lasted 381 days, made to work by African-American citizens, many of whom made sacrifices of time and energy to walk to work and other destinations. As they comprised the majority of bus passengers, the boycott greatly reduced the profits the bus company earned. Eventually, the a ruling by the United States Supreme Court, in a related case, declared bus segregation unconstitutional. The boycott was important for mobilizing people in the civil rights movement both in the Deep South and on a nationwide basis across the United States. The historical tour of the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott sites were very about 2 hours long and my autistic girlfriend loves it and she felt excited. I took many photos and video of Rosa Parks bus and the interior and exterior of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church including my autistic girlfriend.
Later on in the afternoon on our lunch date, Megan and I went to the restaurant named The Cork & Cleaver where she ordered Portabella Grilled Cheese with chicken fettuccine Alfredo and lemonade. I ordered Steak Sandwich with chicken fettuccine Alfredo and pink lemonade and for our deserts is White Chocolate Bread Pudding. By the next 30 minutes, we saved our leftovers for our dinner later on in the evening for 54 miles drive from Montgomery to Selma via Megan's Blue 1983 Ford Mustang SSP.
For the Open Road Scene in my dream, I asked Megan to program her GPS system from Montgomery to Selma to visit the historical Edmund Pettus Bridge where Bloody Sunday was held in 1965.
The drive from Montgomery, Alabama to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama covers approximately 50 to 54 miles (about 80 km) and takes roughly 52 to 55 minutes under normal traffic conditions.
Route Overview and Directions:
The standard and most direct driving route follows the historic path of the 1965 voting rights marches along US-80 West
- Get on I-65 S: From downtown Montgomery, head toward I-65 South using local connectors like Bibb St and Clay St.
- Take US-80 W: Merge onto I-65 S and take Exit 167 to U.S. Hwy. 80 W toward Selma.
- Continue on US-80 W: Stay straight on US-80 W for roughly 51 miles through central Alabama, passing Lowndes County and flat rural stretches.
- Arrive in Selma: Follow US-80 Business West into Selma/Selmont-West Selmont, leading straight toward the Alabama River where the bridge is located. The Selma Interpretive Center sits right at the foot of the bridge at 2 Broad Street.
Key Stops Along the Historic Trail
Driving this route reverses or parallels the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, which commemorates the historic 1965 civil rights march. Important landmarks on or near the drive include:
- Edmund Pettus Bridge: The starting/turning point in Selma spanning the Alabama River, famous for the "Bloody Sunday" events.
- Lowndes Interpretive Center: Located roughly halfway between Selma and Montgomery in White Hall, detailing the historic "Tent City" and the events of the march.
- Alabama State Capitol: The final endpoint of the historic march in Montgomery.