Summer 2022
GCA’S GROUP TRIP TO GREECE• TRAVELING TRAINEE MEGHAN WELCH• A FOOD & WINE TOUR IN ITALY• FIRST ADVENTURERS
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EDITOR’S LETTER
Bon Voyage Bainbridge
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elcome to the Summer 2022 edition of Bainbridge Living. This issue focuses on some of the amazing travels and adventures our readers have gone on . I love traveling and most recently went on an 8-day cruise with my family and cousins. We visited Coco Cay, St. Thomas and St. Marteen. We also had the opportunity to take a catamaran to Christmas Cove in St. Thomas and go snorkeling. It was an experience I’ll never forget. The stories in the issue make me want to pack up my bags, fly off to Europe and go wine tasting and sightseeing. However, it may be a bit before I can do that, because I am packing my bags and moving to Thomasville for a new job. Bainbridge Living has easily been one of my favorite parts of working at the Post-Searchlight, beyond meeting the people and telling their stories. I have loved using this magazine as a creative outlet to tell the amazing stories of our vibrant community. It was not an easy decision to make, but I feel it was the right one for me. I hope this farewell issue of Bainbridge Living proves to be everyone’s favorite yet, and I hope in the coming months the magazine only continues to grow and be a staple in resident’s homes. Thank you for everything the past five years, and for welcoming me all into your home.
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EDITORIAL JOHN WELLS General Manager JILL HOLLOWAY Managing Editor
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DEPARTMENTS Summer 2022
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COLUMNS 4 Editor’s Letter FEATURES 6 GCA’s Group Trip to Greece Grace Christian Academy seniors em barked on a 14-day trip to Greece earlier this summer. Now, they are sharing the tales of their travels. 14
Mountaineer John Dooner Senior forester John Dooner loves a good adventure. Following his climb of Mt. Rainier, he took on the ultimate
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task of climbing some of Ecuador’s tallest peaks. 20
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Traveling trainee Meghan Welch After starting her career here in Bainbridge with Chick-fil-A, Meghan Welch has now traveled across the states, help ing with grand openings and seeing some of the most famous monu ments in the United States. An Italian Food & Wine Tour Glennie and Steve Bench return to Steve’s Italian roots, as they par
take in a group food and wine tour across Central Italy. 32
Photographer Becky Bardin Becky Bardin shares snapshots and stories from some of her most famous photography trips, including a safari in Tanzania and a trip to Iceland.
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First Adventurers First National Bank’s First Adventuers Travel Club gives an inside look at some of their most memorable trips across the United States.
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FOLLOWING IN HIS PATH Grace Christian Academy seniors travel abroad, walking at some of the most famous sites recounted in literature and the Bible. BY ETHAN REDDISH
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enior cruises or graduation trips can vary in where they go; while some may just make a trip to Disney or Universal, some like to go on tropical cruises to the Bahamas and Mexican ports, and others may like to visit historic European tourist spots like France or Italy. This year, the Grace Christian Academy Class of 2022 decided to combine both warm beach trips and historic European tourism with a summer trip to Greece. For two weeks, seniors Mary Glenn Warr, Lainey McRae, Ella Harrell , Isabella Barnett, Brooke Phillips, Melanie Bodry, and Lane McElyea, as well as their chaperones Mardi McRae, Cile Warr, Lauren Harrell, Christy McCoy, Diana Whitaker, Kelly Phillips and Amy Vickers, traveled to various beaches, islands and historic archeological sites around the Mediterranean country. According to Mary Glenn and Lainey, they chose Greece as the destination because some of the group had already been to Italy, and, “we wanted to go somewhere… that had pretty beaches and was sort of tropical.” “They’re definitely a tropical group,” Mardi said. “They wanted some sun, some water, to travel and experience a new culture, but to also have the sun, the water and the sand.” The group left June 9, landing in Athens after a 6-hour layover in Montreal. They visited the Acropolis and several local shops on their first day, before moving on, led by their guide, Konstantina “Deena” Sypsi. Other famous locations they visited included Delphi, Patras and Summer 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 7
Members of the GCA Senior Greece Trip flew out of Atlanta, stopping over in Montreal before arriving in Greece (pictured below).They travelled to multiple historic sites and cities from both the Bible and Greek mythology, as well as multiple coastal islands.
Mycenae, seeing sites such as the Temples of Apollo and Poseidon, as well as Mount Olympus. They were even able to run on the first Olympic race track. In addition, the group also went on a threeday cruise to the various coastal islands, such as Santorini, Mykonos and Patmos. Mary Glenn in particular recalled many of the places they visited from reading The Odyssey in 10th grade literature, and both she and Lainey wished they could have spent more time on the islands, specifically Mykonos. “It’s just fun,” she said. “We were only there for like two hours.” During their brief excursion there the group visited an area called Little Venice, known for it’s cobblestone streets and buildings right on the water’s edge, like it’s Italian namesake. Patmos was another favored destination, with the 8 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Summer 2022
group visiting the Cave of the Apocalypse, the cave where John wrote the Book of Revelations during exile, as well as the Monastery of St. John. But the group didn’t just stay confined to Greece, briefly making a stop on their cruise in the historic city of Ephesus, formerly of ancient Greece, but now in modern-day Turkey. “A couple of us wanted to buy rugs, Turkish rugs,” Mardi said. The cruise handled customs, minimizing any fuss with entering the country. Deena even bought the kids a box of Turkish delight while there, with most of them having heard about the sweets from the Narnia books, but never having the opportunity to try them. The group also of course got to experience the local Greek cuisine, which consisted of a lot of beef and rice. Both Mary Glenn and Lainey agreed their favorite dish was the feta salad. Mardi concurred,
“The feta and their tomatoes were to die for,” while Amy Vickers recommended the olives (in addition to the feta, of course.) In addition to historic sites and new food, the group experienced daily Greek culture, complete with some unexpected differences and embarrassing misunderstandings. Aside from how late dinner is eaten in Greece (around 9:00-9:30), the difference in bathroom etiquette surprised them; particularly not flushing toilet paper, and toilets themselves lacking seats. Another incident saw the kids asking to visit a dance club to see the Greek night life, only to end up being taken to a traditional Greek dance dinner theater. “They ended up having a blast… it just wasn’t quite what they expected!” Mardi laughed. They noted that gas was more expensive, but everything else seemed cheaper than in America. And while American teens can get their driver’s license at 16, in Greece they must wait until 18, with a greater reliance on public transit, something the group had to use frequently. “I love that, because then I feel like the kids are really getting a feel for what it would be like if they’d grown up somewhere other than a small town in the US,” Mardi stated. “For me, as a
teacher and a parent, that’s my endgame, for them to experience the way other kids have grown up thinking it’s normal. You know, that the way they grew up isn’t necessarily how everybody else experienced their early years.” Cile Warr described the location as a, “Beautiful country and beautiful people! Truly a trip of a lifetime!” Diana Whitaker said, “Seeing the origins of Greek mythology and the ruins of Biblical places brings to life much of the history and literature I’ve studied and taught over the years.” Kelly Phillips also sang the praises of their reception there, saying, “We learned so much and were truly embraced by the people and their culture! We felt like we were leaving part of our family and our hearts behind. Definitely a destination that makes you want to return!” “I think it definitely exceeded all of my expectations,” Mardi said. “It’s been on my bucket list forever, and sometimes when things are on your bucket list for a long time, it can be kind of disappointing once you get there. I think this in no way was disappointing… I think you could ask anybody on our trip, and they would go back tomorrow.”
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TAKING ON THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST PEAKS Mountaineer John Dooner opens up on what it’s really like trying to summit 20,000 ft. peaks across the globe. BY JILL HOLLOWAY
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ohn Dooner is a senior forester at Southern Forestry Consultants. His love for the outdoors extends far beyond that just of his backyard though. He is an accomplished mountaineer and rock climber. Dooner said he has always been interested in the mountains and adventurous activities. However, it wasn’t until four years ago, when he climbed Mt. Rainier with his sister in Washington that he began identifying other summits he would like to attempt. Dooner explained there are two different types of climbs when attempting a summit. There is mountaineering, which is typically associated with glaciers and ice, and then the typical rock climbing, which consists of scaling rocks. Both require climbers to repel their way down. When preparing for climbs, Dooner said he goes ahead of time to the location so he can acclimate to the climate and pressure systems. Beyond that, he typically just sticks to a routine during the week, which includes jogging daily and completing inclines
on a steep hill. Once Dooner got used to the routine and put in the work required to get into mental and physical shape, he planned a trip to the Grand Tetons in Wyoming during COVID-19. Following his trip and success with the Grand Tetons, Dooner completed Mt. Sneffels and Uncompahgre Peak in Colorado. While Dooner describes the climbs at less technical, Uncompahgre Peak is the sixth highest summit of the Rocky Mountains and the highest summit of the San Juan Mountains. “It was just your basic climbing and scrambling,” Dooner said. Through these climbs and his earlier trips, Dooner learned the best time to attempt the summit is early in the morning before the weather changes. Dooner said he and his sister would usually hike to the base camp, before attempting the summit early in the morning. This was especially the case at Mt. Rainier, because once the sun fully rose the ice Summer 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 15
John Dooner and his sister, who has completed Mount Whitney (the tallest in the lower 48), smile at the peak of the summit of Mt. Rainier.They are pictured with their guide. Below, John captured a picture of everyone making the attempt during the early sunrise.
would start to melt, making it slick and dangerous for the trek back to base camp. With four peaks summited, Dooner is now attempting his biggest challenge yet in Ecuador. “I’ve been thinking about and planning this trip to Ecuador for almost a year,” he said. Dooner is currently in Ecuador with his uncle attempting to summit Cayambe, which is the thirdhighest mountain in Ecuador, the Cotopaxi, which is the second-highest summit and Chimborazo- the highest summit in Ecuador. “Chimborazo is really important to me, because it’s over 20,000 feet,” Dooner said. “I hope I am able to make it to the summit.” Chimborazo’s peak elevation is 20,549.4 ft. If Dooner knocks these three peaks off his bucket 16 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Summer 2022
list, he then hopes to move on to Mont Blanc in France, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mt. Denali in Alaska and cap off his mountaineering experience with Mt. Everest in Asia. “I would like to just experience Mt. Everest base camp,” he said. “I don’t know if I’d ever make an attempt at the summit just due to the cost alone.” While all of Dooner’s climbs are guided, he also has done some climbing in the back-country unguided, but not for scaling the peaks. He also is an avid elk hunter. Dooner goes elk hunting once a year in the back country with friends for 3-5 days. So far, he has traveled to New Mexico and Colorado trying to find elk. “Since I work outdoors, it does help me evaluate
areas when we hunt out west,” he said. “I’m able to feel comfortable in these unfamiliar areas.” With Dooner’s background, he is able to scout for elk through aerial imagery and tons of books. “It’s really rewarding because it combines everything I enjoy,” he said. “It’s hiking, scouting and hunting and then harvesting an elk would be icing on the cake.” Dooner only hunts with a bow, and while he said he has never gotten an elk, he said he has had some really close encounters.
“Physically and mentally, it’s demanding, but the reward is just so great,” he said. “It’s just you and a few other friends. You are really isolated away from the worries of the world and it fulfills a sense of adventure deep down.” Dooner hopes to be able to follow through with his plans to visit Wyoming and Montana soon for another attempt at getting an elk this season. While he understands elk hunting may not be for everyone, he strongly encourages those who long for adventure in the outdoors to try it.
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SERVICE WITH A SIDE OF SCENERY Meghan Welch shares her travel trips through her job with Chick-fil-A BY JILL HOLLOWAY
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hick-fil-A is known for their quality customer service, friendly faces and southern hospitality. However, they are also known for giving employees the experience of a lifetime, allowing them to see the United States in hopes of spreading that southern hospitality. Meghan Welch is currently a team leader at Chickfil-A Bainbridge, and was formerly a training director. During her time working for Chick-fil-A she has traveled with the company to Illinois, California and most recently, Massachusetts. “You have to be a team member for Chick-fil-A for sixth months before you can sign up to become part of their field of talent,” Welch explained. “They then onboard you as a corporate grand opening trainer and you’re given different service opportunities, depending on where they are opening in the US.” In order to become part of the field of talent, Welch was required to go through a background
check and select from a list on the website where she would be willing to travel. Welch said the website is constantly updated with new locations, refreshing every three days. “There’s always a new store opening, but I’ve always chosen places that I’ve never been before,” she said. Welch’s first venture with Chick-fil-A was to Chicago, before she traveled to California twice for grand openings. She also participated in the grand reopening of Chick-fil-A’s Dwarf House in Woodstock, Georgia. “The Dwarf House was one of the original Chickfil-A’s, so they did a complete scrape and rebuild of the whole restaurant into a more modern style,” she explained. Since the Dwarf House, Welch had taken a break from corporate trips to focus on school, but when the opportunity presented itself to travel to Fall River, Massachusetts for two weeks to help with a grand opening, she couldn’t turn it down. Welch saw this as Summer 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 21
Meghan’s work trips took her to Chicago ,California, and Massachusetts where she visited Wrigley Field, Disneyland and Martha’s Vineyard (page right). They also prompted her to take personal trips to Hawaii (page right).
the perfect time to tour the scenic area of Martha’s Vineyard as well. “Chick-fil-A will give you two off days when you’re traveling like that,” she said. “We have the grand openings on Thursday, and the trainees are brought in on a Wednesday. On the day the trainees are brought in, they usually give us that as an off day, since we’ve already been there for a week.” Depending on how long Welch has been there, she said she usually takes her off day on a Wednesday or a Sunday, and while most would rest, due to the 120-hour work-week, Welch said she takes the opportunity to explore. “I’m always going to try to make the most of it,” she said. “If some22 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Summer 2022
one is flying me out to California, I’m not going to sit in a hotel room.” Welch said she usually wakes up early on Sunday mornings, before watching her church livestream. She, along with several other trainers, who made plans during the week then all load into a rental car and go exploring. During her time in California, she said they had the opportunity to visit Disneyland. “We were there from rope drop to shutting off the lights, before we went and worked another 16-hour day,” she said. “We are jamming all of this fun into work trips we are doing.” One of Welch’s more memorable trips was her first grand opening in Chicago. She said she was
there during Thanksgiving, but most everything was closed due to the COVID-19 mask mandate at the time. Not to be deterred, Welch and several other trainers took a rental car to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to eat a hot meal at Cracker Barrel. While in Milwaukee, Welch saw where they make the different types of cheeses, before visiting Miller Park and several other Major League Baseball fields. “I always feel like it’s an honor to be brought out here by my job, so I try to tell everyone that when we are off we need to experience things that we couldn’t at home,” she said. “I think that’s why I love my job, because they are constantly growing and we get to show people that southern hospitality.”
Welch said that Midwestern states are still not as familiar with Chick-fil-A and the fanfare that surrounds it. “It’s amazing to see the culture change when you go somewhere,” she said. “When I opened up a Chick-fil-A in Victorville, California, people waited four hours in line to get to Chick-fil-A.” While it was an overwhelming crowd and the hottest grand opening Welch has ever worked with temperatures rising over 100 degrees, Welch said it was by far her favorite, because of her visit to Disneyland. “It was cool to see what Walt Disney had imagined, because this was the only project he ever saw all the way through,” she explained. “It’s smaller than what’s in Florida, but they packed just as much fun and excitement in a smaller vicinity.” This was also a special moment for Welch, as it was something she had always imagined as a child. She said her mother had taken her to Disney World when she was really little, but her father never got to experience it. She has since made it her mission to take her dad, Doyle to Disney now that she can
afford it. “My dad has always supported me in working for Chick-fil-A,” she said. “It may be a small job to some, but I’ve seen the world through it, and a small job, if you do it well, has big benefits.” The experiences Welch had throughout the United States gave her a newfound passion for traveling, so she booked a trip to Hawaii for her 21st birthday with her friends, Gianella Pallotti, Ridge Baggett and Gage Timmons. While in Hawaii, Welch and her friends stayed at an AirBNB in Kailua-Kona, also known as the Big Island. There, they attended a luau that depicted the islands of the Pacific. “All of their dances represented different islands, along with the different foods that were provided,” she said. In addition, she visited Kona Brewing Co., Rainbow Falls, Kahuna Falls and Akaka Falls. Welch loved her time in Hawaii and the history behind their rich, diverse culture. Her dream would be to learn more about the culture, while being able to help host a grand opening for Chick-fil-A.
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DELECTABLE DINING IN ITALY Glennie and Steve Bench share the stories of their food and wine tour in Central Italy. BY JILL HOLLOWAY
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teve Bench was recently reminded of his youth when he surprised his wife, Glennie with a group food and wine tour of Italy. Bench’s father was in the Air Force and stationed with NATO in 1967. During that time, he was transferred to Vicenza, Italy, where Bench attended high school from 1967-1970. While he and his wife did not get to visit his former home, they explored other regions of Italy that brought back many fond memories. “It was just like I left it,” Bench said. “It was a really important part of my life, and some of the fondest moments of my life were in Italy.” The quaint countryside towns were just as he remembered, and he was thrilled to share it with his wife, despite their tour being in central Italy, compared to the northern region he grew up in. “He booked this trip, because when he was in high school he played all types of sports and traveled across Europe,” Glennie explained. “While this wasn’t where he grew up, he knew the food and wine
would appeal to me and would allow me to see a variety of places.” Bench, with the help of Erin Timmons, booked the trip through Go Ahead Tours, formerly known as Education Forward Tours, and surprised Glennie for Christmas. “We didn’t really know what it was going to be like,” she said. “We wondered if there would be enough free time, but they took care of everything and were relatively affordable and they offered additional excursions.” Every day offered something a bit different and allowed both Glennie and Steve a chance to get to know members of their tour group a bit better. “It was a great mix of people,” Glennie said. Bench agreed saying that they both gravitated toward certain people more, but were happy to get to know everyone, including several couples from across the United States. Throughout the tour, both agreed that the food was delicious. The couple even tried their hand at Summer 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 27
Right, Glennie and Steve take a pasta-making class in Florence.Above, shows a bird’s eye view of Assisi and the walls of Montalcino. Page left shows stops in Cortona and Perugia. It also shows the group’s final rooftop dinner in Rome, where they enjoyed drinks and a final goodbye before flying back home.
making their own pasta. “I would say that some of the food we ate at the restaurants was probably our least favorite,” she said. “The meals we had the farms were delicious.” Bench shared they went to olive oil farms, vineyards and a local hog market. “We didn’t bring home souvenirs like most people,” Glennie said. “We ordered olive oil and organic garbanzo beans.” When not enjoying the fresh prosciutto and chickpeas, the couple enjoyed visiting several different vineyards. 28 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Summer 2022
“We learned you drink what you like and you drink what’s local,” Glennie said. “You don’t have to spend a lot of money on wine. If you learn about the region where the wine is coming from, you know what it’ll be like, so you can make better decisions.” Most of these dinners and vineyard tours were part of the excursions offered through the tour company. The excursions also allowed tourists to visit accompanying towns, such as Assisi, who was in the middle of a festival. “The entire town was decked out in period garb from the 1700s
and were participating in competitions and skits in the town square,” Bench said. Not every day included excursions, though. The couple shared that every day would be different. They would be sent a schedule the day prior, which would sometimes tell them where to be for an excursion, or for the bus, but it would also give them free days to explore on their own. “It was the best way to show her what Italy was really like,” Bench said. On exploration days, they would
often return for group dinners at various castles that would be catered, so they could explore the castle. While the castle dinners were exquisite, Bench specifically recalls a special meal he and Glennie shared on one of their free days. The restaurant was at the bottom of a hill, he claimed never ended. However, when they finally arrived they found the restaurant was owned by a German lady, who let them in, although no other guests had arrived yet. “We had a great meal, great wine,” he said. “There was no time limit; they weren’t trying to rush us out of there.” The restaurant was described as a romantic, intimate place on the outside of the city wall that didn’t seat more than 10 couples. With this meal and dining experience being only one of the many they were able to enjoy, it’s no won-
der they would want to do a group tour again. When asked where they would want to go next, Glennie said she would like to see more of Northern Italy where her husband is from, and explore more of Rome, seeing the arts and the Vatican. Bench agreed, saying there is never a shortage of things to do in Italy, especially Rome. The couple did have the opportunity to see Rome during this tour, where they were treated to drinks on a rooftop that overlooked many historical sites for their farewell party. “It was just terrific,” Bench said. “It was a great way to end an amazing trip.” If not Italy, Glennie concluded by saying she would love to partake in Go Ahead’s walking tour of the Amalfi Coast. To see more locations offered by Go Ahead Tours, visit www.goaheadtours.com
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THE PICTURE SEEN AROUND THE GLOBE Photographer Becky Bardin showcases some of her amazing work taken during her photography travels. BY JILL HOLLOWAY
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hotographer Becky Bardin is known for her beautiful portraits and close-ups, but perhaps some of her most famous work comes from her photography travels, including a safari to Tanzania and a recent trip to Iceland. In 2016, Bardin entered her name into a drawing for a photography trip with McKay Photography Academy to Tanzania. Out of nearly 10,000 people, her name was drawn and from there her travel photography journey took flight. “It was surreal, here I was a nobody from a small town in Georgia and they were boarding us up onto Jeeps, saying we were going to see lions, cheetahs and zebras,” Bardin recounted. Bardin explained that she flew into Amsterdam before she, along with other McKay Photography Academy students, were then were taken to Tanzania, where every day the photography group would go out into the field and drive around, shooting photographs of whatever they could find. It wasn’t hard to spot a variety of wildlife, as the trip took place during the Great Migration period. “We got to see a really epic river crossing,” she said. Bardin quickly learned one of her favorite animals to capture was big cats, stating there is just something really amazing about them. She reminisced on one of her last nights in Tanzania, when they were given a tip about a female leopard sighting at the same location as a group of lions. “Lions and female leopards are not friends,” Bardin explained. “So, you Summer 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING. 33
had lions to one side and the female leopard on the opposite side just perched up on top of the rock right at sunset. It was just insane.” Photographing until sunset was not uncommon. Bardin said the photography safaris were all-day ordeals. They would begin the day with breakfast at the tent camps, before loading up to snap photographs all day. They would then be 34 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Summer 2022
brought box lunches to the field where they were photographing. “The camps were super stringent,” Bardin said. “We couldn’t be out past sunset; they are very mindful of taking care of the wildlife, because so much of Tanzania’s economy is based on tourism to see the animals.” The whole experience was overwhelming to Bardin. “You’re sitting there in these
Safari jeeps half a world away just looking around and it’s surreal,” she said. “You begin to think is this reality, and it was and it was amazing.” One of the most amazing things about Bardin’s whirlwind trip to Tanzania was a gift from her brother and his wife. The couple paid for Bardin to take a sunrise hot-air balloon ride over the Serengeti.
Bardin said she awoke at the crack of dawn to go to the hot-air balloon and on their way there, they saw a mama and two baby cub cheetahs. However, when she finally arrived there were four hot-air balloons that each fit 16 people. She said during the trip, they flew over a lion with 7 or 8 cubs, along with elephants, giraffes and hippo pools. Once the balloon landed, everyone was treated to a full English breakfast. With such an amazing experience, it was no wonder Bardin wanted to take another photography trip this past year. So, she embarked on a photography group trip in the climate opposite of what she had already experienced by visiting Iceland. “In between the two there had been quite a bit of time, I had traveled out west a few times and up to Maine and did a workshop out in the Outer Banks, but I mostly stayed in the United States,” she said. “I really wanted to go to Iceland though, because that’s my dream bucket list and then I found a guy online whose work was amazing and had an opening on his photography group trip.” Bardin opted into the trip in November, before flying to Iceland for 15 days in January with her photography group to partake in the workshop. Bardin said she had to immediately begin ordering winter clothing due to the extreme conditions in Iceland. “The weather there was crazy,” she recounted. “We would be in the middle of shooting a pho-
During her photography tour of Iceland, Becky was able to capture pictures of the Northern Lights, the church in Vik, and Godafoss of Akuyeri.
tograph and Brendan (the tour guide) would tell us to hold our tripods because we were about to have a little blizzard come through.” Even with the 50 mph wind and tumultuous conditions, Bardin wouldn’t have traded the experience for the world. “It was just exhilarating,” she said. “I had never experienced weather like that before.” The weather extended throughout Bardin’s trip, which consisted of the “ring road.” She said the team started in Reykjavik, before they moved to Kirkjufell, which is famous for fans of Game of Thrones. After arriving in Kirkjufell, the crew drove to Akuyeri, where the visited Godafoss. After two days in Akuyeri, the group drove to the
geo-thermal region, where they saw the Northern Lights in Myvatn. They finally made their way to the south coast, where they photographed Diamond Beach, Jokulsarlon’s Glacier Lagoon and Black Sand Beach. “I just had to take in that I’m really on Diamond Beach, which I’ve dreamed of for years and remind myself of how lucky I am,” Bardin said. Bardin concluded by encouraging everyone to travel while they have chance, saying it is one of the very few things that makes people richer. “I think the people I’ve met and the places I’ve been have changed me in so many ways and that’s something I cannot overstate to people,” she ended. Summer 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 35
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AN ADVENTURE WORTH REMEMBERING First National Bank’s First Adventurers Travel Club shares memories from their favorite destinations. BY ETHAN REDDISH 36 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Summer 2022
S
ome people choose to travel the world alone, backpacking through Europe or hiking the Rockies all by themselves. Some may travel with family or a small group of close friends. But for those that want a larger, more communal trip, there are travel clubs to cater to them. One of these is the First Adventurers Travel Club, offered by First National Bank. “It is about building relationships,” Lorenda Smith, director of retail and marketing at FNB, and club operator, told Bainbridge Living. Smith had been hosting travel clubs for years at her previous bank, and according to her, establishing the First Adventurers Club was one of the first things she was tasked with upon joining FNB. To become a member of the club, one doesn’t need to bank with First National; according to Smith, the club has roughly 350 members that have traveled once or twice. “They become like my family,” Smith said. “A lot
of time it’s the senior group, because they’re retired, and they build friendships they wouldn’t normally have, friendships that last a lifetime.” The club typically has four trips a year, though they had none during COVID, with destinations visited including Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and New York, and trips to places like Italy and Canada scheduled. Smith shared some of the fun activities members of First Adventurers were able to squeeze in on these trips, especially their most recent trip to Alaska. The club started their venture in Fairbanks, Alaska, where they visited the Fountainhead Auto Museum and the Alyeska Pipeline. However, the real fun came when the club members got to go dog sledding. “We had a couple celebrating their 50th anniversary and we could hear them laughing,” Smith recounted. Following their day in Fairbanks, the club traveled Summer 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 39
Lorenda Smith and other members of First National Bank’s First Adventurers Travel Club posed in front of the Love Alaska letters.They also saw ice sculptures and sea lions. Page right, shows an earlier First Adventurers Club visiting the colors of New England.
south to Talkeetna by way of the Alaska Railroad. “We saw mountains, lakes, valleys, rivers and wildlife,” Smith said. “From time to time we saw snow covered dwellings. We stopped to pick up a few people for a day’s journey to gather supplies.” After seeing the charm of Talkeetna, the club continued their venture, heading to Palmer, Alaska, where Smith said the agricultural spirit is alive and well. “Local merchants display beautiful artisan creations from the downy hair of the musk ox, the warmest fiber in the world,” she said. “We even made time for a few snowball fights and tried our hand at making snowmen.” The club closed out their trip by visiting the Ulu Knife Factory in Anchorage, before venturing to Prince William Sound. One of the highlights at Prince William Sound 40 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Summer 2022
was capturing up close photographs of the Majestic Beloit Glacier. “Pictures only begin to paint the beauty the eyes witnessed,” Smith said. “There were moments of complete silence too breathtaking for words.” While some may think that much action could only be squeezed into one of the group trips, Smith said their trip to New York City was just as fun. The group saw the Carole King Story the musical, before shopping and enjoying the Christmas décor. The group was lucky enough to be able to witness the lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. “We knew with the large crowd we would not be able to get close to the tree,” Smith recalled. “However, our local guide took us all through the subway and when we opened the doors we were standing underneath the tree. That’s the part about group
travel that is so amazing. Individuals going on their own would probably never know how to maneuver and navigate their way, having a local guide makes all the difference.” Current club members agree, as their upcoming trip to the Biltmore has already sold out. Smith is also hoping to expand the Bainbridge membership, as some of her friends from Grady and Mitchell County decided to join the club. The trip to Italy, as of the writing of this article, already has 14 sign-ups, with the remaining spots available on first-come,
first-serve basis. When asked what her favorite trip was, Smith said, “I always say they’re all my favorite, but… I’d say the colors of New England. It was just breathtaking.” In closing, Smith described her position with the club as: “One of the greatest pleasures of my job is building relationships, getting to know people, and at the end of the trip, to know that they’re satisfied.” For more information on the First Adventurers Travel Club, Smith can be reached by email at fnbtravel@fnbdc.com, or by phone at (229) 246-3131.
Summer 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 41
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