8 Years in Georgia: 8 Meaningful Locations
To commemorate my eighth anniversary of living in Athens, here are eight locations that have meaning to me.
I moved to Georgia eight years ago immediately after I finished college. Having grown up in Northern Utah, I was eager to get out and experience somewhere new. I had a few contacts in Georgia, interviewed for a couple of jobs, and ended up with two offers. I decided to work at Seller Labs in Athens, Georgia for several reasons. The opportunity was challenging. The opportunities for my wife were greater. And Athens is just a cool place to be.
When I moved to Georgia in 2015, I had nothing to lose. I was 27, I didn’t own a house, I didn’t have children, and I was broke. I really had everything to gain so why not do something different?
In the eight years that I’ve been in Athens, I’ve visited pretty much everything that’s worth seeing. I’ve lived in five different houses in a variety of neighborhoods. Even though I’m from Utah, Georgia is my home and I’ve enjoyed living here.
So, to commemorate my eighth anniversary of living in Athens, here are eight locations that have meaning to me.
1. 1 Press Place
Besides looking like the courthouse from Back to the Future, there isn’t really anything special about this building. It houses what’s left of Athens’ local newspaper and a bunch of UGA offices. But for five years, I worked in this building when Seller Labs was housed in it.
The interior was updated a year or so after I started working there. It went from a tired, old newspaper office to a slick tech office. I made lots of great friends there. I learned about software and business. I gained valuable skills that I use daily. Much has changed since I first stepped foot in this building back in 2015, but I will always look back at my time spent in this building with fondness and appreciation.
2. My first apartment
My dad and I in the parking lot of my first apartment after a cross-country road trip.
Located off of Barnett Shoals Rd., just outside of the loop, this apartment complex looked nice enough but wasn’t all that great. My wife and I temporarily lived in a big house up the road until something more long-term was available. We liked this spot because it was close to our work, was taken care of, and seemed quiet.
We quickly discovered that a lot of college students who lived there weren’t quiet. I killed at least a cockroach a day. One fell from the ceiling of my pantry and almost landed on me. That’s one of my wife’s favorite memories of this place.
Some of the best trips I’ve ever taken started and ended here. My wife and I traveled a lot before we had kids. This was our home for nearly three years. I always enjoyed jumping in the pool after a long bike ride.
3. The old Jittery Joe’s roaster
This is where Athens Cars & Coffee used to be held. I thought this was the perfect location for a show like this. The backdrop and location were great for an impromptu car show. I made lots of friends in this parking lot. One that stands out was David McClure.
David was the quintessential automotive enthusiast. He had an amazing assortment of vehicles. Things like a Ford GT, a Porsche 930 Turbo, several De Tomaso Panteras, and lots of American muscle cars.
He let my dad and I hang out at his shop one afternoon and didn’t care if we opened up his cars and took photos. He raced motorcycles professionally for Ducati and Harley-Davidson back in the 80s. He always had a fascinating story to tell.
Unfortunately, David passed away in 2019 and has been sorely missed.
4. Memorial Park
Thomas loved going on walks in his stroller.
This was my go-to park for a number of years. My wife and I lived off of South Lumpkin, which is less than a mile from this park. I used to take my son Thomas on walks through this park weekly. We would swing on the swings, see the animals in Bear Hollow Zoo, and take a hike on the Birchmore Trail.
I have great memories of us getting outside early on Saturday to beat the summer heat and humidity. Little did I know then that those mornings would become some of my most cherished memories with him.
5. My house in Crawford
The only pictures I have of my houses are ones with my car in front of them.
Crawford, Georgia is a small town located 14 miles southeast of Athens. After dealing with college students at my first apartment, I wanted to move out to the country where it was quieter. Crawford has a population of 821 people. It’s one of those towns that you’ll miss if you blink.
We rented the top floor of a renovated old house from two gentlemen. The house was restored beautifully. There were big trees around the property that made the second floor feel like a tree house.
I especially loved living in the country because I could drive my 911 on the endless backroads. I always took a different route to work. In the year that I lived in Crawford, I put nearly 12,000 miles on my car.
On March 19, 2018, a big thunderstorm came through the area. Shortly after midnight, my wife began going into labor with our first son. I drove us to the hospital in the middle of a torrential downpour with close lightning strikes. I remember thinking to myself, “of course, my son is coming at a time like this.”
We welcomed Thomas into this house and adjusted to being new parents in this small town. I’ll always have fond memories of Crawford.
6. St. Mary’s Hospital
My wife began working in St. Mary’s operating room within a month of us moving to Athens. My three sons were born here. I currently work for St. Mary’s doing web development and digital marketing. To say this hospital hasn’t had an impact on our lives would be an understatement.
All of my sons’ births were monumental moments in my life. But my son Max’s birth was the most eventful. My wife began going into labor late in the afternoon and felt it was best to go to the hospital. She drove herself while I stayed with Thomas until someone could come to watch him.
By the time I arrived at the hospital an hour later, my wife was ready to deliver. She was rushed to a delivery room and Max arrived within 15 minutes. Had I been much later I would have missed the whole delivery. It was traumatic in the fact that Max came so quickly—so much so that he broke a clavicle bone.
Everything turned out OK but at the moment the situation was stressful.
7. My house in Watkinsville
2021 was a hot year to buy and sell a house. My wife and I had been looking for a home at the end of 2020 but didn’t have any luck. The houses we looked at were either too expensive, not in the right school district, or sold too quickly.
We were discouraged from the entire process and took a break. My wife’s friend informed us that she would be selling her house in Watkinsville in the spring of 2021 and wanted to know if we were interested. Naturally, we said yes.
She sold us the house at a great price and without needing a realtor. We were extremely lucky and consider ourselves fortunate to have been able to get our house when we did.
No, it’s not fancy. It’s not new. But it’s quiet, has plenty of space for the kids to run, and there’s a garage for my cars (the important stuff, right?).
8. Oconee County
Before I had kids, I spent most evenings and weekends cycling. I was fairly new to the sport when I moved to Georgia. A local bike shop informed me of some local rides that I should check out. The first group ride I attended was the Wednesday night courthouse ride that left out of Watkinsville.
The ride leaves from downtown Watkinsville and heads south on Colham Ferry Road for several miles before looping back to the starting point. I rode that ride religiously for years. It was one of the best stress relievers I’ve ever had. Not only that, it was great to be out in the country with like-minded people. We punished each other on the long uphill sprint, and the final sprint before you entered Watkinsville.
I don’t cycle anymore but I still go out on those roads for spirited drives. The countryside is beautiful and the roads are nice to explore.