Bill Kirby: Some stay in Georgia when it comes to summer travels

There's a game they sometimes play at civic clubs or workplace training "retreats," where everyone stands up and says something unique about themselves that most people don't know.

It could be something like, "I once sang the national anthem before a professional baseball game." Or, "James Brown performed at my high school prom."

So, if asked, I'll sometimes reveal, "I've visited all 161 Georgia counties."

Some people are impressed.

Some people ask "Why?"

And some people will say, "Doesn't Georgia only have 159 counties?"

To which, I'll reply, "It does now."

I have been in all the current ones and the two that no longer exist. That would be Campbell and Milton counties.

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If you look at a state map and pick out Fulton County, home of Atlanta, you'll notice that it looks like an upturned triangle with a round "cap" in it's top and a jutting "shoe" beneath, pointing west.

The "cap" used to be Milton County; the "shoe" used to be Campbell County. Both were around about a century before the financial strains of the Great Depression days bankrupted them.

The state's solution was to get Fulton County and the economic engine that was Atlanta to merge with them.

SPEAKING OF GEORGIA: Regular correspondents (and veteran postcarders) Sandra and Shirley Johnson, sent FOUR cards from Jekyll and St. Simons islands where they were spending their birthdays. They featured the Sidney Lanier Bridge, Fort Frederica, the Millionaire's Village and a lighthouse.

Also on Jekyll Island were Paul and Cherry Perdue, of Evans, who enjoyed good weather and seafood and riding bikes. "Jekyll is the only place where all the bike paths go downhill," they write.

My old friend Steve Blackmon, of Washington, Ga., sends a very unique postcard. It shows his home – Wingfield – there in Wilkes County.

Frances Cowart, also of Washington, Ga., sends a card from North Carolina and north Georgia "where we are rambling around the Blue Ridge Mountains celebrating my 65th wedding anniversary. We discovered Alexander's Department Store near Blairsville, Ga., We slipped on over to Murphy and North Carolina and discovered the beginning of the 'Trail of Tears'. So much to see and experience in north Georgia."

Cyndy Ledbetter sent a postcard from right across the river showing North Augusta's historic grand hotel, the Hampton Terrace. Unfortunately, it was claimed in a gigantic fire a century ago.

Cyndy writes: "I thought I had a reservation here, but I must have gotten mixed up on the dates."

Elizabeth Barnes, of North Augusta, sends a postcard from Florida where she "finally got to see the Dali Museum" in St. Petersburg, which, like Salvador Dali, looks very unique.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Going somewhere this summer? Why not drop us a postcard at 725 Broad St., Augusta, GA 30901.

TODAY'S JOKE: An old farmer's back was bothering him something fierce. He had his doubts about whether anything could help him, but he decided to go to town and see a doctor.

The farmer was soon sitting in the waiting room filling out paperwork when he saw another older man being called up for his exam. He was stooped and bent over and struggled toward the door.

A few minutes later, he emerged from the doctor's exam room, ramrod straight and standing tall as he strode out the door. The old farmer jumped up quickly as his name was called and rushed in to see the doctor.

"Hey, doc," he said. "I just saw what you did for that old fellow ahead of me and I am impressed. Just what did you give him? A new miracle drug?"

"Well, no …" the doctor said slowly. "I just looked in my closet and got him a taller cane."

Bill Kirby has reported, photographed and commented on life in Augusta and Georgia for 45 years.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Bill Kirby: There's a lot of vacationing even if you stay in Georgia