Alabama

by

Muggy Mississippi Morning

I am paused for a very early lunch at the second Mississippi rest area on I-10 westbound from Alabama.

It was a hot night in Atmore and I awoke to cloying mugginess. By 7:30, the sun was shining brightly. So much for the forecast!

I took it really slow this morning as I only had about 300KM to drive. I’d hooked up the night before, so I thought I would have an easy pull out. HA HA HA HA.

Signage and directions in the Wind Creek parking lots are poor and I wound up driving straight into a dead end unloading area with no place to turn around! Thankfully, I was able to pull into a quiet area in a straight enough line to unhook. A nice gentleman helped me back the motorhome out of there once the truck was out of the way. GAH. Anyway, unhooking without any pressure isn’t too bad.

If the next few days are anything like today, I will be glad to have shore power when I get to New Orleans! In fact, if I have the choice, I will get 30A rather than 15A.

Parked at Wind Creek Casino.

Parked at Wind Creek Casino.

What a decision!

What a decision!

Mississippi-bound!

Mississippi-bound!

Next major city: New Orleans!

Next major city: New Orleans!

Passing this exit, I got the urge to give up my life of RVing and become a shrimp boat captain.

Passing this exit, I got the urge to give up my life of RVing and become a shrimp boat captain.

Mississippi!

Mississippi!

Parked at the Mississippi welcome centre

Parked at the Mississippi welcome centre

This is what I imagined Mississippi would look like!

This is what I imagined Mississippi would look like!

Tabitha enjoying a bird concert.

Tabitha enjoying a bird concert.

by

Soggy Alabama Night

I had thought to stay three nights here in Atmore, but I’m looking at nothing but grey sky for the foreseeable future with batteries at the low 80%. Since my next stop is just 3 hours away and has power, it just makes more sense to push on to New Orleans and drop anchor for a bit. I’ll likely be there a week, maybe a little longer, waiting for the DC charger for my laptop to arrive. I’m starting to doubt that I’ll be able to stay as long as I would have liked at my planned stop in Texas, what with the weather there being chilly, but I’ll make that decision when it’s time.

I went into the casino to grab dinner at the buffet. This being the South, most of the seafood offerings were deep fried, but the overall spread was nothing to sneeze at, featuring everything from sushi to pizza to Chinese food to steak and ham to a dizzying array of salads and desserts. Croft would have been in catfish heaven and I have to say this was probably the best fried catfish I have ever had!

I finished the night by putting some money in the slot machines, all of which I’m only saying to make it a matter of public record that I tried to pay these folks for their warm hospitality these last two nights. It’s not my fault they decided to pay me $150 for my efforts, is it?

So having formally been to Florida and added Alabama to my list of visited states, tomorrow I shall add Mississippi and Louisiana. That’ll leave me 10. And by the time I return to Canada, I could easily knock of another five. Add nine Canadian provinces and two Canadian territories and I think I can consider this continent seized, no?

by

Mobile Detour and the Oakleigh House

Mobile has never been on my list of must-see places, but it felt wrong to just drive through it tomorrow.

So from Pensacola Beach, I headed west on I-10 to visit the charming little city on the Gulf. I had picked one attraction see, the Oakleigh House, and it wound up being the perfect choice as I got a ton of local history from the full-of-information-but-very-inarticulate guide.

She started by explaining how Mobile was founded by a French-Canadian explorer. The story she told sounded familiar but the pronunciation of his name was so twisted that I couldn’t put two and two together.

It wasn’t until the very end of the tour that we were shown a picture of Mobile’s founder and I was able to go “OH!” I recognized him right away as being Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville. I grew up near Iberville, QC. It’s a small continent!

Mobile is the French attempt at pronouncing the name of a local Native American tribe, the Mobilian or Movilian.

Oakleigh house used to be of the raised veranda type, built on pillars, but with the ground floor area eventually enclosed. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take pictures of the inside and the exterior pictures didn’t come out at all. I guess I was too enthralled by the story being told!

I wandered around the neighbourhood after to look at the grand old southern houses, but nothing that the guides had suggested (parks, churches) sounded worth the detour so, being rather tired from all that wading and frolicking in the Gulf of Mexico, I headed home.

Back to Alamaba; it was less than one hour from Pensacola Beach to Mobile.

Back to Alamaba; it was less than one hour from Pensacola Beach to Mobile.

The Beautiful is right.

The Beautiful is right.

First glimpse of Mobile.

First glimpse of Mobile.

Mobile skyline getting clearer.

Mobile skyline getting clearer.

Mobile's tiny skyline.

Mobile’s tiny skyline.

This tunnel felt like a subway tunnel!

This tunnel felt like a subway tunnel!

Wow, what a FRENCH name! The Mobile pronunciation is actually much better than I would have expected.

Wow, what a FRENCH name! The Mobile pronunciation is actually much better than I would have expected.

I wouldn't drive an RV in Mobile, too many narrow streets and low branches!

I wouldn’t drive an RV in Mobile, too many narrow streets and low branches!

Not a speed bump or hump, but a lump!

Not a speed bump or hump, but a lump!

The side of Oakleigh house.

The side of Oakleigh house.

Oakleigh House is on the National Register of Historical Places.

Oakleigh House is on the National Register of Historical Places.

Pulling this knob makes a bell ring inside.

Pulling this knob makes a bell ring inside.

This sunken garden used to be full of the clay that was used to make these bricks.

This sunken garden used to be full of the clay that was used to make these bricks.

The Oakleigh Garden Historic District is full of grand southern homes.

The Oakleigh Garden Historic District is full of grand southern homes.

Nice mix of homes.

Nice mix of homes.

Big houses next to little ones.

Big houses next to little ones.

Rather modest bungalow in front of a palm tree.

Rather modest bungalow in front of a palm tree.

The core of Mobile seems very walkable. I would not drive an RV in Mobile because of the narrow streets, low hanging branches, and tunnels.

by

Gulf Islands National Seashore, Santa Rosa Island, Florida

Today’s trip was conceived in 2004 and planned in 2005 before getting postponed because of Hurricane Katrina. I was planning my first real holiday of my adult life and, like most housebound folks, had only a few weeks’ vacation a year, and not always at the most opportune time. This trip was supposed to take me to Savannah (which I saw in 2008) then New Orleans (where I’m heading tomorrow!) by way of Pensacola because it was in proximity to Florida’s former capital that I had wanted to see the Gulf of Mexico for the first time.

I really need to look at maps more rather than just make itineraries with Google and my GPS because I had no idea that my current itinerary was taking me less than an hour and a half from that location, the western tip of Santa Rosa Island near Pensacola Beach. I’m just glad I clued in with enough time to make the detour!

While I’m sure there are lots of lovely things to see and do in Pensacola and Pensacola Beach, I just wanted to walk the pure white sand beaches of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and tour the ruins of Fort Pickens.

The trip to Pensacola Beach (a separate community from Pensacola, btw), was super quick and easy as the casino sits at the exit I-65 southbound folks can take as a short cut to Pensacola. There is a $1 toll to get onto Santa Rosa Island and an additional $8 to visit the Fort Pickens site.

Sunshine state my ass!

Sunshine state my ass!

I'm really here!!!

I’m really here!!!

This is NOT the Gulf of Mexico, but a bay.

This is NOT the Gulf of Mexico, but a bay.

I just wanted a picture of my truck next to palm trees. :)

I just wanted a picture of my truck next to palm trees. 🙂

Definitely going the right way!

Definitely going the right way!

Long bridge to Gulf Breeze.

Long bridge to Gulf Breeze.

Cross Gulf Breeze, another bridge, a toll booth, and I'm here!

Cross Gulf Breeze, another bridge, a toll booth, and I’m here!

a lunar landscape

a lunar landscape

IMGP4990

IMGP4991

IMGP4992

Just as I envisioned it...

Just as I envisioned it…

IMGP4996

IMGP4997

I frolicked in the surf, wading waist deep! The water was cold, but I was seriously tempted to swim a little!

I frolicked in the surf, wading waist deep! The water was cold, but I was seriously tempted to swim a little!

IMGP5000

IMGP5001

Approaching Fort Pickens

Approaching Fort Pickens

The fort was built for homeland security in the early 1800s.

The fort was built for homeland security in the early 1800s.

IMGP5004

IMGP5005

IMGP5006

The fort is extremely damp, with mould being rampant. The public washrooms are soggy, too.

The fort is extremely damp, with mould being rampant. The public washrooms are soggy, too.

IMGP5008

IMGP5009

IMGP5010

IMGP5011

IMGP5012

IMGP5013

The fort is full of fun tunnels and dark corners to explore. I'm not claustrophobic per se, but I found that stooping to explore that left tunnel was a little breath catching.

The fort is full of fun tunnels and dark corners to explore. I’m not claustrophobic per se, but I found that stooping to explore that left tunnel was a little breath catching.

IMGP5016

IMGP5017

IMGP5018

IMGP5019

IMGP5020

IMGP5021

This is a long tunnel that seemed to go on forever -- in pitch darkness.

This is a long tunnel that seemed to go on forever — in pitch darkness.

IMGP5025

Thorny plants, beware!

Thorny plants, beware!

Geronimo was held captive here.

Geronimo was held captive here.

IMGP5029

Water cistern.

Water cistern.

IMGP5031

IMGP5032

Note the double arch construction to keep the foundation from sinking into the sand.

Note the double arch construction to keep the foundation from sinking into the sand.

IMGP5034

IMGP5035

IMGP5036

IMGP5037

IMGP5038

IMGP5040

The fort within a fort, painted glossy black.

The fort within a fort, painted glossy black.

IMGP5042

IMGP5043

IMGP5044

IMGP5045

IMGP5046

IMGP5047

IMGP5049

IMGP5050

IMGP5051

This display shows how long garbage stays in the water before decomposing.

This display shows how long garbage stays in the water before decomposing.

plastic bottles, 450 years

plastic bottles, 450 years

IMGP5055

IMGP5056

IMGP5057

IMGP5058

A swimsuit from the early 20th century, when people started going to the beach.

A swimsuit from the early 20th century, when people started going to the beach.

IMGP5060

IMGP5061

IMGP5062

IMGP5063

There's an RV park right next to the beach.

There’s an RV park right next to the beach.

Boardwalk leading up to the beach.

Boardwalk leading up to the beach.

IMGP5070

IMGP5071

Still pinching myself.

Still pinching myself.

IMGP5073

IMGP5074

IMGP5076

IMGP5079

IMGP5081

IMGP5084

Note to self: your sandals are the block spots on the beach!

Note to self: your sandals are the black spots on the beach!

IMGP5086

The sand was very comfortable to walk on, not cold at all.

The sand was very comfortable to walk on, not cold at all.

IMGP5089

IMGP5090

IMGP5091

IMGP5092

IMGP5093

The road out.

The road out.

I have more about today, but I seem to time my casino stays with the seafood buffet, so you’ll just have to be patient. I just hope I don’t drown on the way into the casino as the sky has finally opened and it is pouring rain out there!

by

So, the Gulf of Mexico…

I am going to have TONS more tonight, but I’ve got to share just one photo right now. My camera glitched and I was worried I’d lost all the pictures from this morning, so I pulled over to transfer them to my computer. Since it’s on and I have cell service…

I always have a vision of a place that I am going to. That vision is usually wrong and I know it’s just that, an ideal imagining, so I’m never disappointed. For the Gulf of Mexico, my vision had blue green water and white sand beaches as far the eye can see. Except for the fact that my vision had sunny skies, it looked something like this:

IMGP5091