Celebration Weekend at Gulf Shores

We arrived at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama on Thursday afternoon. This is a very large state park campground, with nearly 500 sites. The park is immaculately maintained with roomy sites, and plenty of trees, grass and water (a lake as well as the seashore). Hanna and I walked around several of the loops, and settled in for the evening.

The next morning, I met Wendy and Denny for breakfast and catch up chatter. I decided to make a drive out to Fort Morgan that afternoon. Online reviews said the site was dog friendly, including the museum, so Hanna was excited to join me. Situated out on the end of Mobile point peninsula, the wind really howled, but we walked all around the grounds, checking out many batteries and magazine areas, lighthouse ruins, as well as the museum. The fort was active during the early 1800s and under the control of Confederate forces during the Civil War, when it was surrendered back to the US government in August 1864. It was once again an active military fort during WWII, serving as an ordinance depot. In 1947, it was deeded to the state of Alabama, and became a historical park.

I went to Wendy & Denny’s condo for an evening visit. The next morning, I did a few chores, and ran into Target for a couple of items. The anniversary party began at 4:00, and I enjoyed a wonderful celebration with friends and family of the happy couple. I got back to my camp just about bedtime.

The next day, I did preparations for my next leg of my journey: starting the Natchez Trace Parkway. I went back to the condo in the afternoon for leftover party food and the Cardinals’ football game. At 7:00, I said goodbye to my friends and headed back to Hanna and Minnie. I pulled out of the campground the next morning at 10:00, and drove to Paul Johnson State Park near Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where I checked into a nice site for two nights.

Outrunning a hurricane

From Ft Stockton, we continued east to Canyon Lake just north of San Antonio, where we tucked into a beautiful Army Corps of Engineering campground. I’ve stayed in a few ACoE campgrounds and really like them. Some of them honor the NPS Senior pass with a 50% discount, but this one did not happen to. However, the week I was there, they were running a special, so I got a $15/night rate.

The next morning, I moved on toward Houston and ended up back in the same RV Park I stayed in last year when I visited Cindy in SugarLand. It rained lightly off and on all afternoon and evening, but there were enough breaks that Hanna and I got our walks in.

I knew I had enough leeway to spend two nights in another camp before my reservation in Gulf State Park, so I decided to drive to Fountainebleau State Park on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain the next day. It was ~350 miles from my SugarLand camp, so I got an early start. It was raining as I pulled out. Throughout the morning, not only did the rain continue, it increased. At some points, I had my wipers on the fastest rate, and traffic was slowed to 35mph on the freeway, where the speed limit was 65-70mph. My Nuvi gps routed me to the San Houston Tollway, but it was too congested and rainy to find my way off and deal with my navigation system, so I just sucked it up and paid the tolls ($15.75). I finally saw an option for getting off the toll road and took a city highway over to I-12.

It was a relief to get out of Houston and Beaumont traffic, but the rain was still pouring down and I soldiered on. About 20 miles west of Baton Rouge, I came to a dead stop. Traffic was backed up for 12 miles due to a semi truck accident blocking the lanes, as well as torrential rain still coming down. By this time, I was also getting into rush hour. As I crawled along at 3-5 mph I called the state park at Lake Pontchartrain to ensure I could get into a space after hours, and was assured there were plenty of sites open and also how to get through the gate if it was closed.

After a two hour delay, I finally got through Baton Rouge, and started coming out of the rain, and I arrived at the campground at about 7:15, just as the last light was fading. Finding a site in the dark and setting up camp is not a lot of fun, but I managed. I sure was glad to know I had a “zero day” ahead of me!

The next day, as I listened to the weather reports, I realized Hurricane Imelda was hitting Houston and that’s what I drove through the previous morning. They got between 2-3 feet of rainfall and devastating floods over the next couple days. I sure am glad I left when I did!

Hanna and I relaxed in the campground, taking walks around the loops and driving down to the lake front.

We packed up Thursday and drove on to Gulf Shores, where we pulled into Gulf State Park. I’ll be here through the weekend, spending time with Wendy & Denny and their friends.

Gulf Coast Excursions

The first few days were just a build up to the two day trips we took later in the week. On Wednesday, we had bigger plans.

I was concerned about leaving Hanna locked up alone in Minnie for an 8-10 hour day, so Wendy made arrangements to board all three dogs at a nice doggie day care kennel near them. We dropped them off just after 8:00 and headed east to Pensacola, and the National Naval Aviation Museum and home of the Blue Angels. We arrived in plenty of time to get great seats in the bleachers to watch the aviators' practice demo. It was an awe inspiring performance. I don't know when the last time I saw the Blue Angels perform was, but I know it has been many decades. Following the show, we went to get lunch while allowing the crowd at the museum to thin out. When we got back, the parking lot was ¾ empty, and we enjoyed about three hours in the uncrowded museum. We got back to pick up the dogs just before 6:00, and they were happy to see us. Hanna and I went home to crash for the night.

We got a later mid-morning start on Thursday, and drove down to Gulf Shores. That's about a 50 minute drive from the Allyn's, and we marveled at the magnificent resorts along the water front on our way to “The Gulf”, one of Wendy and Denny's favorite local restaurants there. We ate burgers and fish sandwiches out on the deck while watching the million dollar yachts and catamarans sail by. After lunch, we drove to the public beach to put our toes in the ocean. We relaxed on the pristine sand for about 90 minutes before we had to make our way back home because there were dinner plans ahead.

The friends who we met on Sunday were having a birthday party for one of their own, and we were invited for dinner and cake. It was a rowdy, fun evening sharing a delicious meal and fellowship with their wonderful friends. By the time I got back home for the night, I was bushed, but well satiated.

Friday was a lazy day. Hanna and I walked in the morning, and finally saw an alligator swimming near the shore. Luckily, he was more interested in the lady alligators than Hanna and me, and we watched in safety.

I went to the Allyns late in the afternoon for dinner. Denny grilled marinated chicken and Wendy made roasted potato packets and salad. We topped it off with cake and ice cream I had brought from the store. We said our goodbyes and passed around hugs before I left.

My original plan was to leave Meaher the next morning and begin making my way toward Paducah, but rain on Saturday morning and a tornado watch and thunderstorm forecast for that evening made me delay my departure by a day. Hanna and I tucked into Minnie and we rode out the storm among the trees, listening to the wind, rain and thunder from 7:30 p.m. until nearly 3:00 a.m. It was a little scary being in an RV in that weather, but the worst of the storm went north of us, and we were fine.

It was bittersweet to pack up and pull out on Sunday morning. I had a fantastic week, visiting with my dear friends, and being treated to so many wonderful sights, trips and meals. I hope it's not six years again before our next get together. Thank you, Wendy and Denny! It was a blast, and I love you both to the moon!

L.A.

Blog post title note: Wendy told me when she first came to Alabama, she was puzzled why so many things were named after Los Angeles. Then someone told her L.A stood for Lower Alabama, and it all made sense.

I arrived at Meaher (pronounced mayer) State Park around 2:00 on Friday, and got all set up in my space across from the water. I was thrilled with the park; it is the nicest pay RV park I have ever stayed in, with full hookups, bathrooms/showers/laundry facilities, and large grassy spaces among the trees overlooking Mobile Bay. I texted Wendy that I was here, and she and Denny came over after dinner. Such a lovely reunion. It's been six years since we have seen each other.

Rain moved in overnight thwarting any enthusiasm for sight seeing, so on Saturday, I took my laundry to Wendy's and hung out with them while my loads washed and dried, and our three dogs got acquainted. Denny picked up pizza for us for dinner, and we watched the Cardinals play baseball.

We all went to church on Sunday for a great worship service and sermon, then out for brunch in Fairhope. We met up with some of their friends, and I got acquainted. I came back to my Minnie and Hanna for a Sunday afternoon nap and stayed home the rest of the evening. Hanna and I got some good walks in around the park, looking for alligators. None so far.

On Monday, Denny was “working”, something he claims to do for fun. He's one of those weird retirees who finds it hard to be lazy all the time, and he loves outdoor work. (Go figure!) He fell into a part time position selling pine straw, which is the L.A. equivalent of gravel or wood chip landscaping material that you pile around trees and flower beds. Anyway, Wendy and I are not foolish enough to hold retirement jobs, so we drove around Daphne and Fairhope sightseeing and window shopping. We walked around the Grand Hotel (sort of reminded me of the Del Coronado), which would require me to take a part time job in my retirement if I were to stay there. We wandered the shops downtown and had lunch in a little cafe. We went back to their house for a delicious lasagna dinner, which Wendy had prepared earlier in the day.

On Tuesday, Hanna and I hung out at Meaher walking the trail and pier, and again looking for alligators. Still none were sighted. In the afternoon, we all went out to a movie - I Can Only Imagine – based on a true story of the man who wrote the Christian song of the same name. We all loved it (and all shed tears). Before I came back to Minnie, Wendy wrapped up a serving of leftover lasagna for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it as much the second time around.

The area I have seen and people I have met so far have convinced me the Allyns made a great decision to move to the Alabama coast from Evansville, Indiana. It's one of the most beautiful areas in the country, with lush foliage, blue skies and white sand beaches, as well as all that southern hospitality that oozes from everyone. They have a beautiful new home in a lovely neighborhood, and the Gulf coast is just a short drive away. It's easy to see why they love it. For me, of course, the only drawback is the humidity, but I'm told you can get used to that, just as we desert rats get used to the dry heat.

And our week wasn't over.