Robertsdale, Al. to Penscacola, Fl

We are staying at Wilderness RV park just outside Robertsdale, Alabama, it feels like we are camping at one of our favorite spots near Sisters, Oregon.  Four families of us, took our kids, dogs and adult beverages, enjoying many weekends alongside Jack Creek in the pine forest. The difference being we have full hook-ups and less dirt.

Thursday,  Feb. 19th,  We had picked up a brochure in Theodore. Al  about a crazy diner named De-Railed Diner at a travel center along I-10.  As we took our exit to Wilderness RV Park we noticed the diner on the other side of the interstate,  So after getting settled we decided to go to lunch  there.  It was built to resemble a dining car that had run "amuck".  One section inside did look like a dining car, our area was quite eclectic.  The lunch counter stools were a mix of saddles, motorcycle seats and tractor seats.  Another area, the tables were the tailgates of pick-up trucks.  Two Alabama ladies were seated next to us, they had driven down from Northern Alabama to see BamaHedge, somewhere near us.  They said it looked like Stone Hedge in England.  According to them it wasn't worth the drive.  We enjoyed talking with them about Alabama "sites", I quizzed them about the Lost Luggage place in Scottsboro, Al. near Huntsville, we plan to stop on our way north, they said the place is huge.   Gary wasn't real brave, he had a Ruben sandwich, I tried the chicken, rice and beans.  Good grief it came with two sides and cornbread that was heavy as a piece of cake.  Needless to say a lot of it went home with me.   The weather was cooperating, sunshine and not freezing *** cold so we picked up a string of 16 geo caches on the way back to the coach.

Friday, Feb. 20th,  It got very cold during the night, down into the 20's.  Brrrr.  I sent Gary off to the USS Alabama, a battleship in Mobile Bay.  The Alabama was launched in 1942, mothballed in Bremerton, Wa. in 1947 then towed 5600 miles down to Mobile Bay in 1964.  The site also includes 25 airplanes, Korean and Viet Nam war memorials, tanks, artillery pieces and a submarine.  He spent about 5 hours in the Memorial Park.  I was very happy to stay behind, for one, I was warm and I was able to do some cleaning without him underfoot.  After I finished my chores I started my new quilt project.

Saturday, Feb. 21st.,  Gary's sister Carol's70th birthday!  Happy Birthday Carol.  The weather was a little bit better so we took Luci off to day care and went to downtown Mobile.  We headed towards Oakleigh a mansion in one of the historic districts in the city.  Tours were given on the hour, we had some time to spare so we ate lunch at the Kitchen on George, just a couple of blocks away from the mansion.  We chose it because it was close, the other restaurant was a cupcake and coffee café.  The place was packed with a whole bunch of very loud women.  It turns out it is a training restaurant for culinary students at Virginia College in Mobile, the staff of professional chefs provide a learning lab and teaching establishment for wanna be chefs.  Oakleigh was started in 1833 by James Roper a wealthy Mobile merchant.  The furnishings are period pieces, very few of the Roper's belongings survived the Civil War.  Two ladies gave the tour, Debbie, a member of Historic Mobile Preservation Society gave us the background and showed us the first floor, then a debutante, an "Oakleigh" girl gave the second floor tour.  The girls, seniors in high school are chosen for their grades and community involvement.  Our next stop was Fort Conde, which served as a administrative and military center for the Louisiana Territory, a scale model of the 1700 fort served French, Spanish and English troops. There was a Welcome Center inside, an overzealous volunteer filled us in on the history, I think my eyes glazed over after hearing about all the battles and who took over from who.  A history buff would have loved him.  We had to hurry across the bay to pick up Luci at daycare before they closed at 5:00.  Besides having a very tired dog, there was no charge for the first visit to the daycare.  What a deal!

Sunday, Feb. 22  We dropped Luci at Doggie Day Care so we could have some "alone" time, the weather was warm (ish) and sunny so we couldn't leave her in the car for an extended period of time.  We drove down Scenic Drive Hwy 98 to Gulf Shores and Ft. Morgan Peninsula.  We wanted to stop at Fort Morgan last week but the ferry from Dauphin Island to the peninsula was out of order.  On our way down we drove through Old Town Daphne, Fairhope and Point Clear, there were many historic homes and businessses along the way.  We wanted to see the Grand Hotel in Fairhope but Marriott is now the owner and you need to be registered to get through the gates.  Gulf Shores is the tourist destination in Alabama, we passed through on our way to Ft. Morgan built in 1812 to guard the ship channel into Mobile Bay.  Deactivated after the Civil War it was reactivated in 1941 until after WWII.  It certainly is not handicapped accessible, most of the stairs were very steep and the rise was about 4 inches taller than modern day steps.  Gary scampered up them like a billy goat but I stopped to admire the scenery on my way.  The scenery was beautiful, we could see Dauphin Island across the channel, oil rigs close to shore and cargo ships entering and leaving the bay.  On our way back we picked up 7 geo caches, having to cheat on one.  A cache was located at the office of the National Wildlife Reguge, we were about to give up when the ranger came along.  We felt so stupid, the cache was in a fake pine cone in the landscaping.  Oh Well!  We stopped at Tacky Jacks Grill right on the water, it was nice enough to sit outside.  We had to scurry back to Daphe to pick up Luci before 5.  We had them give her a bath just before we picked her up.  The day care was free again, with a bath there is no charge.  Whoopee!

Monday, Feb. 23rd, It drizzled in the night with more rain in the forecast.  It is moving day for us, we drove a whole 30 miles to Blue Angel Fam Camp outside of Pensacola off base Naval Air  Station Pensacola.  We took the secondary roads through the country, mostly flat farm land.  Located along side Perdido Bay we think it must have been a seaplane base in it's day, there were several ramps to the water and tie downs in the large concrete pad.  Lots of activities here, boat and paddleboard rentals, 18 hole disc golf course, horseshoes, bike rentals, paintball, fitness trails and even (our favorite) mini golf.  After setting up we drove into town to pick up our mail, it has been several weeks since we've stayed one spot to get the mail sent.  Located in historic downtown, the area reminded us of New Orleans with the wrought iron railings on the second floor balconies.  We picked up our first Florida geo cache along the pier in the marina, we've now picked up caches in 23 states and 3 countries.  We stopped at the commissary on the way back to the coach, I was trying a new recipe and I needed kale.  The dish was browned hot Italian

Our space at Paynes in Theodore

Luci keeping warm in front of furnace vent

Calamity Jane at USS Alabama Memorial Park

USS Alabama on Mobile Bay

The guns USS Alabama

A-12

Another view USS Alabama

Front of Oakleigh Mansion

Our "upstairs" tour guide

Fort Conde downtown Mobile

Breezeway into Fort Morgan

Brick archways inside fort Morgan

Steep stairs

View of ship leaving Mobile Bay from Ft. Morgan

Space Capsule at National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacole

View inside museum of many exhibits and planes

Blue Angels Planes hanging from ceiling

The only plane of it's kind

 

The dreaded A-6, Scared the dickens out of me a long time ago flying low over Banks Lake, Wa

Sunrise over pond in Theodore, Al.

 sausage, charred and split grape tomatoes with rigatoni, ricotta and of course the kale.  Delish!  Next time I'll cut the calories if I can find hot turkey sausage.  The weather is turning nasty again, the wind is up and raining.

Tuesday, Feb. 24th, We walked about 3 miles picking up geo caches, then hopped on our bikes to get some that were out of walking distance, probably 3 or 4 miles. By the time we got back it was freezing *** cold.  Time to hunker down for the night.  The town of Pensacola, established in 1688, has a population of 52,000 at an elevation of 39 feet.  Most of the town looks like a typical military town, lots of pawn shops and bail bondsmen.  Many, many marina's in the area, the bay is beautiful and lovely white sandy beaches. 

Wednesday, Feb. 25th,  It is our first granddaughter Alyssa's 26th birthday today, Happy Birthday Alyssa.  We are going to the National Naval Aviation Museum, the largest in the world.  It traces the history of aviation from the beginning to present, including a space capsule.  The Blue Angels train in Pensacola so of course there are the A-4 Skyhawks suspended from the ceiling.  It was a good day to be inside, they forecast 1-2 inches of rain with temps climbing all the way to 41.    The weather is supposed to start improving tomorrow with 70's by the week-end.  Thoroughly cold by the time we got home I made homemade chili and biscuits.  Warmed up the bellies.

That's all for this week, enjoy the pic's,

TTFN

Gary and Pam