The 'Bama

As I drove to across the Florida peninsula from Nana and Grampa Stenger’s to Ariel and Aaron’s I caught up on some correspondence. Talked to my parents at length, getting the blow by blow of Lole’s (our much beloved family cat) last days. I had to pull the car over for that conversation, driving and crying don’t mix. I also caught up with Graham. One of our topics was Alabama, a state where he just recently received his masters. He told me Mobile was worth checking out. As I had no clear impression of where we were headed next and it would shave 2-3 hours off the days drive if we stopped in Mobile rather than beelining it for New Orleans I took it under advisement.

The night before we left Florida (after Avatar in 3-D) Rob got on couchsurfing.org and contacted some Mobilians. By morning two had responded with “come ahead”. Unbelievable! That’s the best and quickest response we’ve gotten from any CSers anywhere.

Off we went driving across the amazingly long Florida panhandle. I didn’t really have a grasp on how big a strip that is but it went on most of the day.

As we were setting out for Alabama, Monday morning, January 11th we realized that we did not possess a recording of “Sweet Home Alabama”. This travesty was solved in Rob’s world by resolving that we could simply sing the song as we crossed into the state. At that threat I instructed him on how to download it on the iPhone, so we could have more lines to sing along to than just the chorus. WIN.

Crossed into Alabama just as the sun was setting, maybe it was twilight that was to blame but driving though picturesque farmlands felt a little mystical,

 
a word I would not have previously associated with Alabama.


We found our couchsurfing host’s, Josh McMinn, home without incident and enjoyed a quite night of trading travel stories. As I had just been feeling the need to slow down and since Josh was so welcoming and trusting we decided to stay a second night and catch up on chores and breathing. I’ve been feeling like the country is moving by me very fast and I’m missing the simple pleasures of reading a book or pausing daily for a yoga practice and time for journal reflections. Heck, I’m still way behind in posting on this blog.

I’ve been doing so many good things. Whether it’s enjoying Jim Dale reading me Harry Potter (again, and getting Rob addicted too), or exploring Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge,

(All of the houses are on stilts. I heard that the flood insurance is astromically expensive round these parts.)

cooking simple dinners in kitchens that are only mine for a night or two and getting good at finding what I need without asking, watching days come and go, observing the lengthening of the days. Enjoying sunsets (even if it does mean that I have to put down my knitting in the car). I’m knitting Rob a pair of socks, I won’t get them done before we part ways… He requested ninja turtle toes so he can wear them with ease inside his Chacos. I laughed at the request, but I’m enjoying the challenge of making them look uniform (and perfect) with this abnormal toe. It is slowing me down somewhat as I have to rip it and try again and again

The second night we all went on an escapade to pick up a papasan chair which just BARELY fit in Josh’s car, before heading to The Garage for a couple brews, card games, more couchsurfers and fun conversations. Favorite event of the evening: southern girls telling me they liked my hair  :) 

Wednesday we were slated to head to New Orleans but before we got going we met up with Kenneth, another Mobile couchsurf host, and got a little guided tour around Mobile.

Imagine if my roadtrip was taken in this horse drawn carriage instead of my little Falkor. I think it might set me back timewise a bit, but it would be kick-ass!

Lunch was had and enjoyed by all at this Mobile classic.

Graham was right. It is worth seeing. Once on the road we were sidetracked by Dauphin Island and Fort Gaines.

There are sooooooooo many oil rigs out in the Gulf, holy moly. I counted over twenty and that’s just what I could see from the beach. (All the little specks on the horizon are oil rigs).