More on the Shore

While we were staying in Orange Beach we drove east far enough to see a bit of the Florida panhandle which I had never visited. We didn't go far and didn't do much but we did find a nice shore side spot to have a drink on the beach.

 When we left Orange Beach we were heading west toward New Orleans but took our time. We drove out to Fort Morgan. Dale enjoys a good historic fort or battlefield. It was a sunny day that went from warm to hot but it was a great change from our colder temperatures at home the week before.

 

We paused for the night in Biloxi, not because it was too far to drive to NOLA but so that we could enjoy the coast a bit longer. Although we took a couple of walks on the beach it was pretty windy. We ended up taking a long walk along the highway when the young man at the hotel desk told us it was a quarter of a mile to the restaurants when it was actually well over a mile. We saw the Mississippi Gulf coast, got a good walk and rested well for our time in NOLA.

Orange Beach

If Talladega was the destination for Dale then Orange Beach, Alabama was my main destination. It had never been high on my list but since we were going to Alabama I certainly wanted to get to the coast. I love the Gulf of Mexico shores of Florida and I was not disappointed with Orange Beach. The first couple of photos are sunrise. Yes, we set the alarm when we are in a beautiful place.

 

 

 With just a little research I found a great place to eat. We both loved the food at Doc's. The shrimp was amazing and mixing my own cocktail sauce at the table was delicious and fun. It was so much fun that we almost missed sunset but we rushed to the beach and enjoyed a nice walk in the fading light.

 

Now THIS looks like vacation! I loved the pool and the beach, swimming in the pool, sitting in the sun, walking on the beach. It was heavenly. It was a fantastic 24 hours in Orange Beach.

 

Although we walked lots on the beach we also found this boardwalk heading through a state park to the shoreline. It was another great place to be in nature and keep up with my steps. Of course with a sunny beach I didn't have a hard time getting well over my goal for walking.

 

Montgomery

 Because Montgomery is the capital of Alabama, Dale wanted to stop to visit the capital building. We arrived as the employees were coming for the day and walked around the grounds and inside the building. We did find that Montgomery is considered the "cradle of the confederacy" and has recently been named the most historic city in the USA.

Within walking distance of the capital we found many interesting things pertaining to the civil rights movement including MLK's Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and Rosa Parks' bus stop. Montgomery was interesting and there was surprisingly little traffic on a Monday morning.

 

 

Talladega, Baby

 The catalyst for this road trip was the NASCAR race at Talladega Super Speedway. Dale enjoys visiting different tracks and this one fit our schedules this year. People often comment that there must be amazing people watching at a race. I always say that it isn't that much different than most other large gatherings like the State Fair or a NFL game. That was before I went to a race in Alabama on a hot day. It was certainly a new experience. The big plus at Talladega was that the noise was much less than usual. I expect that the large track size had lots to do with that.

After a day in the hot sun and an easy exit from the track traffic I was happy to get a walk in the woods near our hotel at Oak Mountain State Park. It was a great trail and it felt wonderful to move in the shade after an afternoon on the sunny bleachers at Talladega.

The next morning we were fortunate enough to find another great spot to walk as we journeyed further south in Alabama. Confederate State Park gave us a nice place to enjoy Spring in Alabama and glimpse a bit of the history while we walked. I was so happy to keep up with my walking while on vacation.

 

 

Off the Beaten Path in Mississippi

 

Although it wasn't one of our planned destinations we took time to pause and enjoy our journey through the state of Mississippi. I had hoped to keep up with my walking even on travel days and to enjoy more nature on this road trip. Leaving the interstate in Mississippi gave us an opportunity for both. It was still early morning when we stopped at Wall Doxy State Park for a hike.

 

 We were greeted by interesting wildlife which was a great bonus. This duck greeted us in the parking lot and didn't seem shy at all. The frog was very patient with our photography.

 

After our fun hike we paused in Oxford thinking it might be enjoyable to walk the campus of  Ole Miss. We actually spent less time on the campus than in the very quaint town square. It was a fun exploration and we got some exercise in the process.

 It may not be like Texas wild flowers but there were some beautiful colorful blossoms in lots of the ditches along the road. Our last hike of the day was on a stretch of the Natchez Trace. It felt great to be out in the Mississippi woods. Its obvious you are in a different part of the country with all the pine trees and the boiled peanuts. I don't eat the peanuts but I do enjoy the beauty of the nature.

Beale Street

 

On the first day of vacation Dale and I left my house very early and we were rewarded with a fun evening on Beale Street in Memphis. We had started a trip there when we were heading to Atlanta and it worked out great for this trip also. We stumbled on a huge festival so there were crowds and lots of music. I love the lights, love the sounds and the tastes of Beale Street. We enjoyed it so much that we stopped there again a week later on our way home. It was a great kick off for our very fun road trip.

 

Mother's Day

I have loved being a mother for over thirty years but it's such an added joy to celebrate my daughter on Mother's Day. She is such a wonderful mommy to Lincoln and Walker. I love these boys and I am thrilled that they have such a loving mommy who does an amazing job of teaching them.

 

The boys weren't as excited for photos as I was but they did cooperate. It was a great celebration today with Jay, Briana, Kirby, Travis, Ashley, Lincoln, Walker and Mowgli all in the house. I have so much to celebrate!