Dauphin Island

Chris:  We drove the car onto a ferry that took us across Mobile Bay onto Dauphin Island.  I had never even heard of it until preparing for this trip.  The island is known for its white sand beaches and as a stopping place for birds migrating south and north.  There is a large sea lab that promotes excellence in marine education.

I talked to a woman from Birmingham who asked me in a hushed voice what it’s like to live in Michigan.  She has never lived anywhere but Alabama and can’t imagine living where it’s so cold.  I told her I really like four distinct seasons and she admitted that August is pretty awful and they basically stay inside.   No thanks.  I prefer Michigan.

You can see the oil rigs in the Mobile Bay behind us.  The workers go out for two weeks at a time and the oil is pumped through undersea pipes to the refinery.


I nearly crapped my pants from fear when I biked across this 10-mile bridge leaving Dauphin Island.  I made myself stop at the highest point to take a selfie but I couldn’t look down or I got all woozy.  I also had to stay completely focused on the road because there were so many Mardi Gras beads on the road.  I had this vision of my tire slipping on the beads and I’d go hurling over the edge.  It would make a pretty good headline though.   This  just in:  65 year old grandmother plunges to her death from top of ten mile bridge when bike tire skids on Mardi Gras beads.  I’m super disappointed that this picture doesn’t look all that impressive.  Remember what I said about almost crapping my pants?  The threat was real.  Side note:  my $2.00 sunglasses from B and G are working out quite well.  I bought 4 pair because I’m so horrible at taking care of sunglasses.    These will not make it home so I expect that by the time I get to Texas I’ll be sporting a new pair.  Wait for it.

And because I can’t get my phone to cooperate I’ll just go ahead and insert a cute Alabama dog that reminds me of my dog. 

The cows in Alabama are just as cute as the Florida cows.

We made it to Bayou La Batre which I’ve been mispronouncing.   I asked the young woman in the grocery store to say the name of her town.   She loves her town and can’t imagine living anywhere else.  I like it when people love where they live.