Northern Alabama

Trails and waterfalls

After driving 700 miles from Louisiana, we needed a break before getting to South Carolina. We had heard about this area when Dana and Debbie Kirk visited last year and put it on our list. Fort Payne was 200 miles from our last stop and had a state park and  waterfalls to hike in the southernmost section of the Appalachian Mountains. 

Desoto State Park

Desoto State Park is nestled on Lookout Mountain in Northeast Alabama with many waterfalls.

It rains a lot in Alabama in the winter. We were fortunate to have very little rain as we slogged through the mud.

Desoto Falls in Mentone, Alabama

DeSoto Falls is a 100-foot waterfall on the outskirts of the charming town of Mentone, Alabama. Formed where the West Fork of the Little River plunges off a Lookout Mountain cliff.

 We had hoped to have tomato pie at Wildflower Cafe in the cool town of Mentone. But it was not to be. Our first attempt on the weekend met us with a very long wait . When we tried on Tuesday, we found a note on the door saying they had to close for the day. Our search for tomato pie continues.

 We headed to the Mentone Market and passed on the daily special or grilled pimento cheese sandwich, opting for the stew, salad and cornbread for $11 for both of us. Lee Allison from North Carolina mentioned that he would eat pineapple sandwiches as a kid. I googled it and found that it is pineapple and mayo on white bread. I am not sure how anyone would come up with such a sandwich.

When was your last fried bologna sandwich?

Chief Ladiga and Silver Comet Trails

The 34-mile long Chief Ladiga Trail is Alabama's premier rail-trail. The smooth asphalt surface travels through the Tallegeda National Forest, and connects to Georgia's Silver Comet Trail to the east. The Chief Ladiga and Silver Comet travel over 95 miles when combined,
and form the longest paved trail in America.

Plans are progressing to make the Amtrak station bike friendly, allowing for a return train route to Atlanta, and other cities along the Amtrak line.

I really enjoyed our 30 mile ride but have to say that riding that many flat miles can give a person a tired butt. We are used to pedaling up a hill and enjoying the ride down carrying us part of the way up the next hill. Throw a little wind in and you end up pedaling the entire 30 miles. I wouldn't mind doing another section someday if we ever pass this way again.

Little River Canyon National Preserve

Little River Falls with a rainbow

Seasonal Graces High Falls

We made it through Atlanta before stopping for a deep breath in a KOA on Lake Oconee in Georgia.

Our week in Alabama flew by. We are now in South Carolina with family.

Dauphin Island, Alabama

It's good to be flexible

It was a fun learning Cajun vs Creole people and food, but the road noise in front of Betty's RV Park was pretty wearing. Road construction going to Lafayette taking 30 minutes to travel 5 miles, limiting sightseeing the Atchafalaya Basin. Besides, all of the alligators were starting to look alike.  After four days, it was time for a change of plans. We were taking too long time going east to visit family which was the point of this eastward trek in the first place.

Mike declined being the Y in Lafayette.

 A change in weather was also on the way.

We took Avery Island's Tabasco Plant self guided tour and visited Jungle Island while the sun was shining.

 Jungle Island's 170-acre garden stretches along Bayou Petite  on Avery Island which has azaleas, camellias and colorful bamboo - as well as alligators, deer and the thousands of snowy egrets that nest in Bird City. The air boats were trolling up and down the bayou.

 During the late 1800’s, the Great and Snowy Egrets were hunted to the brink of extinction. During courtship, these birds grow additional feathers nuptial plumes that looked really good on women's’ hats. Plume hunters shot the birds en masse during mating season for these. Now their habitats are  endangered. I am glad they have a place to nest on this island.

We packed up and headed to Alabama. No, we didn't get a refund from Betty's. Yes, we were ok with that.

 Mike has shared many stories of being stationed on Dauphin Island as a skinny kid in the Air Force. I needed to see it and he needed to revisit it. I watched him reminisce about his time here as we walked along the path around the island. Driving past the Springhill Road sign in Mobile, Mike smiled remembering that was where the all girl's college was. I think they made frequent stops on Springhill Road.

Boy, did we sleep once we got on Dauphin Island. No more boom boom of trucks hitting the bumps in front of Betty's or bang bang of the drums from the music inside. Ahhhhh

 Not a bad place to be stationed in 1969 and 1970. I am glad we made it to the 5 mile long island in the Gulf of Mexico.

 We will be getting the fine white sand out of our trailer for a while.

We toured Fort Gaines from the 1800s.

 Dauphin Island Audubon Sanctuary has been named one of the top four locations in North America for viewing spring migrations! The Sanctuary consists of 137 acres of maritime forest, marshes, and dunes, including a lake, a swamp, and a beach. Our morning walk was a real treat as we watch a heron building his nest. Boy did we see and hear a lot of birds.

 Doing a little nest rearranging.

 The Sanctuary is of vital importance because it is the largest segment of protected forest on the Island and the first landfall for migrant birds after their long flight across the Gulf from Central and South America each spring. Here these birds, often exhausted and weakened from severe weather
during the long flight, find their first food and shelter.

The barracks weren't this blue color but a tan color.  Mike's room was the second lower window. He was here during Hurricane Camille. Many of the buildings built in the 1960s have survived. 

 Maybe a tern?

Across the street from the RV park is an Estuary with many more birds as we watched the ferry sail across Mobile Bay. The pelicans are a favorite as they hop across the water as they take off and soar across the bay.

It was pretty foggy when I took most of these pictures.

The stormy weather stayed north of us so we could enjoy our few days on the coast before heading north. Or will we have another change of plans?