Accommodation

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Soggy Alabama Night

I had thought to stay three nights here in Atmore, but I’m looking at nothing but grey sky for the foreseeable future with batteries at the low 80%. Since my next stop is just 3 hours away and has power, it just makes more sense to push on to New Orleans and drop anchor for a bit. I’ll likely be there a week, maybe a little longer, waiting for the DC charger for my laptop to arrive. I’m starting to doubt that I’ll be able to stay as long as I would have liked at my planned stop in Texas, what with the weather there being chilly, but I’ll make that decision when it’s time.

I went into the casino to grab dinner at the buffet. This being the South, most of the seafood offerings were deep fried, but the overall spread was nothing to sneeze at, featuring everything from sushi to pizza to Chinese food to steak and ham to a dizzying array of salads and desserts. Croft would have been in catfish heaven and I have to say this was probably the best fried catfish I have ever had!

I finished the night by putting some money in the slot machines, all of which I’m only saying to make it a matter of public record that I tried to pay these folks for their warm hospitality these last two nights. It’s not my fault they decided to pay me $150 for my efforts, is it?

So having formally been to Florida and added Alabama to my list of visited states, tomorrow I shall add Mississippi and Louisiana. That’ll leave me 10. And by the time I return to Canada, I could easily knock of another five. Add nine Canadian provinces and two Canadian territories and I think I can consider this continent seized, no?

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Gulf Islands National Seashore, Santa Rosa Island, Florida

Today’s trip was conceived in 2004 and planned in 2005 before getting postponed because of Hurricane Katrina. I was planning my first real holiday of my adult life and, like most housebound folks, had only a few weeks’ vacation a year, and not always at the most opportune time. This trip was supposed to take me to Savannah (which I saw in 2008) then New Orleans (where I’m heading tomorrow!) by way of Pensacola because it was in proximity to Florida’s former capital that I had wanted to see the Gulf of Mexico for the first time.

I really need to look at maps more rather than just make itineraries with Google and my GPS because I had no idea that my current itinerary was taking me less than an hour and a half from that location, the western tip of Santa Rosa Island near Pensacola Beach. I’m just glad I clued in with enough time to make the detour!

While I’m sure there are lots of lovely things to see and do in Pensacola and Pensacola Beach, I just wanted to walk the pure white sand beaches of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and tour the ruins of Fort Pickens.

The trip to Pensacola Beach (a separate community from Pensacola, btw), was super quick and easy as the casino sits at the exit I-65 southbound folks can take as a short cut to Pensacola. There is a $1 toll to get onto Santa Rosa Island and an additional $8 to visit the Fort Pickens site.

Sunshine state my ass!

Sunshine state my ass!

I'm really here!!!

I’m really here!!!

This is NOT the Gulf of Mexico, but a bay.

This is NOT the Gulf of Mexico, but a bay.

I just wanted a picture of my truck next to palm trees. :)

I just wanted a picture of my truck next to palm trees. 🙂

Definitely going the right way!

Definitely going the right way!

Long bridge to Gulf Breeze.

Long bridge to Gulf Breeze.

Cross Gulf Breeze, another bridge, a toll booth, and I'm here!

Cross Gulf Breeze, another bridge, a toll booth, and I’m here!

a lunar landscape

a lunar landscape

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Just as I envisioned it...

Just as I envisioned it…

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I frolicked in the surf, wading waist deep! The water was cold, but I was seriously tempted to swim a little!

I frolicked in the surf, wading waist deep! The water was cold, but I was seriously tempted to swim a little!

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Approaching Fort Pickens

Approaching Fort Pickens

The fort was built for homeland security in the early 1800s.

The fort was built for homeland security in the early 1800s.

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The fort is extremely damp, with mould being rampant. The public washrooms are soggy, too.

The fort is extremely damp, with mould being rampant. The public washrooms are soggy, too.

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The fort is full of fun tunnels and dark corners to explore. I'm not claustrophobic per se, but I found that stooping to explore that left tunnel was a little breath catching.

The fort is full of fun tunnels and dark corners to explore. I’m not claustrophobic per se, but I found that stooping to explore that left tunnel was a little breath catching.

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This is a long tunnel that seemed to go on forever -- in pitch darkness.

This is a long tunnel that seemed to go on forever — in pitch darkness.

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Thorny plants, beware!

Thorny plants, beware!

Geronimo was held captive here.

Geronimo was held captive here.

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Water cistern.

Water cistern.

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Note the double arch construction to keep the foundation from sinking into the sand.

Note the double arch construction to keep the foundation from sinking into the sand.

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The fort within a fort, painted glossy black.

The fort within a fort, painted glossy black.

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This display shows how long garbage stays in the water before decomposing.

This display shows how long garbage stays in the water before decomposing.

plastic bottles, 450 years

plastic bottles, 450 years

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A swimsuit from the early 20th century, when people started going to the beach.

A swimsuit from the early 20th century, when people started going to the beach.

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There's an RV park right next to the beach.

There’s an RV park right next to the beach.

Boardwalk leading up to the beach.

Boardwalk leading up to the beach.

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Still pinching myself.

Still pinching myself.

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Note to self: your sandals are the block spots on the beach!

Note to self: your sandals are the black spots on the beach!

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The sand was very comfortable to walk on, not cold at all.

The sand was very comfortable to walk on, not cold at all.

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The road out.

The road out.

I have more about today, but I seem to time my casino stays with the seafood buffet, so you’ll just have to be patient. I just hope I don’t drown on the way into the casino as the sky has finally opened and it is pouring rain out there!

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Sweet Home Alabama

I’m parked for a few nights at the Wind Creek Casino in Atmore, Alabama. I was thrilled to find this place since it is a great location to drop the rig and go explore the Gulf Coast with my truck!

The weather is dreary, so I have decided to delay seeing the Gulf of Mexico for just one more day. I’m going to hang out at home this afternoon, get some rest, and plan an awesome itinerary for tomorrow!

My last night in Georgia was pretty good. I woke up raring to go… at 2:30AM. I threw off a bunch of blankets as the temperature in the loft was almost infernal and I managed to get back to sleep for four hours. When I got up at 6:30, I was unusually awake and decided to just have my coffee and banana and take off. The outside weather was just a notch cooler than balmy and a real treat.

It was still very dark at 7:00!!!

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I had just gotten on the interstate when I glanced at my dashboard and decided that I really need an auditory signal that screams, “Look at your gas gauge, dummy!” I wasn’t in the red, but almost.

Moments thereafter, I saw a sign for a Love’s travel centre, so decided to try my luck there and had an uneventful fill up. I can’t believe how far $125 goes in the U.S.!

Before long, I crossed over into Alabama and stopped to get some tourist info.

My rig in Alabama.

My rig in Alabama.

I stopped at the next rest area for a bite to eat and to change the bad nut in my battery bank since I managed to find one the correct size in my hardware bin. Voltage on the battery was 12.5 and 10.7 in the rig before the switch, then the same! Woohoo! I noticed that the inside of the bad nut had a bit of corrosion, which surely wasn’t helping.

There was another Love’s just before the casino, so I decided to top off the tank. This chain is definitely going to be my fueling stop of choice from now on.

The casino is conveniently located just off of I-65. It has lots of RV parking, but no hookups. There is no stay limit (within reason) as long as you go in and spend some money, which I always do when I am at a casino.

I’ve got power, it’s almost warm out there, and would you look at that, I’m finally overnighting somewhere that I can get my rig and a palm tree in the same photo!

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Georgia Nostalgia

I am parked at the Walmart in Newnan Georgia, the state where the trajectory my old life was taking suddenly look a wild detour! Tomorrow, I get to start adding new states to my map! 🙂

The morning was a bit rough. I couldn’t get online (note to self, reboot the phone next time this happens) and with the laptop being nearly dead, I decided to drive to a rest area about an hour and a half away for breakfast. So I took off without even having coffee.

The GPS routed me at a diagonal through secondary roads back to I-85 just ahead of the rest area. This route was a little bit of work first thing in the morning, but nothing too difficult.

I got back on the interstate and drove through Gaffney, which boasts a big peach for a water tower:

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I cheered when I saw the sign announcing the rest area just after and went WTF???!!! that it was closed with no information about how far the next one was. I checked the DOT website last night and there was no mention of a closure!

I drove. Short of stopping in a busy town and looking for a place to stop, this was the only option. I did want to get through Atlanta sooner than later, so I decided to just get some mileage under me.

At Piedmont, I saw a sign for a Pilot Travel Centre, so I took a chance that there would be room to park. Nope, and I barely got out without having to unhook again. I am NEVER going to a Pilot again!!!

I got out of there, stopped at a red light, and saw the most beautiful sight ahead of me: a crumbling shell of a building with an unblocked U-shaped driveway.

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I managed to get online while the coffee was brewing, dealt with my most pressing matters, made a couple of calls (including that I could park here in Newnan), and got under way again.

I passed a rest area at Anderson, shortly after Piedmont (figures), then the Georgia Welcome Center, but I wasn’t ready to stop. Little did I know, there would be no more obvious stops available to me.

I didn't know that Tiger Direct has an actual physical store.

I didn’t know that Tiger Direct has an actual physical store.

Before long, Atlanta was upon me:

First glimpse of Atlanta.

First glimpse of Atlanta.

I’d done my research and knew that driving straight through in the middle lanes was the best course of action. The semis have to use the by-pass, so that means there are no vehicles bigger than an RV driving through downtown.

Traffic was a little thick in spots, but Montreal traffic is never this easy. So I was really glad I didn’t get worked up over crossing Atlanta or lose any sleep over it!

Cruising through downtown Atlanta, the pace and traffic relaxed enough to enjoy the scenery.

Cruising through downtown Atlanta, the pace and traffic relaxed enough to enjoy the scenery.

It’s a bit early to be stopped for the day, but I am knackered! The lot is big and mostly empty, so I’m not taking up valuable parking space. I’ll take this time to clean up the rig a little (don’t ask me how, but my shredder flew across the office and the cats got into the shredded paper and there is now confetti EVERYWHERE), then I might go to Applebee’s for dinner (hey, I can’t remember the last time I went to Applebee’s, so I’m due!).

I also need to figure out where I’m stopping tomorrow. I was thinking of a Walmart in Mobile, but I wouldn’t mind finding a place where I could park for a couple of nights so that I could take a road trip into Florida. I have only most technically been to Florida, so I side trip to Pensacola might be in order.

Then, New Orleans, probably for a week! I’ll be staying at an inexpensive RV park so that I will have the option to take off with the truck to explore the environs and possibly even overnight. I really need a break from my cats. 🙂

The power situation is good so far today. It’s been too cloudy to get a full charge, but the sun has come out and there are a few hours left, so I will be fine tonight. The batteries are at 94% right now and we’re supposed to stay above freezing tonight! YAAAAAY.

My mood is much improved over yesterday. How could it not knowing that tomorrow I will finally see the Gulf of Mexico?

I continue to be amused by the comments I get that my blog is not about travel when, even with a year’s hiatus in Lethbridge, I have covered this much ground in just over four years:

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Not the Most Fun Afternoon On the Road

It was steady going into Charlotte this afternoon. I was due for fuel so I started looking for some about 30, 45 minutes before I reached the city. I got off at an exit that promised about a half dozen gas stations, but they were all RV unfriendly, so I circled through town and got back on the interstate.

A sign for a Pilot travel stop was a welcome sight and I was quite surprised to find a dinky little gas station with most definitely no room for RVs. Oh, but there was a truck entrance thataway. I went into that entrance and all the pumps were marked diesel only. Oh. I tried to swing around and encountered… a dead end. Where I was blocking about five truck fueling lanes.

Many of these drivers had seen me come in and had plenty of time to tell me to stop and get around. Or a couple could have backed up to let me get through their lanes the wrong way. Nobody did. Thankfully, I was in a straight line so I could unhook… to the tune of a dozen of truckers honking their horns. What a bunch of assholes! I managed to get unhooked, got the truck out of the way, backed the motorhome out of there, and found a spot where I could hook up again. Needless to say, Pilot did not get my business. Painted arrows on the ground are all that would have been needed.

Thanks to this delay, I hit Charlotte at the start of rush hour with a stalled vehicle in the fast lane. So it was stop and go through most of the city. Not difficult, just slow.

I saw a sign for a Love’s fueling station just before my exit and decide to try them. Fuel in North Carolina had been about $3.35 and I fueled in South Carolina for $3.05!!! So maybe the Pilot fiasco wasn’t so bad after all.

I’m now parked at the Walmart in Rock Hill, SC… where I have no power. At the batteries, I am registering 12.6V, so they are charging fine, but there is a drop to a mere 9.5V between them and the fuse/shunt. Everything’s tight, the cables are short and #1 gauge. In short, it should all be working fine. I am seriously sick of this s***.  Anyway, the fridge is running and that’s all I need for tonight. It supposed to get cold again, but I’ve had cold furnaceless nights and mornings before and I will survive. I’m just irked that I’ve spent thousands of dollars to not be in this situation again and am. A professional electrical person will be in order before I leave New Orleans. And if I’m going to pay that kind of money, then I am going to seriously consider having the stupid battery bank relocated to a place where I can actually get at it without twisting myself into a pretzel.

Yes, I’m cranky. 🙂