the good, the bad, and the uglyNov 19, 2007
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| We left Bay St Louis yesterday morning and drove back east along the Gulf. So much destruction. It is relentless. Blown out buildings on both sides of the highway. I remember when we were here 4 years ago...I was looking at the gulf and then at those beautiful homes just across a 2 lane highway, and wondering how they would survive a major storm. I guess I know, now. Then we headed north through rural, southern Alabama. Whew. Not a lot going on. Cotton fields separated occasionally by a tiny town consisting of a gas station, a few churches, and a bbq joint. Passing the large state prison was really the highlight. It was one of those moments where we just wanted to be home. We passed the state park because we didn't see the sign. Turning around is a hassle when pulling a trailer, so we always end up driving another 5 miles or so looking for a large enough area. We managed to get back to the park, check in (making our way through the clouds of cigarette smoke), find a spot, make camp, fix dinnner, and settle in. We were the only ones there. It was eerie. But this morning, I woke up to catch the sunrise (nothing like turning old and having to go to the bathroom more frequently). The mist was rising off the lake, and the Alabama piney woods took on a whole new beauty in the light of a new day. We made coffee and walked down to the lake. Then we broke camp and headed to Brewton to pick up our painting from Bernice. Then we went for bbq! My stomach is up for it! Aarrgghh! Both places are closed! What is this - a state law to close bbq joints on Monday? OK, pizza it is. So now we are in Tuscaloosa staying in a hotel so that we can make a quick get-away in the morning since we have a long driving day tomorrow. We will go up to Fayette to visit OC, the cousin of famous artist Jimmy Lee Sudduth who we were going to visit on this trip, but who died in early September. We asked OC if he'd like some company and we'll put some flowers on Jimmy's grave. I made a list of things I'll miss on this trip and things I won't. Things I won't miss: public bathrooms and cigarette smoke. Things I'll miss: sunrises (in the fall & winter when sunrises are later, it's often too cloudy and rainy in the pacific northwest to get a good sunrise); southern hospitality and drawls; the excitement of starting each new day; visiting a famous city; coming up over a hill and dropping into a valley of gold and red (it's fall in the south); strangers excited about our trip; simplicity. We don't have any pics for yesterday or today. Dave didn't get a picture of the prison (sheesh!) and he tried to get a pic of cotton fields, but by the time he thought of it, we hit the interstate - not a lot of cotton fields along that. We'll try to do better tomorrow. g'night y'all. Catch a sunrise soon. |
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