More catching up

We've been busy ... so I need to back-track a little and show you a little of what we've done the past week or so.

First, while in Kemah Texas we had the chance to get reacquainted with Sharon's three cousins.  John and his wife Brenda, Dan and his wife Cindy and son Zachary, and finally Robert and his wife Kim and son Robert Jr.  Robert and his family stopped over to our campsite and even though Sharon had not seen him in over four decades, it was as if they had been our neighbors for life.  Recalling memories of their childhood, it was one of those evenings that just didn't last long enough.  A couple of days later we had lunch with John, Dan and their families.  Again a gathering that just didn't last long enough.  We thank them all for their hospitality and love.

Sharon, Robert Jr., Robert and Kim

Cindy, Dan, Sharon, John and Brenda

Next I'd like to highlight Sharon's camera work as we neared Mobile Alabama.  I'm trying to keep the coach between the white lines and she's grabbing a few shots as we approach the town from the west on I-10.

The first neat thing she saw was the wounded Carnival Cruise Line ship Triumph parked at an out-of the-way repair dock off Mobile Bay.  When an engine room fire stopped her dead in the water somewhere in the middle of the Caribbean, her passengers suffered from lack of water, food and functioning bathrooms.  You know ... one of those unforgettable cruises.  Anyway the Triumph finally got unceremoniously towed to Mobile for a much needed repair and cleanup.  The Triumph will now need a lot of TLC and a media schmoozing to get folks on board again.

Cruise ship Triumph at the repair dock.

Just a mile or so down the road she takes at neat shot of Mobile's skyline.

Too bad we had so many bugs on the windshield.

Finally we take the deep dive into the I-10 tunnel under downtown Mobile.  If you're a little claustrophobic and happen to be driving 40,000 pounds of RV into a narrow two lane tube that looks more like a soda straw, then you know what this experience is like.  White knuckles are protruding from my hands as I have this death-grip on the steering wheel ... and little beads of sweat are dripping from my temples as we enter the tunnel.  I think Sharon, after taking the following shot, closes her eyes till we exit the tube.  I would have liked that as well ... but didn't.

Hang on!  Why aren't those fools going the speed limit?

About an hour and half later we pulled into the Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores Alabama.  A 500 site beauty, with extra large sites, pool, store, laundry, miles of walking trails, alligators, and quiet ... lots of quiet.  All-in-all a very nice place to stay.  We're here for a month.

Here's our large semi-circle  site.  BTW the guy behind us lives on Hubbard Lake near Alpena MI

We got the car unhooked, the coach set up and headed out to see what had changed since here last time here about two years ago.  While poking around we ran across a neat view of the Perdido Bridge that, when heading east, will get you on your way to Pensacola Florida.

How can you not like this place?

So there you have it.  A quick look at what we've been up to lately.  But the best is yet to come.  Our Iowa friends Jim and Carol will arrive later the same day and our Maine friends Bob and Carol will show up a day or so later.  This is turning into a trip of reunions, and it's fun!  It won't be long before our Michigan friends Bill and June will also be rejoining us in this little Shangra La as well.

Still livin' the dream ... this time on the white sandy shores and azure blue waters of the Caribbean and not a single BP oil cleanup crew anywhere to be seen.

Phil