July 22 Sat:
9:35 AM 14,753
Hard to pack up and say goodby. Took some pictures after breakfast and pulled out at 9:30. Deckers loaned us a. styrofoam cooler so we stopped in Biloxi and got ice 60¢ and 3 lbs of shrimp (1.59)
Noon
Through north part of Mobile and across the many rivers that empty into Mobile Bay, where the Battleship Alabama is anchored. Huge and grey. When it was to have been scrapped the people of Alabama bought it as a war memorial and tourist attraction. As we drove across Mobile Bay the water was only a foot below the road level, but David was more interested in the Falcon bus with 4 girls plus with a sign around the US in 31 days, visiting 28 states, and they were listed. But when we finally passed them the plus 1 turned out to be a grey haired man and the 3 girls were his wife and probably 3 daughters.
12:30PM 14,870
Took a good many route numbers to get back to I 65 north of Mobile at 12: 30. Temp is 86 and we have the air conditioner on so it is very comfortable. The sky is beautiful with high white thunderheads. We passed paper mils in Mobile-Scott with huge bails of pink green and yellow stored, and it’s easy to see why as we pass mile after mile of pine. Seeing cattle egrets among the cows pastured next to the freeway, and large areas with pitcher plan ts growing.
2:30 PM
Couldn’t resist stopping for peaches, as there have been many little stands. On US 31 south of Montgomery we bought a peck of peaches (filled to the brim), and some Harrison corn – white kernal and good fer frain ‘n ballin ‘- and some green apples for David. peaches $2, corn 50¢, apples 40¢.
2:45 PM 15,000
Through Montgomery with no problems, took an alternate route and had to wait on a train, but probably turned out to be shorter, anyway.
Back onto I65 north of Montgomery, starting to get into ridges of hills, soon we will be at the foothills of the southernmost part of the Appalachians. Shell gas and hot fudge sundae for mom (she refused to drink the gas and we had to store it in the gas tank) and I had a cheeseburger and grape pop. I almost didn’t buy there because it had two windows and one was marked colored, but then I saw it was integrated inside, so went ahead. People down here can’t understand my speech. I guess I’ll have to start talking slower, grandma! When I ordered ketchup and mustard the other day, the girl said what two or three times, and then she explained th at she tought I was saying cut up some mustard. Then when I got the ice for the shrimp, I asked the guy if thav had some crushed ice out here (out in the ice machine.) He said “You wanna truck your ass out here?! )&¢*8!
We’ve had the air conditioner on all the time and we’re still getting 14 mpg.