Charades

October 11th/09 - Tillmans Corner, Alabama
Baymont Hotel
Mileage: 102.5 km
Total mileage: 5,206 km

Staying at the Baymont Hotel tonight in Tillmans Corner just south of Mobile, Alabama. We attempted to find a campground, but couldn't. I knew we were going to have a problem when I had to play charades with a gas station attendant to try and make him understand what a campground was. A light seemed to go on in the non-english speaking attendant's head and he pointed down the road saying, "Several, several." We continued on in the direction of his finger with some hesitation. What I didn't realize until later was that I had mentioned the word RV during our game. We ended up passing 'several' trailer sales outfits, but no campground. Darkness encroached and we found refuge in this hotel.

Leaving Gulfport this morning we continued east on Hwy 90 through more beautiful beach country. Through Biloxi and then Ocean Springs.

We crossed several long, high bridges which can be treacherous on a bicycle, but Mississippi has thought well enough to incorporate pedestrian/bicycle lanes on theirs. Not like Louisiana, and in particular New Orleans. In New Orleans a cyclist/pedestrian is not even allowed to cross any of their bridges. Shame, shame!

Twenty six years ago when I cycled this trip I did defy this bylaw. I cycled over the worst of the worst of their bridges. Not naively either. I knew I wasn't allowed, but I was a rebellious youth. Up, up and up the bridge I peddled totally blocking one of the two north bound lanes. Horns blew and motorists screamed 'woe to you'. A car load of black guys cruised up beside me in the left lane. They had a different attitude. Now, we are all brothers, but at that time, on that date, the bunch of us became closer than close. They were so happy to see a civilly disobedient white guy for a change that it was all high fives, thumbs up, and hollers of encouragement. I flew down the mountainous bridge ecstatic. The New Orleans police officer at the bottom wasn't quite as impressed.

Back to the present. Deby and I cycled from Ocean Springs through the pines to Gautier. From here, across a long bridge to Pascagoula. Again, back into the pines to the Alabama
State line. Traffic steadily decreased as we continued east, motorists at this point choosing to take the interstate.

In Alabama the geography changed again. We began to peddle up and down grades which we hadn't done for quite some time. Almost made us feel like we were out of shape. I couldn't help but think how the property values must increase at the top of a small hill. Every foot of elevation above sea level here must have a high value attached to it.

The road through Theodore and finally Tillmans Corner was lightly travelled, windy and very scenic.