Zana, the energetic & lively local who is well in touch with the entire east shore area of Alabama and beyond, met me at the end of today’s ten miles, at the beaches of Gulf Shores. I’d purchased scores of postcards, more than enough for the Alabama batch, and she told me that nearby Souvenir City, local tourist behemoth, would probably give me a few postcards as well. I didn’t need any more, so I wasn’t very interested at the time in stopping into Souvenir City, but I was happy to follow Zana in to meet the people she knows who run this tourist trinket emporium. Zana promptly introduced me to Paul & Tina, who manage the store– and are both very friendly. Tina brought me a handful of postcards, and after talking for a minute, Paul peered down at my feet: “Would you like some new sandals?”

Really? “Sure– Thanks!” I wasn’t sure if the what appeared to be some sort of Wal-Mart of tourism would have anything better than cheap ten-dollar sandals– which they actually did sell– but they also had the exact model of Tevas that had been serving me so well since Houston. And of the 2 pairs available, one pair was my size!

Paul proceeded to expand his kindness further: “How about shades– need some shades?”

I’d recently lost the roadside pair I’d found near the Mississippi-Alabama border, and figured I’d simply wait till I found another roadside pair of sunglasses, as I find a pair every couple hundred miles or so. Paul gave me a much nicer, polarized, better fitting and more comfortable pair of sunglasses than I’d ever found on the road. Great timing– it’s really been getting bright out there!

Finally, Tina wanted to replace a sun-blocking, long-sleeve, breathable athletic shirt I’d needed to toss. She steered me away from the color white, explaining to me that it would reflect solar rays and burn my face. “Light blue is best for what you do.”

–Great!!

Within a few minutes, a small handful of postcards had turned into well over a hundred dollars worth of very useful road gear gifts for me. Then Zana hosted me to a delicious vegetarian lunch at a popular local restaurant.

Funny thing: I had no intention on walking through Gulf Shores to reach Orange Beach. Gulf Shores actually added some miles to the route. But Ann, my current host, recommended it, and it felt right, so here I came. And now I understand why!

Starting the day out with sunny skies in Silverhill, Ann, my current host, is playing a support-vehicle-type role today as she shuttles her daughter an hour out of town to her dad’s house & back. I.e., I’ve only brought my phone, mp3 player, small cam, and 16 oz of water. What more would I need?
As it turns out, a poncho! A very dark, windy storm system suddenly descended from the north. I was (and still am) over a mile from Summerdale, the nearest small town, and as the sky was darkening and winds were rapidly accelerating, I began running. I quickly came upon half a dozen scattered homes. Brain switched into survival mode, I was scanning each home for potential shelter (imagine the sudden knock on the door amid the roar of thunder). Most homes were a minute or more removed from the rural road. Plastic garbage cans staged aside the pavement, if the system were suddenly to turn the shower faucet on full blast, I’d not hesitate to pour out all trash in a flash and create an instant (albeit stinky) mini-shelter from any serious storm.
A few steps further, and through a pecan orchard ahead on the left, I spied what appeared to be a small series of greenhouses. I ran closer, and as conditions were intensifying, I wasted no time kicking up dirt through the trees, straight to the greenhouses. Each greenhouse featured only a flimsy roof; none had any walls. Nearby was the covered concrete platform outside of a mid-size barn, heavy equipment all around. This was the safest/sturdiest and closest shelter to be found, and I’ve been here for over an hour now. Rain began within minutes, and though it only reached soak-you-in-three-minutes intensity (fiercest storms soak you in three seconds), I’ve been out of the lightning and sheltered from whatever it was to deal me. And I’ve remained out of sight from the surrounding homes…
So much for the 14-mile day, lol.

Saying farewell to yet another truly awesome human being. Kenneth has hosted over 100 people from all over the world. He loves playing host and prefers people stay a while. He hosted me for 5 nights in Mobile, introducing me to his hometown, friends and family in the process. He transported me back and forth to yesterday’s stopping point, last night and this morning, dropping me off on the Hwy 90 expressway at dawn. Though I’m a veteran of goodbyes, parting from this golden-heart amigo nearly brought little tears to my eyes… Thanks for everything, Kenneth!!

Fairhope, Alabama. Live flowers growing atop trash cans makes this small city I know nothing about feel very welcoming, especially amid many storms today...

Government Street in Mobile runs right through downtown and into the Bankhead tunnel, underneath the Mobile River and into a merge with Highway 90, taking drivers east across the Mobile Bay. The tunnel is only 2/3 of a mile long, and feels very quick to all drivers. I-10, a stone’s throw away, tunnels underneath the river as well. If the tunnels were to suddenly become unavailable to cars, it would turn into a nightmare for drivers, who instead of spending a quick minute going underneath the river in less than a mile, would have to divert seven miles up and around the towering Cochrane-Africatown Bridge. As the tunnels are off limits to pedestrians, I had to walk all of those miles today.
Going north along the western banks of the Mobile River took me up confusing roads through endless rail yards. Nearly an hour into the day’s walk, underneath the hot sun (yesterday’s 91 F broke a local record for the date), I found the pavement drying up to a dead end, and a small rail bridge passing over a nearby river channel’s natural barrier. I studied the bridge for a moment: it would be easy to run across, taking me only 10-15 seconds– especially given that I was without all of my stuff today (being held and ultimately brought to me by Kenneth Jones, my current host). But, I’ve heard of people getting $2,000 fines and/or being arrested for such stunts. In the middle of nowhere I could act without hesitation, but there were plenty of workers scattered about the rail yards, especially during business hours. I did NOT wish to walk all the way back to my starting point (the only way out), so I flagged down the next passing pickup truck to ask him for a ride. I quickly explained the Walk to him, and though he told me he wasn’t supposed to, he invited me to hop into the truck with him.
“Hop in,” he said. As we were pulling away, he told me that the quickest way to where I was going would be to cross that railroad bridge. “The bridge is closed to rail traffic for the evening, too,” he explained.
“Can I do that?”
“I’m not telling you that you can cross it.”
“I see a tower nearby. Is there anyone up there patrolling?”
“There is a guy up there, but I wouldn’t doubt if he’s sleeping.”
“Would you mind taking me back to where you picked me up?”
“Sure,” as he enthusiastically embraced the idea.
I hopped out, thanked him, and started walking toward the bridge. I pulled out the camera to film it, was about to kick into gazelle mode to fly across, and suddenly I hear a voice calling out to me from behind. Another rail worker has arrived in another pickup, and he’s telling me that I can’t be filming. He also stopped me from crossing on foot. I explained my mission to him, and a very polite man, he told me he’d call his boss to ask for permission. His boss denied my request, adding an explanation that the neighborhoods on the other side were too dangerous for me to be walking through. It helps to feel that they care. Rail worker #2 kindly shuttled me back to my starting point for the day, explaining that such actions could land one in jail.
“The Port Police don’t mess around here,” he explained.

I thanked him as he let me out, and continued forward, now on the right path, to the big bridge to the north.

AFRICATOWN:
An hour later, shortly before reaching the big bridge, I came across some signs that said “Africatown.” I spotted a rather neglected cemetary, with many of the partially above-ground tombs tilted at a variety of angles. A historical marker sign told me this was a slave graveyard. Shocking. I’ve never seen such a thing!
At the end of today’s walk, I was told more about Africatown, the site I had no idea I was visiting. This is actually where the last illegal shipment of African slaves was brought to America, in 1860. Over a hundred Tarkbar from Ghana were brought in by some wealthy and ultra-greedy local brothers. The feds found out and prosecuted the “investors,” and 32 Tarkbar were sent to this wild site and left to fend for themselves. They survived, and after the Civil War, were joined by other Tarkbar. Their community thrived for decades, speaking their native languages, observing their traditions, having a chief and a medicine man.
Ultimately, younger generations became more assimilated into local African American culture. This part of town is still very African American.

BIG BRIDGE:

The big bridge across Hwy 90, tall enough for large ships to pass beneath and well over a mile long, was intimidating to spend a half hour walking onto opposing traffic, but I just remained busily moving forward and determined all the way till the end of it.

THANK YOU KENNETH:
Especially after the big bridge, miles of Hwy 90 had little or not road shoulder, and traffic, much of it truck traffic, was screaming by at 60mph. Shortly after passing the sprawling USS Battleship Alabama Memorial Park, Kenneth swooped in to retrieve me for the day. He’ll be returning me to my exact stopping point at 6 AM, on this way to work (out of his way, actually). The intense sun and exhausting sustained winds in my face across today’s 11 miles will transform tomorrow into sustained winds in my face of 10-20mph, and a 60% chance of thunderstorms. Tomorrow’s 20 miles will surely keep me on me toes!
My fifth and final night here with host Kenneth Jones, I’m so thankful to him for hosting me, feeding me well, introducing me to his family and friends, and becoming a great new friend across the miles!

Getting Lost in Mobile's rail yards

Lost among Mobile's rail yards, local rail workers not only help me to untangle the maze of roads I'm in, they also offer me bottled water on this hot day-- Great Guys!!

Africatown: Visiting a slave graveyard for the first time.

It's dangerous to walk across large, intimidating bridges such as the Cochrane–Africatown USA Bridge, and fortunately, I rarely have to cross such bridges to connect all the steps. Had there been no roadside shoulder, I would have been forced to accept a ride across. But with a wide shoulder, I put on my bright vest and walk straight across such bridges. At a good pace, the Cochrane–Africatown USA Bridge still took be about 30 minutes to cross. Luckily, no drivers lost control of their vehicles-- otherwise I wouldn't be here writing this, LOL!

It's dangerous to walk across large, intimidating bridges such as the Cochrane–Africatown USA Bridge, and fortunately, I rarely have to cross such bridges to connect all the steps. Had there been no roadside shoulder, I would have been forced to accept a ride across. But with a wide shoulder, I put on my bright vest and walk straight across such bridges. At a good pace, the Cochrane–Africatown USA Bridge still took be about 30 minutes to cross. Luckily, no drivers lost control of their vehicles-- otherwise I wouldn't be here writing this, LOL!

Walking many miles out of my way to go up and over the Cochrane-Africatown USA Bridge was done simply to take all the steps possible while avoiding this small, three-quarter-mile tunnel that connects downtown Mobile with the eastbound portion of Hwy 90. I would have walked the tunnel in a heartbeat if it had been legal, for once I establish my route, I get really picky about the prospect of any extra miles. That said, there's always a precious gem to be found in the rough: I'll always remember the precious, mind-expanding experience of stepping into Africatown USA.

It's dangerous to walk across large, intimidating bridges such as the Cochrane–Africatown USA Bridge, and fortunately, I rarely have to cross such bridges to connect all the steps. Had there been no roadside shoulder, I would have been forced to accept a ride across. But with a wide shoulder, I put on my bright vest and walk straight across such bridges. At a good pace, the Cochrane–Africatown USA Bridge still took be about 30 minutes to cross. Luckily, no drivers lost control of their vehicles-- otherwise I wouldn't be here writing this, LOL!

Unfortunately, Monday morning’s “Welcome to the New Week” delivered some lightning strikes of low back pain as I emerged from bed. Sunday night’s goal was to walk over 20k– perhaps as far as the other side of Mobile Bay. Veteran host Kenneth Jones, who last year hosted a woman running across America, agreed to transport me back and forth to any given marker I was to reach on Hwy 90. The rude reverberations from the vertebrae changed those plans.

While the back was feeling very weak, and this type of pain (shooting, not aching) has happened before, intuitively I knew that ultimately walking at least a handful of miles would actually do me well. I did some very helpful stretches over the course of a couple of hours and deemed myself ready enough to return to the road. My back was feeling a bit fragile, but I was simply going to not push beyond any reasonable level, and ideally make it through downtown to the waters of Mobile Bay.

Following Kenneth’s advice, I walked through historic Government Street’s live oaks and antebellum mansions into downtown.
Downtown Mobile was a place I wished I could spend more time. Pretty place. Good vibe. Some of the architecture reminds one of NOLA’s French Quarter.
I reached the waterfront an hour before dusk. Peaceful fisherman were everywhere, and very active pelicans were cruising the waters just beyond them. Large naval ships were being finished on the other side of the water.

Despite awakening with the pains, the day’s 10k walk truly helped me. I think some stress I’ve recently experienced was directly related to the pain, and walking not only got my muscles moving, it got my mind moving forward in the right direction as well, ready to power myself beyond the internal challenges facing me amid the miles…

Onward!

Forward!

Walking through downtown Mobile en route to the Waterfront

Humps, Bumps, or Lumps???

Depends on where you’re from, I guess…
I grew up around speed bumps. In central Texas, I began seeing speed humps. As of today, I’ve seen my first speed lumps. Good thing for the signs– otherwise I don’t know that I’d be able to tell one from another! =P

Having awoken with a sore body this morning, after nearly 60 miles from Monday-Wednesday, I used today’s afternoon off to load a ton of new music onto my mp3 player. This is my first music update since leaving home in Washington, and I’m pretty excited about the company of all these new tunes.
Music has been one of my greatest companions across the miles. On countless days and nights, after having been tired for hours, having reached the point of exhaustion, yet still having two more hours of walking ahead of me, pulling up the perfect combos of energizing songs consistently provides one of the greatest boosts of energy to power me through those remaining miles.
The mp3 player has been a tried and true companion across the many long, open stretches of rural America, with music and audiobooks that embrace, empower and enlighten me…

I awoke this Thursday morning in a comfortable bed– first time that’s happened in a few days. Good timing too– for as I made my first effort to rise and shine, I felt serious muscle soreness throughout my body. No surprise here– I’ve walked just shy of 60 miles these past three days, making it from Ocean Springs all the way to Mobile.

The map told me that I had over 22 miles of walking ahead of me, yet what I took little time to investigate was road quality. A handful of street views of the internet map showed a two-foot shoulder throughout most of the rural miles, which isn’t ideal, but is definitely better than no shoulder at all. Normally, once a metro area is reached, roads expand, sidewalks appear, and a much different feel arrives as each and every mile is filled with homes & businesses. Many of the fast-food chains that I’ve totally avoided eating in for many years suddenly feel welcoming with their McBathroom’s, water, ice, and sometimes wifi. (I typically don’t buy anything– all the endless $ I spent there years ago is now paying me back, I figure.)

En route to Mobile, I passed through the small towns of St. Elmo, Irvington and Theodore. Once I reached Tillman’s Corner, the outer edge of the Mobile metro area, the line of businesses began and Hwy 90’s shoulders disappeared. There were no sidewalks to replace them– Yikes!! Hwy 90 continued this way for several miles, and I had very few sidewalk opportunities between Tillman’s Corner and the home of Robin, who is hosting me on the west side of Mobile. I often just timed my walking with traffic flows. Stop lights lined the miles, so I often just proceeded forward for quick 30-60 second bursts before pulling my cart off the road for another wave of speeding automobiles. To my good fortune, the weather was good, the road had been freshly paved, and occasionally frontage roads or neighborhood side streets would loop out for me to retreat to. I had to reroute the final 3-4 miles due to poor pedestrian conditions.

I didn’t arrive to Robin’s till about 10 PM, long after I’d hoped, but as I’d stayed in touch with her throughout the afternoon, she remained very welcoming and met me on the street a couple of blocks from her home, to easily guide me in. Robin is a truly wonderful person with a shining heart and an energetic 10-month-old Irish Setter resembling dog, Odie, who anyone could fall in love with instantly.

I’ll remain at Robin’s for two nights before shifting over the home of Kenneth, another Mobile CSer who has invited me to spend the weekend at his place. I’m excited to spend a few days in Mobile before continuing east!

After a long, tough day on the road, how refreshing to be greeted by puppy love!!