Going out

We didn’t have to use the storm shelter at the funny money park but it was nice having it so close by just in case. Here you see it through our living room window.

Thinking about storms made the think about our ability to drive away from them. I guess you could call our RV our “get-away” vehicle. It contains most of our valuables but we came by all of them honestly. Honestly.

Watching children swing made me think of abdominal exercise. See, it can be fun.

We finally found a WalMart that carries a wide selection of Diet Rite so Dave brought me two cartons of Red Raspberry. It’s been so long since I had that flavor I’d forgotten it is strong enough to make me feel like I should be picking seeds out of my teeth. I really like Red Raspberry. In the meantime it was nice to learn, though, that Tangerine makes a good substitute for me. Now if we could just get some Mocha Mix or Coffee Rich for my morning cereal I would truly be a happy camper.

In Biloxi, Mississippi, we stopped to see The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum but it was gone with the wind. There was a small pile of rubble left and a trailer with a sign saying it was the museum’s office. We didn’t go in.

Some things are rebuilding, though. Check out this Hard Rock Casino.

We resisted the urge to go eat at the Hard Rock because we wanted to to eat nearby at The Shed in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. One of our RVing friends gave us the URL for the Food Network’s program “Guy’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” and we’ve been vising random ones. In case, I haven’t given it to you yet, or in case you already lost it, here it is: http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/guys-idiners-drive-ins-and-divesi/index.html

Check out this one.

Dave’s favorite sign on their wall was “I think, therefore I am overqualified.” I rate their barbeque 4 napkin good. We shared the jumbo sampler platter and brought back leftovers. We were there midafternoon of a weekday so it was fairly quiet but I can imagine this place jumping on weekends. You go to the bar to order your food and they take your name. When the food is ready they wrap it in insulated packaging and carry it around yelling your name until they find you. I wonder if they have to wait until between sets of music on Fiday nights in order for the customers to hear the servers?

We spent that night parked near a similar storm shelter except this one was in Gulf Islands National Seashore’s Davis Bayou campground where we met a volunteer named Dexter. I wish Dexter didn’t have to keep making his rounds. His stories were as good as IYQ’s stories. Did you know if you set an electrical outlet into a 4×4 and plant it in the ground, some camper will plug into it? Even when they know the park they are in doesn’t offer electricity? Even out in the desert by Quartzsite, Arizona?

We’ve spent hours watching the weather trying to decide what to do. Some joker told us the reason for living in an RV is that you can always move to better weather. I want to know where? Terry & Jeri got snowed on in Washington this week. Lee & MaryJane got 60 mph winds in the desert SW. Steve and Carol got snow in Oklahoma. Mike & Julie got rainstorms in Texas. And we are getting Tornado watches in Mississippi! The National Weather service called for the storm watchers to be out here tomorrow morning from 9 to 11 a.m.

So we decided we’d get up early and depart ahead of the storm. Right. It started raining about 4:30. The wind picked up about 5:00. I got up early but decided not to risk trying to stand on one foot in the shower in this wind. Then it all ended about 9:00. I should have slept in as usual. We waited until 11:00 to depart, though. No sense catching up to the storm that just left here traveling our direction. That should put us a couple hours ahead of the next one, too. So we might get some rain but we shouldn’t get storms, right?

Right. Dave got slightly damp getting an Alabama highway map from their welcome center. And we got slightly damp stopping for lunch. But, lunch was so good our spirits are still up.

Lunch was another “Guy’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives place”. This one called Big Daddy’s Grill near Fairhope, Alabama.

I included that last photo to remind me to tell you to read the front of the menu before you order. It says things like, “No alcohol may leave the premises except inside your stomach.” And “This is a family restaurant; please don’t teach the children any new words.” There was another one I laughed about but have already forgotten–I’m getting old, you know.

Now, we are tucked up for the night at Rainbow Plantation, the Escapee’s RV park in Summerdale, Alabama. And it’s supposed to rain tonight. Surprise, surprise. We asked for and got the first available site closest to the storm shelter. This one is an actual clubhouse, though so, if we have to take shelter tonight, at least no one has to sit on the toilet. I hope you are having good weather wherever you are. If you are, would you, please, let us know where it is?

TTYL,

Linda