Gulf Shores, AL

May 27, 2014 Gulf State Park, Site 23, Gulf Shores, AL Yup, we're in Alabama.
Before I'm finished with Gautier, MS I thought I'd tell you all about a slight problem we have with talking Southern. Gautier...how exactly would you say that. Around Gautier they say it 3 ways: Gow-tier, Get-Tar or Go-Shay, with the locals go-shay wins hands down.
All Bosco wanted to do for his birthday was to eat boiled shrimp. We had talked to several people in Gautier and Biloxi and they said that you probably would find that at one of the casinos. So we sort of dressed up and off we went to the Golden Nugget. Wow! their seafood buffet was almost $28 a person. Bosco's idea was that wasn't worth it, then our problem was what to do about dinner. It was getting late. He remembered a small restaurant, Taranto's Boiler, that specialized in boiled shrimp and crawfish and off we went. Bosco had about a pound and a half of Royal Red shrimp and boiled red potatoes. Pigged up! as they say. Food was great.

click to make large to read the small print!

Now we're in Alabama, staying at another state park and this one is huge, I saw site 450 on our ride today and I didn't see the last site number. We rode 13 miles on beautiful trails; although the hazards are a mite unusual for us Idahoans. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, well , this one tells the tail?! I don't know how many miles of trails there are but they go on outside of this park. Met lots of joggers and other bikers. The trail advantage is that you ride through shade and sun, although it's hot and humid it's not too bad riding especially with a bit of a breeze. Came back to the trailer soaking wet and thirsty.

Gator Bait?

Bosco in the Live Oaks
dripping with Spanish Moss

We went out to dinner tonight with Bosco's old friend and river running buddy; Bill Bender and his wife Linda. Sorry no picture. We had a great time. The river creates bonds that last a life time. Decisions made when you were too young to know it would change your life; like Scott deciding to be a foreign exchange student or young men from Alabama and Missouri deciding to spend the summer running rivers out west. We've been eating a fair amount of seafood, shrimp, and crawfish. Tonight Bosco had red snapper which he says was wonderful. I had grilled shrimp skewers. Ride those bikes!