The desire to travel and live in my camper was something I could no longer resist. It invaded my soul, causing me to endlessly read about the adventures of others and to daydream nonstop. I thought that by purchasing a pop-up camper–training wheels–and camping every day off would be enough. The pastoral emergencies that interrupted,…
Dauphin Island is an important bird area because of the species who live here or pause for a rest during annual migrations. Even common birds thrive here–pelicans wander along the shoreline, docks, and jetties. The ones here and at Gulf Islands National Seashore are small and multi-colored, with white heads/necks and grey/black bodies rather than…
Sand! Sand in the sheets, on the floor, in my ear, and clinging to my shoes. Every day I sweep the camper and wipe the shoes. I cover the bed with Tango’s quilts, hoping to contain the sand on the bed surface. I am supposed to have outdoor flip-flops and indoor flip-flops, but I forget…
Tango and I love walking on sidewalks, trails, and now, the beach. We follow a short boardwalk from our campground. At the dune’s edge I fling off my flip-flops, unleash Tango, and start breathing the salty air. We walk either east or west in a grand circle or out and back. We walk close to…
My Samsung Chromebook is perfect for my needs. Only a few things are different from a regular computer, such as saving images. The Office-like programs are slightly different, but I have already been using them and Chrome. I had figured out most of the differences. If you want to get away from expensive, heavy, and…
My side of Dauphin Island sits at the intersection of the Intercoastal Waterway, the Gulf of Mexico, and Mobile Bay. Mobile Bay is larger than I expected, full of ship traffic and oil rigs , at least where I look out. I have been reading up on Mobile Bay, which is full of history. I also…
I tend to shop at local markets while on the road. I hit up larger groceries when near a city, but I love the smaller stores too. They are expensive, yet full of regional favorites, which sometimes overrides the cost factor. In these stores, I am reminded that every city, town, and hamlet has its…
Tango and I explored on foot this morning, walking a large circle. We walked first to our beach, then east around the tip of the island and along Mobile Bay. We passed Fort Gaines but no developments! This section only has the park where I am staying (run by a Parks and Beach board), a…
I slid through Mobile, AL around 1 PM. This was a good strategy–after morning commute, after lunch, before early evening commute. The disappointment came when I saw my campsite! It was slanted, narrow, and highly undesirable. I went back to the office and told the gal that I could never get level there and probably…
Time to head for Dauphin Island, AL. I have two choices to get there. The first is to drive 50+ miles to the ferry at Fort Morgan, AL. The second, driving 100+ miles, going through Mobile then back down along Mobile Bay to the bridge. This has never been my favorite option, because it sounds…