Markers in the sky

We see a lot of these. Some are low to the ground, some are high up. We began to see them frequently in Montana and again in Kansas and now they are everywhere we go. 

"Now all we need is a Baptist Church" Dan made this comment last weekend after seeing our 333rd water tower, not really, we don't keep track but it feels like it.  

We see about as many water towers as we do Baptist churches. For us they have become a major player in our experience of the the South. 

If you ever get lost you can find your way back to the land of Dixie my idea would be to follow the towers and steeples that rise above everything else. 

I went for a walk

Have you ever lived in a place where the seasons followed the calendar? Just like clock work, about a week ago, the weather changed. That would put us very close to the 21st, the first day of Fall. It rained all weekend as if on cue. The rains didn't last all week but I did notice that it was so much cooler, even crisp in the mornings. We've even turned off the AC and opened the windows today.  The best part about the change of seasons is we can enjoy the outdoors without melting to our death. 

There are lots of new places to explore. Parks and downtown streets, sporting events and local shops. Today we discovered a new piece of trail running alongside the Black Warrior. Summer is nice but Fall is so much better. 

We've also discovered that while football tickets cost anywhere from $5 to $375 soccer games are FREE. That I can get behind. 

Here we are, ready for our next UA sporting event. 

Quad

The Quad: A large stretch of lawn bordering both the campus and the stadium. 

Before (Thursday, two days ago)

After (Today, game day)

Advantages

Maybe you should come to Alabama...

This was the price for fuel when we left Mossyrock, WA

And this is the price I paid yesterday. Love to save!

Double take

As I drive around I wonder what you might think of our new home. The newness of it all is beginning to wear off but sometimes I still find mystery in everyday things. Things that are very 'southern' and traditional and different. Maybe you would feel the same? Dan and I talk about how it feels real, us being here, and a lot has become normal but there are a few things, mostly when we discover something new, when we have to do a double take and remember where we are. 

Not far from our house, there are bits of jungle and wilderness scattered in between housing developments

Lots of little shops and stores here, the working man and not the box store.

Sunset, timing is pretty predictable. Sunrise about 6:40 am, sunset about 6:40 pm.

Historic district in Mobile, AL

Home Game

The groceries have been bought, the fridge is well stocked, the gas tank is full, the errands have been done. I think we are ready.

This is, after all, the first home game of the season and we've been warned. The stadium holds 100,000 people- the majority of fans travel in to the city for the game, there are hundreds who come on Thursday and camp out on the front lawn of the University. We've heard the rumors of those who have spent $10,000 for a set of game day tickets. The City of Tuscaloosa makes 4 million dollars each weekend there is a game played at home.

The locals and those more experienced than us have encouraged us to "hunker down" because if the city of Tuscaloosa has a population of 100,00 people and you add the student body of the UA + those visiting for the game you end up with a whole lot of people. Taking their advice; we planned ahead. We are watching and waiting for the explosion to unfold.

For those of us who don't follow football here is the schedule so you can be in the know (compliments of rolltide.com):

Season  2014-2015 2013-2014 2012-2013 2011-2012 2010-2011 2009-2010 2008-2009 2007-2008 2006-2007 2005-2006 2004-2005 2003-2004 2002-2003 2001-2002 2000-2001 1999-2000 1998-1999 1997-1998 1996-1997 1995-1996 1994-1995 1993-1994 1992-1993 1991-1992 1990-1991 1989-1990 1988-1989 1987-1988 1986-1987 1985-1986 1984-1985 1983-1984 1982-1983 1981-1982 1980-1981 1979-1980 1978-1979 1977-1978 1976-1977 1975-1976 1974-1975 1973-1974 1972-1973 1971-1972 1970-1971 1969-1970 1968-1969 1967-1968 1966-1967 1965-1966 1964-1965 1963-1964 1962-1963 1961-1962 1960-1961 1959-1960 1958-1959 1957-1958 1956-1957 1955-1956 1954-1955 1953-1954 1952-1953 1951-1952 1950-1951 1949-1950 1948-1949 1947-1948 1946-1947 1945-1946 1944-1945 1943-1944 1942-1943 1941-1942 1940-1941 1939-1940 1938-1939 1937-1938 1936-1937 1935-1936 1934-1935 1933-1934 1932-1933 1931-1932 1930-1931 1929-1930 1928-1929 1927-1928 1926-1927 1925-1926 1924-1925 1923-1924 1922-1923 1921-1922 1920-1921 1919-1920 1918-1919 1917-1918 1916-1917 1915-1916 1914-1915 1913-1914 1912-1913 1911-1912 1910-1911 1909-1910 1908-1909 1907-1908 1906-1907 1905-1906 1904-1905 1903-1904 1902-1903 1901-1902 1900-1901 1899-1900 1897-1898 1896-1897 1895-1896 1894-1895 1893-1894 1892-1893 1880-1881  2013-2014 SCHEDULE Overall 2-0 Conf. 1-0 Home 0-0 Away 1-0 Neutral 1-0 Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result 08/31/13 vs. Virginia Tech  Atlanta, Ga. W, 35-10 09/14/13 at Texas A&M *  College Station, Texas W, 49-42 09/21/13 vs. Colorado State  Tuscaloosa, Ala. 6:00 p.m. CT 09/28/13 vs. Ole Miss *  Tuscaloosa, Ala. 5:30 p.m. CT 10/05/13 vs. Georgia State Tuscaloosa, Ala. TBA 10/12/13 at Kentucky * Lexington, Ky. TBA 10/19/13 vs. Arkansas * Tuscaloosa, Ala. TBA 10/26/13 vs. Tennessee * Tuscaloosa, Ala. TBA 11/09/13 vs. LSU * Tuscaloosa, Ala. TBA 11/16/13 at Mississippi State * Starkville, Miss. TBA 11/23/13 vs. Chattanooga Tuscaloosa, Ala. TBA 11/30/13 at Auburn * Auburn, Ala. TBA Next Event vs. Colorado State Day: Saturday Date: Sept. 21, 2013 Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala. Time: 6:00 p.m. CT Football Welcomes Colorado State for 2013 Home Opener Kickoff set for 6 p.m. CDT Coverage TV: ESPN2 Last Event at Texas A&M W, 49-42 Day: Saturday Date: Sept. 14, 2013 Location: College Station, Texas Time: 2:30 p.m. CT Top-Ranked Crimson Tide Matches Explosive Texas A&M Offense in 49-42 Victory The Alabama offense rolled for 570 total yards while running back T.J. Yeldon rushed for 149 yards and safety Vinnie Sunseri returned an intercepted p Related Links NotesFinal Stats Photo Gallery 1 Photo Gallery 2 Coverage TV: CBS

Can you tell?

What is wrong with this picture?

Look hard now (no, it is not our dirty windshield).




Okay, I'll tell you. The semi is in the left hand lane, meaning he is passing us.

Do you remember the line from Pirates of the Caribbean where the pirate says to Ms. Swan that the rules are "more like guidelines"? That saying also applies to the rules of the road here in AL.

There is not a separate speed limit for the semi trucks (like in Washington where they travel 5 to 10 less than cars). Meaning if you aren't going 10-15 miles faster than the speed limit like the other cars on the road they will pass you. It was nerve wracking the first few times it happened. But just remember they aren't really speed limit rules per say, just guidelines. 

Trees

The trees here are very 'cute'. They are tiny and there are many of them.
I have two theories about the densely populated... let's call them forests.  (Though really they could be mistaken for half forest half jungle)

Mississippi or Alabama there are tunnels of trees wherever you drive.

Theory one: It is very humid here, and rains quite often and even if you were to cut down a tree it would grow back in no time due to the lush environment.

See how small the trunks are?

Theory two: Logging and forestry isn't very popular here because it's hard get much bang for your buck with these trees.

I can only imagine what it must have been like for an explorer to move move west and see the rivers and trees get larger as he traveled towards the Pacific. At least I'm assuming that's what he would have seen.

 What are your theories? Thoughts? Views?

Mobile

This weekend we took advantage of our three day break and took another road trip. We are experts by now. When we left Washington we signed up for a hotel rewards program and since we traveled such a long way we raked in lots of points. Several free nights in fact, two of which we used for a trip to Mobile (pronounced Mo beel).

When we checked in at our hotel we got our keys for room 118. It smelled horrible, every bldg has a bit of a musty smell of too much humidity and not enough AC but this was a touch overboard. I walked in to use the water closet and was greeted by something small scurrying back down the toilet drain. The whole bowl was brown and black. After Dan did a double check to make sure I wasn't going crazy, yep this is gross, we took our gear back to the front desk.

We were then given keys to room 220. I assumed that when we first made a reservation for a non-smoking room that they would then book our second room as non-smoking room as well. I was wrong. We decided we would try to handle the stench. Off we went to do some exploring in this great state of ours. After all, that was the whole purpose of our trip, what good is living somewhere new if you can't go exploring?

We toured the USS Alabama, not made here but named for the state. It was pretty cool, used during WWII, carrying 2,400 men.

We returned to room 220 to find we just couldn't hack the smell, and why should we? We didn't pay for a smoking room anyhow (yes, they still have those). Back to the front desk we go to explain the situation, this time we asked for a clean, non-smoking room. We were then given keys to room 323. Which had spectacular views.

The hot water in the tub didn't shut off, despite our best efforts but at this point we realized we weren't going to get a perfect (or close to perfect) room here.

Day two of Mobile was less eventful than day one, for that we are thankful.

We went to "Gator Alley"

Mobile is full of history and terrific architecture.

Mobile Bay

What did you do for your three day weekend?