Today was really cold – it was maybe 30 degrees when we left the Holiday Inn Express at just about 8 a.m. I thought today’s ride was one of the prettiest rides of this whole leg. We passed about a dozen nurseries, a turf farm, and a couple of cotton fields that looked liked they’d already been planted. And some of the properties along the roads were absolutely gorgeous! Sorry I don’t have any photos of our ride (maybe Mark or Matt posted some), but it was just too cold for most of the ride to stop and take photos. Plus, in general, I think we all just wanted to get to Mobile, which we did by 11:50 a.m. So we rode 47 miles in just under 4 hours. We only got chased one by a few dogs in Mississippi, so we were feeling neglected after not getting chased by any dogs in Alabama! 🙂
Riding through Mobile to the downtown section was really nice – the Universities, schools, churches and especially the homes reminded me of other Southern cities I have visited, including New Orleans, Charleston, and Savannah. Mobile is really nice – in fact the highlight of the trip for me was touring the downtown portion with Beth after having lunch. So here are some of the photos, once we had made it into Mobile.
Waiting in the lobby of the Hampton Inn and Suites for Beth to arrive from Lucedale, MS. We actually were happier to have made it to Mobile than this photo makes it seem.
Outside view of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile, AL. Savannah has a Catholic Cathedral in its historical section also, which is another reason that Mobile reminded me of Savannah.
View of the altar in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Mobile, AL
Top of the altar in Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Mobile, AL
Historical Marker in Cathedral Square, telling the history of the Archdiocese of Mobile, AL
Beth, Courtyard and Portions of Fort Conde, Mobile, AL
Beth, Courtyard and Portions of Fort Conde, Mobile, AL.
Photo of Satchel Paige in the Visitor Center of Fort Conde Historic Park. Satchel Paige was born in Mobile and although Jackie Robinson was the first black to make it to Major League Baseball, Satchell was the first black elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
After Beth and I did our walking tour of the historic district of Mobile (we also visited the Museum of Mobile, which was really good!) we went back to our rooms at the Hampton Inn. I disassembled and packed up my bike (in 72 minutes – another new record for me!) and then took a quick shower before we all met up in the lobby. Beth and I had made reservations for all 5 of us at the Royal Scam Restaurant, the same place we went to for lunch, just down the street from our hotel. All our dinners were excellent, and afterward we went back to Beth’s room to drink the rest of the wine and eat the rest of the chocolates we had purchased in one of the many Wal-Marts we visited on this leg.
Chocolate and wine party in Beth’s room after dinner at the Royal Scam Restaurant, Mobile, AL
Tomorrow (Saturday 3/7) we all get up really early (3:45 a.m.) to get to the airport for our 6:00 a.m. flights out of Mobile.
After biking 637 miles on this leg, I feel that we accomplished quite a lot completing a leg of the trip that would have been challenging even if the weather had been nice. Having Matt along with us was great! I hope he will be able to join us for some or all of the last leg, and I hope my son Chris will be able to join us also!