Alabama!

We left Clermont this morning! We bid Steve, the Born Free lot, and their new serpentine mascot farewell at about 10am. I headed up the caravan in the 24ft unit (pulling the "it's so famous it's in-famous" chuck wagon), Gram anchored the middle of the caravan in the 22ft unit, and Pop acted as rearguard in the 27ft unit.

It rained most of the day. The downpour was so torrential for awhile that we had to slow down to 30mph on interstate 10! My favorite part of the drive was our trip north on 231 through southern Alabama. The rain finally cleared and we were treated a more rustic setting.

I've driven through Alabama before, but only on 10 - it was nice to see the countryside. Highway 231 meanders through gentle hills draped in cotton fields. There are low, ramshackle barns in almost every one of them. It's very rural.

When we passed through Dothan, my heart broke ... Dothan is host to the National Peanut Festival! I love the nation, I love peanuts, and I love festivals - this thing was tailor-made for me! Did you know that approximately half of the peanuts grown in the United States are grown within a 100-mile radius of Dothan, Alabama? Me neither, but we could've been learning facts like these at the 67th Annual Peanut Festival! Alas, we didn't have time to stop.

Even though I wasn't able be there, I'd still like to congratulate Courtney Larkin on being crowned this year's Miss National Peanut Festival. Also, if any of the other lovely contestants need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here for you. Just kidding. But seriously - I'm here for you.


Some of you (I'm talking to you, Andy) may be thinking that not having a National Mister Peanut Festival pageant is discriminatory. But you should know better - there can be only one Mr. Peanut! He is not unlike the Highlander in that respect.

Dinner tonight was Mexican. Pop couldn't decide whether to order a "Kwas-uh-dillo" or a "Kweese-uh-dilla," so he just went with a tamale and a taco.

To pass the hours, I've been listening to an audiobook Jenny recommended - The Gunslinger, the first book in Stephen King's Dark Tower series. So far it's good! It's got a bit of something for just about every nerd - a heavy helping of the post-apocalyptic, plenty of fantasy, a western setting and tone, and a touch of sci-fi. I'll let you know if I'm still a fan when I finish it.

Tonight we're in Alabama! We're staying at Dandy RV Park in Clanton, Alabama. Clanton is about halfway between Montgomery and Birmingham on 65. We'll be here for a few days, so stop by and see us anytime!