A trip to the Gulf

It had been awhile since my kids had been to the beach. Since I had them for spring break, it was the perfect time to do something about it! They had asked could we go camping again since i had them for a whole week, and I said sure...just didn't tell them where.

We loaded up the car with our stuff, including my tent, and off we went to Gulf Shores Alabama. It was a Monday and traffic was light so we made good time getting there. The kids kept wondering when we were going to get where we were going, and I told them it would be awhile but we did stop a few times along the way to eat and to just get out of the car.

Once there, I went to the Gulf Shores State Park without a reservation, and was pleased to find there was space available. I'd guess 90 percent of the campers there are the RV and trailer types, but I did see a few other tent campers. Camping there is a bargain, $25 a night and the sites have power and water, and I speedily pitched our tent and we then went to the state pavilion nearby to play in the ocean.

The next morning we went to my all-time favorite beach: Pine Beach in the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is 6700 acres on Fort Morgan Road of pristine wilderness--the beach the way the Spaniards found it, as I like to say. It was a 1.25 mile hike from the parking area to the beach getting there, and man, was it worth it.

Imagine 25-foot tall dunes...a beach hundreds of yards wide and miles long with no houses, no hotels, no nothing that nature did not put there. Oh and there were no people the four-plus hours we were there, I guess a Tuesday and the hike took care of that. We did see two wildlife biologists when we left, there to trap, check and study the endangered beach mouse, but they didn't count as people there to go the beach. The refuge is also home and nesting area to three specie of very endangered sea turtles and seldom-seen birds.

Those with children know the kind of fun an 8-year-old boy and 5-year old girl have on a beautiful day at the beach with no people around and nothing in their way, so I don't guess I need to write about that (grin)

By the afternoon they were tired and back to the tent we went, where they voluntarily napped (gasp!) Then it was out to eat seafood and play videos at a fun center (they are still not tall enough to ride the go-karts....awww)

It was time for our second night's sleep in the tent, which we did, soundly. Next morning back north toward home we went to make ready for a trip the North Carolina mountains...but that's another post...here's the beach photos!

Just answer it

Since I have joined the cellular nation, I cut my home phone service down the bare minimum. No area calling plan, no long distance, and no caller ID.

Much to my surprise, not only do I not miss caller ID, I feel like I am better off without it.

I never have gotten that many calls at home--mostly family and telemarketers--but in the time since I 86'd caller ID, getting calls has taken on a new-old wrinkle.

Obviously, now I don't know who's calling before I answer it...which is they way it was when I younger. I used to have a difficult time imagining not having caller ID, but you know what? Now I kind of feel like a chump for having paid $8 a month for it all these years.

It's almost novel when I get a call now. Hmm, who might that be? Guess I'll answer it and find out. And I talk. If it's a telemarketer, I immediately tell them I'm not interested and hang up the phone. And they don't call me any more.

Beats the hell out of sitting there looking at the caller ID, not answering, cussing and fuming, 'Why they hell do they keep calling?'

Gone cellular

A little while ago I got a cell phone. Never had one before.

Until now I did not have one because I did not want one. But I found a deal that has unlimited everything for $50 a month, with no contract, so I said to myself, what the hell...I'll try one of these things out.

Yippee, now I can be one of those assholes driving down the road jabbering in their own little world! With practice, I can yammer on it while at the checkstand of stores, with the cashier waiting to wait on me...AND I might even aspire to whale on text messages while driving and taking my eyes off the road for a several seconds at a time.

Mmm, just think of the whole new insular world that is now open to me...before long I will be unable to remember any phone numbers in my head at all, because I rely on the contacts list!!

But hey...now there is no such thing as long distance and I can call whoever I like, whenever I like, wherever they are, with total disregard of a phone bill...might could get used to that.

Like I said, we'll see how this whole 'having a cell phone,' business works out.

Been awhile

It's been awhile since I put up pics and spiels of my time with Griffin and Carlie...so without further ado...

In August we visited the Southwest Alabama home of my very good friend Jake Utsey. In addition to his place http://www.watervalleylodge.com/
being remote, it's a whole other world apart from what the kids and I are used...so we always like going there.
Jake was already in the process of getting ready for hunting season at the lodge but took time out to visit with us and he put us up for the night. We got to shoot rifles at his gun range (yes Griffin has his own .22) as well as play with his children all over the expanse that is Water Valley.

With Grandnan a few weeks later we went to Homestead Hollow in Springville. There were samples of old-style country living, crafts and games for the kids, such as pony rides and a bungee jumping exhibit Griffin was not quite sure about at first. Daddy bought a joke gift for a new friend which features Rebel flags, leather, her name, her pants staying up. I also picked up some locally-made honey which the kids love on toast.

Next was a trip to the Birmingham Zoo. Not having visited since Ronald Reagan was president, I wanted to see the display of animals native to Alabama on land the zoo acquired recently. There we saw a dispirited-looking red-tailed hawk, otters, a yellowhammer (woodpecker) skunks, an alligator snapping turtle, a scrawny-looking great-horned owl, coyotes, a groundhog, a cougar, and a few others which escape memory. But no coons or possums, and I really would have liked to see a black bear...and thankfully there were no captive deer. Oh well, maybe they can be added later.

Animals of the domesticated variety were on tap the next day at Paws in the Park here in Pell City with Grandnan and my niece Carlie. It was a great chance to bring out dogs to meet and greet, so we took Tip along. He loved it, and there was much butt-sniffing of dogs his size and much larger canines, too. Good thing he does not know he is a Chihuahua!

Don't know I have planned for my next weekend with Griffin and Carlie...but rest assured I will come up with something special and yes, there will be photos!

Are you ready for some (NFL) football?

Even though it seems like just last month that my Steelers reminded me why I have been a fan since 1979, here comes a new season that will be here before we know it. And I have the balls to throw out my predictions.

NFC East:
Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants
Washington Redskins
Dallas Cowboys

It's about time this division was good the way it used to be. The Giants have the best team but it would be great to see Michael Vick lead the Eagles where Donovan McNabb has failed. If McNabb get slack or gets hurt the way he does most years, Vick will be have a chance to reclaim his title as most dangerous QB in the league.

NFC North:
Minnesota Vikings
Chicago Bears
Green Bay Packers
Detroit Lions

Somebody has to win this division. Might as well be the Vikings.

NFC South:
New Orelans Saints
Carolina Panthers
Atlanta Falcons
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I like them, but the Panthers are old. The Saints are young and learning fast and getting better on defense so I like them better. The Falcons will win more games than they did last year. Tampa just stinks.

NFC West:
Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis Rams

Another division that somebody will win without having to win that many games. Although the Seahawks might not suck as bad as the Rams this year.

AFC East:
New York Jets
New England Patriots
Miami Dolphins
Buffalo Bills

Patriots are another old team and by now, a lot of teams have figured out how to beat them. This year, more of them will, even though the Patriots will go right on cheating. Some people like the Dolphins as the upstart in this division but they're wrong...it's all J-E-T-S here this year.

AFC North:
Pittsburgh Steelers
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns

It would easy to pick the Steelers because I have been a fan since 1979, but instead I'll pick them because they have the best team by far in a division that's a shadow of what it used to be. The Ravens will be hard to beat, but since they still can't score, good teams will beat them. I see the Bengals mattering this year but I have no idea where that came from.

AFC South:
Tennessee Titans
Indianapolis Colts
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars

Depending on how Vince Young does, the Titans have enough talent and experience on both sides of the ball to develop into the best team in the league this year. The Colts still have Peyton Manning but they will do well to go 8-8.

AFC West:
San Diego Chargers
Oakland Raiders
Denver Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs

The Bolts are the best team in the worst division in pro football. For some reason I look for Oakland to surprise some people this year...the Broncos could have built a team around Jay Cutler but traded him for one of the most average QBs in recent memory...and there are some college teams who might could beat KC.

Super Bowl: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Philadelphia Eagles 24

A perfect day for Salt Creek

It would be hard to imagine a better day than Saturday for getting out, getting wet and having fun in the middle of nowhere.
People consider Salt Creek Falls to be near Munford Alabama, and technically I think that is the closest post office, as the crow flies. But I don't regard the place as being near there, or Talladega, or Oxford...those are just towns you'd find on the map in the same general area.
It's not but about half a mile walk through private-but-wooded property to get to the falls but it's a walk you have to be ready for, because it involves climbing, crawling, and the occasional controlled butt-slide.
The trail starts out pretty much level, then picks up a gentle slope, then you can see how the creek has done its work to the terrain over geologic time: the slope gets steep and there are deep hollows and overgrown cuts in the ground.
A few yards further and the trail becomes increasingly hard to distinguish from a washout, which it does every time it rains. There's a few spots where you have to crawl and work your way to the bottom...remember crab-walking? Thankfully there are well-worn laurel bush trunks to hold onto along the way.
Of course if you're a 7-year-old boy you think all that is just waaay cool and have to be told repeatedly to be careful and go slow. If you're a 4-year-old girl, all you have to do if ask your 6'3" daddy to use his long arms and legs to help you down, and he will.
Once you make it to the falls, you can choose the upper spot which this time of year features only a knee-deep pool that seems to disappear. The smallmouth bass, bream, and darters you can see in the crystal-clear water seem to know not to get too close to the edge of it.
The alternate last leg of the 'trail' will take you to the lower spot. From there, you can fully appreciate the 40-to-50 foot drop over ancient gneiss and granite that is ever-slimy and mossy from the water that imperceptibly is wearing it away.
Then there's the pool beneath the falls...that's what we were there for Saturday. At its edge the bottom has just enough silt and sand to allow your to stand steady as you contemplate jumping in. But venture more than a step of two and you're reminded how slippery rock can really be...best to just on in before you end of taking a quite undignified and ungraceful dip.
We had gotten off easy when it came to July heat Saturday...it could not have been much more than 91 or 92 degrees...so that clear water was cold and it was easy to remember that it comes out of mountain springs. Griffin told me at least 5 or 6 times that he could swim, but made a point to stay very close by. Carlie was not so confident and insisted in holding on to my shoulders while I swam around on my back...although she did say "I'll be the motor" and added paddling power using her legs.
We checked out each corner of the pool, and it was nice stretching out on the flat rocks and just soaking the place in...we had it to ourselves the whole time...with the occasional shout from Griffin to hear the echo off the canyon walls and gales of laughter from Carlie when her brother learned just what I meant when I told him those rocks were slippery.

Gun show weekend and kids

It was one of those weekends where stuff to do with the kids coincided nicely with things daddy wanted to do.
Saturday we went the Alabama Gun Collectors Association show in Birmingham. I first went when was 12 or 13 and have been a gun nut ever since and kept going. By myself I can kill a whole day there, but with Griffin and Carlie with me I have to make it the 'gun show express.
I was lucky, in that the remain happy to go pretty much anywhere, and that there attention spans seemed to have increased since the spring gun show. My first priority was corralling them because of all the 'do not touch' items at the show, but I still got to look around some, too.
Bought a Russian .22 rifle just like the one I sold to the late great Mark Howard years ago, and I was glad to get it. Not just because it is a GREAT rifle at a good price but also because I got to B.S. with the old cat who sold it to me.
Another old gun show fixture, Mr. Emmett Fike, sharpened my knife for me. The Swedish steel is once more sharp enough to cut myself wide open if I'm not careful, and I am glad. I have always grinned when Mr. Fike gives customers his business card, which is printed on a Band-Aid!
Along the way we passed toys and trinkets...Griffin got a slingshot' Carlie picked herself out some especially pretty multicolored marbles.
Back home and we played outside. The grapes and blueberries are in, so we picked and munched down on some.
I had gotten out my box trap (feral cats, coons and possums visit regularly and can be a problem) last week cleaning out my shed and it was still sitting on the porch. Carlie kept asking how it worked and what I might catch in it, so I set it for her and baited it with some cat food. Then she asked, when will something get in it? I told her, if anything gets trapped, it won't happen until it's dark.
I was proven wrong when the trap went 'clank!' We went to check it and there was Tip inside, looking sad and a bit surprised. Hence, Carlie got her demonstration of how the trap worked and Tip did, too.