Adventures....

“awww...I love Kermy....

and awhile ago I was out on the porch and had a close encounter with two lizards...a blue tailed skink ..and just a plain green one....”

“Looks like WK is filling in for bit. Where is bit btw?”

“oh yes....and we drove to Hattiesburg Mississippi and had dinner last eve with Cottonsocks...that was an adventure......she ended up with a free dinner from the management....”

“How did she swing a free dinner while simultaneously telling them to f themselves. WAit, her expression is "F*** Me." I understand now.”

“Glad to take over for the man for awhile.”

“It ain't easy being green.”

“LOL...actually she behaved....she wanted prime rib and they were out......she told them she wanted the salmon for the same price.....when the waitress brought the check she informed us her dinner was free...she is the very first TTer to meet Lee.....I am sure she will do a trip report when she returns home.....poor Lee had to listen to all out gear talk and trip stories...LOL.....”

“Hey....what are the name of those little brown/green lizards??????”

“out on a bicycle once a bird flew smack into my forehead”

“ouch.....I sure wanna make a comment about a beak in the forehead, but Matt would probably delete it....

ok...so I must be paranoid.....that Tree frog woke me up 3 times last night....sounded like it was in the hall.....

Where is BIT????
“Hey....what are the name of those little brown/green lizards??????”
divinity
1:03:12 PM
8/02/05”

“Hell, I dunno. Ask me something about computers.”

“LOL..hahahahahahaha...I'll remember that!!!”

“...off we go to the resraunt...some well known and popular ( and very expensive place....we order wine and wait for my son-in-law and his two friends.....we wait...and wait....and they are late...( we have tickets for the 8pm show of Phantom of the Opera....to make a long story short...we ordered our food and it arrived a few min before 8.....(it was very yummy.....a fresh pasta wrapped around riccotta and romano with spinach and in a red and white sauce....truely wonderful.....
...we went to the Ohio Theater.....if you EVER get the chance to go there...GO...it is an awesome place........we had to go up a million stairs to get to our seats......but our seats were nice....a young woman was text messaging someone..I was planning on slapping her after intermission if she continued......Phantom was wonderful.....I enjoyed it sooo much...the guy who played Raoul had a wonderful voice.........so we go back to the car......slower than when going....cause we were late....and I look for my billfold......it was gone.....I had pulled out a calendar to fan myself with at the theater and I started to panic...I had $200 cash and my atm card and drivers license in it.....OMG....I knew I was going to have to hitchhike home now.....I found my billfold on the floor of the car.....no clue when & how it got there....but I was sooo happy....I am going to go buy a pink billfold today, so I can find it in my purse...I LOVED Phantom....wonderful.....”

“so the ritalin isn't working for you? I'm joking.

Glad you had fun. Did the friends ever show?”

“Yes...and we placed our order as soon as they came in...and waited over 45 min for our food...we asked our waitress to please bring the check with the food because we had 8:00 tickets, and she said..."you should have told me....I put your order in after everyone elses...."....and then it took her 10 min to bring the check....grrr........we gulped down WONDERFUL food...yummm
last edited: 8/18/05 9:52:04 AM”

“..Lee's 7 yr old daughter is here for the week, so I wanted to make her visit a good one, and do some fun things with her...so we decided to go to the zoo...Mobile Zoo...so we pack a lunch and off we go...believe it or not, it is only a few miles from our house....we follow the signs, and then we come to the end of the paved road...and after travelling a bit on the dirt road, we arrive at the zoo....the parking lot is small and can hold about 4 cars....(I thought..."ok"...with raised eyebrows)we entered was met by a nice man in blue jeans with Hank Williams SR playing in the background....we pay our fee and buy some peanuts to feed the animals....our first encounter was with a collection of birds...very pretty....(Scorchy would have loved them!!!)...off in a small room was a collection of lizards and such....there was a HUGE lizard....a monitor...I swear it was dead!!....anyway..off we go to visit the other animals....and at this point it is obvious that funding for this zoo is little... they had quite a few black bears...a beautiful zebra...some donkeys...deer....some animals I have never heard of....some tigers...they were pacing in the cage....I walked up to look at them and one of the females turned to walk away from me ..lifted her tail and sprayed at me...OMG..she just missed me....they actually had a pair of Siberian Tigers born there a few years ago...there was also a lion....and some other animals....off we go to see the monkeys....(I warned Tory that monkeys were mean)....so we see a chimpanze...he is a celebrity named Joe...he was in movies (they didn't list which ones) we were just standing there, and he reached down and scooped up a handful of dirt and flung it at us...we took off running....he got it all over my face and in my hair....thank goodness I wear glasses, but I was afraid Tory got it in her eyes....amazingly enough she didn't....we left the monkey area.....(I guess I would be all pi$$y if I had to live in a cage too)...
...anyway....it is a very small place and most the "wild" animals are in small cages....and I was sad...
...we did have a good day tho...why does peanut butter and jelly sandwiches always taste better on a trip?????”

“oh...and the Shrimp Festival is this weekend!!!”

“your lucky it was dirt he threw and not poop!”

“LOL...yes...VERY lucky......in fact all the monkeys there were unhappy!!!!!
..so sad.....”

“having been to Mobile once I can understand why all the animals were unhappy”

“Oh shut up Ewker!!!”

“That wasn't dirt. ;-)

I didn't know Mobile had a zoo and I live less than an hour away.

Take her to see the Battleship!”

“LOL Divinity My father got a good spraying once from a tiger years ago!! Thats their little joke I guess.They know they cant get through the bars and get you but they arent totally helpless.lol They dont say "mean as cat pee"for nothing!! Alot of those little private zoos dont get any outside funding,so they cant really set em up fancy.
last edited: 10/12/05 12:38:56 PM”

“Stovie....Italy has the leaning tower of Pisa......Mobile has the leaning USS Alabama!!!
http://www.ussalabama.com/html/news/index.cgi?action=fullscreen&primary_key=42

...you live less than an hour away from me????
last edited: 10/13/05 6:22:08 AM”

“bump......Stovie...check out the article about the USS Alabama!!!!”

“Hey, if you were that old you'd have a list to port too!”

“Ok....where was Stovie yesterday...I want him to see this article!!!!!!...maybe.....just maybe....he was actually working....(lol...hahahahahaha)”

“Good Morning....did ya'll miss me???
...probably not.....oh well....


..I am now home....woooo hoooo....

total miles..........2420
total gas cost......$250.00
total gas............75 gallons
total states visited...8
total bag nights.......2
worst mpg..............29.29mpg
best mpg...............38.2mpg

# of fish caught....0 ...I forgot my poles
animals/birds seen...
deer 11 in one night
alpacas
eagle
muskrats
ducks w/babies
geese w/ babies
herons
coyote
emu
cows/sheep..(the usual farm animals)

trip report later...”

“NS wore me out!!...I am just now getting up!!!! (5:30am)...& I slept like a log last eve!!!!
...We went to the inlaws for a wonderful cookout and then headed to the house to get ready for our trip to Dauphim Island to meet up with Nowslimmer and his family ...they were coming to cross the Mobile Bay on the ferry that takes them to Ft Morgan...

....when almost home, I realised I didn't get our cooler from Lee's mama's....MAYBE someone else remembered it!!!...I took it with me #1 because I thought we were leaving from there ...& #2 to get the drinks on ice as soon as possible since we were expecting record high temps ( which NS informed me that he had seen temps in the 115 range at Lake Mead..( omg that is wayyyy too hot for me!!!)

......earlier when I had loaded the car, I grabbed my beach chair...I took it and beat it on the ground a few times, because a few days ago, I was cleaning off the porch and when I picked up the chair, I noticed a frog on it....just a small one..about 2"....anyways...I beat it a few times on the ground to make sure the frog was gone....as I walked around the front of my car, Lee's 16 yr old daughter, beeped the horn at me.....of course the reaction she got was the one she wanted....it scared the H$LL out of me...I jumped a mile or two.....
...so I put the chair in the back seat...off we go....when we arrived at Lee's mamas I opened the back door to get the cooler out and there sat a frog....just enjoying himself and I figured he was wondering where we were going next....so I got a stick and forced him OUT of my car...sorry..I don't pick up froggie hitch hikers!!!!...he jumped out and went INTO the hubcap...I have no idea what became of him after that....I am hoping he got hot and jumped off into the woods...yes...I am going to think that....
...so I took the cooler inside, cause it was sooo hot out...and there it stayed..and still is....

...anyway....about 1/8th of a mile from our house..I remembered the cooler....arriving home, to find that no one else remembered it either......oh well.....so when I arrive, the teens say they want to take my Mustang convertible, cause they wanna ride with the top down, so we transfer the beach stuff to the Mustang...not as much trunk space as the Escort, and there was NO room for the cooler anyway!!!!...if you have ever ridden in a convertible in the heat, you know that it is HOT in a convertible with the top down!!!!....and it messes up your hair....so I am going to meet NS with sweaty, messed up hair....(sorta like backpacking!!!!!)
...it was a nice drive.....hot & windy!!!.....we drove by the ferry boat ...past Fort Gaines, and to the beach....NS and his family arrived soon there after. Paul looked the same as when I had seen him last in Cumberland Gap a few years ago!!!....and was as witty as ever!!!...(I think he even tried to hit on me)....but moving a little slower....and like a TRUE Backpacker, had on his zip off hiking pants, a pair of Crocks, and a walking stick!!!....
.....I met Claudia, his pretty daughter...and Hannah his beautiful granddaughter!!!..who had colored two pictures of the Jetson's for me!!!....( they now hang on my fridge!!!!!!!).....we got our chairs, and sat on the beach....there was a wonderful breeze, so you didn't notice the heat...Hannah enjoyed the hermit crabs and playing in the sand!!!
..we chatted about TT folks....TT trips...Backpacking equipment....our aches and pains....and our future plans....and before we knew it, it was time for them to get to the ferry.....we walked them to the vehicle, and I hugged Paul goodbye.....
...off they drove and we went back to the beach, and just enjoyed the beauty...and the hermit crabs going back into the water.....the ride home was worth the hot ride there”

“OMG!!!...my car is full of sand.....the kids found live sand dollars!!!..I had never seen one before....very interesting!!!!”

“NS....did your granddaughter have a ball at the beach???????....if so, we have it and will ship it to her if you email me your address...
youngathrt2002@yahoo.com
...if not ....we have a new ball!!!!.....shoot...send me your addy and we will ship it to her anyways!!!!!.....that and a hermit crab!!!!!!!!!....ok..ok...I won't.....it might get a little stinky!!!!!...hugs”

“Great report Divinity. I don't pick up frogs either. =)”

“LOL.....at night they hang on the windows....and sometimes get very noisy!!!!! (in fact...I hear them now...LOL..)
...my daughter from Ohio called me yesterday and was surprized to find that there are tree frogs there!!!

..OH and by the way.....my daughter and her husband are getting custody of their niece (9yrs)...so I am a GREAT AUNTIE....BUT more like a GRANDMA!!!!!”

“Hi Claudia! It's Claudia - I may just have to get registered for trailtalk myself, lol, I'm here with Dad at the hospital and he is doing great.

We had a great time,Thank You! Hannah enjoyed playing with Lee's daughter and boyfriend a lot, she told her Dad about how she poured water on Mike's head and the "pool" he was digging for her. You guys have a new ball! Theres no need to ship it here, we have more.”

“Thanks!!!....& we had a GREAT time too!!!....Hannah is precious!!!!...Tell her I love her pics and they are on my fridge!!!....Michael is a good sport & loves kids!!!!!...
...you should register here.....a nice bunch of folks!!!...well for the most part!!!!...lol...

hugs!!!”

“...I got off work Thursday, and stopped by the Saraland WalMart for a few last minute items..8 lbs.of Conecuh sausage( had to get some for my daughter too) ...dropped them in the cooler & hit the road.....& headed for Hartselle & my daughter's place...made good time & GREAT gas mileage... 35 MPG...pretty good!!!
...arrived @ my daughter's & visited with her for awhile before going to bed....my eyes slammed shut & I slept like a log!!!...woke up early..showered....& off to have coffee with my son...@ the Java Jay, in Decatur where he works...& we visited for awhile & I was "coffeed" up!!!
...off to pick up Wendy ( who at this point had no trail name) & got her packed up & ready to go....off to a last minute trip to Walmart....we found some awesome wool socks...& to my JOY they were PINK!!!!...wooo hooooo!!!!
...it had been raining all morning......BUT now it was really raining...so we went to lunch at Panera...yummmmm.....we then headed for the trailhead.....we drove to hartselle & headed west on 36 to Wren...got a call from Jerbear....he & Om were in Decatur getting fuel....so I gave them directions & we drove on to the store in Wren to use "The Last Bathroom" before Bankhead Forest... Wendy got some CornNuts...lol....yuck...off we go....we headed south on 33 to the trail head....it had stopped raining....but once we got on the Forest Service road where it turned to "mud" it got scarey...I have a Ford Escort & we slowed WAY down & tried to stay on the road.....slipped & slid to our destination!!!...
... we arrived @ the trail head & met Slowroller....& put on our packs & headed upstream....wasn't too bad....until we got to the washed out part....I have no clue where the trail went or what happened....but when we saw the trail way above us..we headed to it...uphill...STEEP uphill...Slowroller was kind enough to help me @ one point...so I didn't have to crawl...Thanks!!!!....Wendy was a trooper!!!!...she did well....even tho it wasn't raining, we got wet from the rain in the trees.... I twisted my ankle...& it is still sore as we speak!!!!....we arrived to a small creek & was greeted by Hoi, Fridgy & Toph...the guys had built a "bridge" of rocks so we didn't have to wade in the water!!!!....wow...what great guys!!!!...folks trickled into the campsite.....we set up the tent...settled in....walked to see the falls...which were awesome!!!!....
...our campfire was awesome!!!!....& the company was GREAT...lots of stories & laughing!!!!...they decided Wendy should be called something with "rabbit" in it since she has 8 kids...lol...so they named her "TrixieRabbit"...which I think the name Trixie is cute for her!!!...didn't ya'll just love her hat???
...Wendy & I had supper....ramen noodles with a bunch of "Just Veggies" added....it was yummy...& some hot tea....
...OM treated us to Brownies & popcorn!!!!...yummmmmm!!!!
..Stomper treated us to cheese & crackers...yummmmm!!!
..we went to bed & I slept good until about 2 ....tossed & turned after that.....I didn't know...but Wendy had been sick all night ...bless her heart...when I got up the next am, she was green...I swear it!!!!...we asked if anyone was hiking out ...Jerbear & Om were & they were kind enough to walk her out & take her to Wren for her husband to pick her up....Jerbear & Om...I want to thank you again for doing that for me....Please forgive me...I don't think I could have hiked out & back in on my ankle....& thanks for bringing back "THE best sausage EVER"....Conecuh sausage from Evergreen, Alabama in Conecuh County...I hope everyone enjoyed it!!!!! ( you should taste it in dirty rice & in a shrimp boil...or with pancakes!!!!!...yummmm)
...SuperTroll & Fridgy get the award for having the brightest headlamps....
...Spam treated us all to "Spam burritoes" for breakfast...they were yummy!!!!!
...I stayed around the camp and rested my ankle...when our bushwackers returned, some of them were scratched & bloody....SuperTroll got out his emergency kit & fixed em up!!!!
...will we ever know if the bear tracks Fridgy found were real???
...Om fried up a bunch of gator tail...yummmm....
...ya'll know the best part of the trips are the campfires!!!!...lots of great stories.....lots of laughs...making new friends...visiting with old ones....margaritas...comparing gear....comparing our lives...our hopes...our dreams....our accomplishments...our lossess....
...and each trip...I meet more wonderful folks from TT...and my circle of friends grow...
...I'm not sure which night it happened, but SuperTroll wowed us with his quickness & agility...as he saved himself from rolling into the creek, after the 3 legged chair he was sitting on ( on an incline, which is not a good idea) tipped over....
...and Jerbear showed us how talented he was by crossing the moss covered log across the creek and back....
...the hike out was nice....we went the correct trail out & it sure was easier....we found a margarita glass on the way out...wonder where that came from!!!!....
...some of us wanted to eat, so we went to a nice little chinese place in Hartselle and pigged out!!!...Stomper, Om, Jerbear, Precision, TNWarEagle, crashbang...
...then I carried Jerbear to my daughter's so he could shower before his flight home & I got to visit with her for a bit....drove to the airport & dropped Jerbear off....stopped by Wendy's to grab my gear...she didn't look green anymore!!!!!...and hit I-65 headed for Mobile!!!...arrived home about 9pm....
...thanks SuperTroll for the little lantern light...I love it!!! sorry...you are now the #2 gear slut...Fridgy took the #1 gear slut place....
...Jerbear...thanks for the clothesline!!!..it is way cool...& thanks for bringing Trixie a stove!!!...I gave her a bottle of fuel so she can "Play" with it!!!
...Om, Stomper, crash, TNWarEagle, TooMuch, sticks, Spam, so good to meet ya'll!!!
..and so good to see Hoi, Fridgy, SuperTroll, Toph, Karo, precision, Stew, BusyBee, & Jerbear again!!!!
...so good to meet Chocky & Angie!!!
...Rabbitman...thanks for the visit..& your puppy is adoreable!!!
..and so many others were missed!!!

...I am sure I left out sooo much...some by accident & some on purpose...lol....
...share the wealth....lol....”

“i'm jealous”

“I had to chuckle at your first TR, sitting up in bed surprised by a coyote nearby. I and a friend hiked to the top of Asgard pass, and set up a tent. My brother was going to come up later, and arrived after dark at the top of the pass. He saw a tent, and thinking it was ours, he snuck up to it, stuck his head in the door, and did a wolf howl. But it was not our tent. Some poor folks got the crap scared out of them!”

“LMAO.....OMG.....hahahahahahahaaaaa.....funny one!!!!!!”

“I can't wait to go here!!!!

http://www.kingtut.org/plan_your_visit?location=atlanta”

“That is killer cool!!!”

“...so...my sweetie drops me off at Family Dollar to pick up some "Mean Green"...he is driving his daughters purple truck, so he can fill it up with gas....I go into the store and quickly pick up my MG...I go to the register...and the lady in front of me has to call home for the pin number of her debit card...the clerk can't find the phone...so she hits the alert button to make the phone beep so she can find it....a beeping noise is heard a few rows away...and the clerk finds the phone...so... while the woman who needs her pin for her card calls whoever, the clerk takes everyone in the line that has now formed to another register, and checks us out....
...out the door I go with my purchase...the sun blinding me...and I walk up to a truck...thinking...boy... the truck sure looks blue in this sun today...and I open the door...to my surprise, an old man is sitting in the drivers seat with a look of total surprise...I hear a voice yell "Claudia" from across the parking lot....and I walk to the correct vehicle... laughing so hard I am crying....
...sometimes I have sooo much fun!!!!!!”

“who you calling old, seenile, lol”

“...ok....older than I am....lol...”

“Pick me up at the family dollar? NEVER! Women never even make eye contact with me in a store. Besides, I'm right here in Indiana!”

“an old man is sitting in the drivers seat with a look of total surprise

Ha Ha, I bet he was thinking "Hello, how YOU doin' darling"”

“LOL....he was probably in his 70s and his mouth and eyes, were open VERY wide.....lol....

lol...meangreen....
last edited: 1/05/09 7:17:58 PM”