Day 55 - November 3, 2017 - 57.58 miles, 482 feet ascent. 453 feet descent

Ocean Springs, MS to Dauphin Island, AL

I left Camp Jourrney's End this morning with Chris, and we rode hard all day until we reached our destination at Dauphin Island.  There were some slow times, against slight headwinds, but overall, it was one of my faster days.  We crossed the Pascagoula River, into Pascagoula MS, then across the Alabama state line.  This had to be one of the most flat days of riding (and I hate to use the words "flat" and "ride" in the same sentence!)

We were the first ones into camp, but we had not yet had lunch, so after unpacking, setting up our tents, and showering, we were famished.  It was Chris's turn to shop for dinner and tomorrow's breakfast and lunch, and I offered to help carry groceries back.  

So, after showering, we departed for the food section of town, and met Eileen coming into town right as we got to Captain Snapper's.  The three of us had a great lunch.  I had an appetizer of spicy smoked tuna and crackers, and a bowl of gumbo.  Fantastic!   We departed Cap'n Snapper's, and went to the local grocery store, where I waited outside while Chris and Eileen shopped.  I was there merely to carry the food back to camp in my empty panniers (which were no longer empty once the groceries were loaded!)

After depositing the groceries at camp, I set out sightseeing, although I didn't have much time.  First stop was Fort Gaines, about half a mile east.  Unfortunately, it was almost 1700, and too late to get in. I was able to see the outside, and read about some of the history.  The well preserved ramparts of Fort Gaines have guarded the entrance to Mobile Bay for more than 150 years.  It is one of the key sites in the famous Battle of Mobile Bay where Admiral Farragut shouted his now-famous order "Damn the torpedoes!  Full speed ahead!"

After visiting the fort, I rode back toward the bridge, to the west side of the island, where there were mostly single family vacation homes, on stilts.  In fact, almost all the homes on the island were on stilts.  After a few miles, it all looked the same, and I did not have enough time to see it all.  I had heard from a local resident that further west on the island, hurricane Nate changed the geography of the island on October 8 by taking the dunes from the south of the road, and depositing them on the north of the road.  The entire island is more of a sand spit, not very wide.   I was told that the road was six feet under sand after the storm.

The photo of the boat on the side of the road?  Not from a hurricane.  It looked like it had mechanical problems with one of the right wheels and the driver took it too far off the road, into the drainage canal.  Oops!  An accident at sea can ruin your whole day!