Glamping Days

Short drive today along the Gulf coast from Alabama into Florida.   Scouted Big Lagoon State Park, liked it, & put it on the list for a future trip. At an intersection in a small town, 1 or 2 of these pelicans were on each side, & each was painted for one of the military branches; while stopped at the light, I snagged a sidewise pic of this one representing the Navy.                                        Fort Pickens State Park fronts the Atlantic Ocean... ... & Pensacola Bay... ... & was sporting some wildflowers.                                  Spending one night at an RV resort on the Bay in Pensacola Beach - way too busy for my taste, but this guy near my site is pretty cute. 

Got a hair cut this morning, then explored Gulf State Park & the towns of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach on the coast of Alabama.   Love beach town kitsch.             

Left Davis Bayou, MS, & drove to Gulf State Park, AL. I'd hoped to poke around Dauphin Island a bit, but there wasn't any place to park the truck/trailer rig outside of a campground. Did drive the whole length of the island, & took a very brief walk on this beautiful beach while illegally parked.                                         Took the ferry across Mobile Bay, the first ferry crossing with the trailer. A flock of sea gulls came along with us, & one rode along on the front of the ferry for a bit. There are oil rigs scattered around Mobile Bay. This pelican stayed on these pilings until the ferry was within 3 feet of it. 

After enjoying the sandhill cranes in Arizona so much some weeks ago, I was drawn to the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. While both are varieties of sandhill cranes, those here in MS are a different subspecies, which is endangered. They're smaller, & they live here year-round; those in AZ just over-winter there. Didn't actually find any cranes today, but it was interesting to see the Refuge & learn about them.                                                                          Back at Davis Bayou in the Gulf Islands Nat Seashore, I hung out with a Great Blue Heron on the edge of the bayou. If he looks cold in the first pic, it's because the heat & humidity moved out this morning, & it's going down to 38* here tonight. 

A brief thinning of the clouds this morning created an unexpected sunrise. I'd planned to take a boat tour through a swamp, but bagged it due to thunder, lightening, & a heavy downpour.                                          Rain & fog were so heavy around noon that I pulled off the highway for a couple of hours. Still got to my campground by mid-afternoon. Will spend the next few days in the Gulf Islands National Seashore in Mississippi, Alabama, & Florida.  

There are concrete & earthen levees & extensive drainage ditches all over this part of LA.                                        I toured Laura, a sugar cane plantation on the Mississippi River.                                              Then I had gumbo & fried oysters at a local dive, which had murals outside, painted restroom doors, & a couple of unique greeters (Yup, they're real.).                                  Driving back to camp along the river, I came upon this big flock of white pelicans. 

 Spent the day in New Orleans, & saw this character immediately after parking.                                            My walking tour started with 2 famous squares.  I arrived on Bourbon Street about 10am to find all the bars open & folks walking around with cocktails; coffee & a beignet suited me better than the bottomless brunch cocktails.                                                                                     Loved the local architecture throughout the city, where even quite modest homes have fun details. One neighborhood has a number of murals.              Remnants of Mardi Gras included bea...