DAY 155: MOBILE - LOXLEY, ALABAMA

US 90, as it enters West MOBILE, ALABAMA, is a divided 4 lane highway. Last night SPIA parked in the back lot of a Tire Company. This morning, the Manager agreed we could stay the morning while I walked 6 miles back towards GRAND BAY, Alabama; then I walked into MOBILE, ALABAMA to the Residential Area and back to SPIA, a walk of over 5 hours...and it was a good thing I added a few miles. Planned to drive into the city, park, and walk across the US 90 Bridge over Mobile Bay. No such luck. Considerable construction was going on in the downtown and Mobile Bay area with US 90 and I-10.

The US 90 bridge was not open. US 90 was routed North about 5 miles on I 65, then another detour South for 10 miles or so, and finally over a new Suspension Bridge and on to a place called Spanish Fort. All the while, I-10 East and West was also routed along with US 90.

Bottom line - no walking on US 90 until reaching Spanish Fort, which turned out to be the top of a low hill with two shopping centers and some major Corporation buildings. No signs directing one to the Fort.

What should have taken 10 minutes from MOBILE, took over a half hour to reach Spanish Fort.

I must admit there were MANY interesting subjects for photography...simply no place to pull over to take a pic. One exception was the USS ALABAMA BATTLESHIP, which was on display together with many other war machines - planes, tanks, guns, etc. I nearly stopped, but decided to continue on.


Please say HELLO to Larusch. As I was nearing completion of the downtown leg of the morning walk, Larusch was walking toward me...came up to me...Excuse Me, Sir, but do you have eighty five cents I can have?

I don't think so...but why $0.85?

My Grandma suffered a stroke an hour ago. She lives downtown and is in the Hospital. I am trying to get to her. Eighty Five cents is bus fare downtown.

I looked thru my Zip Lock Bag (where I keep my $$ and ID, etc - to keep it dry from perspiration). I had $0.40, a five and a ten dollar bill. I figured, what the heck...lots of folks have helped me...as I handed Larusch the $5.00.

He had a stoic look on his face...no surprise...no emotion at all...just looked at me as he accepted the money.

One thing I ask you, Larusch...please use some of the money to buy your Grandma a flower when you see her.

Yes Sir, I will...I will...as he walked quickly away...



The side street on the right is where Larusch and I were walking. US 90 is below on the left.

Walked by this nondescript building with the sign VIXENS. A Postman was driving out of the parking. I walked over to him and "dumbly" asked what kind of business was that.

Oh, that's a Strip Club...as he pulled into traffic. I walked up to the door, turned the knob...

It was locked.

I hailed this Gardner riding his hi-tech mower. He pulled over and put the engine in idle.

That looks like lots of fun...do they really pay you to drive it?

Nah, I pay them for letting me ... really is lots of fun...as he put it in gear and roared off...no goodbye...no smile.

I was kidding him...I wonder if he was kidding too.

Two more gardeners were trimming a large home frontage. I had a new bottle of ice water, walked over to the second fellow and without a word offered him - and he accepted - the water.

I received the ice water bottle from a lady working in a LOAN FOR YOUR TITLE Company.

One sees such companies in nearly every town, but here in the deep south, two or three pop up in each town...sometimes two or three in a single block. I walked into the office and learned the following:

Whatever I say you can put in your blog...but no names and no photographs.

Paraphrased: You have a car worth $10,000.00 and bring in the title as collateral for a loan.

Maximum loan is $5,000.00

Monthly Interest is $499.00

There is NO time limit...as long as you pay the $499.00, which is ALL applied to "interest".

Pay the $499.00 before the last day of the month, the $499.00 is reduced on a straight line basis; i.e., pay on the 15th, you pay only 50% for that month. The balance can be applied to the Principal.

As the Principal is reduced, the Interest $$ is also reduced.

This process continues until the entire $5,000.00 is paid off.

I have no further comment !

On US 90 near SPANISH FORT, I found a spot to park SPIA. I then walked back 6 miles toward SPANISH FORT and returned to SPIA.

These Greenhouses were being torn to shreds by the stiff wind blowing. As I walked by them, two Men stopped me asking if I owned them...they were interested to buy them. No...don't know who owns them...OK thanks, as I continued my walk.

On my fourth and final walk of today, I happened walk to these Greenhouses again, where I turned back to SPIA, now parked in the next town, LOXLEY, ALABAMA. The same two guys were just pulling out of the driveway to the Greenhouses.

Any luck, I asked...yes, we found the owner, who is very angry because folks been stealing her Greenhouse buildings at night...she says they are not for sale. We chatted a bit more about the 18-wheeler one of them owns which he is going to drive North to try to find work.

More on "Black Waters". These waters are crystal clear...

The water in this stream is so clear, that one cannot see it as it flows about 4 inches deep over the white sand in the center.

US 90 near the town of LOXLEY, ALABAMA.

US 90 as it rounds the final bend into LOXLEY. Quite a change from the Boulevard
as it goes through MOBILE.

Cows lined up in single file along the fence to get at the shade from the row of trees.

The Ranch House belonging to the shaded animals.

DAILY UPDATE: Made 4 walks today: 6 miles, 16 miles, 6 miles, & 6 more miles = 34 miles

SEE YOUR IMPACT.ORG: Credit 34 miles @ $0.02 = $0.68 for the day.

This afternoon, I stopped in at the Civic Center of LOXLEY, who kindly allowed SPIA to park overnight in the Ball Field Parking Lot. In the morning, I will walk South on US 90 and then switch to CR 59, which leads to the Gulf Coast and US 98.

Have decided I will walk the rest of the Florida Panhandle directly on the Gulf Coast where it meets up with US 27 in about 250 miles. Will then take US 27 to ORLANDO.

Have again tried MICROSOFT instead of FIREFOX to create today's Blog...never again...

OK...BIG PROBLEM. Police just kicked me out of their parking lot...saying the persons giving me approval earlier in the afternoon did not have authority. Now I must pack up everything in the dark and go find a place to park for the night...and I don't see so well as I should to drive in unfamiliar places at night. Oh, well...

Wonder why small villages like this have such restrictions on perfectly good public areas ...oh, what's the use...I know the drill !!!