May 2, 2007
Bayou LaBatre to Orange Beach, Alabama
Coastal Alabama
Although I was excited for the events of the day, my digestive system was still in turmoil and I wasn't very hungry. Stan ate a good breakfast while I just picked at a few things. Soon, we were rolling on Alabama Route 188 and getting closer to the open waters. At the small town of Coden, we began to see boats and the channels that led out to the Gulf.
Dauphin Island is a barrier island, lying at the mouth of Mobile Bay, where it meets the Gulf of Mexico. It is shaped somewhat like a tadpole, with a large Eastern "head" and a long Western "tail." Locally, it is a popular beach destination but many people have never heard of the place. I had read about it, years before and had it on my bicycling bucket list for sometime before I learned that Katrina had done some damage to the island. Today, we were going to get there. From Coden, we continued East on Route 188 to Alabama Port. From there, we took Route 193 South. The road was essentially a long bridge over to the island. It had a wide shoulder and light traffic that day, making it a very low stress ride. Being out over the water, smelling the sea, and feeling the cool breeze was tremendous.
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On Dauphin Island, a few homes were being rebuilt while others appeared to be relatively intact. The Western portion of the island absorbed the greatest impact from the storm but it is also less inhabited. We were planning to catch the Mobile Bay Ferry over to our next destination and as we approached the dock, the next scheduled voyage was leaving shortly. We bought tickets, boarded, and were soon moving out across the bay.
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At the other end of our ferry ride was Fort Morgan, a strategic point at the end of a long peninsula and at the mouth of Mobile Bay. It played important military roles during the Civil, Spanish American, WW I, and WW II wars. Today, some of the old batteries are still standing and are open to tourists. There are, also, all of the usual beaching and fishing activities to enjoy.
Heading East, from Fort Morgan, we rode along several miles of peaceful Gulf of Mexico shoreline. Near the town of Gulf Shores, there were the usual beach communities and golf courses but in many spots, there were just miles of sandy beaches. I had never thought about Alabama as a beach destination but after having seen its coastline, I was intrigued. Our final stop for the day was Orange Beach, which was also a surprisingly typical coastal vacation town, replete with the usual restaurants, bars, hotels, entertainment, and a beautiful beach. There was a really nice bike lane with an accompanying parallel pedestrian/running lane. A number of people seemed to be here, as well, perhaps getting an early start on vacation season.
This day's ride along the Alabama Coastline was very beautiful, relatively stress free, and quite enjoyable. Rides like this one are what you hope for on a long distance bicycle tour.
Today's ride: 51 miles (82 km)
Total: 290 miles (467 km)
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