Stormy Weather in More Ways Than One

When we left Vicksburg we headed straight towards bad weather. As Russ drove I checked various weather sites and radars to track the storm as it moved across Mississippi and Alabama. We were right on the lower edge of the storm when we stopped at the Alabama Welcome Center to let the storm get ahead of us. I was feeling pretty cocky when we got back on the road again since the weather front had moved away from us. Just a few hours and we'd be in our next stop, Jasper, Alabama. I planned to be all set up and relaxing at our new campground by early afternoon.

After a quick stop for fuel about twenty miles west of Tuscaloosa, we drove back onto I-20. Just as I was reading some fascinating fact from the Alabama Visitors book to Russ, the lights on the motorhome dash lit up like a pinball machine. Believe me, it's a sad sight to see an RV disabled on the shoulder of the road but we had no choice but to pull over.

Russ is meticulous in taking care of our vehicles so we weren't expecting any kind of mechanical problem. After some emergency troubleshooting he realized it involved broken belts for the water pump and radiator fan. To make a long painful story shorter--but no less painful--five hours after we pulled over the RV was towed to a repair shop. Of course it was Sunday--and nighttime by then--so no repairs were started until the next day. What do RVers do when their vehicle/home is in the shop? They do what we did: check into a nearby motel and hope for the best.

Power trucks waiting for the storm

Meanwhile, a huge storm was brewing that was coming right at us in Tuscaloosa on Monday. All day we alternated between fretting about what was happening with the RV and what was happening with the weather. Early Monday evening a caravan of power company trucks filled with guys from  other states pulled into the motel, ready to restore power after the storm. About 9:30 pm the tornado sirens went off and the weather alert on our phones started blaring. We gathered the essentials--wallets, phones, etc.--and stood by the bathroom in our raincoats, ready to dive into the tub in case the tornado hit. Listening to the street names on the Weather Channel we could hear that the tornado was close, so close that it touched down within a half-mile of us. Luckily it missed us, although the same storm system resulted in tornadoes in several of the areas we had just left.

I wish I could say we were so lucky on our RV repair story. It turned out to be a disaster. When we went to pick the RV up, not all the repairs had been made. Russ had to direct the fixes for repair work that had been done incorrectly or not done at all. Six long hours after we were supposed to be able to drive away in it we finally took off, only to have the dreaded "Check engine" light come on before we had even driven a mile. So back to the shop we went. After some pretty intense conversation with the shop owner and more repair work, Russ felt like we could drive safely to our next destination.

After the hassle of the morning and several hours of travel we were both tired and stressed. What a relief when we pulled into our next campground-- a beautiful Corps of Engineers park at the Corinth Recreation Area near tiny Double Springs, Alabama.  The park is absolutely breathtaking. Our site was surrounded by trees and was just a short walk from the lake. After the turmoil of the last few days, it was blissfully quiet and peaceful.

The view from one of the trails through the COE park where we stayed

Markers at  my great-great-great grandparents graves

We went to that part of Alabama so I could do some research into family members who lived there in the mid-1800s. So Russ spent a day fixing yet more things on the RV until he was satisfied everything was back in good working order while I searched through genealogy books at the town library. Always an optimist, I could imagine discovering letters or photos of my ancestors buried among all the materials there. Of course, I didn't find that but I did come up with a few helpful finds including a map of a  nearby cemetery where my great-great-great grandparents are buried.

Our time in Alabama definitely wasn't our best on the road but there were a few bright spots. I found a great needlework shop in Tuscaloosa, Serendipity Needle Works, where I bought some beautiful yarn. 

Brisket sandwich with all the trimmings

Continuing our Eating Our Way Across the South tour, Russ had some of what was voted "the best barbeque in Alabama" at a place called Jim N Nick's.  He even managed to find a deli serving vegan food for me at Manna Kitchen in Tuscaloosa. 

The day after we ate here 

On the other hand, maybe we should have taken it as a sign of things to come when the restaurant we ate at our first night in Tuscaloosa was not only closed but torn apart for remodeling the very next morning.

After everything that happened in Alabama, we were happy to cross the state line into Tennessee and start a new chapter on our trip.

More photos from our trip to Alabama

This is the only remaining building in Houston, Alabama, the community where Thomas Jackson York, my great-great grandfather was born in 1819. 

Winston--the county we were in--was so divided during the Civil War that there was a movement to secede from the state of Alabama and remain part of the Union, earning it the nickname "The Free State of Winston".  This half Union/half Confederate statue across from the courthouse symbolizes the dual loyalties among the county residents then.    

House completely covered in license plates we spotted on a back road.  It looks like a big piece of folk art to me.