Day 36 Bayou La Batre, AL to Dauphin Island, AL Rest Day

June 14

Bayou La Batre, AL to Dauphin Island, AL

22 Miles
110 ft of climbing

Map:


http://www.mapitpronto.com/index.cfm?fuseAction=routePlanner.viewDBRide&rideID=2083
(Complete)


We slept long and late. In ten days, since Austin, we rode over nine hundred miles. We figured on spending our day off in Bayou La Batre but when we finally woke up, went out, and looked around, we decided to instead ride the easy twenty to Dauphin Island were we hoped the scenery would be better.

We rode ten miles or so to Coden and shortly after found ourselves riding beside Mobile Bay. We came to a nice little park, before the bridge began to the island, and pulled in for pictures and a stretch. The leisurely pace was perfect for our "rest day".

We had a good view of the Gordon Persons Bridge which we would soon ride over. It comprises a causeway fifteen feet over the water and almost a mile long. Then there is an elevated main span rising ninety feet over the bay followed by more causeway before the island. The bridge accounted for ninety five percent of the day's climbing.

As we rode onto the island we were flagged down by a gentleman standing next to his pick-up truck on the side of the road. He introduced himself as Ron Fillingim. He told us he was a cyclist and an Adventure Cycling member. He offered us a place to shower and a backyard to pitch our tent. We thanked him for his generous offer but declined saying we were aiming for comfort on the island. He asked where we were staying and we said we hoped to stay at Dauphine House, a B&B that is cyclist friendly. He said he was familiar with it and its owner Carol Clark.

I noticed Ron had a Livestrong bracelet on his wrist and told him we were riding for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. He told us he was recovering from prostate cancer and had been off the bike for awhile. We talked a bit more and asked him for a recommendation on place to eat lunch. He directed us to a café on the golf course where he was on his way to a wedding. We wished each other good luck and off we went.

As we parked our bikes, a local constable walked up and asked us about our ride. We had a nice talk with Constable Kelly and then went inside for lunch. Shortly after we sat down a woman approached us apologizing for interrupting our lunch. She asked if we were with a group. We told her it was just us. She told us she was a massage therapist and had worked on some women that had recently come through with a group of forty five. We told her about riding for LAF and I told her about Deidre. Tears welled in her eyes and she told us her husband had died from cancer four years earlier. I wish Vicki the best.

Shortly after we sat down at Flamingo Faye's, Ron came in to say he had forgotten to ask if we needed any repairs. We said No but thanked him for the offer.

After lunch we headed over to Dauphin House. We arrived and saw, through glass French doors, a big community table set for the next meal. We knocked and entered. Dauphin House is more like an inn than a hotel or bed and breakfast.

We were greeted by Carol and we three sat and talked for awhile. She shared a couple of picture books with us documenting the destructive force of Katrina. We knew we had been riding through the disaster zone. It wasn't until we actually arrived bayside that we saw we were only four feet or so above the water level. It is almost inconceivable the storm surge was greater than twenty five feet in some places. Carol told us Dauphin Island was under four feet of water.

We asked about a dinner spot and Carol recommended we start with a beer at Pelican Pub. We unloaded the bikes into a lovely room that was, fortunately for us the last available.

We had a nice darts tournament and a relaxing afternoon.

Sunday we ride a fairly short sixty five or so to Pensacola, FL where my friend Michael will meet us.

More fun to follow!