More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Ken Lyon
Cross-Country Ramble 36: Dauphin Island
Date: 3/29/98 8:32:09 PM Central Standard Time
From the top of the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge, we coast onto Dauphin Island, Alabama, at 20 mph. What a rush! We turn left at the water tower and pedal the mile and half to the Gulf Breeze motel, one of two small motels on this fourteen-mile island. Our room is light, airy and spacious. We lean our bikes against the front porch railing and crash for our afternoon nap.
Ken says at dinner, "It would be a shame just to pedal past all of this without taking some time here. " I readily agree to stay an extra day.
Someone else's picture of the beach on Dauphin Island.
In the morning we cross the road and take a walk on the beach. The sand is as white as sheets on a clothesline. Hundreds of small shells have washed up in the tide. I love to pick up shells, identify them when I can, and take them home. This time I have to leave them. Pedaling 400 miles to the Atlantic Ocean with a sack of shells doesn't make sense.
We get on our bikes and slowly pedal three miles through hundreds of Southern Pines toward the Estuarium . We swing onto the bicycle path as soon as we see it. Just when I think the blooming azaleas can not be any bigger than they had been in Louisiana and Mississippi, we go past bushes up to the corner of the roofs of the houses. Huge blooming azaleas, southern pine trees, white sand beach and a bike path; it doesn't get much better than this.
At the Estuarium I try to recall what I learned in fifth grade geography about estuaries. It's hazy. The displays inside explain about the estuaries and delta of Mobile Bay. They have live examples of the aquatic life in the salt, fresh, and brackish water on Dauphine Island. The importance of these waters as a natural filtration system is also explained. We step outside after seeing the displays and see with new eyes what the displays are showing. If we were here often we could see so much more.
We pedal back to our motel and walk across the street to one of the three restaurants on the island for lunch. After lunch, Ken takes a nap but I can't sleep.
I keep thinking about the beach. I decide to take another walk on it. As I climb past the small sand dunes, I take my shoes off. I just have to feel that sand on my feet. Ah yes, it's just as wonderful as it looks. The crunch of the sand under my feet sounds like the crunch of snow when it is very cold. One or two others are walking along and a couple of children are playing in the waves. I walk and walk, sometimes kicking the sand and other times letting it squish through my toes. Finally, I sit down with my back up to the dunes and listen to the small Gulf waves. I watch the sandpipers run up and down the shore looking for dinner. My hands dig into the sand. I let it run through my fingers. I pick up more and examine it closely. Its grains really are the size of sugar. It feels so good on my hands and feet. After a long time, I start back. I walked dreamily along the sand, into the water and back across the sand dune. I just put my sandy feet into my shoes. I want to remember this sand.
On the way back to the motel, I pass a realtor's office. I hope no one comes out and tries to sell me a time-share or a condo now. I would just say yes and sign on the dotted line.
I'd love to come here often.
Carol
Itinerary (days from Ventura, CA, in ( )'s)
- Day 20 (79) Bay St. Louis, MS
- Day 21 (80) Biloxi, MS
- Day 22-23 (81-82) Dauphin Island, AL
- Day 24 (83) Orange Beach, AL
- Day 25 (84) Pensacola, FL
- Day 26 (85) Crestview, FL
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