Cycling the Underground Railroad

 DAY 2:  MOBILE TO HUBBARD LANDING 

Today was the start of our journey north, to "Canaan," the Biblical Promised Land, which is the code name slaves used for Ontario, Canada, which outlawed slavery in 1793.  (The British Commonwealth banned slavery in its territories worldwide in 1834.)

I started out by going back through Africatown and crossing the bridge over the Mobile River.  It was a bit foggy,  so I had to ride carefully on the shoulder.

Foggy morning crossing the Mobile Bay bridge.

For the next 15 miles I rode along the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.   The tide was in, and sometimes it felt like I was pedalling right on the water!  The route took me past the USS Alabama, "The Mighty A."  This battleship served in both the North Atlantic and Pacific during World War II, and led the American fleet into Tokyo Harbor in 1945. It is one huge boat!

Retired WWII battleship U.S.S. Alabama, docked in Mobile Bay.

At Spanish Fort (I bet it's difficult to figure out why this town has this name), we turned our backs to the sea and began "following the drinking gourd."  In a few miles we came upon Historic Blakely State Park, site of the last major battle of the Civil War.  The Confederates were holding down three miles of trenches.  The fighting was intense, but the Union broke through and eventually captured Mobile.

Civil War cannon at Blakely Battlefield, the last major battle of the Civil War.

Traffic was steady, and the hilly route became what seemed like an endless series of ups and downs (but not as gruelling as forthcoming days, I would learn).  Though most of the road was carved through forests, there were a few clearings, with equine greeters to welcome me.

A few of the beautiful horses seen on the ride through Alabama.

There are similarities between rural southern Alabama and the Southwest.  (There are certainly differences--everything is green and wet here!)  The long strrtches without any services is somewhat similar.  So about 40 miles into today's ride,  I was thrilled to see the Stagecoach Cafe in Stockton.  (I admit,  I never associated stagecoaches with Alabama.)  But this is a thriving local hangout (the only restaurant I saw since Spanish Fort).  

One wouldn't associate stage coaches with Alabama, but in the early 1800s this was the "West."

I stopped and ordered the blacked shrimp salad, figuring there would be 2 or 3 pieces of shrimp on a huge bed of lettuce.   I was greatly mistaken.  Wouldn't been surprised if there was half to three-quarters of a pound of luscious seafood stacked on top.  Gotta love being close to the Gulf!

After almost 50 miles of pedalling,  I ended up at Hubbard Landing on the Tensaw River.  A fisherman's hideout more than a campground,  this would be home for the night.  I took these photos the following morning. 

Camping at Hubbard Landing, AL

Tensaw Lake/River, AL

Another wet, foggy morning.

Today's Mileage: 49.7

Total Distance to date:  64.8 miles