The bridge to....

.....Mt. Pleasant, Sullivan's Island the Isle of Palms and Patriot's Point.  We enjoyed a great Harley over this fabulous bridge to enjoy several unique sites just east of Charleston.  

Fort Moultrie, which served as coastal fortification for two centries, is located on Sullivan's island.  It is located just across the water from the famed Fort Sumpter where the first engagement of the Civil War took place.

Patriots Point is located at the mouth of Charleston Harbor.

Just several hundred feet from the Atlantic Ocean, these homes are very unique and built to withstand water from flooding and hurricane winds....hopefully.

FOOD in Charleston!

We enjoyed several meals in the Charleston area...some good and some not so good and some very interesting.

We were encouraged to taste the 'southern east coast' barbeque and compare it to Memphis barbeque.   While we enjoyed the vinegary and mustardy flavors, we both agreed we still like the Memphis barbeque best.

 Our friends/neighbors, Janie and Phil, suggested several restaurants and we decided to sampleMagnolia's in downtown Charleston.  It did not disappoint.

Our new friends, Eddie and Lisa, suggested a unique restaurant, Bowen's Island, on the way to Folly Beach.  Without a doubt, it was one of the greatest experiences.  Most enjoyed oysters delivered to their table with a coal shovel and a 5 gallon bucket for the shells.  Hub was very brave and ate 'shrimp and grits'.  He liked them!  This restaurant was located at the end of a narrow dirt road.  It consisted of several suspiciously rickety buildings right on the water.  We were treated to the music of a unique trio easily our age.  Wonderful!  Thanks to Eddie for the pics.

And last but not least, following another tip from Eddie, we ate at Bimini in Myrtle Beach....where the locals eat.  Sorry, no pics.

Alabama

We are currently in the eastern portion of Alabama.  Our goal is Charleston, SC where we hope to chill for a while.  Actually the terrain of this part of Alabama is very different from the Mississippi Delta which is very flat (perfect for growing cotton).  This part of Alabama has rolling hills dotted by forests of pine trees.  Spring has sprung here as the trees are budding.  It's good to see.

Just before we retired to our comfy bed, I took this pic of the full moon.  It looks a little spooky.

Memphis

Greetings from the mid-south.  Last evening, we enjoyed some of the famous Memphis sites.   The famous Memphis bridge, dinner at Rendezvous  followed by music on Beale Street. 
Since we lived here for 4 1/2 years, we also had the opportunity to visit some friends which was an added bonus.  Missy and Steve hosted a get together consisting of many TKE co-workers of hub.  It was a fabulous evening.  Katchen got to visit Robert, Maggie and Dwayne.  What a treat!

New Orleans...

...from a bridge.  We had a lovely time!  We are in the middle of a cross country trip we have looked forward to for many years.  We left our home in West Linn, OR on February 4, and have traveled about 5000 miles so far. 

Incredible architecture....

We were in New Orleans many years ago so have looked forward to visiting the big easy for quite a while.  It did not disappoint.  We ate some fabulous food, saw some beautiful homes, some residual Katrina ruins and of course....the French Quarter.

....in the Garden District.

Entertainment...

...in the French Quarter.  Below is just a few examples of the street entertainment. 

Breakfast

Beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe Du Monde.....

Awesome buildings...

The old buildings in the French Quarter were surprisingly in tact after hurricane Katrina!  As you can see, I just couldn't resist shooting endless photos.  It is still a magical city.

Signs, trolley,s and more

The French Quarter is unique to say the least....

Wierd signs, horns sitting in the street, a

horse drawn carriage, a very old, but fully

operational trolley and a sign promising

great gumbo (it delivered)!

Swamp tour

We spent a cloudy, rainy day cruising in a flat-bottomed boat on what is called a Swamp Tour of Honey Island in Slidell, LA.  We were promised views of several critters including alligators, but were told it was too cold for the alligators to show themselves.  We saw several water birds and a captive alligator when we returned to the office.

We also saw a bit of damage left over from hurricane Katrina.

Apache Junction

We enjoyed a Harley ride to Apache Junction where we first visited a ghost town, then traveled to the end of the road (Yes!  It was closed due to rain...in Arizona) where there was a lake.  It was a great ride.

The smell of the fresh cinnamon rolls was too good to pass up, so we enjoyed them with Superstition Mountain as a backdrop.