Our Route Across the Country – Part 8

We often come up with a rough plan of our route as we travel the country on our year long adventure, but weather often plays a stronger role than any destinations we attempt to outline. So, flexibility, acceptance and patience are all well practiced and frequent reminders on our journey especially during Part 8 of our route map below. And of course, here are links to catch up on any earlier segments of our route and travel highlights:

• Part 1 looped us from Ohio to Maine and back to Ohio.
• Part 2 carried us across the country from Ohio to Montana and to our adventures in and around Glacier National Park.
• Part 3 circled the Olympic Peninsula in and around Olympic National Park.
• Part 4 took us to Crater Lake National Park in Oregon and Redwood National and State Parks in California
  • We also included our extended stay on the Oregon Coast over the holidays in Part 4, as we filled holiday orders for Destination Tree
• Part 5 traversed us through California including Napa Valley, Yosemite, King’s Canyon and Sequoia National Parks
• Part 6 brought us through the Southwest as we explored Joshua Tree National Park, Sedona, The Apache Trail outside of Phoenix, Tombstone and Bisbee.
• Part 7 introduced us to the enormous size and beauty of Texas…from Big Bend National Park to San Antonio, Austin and the Gulf Coast.

Next up…Sweet Home Aaaalabaaaama…(we’re singing too)

Part VIII
March 8 – March 15, 2016

After enjoying the incredible beauty of Big Bend National Park as well as BBQ, Beer and the Gulf Coast of Texas, we stopped in Livingston, TX (our official residence while on the road) where our RV Club Headquarters is located. We needed to pick up mail and packages and take care of a few odds and ends.

Our plan from there was to spend some time in the south, including Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. However, weather once again factored into our timing and direction. With a huge storm coming in, we cut our time short in Livingston, and got on the road sooner than planned to try and outrun the storm by heading east as quickly as we could. Threats of severe storms, damaging hail and winds and flooding made us skip right outta Texas, straight through Louisiana and Mississippi until we crossed into Alabama which seemed to be the cutoff for the storms.

We were disappointed we had to bypass part of the south so quickly, however we thoroughly enjoyed AL-a-BAMA (say it like Forrest Gump). We splurged on southern cuisine, explored the U.S.S. Alabama and the Gulf Shores, and just happened to get on the evening news while enjoying a pint at Fairhope Brewery!

Came across the Alabama War Dogs Memorial the other day and took a moment to let these words sink in: “AN UNHERALDED BREED OF SOLDIER LET ALL WHO READ THESE WORDS OF GRATITUDE AND PRAISE KNOW THAT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICA’S FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN OWE THEIR LIVES TO THE DEEDS AND COURAGE OF WAR DOGS AND THEIR HANDLERS, FURTHER, LET IT BE KNOWN THAT MANY BREEDS OF DOGS, LARGE AND SMALL, SERVED OUR NATION IN TIMES OF WAR, ALL GOING INTO HARM’S WAY WITH DISTINCTION AND VALOR – UNHESITATING. LET US NOT FORGET THESE UNSUNG HEROES ARE SOLDIERS, TOO! THESE VALIANT DOGS PROTECT OUR MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN THROUGH COUNTLESS PERILS, GIVE COMFORT IN UNCERTAINTY, AND SHARE THE SUFFERING AND THE RISKS IN THE TIME OF WAR. OVER THE DECADES, MANY OF THESE DOGS HAVE MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE, GIVING THEIR OWN LIVES TO SHIELD OUR ARMED FORCES AND MILITARY ASSETS FROM HOSTILE ACTS. CANINES IN THE ARMED FORCES CONTINUE THAT NOBLE TRADITION AROUND THE WORLD TODAY. THIS MONUMENT IS DEDICATED BY THE PATRIOTIC PEOPLE OF ALABAMA FOR ALL TO BEAR WITNESS IN REMEMBRANCE TO THESE FAITHFUL WAR DOGS AND THEIR ALABAMA HANDLERS. THOSE WHO LEAVE THIS PLACE SHOULD REMEMBER THE DEEDS AND SACRIFICES OF THESE FOUR-LEGGED SOLDIERS. FURTHERMORE, SEE IN EVERY DOG, THE UNCONDITIONAL LOYALTY INHERENT IN WAR DOGS AND GLIMPSE A REFECTION OF THEIR SHOULDER-BROTHERS’ HEROIC ACTIONS. THESE TEAMS UNHESITATNGLY FIGHT FOR RIGHT AND FOR OUR NATION’S FREEDOMS. LEST WE FORGET, WE SHOULD HOLD THEM DEAR IN OUR HEARTS AND HONOR THEIR COURAGE.” #destinationtreeontheroad #wardogs #k9veteransday #dogsofinstagram #alabama #ussalabamabattleshipmemorialpark

A photo posted by Destination Tree (@destinationtree) on Mar 13, 2016 at 12:42pm PDT

We also caught up on artwork orders and made our plans for the next leg of our journey to Florida. Our driving route from Texas to Alabama is below…stay tuned for Florida!

Tips: Zoom in and out on the map, and move the map around to get a better look at the route. Or click “View Larger Map” below to get an even better view.