Truckin'

Yesterday's View:

We spent over 12 hours total on the road. We said goodbye to Florida for good (at least..it was the last time we would drive out of FL in a vehicle). We drove through Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, ending up in Texas for the night.

The obligatory "welcome to ____ state" shots

We did not stop or get out of the car in Alabama. Mississippi consisted of one gas stop, and then we moved on to Louisiana. It seemed like every other sign in Louisiana contained the word "bayou" in one form or another. At one point, we drove on this neverending bridge that extended across this long, swampy portion of interstate. We finally crossed the Mississippi River, which we thought would be on the border of Mississippi and Louisiana, but apparently it just cuts through a portion of Louisiana at its southern end. Geography fail on our part.

Louisiana Bayou

Crossing the Mississippi River

At one point, we stopped for a restroom break at an exit that contained only one gas station. This gas station not only contained a restaurant, but a casino, restrooms, and showers. I'm pretty sure there were a few people sitting outside with banjos. This leads us to our new restroom rules: #1 - No stopping at exits where there is only one gas station option. It is much better to have several to choose from, so you can pick the least shady option. #2 - No stopping at gas stations with bathrooms leading directly to the outside, especially if you are required to go inside and get the key (usually attached to some large, heavy, ridiculous key chain) from the disgruntled gas station attendant. #3 - No stopping at gas stations with attached casinos, especially if they are advertising the "big jackpot of the week -$100". If you follow these rules exactly, you will most likely survive your restroom experience.

We are heading out now with Ben and Stephanie and Jackson to get some Mexican food for lunch, then we are going for a hike, then we are having more Mexican food for dinner. Awesome!