Travel Notes - Florida Alabama Mississippi Louisiana Georgia

Travel Notes - Florida Alabama Mississippi Louisiana Georgia: This was a flight-less/rental-less sports extravaganza. I drove this first day to Pensacola and saw the Blue Wahoos play for $20. All games were near homeplate except for the last. Parking would have been $10. However, they told me no one cites you if you get there before they show up. On the way I stopped in Gainesville and had a bagel with red onion and caper cc at Humble Woodfire Bagel Shop (3D) for $7. CC was better than the bagel. Before the game, I had  a bad fried flounder and ok fried shrimp platter with ff and cs and hp at Nick's Boathouse (next to the stadium) for $20. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express (Booking 9.1) on 10 and Davis Hwy (next to 110) for $87. 

The next day I drove through to Slidell. I stayed at the Quality Inn on 10 (Expedia 7.8) for $65. I drove around town. I had 2lbs (probably shorted me) disappointing crawfish at Kenney's Seafood for $11. In their defense, the fried stuff looked amazing. I then had a great redfish in crawfish etouffee sauce with sauteed zucchini and squash for $34 at Fatty's Seafood. Did you know a fatty is a one in ten thousand blue crawfish? At dinner, I had a bad Asian tuna wrap with ff at Peck's Seafood for $18. I found these restaurants in a magazine I picked up on my last trip to the North Shore in January. 

The next day I drove to Avondale (other side of 90 bridge) and saw the Zurich Classic for free. And free parking. It was a practice round. Monday is also free. This was the real reason for the trip. I went back to Slidell. A bakery (Randazzo's) I wanted to try wrote that they had sold out and was closed. I had 2lbs of good crawfish and six good $1 oysters and a soda at Pearl's Seafood for $20. Plan A was to have been to eat at the original locations (above 610 in New Orleans) of Deanie's and Drago's, but, some nimrod started a fire under that and it was closed. I drove on to Biloxi. I stayed at the excellent Legends (Expedia 9.6) on the shore for $132. It has a Rat Pack theme. They gave me the corner penthouse! It demanded that I get lit. I bought a bottle of wine at Liquor Therapy. I walked to a Biloxi Shuckers game for $24. Just had McD's and gas station cheese popcorn for dinner. Ended up wasting the buzz making reservations on Expedia.

The next day I drove to Montgomery. I stopped at Exit 57 for a boneless ribs (just three) sandwich at The Shed for $12. They don't do crawfish on the week days. And only start in March. I took 65N. I bought a ticket to a Biscuits game for $19. I toured downtown Montgomery. Legacy Museum, Rosa Parks Museum, Troy University, Capitol, Freedom Riders Museum, etc. I had been here once before. I got more out of it this time. Had a terrible $5 Chris' Famous hot dog at Chris' Famous Hot Dogs. I am unclear on how I learned of this and the other two places I ate at. I checked into the Econo Lodge on 65 and South Blvd (Booking 6.4) for $86. Hotels here and the next places were confoundingly overpriced. I parked ($10) next to the stadium. Walked to Ravello Ristorante. Had a fine trout with grits (they replaced them with truffle risotto when they grits weren't ready yet) and a micro-green salad for $37. Saw the Riverfront. Watched the game.

The next day I stopped at Rosa Park's house. Grabbed a sauced up chopped pork sandwich and Coke at Brenda's Bar-B-Que for $10 (cash only). Open from Th-. I drove up 65N to Birmingham. Stayed at the Quality Inn Exit 24 in Pelham (Expedia 7.4) for $78. Drove past 20 to the Finely exit. Had ok  3 fried wings with two sides (did double mac) at Eagles (Bizarre Foods) for $17. Bought a ticket for the Barons game for $13. Watched draft prep until 5pm. Had two beers across from the stadium at Good People Brewing Company for $12. Parking was a pain. Had to pay $20 in cash! McDs. Watched the end of the draft.

The next day I drove 20 past Talladega to 285 to Lawrenceville. Technically Suwanee on 85. I stayed at the Quality Inn (Expedia 7.0) for $91. This exit was a mini Koreatown. Their H mart had the worst sashimi prices that I have seen. I bought a ticket to the Gwinnett Stripers (cheapest) for $10. Parking was $12! Watched draft stuff. Went to two innings of the game. Watched the draft. Ate TB and Chipotle. At 3:30am, the smell of tar almost made me leave the hotel.

The next day I drove 285S to 75S. Stopped in Valdosta for Cook Out. Made it home.

I spent $539 on hotels. $286 on food and bev. $182 on gas. $42 on parking. $86 on tickets. $16 on misc. $1151 in total. Knocked five minor league stadiums, some restos and a PGA tour stop off the list. Every stadium said "only digital". I have five ticket stubs that say differently. Huntsville and Columbus also have teams. Were away. Only one minor windshield ding. Saw two huge crash back ups on 65S and 285W. 10 through Mississippi is a truck cock blocker nightmare. Weather was clear. So nice not to have to deal with airlines and airports and rental car companies. Would like to erase the 2000 miles from my odometer though.