Tropical Storm Lee and Me .....

As Southerners, it is ingrained in our brains what to do when a hurricane or "hurricane like" storm blows in from the Gulf...... be afraid and batten down the hatches.  So what do four educated Southern Belles do when Tropical Depression 13 starts hitting, why go to the beach in Gulf Shores, of course.  Most people would say a 7 + hour drive to get to a stormy beach for two days was not sane.   We were in dire need of sand in between our toes and the sound of the surf. 

Also we had already paid our money and couldn’t get a refund.  It was only a Tropical Depression, right?  As we made our 7 hour road trip in, it became Tropical Storm Lee.  Only had one small shower on the way down, but when we pulled into the parking lot of the Pink Pony --- two TV satellite trucks and gale force winds.  What were we thinking?

As we couldn’t get out of our vehicles, we had to head north to eat -- “The Original Oyster House” Boardwalk was open and serving.   The TV show Man vs. Food has filmed here.  I wouldn’t recommend it. Our waitress was very nice and helpful.  The cheese grits were excellent and the salad bar was good too.  Shrimp -- not so good.  The decor was tacky cheap beach.  

Walmart is always a good place to stock up at the beach in the middle of the night.  Good sights too:

That is a teenage boy with yellow flowered boxers ---  his friend  was clad in camo pants.  

Our first morning was less than stellar beach weather, so instead of enjoying a relaxing day on the sofa watching the waves we went to the Foley outlets and played our favorite sport --- outlet shopping.  Good finds are always priceless.  Not that many people were out and the rain came in waves, but the wind was constant. 

taken with my cell phone :)  and I did get my lunch too.

Meandered through some local neighborhoods -- we saw a teenage boy skimming (using a mini surfboard) in the overflowing ditches.  The wind was wicked and the roads were getting flooded. In some areas there was tons of sand from the dunes blown over the road.   Thankfully we safely made our way back to our penthouse condo at the Lighthouse.  Penthouse in English means balcony with no cover -- so no sitting out in the rain.  

LSU Football on TV Saturday night ---  Geaux Tigers!! So we piled up and watched the game with Lee storming outside.  FYI Pizza Hut delivers in gale force winds and flooded streets (and we got the food in only 30 minutes not the hour they estimated).  

Slept like a baby to the pounding rain and winds. I think there might have been a Tornado Watch out too. 

Oddly enough we awoke very early -- no rain and it was light out, was the sun coming out?   We wandered down to the beach and found some awesome beach chairs (and they were free).  The sand felt so good under my feet.  In places it was hard and our footprints were barely visible.  Debris and seafoam everywhere.  The surf was like a washing machine, crashing and churning with waves at least 10 feet + high.  We couldn’t resist taking our “Jim Cantore” photos (rain jackets, pounding surf background, and the wind blowing our hair - whoops he doesn’t have any but our pony tails were blowing in the wind).  

What a bunch of nuts -- those are 10 foot waves...

I am sure there has to be an undertow

After relaxing in the beach chairs, we found our way to the BEST EVER beach restaurant in the United States, it is my favorite seafood restaurant anywhere -- Sea n Suds.  And as a benefit, they have a new staircase that connects to the beach to their door -- Sweet As!

Cute little boy sitting at the table beside us -- I like his style. 

Having visited here most of my life, I didn’t realize they were open for breakfast.  Great breakfast buffet, simple, only a few things on the warmers -- but it was good, fast and cheap.  And the views can’t be beat, as it sits out over the water and beach.  

Surprisingly, the rest of our crew got up and wanted to go eat breakfast further down the beach.  So our second breakfast of the day was spent at the Pancake House in the Best Western.  Not the same ambiance as Sea n Suds, but the one pancake I had was great.     They liked the corned beef hash (are we still in the South?). It was very bright and larger dining room.  A little bit of a view but lots of roof damage due to the pounding rains.  When we left there was a line of people almost out the door, so it must be a pretty popular place.

On our stroll back, we saw the tourists were out enjoying themselves.  Sometimes you just have to remember, we are in the South.... 

Surfing/Skimming Dixie Style

were their mothers watching or participating?

Oregon's inspiration for their uniforms, wrong.com

waiting on the perfect wave?

finding it

where did that piling come from?

aging frat daddies, I guess their long necks are in their hands...

As I worked out and laid up reading the Hunger Games series, my friends and sister laid out on the beach -- yes in Tropical Storm Lee there was an extended respite of Lee for some sun and fun.  Even giving them a sunburn.  The waves were crashing and the wind blowing.  They started on the beach on their towels but the surf finally came up so close and soaked them, they relocated to our 19th floor balcony with no cover. 

Treat for the day was a second trip to Sea n Suds for the best fried shrimp you will put in your mouth outside of Louisiana.  Thankfully we got there before the rush.  Nothing better than fried shrimp, crinkle fries, crashing waves, good company and amazing views.

Where to next?  We had to visit the Pink Pony down near the public beach.  Having never been there, I wasn’t prepared for the fun time we would have.  Remember Sweet Home Alabama, and the classic line “you have a baby, in a bar”.  Well, in Alabama  I finally saw a baby in a bar -- priceless pics.

wasn't she a precious little thing.

scarily she looks at home here

scary... we didn't have any of these

While we were there it started again with the gale force winds and rain.  Good thing we weren't crazy enough to sit out side on a picnic table.

After a good time and buying bar shirts, a short drive down the beach led us to Florabama.  I don’t know how to describe this place other than it is the epitome of a beach bar dive.  It’s been here forever and I have frequented it since I was old enough to get in.  It has survived many a hurricane and storm (or just been rebuilt after them).


It’s built of wood and looks like it was just thrown together.  There is an indoor stage with an upstairs balcony to have a higher view of the performance and the patrons.  Also there is an outdoor stage, which has a tent cover when the weather is bad, ie when there is a Tropical Storm in town.   Tonight there was a classic rock band inside rocking the crowd.  Outside it was a harder edge band playing New Orleans rock.  They even had a “special” guest that had to be pointed out to me and explained.  (Sorry, I don’t watch those shows.)  Taylor Hicks, an American Idol winner from Alabama, performed a couple of songs and posed for pictures.  His performance was great and he could jam on that harmonica.  Seemed very nice and friendly taking pictures with fans.  What would he have said if we had told him we were LSU fans?  Drove back in the gale force winds and rain.  Thankful to make it to the Lighthouse -- it was a beacon in the night for us - no joke but pun intended. 

and some had really cute shoes, but the white jeans are not attractive no matter how hot the guy is

Dirk Digler?  Oh baby, the man purse makes the outfit!

Woke up by the pounding rain and thunder at 5:00 a.m.  on Labor Day.  The traffic leaving Gulf Shores was unreal.  It took us almost 40 minutes to make it to Foley through all the stoplights.  On the way we could see the flooding in the parking lots and streets.  Maybe if we stopped at the outlet mall for some last minute finds the traffic would subside. 

After a couple of hours at the outlets, we braved the roads again.  An accident later (not us) and we finally made it to Spanish Fort only to find our road out covered with 3 feet of water.  No Bay Bridge home, Tunnel traffic here we come.  

Another accident (not us), a nursery inferno (horrible sight) and very little traffic once we left the major highway ---  Home again home again -- 12 hours later.  Tropical Storm Lee -- it was fun, do it again, maybe, maybe not.   Probably would.