Chinook's Great Loop

[FishyFabs]

It is my bed time story every evening. A great job on the write up. Tx so much.

[Chinook]

Thanks to all for the encouragement. Toughest part of the journal was the first few days. Now it's become a regular routine. We've now completed another major segment of the trip, namely the Tennessee River, which we've been on for several hundred miles. We locked up to Pickwick Lake today, and just around the corner from here is the start of the Tombigbee Waterway, which will lift us up and over the divide between the Tennessee Valley and the rivers flowing south, into the Gulf of Mexico. We passed the 1,000 mile mark today, which puts us approximately 1/6 of the way around the Loop. Regarding Starscream's offer, I've jotted your name down and we hope to meet up with you when we reach Montreal. Your offer sounds very inviting, and we'd really appreciate and enjoy meeting up with you. A technical note on the postings. While in Ottawa IL I bicycled out to a Verizon store and got a Verizon Jetpack hotspot, which has been working great. I can type up the journal and insert pictures off line, then turn on the Jetpack and, if we have any sort of cell signal at all, it uploads the day's post. So far, we've had cell service nearly everywhere we've spent the night, and that's how I've been able to regularly post. I understand that as we drop down into Alabama, we'll get into areas without cell service. If you don't see anything for a day or two when we get down there, that's the reason why.

[Signaleer]

Chinook,

When you come to Alabama - will you be cruising though Mobile Bay? If so, let's get a beer at LuLu's and the Hometown Marina! Or we can go to Pirates Cove if you want to see the Redneck Yacht Club... or Florabama ... or...

I know of 3 to 4 other Mac owners in the area - maybe we could all meet up for a bite?

Ed.

[C Buchs]

Mike:
I'll be in your home town for the Octoberfest next weekend. Any tips?

Jeff

[DaveB]

Good to see you are doing well, keep up the trip and say behind with troubles.
Watching this as your trip comes along.
Fair Winds and Baby Buggy Bumper Docking. (three times fast) say it I know your OK.
Dave

Thanks to all for the encouragement. Toughest part of the journal was the first few days. Now it's become a regular routine. We've now completed another major segment of the trip, namely the Tennessee River, which we've been on for several hundred miles. We locked up to Pickwick Lake today, and just around the corner from here is the start of the Tombigbee Waterway, which will lift us up and over the divide between the Tennessee Valley and the rivers flowing south, into the Gulf of Mexico. We passed the 1,000 mile mark today, which puts us approximately 1/6 of the way around the Loop. Regarding Starscream's offer, I've jotted your name down and we hope to meet up with you when we reach Montreal. Your offer sounds very inviting, and we'd really appreciate and enjoy meeting up with you. A technical note on the postings. While in Ottawa IL I bicycled out to a Verizon store and got a Verizon Jetpack hotspot, which has been working great. I can type up the journal and insert pictures off line, then turn on the Jetpack and, if we have any sort of cell signal at all, it uploads the day's post. So far, we've had cell service nearly everywhere we've spent the night, and that's how I've been able to regularly post. I understand that as we drop down into Alabama, we'll get into areas without cell service. If you don't see anything for a day or two when we get down there, that's the reason why.

[Chinook]

I've missed a few comments of late. Regarding Oktoberfest, hope you had a good time. It's become a hugely popular event, and generates a lot of money for the town. I expect you will have left your share behind before you went home. We arrived in Alabama today, and are currently sitting in Pirates Cove Marina, just above Bevill Lock on the Tenn-Tom. In a couple of days we'll arrive at Demopolis, and will hang out there for a couple of days before continuing downriver. Not sure when we'll reach Mobile Bay, but should be there around October 20, give or take a week or so. Schedules are rather loose with us right now. When we arrive at Mobile Bay, we'll stop first at Dog River Marina, where I have a replacement stock for my fortress anchor being shipped (something to do with discovering the limitations of using a bracket mounted fortress anchor as a fender in a lock). Don't know yet whether we'll base our visit of Mobile out of Dog River or some other place just yet. We're open to suggestions from you locals. We have received an enticing offer of a use of a free slip at Sunset Bay, Bon Secour, so will likely be there while in the area. It would be fun to meet up with Mobile Bay Mac owners while there. Please post here or PM me, and I'll do my best to catch your replies.

Thanks to all, Mike and Sandy/Chinook

[Signaleer]

Chinook,

Looking forward to seeing you in this area.

You are headed over to Dog River on the West side of the Bay. I'm not too, too, familiar with that area although I have been over there.

While on the west side I'd recommend seeing The Alabama, Dauphin Island, and Mobile. If you like the casionos, you aren't too far from Biloxi (by car or boat) heading West.

Sunset Bay is on the East coast near the Intracoastal (Portage Creek), but still in the Mobile Bay area (generally). Its a few miles west of all the happenings in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Pensacola. Out that way you have to see Fort Morgan and have a bit at Tacky Jacks. Also, the Fairhope Yachtclub is one of the nicest in the area and just up the eastern shore. Worth stopping by possibly.

If you get a chance, as you head East, you aren't far from LuLus and the Hometown Marina- a must hit and I'll try to see if I can't get a few of us together there? But there are so many good things in the area - Florabama, Pirates Cove, Barber Marina's Art (Stone Hedge, Lady in the Water, and the Dinosaurs), etc. I'm a more in the Gulf Shores area near these items.

Love to see you when you are in town, and I"ll see if I can't connect with some of the other Mac owners in the area for dinner and a sail!

Ed.

[Chinook]

I'll put Lulu's on the list of stops, and hope to meet up with you folks when the time comes. We're at Demopolis tonight, and at least 2 more nights, waiting for our repaired stove to arrive. Then we'll shove off for points south.

[Starscream]

Chinook: I CAN'T BEAR THE SUSPENSE: did you make it? I was rooting for you this morning hoping that you made the run on the gas you had and this morning I don't get my daily update! Hope you guys are OK and the late post has nothing to do with the gas situation.

I am addicted to reading the morning blog and my coffee doesn't taste the same without it.

[C Buchs]

They posted an update. I won't ruin the suspense by posting an outcome here

Jeff

[Signaleer]

Chinook!

You are here!

I haven't been able to link up with any of the Mac owners in the area. I've called a few but got no return.

Would you like to meet at LuLu's on Saturday? I can sail with you through the area on your head east!

Ed

[Chinook]

Hi Ed,

Saturday is a no go. We'll hang here at Dog River till Sunday morning and then, weather permitting, we'll cross the bay to Fairhope. We'll be there a night, most likely, and then go down to the Bon Secour area, where a fellow Mac owner has offered to let us tie up at his condo dock. We'll be there probably on Monday night, and then be ready to start down the GICW on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on whether we lay over an extra day on the way down. I suggest you PM me with your phone number, and we can try to hook up. We might be able to do Lulu's while we're at Bon Secour. I'll watch for a PM.

Thanks, Mike

[fouz]

Which marina you staying at in dog river?

[Signaleer]

Which marina you staying at in dog river?

Fouz, want me to PM you too maybe we can all link up?

Ed.

[Signaleer]

Hi Ed,

Saturday is a no go. We'll hang here at Dog River till Sunday morning and then, weather permitting, we'll cross the bay to Fairhope. We'll be there a night, most likely, and then go down to the Bon Secour area, where a fellow Mac owner has offered to let us tie up at his condo dock. We'll be there probably on Monday night, and then be ready to start down the GICW on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on whether we lay over an extra day on the way down. I suggest you PM me with your phone number, and we can try to hook up. We might be able to do Lulu's while we're at Bon Secour. I'll watch for a PM.

Thanks, Mike

PM with my number on its way!

Ed.