RV travels with Rich and Judy: Our Trip West

Chickasabogue County RV Park, Mobile, AL

March 8-11, 2013

Pretty building in Mobile

Mobile skyline

Our trip to Mobile was blessedly uneventful, but as we neared the park, the scenery began to get very rough. The park had 24 hour security, with security guards going through the campground every hour, and most of the campers looked pretty skeezy. There weren’t very many people there and there was only one other occupied site that had a clean RV that looked as though it could travel. We were definitely skittish, but nothing happened, so guess we were just being paranoid. The facilities there were very tired: the restrooms near our site were kind of skanky – one stall with a toilet and three for showers. There were no shower curtains in the showers to keep from getting your clothes wet when the shower was turned on, rusty faucets, and just yuck in general. There was a second restroom a little way away, but I didn’t bother to check it out. Rich said it was better. The folks there didn’t bother to keep their dogs on leashes, much less clean up after them, and there were parts of hot dog buns, chicken bones, and all sorts of other stuff around. If you can get beyond the skeezy feel to the place, the actual landscape is pretty. There is Maher State on the water in Mobile Bay that we’ll look into staying at the next time we’re there, but it is pretty busy, really pricy and it is hard to get reservations, unless you make them well in advance.

Entrance to Chickasabogue County Campground

Saturday morning we headed off to see the USS Alabama. The web site suggested we expect to take two hours going through it, the submarine, and the planes in the museum. We spent about 5 hours and Rich is ready to go back. As I often do, I'm torn between awe of the power of the ship and sadness because of use. The ship was enormous – 680 feet long. Think more than two football fields or half as long as the Empire State Building is tall. Armed with nine 16-inch guns in three turrets, 20 5-inch .38 caliber guns in 10 twin mounts, the Alabama can fire shells as heavy as a small car accurately for more than 20 miles. Her four propellers each weigh more than 18 tons and with 7,000 tons of fuel, could travel about 15,000 nautical miles without refueling.

Our first view of the USS Alabama as we pulled into the parking lot of the Memorial

The big mixer in the bakery aboard the USS Alabama

The crew's mess. On the other side of this counter are the workings for one of the 16 inch gun turrets. The wall is two feet thick. I'm not sure that would have saved you if a gun exploded, though...

Rich by the "beds". Boy, do I LOVE our sleep number bed!

Rich in the brig - his past finally caught up with him :)

Barber Shop aboard the USS Alabama

5 inch gun powder canisters

16 inch gun firing room equipment

Beneath the 16 inch gun turret - about 4 decks below the main deck. Notice Rich toward the top of the photo. I was standing across the turret from him when I took the picture. This place is huge. And a bit creepy!

Radio Room

Chapel aboard the USS Alabama

From the bow of the USS Alabama looking at the 16 inch guns

The massive anchor chain on the USS Alabama

Rich in front of the 16 inch gun turret

Twin 5 inch gun turret (You can see them in a distance in the photo of Rich standing in front of the 16 inch turrets)

Breech inside the turret of the 16 inch gun (bottom center)

From seven decks above the main deck. Notice the black Chrysler mini-van on the main deck.

The planes in the museum were interesting, although the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola is the place to go if you want to see a lot of wonderful old planes.

At the airplane museum, USS Alabama Memorial: An A-12 plane, which is the precursor to the blackbird. Awesome.

The A-12 from the front.. This plane is 102 feet long!

The USS Drum was mind-boggling and I can’t believe it carried a crew of 72 men – it’s crowded with a half-dozen folks! There was so much stuffed in such a small space and so many instruments to keep track of – all tucked into such small, awkward places.

USS Drum

Dials, gauges, and all sorts of important looking things

The depth gauge

Itty Bitty hatch. Rich is bending over in order to look back at me. The bottom of the hatch is knee-high on Rich. You have to be a contortionist to serve on board one of these things!