More Alabama

We had a nice stop near Mobile, Alabama and had a few things we wanted to see.  

Most importantly for Ron was the gravesite of one of his childhood heroes, Kenny "Snake" Stabler.  He earned his nickname for his ability to maneuver and weave through opposing defenses.  In 1964, he was recruited to the University of Alabama by coach "Bear" Bryant, but due to NCAA rules, he was not allowed to play as a freshman, so he watched from the sidelines as Joe Namath guided the Crimson Tide to a national championship.

He was selected by the Raiders in the second round (52nd overall pick) in the 1968 draft.  During his 10 seasons in Oakland, Stabler received four Pro Bowl selections and was named Most Valuable Player in 1974.  He also helped the Raiders win their first Super Bowl title in 1977. He went on to play for the Houston Oilers and the New Orleans Saints.  In 184 pro games, Kenny threw for 27,938 yards and 194 touchdowns.  

Following his playing career, he worked as a color commentator for CBS NFL broadcasts before moving to radio where he worked for 11 years as the color analyst for Alabama football games.  He was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

The Snake, 1945-2015

photo by USA Today

We weren't far from Pine Rest Cemetery (not a coincidence) so we made the short drive there.

It's pretty small and not well developed so we drove around aimlessly.  Fortunately, we came across a couple of men digging a grave so we stopped and asked where the grave was.  A nice young man explained that he gets asked that often and since it was easier to take us there rather than explain it, he hopped in our truck and directed us.  Good 'ole Southern hospitality at its finest.  And here we were.

WHAT?  THAT'S IT?  What about a large headstone like we'd seen for Catfish Hunter as we returned from the Outer Banks? Oh man, I thought Ron was going to have a stroke.  He wants to start a gofundme page to get him a marker which highlights his life and career.  

After dragging Ron out of there, we headed east so that we could visit Pensacola Beach, which is about 30 miles from Foley.  It was a perfect day and the beach was beautiful.

For two people who grew up near the Pacific ocean, we'd sure seen a lot of the Atlantic lately.

And then, of course, it was time for lunch.

Flounders Chowder House

Owned by Fred, Floyd, and Felix Flounder

It was a quirky spot (my favorite) starting with the menu.

Floyd Flounder, Founder (haha!)

It didn't take us long to get into the vibe!

Don't ask me what's in them but they were both good!

After lunch, we spent some time walking around and enjoyed being at the beach.

Phew, thank goodness Ron had changed before we went

A view back to the restaurant.

And inside there were some interesting items.

Oh, to see these gas prices again.  I remember it being 29.9 in the early 70s but never this low.

After its peak in September, 2014 as a Category 5 hurricane, Ivan moved across the Gulf of Mexico to strike Pensacola and Alabama as a strong Category 3 storm, causing significant damage.  Ivan caused an estimated $26.1 billion US (equivalent to $40 billion in 2022) in damage, of which $20.5 billion occurred in the United States.

Known to eat bad little boys and girls in one gulp.  

What a fun day!  But could someone please get Kenny a new headstone?