Aishling the Airstream Update No. 73

 Gulf State Park

 

 It's no secret that THIS is one of our favorite Alabama State Parks - 

So anytime we're remotely close we try to get a few days there! 

And really? It should be on everyone's list!

Always nice  

 

And Craig is so wonderful about getting a spot in the area we prefer!

[He works at it, y'all.]

The last several times we've been at The Gulf we've wanted to take the ferry over to Dauphin Island and the weather just didn't cooperate...

but HOORAY! This time it did! 

We took our truck because we just couldn't trust that they wouldn't stop running because of wind... It's been a while since we've taken the ferry over...

And ohmygoodness - we LOVED riding the trail [and some roads] from one end of the island to the other - even if it was a little bit bumpy [= A LOT!]

Dauphin Island has a special beauty 

and we've always had a sweet spot for it...

[We lived in Theodore for a few years, and still wonder where THAT BUS was going when we were headed to the island with young Joey...HA] 

We actually road over in the area where we rented a house for the family to come down one summer... We know this is not it [it was blown away years ago], but it sure reminded us of it. 

Love the trees in this park - 

Goat Tree Reserve?

And the ferry ride was cool too!

Seeing Middle Bay Light House is always a treat!

 

But it was hot y'all - so after grabbing a delish meal at A.C.M.E. we came back to the campground and relaxed in their wonderful pool! 

I have to say - 

 THIS IS THE PRETTIEST WATER WE'VE SEEN AT THE GULF IN A WHILE. 

In Alabama.

It was gorgeous. 

There's just something about being near these waves that calms my soul - 

[I know I say it over and over and over again...] 

Y'all know we love the trails at Gulf State Park!

And okay, this is ai, but being close to the Beach Mouse is our favorite place!

We love being able to see our camper across the way as head back 'home.' 

But we didn't see a gator this trip...

Another favorite spot is on the back country [?] trail where the overlook is - just so cool in an area that seems so flat... 

 Mostly we just REALLY enjoyed relaxing together with no concept of time.

#IYKYK

Another wonderful few days together!

Search Gulf for other posts about our favorite place! 

2026 - Week 28 - Thursday Three

 

1. We're getting ready for a couple of camping outings this month - we usually hibernate in the ac during the summer so *I'm* not sure I'm ready for this heat...

 

2. But have to say despite it being 94° inside our camper when we arrived this afternoon, it's now a wonderful 68° - yes we believe in roughing it. Ha.

 

3. Also we're still looking at August and changing plans and travel times so we can include some things we might never have the chance to see again... 

 

PS - This coleus is my very favorite variety. I'm so glad I found some this year...

 

Edited: Thanks [so much] friend, for telling me how to type the temp sign!! 

SERIOUSLY.

It's 89° outside...

Aishling the Airstream Update No. 72

 Anchors Away

Foley Alabama

Sometimes you just want a good ole bacon & egg on toast from The Krystal [lol] - So we picked up breakfast and sat in the Foley Centennial Park and enjoyed their beautiful flowers - 

 

This weekend with our Alabama Airstream friends is always fun -  

It's Balloon Festival Weekend... but we don't even put that on 'our' agenda... 

Instead, we enjoy things like a trip over to Bon Secur for some delicious seafood!

[I think we ended up there twice - mm mmm] 

And we enjoy thrifting, and just relaxing at our site...

and we had perfect weather for it! 

Alan and Russ planned a wonderful fish dinner and 

Craig and Peter cooked breakfast one day - yum!

I enjoyed coffee [and peonies from home]

in our #AishlingtheAirstream

[Truly our home away from home -] 

And of course, when friends are willing...

We visit and play a little rook! 

I really do LOVE to see all those shiny brites lined up together! 

Always a great time with old friends and new friends!

 

Our traditional last day of camp / heading out on the road photo -   

Past posts on this RV Park* can be found here and here -->

*I've realized there just might be a difference between an RV Park and a Campground.

And I like them both -  

#HardwickAdventures 

2026 - Week 27 - Thursday Three

 

1. It's HOT [and humid] y'all. We enjoyed visiting with friends as we watched fireworks at Ditto...

2. Attended the Decade of the Fifties Alumni Dinner with Craig's mother... watched A LOT of World Cup, and a bit of Wimbledon...and

3. Continued planning for the fall ...looking forward to cooler temps...

 

#HardwickAdventures

 

2026 - Week 26 - Thursday Three

 

1. Enjoyed our Life Group social at the Signals Museum... and dinner with the oldest and our sweet dau-law, as well as a day in The Shoals to help Craig's mother with some things.
2. I followed along with a Longest Day virtual scrapbook day [fundraiser for the Alzheimer's Association]... and wow. Beautiful pages, but more in-depth than I'm used to doing...
3. Still enjoying our brain game most evenings...

Aishling the Airstream Update No. 71

 Chewacla State Park

Auburn, Alabama

with sweet friends in Vintage Campers [all kinds!] 

We love the woodsy feel of this Alabama State Park - 

And yet it's MINUTES away from anything you need... 

And the paved bike trail is always fun.

Both young and old! 

We gathered a group together and road out to the highway and back... I think we said it was a total of 7 miles, maybe... 

 Chewacla is always a fun gathering each year! 

There's lots of time to sit around a campfire and visit with our camping buddies!

Craig found a cotton candy machine while thrifting and shared a bit with us one night [testing it out...] It's pretty cool.

[And I'm glad I had some sugar in my tupperware in the camper !] 

And omgoodness - we played the dominoes and rummikub as much as possible! 

It makes me THINK - and that's not a bad thing - lol -

We also enjoyed a few quiet morning at our site 

with our gas fire pit that is so much easier to carry along... 

And of course I LOVE our new Aldi [solar!!] lanterns that hit the stores this week - everyone ended up getting one - SO FUN!!

And - oops - our camper's okay - but we couldn't resist taking a photo of #AishlingtheAirstream 's reflection in a truck in front of us.

WOW.

That doesn't look good.

Chewacla State Park:

We obviously enjoy this campground bc we're there at least once a year - you can go here [and here*] to read more about it -

* HOW DO you spell it?!? - HA 

2026 - Week 25 - Thursday Three

 

1. Been working on Airstream Club stuff LIKE IT'S A JOB - lol - we have our BIG [International] Rally coming up in August with over 900 rigs... We're planning all of our on-the-way stuff/ travel, hosting a pre-rally... and I'm coordinating volunteers for VAC*... Oh. And we're doing a presentation too.

2. Plus all the plans for our upcoming Alabama Club rallies. And an area-wide airstream dinner this evening... ALL FUN - but it does take some organization and planning ahead of time.

TMI, I know - ha.

3. In other news we've had a few [regular] doctor appointments, dinner with the oldest, I had lunch with friends, Craig traveled over to The Shoals to assist his mother, and we've been stretching our brain cells by playing rummikub every evening... Craig had an eye appointment in Birmingham and may finally have a solution for the issue he's having.

* vintage airstream club

2026 - Week 24 - Thursday Three

1. We enjoyed seeing The Gaither Vocal Band in concert over the weekend. So glad Craig's mother could join us. And omgoodness, that harmony!
2. I attended a memorial for a former work buddy down in Birmingham, it was so good to see so many familiar faces... but also so odd to not see Louise.... it's been over 6 years since I've been in that building...
3. And, note to self: slip on some shoes before you open the back door to let the cats out... it's no fun STEPPING ON A SNAKE! 

Barefoot. 

I acted such a fool Dobby wouldn't come near me all day...

 

#HardwickAdventures 

Aishling the Airstream Update No. 70

 

 Cedars of Lebanon State Park

Lebanon, TN

with our Music city Club friends -  whom we don't see often enough.*

Craig had picked up some O'Guirre sausage [it's a favorite of ours!] and wanted to cook breakfast for the early arrivals -  

And he DOES COOK A GOOD BREAKFAST - 

I made the biscuits in our convection oven - and wow I really love having it in our camper!

Confession: these are part canned and part frozen biscuits...lol 

 *And side note: don't you love friends you don't see often but can just jump right into conversations as if you we were together just the day before? 

 

I LOVED our site in a pull-through up on the hill with mostly woods behind us - 

and we had a great view of all the shiny brites in the campground! 

 

The Music City Club loves a good theme - 

and this rally was all about Mardi Gras - 

 

We had some good eatin' with gumbo and lots of Cajun goodness -  

and oh my goodness... the wonderful sides everyone brought to go along with it! 

And you can see that we didn't let a little rain stop us from enjoying our time together... HA

We took an afternoon to ride a couple of local trails...one led out to Percy Priest Dam.

There was a lot of downhill as we started... and I trust my breaks... but it still gives me a bit of anxiety...  

 

We also rode the other section that had a stop basically in the Kohl's Parking lot - pretty cool to have such easy access.[We started at the YMCA]

 

It took us on this elevated portion on the opposite side of the river.

VERY PRETTY.

[We had wonderful weather!] 

And such a great group of 'streamers!

Many we knew, and some new friends we met this weekend [plus a couple of Pennsylvanians who'd camped with us at Oak Mountain a few weeks back - ]  

This is the 3rd time we've camped at Cedars and think it's a great park! 

We love being on that pull-through site on the hill...

but did go over to the updated bath houses in the other areas...

Just sayin'

#HardwickAdventures