Ralph, Alabama

Coker, Alabama

Weather: low 56 degrees, high 80 degrees, cloudy early, clear skies in the afternoon

We went for a ride in the country today, ending up in the town of Ralph. Calling this place a town is really an exaggeration, since we saw no stores, and only one church. There are several houses in the area. The area may have been more settled long ago, and more important to the needs of the people who lived there. There appears to be some evidence that new houses are being built, probably by people who work in Tuscaloosa. It is about 12 miles southwest of Tuscaloosa, basically in the river valley for the Black Warrior River. Some of the countryside on the ride to and from Ralph looks similar to what we saw in the Mississippi River delta. Flat, wet, and fertile.

This afternoon, we drove up to Bessemer to pick up Thomas from his dad after his visit to Athens. On Friday, the traffic was almost bumper to bumper. Today, it was almost the opposite. Traffic was very light, and it made the drive much more enjoyable. Also, on Friday, we only saw three RVs. Today, we only saw two. It looks like the fuel prices are affecting how much people travel. That's understandable, when you consider that the typical motor home gets 5-10 miles per gallon, while the typical tag along or fifth wheel puller averages 9-12 mpg. It doesn't take much traveling to start costing some real money. The fuel costs are probably affecting sales of RVs, too. We have heard that some manufacturers have closed their doors. RV sales have long been a barometer of how well the economy is doing, so I guess when more RVs start being sold, that will mean the economy wil be picking up.

After returning from our drive this morning, I spent some time finishing up a book that I have really enjoyed. The title is The Fallen, by T. Jefferson Parker. The premise of the book is that the lead character, a homicide invetigator for the city of San Diego, can tell when people are lying. Wouldn't that be some talent? Being able to tell if someone was trying to put something over on you would sure take some of the mystery out of life. Anyway, I enjoyed the book, and I like the author's writing style. The next time I go to the library, I'm going to see if they have any more books by him.

All in all, it was a pretty good day for us.

More later, be safe.

Today's Town - Sulphur, Louisiana: Faith, Family, Community

Not all who wander are lost.