2-17-2008 ESCAPE FROM THE TORNADOS My father woke me up at 5:00am before he went off to work, we didn't need to leave until 7:00am, so we finished packing the car, and with time to spare went had a last breakfast at Sharon's Cafe. (See earlier in this thread for photos of Sharon's)
We headed WEST along US 98 towards Mobile, we cut up to I-10 and sailed in Mobile in plenty of time to meet up with: Buffetbuster, Al and Janet, RickF and Jan, Seafarer John and Gail, AND Demi & Duff the wonder scotties
As we pulled into the parking lot at Dreamland BBQ, the radio was going off with a TORNADO WARNING for Baldwin and Mobile Counties, HEY, we are in that area!!
The doors were opened right at 11:00 and the group went when, we found a good spot towards the back of the main room, and sat down. Our waitress brought out Dreamland's sauce and a loaf of white bread.
(you are supposed to dip the bread in the sauce as an appetizer)
Dreamland's sauce is a thinner sauce that has some zing to it (vinegar and red pepper, but not carolina style)
It was truly an honor of meeting Buffetbuster, he proved just why he is one of my rf heros, it was just 11:00am and he had already stopped for dessert.
I had a real good time talking with him, I look forward to further eating adventures with him.
Al and Janet were the perfect hosts for our meal
Rick and Jan Flynn (RickF) sat at the other end of the table, I really wanted to get to talk to them some more.
Seafarer John & Gail sat across from me, it was good to see them again.
I was in the mood for some pulled pork and sausage, potato salad and mac & cheese
The pulled pork was good and had a mix of burnt ends and inner meat, the sausage was well smoked.
In the past I have really enjoyed their mac and cheese and their potato salad.
The mac and cheese did not disappoint me, ok I was disappointed that it went TOOO QUICKLY.
The potato salad did disappointment me, the potatos were watery and there was just no flavor to it this time. I did not eat it all
I also ordered another serving of the sausage, the first was that good. The second one however came out BURNT on one side.
Lawdawg gave me one of his bones from his ribs, and it was tough and chewy, like they were still using yesterday's ribs.
I have had Dreamland and The Brick Pit, and I am agreeing with Buffetbuster, The Brick Pit was much better. (Sorry Seafarer John)
After sitting and enjoying our meal, I ordered Dreamland's Banana Puddin'
It was just like I had remembered it being, creamy, dense, full of banana and nilla wafers, I could have eaten 20 servings of the wonderful stuff.
I was confused though here I was sitting across from my dessert idol, and HE wasn't having any. That is when BB said he was going to explore elsewhere beofre his plane was due to take off.
The tv was playing in the background at Dreamland and during the whole lunch, the weather crawler was giving updates of the Extreme Weather in the area, in fact as we sat and ate lunch at Dreamland, a tornado went through Baldwin county about 12 miles from where we were eating lunch.
Not wanting to get caught up in any further weather delays, we quickly said our good byes. I hated leaving everyone like that, but we also had an 11 hour drive back home still to come.
BB & I exchanged treats, He got the "John Deere" mix Jumbo Jelly Beans, and he gave me a box of Chocolate covered peanuts from the A&M Peanut shop.
I snacked on a few on the trip home, and have been snacking on them this morning.
This is where the trip gets WILD As we left Dreamland, headed north on I-65, we started to see emergency vehicles all over the place. The radio was breaking in with a new weather warning every 2 minutes are so.
We had just missed the tornado that went through Baldwin county, but there were more coming.
As we drove through torrential rains and hail and winds, we were staying 1/2 a county ahead of the tornado warnings, by the time we reached Montgomery, there were already reports of damage and destruction all the way south to Mobile.
During the drive through Montgomery, our luck changed,
NOT FOR THE GOOD the line of storms that had been spawing the tornadoes to the south of us started spawning them to our north.
Driving up I-65 just ahead we watched a funnel cloud cross I-65
We were just entering the town of Prattville, when all HELL broke loose
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/02/update_riley_visits_stormdamag.html We were less than 2 miles ahead of the tornado the damaged more than 300 homes, left thousands without power and injured hundreds.
We were running low on fuel and Durbin Farms was coming up at exit 205. At the top of the exit ramp I instantly knew something was seriously wrong.
The mobile homes in the distance has part of their roofs missing, the place that sold camper shell for pick up trucks, has the shells laying all over the median down on I-65.
The stop light was out, in fact the pole holding the stop light was bent at a 45 degree angle.
The police were shutting off the exit ramps behind us. Durbin farms building recieve minor damage, but the BP and Taco Bell across the way were not so lucky, neither was the Days Inn, its roof was laying in it's parking lot.
We asked the officer to let us back on the interstate to head back north, the trooper asked where we were coming from and when I told him, he shook hi head and said "You boys are damn lucky to be alive"
If we were just a few minutes longer at Dreamland.....
We drove in rain until Birmingham, and then it was hit or miss showers all the way home.
We arrived safely about 11:15pm.
This will be a trip I will always remember. Starting out in an ice storm, perfect weather in FLA, and Tornados chasing us North through Alabama. I got to meet up with some great roadfooders, and sample some great food.
Is it next President's Day weekend yet??
