Bucket List

On Sunday, July 11th I was able to mark an item off my bucket list.  My friend JJ and I went to go see Jimmy Buffett live on the Gulf Shores beach of Alabama!  Jimmy, we are on first name basis now, was doing a concert to benefit the Coast and get more tourism down there because of the BP oil spill.  The concert was amazing, definately in the Top 10 experiences of a lifetime.  Getting there was an adventrue and quite possibly the longest day in America...but totally worth it.
We woke up early and hit the road at 8:30am.  We had the Jimmy Buffett channel on the Serius radio (even though they rarely play Buffett) our coolers packed, our sun shades on and we were ready!  We talked and laughed and talked and once we got to Meridian we hit Hwy 45 and drove and drove....and then things seemed different.  Where were we?  I pulled over to ask a nice man at a car wash "Where is Gulf Shores?"  He said, "Umm, that's far."  "Well, where are we - on this map?"  He said, "Sweetheart you are in Laurel."  WHAT?  Good Lawd we went south instead of southeast for a long ways.  Great!  I think my pride was a little wounded because I consider myself to be a good map / navigation person, as is JJ.  So we got back on track - had set ourselves back like an hour,  but no biggie we left in ample time since the gates didn't open until 3:00 anyway.  So, we are driving and talking and laughing with our sun shades on and we are finally getting close!  YAY!  Then I realize we should exit because again, something isn't right.  I exit, pull into a gas station and ask a nice young man, "Did I pass the exit for Gulf Shores?"  He said, "Gulf Shores, Alabama?"  I looked at JJ then looked at him and said, "Yes, Gulf Shores Alabama - - where are we?"  He said, "Oh, you are in Florida."  My hands dropped the map in disgust and confusion and my pride was crushed, again.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  "I'm just a few exits away, right?" I asked.  He said, "Well, I guess -- it's about 30 miles."  Again!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME? 
JJ and I got back on the road, cracking up!  Twice, really?  We got off track twice?  Killin' me. We passed the Florida / Alabama state line.  How did we miss that the first time? Geez.  Finally we found the appropriate exit because we made a special point to pay special attention.  We were up for a road trip right?  Well we sure got one!  I told JJ that we came to Gulf Shores via Iowa.  But we got there!

We ended up in Gulf Shores at around 2:00 or so and had zero problem finding a place to park since my friend Allison, the one that got us the tickets, had a hotel room right on the beach. 

No Oil Here...

We were able to park in the parking lot at the hotel and literally walk 3 blocks to the concert.  This was fabulous because like Allison said, I think all 35,000 people brought their own individual cars.  Even though it was close to Buffett time we decided to grab something to eat at Ribs & Reds and then be on our way to the gates.  The timing of everything was perfect.  Even getting lost played a part in our timing.  We got there, ate, went to the gates, heard some guys opening act, people watched, then we got settled and on came Buffett! 

Here is me settled...

We dug a recliner into the sand. 

See how I'm able to sit up and lean back?

People watching was part of the fun too.  I never knew so many people bought size small clothes when they really need a medium or a large. (I can hear my mom in my head, now Rachel, stop talking about people, it's not polite.)  I'm sure you've heard the saying, if you don't have anything nice to say...come sit next to me.  Well I fell into that category that day.  It was a sight. Bikinis and rolled down unbottoned daisy dukes.  I guess that never goes out of style?  What do I know, I claim not to be a fashionista.  I have pictures, but I won't post them for fear they are your relatives.

Anyway, Buffett started and we knocked down our recliner in the sand and made it a dance floor. 

Me & JJ at the festivities

It was hot.  I don't even think the word hot describes how hot the hot was.  And all we had that wasn't sandy to wipe our faces with was this one lone paper towel that JJ randomly had in her pocket from the restaurant.

At a Buffett concert you always have to be careful of those crazy Land Sharks!!

Even this cutie patootie little girl that I wanted to keep in my pocket had it going on.

 

Man it was a fabulous day.  JJ and I both hope we are half as cool as these moms in 17 years. 

They brought their daughters to the concert and had a blast!  The mom's were hilarious and our new BFFs. Being that we partied with the moms and not the daugthers was a first for us and maybe a visual turning point in our lives.  I don't think the daughters would have been interested in seeing pictures of Hill and Harvey like the moms were.  They gave us all kinds of tips and pointers and motherly advice.  The main one was to pick your battles.  You see...Buffett was not only a blast but a lifetime of education too.

After the concert we went back to the hotel and showered, realized I had lost my phone. Back tracked to the concert and in the sand, no luck.  Got in the car at like 9:30 pm and drove back to Kosciusko.  This time it was via Kentucky because we only got turned around once.  At 3:30 am we pulled into the driveway and I then had to come to the realization....  I'm not in college any more and can't pull all nighters.

It took me two days to recoop and get my cell phone back (it had fallen out of my bag at the hotel room and Allison FedExed it to me).

THANK YOU JIMMY BUFFETT & JJ FOR A WONDERFUL FUN FILLED DAY! 

I really needed everything about that day.