PRESIDENTS DAY ON THE ROAD TO DECATUR, ALABAMA

Hampton Inn/Decatur, Alabama

Monday, February 16, 2015

72 F and cloudy to 31 F and rain

We woke up in Baton Rouge to a very moderate 63 F. TK said it was -16 F in Erie. We headed east by 8:30 a.m. Donna had messaged me by text at 3 a.m. EST today that she and Lawrence finally reached home to 15 inches of snow in Janesville, Wisconsin. Their flight had been delayed.

The temperature was 72 F as we left I-12 East and turned a bit north. In honor of Mardi Gras we were playing the jazz on the XM Mardi Gras channel. When we reached Mississippi we stopped at the Visitor Center, full of Mississippi’s historical artifacts and antiques. Volunteers offered us a sample of King Cake from Paul’s Pastry shop, “The Biggest Little Bakery in South Mississippi.” The “cake” made with cream cheese tasted so good that we made a detour and drove to the shop in Picayune, Mississippi. The bakery was full of people buying these goodies for their Mardi Gras celebration. We bought a Pecan Praline King Cake that does not need to be refrigerated so hopefully we can eat it at home. Or if we get stranded, we have food in the car!  www.paulspastry.com 

By the time we got to Laurel, Mississippi, the temperatures were dropping. We decided to eat in Meridian and I found Weidmann’s Restaurant, Number 1 on Trip Advisor and “Mississippi’s Oldest Restaurant.”  It was an “easy off” of I-20/59 in downtown Meridian and the weather was still cloudy and temperate.  I am so glad we stopped!  TK had bacon wrapped chopped sirloin, mac n cheese, and corn pudding. I had a 4 cheese grilled Panini and beef vegetable soup. Wow! The restaurant, with fresh flowers one each table, was upscale and very authentic—the building is on the National Register of Historic Places. We topped the meal off with fabulous pecan praline bread pudding (I’m sensing a theme). I have to say this restaurant supersedes Oceana’s bread pudding in New Orleans.  We usually do not eat so well on the road, but I really do not want to hurry home to snow and more snow and ice cold temperatures. I am so glad we stopped in Meridian!! www.weidmanns1870.com

Weidmann's Restaurant, Meridian, Mississippi

About a half hour later the weather really started to turn with heavy rain and much lower temperatures. We decided to stop in Decatur, Alabama. By the time we checked in it was 6:30 p.m., a good time to stop. Now at 9:30 p.m., TK just told me that traffic on I-65, our route, is completely stopped because of the weather.  That will be his take for the day!! He thinks we can get out of here tomorrow—not sure!

I hope that B1 and B2 enjoyed their day off from school today despite the COLD!