And pictures in reverse order, ugh, I hate that. Anyway, perhaps our last scouting night on the USS alabama began with the long drive down and lunch at the 5 River Delta Center (Alabama Wilds) which is a really fun place to stop, and added a fun adventure for the boys. There the boys had a group playing football, a group in the woods exploring, and many in the Delta Center checking out the Owls, snakes, turtles and such on display. This was a place our family visited a long time ago, and at that time, they even had a live possum walking through one of the buildings. Well, after speaking to the workers, the possums only live for 2 to 3 years...apparently even when they live inside, cars will crash into the building killing the possums just to get to the other side.
Davis helped me gather everyone up to head over to the battleship around 2PM, and we were the first of the large groups to check in for the night. While the facilitator role in events like these are not always the easiest, I do like pushing it for efficiency, and I was able to work with the coordinator on the ship to get all of our paperwork reviewed so that we could get onto the ship at the early 3PM timeslot. This allowed our troop to go visit the hangar and sub before it all closed at 5PM.
Davis and I would see each other in passing, but we did make time later that night for a trip to the machine room together for our standard picture. Like the whole trip, it was just a little strange not having Sam with us, especially in the machine room as we left a gap where he would normally be. Davis played a game of hide and seek with all the others in the troop, and found a place so good, he left his hiding spot only to find out that the first game had ended and a new one begun. Me and the other adults hung out in the large ward room watching football games. I remember John Lacey hiding behind one of the couches and he also stayed there for over an hour. This was a dedicated hide and seek group.
I visited all of the tours reminiscing about being on the boat and all the fun times had on this ship. We had pizza where I had ordered with the same formula used for the AHG girls in January...and that was the wrong formula. Everything got pizza, but there was nothing left. Note to future me planning this event for other boys...order enough for each boy to have 5 pieces of a medium. During one of the tours, I found that the door to the doctors area was unlocked (yes, I often check doors on the ship, as you never know)...so snuck in for a fun picture. And before I went to sleep I took one last walk out on the deck, this boat has been the source of many blogs, and even a part of my honeymoon 22 years ago. And something I don't think I have ever done before, I tried the showers before bed...not the best pressure, I am sure the sailors probably complained about this while out on the pacific. But I felt like I needed to add "being naked on a battleship" to my list of items completed during life.
I did capture some of Davis' pictures into the blog below. I try not to ask to many questions, but he decided to get a picture of him acting like one of the women of un-integrity. And he also got into the doctor's office, but told me it was creepy being in there, he felt like they were watching him. We had some pastries and juice the next morning for breakfast, and walked around for a few last pictures. I have no idea where Davis slept, I just know we were all in the same crowded room. And just like that, our trip was over. It was a sad moment thinking about this being perhaps my last overnighter on the battleship. I gave Davis a hug, as he was riding back with Mr. George. Then I got in my rental to begin the 7 hour drive to Vidalia, GA. I will never forget that first visit with the family to the battleship, when Sam first saw how big the ship was and told us "My eyes are leaking". And as I eased onto I-10 to head into Florida, I will admit, mine were leaking just a little bit as well.
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