Spring Training 2019 - Day 66

We got up early to take the RV in to the tire shop to have the front end alignment checked.  The shop was just down the road and specialized in big truck tires, alignments and related repairs.

While the RV was being worked on we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and looked around town a little. Anniston is essentially co-located with Oxford, AL that is also home to Jacksonville State University., a fairly large regional school.  The area has a lot of motels, plenty of restaurants, chain and otherwise and the usual shopping centers and even an enclosed mall anchored by a Dillards department store.  There also seems to be a lot of industrial park type of activity going on.  The area is also close to a large NASCAR track in Talladega, AL where at least two major NASCAR races are held each year.  Football is also very big here with local loyalties divided between Alabama and Auburn.

As it turned out, the RV wasn't too badly out of alignment but we had a flat tire on one of the inside rear tires (20 psi) that we hadn't known about.  Tire pressures were also out of balance on the other tires.  They fixed the flat, did a front end alignment and stabilized all the tire pressures, probably for about half the price it would have cost in CA.  Actually, the only thing we have found on the trip so far that would be cheaper in CA is the wine.

After picking up the RV we returned to the RV park to relax a little before meeting our friends for an early dinner.

We had a dinner with Paula and Dallas at a Japanese/Asian restaurant.  We had hibachi with all the usual flair that goes with hibachi meal preparation.  It was good to see them again and get caught up on how things are going and reminiscing about old times.  We went to high school with Paula and have kept in touch ever since.  She joined the Army after college and met her husband Dallas who was a helicopter pilot in the Army while they were stationed here in Alabama.  After they both retired, they stayed here worked for the Army in a civil service capacity.

Tomorrow, we head for Tupelo, MS then head down the Natchez Trace to Natchez, MS on Friday.  Most of the sightseeing/visiting is now over and we begin a series of "one nighters" as we head home.  Right now the weather looks pretty good along the southern route we will be taking, but things can change rapidly and we will take our time as needed.