Since we left California, we have been eating an array of products we bought at Trader Joe’s before we left. I made the mistake of assuming we would easily find other Trader Joe’s along the way and learned very quickly that not every state is lucky enough to have their stores. In Houston we shopped at Whole Foods with some degree of success but they can’t beat TJ’s for price and value.

I am often asked how I find veggie friendly restaurants and stores and I am happy to tell you the best source for information is www.happycow.net (also found under our favourite links on the left). I found this site three years ago when we first hit the road and it has proven to be an invaluable source of information. With no Trader Joe’s in Florida or Alabama, I was delighted to find not just four natural food stores in Pensacola but two veggie-friendly restaurants as well. In the entire state of Alabama there are only 10 listings (Florida has 195)…hmmm, I wonder if there is any relation between that and the obesity rate in Alabama too? Alas, I am not here to preach.

After a great night’s sleep (for me there is nothing quite like the purr of big trucks engines to lull me to sleep but that’s another whole story!), we woke up to overcast skies, a temperature of 20°C (68°F) and a forecast of thundershowers. (I hope Houston’s weather hasn’t followed us.) Today’s drive was all of 10 minutes long to the gates of the Styx River RV Resort which we are staying at for a few days so we should have lots of time to explore the area. We have wanted to return here since we passed through the area in 2004 to see what it is like in warmer weather (it was cold in February ’04 though tomorrow’s high for here is only 18°C (64°F), brrrr!).

Right now as I write it is 32°C (90°F) and humid as hell (welcome to the east!) so there has to be some big changes if the forecast is going to be accurate. Our site is surrounded by trees but we have our satellite TV (all stations at last...in the west we lose some) AND satellite internet though the Wifi is free and fast. From here we’ll start heading north and based on TJ’s site, we won’t find a store until we hit Indianapolis. Our next “real” destination is Wakarusa, Indiana to the Travel Supreme factory for some service on April 23rd and from there, Ontario, Canada for awhile.