Joe Cain Day.

Joe Cain Day. This is a Mobile exclusive. Joe Cain is a historical figure in this city and every year they have a huge celebration to honor him. Its the peoples parade, so anyone can sign up for it, it is the largest and longest parade.

This is what Joe Cains gravestone reads:

Here lies old Joe Cain

The heart and soul of Mardi Gras in Mobile

Joseph Stillwell Cain

Slacabamorinico - Old Slac

1832 - 1904

In 1866, Joe Cain dressed as a mythical Chickasaw Chief, and might have seemed comic - but certain perceptive ones realized he represented the epitome of victory - for the Chickasaws were never defeated in all their history. So Joe Cain, with his masquerade, lifted this region from despair and revived the ancient French observance of Boeuf Gras - now known in Mobile as Mardi Gras - thus inaugurating the dispute as to who had Mardi Gras first - Mobile or New Orleans?

Mobile had it first, but New Orleans was the first to call its carnival Mardi Gras...

The Boeuf Gras society was already 150 years old in 1861, when it disbanded because of the war...

According to tradition - Joe Cain was the first folly to chase the devil round a stump...

Joe Cain founded the Tea Drinkers in 1846...

Here lies, also, Joe Cain's beloved Wife

Elizabeth Rabby Cain

1835 - 1907



So on this historic day Bucky, Lindsey and I hit the streets to see what it was all about. Coop wasn't allowed to come downtown in the square because for some silly reason they don't allow dogs downtown during Mardi Gras celebrations. He was pretty upset. I loaded up some coolers in attempt to sell some beer to get some money together. I made some dough and planned on heading back down there on Tuesday to really make some cash.

Its was like a big tail gate party. Grills, Music, Dancing, Drinking. Man I love this city.


I was able to bring Coop out during the day but had to stay away from the Parades. He just wanted to be by the food!



People everywhere having a good 'ol time. These folks had set up a pretty stocked bar on the tailgate of the Jeep. I had one of their Bloody Marys, really spicy.

The crowds were out in full force Sunday night after the Joe Cain Day Parade. This is the biggest night for drinking in Mobile. Fat Tuesday is more of a family day in Mobile, and Joe Cain Parade is just found in Mobile.

When the crowds are out that means the cops are out. They made their presence known on foot and on horse. The cops down here work some serious overtime during these Mardi Gras celebrations. Not only do they work their normal shift but then have to work a MG shift which is about 6 to 8 hours. By the end of the two and half weeks that is Mardi Gras these guys and gals of law enforcement are pretty short fused. Dealing with drunk folks every night would get on any persons nerves.

Everyone was on the beg for some beads!

People drunk all around with out a care in the world.


Love all around!

So later that night I jumped on one of the beach cruisers to take a spin in the tightly packed crowds. I stopped to take a picture of this guy below. After snapping a couple I tried to catch up to the group. I was pedaling pretty hard and all the sudden the chain came off....

...as my left foot was coming to the top of the rotation and when the chain let loose my foot slammed into the pavement and the pedal pushed my foot between the pedal and the pavement bending my toes backward. What pain. I have never broken anything before in my life and so when the pain set in on my foot I was pretty sure that I had broken a toe or two. After that I headed home to rest, and ice it.

The next day I woke up to a very swollen, discolored, and very sore foot. I debated on the course of action to be taken; health clinic, hospital, or just man thru it. I have always been a big fan of manning thru it, but this time around I wasn't man enough! So I headed to the hospital to ensure a better care, hopefully! After some x-rays and lots of squeezing on my tender toes They decided that I was not broken, just really sprained. I am told that I need to stay off it for a couple days and then after that I can determine when I will be able to go. I need to get a move on so I hope to hit the road by Friday or Saturday. Due to the fact I couldn't walk or ride a bike I wasn't able to go down to the Fat Tuesday Celebration. It was a beautiful day and would of been a good day but I couldn't of made it 30 min down there. I have been so careful not to hurt myself or put myself in harms way and I jack my foot up riding a bike! Go figure.

Till Next Time

Love and Licks

Sean and Coop.