We were awakened early by construction equipment. If it had been only the low roar of their motors I probably would have slept through that but one of the machines had a backing up beeper I couldn’t ignore. So we were on the road much earlier than usual.
The beaches of Gulf State Park are still in the process of being rehabilitated. There is now a very long boardwalk leading over the dunes. Sorry about the reflection in the windshield; that light wasn’t going to stay red forever, you know, and I keep my maps and lists of potential destinations on the dash where we can refer to them quickly.
ReMax Realty had a sign out front saying “The turtle only makes progress by sticking her neck out.” Trying to shame people into tackling more than they should? In a place they probably shouldn’t?
There are a great many new houses, hotels, and condos here which, while they are pretty, make me feel sad thinking about what came before them.
Just before entering the bridge across the entrance to Escambia Bay is a sign that says, “Check Fuel. Long Bridge Ahead.” BIG bay! And signs on the bridge warning you not break down there. If you do you are required to keep driving anyway. If you get a flat tire, drive on it until you get off the bridge. It made me think of Sprinter vans having what is known as “limp home mode” which drops your speed if there is a problem but lets you keep moving. We have not experienced that but it’s always possible.
We stopped at the Gulf Islands National Seashore Visitor Center and Administration Building where we got a Florida State Highway Map.
Displays there were mostly about the Live Oaks and their usages such as becoming hulls for warships back when all ships were wooden.
Technically, this is the same park we stayed in while camped at Davis Bayou campground in Jackson, Mississippi. Can you remember back that far? Me either. That’s why I take notes and write these blogs.
Gulf Islands National Seashore has bits and pieces all along the Gulf Shore. Many of its campsites are pack-in sites you access by ferry boat. Back when we were young backpackers we might have done that but our RV won’t fit on the ferry and I’m no longer fit for anything else.
We went to Wendy’s for lunch because Dave has no leftovers from Lambert’s Cafe. Since we were there I ordered one of my favorite food combinations there: a plain chicken sandwich and a sour cream/chive baked potato. I take the chicken off the bun and cut it up onto the potato. Yummy.
We saw some people kite boarding but the area went by much too quickly to get a good photograph. This is the best I could do. See the two little specks over the water? You don’t? Oh, well, I tried.
It’s Easter Week but schools are in session here. We slowed for three school crossings with flashing lights this afternoon. Since the kids are getting out of school it must be time for us to find a place to park for the night.
We planned to stop for the night at Grayton Beach State Park. We wanted to see this place where the Yahoo View/Navion Owners Group has gatherings. We didn’t get to see it, though. Local schools may be in session but families from other states are here on Spring Break so the campground is full. The ranger was not encouraging about what we are likely to find in other parks ahead of us, either.
Leaving Grayton Beach we turned right instead of left thinking we’d be taking a more direct route to meet up with Highway 98 again. We were right. More direct–but not faster. We drove through lots of communities that appear to make a fair amount of money off college kids on Spring Break. I wish I hadn’t been so busy looking that I forgot to take pictures. It was just like my imagination has always told me it must be. Lots of barely dressed young women with sunburns, lots of full sidewalk cafe’s/bars, and lots of beach houses with multiple cars parked outside them.
At 6:00 p.m. we finally pulled into Pineglen RV Park in Panama City Beach, Florida. It has some big sites and some not so big sites. Five sites still available. Fortunately, we were able to get a site between a road and an empty spot with a pond in front of us.
But, we paid $43 for one night! That will mess up our camping fee averages for awhile.
TTYL,
Linda