Florida Panhandle

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9-26-10
Raining as we got up this am, and left the Walmart parking lot. Decided we’d spring for an rv park stay today, so we could stay in and watch football. Turns out it stopped raining around 11am, but we watched football, walked on their little strip of beach and sat in their loungers on the beach and read for a while. Pretty low key day, but nice not to travel today. We were right on the bay at Navarro Beach, Fl.
9-27-10
Left for Fort Walton Beach today. We stopped at a park right on the bay...as we’ve noticed so far, the bays aren’t as pretty as the sandy beach, so drove over to Okaloosa Island...WOW!!! They call it the Emerald Coast, and it’s beautiful white sandy beach and gorgeous blue-green ocean. Saw dolphins swimming around a couple of kayakers. Totally gorgeous!!! Drove to Destin and ended up at Fisherman’s Wharf. Walked along the docks and watched the fish swimming and boats coming in and out. Back on the road to Panama City. Parked at the Moose Lodge there...our first time with them!! A couple were decorating for their wedding tomorrow...congrats to them!! Then off to Panama City Beach!! It’s about 15 miles from where we’re parked, and we found Schooner’s Last Local Beach Club right on the beach!! As we were sitting there, we took pictures of a couple from Pennsylvania who were visiting (with the palm trees and the gorgeous gulf in the background) and then met 2 couples from Tennessee!! They were really fun and were telling us all the places to check out if we get to Nashville!! They came here for “Bike Week”, which begins Thursday. Watched a fabulous sunset, then went for a stroll on the beach...water was really nice!! Headed for “home” and watched a bit of TV. We went to sleep listening to frogs croak (not sure just where they were, it wasn’t like there was a swamp out back...there was another street...). Then woke up when the rooster began to crow at 4am, the garbage truck picked up shortly after that...why is it that it seems like no matter where we park, it’s garbage pickup day?!?!? Oh, well, what price paradise, I guess!!!
9-28-10
Gorgeous day again today!! Met some Moose members and paid for our spot and headed for the beach!! Parked again at Schooner’s Last Local Beach Club (as the public access is right beside it), and checked inside for a light lunch of BBQ shrimp and hush puppies before schlepping our stuff over to the beach. Fabulous!!! We spent the afternoon with our toes in the sand, and splashing around in the surf. The water is so clear and the perfect temp...totally awesome afternoon!!! Went back to change out of our swim suits for the evening and checked in with the Moose. Met some very nice folks in there, and had a call from one of our “workamping” opportunities. Turns out that we ended up taking a job at the Anaheim RV Park which begins in late October. For 10 hours a week, we’ll work to pay for our site, and they typically have you work 20-25 hours a week and pay you a small stipend for those additional hours. Hmmm...southern California in the winter...works for me!!!!!
Then we had heard from our Tennessee friends from last night that there was a group playing at the Sandpiper Tiki Lounge called “Mustang Sally”. It was a group of 5 girls and one guy and they were really good...we shared a table with a retired fireman from Atlanta who had recently moved to Panama City. He was really nice, and we had some laughs, as it’s “Bike Week” in town and there were lots of “biker characters”!! (He was a biker as well, but more reserved than most!!! 😊 We also ran into our Tennessee friends from last night...too fun!!! We stayed for a couple of sets and then headed home. A really good day!!! (And it was cooler this evening, so we kept the windows closed and I could hardly hear the rooster crow or the garbage pickup...how is it that it was garbage pickup day AGAIN?!?!?)

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Photos

Fisherman's Wharf
Destin, FL

Scenery between Destin and Panama City
The entire drive was lined with pine trees...not quite what I had expected, but pretty none the less...

Comments

[sunshine]

Wow!! Your daily adventures are most likely the closest I will get to see this part of the good OL USA! All is well here. The car show is over AND THE WEATHER WAS CRAPPY!! Im working in the lottery booth at the fair right now.