Gulf Shores and The Push East

I continue to struggle to catch up the blog so this post is being written four months in arrears.  I feel bad about my tardiness but console myself by saying that it won't matter when we're looking back in coming years as our memories won't be so good then anyway.   I keep trying. 

So, with winter threatening, we departed Hoover, Alabama on November 10th. Our four month winter reservation at Seminole Campground in North Fort Myers won't begin until December 1st, so we're left wondering where we'll wile away the next three weeks.

Gulf State Park at Gulf Shores, Alabama is the destination for now. During this time of year, the weather there can be warm, rainy or downright cold though so we're not sure how long we'll stay... if we can even get in the campground.

But indeed, there is plenty of room for us at Alabama's crown jewel state park so we settle in and get the bicycles, including the dog wagon, out for rides. The first afternoon was fine -- sunny and warm.  The campsite we're assigned isn't great, but it is okay and I didn't complain.

The weather did turn, for the worse... and quickly.  We suffered wind, cold and rain, sometimes simultaneously. It was awful and we couldn't wait for our week to end.

During the week, one of the idiot lights of the car's dashboard illuminated itself and caused a problem. The repair was made at the area Ford dealer.

Finally our week ended and we moved eastward along the coast, stopping at Joe Patti Seafood in Pensacola for a seafood chowder fix on another bitter, miserably cold day. Wayne had hoped to visit Frank and Beverly again, but they were not at their Gulf Shores home so we missed seeing them this year.

Most likely the coldest day so far here on the gulf coast. 

Joe Patti (on the stool) welcomes customers and calls numbers for fresh seafood service. 

We each got a small container of hot seafood to take away the chill.
I had clam chowder, Wayne had seafood gumbo. Mine was best.

After our chowder, we drove (too cold to walk) across to the small restaurant and ate another round of hot food. Then we returned to the seafood market where we bought fresh seafood to take along with us.

Our next stop is in Panama City where we'll finally catch up with our old friends Tom and DJ who live there.