CHILLAXIN' TIME!!

Our trip to have the leveling jacks replaced at Tiffin Motorhomes in Red Bay, AL, was hardly a blip in the interruption of our fun.  In fact, we arrived on Wednesday afternoon and after a few days we were back on the road again.

Tiffin Motorhomes Service Center 2014

Replacing Atwood Jacks on Allegro Bus 2014

Fortunately, we were able to enjoy the Annual Founder's Day festivities in downtown Red Bay all day Saturday.  Founder's Day is much like other small town festivals with a few exceptions.  

Red Bay, AL Founder's Day 2014

Red Bay Historical Marker - Continued 2014

Because we were at Dr. Jim Nabors' Downtown RV Campground we were able to walk over to the senior center (across from the police station) and enjoy a fantastic rib eye steak sandwich with all the trimmings which was presented by the Alabama Cattlemen's Association.  

Franklin County, AL Cattleman's Association Steak Sandwich Sale

 Along with a classic car show there were local arts and crafts, quilters, bands, storytelling, a fiddler's contest, bbq cook off, etc.  You could even get a puppy if you wanted (we didn't).

Founder's Day Classic Car Show - 2014

Founder's Day Classic Car Show - 2014

When Monday arrived we departed early to spend the next couple of days in Montgomery, the Capitol of Alabama.  Our new home/campground, Capitol City RV,  was a very neat and convenient campground owned by avid Auburn fans, and we spent the next couple of days exploring and getting to know as much as we could about the town known as the home of the Confederacy and the birthplace of the civil rights movement.

State Capitol, Montgomery, AL - 2014

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, Montgomery, AL

We spent some time exploring the beautiful State Museum (next to the first White House and home of Jefferson Davis) and home of the impressive State Archives to research some family genealogy.

Department of Archives & History, Montgomery, AL

Not only did we learn a lot about Alabama history but we went to pay our respects to Hank Williams, Sr. at his gravesite at the Oakwood Cemetery.   By the way, have you ever listened to the lyrics of the song Alan Jackson sings about "Midnight In Montgomery"?

Gravesite and Memorial - Hank Williams, Sr. - Montgomery, AL 2014

After leaving Montgomery we traveled to the Gulf of Mexico beaches known as the Emerald Coast -  Miramar Beach, Destin, Santa Rosa Beach and one of our favorite campgrounds, Topsail Hill, off famous Highway 30A.  We met with several friends (about 6 couples) who also had reservations and we shared many delicious meals, lots of laughter, and good times.  

RV and MH - 2014

First Florida Grande Rally - Topsail - 2014

If we weren't at the beach, enjoying local restaurants, we were shopping, or just "chillaxin".  One coach after another has left until we are one of the last coaches in our group.    We're on the way to Pensacola NAS for one week and will be guests of our Michigan and Florida Grande friends, Gary and Mim Van Horn.

DAY 213

Note:  Time passes so fast that sometimes good intentions about posting to our blog have to be put on the back burner until later.  Upon returning to Florida Grande in November we immediately left and visited with both daughters and families and enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving in Suwanee, GA.  Of course we were interested in how Lauren's new chiropractic office, Suwanee Spine and Wellness, is doing - it's better than she ever anticipated.  And if you are curious as to how "Junque In The Trunk" in Fleming Island is doing, it is the talk of the town, to put it mildly.  We left our coach in FL and drove the car to Atlanta, and while we were very comfortable staying with Lauren and Chris, we were extremely happy to get back to our house on wheels. So leading up to all this..........

This is Day 213, kind of the end of this year's journey, since we left Florida Grande in Webster, FL on April 1, 2012, and it has been an amazing journey.  We had many good times, extremely sad times, glad times and memorable times.  We enjoyed meeting new friends, visiting with old friends and family, and going down roads we had never traveled before.  It was fun getting lost, being found, and laughing til our sides hurt.  We celebrated our five year anniversary in October, 2012 as fulltimers, and if the next five years are as interesting as the last five, and we continue to have our health, we will consider ourselves very blessed. After our last blog post, we traveled to Red Bay, Alabama, for several more improvements on the coach (which have been added under the tab called "Coach Upgrades" above). At Red Bay we enjoyed seeing friends like Wayne and Kathy Page, also having work done to their coach.  Wayne had to be life-flighted to Florence, AL after he had a heart attack.  It was fortunate for him that Florence has one of the best cardiac hospitals in the Southeast. Kathy relocated the coach to McFarland Park in Florence, and after Wayne was released from the hospital, he was able to recuperate comfortably in their coach on the banks of the beautiful Tennessee River near the Wilson Dam.  He is doing fine and we feel sure they are travelling down the road like rock stars, as we speak. Tiffin Service Center - Red Bay, AL Tiffin Service Center - Red Bay, AL  We enjoy returning to Florida as Fall approaches by spending time at the "Redneck Riviera" near Destin and Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Another day is done.... Santa Rosa Beach, FL We stayed at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park for  2 weeks and enjoyed one weekend where Harold, Kristen, our 4 grandchildren, and our good friend, Savannah Benton, visited us to go to the monstrous community yard sale held in the Amphitheatre in Seaside, Florida.   Besides enjoying seeing our family, we also had many good times with friends from Florida Grande, Fred and Evie Wolf and David and Diane Drinkwater. Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Topsail Hill Preserve State Park US Highway 98 may be one of the most beautiful highways in Florida.  Much of the time you are driving parallel to the scenic Gulf of Mexico and you can visualize what old Florida is like.  After passing Apalachicola,  we decided we would take a day trip to St. George Island.  We stayed in Carrabelle Beach and drove our car over to St. George Island after we bought oysters in Eastpoint.  A very long bridge (4.5 miles long - 3rd longest bridge in FL) connects beautiful and environmentally sensitive St. George Island to the mainland.  After checking out the island, the campground facilities and the beach, we've decided to stay on St. George Island next year. U.S. Highway 98 - Carrabelle, Florida In closing, after arriving back in Green Cove Springs, we helped as part-timers on an "as-needed" basis at Junque In The Trunk, Harold and Kristen's new up-scale furniture store in Fleming Island, Fl..  We plan our return every Halloween to see our grandchildren in their costumes (and help them eat their candy).   Kristen and I went to the annual FL/GA Football Game. We probably wouldn't have gone if my brother, Jesse, hadn't gotten tickets for Kristen and I in the Terrace Suites - definitely a great way to see the game!  It wasn't a good day for the Gators, but we definitely enjoyed ourselves. Junque In The Trunk - Fleming Island, FL

BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT

We arrived at the Gulf of Mexico and the white sand beaches of South Walton County, Florida, to eat oysters from Appalachicola.  Be.still.my.heart!  Locals steered us to great seafood, good deals, early bird specials and where not to go.  We were provided very reliable information most of the time.

We arrived at Topsail Hill Preserve, a 1,640 acre state park, 10 miles east of Destin, in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and immediately understood why Topsail has received Reserve America's awards for Top Ten Spots for "Amazing Locations", "Fishing Spots", "Hiking Trails", "Tours and Events", and "Unique Cabins".  This region of Northwest Florida is known throughout the world for beautifully pristine emerald green waters framed by unspoiled coastal sand dunes. Lying among the dunes are five natural fresh water lakes which occur no where else in the United States but in Florida's panhandle.  Topsail's three mile beach edges up to the Gulf in undulating waves and twenty foot dunes heaped like spoonfuls of sugar beside the emerald waters.  To get to Topsail, you must turn off Highway 98 onto Highway 30A, recognized correctly as a Scenic Highway.  Ooops, almost forgot to tell you, this is our first visit since we joined the Medicare Country Club set - half off for Florida seniors - see, there are benefits to reaching this wonderful age!

As far as a campground (and RV resort) Topsail has top-rated sites which have most of the comforts of home including cable television, full 50 amp service, and sewer.  The facility is rated in the top 1% for cleanliness and maintenance.  Visitors seem to be interested in swimming, walking and dozing in the sun.  Of course there are many little critters around, i.e., the endangered Chocktawhatchee field mouse, is one, which is scampering all around our site and we hope we don't take any of them with us when we leave!

One of the nice things about our trip to Topsail has been meeting old friends and spending time getting to know and explore the area together.   Upon arriving, our friends, Jim and B.J. Chancey, invited us over for Jim's world renowned babyback ribs, which may be on the Top Ten of our list of best ribs we've ever put in our mouth!  Also, our neighbors from Florida Grande, David and Diane Drinkwater were with us for several meals at a highly recognized local seafood restaurant, "Stinky's".  Once you get past the name, the food was delicious!

If you like oysters then you would have enjoyed our first local place, Buster's, which features a great special from 5 to 6 every night - $4.00 for 2 dozen oysters.  Nothing special, and you get what you pay for is all I'll say.  A couple of days later we enjoyed a very authentic shepherd's pie at McGuire's, a famous and award winning Irish Pub.  We then drove over the Destin Bridge to Okaloosa Island, another beautiful beach.  Crossing the Bridge on the Bayside is Crab Island, where numerous boats enjoy the clear water on a sand bar in the Chocktawhatchee Bay.  Also in this area is Harbor Walk in Destin, an area where the Wyndham Emerald Pointe Hotel is located, but also the location of many shops, a large marina, and where the Annual Seafood Festival was held this past weekend which brought in about 30,000 seafood lovers.  The weather was perfect and so were all the delicious varieties of local seafood.

We enjoyed side trips on Scenic Highway 30A as you travel parallel with Highway 98, but most of the drive you see beaches full of the "WOW" factor.  The unincorporated master-planned communities of Watercolor, Seaside, Grayton Beach, Rosemary Beach, Alys  and other beaches along this road appear to be just like the photos you saw in last month's issue of Coastal Living Magazine.  We attended Seaside's Annual Community Yard Sale, held in their Outdoor Amphitheatre on a Saturday morning.  What a treat - I was completely astounded at the huge turnout.  A side note - Seaside hosted the Hollywood filming of "The Truman Show" starring Jim Carrey.  Along "30A" we loved the classic Airstream Travel Trailer lineup of sidewalk restaurants. Barefoot BBQ, Wild Bill's Beach Dogs, Raw & Juicy Organic Juice Bar and Cafe, The Meltdown Cafe and Frost Bites.  In the middle of all this was the beautiful and historic Seaside Post Office.  The beach is very accessible to the public and these successful developments are recognized with the other above-mentioned locations as part of the new Urbanization plan.
  

We definitely will be returning to Topsail and the Destin area in the future.  It's difficult to describe the natural beauty of this area, the coastline, and the beautiful the beaches in Florida's Panhandle.

All this running around hasn't given me much of an opportunity to organize my thoughts for our Halloween decorations for the coach but here's one I'll show you just to see what you think; and no, this isn't RV!

Halloween decorations 2011