OR to Florida Hee Haw

[Rich W]

Glad to hear you're having a great time, Bob. I'm very jealous. Hope the weather is good, no matter where you're traveling.

[CruizinDux]

Rich, thanks. We are having a great time. Other than the friends layover in Pho and a great time in Fredericksburg, it has been, thru traffic staying somewhat successfully ahead of the weather. Today we landed in Gulfport MS 100 yds from the beach..wind chill about 30. We're about 2 weeks out from checkin at Fiesta Key in KW, so the pace will turn to the hokey pokey as we make it along the shore routes thru AL to FL and down the FL west coast.I

Hope we can connect as mentioned.

Be well
Bob

[CruizinDux]

Peter, Avery Is was a bust. Heavy rain and a cold wind..neither condusive to my wife arthritic hip. We picked up a replacement from our 96 trip a ceramic tabasco bottle holder which broke in the move to Eug. We decided to move on inc a repeat visit to Houma. Noticed they have added a great vet tribute...a worthwhile visit for sure!

Headed for Bat St Louis, which seem to have plenty of marginal mf home type parks, so kept on the scenic shoreline route and stumbled onto a nice park in Gulfport. We'll layover a day, hopefully catch the Stennis Space center if open and explore the general area. Monday when the cold front slips by...it's AL>FL
B
p.s. Thanks for the weather reports. The Jetpack has been an on again...slo again proposition.

B

[CruizinDux]

Hey bubba...here is a great place in SlO..not Altstadt atmosphere, but authentic
http://bedasbiergarten.com. From Pismo, take the back road thru arroyo grande up edna valley. Beda's is a way out Broad street so you'll approach from the S instewd of thru town.

Also SLO has a great farmers market on thurs?? Eve. The line for bbq at the McClintocks is worth the wait.

If you want to see what santa maria tri-tip is all about, try Shaw's on S Main in Santa Maria. The TT sandwich or salad is killer. Pop's grew up there ( you'll pass Fesler St..GG GP) so we go back when in the area.

B

[/B]

Originally Posted by Bubba L

Bob, don’t think it was me you talked to in Fredericksburg. My wife gets on me about bothering people I see in Airstreams. We will check out those campgrounds in Tehachapi. Let us know the next time you’re through and we’ll discuss over an Altstadt. Thanks

[CruizinDux]

Hey steve sorry i missed this. Not any longer, but did at first. We often make up the dinette as the older dog has trouble getting up on the bed. I often for longer periods put the flash drive in the stereo, and also open thevents...fans on as appropriate.
B

Originally Posted by centennialman

Bob.....looks like you are having a great trip. So glad you are out on the road enjoying

Do the dogs stay in a kennel (in the AS) while you are out?

[Bubba L]

Thanks for the Pismo tips. We’ll give it a try. The towns you’re hitting brings back memories. I made some trips to New Iberia back in high school. We made a few trips to the Cape for NASA launches back in the early 70s and hit the same towns. Take it easy, have fun and be safe. Bubba

[Jarrod White]

Enjoy Gulfport. I like the Half Shell downtown. From there you might consider Davis Bayou in Ocean Springs if it is not impacted by shutdown. If nothing else make sure you walk downtown Ocean Springs and visit Walter Anderson museum. Eat at Bozos in Pascagoula as you head east. Mahear State Park is a good place to stay while visiting Mobile (my home). While there, visit 5 Rivers to learn about the delta, Gulfquest Maritime
museum, the Carnival museum, Battleship Alabama, and the Mobile History museum. Bellingrath Gardens in Theodore will be a longer drive but the Camellias will be in full bloom. There is good seafood on the causeway. I like R&R. Consider Dauphins in downtown Mobile for a view of the surrounding area from 34 stories up. As you head east from Mobile, look at Gulf State Park in Alabama or the Florida State Parks - Big Lagoon (great for a must visit to the Naval Aviation Museum - I like the Original Pointe restaurant nearby) and Henderson, Topsail and Grayton near
Destin and 30A area. I would skip coast between Panama City and Tallahassee due to hurricane damage. From Tallahassee, I like taking highways 19/27 down to keys. Look at Rainbow Springs which is just a few miles off this route as a stopover and then South Bay RV Campground (a Palm Beach County Park) as potential stops on way down. Gatoroma in Palmdale and Monkey Jungle in Homestead are classic roadside stops along way. If you take I-75 (which I detest), look at Stephen Foster Cultural Center, Silver Springs or OLena as stops. You could also see if you can get in Ft Desoto near St Pete. Soriano Brothers in Homestead has authentic Cuban and plenty of parking for trailer. In the Keys, I’m like Key Fisheries in Key Largo and Marathon. Lorelei and Lazy Days in Islamorada. Take the glass bottom boat tour out of Pennekamp in Key Largo (they have parking for trailer if needed), feed the tarpon at Robbie’s (no trailer parking), and visit Theatre of the Sea for another classic roadside attraction. Sea Turtle hospital in Marathon is great but make reservations. Florida Keys Brewing in Islamorada has a new tap room with nice beer garden.

[CruizinDux]

Jarrod, wow... Thanks. What an info bonanza. I recognize some things/places but need to shift over to google maps.

Thanks for taking the time for your input.
Happy trails.
Bob

[CruizinDux]

Decided to stay another night at Gulf Haven in Gulfport so we could explore Bay St Louis and watch the games. I read the Kilmeade book, Battle of New Orleans not lon ago so it was interesting to visit Bay Stl & the battle grounds. Looking forward to Biloxi & Mobile areas.

Still dealing with the weather. The forecast for last night held true...wind chill in the high 20's. Sure enough about 4 a.m. the space heater didn't cycle off...time to turn on the real heat! Bright idea...instead of making room in the refer for some brewskis, i just set a few on the propane tank cover...the wind chill did the rest...colder than the refer and quicker.

Heading out tomorrow along the AlFl coast looking for warmer waters.
B

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

. . .
Heading out tomorrow along the AlFl coast looking for warmer waters.
. . .

We know that feeling . . .

6 degrees Fahrenheit here, with wind chill at minus 10 F.



Thanks for the updates. After Pensacola, as mentioned before, if you have time there is the option to hug the beach and go down to Panama City FL and Apalachicola, if the storm-rebuilding has gone well, as surmised.

34 F at Tyndall AF Base, Panama City: https://w1.weather.gov/data/obhistory/KPAM.html

Or make a beeline to get south ASAP toward Ocala and Tampa St. Pete?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mo...!4d-88.0398912

Happy Trails!

Peter

PS -- Full blood moon lunar eclipse last night was amazing!

[CruizinDux]

Yes...saw it rising over a fellow as'r inthe park..2015 safari 27? restored. Sweet. Made the hokey pokey to Navarre just w of walton beach, our target. We made the resies last night and got the only spot...well ok...backs up to thebeachI

Recommendations from Jarrod were great and helpful. Loved Ocean Springs..and will mark that for a return visit.

Having lived in Sea Ranch on the Sonoma coast I thought i had grown accustomed to the coastal wind. It's rocking here. I'm guessing 35 maybe more. At least at Sea Ranch, it would sit down after sundown!

Heading for Panama City tomorrow and expect to head inland there to Talahasse & I-10. Mexico Beach etc i hear is still pretty decimated.

Still loking for that lost shaker of salt ...warm weather and a rita that is...

B

[Jarrod White]

Glad you enjoyed ocean springs. I forgot to mention the SS Wreck Galley on Grassy Key near Fiesta Key is also very good and reasonably priced.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

. . .
Heading for Panama City tomorrow . . .
. . .

ETA "5 o'clock somewhere?"

https://www.margaritavillepanamacitybeach.com/

[Native143]

HI Bob, So we had some heavy storms come thru here in Galveston last night. and even sleet this morning!!! Been quite brisk winds too. Hope you're avoiding the snow in Texas. I'm looking forward to getting back to FL and some sunnier weather! Panhandle parks are open but not around Panama City or Mexico Beach. They were wiped out! :-( Look for some good state parks as you head south on I-75 from Atlanta. Good luck with the traffic along that route though.

[Native143]

no they have not rebuilt after the storm. :-( West of Panama City is ok but not east around Big Bend area.

[Native143]

Originally Posted by Jarrod White

Glad you enjoyed ocean springs. I forgot to mention the SS Wreck Galley on Grassy Key near Fiesta Key is also very good and reasonably priced.

And Sparky's in Marathon, Actually Key Colony Beach mm 52 behind the HI Express.

[OTRA15]

Now's it going in Margaritaville?

Hope you have hit good warm weather and beaches, and have deployed the flip-flops!

Peter

[CruizinDux]

More soon. Been dealing with data limits, a laptop that for 24 hours would not boot, then the next day just before heading to BBuy... blue screen nothin' like blue sky do i see...and this all after the CC was compromised and needed to be reissued....Just need an address. Ooooook, no prob.

finally hit 70, just when that lost shaker of salt is in focus, i thought i'd join the failed BW backflo preventer, time to pull the dinette or bathroom counter clubI

A quote by Stan from the movie "Deer Hunter" comes to mind. I'll post BW discussion on the 20 thread.I

Peter, your post re BW failure in the other fw leaking inside??? was uncanny. However, i'm cool, i don't blame you for the bad juju. What's that other quote ...from kelley's heroes....Moriarity...all those negative vibes.

B

I'll also try to catch up progress. Currently laying up at Grand Lake (sun resort) in Ocala, fl

[OTRA15]

Sorry for the probs. See reply in 20' thread.

The rural coast west of Ocala has some amazing dead-end beach/swamp spots, as I recall, for day trips. Maybe pack a lunch and explore?

Happy trails,

Peter

[centennialman]

I have been following your trip and thank you for all the posts! Sorry to hear about some of the problems though. Hang in there....margaritas and sunshine are just down the road.