Goodbye to Pensacola…

IT’S TIME. It’s time for us to move along! We’ve been in Florida, mostly Pensacola, for almost 18 months…far longer than we had planned. I’ve explained to you guys in earlier posts the reasons for our lengthy stay, and I can’t say we ever wanted to spend so much of our Great American Adventure here. But under the circumstances, we couldn’t have found a better place for a lengthy stay. We’ve seen lots of interesting sights, enjoyed the beautiful white sands and sparkling water of the Emerald Coast and met some of the finest people we’ve ever known.

Pensacola Beach at daybreak.

There are miles of beautiful beaches to explore and it’s easy to find one all to yourselves.

Florida’s Emerald Coast.

Mobile Bay on a cloudy day.

WE’VE SEEN LOTS OF SIGHTS. We’ve wandered through the world famous Naval Air Museum more than once and been impressed on each visit with the wealth of information and wonderful interactive exhibits. The young Marines who were our docents had stories to tell and made us proud to be Americans. The little beach town of Destin with its fishing boats and waterfront restaurants was a great day trip as was the Gulf Islands National Seashore. We visited a parrot sanctuary, saw more seafood on display at a fish market than anywhere else in the world, won a lot of money at the Wind Creek Casino in Atmore, took some cooking classes, saw the Blue Angels streak across the sky on several occasions, had brunch with CeeLo Green, and enjoyed lots of local restaurants “off the beaten path.”

Colorful parrots in Pensacola.

National Naval Air Museum.

Barrancas National Cemetery at Pensacola Naval Air Station.

Pensacola is home to the Navy’s Blue Angels and we enjoyed seeing them many times during our stay.

These Hornet Jets fly at speeds up to 500 miles per hour, so it takes a pretty experienced photographer to get nice clear photos. But even though these aren’t as I’d like them, I’m posting so you can get an idea of how impressive the show is.

A TURKEY SHOOT? HURRICANES? HUH? I never dreamed I’d participate in a turkey shoot, eat real legitimate Southern barbeque, or be glued to the weather channel for hours on end as several hurricanes and tornadoes passed close-by. And last but not least, Pensacola is where we welcomed our little puppy Molly to the family when we picked her up at the airport after she made her trip to us from the breeder in Oklahoma. She’s been a delight ever since day one and, looking back, we’re hard-pressed to remember what we did with ourselves all day before she arrived!

This is Molly on the day we picked her up at the airport. She weighed only two pounds when we got her.

Florence takes aim with a shotgun at the turkey shoot.

Joe Patti’s Seafood Market has every imaginable kind of fish and shellfish. It’s by far the largest display of fresh fish I’ve ever seen under one roof. If you can’t find it here, it doesn’t live in the ocean. 

PENSACOLA RV PARK. We met lots of southern folks, up close and personal, and came to appreciate their respectful manners and gracious hospitality. The Williams family, who hosted our lengthy stay at Pensacola RV Park, is truly the epitome of all that’s good about the South. We will always feel blessed that we met and were able to get to know them. Hopefully our paths will cross again someday.

If you’re ever in the area, call this park for reservations. The park itself and the people who own and operate it are top notch! Thanks, you guys, for a wonderful stay and lots of memories!

The spaces are large and well maintained at Pensacola RV Park.

WE’LL LEAVE IN A COUPLE DAYS. Stay tuned, as we’ll announce our travel plans soon. We hope you’ll continue to join us on the next leg of our Great American Adventure.

I’ll continue my story next time.