Two Apalachicolas a Day is Better - 367 miles

Well the promised storms didn't worry us. There were a few around during the day, but we managed to avoid them nicely.

The first few miles were pretty usual Florida stuff - heavily treed sides to the road. Not much to see. But we eventually came upon the Gulf Coast , first sighting it as we crssed the Ochlochonee River then Alligator Bay. Great names and more to come.

We pulled up at Carabelle Beach where Jack and Linda took off their motorcycle boots to dabble their toes in the Gulf waters. The water temp was very nice and it might have been nice to go for a swim. But not today. We saw quite a few dolphins frolicking in the water. It was a lovely spot except for one thing. All the newer houses were built up on stilts - apparently to survive the occasional tidal surge. A not-so-gentle reminder that today was a lovely day - but they all are not.

It was time to look for a coffee stop and we soon found one at the quaint fishing village of Apalachicola. (It is pronounced as it looks with main emphasis on the o). A very nice cafe where they actually served a Flat White. Almost unheard of in this country and even then it was named cafe con leche (spanish for coffee with milk). They even assembled it upside down, almost filling the cup with hot foamy milk then slipping in the shot of coffee. But it tasted great. First coffee we've had here that reminds us of home. They also had some rock cakes that they called scones - just like my Narnie used to make. Excellent.

Back on the bikes and we went through a lovely area known as Mexico Beach where we rode right beside the gulf waters and could see the dolphins playing as we went by. Then it was a bit of a slow run through Panama City, with lots of traffic lights and traffic.

Getting on in the day, we came to the Emerald Coast which reminded us very much of the Gold Coast, only more spread out. It went for miles. Finally, about 50 miles from our destination of Pensacola, we pulled in for fuel and it being so hot, Charleen decided to buy me a cool drink in the servo. She went to get her handbag out of the topbox............

Not there.

Aaagh. It was back at the morning tea cafe - three hours back. A quick phonecall on Jack's phone confirmed that the lady at the cafe had indeed found the handbag and plans were re-arranged.

We were to return to Apalachicola to get the bag while Jack and Linda continued on towards Alabama and Mobile. Jack really wants to see the battleship USS Alabama parked there - he's ex-Navy - and it wasn't on our route.

So we parted company for a while and Charleen and I re-traced our steps. We actually had a pretty good run through the more populated areas as there was now less work-a-day traffic and no roadworks as we had endured earlier. We actually got back there an hour quicker. Mind you, we weren't mucking about and a couple of big V8 vehicles had woeful losses at the traffic light drags.

Purse happily back in Charleen's hands - all the money, credit cards and jewellery accounted for - we looked for and found local digs for the night. It was time to eat, and as Apalachicola is a fishing village, for us the only option was seafood. They had a great little Seafood Grill and we had a lovely meal of cups of gumbo followed by scallops and a captain's platter. It was excellent - and well priced.

Then as the sun was setting we went for a nice evening ride out to St George Island across the new bridge. It is over four miles long and afforded great views of the sun setting in the west and in the east a lovely rainbow spanning the sky. Every bit worth the return trip.

We took some photos:-

Would you swim in this creek?

I bet you could spot it easily in the car park

Even this far south, we need to be wary of these little blighters on the road

And these - apparently.

Anti Tsunami housing on the Gulf Coast

A dotterel near us was un-worried

Me at the Gulf of Mexico

Didn't even get the feet wet

Jack and Linda did and he washed hers - how romantic.

When's Lunch?

Apalachicola oyster fishing boats. They work with rakes on long poles.

Tyndall Air force base takes up a large portion of land.

For Camo.

Does this look like a stylized FJ Ute?

Sunset from the four mile bridge to St George Island. A beautiful end to the day.