25 Dec 2018 - Merry Christmas!

25 Dec 2018
Spent the majority of the day at the town of Orange Beach at Cotton Bayou Beach, walking the shore, picking up shells and enjoying the sun.  It was windy which made it a bit chilly even though the temps were in the mid-60's.  The next few days have rain in the forecast and highs about 60, so we figured we better take advantage of the weather today.

They provide plastic toys such as pails and shovels to use and then return so others can use.  

One minute it is there....

The next minute it is gone!!

Doreen gathering shells

Digging for clams!

After the beach we headed back east.  With it being Christmas day, you could have rolled a bowling ball down the highway and never hit a car!

  We stopped at Flora-Bama restaurant/bar again as they were about the only place open on Christmas Day.  Even the fast food places were closed. 

The band does not play until 1600 hrs

'Donated' bra's hanging overhead above dance floor

Flora-Bama had church services today and then they have a huge pot-luck lunch.   We did not know this in advance but it became pretty evident when we walked in there.  The pastor was giving the blessing and then all of a sudden about 300 people got up in line to eat!  So we decided to pass on that and after our drink we headed back to the RV.

Later in the afternoon Doreen cooked pork ribs in her Instant Pot.  She applied rub and seasonings this morning and then cooked them this afternoon. 

The rack of ribs with the rub on it

Half of the results.  The other half were delicious!!

We finished them off in the barbecue grill.  We also had rolls from Lambert's we bought the other day, dressing, vegetables and some wine.  As Christmas's go, we'd rather be home but this year we made the best of it and had a good day.  We talked to all three of our kids and their families, I gave my sister a call in Texas and Doreen talked to her sister back in Iowa.

We hope everyone had a great Christmas!  Tomorrow we will likely head for Mobile AL and tour the USS Alabama after we verify they are open.

24 Dec 2018 - Gulf Islands National Seashore, Navarre Beach, Pensacola Beach and Fort Pickins

24 Dec 2018

Today we headed east from Pensacola to Navarre FL and across the bridge to a long, skinny strip of land or mostly sand called the Gulf Islands National Seashore.  Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach also live there along with an old fort called Fort Pickins to the west all the way to Destin Harbor to the east.  We went over there knowing Fort Pickins would be closed due to the Government shutdown.  Whether the shutdown will be resolved before we leave here is yet to be determined but we are better on the come that it will not, so we figured we would do this today as rain is predicted starting Thursday through our stay for the next seven days.

It was about an hour drive to Gulf Islands National Seashore, which is America's largest national seashore and is composed of 13 unique areas spanning two states and 160 miles east to west.  We entered from the center at Navarre via a couple fairly long bridges. They were building a parallel bridge which was interesting to see.

We wanted to see the Navaree Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center which did not open for another hour, so we headed west all the way to the end and what would be Fort Pickins.  We passed through a commercial area at the foot of the bridge and then drove for miles with sand beaches on both sides of the highway!  We stopped at one of the turn-offs and headed for the shore.   

There is a large sand berm that divides the road area from the shoreline and beach.  

There are openings every so often for beach access.  The entire beach is publicly accessible.

The sand is very, very fine and powdery!

The white sand beaches go on forever and there were very few people there!

Doreen picking up shells and hoping for sea glass!

 We arrived at the gate for the Fort Pickins area and as suspected it was locked up tightly. 

About face! and drive all the way back to where we started!   We thought we would visit the Navaree Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center as was supposed to be open from 1300-1600 hrs today, but it was closed up tightly, unfortunately. 

So we decided to head to the Navarre Fishing Pier area. There is a restaurant and bar and then from there the pier extends 1,545 feet from the shore and towers 30 feet above the water.  We walked the length of the pier enjoying the view.  

We can only imagine these beaches are packed in the summer!

Fishermen use these pull-behind carts to load all of their gear, cooler, nets, etc

Looking back towards the shore

The octagonal end of the pier

Looking back at the bar/restaurant

Local water fowl strutting it's stuff!

Because this is Christmas eve, the bar/restaurant shut down at 1400 hrs today so we ordered an appetizer and a couple drinks, and then headed back to the RV.

We had pizza in the Dutch oven for supper which was really good.  It had been a while since we had done that and the weather had not really been conducive to being outside much.

Tomorrow, Christmas Day, we plan to go to the beach Gulf Shores and then return to the RV and cook ribs with all the fixin's!

I forgot to post this yesterday, but we placed the Florida sticker!  Even though we have traversed Mississippi we are holding that for Charlie and Elaine Philbrook to do while we are at Keesler Air Force Base in a week.  The remainder of the stickers will be placed in the coming months!  When this trip is done the only states remaining will be Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

23 Dec 2018 - Fort Morgan and Lambert's Cafe

23 Dec 2018
After getting the flashing sign sorted out and determining there were no issues driving to Fort Morgan, this morning we did so.  We did not roll out until about 1100 hrs and it was about an hour drive to get to Fort Morgan.  It was a nice drive, though.  Beautiful houses and condo's on the way out there.

We arrived at Fort Morgan and after paying the fee to enter, made our way to the parking area. 

This fort is not in as good of condition as Fort Barrancas that we toured a few days back, but this is State-maintained and Fort Barrancas is supported with Federal dollars (National Park Service).  Fort Morgan is also way out at the end of a peninsula and surely takes the brunt of the weather and salt spray too.

Red dot marks the entrance to the fort sally port

Fort Morgan was built after the war of 1812 to provide protection to Mobile (AL) Point.  It was originally Fort Bowyer and then reconstructed into Fort Morgan named after the Revolutionary War hero Gen. Daniel Morgan.  It took 15 years (1819-1834) to build using 30 million bricks and 200 slaves. It cost $1,026,777.41 and that was in 1834!!  It continued to undergo changes and improvements throughout it's life.  One of the most significant was the addition of Battery Duportail and the '12 inch disappearing rifle'.  During World War II it served as a munitions depot.  In 1947 it was determined the fort was of no further use to the military and it was deeded over to the State of Alabama.

This fort has a sally port and a dry moat like Fort Barrancas, but you enter at ground level so there is no draw bridge.

  

At the inside and outside of the sally port were heavy doors that have since been removed.  The hinge pins still exits.

Throughout the entire grounds are batteries where guns and cannons once stood.  

Off shore we could see oil platforms and cargo ships.  Doreen was excited to be able to see one of her offshore lighthouses and she was able to get her lighthouse passport stamped in the gift shop.

Sand Island Lighthouse offshore.

We continued the tour of the fort.  Here are a few more pictures.

A view of the dry moat

Looking through the passageways within the fort

Calcium building up from water leaks

One of the four cisterns that gathered rain water.

Casements with high arched ceilings provided strength against bombardment.  They served as storage and temporary housing.

More gun mounts

The ferry passing by

Inside one of the barracks areas.

Area where the two women assigned to the fort did the laundry.

 Doreen finished up in the gift shop/museum and then we headed back the same way we came in and towards Foley AL and Lambert's cafe for a late lunch.

The Lambert's cafe in Foley AL is #3. There are two others, the original one in Sikeston, MO and #2 in Ozark MO. Lambert's claim to fame is it's 'throwed rolls'.  The first cafe was started in Sikeston MO in 1942 by Earl Lambert. In 1976 Earl's son Norman Lambert who was a former football coach at Sikeston High School, took over managing the cafe. It was Norman who started the tradition of throwing rolls to customers.

One of many dining areas in Lamberts

The inside of Lambert's reminds me of Hickory Park in Ames IA.  It is massive.  I would hate to guess how many hundreds of customers can be seated at any given time.  We were seated quickly and greeted with offerings of complementary fried okra appetizer.  Drinks are served in 32 oz insulated mugs like you would see in Caseys General Stores.  

The menu is what I would describe as home-style, anything from meat loaf to liver & onions to chicken pot pie.  Doreen actually ordered the chicken pot pie and I ordered liver and onions.  We each got two sides, but as you are eating your meal, servers and circulating the dining area with 'pass around's' - additional sides you can have as much as you want.  'Pass around's' include potatoes and onions, rolls, apple butter, sorghum, boiled cabbage, tomatoes and macaroni, and black eyed peas.  

Before our order arrived the rolls started flying, and they are fresh and they are huge! 

A pair of servers come out of the kitchen area with fresh-out-of-the-oven yeast rolls.  If you hold your hand up they will throw them to you.  If not they cruise the aisles and offer them to the tables. 

Here is a video if it works: 

Needless to say nether Doreen nor I could finish our meals.  We both left with containers full of our meals, plus we bought half dozen rolls to enjoy for Christmas back in the RV.  We also bought two cinnamon rolls for breakfast as a treat.  Our server hooked us up with some take out cucumbers and onions that Doreen had as one of her sides and she really liked them.

We both suffered all afternoon!  Stuffed to the gills we headed back to the RV and went for a long walk through the park trails with the dog.  It was a great day and great weather.

Tomorrow is supposed to be nice again and we are going to try to hit Gulf Shores area again even though it is supposedly closed due to the Government shutdown.  We will see what we can.