Day: November 22, 2018

DAY #33

Had plans for today but when I wasn’t able to fall asleep until 5:00 am and I had wanted to get up at 7:00 am, I decided this was going to be one of those days when not much happens.  I’ve always been a night person and it’s usually worked out fine, but I am finding that being on the road when all the action happens during the day means I need to make a change or else I’ll have a very dull trip.  Note to self: Need to work on this.  I got up around noon and putzed (is that a word?) around on the laptop,  including paying some bills and oh yea, Peoples Court came on TV so I had to watch that (its how I’m learning for my law degree).  By the time I did all that, it was late afternoon and the sun would be setting by the time I went anywhere, so I went nowhere.  It is a drag that the sun sets around 5:00 pm.

One thing that I did do today, I started to put together the parts needed to have water in the trailer.  I attached a water filter to a regulator (keeps water pressure at 45psi, dont want to blow the hoses in trailer), which I attached to a short piece of hose, which then attaches to the camp site spigot (water source).  I turned the water on and wasn’t sure what to expect.  Good news, nothing was leaking and water was coming out the filter.  At first black water came out the bottom of the filter, thought for a second..Oh Oh, not good, but after checking, found that’s normal and so I continued to flush the filter and yea, the water soon cleared up.  Now onto the next step in the process, actually hooking the hose to the trailer and then turning the water on.  I’m thinking if this is my biggest concern in life right now, things are going pretty well, pretty well indeed.

 

Few photos today.  Thinking, still looking at all of them from yesterday.

 

DAY #32

On tap for today;  Head out west along the gulf to Mobile Bay, ending at Ft. Morgan in Alabama.

Not sure why, but I have this tug that keeps drawing me to the ocean.  There’s just something so satisfying about being around the water. Add in Florida’s gorgeous beaches, and that only seals the deal. 

I’m in a Florida State of Mind…..

Boy, I thought the area had been developed in my travels to Fort Pickens yesterday, it was even more so today.  First in Florida and then when you cross into Alabama, high rise condominiums/resorts/hotels/timeshares? dot the beachfront.  I saw a couple of for sale signs listing starting prices in the high 800s, that’s thousands (it was one of the nicer buildings).  The area does feel new and fresh, and it’s clean.  If you’re someone into this kind of living, this would be a good place to come. One thing noticed was that most of the beachfront land has been used for condos (money talks) and only pockets of land here and there for houses.

Before I took this photo I was facing the beach (which is to the right).  Looking out towards the horizon, I could see the water and oh wow, a couple of dorsals out of the water, it was dolphins, how cool was that.  Once again, no time to get photos before they were gone.

Thankfully, there are areas of beachfront put aside for public parks and beaches.

About half way to Fort Morgan, around Orange Beach, Gulf State Park takes control of the land away from the gulf and the makeup of the area begins to change.  Gone are the endless condos and houses on stilts and replaced with salt marshes and pine trees.  After a ways through the park, the road turns away from the water and heads inland

Check out the speed limit sign.

After going inland, the trees grew in number as while as size, and the road took on a feel of  laid back affluence.

After about one hour drive time along the island, I came to Fort Morgan.  Fort Morgan has a long history.  It was built in 1814 and saw action during the war of 1812.  During the civil war it was part of the Confederacy.  It was finally deactivated (for good), and the Fort given to the state of Alabama in 1947.

Another interesting fact is that the Fort, in large part, was built by the use of slave labor.

A big difference that I saw between Fort Morgan and Fort Pickens, is this Fort was tucked away into the dunes whereas Fort Pickens, stood up and out in the open for all to see.

The entrance to the Fort.

Cool as these Forts are, I think I’ve satisfied the need for old forts for awhile.

Views of Mobile Bay from the Fort.

When you leave (or enter) the Fort, this is the view that awaits you.I think I may have overdid it with all the Fort photos, but it was kind of a cool place. let’s just say I got carried away.

After leaving the Fort, and starting the trip back to the campground,  I came across where you can catch a ferry to take across Mobile Bay.

Made it back to the trailer.  Another good day on the road.