Manatee Springs State Park, Florida near Chiefland, FL

On the riding trails at Manatee

Manatee

Reflection of the trees on the river

Our campsite

We're at Manatee Springs State Park in Chiefland, Florida. There are manatees here, but we haven't seen any yet. Really pretty campground, lots of riding/hiking trails. You can rent canoes and then go hunting for manatees and springs you can swim in.

We are very thankful for anti-itch medicine for the bug bites.

We stopped along the road and met the cutest man and bought Tupelo Honey and Mayhaw jelly, only around this area he said.

The Azaleas are so big and beautiful here in the south, they're everywhere.

Jelly/Honey man

White squirrels, very friendly

Ochlockonee River State Park, Florida

Snake we almost ran over as we were riding bikes

Town of Sopchoppy, Florida

This was on a little dirt road, about a mile back, the guy owns 40 acres and he sells pottery here

Our campground

Nature trail we rode on in our campground

Left Navarre Beach this morning and traveled down Highway 98 for a couple hundred miles. It winds through lots of little beach towns on the Gulf. We stopped along the coast and had a picnic lunch, although we had to have it inside, it was raining and extremely windy, but still, we couldn't beat the view.

Can't believe how much is for sale here, all the beach front property, house after house for sale and lot after lot, all for sale. Went through a really cute historical city, Apalachicola, lots of seafood and oysters.

Staying at Ochlockonee River State Park, it's on the Gulf Coast right on the river, near a little town called Sopchoppy, and we do mean little, only a few buildings. But.....this weekend is the big Worm Gruntin' Festival, but we are sorry to say, we just can't stay for it.

All the bugs loved Bill in Mississippi and Alabama but didn't like Laurie, but in Florida, they decided Laurie tasted delicious and she now has a tons of bites all over her!!

We can't believe how many people smoke in the south!! We're pretty sure we'll be coming home with cancer from second hand smoke.

Pensacola and Destin, Florida

We are in Navarre, Florida at a campground on the beach. Met a lot of nice people, some from California!

We drove to Pensacola Beach, Santa Rosa Island and to Destin. Both had beautiful beaches, blue water and emerald green waters. The sand is so white and soft. Once again, we've been blessed with perfect weather.

Mobile, Alabama

Happy Easter everyone!! We miss being with our family and friends. We were so excited we found a Calvary Chapel about 20 miles from where we're staying. It's a real small start up Calvary in Mobile. It's in a small chapel tucked into the woods. We met the Pastor and his wife, and just about all the people that attended, everyone went out of their way to greet us, about 40 people there. We even had communion.!!

We went to Alligator Alley, it's a park near where we're camping and were able to see a couple of alligators.

Ate at Felix's Fish Camp and Bill had their Crab Soup and Seared Ahi Tuna and Laurie had fish tacos, all delicious. And then the waitress gave us jelly beans!!

Bellingrath Home and Gardens, Mobile, Alabama

Poor Bills bug biten leg

Dauphin Island, Alabama

We went to Bellingrath Gardens and Home today. Walter Bellingrath was one of the first ten people to own a Coca-Cola Franchise and that is where he made his fortune. Mr. Bellingrath was told by his doctor that he worked too hard and needed to play more, he wasn't in great health. So he bought a fishing camp in 1917 and then bought an additional 60 acres and built the home that he and his wife then lived in. The home was built in 1935 and was opened to the public in l956. It is completely furnished with the antiques Mrs. Bellingrath collected. There is also a chapel on the property which can be used for weddings.

We drove to Dauphin Island after that, along a thin peninsula are hundreds of homes built on stilts, most of which seem to be rentals. The sand covers the whole peninsula, where you park, where the homes are built; and the water at times covers the whole peninsula, underneath the homes.

On the way home we ate at the Original Oyster House, Bill tried Crawfish for the first time and loved it.

Spanish Fort, Alabama, outside Mobile, AL

We left Ocean Springs, Mississippi this morning and are now in Spanish Fort, Alabama which is outside of Mobile, Alabama at Meaher State Park looking right out on the Gulf, beautiful day.

So our new neighbor came over, Daniel, and he proceeded to tell us he hunts, he's killed a bear, shot him in the mouth and kept his tooth, killed a hog as it flew over his head, with a 410 shotgun, which kicks a little, a snake, a deer, and a turkey for Thanksgiving and a rabbit, did we mention that Daniel's 7 years old. He also informed us that he has video cameras all over their property so he won't get hurt, hhhmmmmm. Quite an imagination Daniel has.

At the campgrounds, they call the showers "bathhouses".