Fort Pickens to New Orleans

We had a wonderful stop at Fort Pickens National Park, on an island just off of Pensacola. No commercial property at all.  See Goldie’s picture below.  Great live oak trees for shade, easy walk to the beach and the ocean water was delightful and we saw a great sunset.

On to New a Orleans to a KOA we have used before.  We met for dinner with 6 of Jen’s closest friends from her time in New Orleans almost 20 years ago.  They all had great memories to share.

Our KOA had a free shuttle into the city to save on the hassle of parking.  We spent many hours today wandering the streets of this great city. Paul had to visit his favorite cigar shop, Jen bought many souvenirs and gifts.  We listened to some street performers, watched the riverboats come and go and ate wonderful Cajun food.  We’re tired tonight.

Tomorrow we will worship at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church - Jen’s former church located just off the French Quarter.  Many more memories to rekindle there.  Pictures below...

Fort Pickens

We passed through Mexico Beach today. That is the town ravaged by Hurricane Michael last October. Still incredible damage evident. Blue tarps and piles of debris.  Lots of rebuilding, but many, many vacant lots.  See this web page of photos 10 months on: https://www.newsherald.com/photogallery/DA/20190828/NEWS/820009984/PH/1
Just thinking about the people in the path of Hurricane Dorian.  They have a long road of recovery after the “Network News” has left for the next big story.

Here we are on a quiet and very tranquil beach.  Swimming in warm water and enjoying the sunset on the Gulf side of Florida. It’s hard to imagine the devastation that is imminent on the east coast of Florida.
Be thankful for shelter tonight and pray for those who will work to help recovery in the coming months.

A LONG AWAITED JOURNEY!

After years of waiting ( due to Paul’s TWO almost-consecutive interim parishes,) AND weeks of planning and preparation, we are now on our THIRD 30-day trip in our little “Goldie” Roadtrek RV!
Our last long trips were in 2013 and 2014!    Thus the weeks of preparation, 3 new tires, (dry rot), removing a bird’s nest and wasp nest , replacing an anode in the hot water heater , flushing all pipes and generally spiffing our “sweet girl” up!  She looks great and we are so happy to be “ on the road again” 🥰
Paul has worked long and hard on planning our route: SOUTHERN coast of US ( we have done the NORTHERN and Middle U.S.)  ...then  toTexas, then North to Boszeman MT to see my son and then to Glacier and then home!  Most all of it on 2-lane highways!  The ONLY way to travel ... and enjoy it!  🏔🚐🏜
I also have worked hard making arrangements for house, 2 dogs, 8 chickens, (several hummingbirds) garden, my mom, who lives locally in assisted living facility, bills, Crock-Pot meal planning,, etc.  IT TAKES A VILLAGE.....

So... as we drove Goldie out of the culdesac and up the hill, to the blaring music of the William Tell Overature ( it’s tradition!) , we both had big smiles on our faces .... and  JOY slowly overtook he ANXIETY AND WORRY  of leaving...feeling PRIDE  in our thorough preparations, 1000’s of lists checked off, A SENSE OF RELIEF in the support systems that would handle things in our absence .....and I know Goldie was GLOWING, too !
Paul commented as we got on the Interstate, “Listen, ......do you hear that?  It is SILENCE! “ (No rattling of loosely packed items, no food boxes flying off shelves, or door swing open to spill contents inside.). We had learned from our past mistakes and were quite smug and happy with our experience and abilities!  (we’ll let you know how that works for us!😉)

Yesterday, day ONE, we had to drive “ interstates” 🤣😞 😏 to get to “ 🎶Pardon Me Boys,....is that the.....CHATTANOOGA  Choo Choo”, TN!!!!  ( after a nice stop in Johnson City, TN, to meet Paul’s sister Judi and husband John, for lunch at Cracker Barrel). Uneventful, except for the rain, boring interstate trip, otherwise. 😳🙄😴
The best part of the trip was smelling the stuffed green peppers , I had gotten up at 5a.m. To make, cooking in the crockpot!
We pulled into our campsite around 4:30pm, set up quickly in the rain ☔️... glitch #1... very minor... Paul’s umbrella broke and he got soaked!  Had our celebratory before dinner drink , ate , and were shortly in bed reading and falling 💤 asleep... before the sun went down..
I was up at 5:30 a.m. ... with a full 8.5 hours sleep!
Day Two Begins......🤗
Gotta get makin the bacon! My Paul is up. 👏😘( 🕢)