Grey Nomads in USA: Last days in Florida.

The first weekend of the new year kind of passed us by. We are parked up at Mexico Beach; the weather is cold and miserable. I guess it is winter in Florida after all.
I slept on and off on Saturday. Trevor had the stomach virus on Sunday and spent most of the day in bed.
I will apologize to our neighbour who greeted us warmly on Friday when we arrived. I was barely able to say anything ... she must think me very rude!

These are the only photos from that weekend! Trevor put some peanuts out for a friendly squirrel.

And ... yes I did get the chance to apologize to our neighbour and explain we have both been unwell. All good.

On 7 January we continue west along Highway 98. We are much better but still feel very tired and not wanting to eat much - which is not a bad thing.

It is still cold, grey and overcast but from time to time the sun tries to peep through.

I let the side down badly with my pink (inside) jobs. When we set off, everything (or so it seemed) opened up; drawers, cupboards, even one of the sliding doors was not caught. W ooooo h! Come on Jen - lift your game!! It was only a stomach virus.

Mexico Beach

We stop at Panama City; parked right next to a Starbucks but can't face a coffee??? This is not good.

The largest city in the Florida Panhandle is Tallahassee, the state capital. However the largest metropolitan area is the Pensacola metropolitan area with a population of 453,451.
I- 10 is the only interstate in the Panhandle.
The region is more similar in culture and climate to the Deep South than to South Florida, being known for its conservative politics and 'piney' woods.
The coast is also known as the Emerald Coast.

We finish the day at Miramar beach just east of Destin, at the Geronimo RV Park; a small park with good amenities. The bikes are off!

The sun feels good!

They're everywhere ...!

8 January - my birthday. It's the same as Elvis Presley though he would have been many years older!
Trevor gave me books, an I Tunes voucher and chocolates - all lovely.

Spoke to the kids - Todd is stuck on Deal Island, in Bass Strait off the north east coast of Tasmania. He is sailing back to Melbourne.

We bike to a shopping mall. Have a birthday lunch - a soup and salad at a cafe, then bike along the boardwalk beside the beach. We are looking out over the gulf but can't see much as it is overcast and misty. The beaches look beautiful!

Our last day in Florida is overcast and windy - quite warm though.
We continue west along Hwy 98. We have a tail wind which seems OK. We'll see how far we get. In fact the wind dies a bit but the day gets more and more foggy with not much visibility.

We are driving along a spit between the Choctawhatchee Bay and the Gulf. Trevor has put into the gps the address for a Camping World store where we buy a water hose elbow and a US State map with stickers to chart our travels.

After Navarre we turn off Hwy 98 onto Hwy 281 which takes us to I-10. First though there is a toll bridge across Pensacola Bay - a really high bridge - and a bit breezy at the top!!