Gulf Shores at Lillian, Alabama and Pensacola West, Florida

On March 1^st we left Columbia, GA in the rain with temperatures of 20º C, very comfortable for travelling.

Randal made a Google printout of 4 different possibilities of ways that the GPS might take us to our KOA destination of Lillian, AL. We used #4 and make the lady on the GPS recalculate 3 times before she got it right. We arrived at the KOA Gulf Shores/ Pensacola West/Lost Bay Camp, Lillian, Alabama.  The RV park was quite full however we weren't the only Canadians here. We booked a weeks stay.

What impressed us most were the Azaleas, in full bloom. Great for pictures.

Early the next morning we awoke to a warm foggy morning which gave a good feature to our photos. The dock was a good place to meditate.

We explored the Big Lagoon State Park in Pensacola FL. The Park opened in 1978 and derives its name from the bordering body of water along its southern shore, the Big Lagoon. The boat launch provides easy access to the Inter-coastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. 

The park had natural communities, ranging from tidal salt marshes to pine flatwoods which attract a wide variety of birds, especially during spring and fall migration. Also in the park are camp sites, walking trials, picnic areas, swimming, fishing, boating, canoeing, look-out areas, an amphitheater, and an observation platform from where we could see an incredible view of park, Gulf Islands National Seashore and Perdido Key.

Lorraine had booked an appointment for a hair cut at Westside Beauty Salon. The owner, Susan Thuy Gentile, was the only one in the salon and always kept the door locked. She would unlock it when she saw her customers arrive or knock on the door. She and her husband also sold antiques so the salon was in the same large room as furniture.

It started to rain on our way back to the RV Park and continued to rain the rest of the day. There were tornado warnings with heavy thunder storms around us all evening. It was warm and humid. Rain, rain, rain! We spent the following day in the trailer doing catch-up. Basically it was a wash out!

Next morning the skies were clear, we were up early to watch the sun rise from the beach. It was not a spectacular one but it was nice to see anyway. The temperature was 7º C and stayed cooler all day.

We adventured out to see what there was to see. We pick up information from the Pensacola Welcome Center adjacent to the causeway over to the Gulf Islands. While there we walked along retaining wall and up onto a special bridge designated only for fisherman as it dead ended only a couple of hundred yards parallel to the four lane traffic bridge. There were a few men out, casting their lines or using nets. The grey pelicans were out in full force to catch what they could as well.

We wanted to shop at the Good Sams Camping World that was in the area. Randal was pleased with his purchase of trailer wheel chalks and large trailer jacks to stabilize the trailer. Lorraine got a wheeler that I can use for haling the laundry to the camp laundry mat.

We took in the Gulf Shores Beaches, stopping to walk along the beach on the very white fine sands. The shoreline was lined with tall hotels and private homes on stilts. Most of the homes were up for rent. Some areas along the coast were very quiet, with very little activity, while as we went further west there seemed to be more people mulling about. The beaches had only a few people walking or sitting on them.

On the way home we ate at Oyster House in a place called Fairhope, Alabama. It was a very quaint place and popular with the tourists in the area, mostly seniors like ourselves. The restaurant was situated on an channel of water and we had a good view from our window table. One group of women had the waiter relocate them from the back wall to a window site. It was a nice sunny day with the temperature of 33º C. 

The next day, Tuesday, we drove to Arcadia Mill near Milton, FL. We went to I-10 in West Pensacola and were about to cross over a bridge, when there was a long line up of traffic and a overhead flashing sign saying the road was closed. We were crawling along not knowing what the problem was until we could see smoke near the bridge. There was no traffic coming from the other side so it was obvious there must be a fire. The emergency road vehicles and State Troopers were just arriving, travelling in the ditches to get by the long lines of stopped traffic. 

We were redirected to the Scenic Route along the Escambia Bay to AL-90. The houses along that route were exquisite on large, well groomed, lots and access to a dock on the Bay. With the traffic, we were moving along at a satisfactory speed. We went through Pace, FL and we arrived at Milton at 2:00pm. The 26 mile trip took us an hour and a half.

The Arcadia Mill Archaeological Site, 5709 Mill Pond Lane, Milton, FL was on the edge of a neighbourhood development. The history goes back to early 1800s with the building of a Quarry of ironstone, sawmill for lumber, shingles, staves, buckets, and meal and flour. 

Later By 1853, Arcadia Mill was the largest cotton textile mill factory in Florida. It burned down in 1855. The Lumber Mill was moved to Bagdad on the mouth of Black Water River in 1840, flourished and the textile factory was abandoned.

When we returned we were diverted again from I-10, it took us quite awhile to got through Pace. Once back at the RV we were able to get the news on TV of the highway closer and bush fire in Santa Rosa County.

Another day we walked into a housing area adjacent to the RV Park. The homes were on large lots and the trees were large and old. Some of the places along the Perdido Bay had long docks out into the water. We met a lady who was very gracious to tell us about the area and show us one home that was for sale. 

Built in 1970s was worth $745,000, a 2000sq ft. With a large double garage and on 3 lots. It is owned by a widowed man, who recently had to go to a nursing home. The owner and his wife had been married before and had blended their families. Apparently there are seven lawyers involved with the sell of this house.

Until next time Discover it Live it!