   There are many recreational craft in Florida. In fact, they lead the country. I am sure that this came about as the population bloomed: now the third in the US. Decades ago Michigan lead the country with pleasure craft registrations. Now after Florida comes Minnesota then Michigan. All these states have a lot of water.  We passed through Pace and Milton as we moved away from the Gulf. Timber was the industry of this region for a long time.  Crestview with a population of over 27K and the crossing of three major highways provides a good spot to stay. The railroad from here helped move the lumber. At an elevation of 235' it is one of the highest places in the state. It also has the nickname of "the icebox of Florida" because of its repeated coldest temperatures in the peninsula.  Traveling on the highway shoulder we sometimes could see the Gulf.  Many of these towns were along the Pensacola & Atlantic Railroad which started in 1881 to service the agriculture and timber commerce of the area. These industries are still productive in this region of Florida.     The many recents rains have caused the river to spill its banks.  Seeing the moss in the trees reminds me of being in the South.  Back on Eastern Time makes me feel that I am getting close. I know that I have over one hundred miles to go.   A mural in Tallahassee.  The view of the newer part of the capitol building. By this part of the tour I want to just get to the end and do something different that bike, see sights and sleep. I am moving on without exploring Tallahassee.  Quincy has nice historical buildings like this Perkins Opera House. In my town of Rochester, we had an opera house like this. The lower floor was a shop and the second floor housed a big, open room that could be used for "shows." I wonder if an opera made either venue.   Which is worse the surface shown above or rumble strips? I vote for rumble strips being worse, but usually you have a little section next to it you can ride. With this surface, we needed to be on the road as much as we could. When we see traffic in both lanes, we shift over to the shoulder. We did fine and this is just a temporary condition. It will soon be repaved and what a beautiful shoulder later bike tourers will enjoy.  Suwanee River I remember this Stephen Foster tune, but I do not remember all the lyrics. Check it out on YouTube if you are not familiar. Getting ready for the last leg of this virtual tour.
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  We enjoyed walking on the wonderful beaches of Dauphin Island.  Fort Morgan has protected the Mobile Bay since 1834. Like so many places along the coast the fort is still undergoing hurricane repairs. There are no guided tours at this time.  At Gulf Highlands we just had to stop and walk to the beach.  The Bon Secours National Wildlife Refuge.  The refuge is a safe spot for sea turtles and migratory birds. It is a restful spot to take a walk.  Development along Orange Beach.  I wonder if there is a tasting room to help me to my destination?  The western most cithy on the Florida Panhandle. Now across Florida.
Southern Tier-West to East. Virtual Tour: Leaving Mississippi and then Alabama into Florida2/17/2023  Mississippu into Alabama  Leaving Pascugoula.  Entering another state.  This is the sea food capital of Alabama. This area was also devestated by Hurricane Katrina. Many of the fishing fleet were pushed ashore by the 16' stormsurge. This area is also known for its ship building.   Coden. We will see the Dauphin Island across the Missisppi Sound.  The Port of Alabama.  The bridge in the background connects Dauphin Island to the mainland.  The nice white sands of Dauphin Island. Now on to Florida, the last state of this virtual tour.
Southern Tier Virtual Bike Tour: Leaving Louisiana and Entering Mississippi and now about to Alabama2/3/2023  Crossing the Pearl River into Mississippi.   The largest city in the county. We were able to take advantages of the amenities of a city of over 10,000 people. Picayune is the name of a Spanish coin.  At Bay St. Louis we see a big difference.   Oh, the nice breeze off the Gulf. Finding out about the areas that I virtually travel through is interesting. Today the obvious draw to the coast is to be by the Gulf of Mexico and enjoy the warmer temperatures during the winter. I have many friends that travel from the midwest to the south to get a break. These picture make me long for a trip.   In the early 1900s this area was know for the radishes grown here. These radishes were long and not like the ones that I see now in the store. Long Beach called itself the "Radish Capital of the World." The timber industry was big in this area. The enormously devestating hurricane Katrina (2005) wiped out much of this coastline and the communities. There has been a lot of hard work to build this back. The Choctaw were the native people in this area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choctaw  Off the shore at Gulfport. The metro area with Biloxi is home to over 400,000 people.  I had to stop and walk along the beach. 68 degrees today!  We continue to enjoy the path through Ocean Springs.  In Gautier.  |
AuthorI love my riding days and look to find interesting and informative items to share. 
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