The wheels are turning

Nov 11/2015 The forecast is staying warm and our two weeks are up in central Florida so we decided to head north.  Really????  Not all the way North, just to the Florida Panhandle, Santa Rosa Beach which is about 10 miles east of Destin.  It will be cooler there and the beaches are beautiful.  Why not, that's why we have wheels.  In our travels in the last four years;  time and again we have heard wonderful reviews about Top Sail Haill Preserve State Park & Gregory C Moore RV Resort.    It felt like we were missing something not to make a special trip to stay at this State Park.  It is a busy park so we made a reservation just to make sure after retracing backwards 370 miles we will have a site.  Not flying by the seat of our pants this time....

our site is plenty big for our trailer in front of the coach

The State purchased the RV park in 1998 and folded it into the acreage of the preserve.  The camp sites in our loop are very long, concrete, full 50 amp hookups and include television.   TV?  Yes, it was leftover from the private RV resort and we can see why, the Pines are so tall that you will not get any satellite reception...  Hey we are trying to follow the finale of The Voice!!!  ha, ha.  We tried our dish when we setup;  it just kept spinning around and around trying to find a signal.

paved pathway to the beach for bikes, walking and the tram

There are a number of nature trails, water ponds and one paved pathway to the beach.  There is even a shuttle to and from the beach.  The path winds through the protected dunes and pops you out at the water.  The white sand is virtually blinding it's so white.  And it squeaks when you walk barefoot,,,,, no kidding! 

the dunes just before you break onto the beach

The best part is that it seems to be all yours, it's not crowded at all.  In both directions you can walk for miles.  It appears that without a doubt the reviews were right, it is well worth the visit and deserved of its ranking in the top best state parks in America.

billy and rosey - found a bench to set the camera on for a timed shot

not another person in site

P.S. Don't forget the time zone change - fall back 1 hour crossing into central time from eastern time zone.

snow white sand

Nov 4 & 5 Destin & Seaside, Fla

Weather 70F/22C Breezy Sunny, cool at night 52F

Friday  Our friends Bonnie and Jim from Wheatley are in Panama City Beach to watch their nephew run an Iron Man (which he finishes in 11 hours and 28 minutes).  So we had our first company to visit for a couple of beers, sitting on the beach at our campground.   Even though it is only 70F the sand is so bright and reflective that within an hour we took quite a bit of sun.
We have been talking to some people from California who have been traveling since August and she was telling me she was sewing a baby quilt for her granddaughter  - Billy thought I was silly bring my sewing machine.  Turns out I am not the only one!

Saturday   We took a ride on the Harley east to Destin through more of the Gulf Islands National Seashore Park.
When the winds come up strong the drifting is just like our snow, the road is closed and they use payloaders to clear it.   Apparently a few weeks ago it was shutdown for that reason for about a week.  I guess wherever you live, sometimes you have to shovel !
Driving into Destin you have a beautiful view of the Marina from the causeway.

Staying on the shore road we continued on to the village of Seaside which has a building code to be kept in the old Floridian architecture and colours, it is lovely and pictures do not do it justice.

The ride was about 73 miles one way, so after a bite to eat we headed back to our campground.  Found that as the sun was dropping it was almost blinding.  Billy had on his super duper dark glasses :)