Alabama, Gulf Shores - Monday, May 13, 2019 - Naval Air Museum

We drove about an hour to Pensacola, FL to visit the Naval Air Museum.  This is a return trip for us, we didn’t see all we wanted to the last time.  Be sure to take ID’s for everyone in the car.  No backpacks are allowed.

Great views of the Gulf along the drive.

A lot of painstaking work and attention to detail has gone into the exhibits here.

The model battleships were full of detail but didn’t photograph well because they are encased in glass that reflects back at you.

A nice reference library and art exhibits.

In 2011 the museum staff and volunteers completed a 13 year restoration on the PB2Y Coronado flying boat.  On Christmas Eve 1941 it flew Admiral Chester Nimitz from San Diego to Hawaii to assume command of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The 1941 town recreation is one of my favorites.

This facility is the home of the Blue Angels.  The small selection of pictures of the restored planes here that I have posted doesn't do justice to the numerous exhibits available.  I think this is the best aviation museum we have toured.

We had lunch at the Cubi Bar Café.  When the original Cubi Point Officer’s Club in the Republic of the Philippines closed in 1992, thousands of original squadron plaques were shipped to Pensacola.  The Cubi Bar Café opened in 1996 as a replica of the officer’s club.

Alabama, Gulf Shores - Friday, May 10, 2019 - Headed to Gulf Shores & Lulu's

We are headed to Gulf Shores, AL for a couple of days

Magnolia trees are in bloom.  Their leathery looking leaves really shine in the sun.

Lots of water before we get there.

Ft. Morgan Road.  This view was a lot different two days later after it was hit by 70-80 mph winds.  Branches and trees were down everywhere.

We will be staying at Island Retreat RV Park on Fort Morgan Road until Tuesday.  

The place on the left of the water is Lulu’s Restaurant.  It’s owned by Jimmy Buffett’s sister, Lucy.

Outside seating overlooks the water.  Wind is strong today so we are sitting inside.  A garage type door comes down and covers this opening if the weather gets bad.

We split fried green tomatoes and a crab melt sandwich.  These tomatoes come in a close second to the one’s we like in Vicksburg, MS.

Lulu’s restaurant is just part of the Lulu’s recreational compound.

This walking/bike path runs all along Fort Morgan Road – very nice.

This pier is just a short walk from the RV Park.

Alabama, Gulf Shores - Friday, November 29, 2013 - Black Friday

Weather was in the high 50s and sunny today – very nice.  We went to Lamberts for lunch.  This restaurant has been in business since 1943 and is the “home of the throwed rolls” www.throwedrolls.com

 

 

We had more to eat today than we did yesterday when we went to Cracker Barrel for their Thanksgiving special.  There was an hour wait yesterday, today we walked right in even though the parking lot was full.

For $12.99 I ordered the charbroiled chicken breast with baked beans and slaw.  It ended up being 2 chicken breasts with at least a cup and a half of the sides.  In addition you get softball size rolls and all the fried okra you can eat before your meal gets to you.  While you are eating they are walking around with large pots of various sides you can get in addition to the ones you ordered – black-eyed peas, fried potatoes and onions, macaroni and tomatoes, apple butter and molasses.  There were some other sides they walked around with but I can’t remember them.  In order to get a roll you have to raise your hand and a guy at the end of the room throws one to you.  Sometimes he just throws them for the heck of it.  Drinks come in a large plastic 64 oz. mug with free refills.  I think they have such large heavy mugs for the drinks so they don’t knock them over with the rolls.  Needless to say we have enough left over for supper this evening.

After lunch we actually did some Black Friday shopping at Tanger Outlets just down the road.  Traffic was ridiculous getting in the main entrance so we took off on a side road and went in the back entrance which worked out well.  Even the back entrance was filling up by the time we were ready to leave.  We still haven’t found one of the gifts we are looking for, we’ll be trying again in Gulfport before we resort to ordering on line.

Tomorrow it’s supposed to be in the 60s so we plan to get out and just ride.

Alabama, Gulf Shores - Wednesday, November 27, 2013 - Gulf Breeze RV Resort

Just to bring you up to date since I’ve missed a few days.  First off, I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  Even though we aren’t with them in person we are with our family and friends in our thoughts and in our hearts.  God Bless. 

On Sunday we were going to go Christmas shopping.  We got all ready to go and the bike wouldn’t start.  It didn’t respond to the trickle charger.  So, we called our friend Mike to see if he and Sheila had left for Indiana yet.  They were still here so he came over and took Greg to Walmart to see if maybe they had a battery like we needed – no luck.

On Monday one of our neighbors here in the campground brought his pickup and jumper cables over and helped Greg get the bike started.  We took off for Harley Davidson in Pensacola, FL.  That was closer than Mobile, but it was still a little over an hour to get there.  Greg took the tools with him to change out the battery once we got there.  The weather forecast called for 80% chance of rain in the late afternoon and we could see it getting closer.  We were able to get in a stop for a few groceries and got home before the rain got here.

From late afternoon Monday through most of the day Tuesday the wind blew fiercely and the rain came down.  If the wind gusts were rocking us, I can’t imagine how it felt in some of the smaller units here.  The weather has taken a cooler turn into the mid-40s, but I know that is nothing compared to what they are getting in some parts of the country.  Everyone please travel carefully over the holiday.

Today we went out to do some Christmas shopping for the grandkids.  When we came out of Target I said to Greg, “It seems weird to come out of Target after doing Christmas shopping and see palm trees”.  He said, “It doesn’t seem weird to be doing Christmas shopping on a motorcycle?”  Well, there is that, I guess I’m just getting used to shopping on a motorcycle.  We are back home now with a pumpkin pie in the oven making the house smell really good.

We’ll be going to Cracker Barrel tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner.  We have extended our stay here until Sunday.  Then we’ll be headed back to Gulfport to get our new refrigerator cooling unit installed – I’ll be so glad.  We’ve made it just fine especially now that we have our new coolers.  But, it’s so much easier with a fridge.

Alabama, Gulf Shores - Saturday, November 23, 2013 - Gulf Breeze RV Resort

Greg gave up biscuits, gravy and eggs this morning to stay home and have pecan pancakes and sliced bananas with me.  The campground has a breakfast a couple of times a month and today was biscuits and gravy day.  I would have eaten a biscuit, but the pancakes and bananas were probably better for us.

After I took a shower this morning, we took a walk around the campground and as we were coming back home, Greg says “let’s get the bike off the lift, the grass was wet this morning and it might be hard to get off if it rains”.  The sites have concrete pads for the RVs but our lift hangs over that and comes down in the grass.  Sounded like a good idea.

When the bike came off the lift there was a very small incline that he backed down.  Well, it was just enough of an incline that the back tire started to spin when he tried to pull forward, it bit down into mud and he couldn’t go anywhere.  He was on the bike so he couldn’t see what was happening, he thought it was just the incline causing him problems and turned to look at me for a push.  I knew what was going to happen the minute I stepped behind that bike, and it did.

It was definitely a missed photo op.  I was covered with mud by the time he got out on the road.  As he pulled out on the road he turned to look at me and the look on his face was like “what the heck happened to you”.  As I walked across the patio back to the coach globs of mud were dropping off of me.  It was back to the shower for a second time.

The Gulf Breeze RV Resort where we are staying is very nice.

 

 

 

The office has a small store (with ice cream bars)

 

 

Rates are $210 for the week for full hook ups.  This is our view from site 35.

There is an outdoor pool.

An indoor hot tub and pool.  There was a lady in the indoor pool and I promised her I wouldn’t take a picture of it.

They have a lot of activities going on right now.  Not sure if they happen all year round or just when the snowbirds are here.  They have exercise class, quilting, line dancing, karaoke, cribbage, euchre and bingo to name a few. 

Some of the activities take place here in the pavilion.

 

Others take place in the clubhouse.

I think this would be a good place to consider for RV rallies.  The clubhouse also has a well equipped kitchen.  This is taken through the window since it was locked, so not a really good shot.

 

I’ll be checking out the library tomorrow.  I have 5 books I’ve read, need to trade them for some others.

 

The lake is a catch and release lake.

They have a float they use in a Christmas parade.  I noticed on the calendar they will be having a bake goods and craft sale for Christmas items also.  They have 200+ sites here, there are just a few empty so it looks like a popular spot for folks wanting to spend the winter in a warmer climate.

It was in the mid 60s today, warm enough to sit outside for a while.

This park is located 4 miles from the public beaches on the Gulf.  There is lots of shopping and places to eat, all in all a very nice place.