Driving along Interstate 10, I could see a dark wall ahead. It was rather ominous looking so I started slowing down. Thankfully, other vehicles did the same and a few minutes later I entered the darkness. The wind buffeted poor Van Dora and the rain pelted the windshield. In a matter of seconds, the bright sun disappeared and the temperature dropped from 80 to 65 degrees.
I've driven in a lot of different weather conditions but this is the first time, I think, that I literally drove into a cold front. It was both fascinating and frightening at the same time! Thankfully, the worst of it only lasted about 10 minutes. But the colder temperatures remained, as did the rain (off and on), for the next 3 days. I stopped for the night before reaching my destination. Florida has some very nice State Parks along the I-10 corridor between Tallahassee and Pensacola.
Tuesday, February 12th - - I continued on my way to Pensacola and checked in at one of my favorite campgrounds - Big Lagoon State Park. A few errands that needed taking care of took up the remainder of the day and I settled in with the laptop for a few hours before turning in for the night.
Thursday, February 14th - - Yesterday was a mostly rainy day and was spent in the library, which just happens to be across the road from Big Lagoon. How convenient is that! This morning it was also extremely cloudy and drizzling rain but after noon I noticed that the sky had started clearing - the sun had come out and with it blue skies. I closed up the laptop and headed for the beach.
Part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore is just a short drive from Big Lagoon - cross over a bridge onto Perdido Key and make a left turn after a few blocks and there you have a pristine, undeveloped, beautiful shore that extends for several miles. There were few people wandering the beaches. It was still rather cool, only 55 degrees, but there was very little wind and the sun felt quite warm.
The sand alongside the road was 5-6 feet high. This pattern, made by the wind and bits of grass, reminded me of a sun dial. I strolled along the shore for several hours, savoring the sunshine and the sound of the waves.
Looking westward, the sun glimmering on a receding wave.
To the east, the shimmering white sands seem to go on forever.
The wind, weather, and waves had cut into the shoreline in several places, creating drop-offs of 12-18 inches.
In other areas, little valleys had formed along the shore. It made for interesting walking!
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