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ALYS BEACH TWO STORY CABANA

ALYS BEACH POOL ENTRANCE

ALYS BEACH POOL

DRIFTWOOD HORSE @ ALYS BEACH

We arrived home safe and late last night. The drive was long and uneventful. Roxy has spent the day relaxing. Tim is back on shift at the fire station today and I have spent the day unloading and cleaning. This trip was so much fun. We enjoyed seeing our old friends and meeting new ones. Jojo, I cant wait to see you again, Ohio baby!!! I'll see you there my Canadian friend.

One place I did not talk about was a place called Alys Beach. Located east of Santa Rosa Beach and east of Seaside. It's a very new community built and based on New Urbanism. This community is based on the principals of the placement of amenities in and around homes to promote walking, talking, and a sense of connectedness. The pictures above I took at Alys Beach. Not a sole was present. I have to say it's one of the most bizarre places I have ever visited . . .

http://www.alysbeach.com/

If you have a minute click the link above to check out the website for this community. Browse the gallery of pictures and real estate links. Yowwwzza!!!

I have included the links below to some of the pictures I took over this trip. One link is from St. George Island State Park and the other is from our time at Topsail Hill State Park.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wymer/sets/72157628813782701/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wymer/sets/72157628815232633/

Enjoy the pictures. Next month we will be traveling all the way to Brooksville, Florida for The 92nd Winter Convention of The Tin Can Tourists. Now it's time to detox and diet!!!

Until then . . . CHEERS!!!

SEASIDE (Part 3)

Uuuuugh .... I'm having website issues...I hope this works ...

Sunday Tim and I took a short day trip over to Seaside after the Massive Potluck Breakfast. Seaside is just a twenty minute drive east of here along the shore. It's a very cutie patootie planned community on the beach. This is the town where 'The Truman Show' was filmed with Jim Carey.

The time we spent there was interesting ... We took leisure walks around town taking pictures and trying to figure out this little town. In the center of town is a row of Airstream street vendors. Of course we had to stop at one for beer and a snack. On our return to camp we were invited out to dinner for the last hoop-la prior to everyones departure today. Everyone met up at The Back Porch in Destin. It's a decent place on the beach with good food.

We had an amazing time at this years Can Opener here in Destin. It's turned out to be the best one yet. I'm sure next year will be even better.

Today we will depart early (LOL) to make the 400 mile / seven hour drive home. Safe travels . . .

Best-
Alice W.
Sent on the fly from my iPhone.

SEASIDE (Part 2)

SEASIDE

EXHAUSTING DAY

ROXY CHILL'N

OMG ... What an exhausting day we had yesterday!

Between the Volunteer Breakfast, Bloody Mary/Mamosa/Margarita Festival ... AKA liquid lunch ... We are exhausted. Oh and the Airstream Open House Tour, Potluck Dinner and finally the campfire. It was a very long day of 'socializing'. We finally shut the campfire down at midnight last night. Since I was so busy 'socializing' I didn't take many pictures so for today I will just post a few pictures mostly of Roxy's K-9 pals around camp ....

CLANCY (Roxy's fave boyfriend)

MIKEY (from next door)

Uh . . . Skippy? Is that you? You don't look so well.

RELAXING DAY

Miramar Beach

Yesterday was pretty relaxing. Tim and I woke up to a very foggy morning. It took until mid-morning for it to all burn off. Then we drove into Destin after lunch to go to the Bass Pro Shop. Tim needed to pick up replacement hinges for our cooler that broke the night before we left and to get a replacement latch that has been broke for some time. We found the parts easily and were grateful they had them. An exact replacement of our cooler was $80 or a nice Yeti cooler the same size as ours is running around $350. Yikes! Sooo glad the parts were available and much cheaper.

Goliath Grouper @ Bass Pro Shop

On our way back to camp we drove down through Miramar Beach then made our annual stop at Fat Daddy's Pizza to pick up some pizza to enjoy prior to 'happy hour' at the club house. The club house was packed and everyone was having a great time.

Once we returned to our Airstream we finished the evening with a friendly campfire. Quite a few people stopped by to say hello and hang out or stop just for a minute to check out our fire pit. Someone in passing voted us the 'most fun looking' campsite in the park. We had a blast with the Canadians, Tallahasseeians, Georgians and of course the other Floridians.

Today will start with the park volunteers making breakfast for us. Then there's a big Bloody Mary Party, Open House Tour on the Airstreams, Potluck Dinner, entertainment at the clubhouse (hmmmm) and finally Tim and I are officially hosting a campfire for those who want to come. We have a full day ahead . . .

Travel to Topsail Hill

The coastline and homes on Saint George Island

Hitch Hiker on Airstream Antena

Sand Dunes on Saint George Island

Apalachacola Bay

Yesterday we departed Saint George Island State Park and headed west toward Destin. While crossing Apalachacola Bay we saw all the fisherman working the oyster beds. It's amazing to think that all these little boats are responsible for 90% of the oysters in Florida AND 10% of the oysters in the United States. If you know the right places to go eat . . . you cant get'm any fresher than those here in Apalachacola Bay.

For the most part the drive was good. Panama City was not the best town to drive through but we survived. We arrived at Topsail Hill State Park late in the afternoon with enough time to set camp up and enjoy the evening. Last night we all gathered at one campsite to sample chili and 'socialize' a bit. Afterwards Tim and I returned to our camp and had a nice quiet rest of the evening around our warm campfire.

Roxy at new campsite

(Topsail Hill)

Site #142 at Topsail Hill State Park in Santa Rosa Beach

Snow Boots on The Beach

The Best Kept Secret ...

Along the the Forgotten Coast .... St. George Island State Park. Tim and I arrived late yesterday to this amazing park. Located just over the bay from Apalachicola in Florida's panhandle. This park offers nine miles of untouched beaches. The drive was good and what beautiful scenery we saw along the coast near Carrabelle. The campground in this park is located among a forest of slash pines. It is very interesting terrain here and not your Florida coastline usually scene. Love it! This barrier island has sandy coves, salt marshes, vast dunes and of course the slash pines.

Today we plan to explore the park's beaches and maybe get a hike in. Then this evening we will meet up with friends whom we have not seen in many, many years. They live a few hours away and the plan is to meet up at about the halfway point back in Carrabelle for dinner. Good times are to be had.