Florida Panhandle, Part 1
(August 2018)

This trip, postponed by car trouble, turned out to be a lot of fun.


Northwest of Tallahassee--"I hear Tallahassee is nice this time of year"--is the home of the canopy roads. These right-of-ways were, originally, built to allow slaves to travel between the plantations and the markets. While not a great part of our history, it's still excellent that the city preserves them.


And when the owners have a quarrel, they meet at the Dueling Oak to settle the disagreement. I'm not kidding!


I had to cross into Georgia, if just to say I was there. I liked what I saw and will explore more of the state. Also, I like the reference to James Taylor.


The government of Florida has commemorated the lowest high-point in the Union with a park named for the nearby town. Reaching this 'point was tough: drive up a small hill, park, and walk about 50 feet to a granite monument.


That magnolia tree is set to be the highest tree in Florida! It's funny to think that I'm still no higher than my home in NH. Have I said that Florida is very flat?


I descended from the dizzying height into the rolling green fields of Alabama. It reminded me of Vermont, only without mountains in the background. I found the people delightful and warm! In fact, I was very impressed by "lower" Alabama.

In Brewton, I visited the former Ritz theatre, which is now a message board for the town. The cinema used to seat 761, but, the story goes, that it partially burned and couldn't be completely refurbished. Rather than rip it down completely, the town turned it into a billboard. Clever idea! Below are some shots around this unique bulletin board.




I stayed overnight in Milton, Florida. This smallish city is the less expensive area for folks from Alabama to stay whilst visiting the Floridian beaches. The room was comfortable.

The next day, I set out early and visited a park with a monument to a pair of aluminum boots and hat! I think the Milton Fire Department may not have realized that some folks, with a quirky sense of humor, would think it odd to celebrate the location of a torn-down firehouse with a sculpture of firefighter apparel. The entire lot for the former firehouse is a park now.


Also in the park is the water pump. Cool! In the right background is part of a well house. This well is in active use by the town of Milton. That explains why the water didn't smell too bad! I'm sure it's no coincidence that the well is next door to the former firehouse.


I continued into Pensacola. I'm not a fan of cities; however, I was impressed by this one. There seemed to be a good mix of normal people. Along one of the one way streets is one of the "Seven Wonders of Pensacola". (I'm not making that up!).

It's an ice house where people purchased ice before refrigeration became commonplace. Seeing it makes me miss winter!


The small building has been preserved by the city. (Another reason why I like this city.) They had a several hand signals for quicker service. Take a look.

Then, I crossed into "Alabama, the Beautiful" again.


Only to find dinosaurs! OK, I know they're not real or, even, life sized. But they're still fun! I don't know why they were along a lonely road that leads to just a marina.




Is that a fourth dinosaur hiding in the trees?


Yes, it is! This brontosaurus is grinning like a child who's been caught whilst playing hide-and-seek.


Maintaining the prehistoric trend of this lonely road to a marina is a replica of Stonehenge.


It's called "Bamahenge". The Alabamians have a good sense of humor! The "stones" are impressively large. Take a look here.


Outside the Original Oyster House on the small road to Mobile, Alabama is a peculiar craft. It's claimed to be a Russian sea rescue pod. How air remains inside the hull with all the openings is a good question. Maybe it would be pressurized from an air tank? Still, it's odd to see a Russian naval vessel in Alabama!

I bypassed Mobile, taking a new suspension bridge that reminded me of Boston's Zakim-Bunker Hill Bridge. I soon headed into Mississippi, where the road widened and the speed limit increased.


I visited Mississippi to see an odd claim to fame in a small town. This town, called Lucedale, was put on the map when Ronald Reagan, then president, used a post to scratch his back. I can't confirm it, but sources state that other celebrities used the post, too! I returned to Alabama and saw another sign. The return into Florida wasn't as noteworthy. Though, they do have two signs.

After 1,300 miles, I saw quite a bit of the Southeastern Deep South!





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