MILE 9070

Day 34. The day started off like any other day. We left Apalachicola early in the day with the temperature already at 86 degrees. We continued down the coast and stopped in at the beach voted Best in America.....This solidified our plan for a "day off."
Up the coast another hour and we are in Panama City Beach.....the belly of the beast. And loving it.
And here we sit and float and walk and smile.
An
area full of Disneyland like mall attractions for adults and kids alike. All in the shadow of 20+ story hotels lining the beach. We listen to a good country band while we eat German food.




Day 35. We are on the road again. It is overcast, which makes the leaving of the water easier. Heading up the gulf coast towards Gulfport, Mississippi. Amazing to still see the abandoned foundations and broken piers from Katrina this many years later.
Moving away from the water, we head toward Zachary LA, looking forward to a rainy night in Louisiana.

Day 36. In the morning we drive to St. Francisville, the home of some of the most beautiful plantation homes in the south. Oh, yeah, and very haunted, supposedly.Heading north through the center of Louisiana on a smaller highway. Saw much poverty and natural beauty all in the same place. Finally climbed into Arkansas and landed in Hope for the night. Jeeez, what a dump. Bill Clinton Drive takes you AROUND town, but not into it. A dry city in a dry county, to boot. Waiting for the heavy rain and thunderstorms to wash it all away.