Beach Countdown

[pops]

The countdown has begun... In a mere 51 hours we (self, wife, and man-child) will be wheels-turning for beach country. All goes well, we should have toes in the sand by about 6pm Sun Thereafter, until the following Sun (except for a 5 hr charter fish trip on Tue), I expect to be blissfully parked at location noted in the attached photo

Wanted to thank all of you (again) who have provided insight, enlightenment, and above all entertainment over past weeks This will be the first year I'll actually sorta look forward to going back home a little - so I can check out the SoWal board traffic I missed ;-)

Hope you have a safe and wonderful trip! This is a "first post" so I hope I'm following the rules. Actually, I'm not Pops--I'm his wife of almost 40 years. Our son moved to Santa Rosa Beach in March (big welcome from Arlene, Cindy, and Dennis). We discovered this site from Kurt's photo links that were sent to us after the hurricane. We've been hooked ever since! Sowal is God's gift to mankind! Thanks to all of you permanent dwellers for keeping it so natural and beautiful--unlike so many other places. Pops and I are both Alabamians and fortunate enough to be pretty close. We both grew up spending family vacations on the Emerald Coast, but nowhere has the treasure been preserved like Sowal. So, Beach Bum from Ohio and everybody else who's enjoying the sand and water now, let's hope the bad storms are away from the northern part of the Gulf for a long while. Y'all have had more than your share of the fun!

 

[Kurt]

Hope you have a safe and wonderful trip! This is a "first post" so I hope I'm following the rules. Actually, I'm not Pops--I'm his wife of almost 40 years. Our son moved to Santa Rosa Beach in March (big welcome from Arlene, Cindy, and Dennis). We discovered this site from Kurt's photo links that were sent to us after the hurricane. We've been hooked ever since! Sowal is God's gift to mankind! Thanks to all of you permanent dwellers for keeping it so natural and beautiful--unlike so many other places. Pops and I are both Alabamians and fortunate enough to be pretty close. We both grew up spending family vacations on the Emerald Coast, but nowhere has the treasure been preserved like Sowal. So, Beach Bum from Ohio and everybody else who's enjoying the sand and water now, let's hope the bad storms are away from the northern part of the Gulf for a long while. Y'all have had more than your share of the fun!

 

[OhioBeachBum]

Hope you have a safe and wonderful trip!

We'll work at it. You too!

So, Beach Bum from Ohio and everybody else who's enjoying the sand and water now, let's hope the bad storms are away from the northern part of the Gulf for a long while. Y'all have had more than your share of the fun!

Well, we haven't left quite yet, but wife & sone are lobbying to leave this afternoon & stop halfway - more relaxed driving. Think they have me sold

 

[OhioBeachBum]

Hey - Otter or any of you folks that drive down via I-65...
What's a better road 137 or 55 through the AL/FL border? (I forgot - my brain flushes after 18 months ;-) )

 

[lollygal]

Hey - Otter or any of you folks that drive down via I-65...
What's a better road 137 or 55 through the AL/FL border? (I forgot - my brain flushes after 18 months ;-) )

We always take 55 to Florala, then pick up 331.

 

[RiverOtter]

Hey - Otter or any of you folks that drive down via I-65...
What's a better road 137 or 55 through the AL/FL border? (I forgot - my brain flushes after 18 months ;-) )

I take 55, but don't tell anybody ok :nono1:

 

[ktmeadows]

I remember our first trip to the emerald coast. It's a 12 hour drive and we drove at night while the kids slept. We found the coast right at dawn, and stopped on the side of the road to dip our toes in the sand. We were like kids at Christmas. My husband had never been to the ocean before. So we stood there on the sand in awe, watching the first rays of sunlight hit the water. It's a good memory.

You're so right! I didn't get my feet into this beautiful white sand until I was 36! I remember being in such awe over the beauty and how huge the ocean appeared! I remember the first time I heard the sounds of waves crashing, the sounds of the sea gulls, watching the cute little sandpipers (is that what they're called?) racing back and forth, dodging the water as it crept towards them. Growing up in the Midwest, I had never seen anything like this before. To this day, I still remember that feeling and relive it every time I get the opportunity to get down to that area. I thank God that we now are able to have a modest little part of our dream with our condo on 30-A. Our plan is to retire to that area in the future. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be able to awaken to that every morning! And the folks who live in the area are all so friendly and obviously greatful to be there. I can't wait!!

 

[ktmeadows]

I take 55, but don't tell anybody ok :nono1:

Just make sure to watch your speed in Georgiana...I know from personal experience that they STRICTLY enforce their speed limit signs ! If the sign says "45 mph", they won't tolerate 47 mph!

 

[RiverOtter]

Just make sure to watch your speed in Georgiana...I know from personal experience that they STRICTLY enforce their speed limit signs ! If the sign says "45 mph", they won't tolerate 47 mph!

I have very lucky

 

[ktmeadows]

I have very lucky

You'll need all the luck you can get! We got a ticket a couple of years ago going a few miles over the speed limit. To save points on the insurance, when we got back to Missouri we called around trying to find one of those traffic law places in Georgiana. Whew! Of course there were none! Ended up finding one in Montgomery. Ticket ended up costing a whopping $200+ Ouch!