Alabama

It was a long day after touring Vicksburg National Military Park and then driving to Gulf State Park. The sun had just set when I arrived and had to stop for directions to the campground after driving past the entrance twice. I spent two nights at the park and enjoyed the area. The park sits on a kind of peninsula that juts out between Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL.

The campground sits across the Beach Blvd from the Gulf waters and encompasses 6,500 acres (huge). Within the park are three fresh water lakes and miles of trails. The park offers all needed amenities. It is and easy and safe walk to the beach area, as there are Pedestrian Bridges that cross Beach Blvd.

It is interesting that the park has no limitations on length of stay. There is also a RV storage area which many people use.

After a good night sleep, I spent the day exploring the area on bicycle. I had lunch at the Woodside Restaurant which is a great stop within the park. A person could easily spend a couple weeks here. It was early January so not much beach traffic during my visit. I imagine that when the weather warms this area is a hotbed of activity. Pretty mellow during my visit.

Some pics:

Fishing and Education Pier:

As mentioned earlier, campers can stay for an unlimited amount of time. This picture highlights the setup of a long term camper. I love the garage and attached shed set up:

Off to Fort Pickens!

After leaving Nashville, two nights were available for my drive to a Florida beach destination. My route took me into Alabama where I spent a night in the city of Troy. I stayed at the local Walmart. “Walmart Camping” always comes in handy when making a long drive between destinations. It is an Oasis on the concert desert. You can find fuel, water, nourishment, and even restrooms all at one spot.

While putting big mile days is not my favorite style of travel, sometimes it is necessary given priorities and timing. Under these circumstances, catching any local flavor is lost and it is only fuel up and restroom breaks. However, on my way into Troy, I saw a sign that caught my attention. Versus breaking camp and immediately hitting the road, I spent the morning at Troy State University.

The University has 200 full scale replicas of soldiers of the Terracotta Army found during the excavation of the burial site of China’s first emperor (Qin Shi Huang). The burial site held more than 8,000 Terracotta soldiers, 130 Terracotta chariots with 520 horses. Pretty cool display. The university itself is impressive with red brick buildings and a well landscaped campus, all sitting in a scenic area. The Terracotta display is located behind the University International Art Center.

Now I had the bug to check more of Alabama before crossing into Florida. Dothan, AL was my next stop for a cup of coffee and a look at the various murals scattered across the downtown area. Like many cities across America, Dothan spread to the suburbs and the downtown went into decline. However, the downtown area is starting to see a resurgence.