We’re on the road again, back to our nomadic winter lifestyle in Freebird to avoid the cold temperatures and snowfall of Central New York. Our plan is to take the same route west as last year, with a few variations, ending up in the desert southwest. But first we have to stop in Bel Air and Raleigh to visit the grand kids (their parents, too) and play Santa Clause.
Kerr Lake is becoming a favorite spot as this time of year. That might have something to do with meeting our son and grandsons here. But other than that, it’s a beautiful place to spend a few days. There aren’t many people here this time of year and we had a couple days of sun and 70 degrees. Not to shabby for the beginning of December.
Morganton Point
Back on the road again after visiting family, we headed to Georgia to visit a friend. To get there, we drove through the beautiful Smoky Mountains and the Nantahala National Forest and Gorge along US 74/NC 19. find pics. There are a lot of outdoor activities to do here such as white-water rafting, hiking, biking. I’m putting this area in my back pocket for a return trip in the summertime.
Morganton Point Recreation Area is in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest along the shores of Blue Mountain Lake. The lake is a result of damming the Toccoa River, creating a 3,300 acre summer pool for outdoor recreation. Of course, in the middle of December, the place is just about empty. Nearby is 106,000 acres of Chattahoochee National Forest, 300 miles of hiking trails and 100 miles of trout streams for those enjoying the outdoor activities. Hike to a local waterfall on the Appalachian Trail, tube or kayak the Toccoa or go whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River.
Nearby is the small tourist town of Blue Ridge. Blue Ridge is ranked as one of the South’s best mountain towns top small mountain towns to retire in. The downtown area is full of shops, galleries and restaurants. It was all dressed up for Christmas while we were there. The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway starts at the historic depot in the center of town. The ride is a 26-mile round-trip journey along the Toccoa River to McCaysville, Georgia and Copperhill, Tennessee where you can stand in two states at one time. Passengers get to enjoy all the shops, restaurants and breweries the towns have to offer during a two-hour layover before making the return trip. All told, the trip takes about 4 hours. On weekends after Thanksgiving, there is a Santa Clause ride.
Gulf Shores
We’re making a stop on the Red Neck Riviera to visit friends we didn’t get to see last year due to Covid. I don’t know if I mentioned this but, Covid sucks. The Red Neck Riviera is a strip of surf and sand that stretches some 95-miles along Florida’s Highway 98 containing the most beautiful beaches in the world. With the sugar white sand, gently washed by an azure sea, the always-heavy beach traffic is a blend of pick-up trucks, motorcycles, Mercedes Benz, SUV’s and Beamers. Perhaps that’s the charm of PC Beach – it’s so funky, it’s fun. The white sugary sand beaches here have us dreaming of a different kind of white Christmas.
Gulf State Park
Gulf State Park is our center of operations for our stay here. There are a lot of amnesties here for a state park. There’s a pool, laundry facilities, tennis/pickle ball courts, a nature center, beach access, miles of riding and walking trails and quite a bit of space between sites. Gulf State park compares favorably to many RV resorts and costs less money.
Eating Well . . .
We’ve developed a list of favorite eateries here from previous visits. Plus, we get to partake of the big, sweet gulf oysters. One of our most cherished spots for gulf oysters is The Tin Top Restaurant and Oyster Bar. It started as a steak house but has morphed into a great spot to get tasty, well seasoned seafood of all kinds.
Another favorite spot is McGuire’s Irish Pub, known for ‘feasting, imbibery, and debauchery’. McGuire’s is a turn-of-the-century, authentic New York Irish Saloon themed restaurant. The menu boasts typical Irish fare such as Irish stew and shepherd’s pie. Have an their signature Irish Wake cocktail before or after dinner. There’s also have nearly 2 million signed dollar bills hanging from the ceilings and walls of the Pub. We have yet to add to that total.
And when we cook at ‘home’, we take a trip to Joe Patti’s Seafood Market. Starting in the 1930’s the Patti family is dedicated to selling only the freshest sea food. That’s why people come from all over for the Joe Patti’s experience. It’s always crowded but the staff is extremely efficient and move the seafood lovers in and out quickly.
Christmas Eve was especially busy at Joe Patti’s. The line – some carrying large coolers – was out the door and snaked around the parking lot. We waited about an hour, which wasn’t bad, considering the number of people waiting to get their Christmas Eve feast.
Random Photos
Sunset
There’s a short period of time around the Winter Solstice that the sun sets over the Gulf of Mexico.
Pensacola at Christmastime
Pensacola gets all dressed up for the Holiday:
Freebird was dressed up, too. Well, a little bit, anyway.
Christmas is over. We enjoyed our white Christmas on the beach but it’s time to move on. I’m checking the weather apps to see where the sunshine and warm weather is. I’ll let you know where we end up.
Great Stuff! Keep it coming. Except for last week, the weather has been too warm and humid for this time of the year in Naples. Love you and Cathy. Merry Christmas buddy! Safe journey! Bill