FL Part 5: The Last FL Stop, Panama City to Pensacola

As Curtis from Canada warned the quiet roads and nice scenery came to an end riding into Panama City.  With about 30 mins to sunset I made it to Panama City Beach and stopped at a Publix not too far from the entrance of St. Andrews State Park.  Supposedly St. Andrews is one of the nicest parks in all of FL.  Unfortunately I never got to find out.

In the Publix parking lot a guy named Kevin started talking to me and I had a hard time getting him to stop.  Kevin is a salesman of sunglasses and $100 per bottle miracle anti-aging lotion.  By the time I finally got back on my bike I had a free pair of sunglasses with "the highest optical clarity available" and miracle lotion on the back of my hands.  I arrived at the St. Andrews park gate after sunset.  The ranger at the gate informed me the cheapest camping they had was thirty something bucks, and despite the brochure saying otherwise, they had no primitive camping.  She wasn't indicating any willingness to help me out so I rode away frustrated.



I rode 15 miles through Panama City Beach and asked a few people if there was a place I could camp.  No luck, and eventually I headed to Camp Helen State Park, which despite the name is day use only.  I found a path leading into the woods across the street from the main entrance and found a nice pavilions to camp in.  No raccoons this time and I left at first light with no troubles.

With rain in the forecast I decided to push to Pensacola where I had a place to stay with a WS host.  The ride between Panama City Beach and Pensacola was nicer than I expected.  Just west of town along 30A there are small upscale beach towns and state parks and nice scenic riding along the coast.   No major development until I got to Destin, where I lucked out and rode in the town parade. Once I got out in front I had the whole road to myself with the parade goers waving to me and asking for candy.

My luck ran out riding over the bridge into FT Walton where I got caught in a downpour and nearly took a fall riding on a sidewalk.  I took refuge at a Publix to wait it out.  While standing outside a family of 5 that lives on a small boat moored in the bay stopped to talk.  After sailing around the world and living on the boat for years, they were ready for a change.  Mom was taking the kids to Ohio to live with relatives and dad was going to walk around the country spreading some kind of anti-church but pro-Jesus message.  I  told him he should bike instead of walk, and after a couple dozen logistical questions I think he was convinced. 

Riding over the 3+ mile Pensacola Bay Bridge at rush hour wasn't much fun, but once I got into Pensacola I rode through a nice part of town with low traffic into a less nice part of town to where my WS house, T. Alan, lives.  T. Alan was out on the porch with four other cyclists, Jahnivi, Addison, Nick, and Zana. Jahnivi and Addison are street performing musicians from VT traveling to CA with their dog Zoso and a handful of instruments.  Nick and Zana were heading west from FL. T. Alan is a friendly 28 year old that had done a bike tour across the US and opens his home to cyclists like no other WS host I have seen. After introductions, beers, and showers we headed to the "Gas Station" for dinner.  No gas there, but plenty of clothing, electronics, cheap fried food, and cold beer.  Of all the non-veggie food I have had on this trip so far the $2.99 fried chicken and 16 OZ PBR I had from the gas station was the tastiest.

Enjoying some greasy food at T Alan's place

The next day was a Sunday and T. Alan invited everyone to church (Baptist).  I figured it would be an interesting experience. I was the only taker as the others were riding on.  We went out to breakfast before Bible Study and then to the service.  Everyone was very kind and welcoming and the pastor even wished me well during his sermon.  Nobody asked if I was a godless liberal from CT, which I was slightly nervous about. Just lots of music (some good some bad), a nice community of people, and a lot of graphic discussion about Jesus.

T. Alan asked me what I thought on the ride home.  That was the beginning of a long conversation about religion, politics and society.  By the end of the day and after a pretty good meal we made with local shrimp, we had agreed to disagree.  Overall a great experience for me, and I hope T. Alan.

T. Alan bought us some shrimp from Joe Patti's Seafood, and he let me make veggies and pasta to mix in.  Good shrimp.  And I think I new type of cuisine for T. Alan.