ORANGE BEACH, AL

Thursday, January 17, 2019. I drove the scenic route down highway 90 on my way to Orange Beach. Stopping every so often to take pics, it took about four hours to get there. Alabama wasn’t on my itinerary originally. I knew I’d drive through it on my way to Florida but wasn’t expecting it to be anything more than a fuel stop. Luckily, several of my friends advised me to check out Orange Beach and the FLORA-BAMA!!

If you don’t already know, the FLORA-BAMA is a badass beach bar in Perdido Key, straddling the line between Florida and Alabama. More on that later.

Gulf State Park is where I would camp the next two nights. The park, which is also a nature preserve is about 6,000 acres. With lots of trails and access to the Baldwin pier. And guess what, this time it took me less than 15 minutes to pitch the tent! (It did partially collapse on me during the night when some heavy rain came through, but I stayed dry!)

I decided I’d take it easy the first night. My campsite neighbor was a lady named Linda. And like me, she was a fellow traveller. Only she’d been aimlessly roaming with her two dogs for three years! She was from Colorado and had been just about everywhere. She was a great conversationalist. (Shout out, Linda!) And she gave me some good traveling tips for along the way.

So after a hearty dinner that consisted of one ham sandwich made with economically priced lunch meat, one small bag of chips from my road trip “snack pack” that my friend Traci thoughtfully prepared for me, and a orange, I drove out to the shore line to see what Gulf Shores had to offer.

It was only 6 o’clock but it was dark already and I couldn’t see the ocean so I cruised the main drag. There were condominiums and resort hotels towering above the street on either side as I drove. No one else was out. I’d pass a car here and there but basically I had the road to myself. It was an eerie but relaxing feeling, like I was the last man on earth, traveling through a once populated city that no longer held inhabitants. I played the Eagles Hotel California, just to underscore the ambience.

As I mentioned earlier, it rained that night. Although I slept well. I was worn out from the road.

I had an eventful Friday. After breakfast, which was a pop tart, trail mix, and some nasty instant coffee (I may be traveling the U.S. but I am on a tight budget) I broke down and found a Starbucks and got myself a decent cup of java. After that I headed to The pier.

Baldwin pier was just opening to the public when I arrived. The anglers, however were already well into their daily catches. As were the fishermen of the feathered variety. Big, scary looking seagulls!! I finished off my coffee then decided to daytrip to Pensacola.

My destination was the National Naval Aviation Museum, however on the way I saw the Pensacola lighthouse museum and thought to myself, wouldn’t it be fun to climb 177 steps up a narrow stair rail that only grows more and more claustrophobic the higher you go?? So I did. It was pretty cool too. If you’re averse to heights, though you may want to pass. Im comfortable with heights and the condensation on the railing and steps on the way down even made me feel a little uneasy.

The aviation museum was right around the corner. I’m not trying to be sexist but I kind of think that’s a thing mostly guys would be interested in. So I’ll save you the agony of reading about it.

After my field trip I was ready for a beer. Or more specifically, a BUSHWHACKER!! Time to hit up the FLORA-BAMA!! The FLORA-BAMA is the quintessential southern coast beach/dive bar! No hipsters and no man-buns allowed. The first thing I did was order a Bushwhacker (Cheers, Dusty!) and some shrimp tacos! A bushwhacker tastes like a Wendy’s frosty had a orgy with 151, dark rum, amaretto, cream de cocoa, and a couple midgets. So I ordered another one (Cheers Mandy!). Now I was feeling good. I was getting into the groove of the live music and enjoying the atmosphere. I was beginning to feel like I wanted to tie one on!! But I showed great restraint! I drank just 2 Bushwhackers, 4 beers, and 6 shots!

Just kidding. I only had the two Bushwhackers. I needed to stay somewhat sober. Rain was coming followed by an arctic front that night and I wanted to get back on the road ahead of it. So at midnight I pulled up camp and drove all night into Florida.