DAY 157; SEMINOLE, ALA. - PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

SEMINOLE, ALABAMA turns out to be NOT 100 meters from the Florida Border...it is about 1 mile to twin rivers running through swamps that the border sign of Florida is found.

Along the way out of SEMINOLE, I discovered two more Title Loan Companies = four for this town.

The State of Florida DOT (Department Of Transportation), is building two new bridges over the border rivers.

Bridge Pillars being aligned, ready for the cross-spans which will carry the new roadway.

A bit further along, US 90 in Florida is a 4-lane highway. Looks like the 4 lanes will be extended all the way to the Alabama Border.

Florida has a Truck Weighing Facility a couple miles East of the new bridges. I stopped in to ask some details; Learned that the employee manning the Scales is not permitted to discuss such matters...he gave me a phone number for DOT.

This Back Hoe is removing that intense RED soil from the river bottom, pulling dirt from directly under his crawlers. Being mostly sand, looked a bit unstable without reinforcing for the machine to work on.

Early in the morning, walked from SEMINOLE, ALABAMA East on US 90 into Florida for another 3 miles to the town of BEULAH, FLORIDA; then back to SPIA.

We drove SPIA into Florida past BUELAH to I-10 (interstate I have been following all the way from California), where we again parked SPIA, this time at a Truck Stop. Then walked another 6 miles to US 29, were I tu;rned back to SPIA. This part of US 90 is mostly 4-lane with lots of "Strip" businesses.

Before reaching I-10, US 90 was a tranquil country road with little traffic. Beyond I-10, the 4-lanes of US 90 are PACKED with traffic...lots of 18-wheelers and apparently commuters from PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, which is only a mile or two South of US 90. Actually, there is a "spur"{ of US 90 that diverts South to and through PENSACOLA, returning to the main line US 90 just before crossing the 4-mile wide Escambia Bay.

Drove over the Escambia Bay Causeway - which has 5 or 6 small bridges, and parked in a cozy RV Park directly on the shoreline of Escambia Bay.

Escambia Bay, just North and East of PENSACOLA, FLORIDA. This Bay continues South to the Gulf of Mexico
.

A close look at the Rip Rap (rock reinforcing banks protecting the road causeway). Notice the rocks in the wire baskets just under the water. ROCKS IN A BASKET is a common practice used by highway builders to stabilize banks of soil.

The entire Excambia Bay is Marsh Land. Most of the "land" is grass covered sand, too soft to walk or work on. The waters are about 30 feet deep in numerous "channels" over which the Causeway Bridges are built. Each "channel: is given a name such as "White River", etc.

Along the causeway roadside are many of these colorful blooms...just a few days past their prime.

A look at the causeway during a lull in the heavy traffic.

From SPIA's parking place in the RV Park, I walked BACK over the Causeway to the mainland and return, a distance of about 8 miles round trip.

Along the way, I came across this Fishing Camp, with boat launching ramps and a "bait & tackle" store. I stopped in, asking if the $3.00 "overnight" parking fee sign also applied to small RV's like SPIA.

A look of horror came over the owners face...good heavens NO. No one EVER stays overnight on my property. Been improving this fishing camp for over 20 years and never... N E V E R... have I permitted anyone to stay overnight. Look at all the boats, docks, uneven parking surface. I would be open to immediate lawsuits from sprained ankles and all my property would be stolen during the night... - and on he went as I listened, deciding I would not take his photograph or plead to make an exception for an old man walking across America.


Instead, we tucked SPIA down in this idyllic campsite - limited to four (4) vehicles because of closeness to the water and fear of polluting from the Septic System. An overnight exception was made for SPIA by Wayne, the live-in Manager.

Wayne moved down here 3 years ago, leaving everything - including over 30 guns, purchased a small trailer house, parked, moved in, and has not budged. At 74 years old, Wayne says he has lived a good life and this is the spot he will spend the rest of it...cool breeze across the waters, and a comfy chair to sit and watch nature go by. Wayne is concerned over all the fuss about 2012 paranoia, but was not interested to see the computer websites about the return of the Annanuki...I'll just wait and watch for myself, he says.


DAILY REPORT: Walked three legs today for 30 miles.

SEE YOUR IMPACT.ORG: Credit 30 miles @ $0.02 = $0.60 for the day.

Since discovering the uninvited ants aboard SPIA, a few days ago, have been conducting a running battle. They are so tiny as to be almost invisible, but find their way into cracks and hidy-holes, that I have not yet captured all of them. At night they crawl on me...I brush them away, but being so small, it is difficult to squash them. Keep ALL food in covered containers, so so far, don't know of eating any.

Is now 8:00 am (local). Will start walking East on US 90 in a few minutes, leaving SPIA parked. The map shows continued 4-lanes to the town of MILTON, about 25 miles away...then it goes back to 2-lanes and long stretches of emptiness until reaching TALLAHASSEE, about 150 miles away. We will be staying close to I-10, so VERIZON signal should be good.