I figured it was about time we actually saw some of the beautiful area that is all around us and get these toes into the Gulf of Mexico , so armed with the Reader’s Digest The Most Scenic Drives in America , bookmarked to Drive 116 (Gulf Coast Drive) we started out early Saturday and headed toward Tallahassee. Our first destination was the Apalachee Savannahs Scenic Byway. It was a beautiful drive toward the coast through “longleaf pine flats, cypress bogs and grassy savannahs”. But before we had traveled too far we took a little side trip to the “The Garden of Eden Walk – Apalachiola Bluff and Ravine Preserve“. It seemed like a do-able hike (3 miles round trip), and after all, this is Florida right? How hard could this be? So off we set, me in my slip-on sandals and Gary in his docksides.
It started out nice and flat….

Then the terrain started to change (you know you’re in trouble when the trail guide says -“Do you notice the change in temperature?”)

We did finally make it to the top – and the view was very fine indeed –
…the only problem was the 1.5 mile hike back to the car! It really was nice hike – though a bench or two along the way would have been nice for us out of shape (and badly shod) adventurers. A good start to the day, though.
Back to the Scenic Byway :-), until we came to Fort Gadsden Historic Site. A small but interesting site of Florida history (of which I know very little) and a nice little side trip.

OK – enough of the pines and live oaks with beautiful spanish moss. On to the BEACH! There were several choices, but we opted for St. Georges Island State Park – and it was a very good choice.

Need I say more.

After our beach fix we headed to Panama City where we joined friends for dinner and then headed back home to Bonifay. It was a full day – and a very very good one.
You can see the rest of the day’s photos here, if you’d like! Lots of Flora, but no Fauna – and lots of Blue Sky!