I knew it was cold last night and I thought well below freezing but wasn’t sure until I looked in my pot that I left on the picnic table.

Sun is rising but still below zero so I decide to walk the park trails to see the only sights that are open after the hurricane.

Start out with two sweaters, down jacket, hat and gloves and eventually pare down to just the sweaters as the sun comes up and warms the world a bit.

Natch I hop the fence that says the area is closed. Doesn’t seem to be enough damage to warrant the area being closed but what do I know? Climb around the barricades blocking the bridge on the way back and a young couple looks at me like I am from another world. My mother would be proud.

It’s Friday and if I don’t get my last CIBC mortgage approved today I am trouble since it funds next Friday. Customer is calling me every 15 minutes. My notebook needs power and won’t reach the outlet; I drive to Target also looking for free wi-fi. Come up short but get a pair of long johns (see what I did there?) that will double as bike leggings as well as an extension cord.

Back at the campsite I sit in the car (it’s warmer) and manage to connect over the hot spot. Holey Moley it’s approved.

Bike ride with new leggings and skull cap to Perdido Key State Park to celebrate.

Nice ride, good roads with a bike lane. Good view from the bridge over the lagoon.

Pull over at the park and check out the beach facing south over the Gulf of Mexico. I think the best beach I have seen so far, especially since the Atlantic Ocean isn’t there trying to overwhelm it. Sand squeaks like Australia and I am so glad the 4 Mexican lads didn’t kill me for my phone.

Looks beautiful but it’s only 10C and though the water is not that cold it’s not terribly inviting. Shoes back on, I ride to the Alabama border and then head back. North wind in my face the whole way. Stop at a surf shop and finally find an inflatable pool mattress for cheap to replace my leaking thermarest. There will be softness tonight!

Debate continuing the ride to the Naval Museum but decide to drive there instead as it would be dark by the time I get back. I’ll drive, get a pizza and a beer somewhere and stock up on firewood. Turns out to be a good decision since the naval base is closed to civilians since a mass shooting in 2019. Are you kidding me? On a naval air force base?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Station_Pensacola_shooting

Very strange.

Drive around this part of town looking for a decent pizza ‘n’ beer place but nothing suits my fancy so I head back to Lillians on Perdido Key where I have a very decent pizza and beer in a very large place that is clearly sized for tourist season.

Get more firewood, have a great fire and hit the hay pretty early, gonna rock ‘n’ roll tomorrow as rain is coming in a big way and I don’t have any interest in camping in that. Cold, ok – rain and cold? No thanks.

While the fire is burning I get out the new air mattress, toss the packaging in the fire and prepare to blow it up. WHAT KIND OF COMMUNIST MATTRESS IS THIS!!!! It is impossible to blow it up using the manual method. I discover this as I watch the instructions go up in flames. I have a bike pump. No good. I jam sticks in the valves. No good. I can’t believe you can buy a cheapo air mattress that can’t be blown up without using technology.

Leaky thermarest here I come again.