Tracker Delivery to Panama City, FL

After leaving the Baxters in Hempstead, TX we drove to Panama City, FL to deliver the Tracker to Linea Peninsular, the container shipping company. The Tracker was spiffed up (washed and vacuumed) in Hempstead by Ed and Cody. As Jamie G said, all it needed was a sombrero on top and mariachi music playing, as it was loaded on its "retirement" voyage to Mexico! It's a long drive to Florida and we were to pick up a rental car in Mobile, AL so we stayed the night in Biloxi, Mississippi. Biloxi used to be a small beach and golf resort town. Now, it's a mini Las Vegas. Casinos everywhere! We stayed the night at the Grand Casino and Peggy was off to play penny poker. Well, she played and played, finally losing her initial stake of one dollar! The room cost $27. Sandwiches and beers for dinner cost more than the room. It was fun!

The beaches are fantastic along the Gulf Shore of Alabama, Mississippi and Florida.

The sand is white, white, the ocean a Caribbean blue and it all seems freshly raked.

This is a part of the living history museum in Pensacola.  The building on the left was the home of a free African American in the 1830's.  We had way too little time to do this museum justice!

The Johnston's in their back yard facing both a golf course and the Intracoastal Waterway.  Beautiful place and gracious hosts.

This picture doesn't do this park in Mobile justice.  Stately homes facing a fenced park.  We could imagine little children being able to play here safely while their moms cooked supper.

Our hotel in Mobile, the Malaga Inn.  These were identical homes built in the 1830's by brothers.  The homes were joined to make the hotel in the 1960's. 

We spent a beautiful afternoon at the Mobile Botanical Gardens. This little buddy was hamming it up for us.

This bee was a busy guy.

Next day, we picked up a rental car in Mobile and with Ed driving the Tracker and Peggy trying to keep up in the rental car (Ha!Ha!), it was off to try and find Linea. We did! We said "goodbye and pleasant voyage" to the Geo and we drove to Gulf Shores, Alabama  to spend the night with Ed's high school and Marion, Ohio friend Dick Johnston. Dick and his wife Vickie live in a beautiful development there. On the way we did a quick visit of a museum in Pensacola, FL. Lots of old (15 and 1600's) stuff. We couldn't stay long. Should have, but couldn't.Then off to Gulf Shores. Dick golfs 5 days a week and Vickie has become a tennis pro! We had a great time, lots of old Marion stories, and then in the morning a great send-off breakfast at Ducks Diner. Dick told us to travel up to FairHope on our way to Mobile, which we did. FairHope has an interesting history (Google it if you want) and now has lots of shops, artists, etc. We arrived in late afternoon at The Malaga Hotel in the historic section of Mobile. Notable guests inculde Ronal Reagan, Nelson Rockefeller, and Micheal Landon. No one took our picture. Ummm.  We did a walking tour of historic buildings. In the morning we walked some more, looking at historic houses. We left late morning for Mobile, as on Monday we fly to Cozumel.