Well, I can’t believe this is the end of our trip from Florida to Pittsburgh to California and BACK to Florida! WOW – the time has flown by!
I am writing this from our LAST campground of the trip – in East Point, Florida, a few miles from St. George Island. We are excited about the last campsite, and were surprised that it was so nice!
We were in Nashville the last time I wrote, and we had such a great time there! Leonard went to Vanderbilt University (as he says, a MILLION years ago!) so he was happy to be back in his old stomping grounds! The first thing we did was meet new friends for dinner – last year in New Mexico, we met up with some of the gals from the USS Theodore Roosevelt group that I am part of (We still do a zoom prayer call EVERY Tuesday! – It’s been almost two years!) Linda Gove and her husband Denny live in Nashville, so we met for dinner at a WONDERFUL Mexican restaurant – we had a fantastic meal but an even better night of fellowship with them – Thanks Linda and Denny for taking time to hang out with us!!!
The next morning we had reservations at the Loveless Cafe – a very well known restaurant in Nashville – it has been offering DELICIOUS food for over 70 years! Here’s what the website says: “our story starts in 1951 when Lon and Annie Loveless opened their front doors to serve friend chicken and biscuits to hungry travelers on Highway 100. Their homemade southern dishes became so popular that they converted their home into a restaurant and built a 14-room motel for overnight guests. Lon stayed busy managing the motel and curing and smoking country hams, while Annie whipped up made-from-scratch biscuits and preserves in the kitchen….so many people come to taste the biscuits that put us on the map that we are making to 10,000 EVERY DAY!!!!! (WE ATE 4 OF THOSE 10,000 THAT DAY!)
IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!
Our next stop was Glencoe, Alabama – you might say, “where is that?” I can’t really tell you – It’s near Gadsden Alabama – (does that help? haha) – Leonard has cousins who live there – Greg and Martha Abel – and THEY were the reason we stopped there! They happened to have FULL hook-ups for trailers in their yard, so we were blessed to stay right there next to their house – we called it the ABEL RV RESORT!
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What a great time we had visiting with them and seeing their town – they are AMAZING hosts and it was so nice for me to listen to Leonard catch up with them – lots of memories shared, and a special time together.
OH….AND ONE MORE THING – THEY HAVE FRIENDS (LEE AND DANA) WHO HAVE JUST OPENED A NEW BAKERY CALLED ‘SINFUL SWEETZ’ – WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They make the best cupcakes I have ever tasted – and if you know me, I KNOW good cake!! Their shop was beautiful, they were so kind, and the cupcakes were amazing!!! I KNOW it sounds like this whole trip is about food, but I promise it wasn’t! haha – I am just NOT going to pass up good cake….or Mexican food – or Biscuits…..
As we left Alabama and good friends, we headed to Navarre Beach, Florida – we have come full circle since we left there May 5!
We stayed at Emerald Beach RV Park and it was on the bay across from Navarre Beach – what beautiful scenery – we only had one full day, so we walked on the beach in the morning and then headed to Pensacola to visit the Naval Aviation Museum – we had seen it before with Andrew when he was stationed there for flight school – it was wonderful to go again and see all of the many man planes the Navy has flown over the years! WOW! It was also a quietly proud time for Leonard and me to celebrate what Andrew does!
We didn’t see an F-18 in the museum (the plane Andrew flies) so I asked a staff member if there was one and he said “not right now, but come with me” – he proceeded to take us outside, hopped in a golf cart and drove us around the outside of the museum to find an F-18!!! We found one and hopped out and he took our picture – I texted Andrew and told him that I asked someone if there was an F-18 and we then got a “private tour” and he said….”OF COURSE YOU DID, MOM” – I’m going to take that as a compliment – haha!
Oh….and on the way to the museum, we DID eat again – some delicious BBQ!!!! Just pulled in on a whim and boy was it good! (I guess it IS all about the food sometimes!)
Well….thank you so much for coming along on our trip out to California and back again this year! It means so much to share it with you all and we feel so blessed to be able to do it!
I”ll do ONE more post when we are back and settled – my second installment of “TEN THINGS WE LEARNED ON OUR JOURNEY WITH OUR YELLOW SUBMARINE” – STAY TUNED!
THANK YOU!!!!!…
home again, home again ,jigady jig. You have so much summer left…..you could have stayed longer in MN and in Cali longer….. next yr! Thanks for bringing us along!
SO glad that seeing you was part of the trip!
I have totally enjoyed going with you on your trip! Sometimes it is all about the food! Haha! Loved that you went to Loveless. Bill and I went there a couple years ago when we went to Nashville on our anniversary. I’ll text you a picture! Glad is was such a blessed time for you two! 😘
The Loveless Cafe was amazing – best grits I have ever had!
Loved the food, pictures and aviation museum. Another epic journey! Thanks for letting us share in your trip!
thanks for wanting to share it with us! haha
You two are amazing! Bo and I would still be stuck in Chicago waiting for someone to rescue us and fix our broken door. 🤣I have LOVED every picture, every stop, every story- you are really an inspiration. Can’t wait to hear what you’ve learned. I’m guessing #1 is having a toolbox/screw driver IN the cabin. 🤣🤣 clearly that story made an impact on me 🤣
I am cracking up at the fact that you would still be stuck!! Thanks for the kind words about my posts – I’m glad you enjoyed them – and you are right – the lesson learned about the screwdriver was probably the MOST impactful!
What a great trip you’ve had! And a delicious one! Could you please keep posting bc I will miss this blog?!?!?!? xoxoxo
haha – my “regular” life is so boring…what would i post about? haha
So glad you are back in Floriday safe and sound. It sounds like you your trip was unforgettable.
We had such a great time – God is so good to have gotten us all the way to California and back with NO issues! We are blessed!
What a trip you and Leonard have experienced! A safe one and met many new faces!
So glad we met up and the log is awesome!
Happy trails again and hope to see you both again soon!!
SO glad we met you also! it was one of the highlights!
You should really consider Photography! The pictures are amazing! Can’t wait to see y’all!
and what’s funny is that the pictures don’t do most of it justice!
Glad you’re home safe and sound.
Love the food descriptions!!! Makes my mouth water just looking at the pictures.
My dad was stationed at the Naval base in Pensacola when he was in the service. Loved seeing those pictures!
Love that your dad was at Pensacola!!
I think you guys should make this into a reality show and just keep it going!!! Love it!
can you even imagine!!!!! haha
I can’t believe “our” trip is over! I had an amazing time!!! Thank you for sharing your travels with us! I know you and Leonard are blessed by the friends you’ve met along the way. What a great experience! God Bless America!🇺🇸
i love that – “our” trip! so sweet! thanks for coming on the trip with us!
Are you trying to kill my buddy Leo with all that heart clogging food???? Great friends aren’t easy to come by. Leo needs to get back to living a boring life with his buddy.!!! I’m glad you two enjoyed your journey, made great memories and got to love on your grand babies (and both of your kids). Thanks for sharing your journey with us!!!! Can’t wait to hang out again soon.
you are hilarious! HE would have bought more if i would have let him, so it’s his fault – haha!
It has been wonderful to experience this adventure with you guys!! I only wish we could sample the food too!! Especially those cupcakes!!! I am so glad you got see family,(the best part) friends and lots of God’s beautiful handiwork!!
you would have LOVED the cupcakes! Especially the coconut one!!!!!