April 24, 2018
Today we have a special guest to guide us along our route to Port St. Joseph. Alan is an Adventure Cycling Association group leader who regularly leads the Gulf Coast Tour. He joined us last evening at St. Andrews Beach State Park and has agreed to show us a road less traveled around Panama City. He shepherded a few of us through the back streets and past palatial homes with a running commentary on the local history and culture. Our first stop was a bayside park with a view of the Panama City port and a memorial to the fallen of September 11th.
Coffee and donuts are the fuel of many of our morning rides and this day we passed a number of interesting bakery shops without stopping. Alan knew of a place just before the big bridge called Fly By Coffee that he knew to have a superior product. It definitely is a place to get caffeinated with quality and speed that Tim Hortons could envy. What it did not have was what I call decent pastry. I gave it a pass being stubbornly persistent. Just a few feet further along was Leon’s Fresh Baked Donuts. Inside an employee was busily making some fresh goodness and I asked if she had any apple fritters made. Some had just come from the oven a few minutes ago. Once again being a stubborn hard-head paid off.
The only dull part of today’s ride was the 12 mile or more ride through the massive Tyndell Air Force Base. If I could have seen the jets taking off it might have been great but all OI could see was endless miles of pine plantation on both sides of the road. At least the road was smooth with a decent shoulder and freshly paved, so the miles flew by.
In the town of Port st. Joseph stands the Cape San Blas lighthouse which has been relocated to this location. It is different from other coastal lighthouses in that it has a steel structure instead of masonry. The community is trying to raise funds to restore it.
Finally after a few wrong turns I found my way to our camping site for the evening. A warm shower and a cold drink awaits me.