In this episode of Coast to Coast, we will be recapping the events of Day 5. It ended in a really extreme way, which most of you now know about, based on our "Alive for now" post.
It is DouglasDuo tradition to photograph our campsites. So we begin with that & our departure from our campground at St. Bernard State Park, a very well-kept and beautiful state park.
Also, the motivational sign in St. Bernard Parish - we passed this everyday - a definite reminder of the disaster here not so long ago.
If you notice the sky in the last two pictures, you will see its dark & ominous appearance. A humongous storm was coming on shore from the Gulf of Mexico. So, before heading out for our destination for the night, we drove back into the French Quarter one last time. This trip called for the original Po-Boy's at Johnny's - Colby had the Oyster Po-Boy & I had the Roast Beef. Both were excellent!
Jazz Fest was beginning today, and the streets were insane, so Colby was the gopher while I circled the block in the van.
And of course, we couldn't leave without a farewell Beignet & Cafe au Lait (addicted much?).
At this point, it started to rain. Actually no, pouring is more like it. And the lightening! It surrounded us on all sides...time to get out of dodge!
The trip to Port St. Joe was about 8 hours. We quickly entered Mississippi after crossing Lake Pontchartrain.
(The wind was so strong in Mississippi, my triceps were sore from fighting with the steering wheel. Come to find out, major tornado's occurred there that day!)
Shortly thereafter was Alabama.
Finally we pulled into Florida & stopped at the welcome center for the famed cup of OJ just before they closed for the day.
The drive out to Port St. Joe, on the Gulf of Mexico, was uneventful until the very last minutes. As we approached the peninsula, the storm that we had only out run by an hour, caught up to us while we were trying to complete some of the blog updates at a McDonald's (no Starbucks out here, friends). We hurried out and back on the road when the lightening strikes seemed to be approaching. As we drove out to this isolated part of Florida, I began to think we were crazy. And again, being the worry-wort of the duo, began barraging Colby with lightening storm questions. (Will we get hit in the van? What if I have to go to the bathroom? Are we going to die? - All valid questions I thought.) En route to the beautiful St. Joseph Peninsula State Park (we called ahead this time and got the gate code) the most awesome lightening strike occurred right in front of our eyes, out in the Gulf somewhere. A huge bolt with half a dozen "feeler" bolts streaming off in all directions. Words can't describe it. Even Colby's heart stopped for a second with this one. I think I may have really been speeding at this point.
Well, we arrived safely, as many of you know, and we were left to ride out the storm in the safety of the van. The storm hit, thunder & lightening, rain began falling, then pouring, possibly even some hail. And then.....nothing. Really....NOTHING. It fizzled out entirely when it hit us. (Was I disappointed? Maybe.) The only photo we got of the light show was this:
Colby will have to wait for his next big photography break, some other time. (I thought this shot was still great, considering it was raining and taken from inside the van.)
So, our cliffhanger for next time:
The "Choose Your Own Adventure" winner - A dip in the Gulf of Mexico.
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