Back, sadly, from a quick mini vacation on Santa Rosa Island & missing it already. It’s one of my favorite places, a perfect combination of good food, natural beauty, & beach life. The Gulf water was wonderful, clear & blue green, light surf the first day & heavier the next, watched Osprey fish & bring the catch back to the young ones in the nest, & ate oysters at Flounder’s & Peg Leg Pete’s till I had my fill. We camp at Fort Pickens which is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore Parks. It’s a very nice little campground, clean & quiet & a short walk to the Gulf on one side & the Bay on the other. The Park area is pretty pristine, sand & scrub oaks, all sorts of birds, Cranes, Herons, Osprey, you name it. Up the road a ways is Santa Rosa, condos, hotels, & laid back beach clubs, good food & good times. Had hoped I’d get to try paddle boarding this trip but wasn’t able to fit it in. Something to look forward to next time!

Tonight’s run went well enough, rough headwind on the return & think I lost a layer of skin to the sand but it got done. Our local beach is a poor substitute but still better than none at all.