MAN, it's past 7pm. I need to get today's update put out!
First, I have to say that I am having a renaissance relationship with Dietz fuel lanterns. This summer I used several and have come to admire their simplicity and beauty. I've gotten a couple since then and brought a small, used one from an estate sale on this trip.
Spencer, the tiki gods stayed home this trip and the lantern came along. It does better in breezy conditions. I'm going to buy some of the colored glass globes and use them down the road.
So after I posted the pix of the sunrise today, I went off to the comfort station to take a shower. But in my shower stall, I had a visitor.
It was a beautiful morning after breakfast. #20 is a great campsite.
This morning we went for an hour bike ride and came back for a little down time. I broke out the puzzle and got started. This beautiful lighthouse puzzle is the one I'm working on.
As puzzles go, this is a pretty easy one since all you have to do is put together the individual small scenes and put them into place. Lots of distinct colors, clear boundaries, and unique designs in each panel. It's a keeper. We got the outline built this morning.
When I sit working on the puzzle and look and listen, I hear folks riding bikes and kids playing. The huge fallen oak from a past hurricane is a favorite climbing target.
It restores my faith in humanity just a little.
After lunch we went to Foley and ran the gauntlet of the Tanger Shopping Outlet Center.
@tiggerdad has waxed poetic about his trips here. I didn't find anything to pull the trigger on but for you guys, I can say that "flannel" is big this winter season.
You heard it here first.
We came back to the campground and picked up some shrimp (tonight) and scallops (tomorrow night). A nap, a little internetting, and soon it was time to start cooking dinner.
The first step (Kris) is for the cook to break out the white wine and then all the other ingredients/tools.
Get the Blackstone hot and ready.
And put on the shrimp and sauteed fresh mushrooms. The shrimp were courtesy of Blalock's Seafood here in Gulf Shores (they will de-tail and de-vein for an extra $2 per pound-I chased after the man throwing my money at him to do so to my pound of jumbos).
A little lemon juice and lemon pepper on them and some sweet soy sauce on the 'shrooms and steamed pack of more green veg on the side.
It was good. The one thing I learned is how much heat efficiency/griddle temp I lose when there is a breeze blowing. I'll have to rig up a wind break of some kind for the rest of the week or other solution going forward. The cook time was just longer tonight than I expected. But I am still learning the griddle.
A few scattered gray clouds as the sun went down. The campground is still basically full. I met some folks two sites over with another Aliner (with dormers). They are from Oregon and have been on the road for four weeks. Hurricane Ian wiped out their Florida plans so they diverted to Gulf SP and are enjoying it.
Tomorrow is a new activity I have never written about in a trip report. I'm excited about it.
Bama Ed