April 5, Day 32, Tuesday, Perry Florida to Port St. Joe Florida

What a night we had, but it started early morning, 5am. The thunder woke us and the lightening illuminated the room, the rain beating on the roof kept us awake. It did quit about 6:30am and that gave us a nice day. The road today will take us to Tallahassee, the capital of Florida, and through the museum.



Seminole panel from a School at Museum



The museum starts with the original prehistoric animals, the first Indians, Spanish discovery,



Citrus box panels



citrus development, winding thru it becoming a state for tourists,



Passenger Pigeon





V-mail,Aunt Vi's husband Lew sent one of these to my mom



A special Audubon exhibit was being held, nice to see a couple of originals. Also WWI and WWII. 



USS Florida SSBN 728



There was a model of the  USS Florida, SSBN 728, one hundred numbers after the Tecumseh SSBN 628 that I was on.



Back to the coast we head without a detail map, but I have my trusty map and sign reader along, she direct us to the highway that we wanted. The city is wrapped throughout a hillside and makes directions difficult.

Down through Crawfordville where we decided it is time to eat. I spot a café, Myra Jeans Restaurant. It has a nice menu, but the place is a old home-style place to eat. They have a section on the menu that is designated Economic Stimulus Menu, all items less than $6.95. Shirleen spotted a grilled cheese sandwich and a side of taters (mashed potatoes) and gravy. She raved about the real potatoes and tasty gravy.



Shirleen took best picture of train



I spotted a train overhead and asked the waitress if it worked she said yes and turned it on. Neat item. Then I ordered a hand pressed hamburger, not a frozen patty, with fired onions and fries. This hamburger was a knock out for flavor. We noticed that they had a Myra Jeans Cheeseburger challenge, included is mayo or ketchup, fries, a gigantic bun, buttered and grilled, 2 - one and a half beef patties, 10 slices of cheese and a full pound of fries. Eat it in one-half hour and it is free, your name goes on the wall and if you don’t eat it your name goes on the wall of shame and you pay for it. A couple have made it and a list of those who did not is also listed.

We continue on to the city of Carabelle which Shirleen has found the smallest police station in the world, yes it is a phone booth. We drove through town, back again, up a street and I saw a guy who gave us directions. Down the street to the right and there it is. Well we almost missed it again, so small.

Down to Apalachicola an old fishing town, fresh oysters and shrimp abound. We took a walk around town and pier. There are a couple of shrimp boats tied up, one has a guy with a tool box jumping off, he looks around as they start the diesel. It fires up and he smiles, I found he had just cleaned the injectors, I mentioned I had cleaned injectors on an old fleet boat submarine. I asked how much shrimp they can bring in? He said 100 boxes, not sure how much that was, forgot. But the boat we were looking at 

Like Aunt Vi's Shrimp Boat

had to haul ice to keep them frozen after catching them the boats in front of them had refrigeration on them, no need for ice.

Off for a nights rest, down the coast to Port St. Joe and found a Mainstay. Turns out tonight they have a shrimp and sausage boil with onions, potatoes and corn, with all the beer you can drink.

There are a couple of crews who are working in the fields putting in new buildings and they are eating it up. Turns out each night they have a manager’s reception from 6 to 7 but tonight, seeing it is the first Tuesday they have this shrimp boil. jerr