Sometimes when we go looking for adventure we often overlook our own backyards. This past weekend I was hungry to explore somewhere, to be somewhere that inspired and energized my soul.
Before hurricane Ivan I had gone out to Fort Pickens National Park on Pensacola Beach many many times. I loved to ride my bike on the seashell bike path and climb around on the fort and its bunkers. I also loved to kayak and fish in the Gulf there as is near the pass which is the hot spot for fishermen around Pensacola.
It was also an area that I frequently went out with my easel and canvas and painted the dunes. I loved to forgot about life for a bit and just become involved in my art therapy :)
Well I had not been back out there since the road was destroyed. And they have not repaired it but rather they left it as is for hikers and bikers to venture out on.
I decided to bike out to see what the area looked like now. The first stretch of road was pretty intact for around a mile then it was broken into oblivion. With piles of cracked black top lining where the road was. Fortunately the sand was pretty hard-packed and enabled my to ride, albeit very slowly, across to where the road continued again. Many people just walked their bikes and there were quite a few people making the trek.
The next break in the road came around 1/2 mile down, this time the sand was too deep to ride in so I had to trudge along pushing my bike. There we much fewer people making this crossing I noticed. And then after the next break about another 1/2 mile down there were only a handful to be seen as the going was pretty rough through that sand. But the work was well worth it, because the beach and water were beautiful and basically had it all to myself. I continued to ride and came upon one of the old bunkers where they housed the big cannons. Two huge iron doors had always been locked before as access inside was not allowed but apparently the storm surge from Ivan was too much and knocked them open for all to gain access to the dark inside of the bunker. This was just what I was looking for, some adventure to a place I had not been before. I wish i had better flashlight, but at least my cell phone has a flashlight built into it which proved to work pretty well once my eyes adjust from the bright sunlight outside.
The inside was just concrete walled rooms and hallways, with for some odd reason, toilets and sinks crushed and broken strewn about as if a giant in a rage destroyed the place. It was a little creepy in there, the bunker seemed much bigger than it appeared outside, and since I only had flip flops and a meager light I decided not to explore too much more.
But just that little bit of excitement felt great. I had a great ride back to the Jeep with a renewed enthusiasm for exploring our “backyard”. I began day dreaming of all the adventures that lie ahead with my yet born, baby boy Noah. I cannot wait to relive vicariously through him all the first experiences of life, spelling one’s name, the first day of school, riding a bike without training wheels, seeing all the beauty nature has to offer. I can only hope I can teach Noah to appreciate all that the world has to offer. To find the beauty and awe I found in mother nature.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I managed to discover and photograph 4 solo shoes while out there :) And they were crusty hurricane deposited shoes I am sure.