August 9, 2021
I’m not gonna lie. I don’t love Florida. I have nothing against the Sunshine State…I just don’t like humidity, Lovebugs, the possibility of being eaten by alligator, or sweating from the hours of 0000-2359. When we moved away in 2010, I was glad to escape the heat, but now I find myself returning every chance I get. So when we were planning our next travel nurse assignment to Cape Cod, MA, detouring to Pensacola was a no brainer. Besides what’s an extra 1,100 miles?
After the seemingly endless trip home from Alaska, we spent a few weeks regrouping back in St. Louis. Sam squeezed in all the time he could with Mama and Papa, our older kids attended our church’s annual summer camp, and we caught up with Jordan and Zach (our oldest daughter and son-in-law). However, by the end of July we once again said good-bye to the Midwest and headed towards Florida.
While typically I don’t recommend tacking over 1,000 extra miles onto an already long road trip, that all goes out the window if the reason happens to be visiting your son/sailor. We enjoyed spending an extended weekend catching up with Gabe; including sit-down family meals and trips to the beach. Camping directly down the road from the Pensacola Lighthouse, Dave, I, and the girls took special pleasure in strolling the cool, sandy coast as the beacon lit the night.
All too soon our visit was over and it was time to hit the road again. So we said our good-byes and headed northeast to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
This past February while visiting Florida, we had purchased tickets for Medieval Times. For those of you who have never been, it is a family dinner theater that hosts an epic tournament filled with jousting, sword-fighting, falconry, etc., all while you feast on a four-course banquet. Well, the date for our reservations got mixed up (our mistake) and we completely missed our dinner! Bummer! (Although we did end up getting a refund, which was such a blessing. Dinner for 8 isn’t cheap!) Luckily Medieval Times has a location in Myrtle Beach, and since we just happened to be driving through South Carolina, we made new reservations, this time double checking the dates!
As the “feast” was served, we slurped our soup and tore into our chicken (utensils are optional), simultaneously cheering for our knight as he fiercely battled for the championship. And while the skirmishes are staged (obviously), the equestrianism skills demonstrated are spectacular, providing a great evening of wholesome, family friendly entertainment. To top it off, Annabelle, who insisted on wearing a crown, was personally handed a flower by the Black and White Knight. She grinned ear-to-ear the rest of the evening.
After a few relaxing days in Myrtle Beach, we detoured to our last stop in the Palmetto State. Tucked away past long stretches of highway and quaint, historic towns, we parked our RV and made camp at Barnwell State Park, to visit our favorite ranger, Dave’s sister.
So often a few days without schedules and plans is exactly what the body needs. We slept in, stayed up late, and enjoyed catching up with family. We tried our hand, I mean…foot, at paddle boating, staying clear of the resident alligator who makes its home at the other end of the lake. The boys made a valiant attempt at fishing, but the blue gills were sneaky and quick. Worm after worm was baited, only to be snatched off the hook before the boys could reel up a catch.
After making our rounds in Missouri, Florida, and South Carolina to spend time with some of our favorite people, we were now ready to cross the Mason Dixon Line and head towards New England. But first a visit to our nation’s capital and the Big Apple!
The Cunningham Crew 