Tuesday 2/15/11

This morning was a nice opportunity to relax and re-group. We slept a little later than normal, then took a 4 mile run along the beach.  Once again, we had the sand and surf to ourselves. Marty and Cheryl gave us the driving tour of Panama City Beach, and we had lunch at  the “locals’” eatery on the beach called Schooner’s (crab cakes, tortilla chips with the best salsa we have ever eaten as well as tuna dip, burger for Marty, salad, fish tacos and fries). We sampled each other’s lunches and didn’t stop until we were ready to pop.

Marty had planned to take us for a ride today on his Boss Hoss (this company makes motorcycles and trikes with a ’57 Chevy engine – powerful, fast, loud).  Unfortunately, Marty’s engine blew yesterday, so his trike was in the shop. We drove by to take a look at it, but the ride will have to wait until another visit.

Wonderworks is a hands on interactive science museum.  We spent 3 hours in wind tunnels simulating hurricanes, doing loop-the-loops (yes, we were completely upside down) on tandem bicycles, walking through spinning tunnels that left us all dizzy and nauseated, taking the roller coaster ride from the inside of a flight simulator, navigating the ropes course, learning lots of fun facts from the various interactive games, etc.. 

By the time we finished, it was time to eat again (seems like we just travel meal to meal on this trip). We ate at Pineapple Willy’s which Marty said would normally have been totally packed with a separate building full of people waiting to get in, and a long line standing in the parking lot waiting to get into the waiting-building.  Our decision to travel in February was confirmed when we walked straight into the restaurant and our table was waiting.  We treated ourselves to margaritas and BBQ ribs, followed by some of the best Key Lime pie we have ever eaten.

After a brief visit back at the condo, we said our thank you’s and goodbyes.  Marty and Cheryl have made a nice life for themselves.  They both work really hard, and play even harder.  I felt really proud to be Marty’s friend, and I was happy to see what a nice balance Cheryl brings to his life.  Hopefully, the next time Karen and I see Marty and Cheryl, all 4 of us will be healthy (no recent thumb surgeries), and we will have a more adrenalin-charged high energy adventure that is typical of the previous times we have seen Marty and Cheryl (sky diving, motorcycles, mountain bikes, jet skis, motorcycles, 4-wheelers are all on the table).

No driving today - Marty and Cheryl chauffeured us for the day.