My goal for today was to give my level of endurance a small test. I've learned living in Athens, Georgia that you can't ride anywhere without encountering some significant hills. And by, "significant," I mean that which was no big deal when I was a kid who rode his bicycle daily has now become somewhat challenging to a 54-year old who hasn't been at that fitness level for decades. Florida's Emerald Coast, however, is nice and flat. I wanted to see just how different a long-to-me ride feels away from home. Destin looked like a great option.

Thunderstorms were forecast to move in during the afternoon. If I was going to get a ride in, I figured that I had better do it now. So I hopped on the bicycle and headed west on US Route 98 toward Destin.

I pulled over when I reached the Destin Bridge, roughly 5 miles away from my hotel. Just as I expected, a 5 mile ride along Florida's Emerald Coast feels very different from my ride to work which is almost the same distance. The photo above looks east out over East Pass, the waterway that connects Choctawhatchee Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. The large and colorful building is the Emerald Grand condo resort that sits next to the Destin Harbor Boardwalk.

A large gathering of boats stood off to my left. I later learned that is a very popular area called Crab Island. Even with thunderstorms in the forecast, the place was busy.

I continued east on Route 98 through Destin until I reached Henderson Beach State Park and decided to pull in and have a look around.

The entrance to Henderson Beach State Park is roughly 9.2 miles away from my hotel via a mostly flat road with a few small grades thrown in here and there to keep cyclists awake. I like it ! I should do this more often !

Like the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier I visited yesterday, there is an entrance fee for those like myself who want check the place out. I paid my $2 and headed inside.

Yellow flags were posted at all the beach access points. This indicates a "Medium" hazard for surf and currents. No warnings were posted for bicyclists, which was good.

Like every beach view I've seen on this trip, this one was spectacular.

Henderson Beach State Park.

This area is full of air traffic ! I guess this makes sense with an Air Force base nearby.

As expected, this area was also full of marine traffic.

Like everything in this area, Henderson Beach State Park is sandwiched among significant development. The photo above looks west at the Silver Shells condominium complex. I headed down that road to see what was there.

Behind the numerous picnic pavilions, I passed a playground and what looks like a small observatory.

Online research suggests that it's actually a military electronic monitoring facility that's part of nearby Elgin Air Force Base.

Some of the many picnic pavilions.

The Florida State Parks website describes Henderson Beach State Park as, "a majestic shoreline anchored by 30-foot, snow-white sand dunes." I can confirm !

A beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico beyond the sand dunes.

Beach access boardwalks are scattered throughout.

A beach access boardwalk.

The photo above looks east toward Sandestin.

More air traffic approaches.

This aircraft was significantly smaller and significantly closer to me than any of the military planes.

I later learned that this is a "Fly The Beach" seaplane.

Fly The Beach is exactly what it says.

Fly The Beach offers sightseeing flights up and down the beach.

This is a two-person seaplane, meaning only one customer at a time.

The great thing is that the pilot will actually let the customer try their hand at flying the plane, which sounds like dangerous fun.

More of the "majestic shoreline anchored by 30-foot, snow-white sand dunes."

More military aircraft.

I don't know how many times I found myself saying, "Of all the times I could leave my long lens at home, it had to be now !"

Another picnic pavilion.

The aforementioned Silver Shells condo complex sits at the west end of the park.

Looking out over the sand dunes at the Gulf of Mexico.

The photo above shows someone in either a kayak or small boat trying to argue with the ocean currents.

I headed to the other end of the park to see what was there. The photo above looks east toward more heavy development that Henderson Beach State Park is sandwiched in between.

I heard an engine approaching once again.

This was the same Fly The Beach seaplane I saw earlier.

Fly The Beach seaplane.

That looks like a great time, albeit an expensive one.

Knowing that thunderstorms were forecast to arrive during the afternoon, I thought it would be a good idea to start heading back to Okaloosa Island. I made my way back through Destin and stopped at the Destin Bridge to take a few pics.

Parasailing was the activity of choice off to my left.

This area is known as East Pass, the waterway that connects the Gulf of Mexico to Choctawhatchee Bay and nearby Destin Harbor, (out of view to the left in the photo above).

East Pass also marks the eastern end of Santa Rosa Island.

The Sides Moreno Point West Condominiums sat off to my right. This is yet another vacation rental condo complex.

Also off to my right is the famous Crab Island.

My view from this point was somewhat limited, and once again making me wish I had my long lens with me !

Behind me was the Emerald Grande Resort, an imposing, colorful, and now familiar landmark.

The great thing about Destin, and Florida in general, is that the photo above shows the biggest hill I would encounter here.

But a hill is still a hill, and I don't take them like I did when I was a kid. I rested for a couple of minutes before heading on my way.