This road trip was to commemorate the tenth anniversary of me earning my driver's license. In the spirit of exploring new places, I decided to visit a couple of new states: Alabama and Mississippi, which were right outside my home state. I also wanted to explore the panhandle of Florida. With this trip, I began a new goal (in addition to my national one) to visit every county seat in the state of Florida.

The same run between Florida and New York (2001, 2002, 2007, 2009 ) is no longer the beginning and the end of my vacations. This was my first interstate road trip which didn't involve New York, and I take this as a sign of progress. Other destinations are planned in the future, including western states and Canadian provinces, though these trips are a few years off due to budget concerns. With Alabama and Mississippi added, I've driven in 13 states since getting my license.

For the near future, interstate trips are being replaced with shorter/cheaper trips within Florida. My goal to visit every county seat in this beautiful state should keep me busy until my student loans are paid off. This trip launched that goal and included the farthest counties of the panhandle (since I was in the neighborhood already). As I was zipping through these cities, I decided to take pictures as momentos, typically of the county courthouse since they're what makes a county seat a county seat.

	My first day was spent driving from Fort Myers to Tallahassee. Before I went to meet some friends and begin my trek westward, I took a drive downtown to see the capitol buildings. Though my camera took the picture, it quickly became apparent that my camera doesn't like rechargable batteries. Oh well, I'll be making another trip to Tallahassee in the future, anyway.
	My first stop west of the Apalachicola River (and, oh yeah, in the Central Time Zone) was Marianna. I baught some Duracells at a nearby Winn Dixie and began taking pictures. Marianna is the county seat for Jackson County.
	The street in front of the courthouse.
	I used US90 to get between Marianna and De Funiak Springs. Vacations should be slower paced, darn it, so I didn't feel I needed the interstate.
	Chipley, the county seat of Washington County.
	Bonifay, the county seat of Holmes County. For the first time, lack of signage means I have to settle for something non-courthouse. When I looked it up on Google later on, the courthouse turned out to be down a side road. I think I need to buy a smartphone. :)
	De Funiak Springs, the county seat of Walton County. A war memorial is in the foreground.
	The street in front of the courthouse.
	After De Funiak Springs, I turned north toward Alabama. Just before I left Florida, I went to see its highest point (at 345 feet, the other 49 states point and laugh).
	After spending the night in southern Alabama, I made a quick trip back to Florida. This is as far from, say, Miami, as Florida gets: the very northwest corner of the panhandle.

	The southern end of I-65 in Mobile. It's time for more I-10 westbound.
	Mississippi is now the 32nd state I've been to and the 13th I've driven in.
	Since I'm not a gambler, I pass on Biloxi's casinos and look for the hurricane memorials. This is the one for Katrina. The rounded wall represents how high the storm surge was.
	There are many empty lots downtown. Where that sign is standing used to be a building; the remains of a tile floor are still there.
	An older monument for a long-passed hurricane: 1969's Camille.

	Home sweet home, though still 600 miles from Fort Myers!
	Pensacola city hall. This city is the county seat of Escambia county.
	Downtown Pensacola. The street is roped off for an event.
	The waterfront.
	Claimed by the King of Spain.
	I-10 over Escambia Bay. It's now the last day of the trip.
	Milton, the county seat of Santa Rosa County.
	A railroad museum I spotted on my way into Milton.
	Crestview, the county seat of Okaloosa County.
	Again, Google Maps on a smartphone could've helped here. The sign for downtown Panama City directed me down this road, which turned out to be pretty far from it. Thinking I overshot the city, I stopped watching for signs, which meant I missed the real turnoff. Sigh. Panama City is the county seat of Bay County. I did enter the city limits, so I'm still counting it. :P
	Downtown-ish Port St. Joe...
	...it's the county seat of Gulf County...
	...aah, there's the courthouse.
	Last stop. Blountstown is the county seat of Calhoun County.
	The street nearby. After this, it was back to I-10 and home to Fort Myers (still over 400 miles away, ahhh!)