A Runner’s Paradise…Sunset Properties

NOTE:  We have a guest Blogger for this post, Road Runner Girl,  Mindy,  joined us with her family and wrote a blog for us of her adventures.  Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!!!

This weekend we headed to the beach for a mini-vacation. You would think since we live on the Gulf Coast that we would visit the beach more often. But sadly we do not. I was super excited about getting in some rest and relaxation with my wonderful family!

We were staying at The Dunes Condos in Fort Morgan, AL. These condos are a part of Sunset Properties and are fabulous!

So after my long run, we headed south. It takes us a little over an hour to get there but it’s paradise once we are there! Before we made it to our destination we stopped to walk on the beach. Unfortunately it was super super windy (I’m talking 25 mph winds) and it was hard to enjoy the beach as much as we would have liked. It was also cold…and the wind made it colder. But we didn’t let the chill spoil our fun too bad. We still walked around, took some pictures, and collected some seashells.

The red and purple flags were flying. A red flag means the surf is dangerous and to swim with caution. A purple flag means there is dangerous marine life in the water. Hmmm…I was kinda glad it was too cold to swim. I didn’t want my boys going into the water with these flags flying!

After we had enough of the wind and cold we climbed back into the warm car and headed to Sunset Properties! Everyone was so excited!

Sunset Properties has several properties to choose from. They have two condominiums that overlook the Gulf of Mexico…The Dunes and The Indies. What’s really awesome about these condos is they have a gulf view from your room…and the front part of the building has a view of Mobile Bay. Sunset Properties also has a property located on a marina…Navy Cove…so you can park your boat and stay in luxury! They also have beach houses available that can sleep from 9 to 19 people. So you can find any type of beach front accommodations that you are looking for at Sunset Properties!

The Dunes building looks very “beachy!” It is a pinkish or coral color.
We were staying in a one bedroom condo that sleeps 6. It had two bathrooms. It had a fully equipped kitchen. There was even a washer and dryer! Perfect for my two boys and me and my hubby!

The condo was decorated soooo nice! It had a touch of home with a beachy feel. LOVE!!! As soon as we opened the door we were greeted by this cute display in the foyer. The boys loved the chair with the fish on top of each corner!

I absolutely LOVED the red couch in the living room area! I told Andy we needed a red couch!

The boys were so excited about getting to sleep in bunk beds. Of course we had a fight over who would sleep in the top bunk. A quick game of pick a number from 1-10 solved it…and Hayden won. The best part…each bunk had it’s own TV equipped with DVD players and game jacks! The boys stayed in bed the entire time we were inside the condo!!!

The master bedroom was gorgeous! And I LOVED the king size bed! Andy and I have a queen size bed at home so it was a luxury to us! And we enjoyed watching a movie in bed on the large TV.

Another favorite of the boys was the private balcony! It was a little cold to stay out there for long but the boys loved going out there and being able to see the gorgeous view of the beach and the pool below.

Most importantly the condo was super clean. The sheets and towels looked brand new. The floors didn’t leave dirty marks on my socks when I walked around (hey that’s important to me lol). Even the balcony door was spotless…no fingerprints or smudges anywhere! The kitchen counters, sink, stove, and refrigerator were spotless. I truly felt at home!
So what did we do on our beach vacation? That night we headed into Gulf Shores for some dinner. The boys wanted pizza so we ate at Papa’s Pizza. It was really good and we had a blast playing “I Spy” with the boys while we enjoyed our dinner. After dinner we headed back to the condo and the boys watched a movie in bed and so did me and Andy! Perfect relaxation!
After a wonderful night of rest (that bed was so comfy) I got dressed for a quick recovery run! I was a little sore from Saturday’s 12 miles but I couldn’t resist running along the beach! The scenery was breathtaking along the road! And the road was perfect for running! There isn’t a whole lot of traffic and there is a wide enough space on the side of the road for runners or cyclists.
You can see our condo behind me!
The condo is set back about 300 yards from the Gulf of Mexico so there is a nice little road to walk (or in the peak season you can ride their golf cart limousine) to get to the private beach. Well forget walking…I ran it! You can see The Indies condo building behind me and all the beach houses all around me. The Dunes community is so gorgeous!
Then of course I took my route out onto the actual sand. I’ve never run on the sand before…it is really hard lol! If it had been warmer I would have definitely run barefoot! It was awesome hearing the waves as I ran!
I ended up only running a mile…but it was the perfect recovery run. And I couldn’t have asked for a better place to run!!!
There are also several trails I saw along Fort Morgan Road. Next time I would like to check those out!
After my run we headed to explore Fort Morgan. Yes there is an actual Fort about 1.5 miles down the road from the condo! The boys had a blast exploring the fort and learning some history of our area!
Overall, our stay at Sunset Properties was amazing! We will definitely stay here again! And as a runner this is the perfect place to stay! You can run on the road, on trails, and on the beach!
I would love to bring some of my Sole2Soul Sisters here for a “run retreat!” It would be so much fun to relax and run in a different place!
If you are ever looking for somewhere to visit and stay on the Alabama Gulf Coast then definitely check out Sunset Properties! I know they will have what you are looking for! I highly recommend them!
In addition to their website, be sure to check out Sunset Properties on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+!
Disclaimer: I received a free night’s stay through Sunset Properties. I received no other compensation. All opinions in the above post are mine and mine alone!
 
Mindy

Fun Things Going On In Gulf Shores

We are so proud of Gulf Shores and hope it is your favorite place just like it is ours!  Gulf Shores is fortunate to have nabbed one of fifteen finalist slots in Budget Travel’s America’s Coolest Small Town Contest! We’d love to win, of course, and that means we’ll need people to vote so the whole country knows about our cool destination. Your role couldn’t be more simple – vote daily and include this link (https://bit.ly/VxUcfd) in your communications via social media channels, and help push us to #1. Contest ends Feb. 15.

Part of why Gulf Shores is our favorite place is because our environment is important to everyone who lives and works here.  One of our newest adventures in this area is An Artificial Reef!   As you may have seen or heard via The Weather Channel’s video clips and promotions, the sinking of the Lulu by our local Reef Wranglers is set to air Feb 12th at 8 pm. Lulu’s is planning a viewing party that evening – please call them if you would like more details.  I know we are planning to watch and can’t wait to see our new reef grow.

Other fun nature lover adventures this winter include Guided Nature Walks at the Bon Secour Refuge.  Come join us and learn about the plants, wildlife, ecology, and history found on the refuge.Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge will be offering free guided Nature Walk tours on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week starting on January 15th 2013 and continuing until February 28th 2013. The tours are free to the public however a reservation is required. The tours are limited to 12 people per tour and will consist of a 1-2 hour walk. The tours will start at 9:00am on Tuesday and Wednesday and 8:00am on Thursday.We request at least 24 hours notice for cancellations. We encourage you to bring binoculars but they are not necessary to enjoy the tours. Restroom facilities are available at the refuge office and on the Pine Beach Trail.
Admission: Free to the Public

 Of course there are these and so many more adventures to have in Gulf Shores this time of year.  You just have to look for something that fits your interests.  Weather its painting , hiking or enjoying a parade there is something for you to enjoy in Gulf Shores.
See you soon!!!

Christmas To Mardi Gras At The Beach!

Each year we decorate our office and Christmas tree in a very beautiful and frankly elaborate way not only for us but our neighbors, friends and guests.  To me it is fun to have the lights up and all of the decorations.  I get to really enjoy Christmas even though I am rarely at home to see my own tree.  After the New Year rings in our tree converts to a Mardi Gras tree.  I didn’t realize many people do not know anything about Mardi Gras.

So for a very brief explanation Mardi Gras!  It was brought to the U.S. By the French.  This is a celebration of, well, excess!  This is a holiday that grew from a Catholic celebration of having rich food and celebrations prior to giving up those things for lent. The Mardi Gras tradition actually started just across the Bay in Mobile.   It has changed greatly over the years and morphed into months of balls given by societies or Krews and Parades. Locally, we typically have a Mardi Gras Parade in each city until you get to Mobile where they have days of parades and the kids get out of school to enjoy the festivities. Mardi Gras Activities are Family Friendly at the beach.  So if you have a weekend to getaway come down and enjoy the parades around town.  At the Sunset Properties office we are much more relaxed we have our pretty tree and we never turn down sweets around here!  We hope to see you soon.  Below is the parade schedule for the area!

LuLu’s Krewe De Lu Roux Mardi Gras Ball
Feb 6, 2013 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
LuLu’s at Homeport Marina

Mystical Order of Mirams Parade
Feb 8, 2013 6:30 PM
Begins at Wintzell’s

Mystics of Pleasure Mardi Gras Parade
Feb 9, 2013 5:30 PM
Begins at Wintzell’s and ends at Zeke’s Marina

Gulf Shores Mardi Gras Parade
Feb 12, 2013 10:00 AM
Begins at Hwy 59 from bottom of Intracoastal Canal Bridge and ends at Main.

Orange Beach Mardi Gras Parade
Feb 12, 2013 2:00 PM
Begins at Wintzell’s and ends at Hwy 161, Orange Beach

LuLu’s 9th Anniversary Celebration and Mardi Gras Boat Parade
Feb 12, 2013 3:00 PM
Intracoastal Canal-Begins at The Wharf and ends at Lulu’s.

Fort Morgan Ship Wreck

A must see while you are here was recently unearthed during Hurricane Isaac.  Hal Scheurich recently wrote the article below for Fox10tv.com.  Be sure to visit the ship while you are here.  It will be covered up again soon! 

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WALA) – Only a shell of what she once was, the 150 foot sailing vessel thought to be the Rachael, is attracting attention again on Fort Morgan.  Word had spread that the storm surge from Hurricane Isaac had uncovered her once again and plenty of folks came with their cameras.

The Rachael was an early 20 th century schooner that ran aground.  Buried for decades, hurricanes expose what’s left of the vessel every few years.

“It’s just something that you really have to go see,” said Adriana Mutan as she walked around the burnt wreckage taking pictures.  “I mean, I’ve seen so many pictures…heard so many stories and now I’ve seen it.”

According to the Alabama Historical Commission, the three mast schooner met her fate in 1930 while carrying a load of timber.  Commission archeologists Amanda Hill said the belief is the vessel ran into a storm and had too few crew aboard to maintain control.  According to interviews with witnesses that were alive at the time of the wreck, the ship was looted of its cargo and set on fire.

The ship has been exposed several times over the decades from beach erosion during hurricanes.  The last time was during hurricane Ike several years ago.  There was always speculation as to its origin.  Many even thought it may have been a blockade runner during the Civil War.  Assistant Professor, Greg Cook of the University of West Florida helped put those rumors to bed after doing a study of the vessel in 2008.

He noted that many of the riggings were post Civil War and dated to the early 20 th century.  After some more digging, it’s believed that the Rachael was designed and built in Moss Point, MS in 1919.

Billy Berrey grew up in Gulf Shores and remembers seeing the ship as a child.  It’s now closer in than ever and he’s worried about the amount of attention it gets.

“I’ve always thought it would be kind of cool for them to excavate this thing and move it…preserve what they can and take it to the museum,” said Berrey.  “The last time it was uncovered, people were pulling things off of it.”

There is a problem.  The ship now rests on private property and the folks that own the homes are concerned about liability in the event someone gets hurt by the wreckage.  They would like to see, at very least, the ship covered up.

The Alabama Historical Commission looked into that after hurricane Ike but found that it would cost too much to do anything with it and since it’s on private property, the owners would have to foot the bill.  They did say they would assist if someone else funded the effort. 

For now, the ship will sit until Mother Nature decides to cover her back up once again.  Owners just ask that sightseers like Dusty Bones and his family respect their property while they visit.

“We really like history.  We like going to see things like the Battleship and stuff like that, so to see a piece of this is really interesting.”

Although much is now known about the ship than just a few years ago, there is still much mystery and intrigue.  Who was on board and where were they going?  Was it a hurricane or just a bad storm that caused her to run aground?  They’re all questions that keep visitors coming to the little stretch of beach with they’re cameras ready to capture a little piece of