Start your engines and head to NASCAR, Feb. 19, 2012

Lazy day. Checked into tickets for Universal Studios, decided when to go, and I called about doing a ridealong on the track. We'll see.

Verlie and I finally left the house and went over to the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station. I wanted to climb up into the lighthouse, all 203 steps.  The lighthouse was build in 1887 and still has all of the original keepers' dwellings and outbuildings.

The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Florida.

The day was cloudy and rather windy, but still pleasant enough. We got our tickets to go up and started into the tower and made the first segment, about 23 steps. It's a lovely winding staircase, with landings about every 22 or 23 steps. It's beautiful and well kept.

The entrance to the lighthouse and the stairway to the top.

The climb on a stairway that winds round and round.

The stairway goes up and up, with the tower and the stairs getting narrower as you climb higher.  The steps at the top are small and very close together so you have to really watch your step on the last section of stairs.

We finally made the top, a bit winded but excited to be there. We stepped out onto the landing at the top and wondered if we'd be blown away like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. The wind was just howling. You could hear it, and feel the lighthouse sway. What a feeling.  But the view in all directions was spectacular.

A view that says it all from the top of the 175-foot tall  lighthouse,.

Girls at the top.

The stay at the top didn't take long as we walked all the way around and then we headed down. You stop on landings to let others go by, and everyone was courteous, friendly and having a good time.

Two towers, the light and the climb.

We wandered around the grounds for a while looking at the types of lighthouse lenses and a couple of anchors they had from old ships. We also saw a military memorial and I like to photograph those and show them to Biker Bill, former Marine. It's my thank you to him and those that have served and are serving. They should never be forgotten, any of them.

This type of bell was used as a fog signal.

Some of the fixed Fresnel lenses used in lighthouses. 

The sacrifices of few ensure the freedom of many.  A grateful community remembers those who serve in the Armed Forces of the United States, during times of war and peace, whose courage and personal sacrifices defend and preserve our freedom.

Stones set into the sidewalk.

This one's for you, Biker Bill.  Semper Fi.

From there we took a drive down Highway 1 and hotel row. We finally got past them all and watched the rollers coming in strong. They were breaking hard over each other and onto the beach. It was beautiful.

Breakers were rolling in and all you could do was watch and be captivated.

And the sun goes down on another fun-filled day.

We finally headed back to the house and we all went to dinner at Aunt Catfish's just down the street. There's a hot and cold salad bar, with all kinds of stuff for salads, one of the best potato salads I've ever eaten, barbecued beans, cornbread, spiced apples and so much more. It was wonderful. I ordered blackened catfish. It was great.

One of the servers, Cousin Tom we called him, sat at our table for a short time near the end of the evening as James and Elaine are friends with the folks there. He talked about a new computer system and new menus, and other things. The most important of all was learning a new term, “auctioning off the food.” That means when a server comes to your table and doesn't know who gets what, they ask who got this, or who got that? Who knew.

Anyway, the food was awesome and the setting beautiful. Best of all, we could walk there in five minutes.