Sept 26th- well this is it , were on our way. WBIR TV is trying to get one last interview before we leave but really Im more interested in saying goodby to my two sons. It was hard to say goodby to the kids and Cindy this morning and now I have to get this over and get on the bus.The bus pulls out of the station and I notice for the first time the bricks on the walls of the buildings in Knoxville. i know its kind of weird but all of a sudden Im realizing how very long I will be gone. A whole year. Changed buses in Jacksonville Florida , not again till Miami . you can sure feel the difference in temp here. muggy and hot.But were all so excited it really doesnt matter.
We will be staying at Bonitas sisters house in Big Pine Key for a few days before we hike.We get to Big Pine Key the next morning.
Sept27th-Well were finally here .Bonitas sister is very nice to us and has planned a wonderful fundraiser at Coconuts on Big Pine Key. Coconuts is a famous bar there and all the locals go there. The Golf Course on Key West has sent over food for the get together and people are very generous with donations.We had a great time.
Sept28th- Well Bonitas sister has arranged for us to stay at a wonderful mans house while he is away. It is a great big beautiful home right on the ocean. She has built beautiful gardens for this man and Im really enjoying working in the gardens pulling weeds and just looking at all the wonderful tropical plants.Bill is haveing a ball looking at all the fish in the ocean as her sister also built a man made reef right up at the sea wall.We also are allowed to use the neighbors hot tub on the second story balcony overlooking the ocean. what a place ! I really hope we run into more people like this on this trip. what a life!
Oct 1st- The first day of the big hike. Here goes nothin. Well we ride down to the Southern Most Point with Bonitas sister. theres just a big bouy there marking the spot. the local Key West Newspaper is there takeing our pictures and we start. we walk 10 miles today. nothing real exciting to tell you about except for the people in the Keys. They are the warmest , most wonderful people. they have honked horns and waved all day and a few even stoped just to make pledges. some gave us water to drink, and others bought us fruit smoothies. We all feel real good but the blisters on our feet are beginning to get bad already. I think my feet are actually burning . It is very hot out .
Oct2 13 blisters now.
Oct 13th- we stayed at the everglades hostel. it is a woinderful place with fantastic art all over the place. in the gardens in the rooms everywherre. the people that run it are great and the man is a two time thru hiker. we had a wonderful stay there and I highly recomend it to anyone who needs a place to stay around Homestead.
We have decided now to hike up the fresh water canals in South Florida due to the heat and the big cities. It will be almost imposible to find a place to put up a tent in Miami if we go the way we had planned so I hope this is better.Well its Sunday, I can honestly say so far this trip has been really miserable, the heat and the bugs the lack of camping facilities and trying to drink warm water out of a camelback all day is getting old real fast.I hope this hiking the canals will be better. So far nothing but fields of veggies. Lots of Migrant workers(they have been real nice to us too)We get attacted by 4 dogs today that were the size of horses.I am terrified of dogs and these guys could have eaten me in one bite. but we held hands and moved very slowly off there property and they calmed down. Im not sure how I feel about this. were actually hiking in peoples back yards. we have permission from the water managment people but Im really have a hard time with this.Some of the homes are little shacks but there are also many farm houses that there roof alone was more than my whole house back in Tenn with three acres of land. Lots of the homes belong to the owners of these huge greenhouses down here. this is big buisness. we walk past hundreds of huge ,beautiful greenhouses and nurserys.
Oct 20th- well we hiked for a few days and Mom has come to get us again. Im trying to help her get ready for her big craft show she does every year for the Christian school I use to go to. Bill , Bonita snd I all pitch in were painting, wireing,screwing,packing and pricing. I get to the School and Im so happy to see some of my very best friends from high school. Susan DeYoung and I were inseperable growing up. we knew each other since around 1963. I really enjoy being home for a change.
Oct21- Bonita has decided to hike on her own without us. Im not happy about this hiking where there is no real trail with real places to stay. she is going to keep going on the canals but Bill and I are going on up to the Florida trail in Ocala.
We are very excited about meeting up with Arclite from Trail Talk , an internet hiking group at www.thebackpacker.com. The best hiking web site anywhere.And a great group of hikers.
I found a poem the other day I would like to share with everyone. It is Anonymous
The joy of life is liveing it and doing things of worth,
Making bright and fruitfull all the barren spots of earth.
In faceing odds and mastering them and rising from defeat.
And making true what once was false, and what was bittersweet.
For only He knows perfect joy
Whose little bit of soil is richer ground than what it was ,
when he began to toil
