Day Seven

Hello from the Webster, FL public library! I'm enjoying the air conditioning, waiting out the afternoon heat, and catching up on my correspondence. So far I've pedaled approximately 240 miles, and camped every night. Some stealth camping, so I won't tell you exactly where...

I've been very commando, as it were. While I have taken showers, I haven't taken as many as could be desired. Nor have I dined in style. Grocery stores have all I need to survive and thrive; restaurants only take too much of my money. Though I have hit a couple restaurants. The Subway sandwich I had earlier really hit the spot.

My body is beginning to adjust to being on the bike for long hours, though I'm still fighting aches and pains here and there. The bike has performed like a champ. And I think I've packed fairly well. Everything I have I either will use, am using, or have used. I haven't kicked myself for not bringing something...yet. I have kicked myself for buying that copy of Lonely Planet Florida. It's not worth the added weight and subtracted space.

The best part so far is the people I've met along the way. I mean, if Florida is any indication of the rest of the South, I'm a believer in and big fan of Southern hospitality. Especially some folks I met just outside of Fort Meade. I was rolling by, it was getting late, I was looking for a place to camp, and I saw a Christian camp for boys, called Camp Wilderness. It turns out it's a Royal Rangers camp, a Christian Boy Scouts, basically. I was a Royal Ranger Straight Arrow for a short time as a boy in Lincoln, CA. So it was neat being there. Anyway, I rode in and asked if I could pitch a tent for the night. The guy in charge said yes. Fortunately there was a group there from Fort Myers, camping for the weekend (this was on Saturday). They were extremely hospitable and invited me to camp near them and join their group. They fed me steak and chicken and made me feel as welcome as could be, inviting me to join them for movie night (they watched one of those Tim Allen Santa Claus movies and The Incredibles on a portable canvas screen they had set up).

The next day, they did a small church service, and I played a couple songs for them and they prayed for me and gave me a bunch of food. I stayed there all day, as I needed a day of rest. I hung out and played in the creek (no gators, that we saw...) with Richard Pringle and his wife April and kids Hannah, Luke and Faith. They are great people. The whole group are great people. Paul the painter, who let me use his camp shower and first invited me to camp near the group, was a real cool guy. All told, it was a really neat experience, one I will long remember.

And I met many other good people:

--Barney (I hope I remembered his name correctly) from the motorcycle/furniture/antiques and curiosities store in Lakeland, who gave me directions and water.

-- The Blanchards in Lakeland, who gave me directions and fed me barbecue.

--James at the produce stand outside of Polk City, who told me his story and gave me water and more bananas and oranges than I had paid for.

--David on the Van Fleet State Trail, who told me all about gators big and small, and where to possibly find a camping spot.

The list will only get longer, I'm sure.

That's all for now, folks. Check back for more updates and anecdotes. I'm going to try to do pictues eventually.

Godspeed!