Progress Report

I realize that my postings have been a bit sparse lately, so here's a general update on how things are going.

Next Monday will mark two months on the road, and I've completed five distinct sections of the trail: the Keys (112 miles), Homestead/Miami area roadwalk (73 miles), Everglades (38 miles), Seminole Reservation and rural canal walk (50 miles), and Lake Okeechobee (45 miles), a total of 318 miles not counting walking out of the way to find food, lodging, resupply, etc. The Keys were by far the most enjoyable, and the Everglades the hardest 38 miles I've ever walked (or 'waded' might be more accurate). Seminole was interesting, but the dike- and road-walks leading up to and around Lake Okeechobee have been hot, dull, tedious, and boring. Farm country is monotonous and plagued with insects, and one finds fewer pleasant and interesting people.

I've been slowly increasing my pace and daily mileage as my fitness improves, from 3-5 miles per day in the very beginning to 10-15 now. But I am still having to take more and longer rests than a normal, fit hiker with no disabilities. I bow to the necessity, but I'm finding it increasingly frustrating as it's impeding my progress and depleting my resources. I'm also finding that there may be a very real practical limit to the number of miles per day I can put on my severely damaged knee; if recent experience holds, then somewhere well short of 15. (For those who don't know already, my right knee was destroyed some years back in an accident: basically pushed all the way backwards, hyperextended, twisted, and all the ligaments torn loose. I can only walk because one ligament was surgically reconstructed.) Anyway, it's been acting very reluctant to extend my mileage much beyond 10 per day, and in the long run that may necessitate some rethinking of my long-term plans. I'm going to see if I can get an orthopaedist to look at it when I take my extended break in Orlando. Also, the solar charger for my cpap machine turns out not to be very effective. I can walk all day in full sun with it tied to my pack, and get about 4 or 5 hours of battery life; and if I'm in a forest, virtually none. I wore it all day one day in the Everglades, and it ran for 30 seconds. Luckily, I've lost enough weight that I can get a little bit of sleep without the machine, so I can go a few days on limited sleep. But I have to have some real rest eventually, so that means stopping in a lot more hotels than I'd like, as the battery takes 8 hours or so to charge fully even on an electrical outlet.

I've met a lot of good and interesting people, some of whom may turn out to be actual friends in the long run. But on the trail I've been almost totally alone. Based on others' accounts of their long-distance hikes, I kind of expected to be meeting up fairly regularly with other hikers, and maybe even falling in with a group. But other than a very few I crossed paths with in the Keys, and 3 or 4 in the Everglades, all going the opposite direction, it's been like I'm the only person on the trail. Lately I've been talking to birds, gators, cows, and horses, and yesterday to a tank. No, not a water tank, an Army tank. In a town park. Long story.

But, we endeavour to persevere, yes? Nothing is ever interesting and exciting from beginning to end, nor easy for that matter. The times of boredom, difficulty, and disillusionment come with any endeavor, whether it be a hike, a job, or a marriage, and we must simply get through them. That's life.

From tomorrow I'll be entering another long stretch of wilderness, with no or very limited access to electricity to recharge my phone. So don't expect any updates for probably a couple of weeks, but don't worry--I probably haven't fallen into a pit or been eaten by alligators. Next time you hear from me will most likely be from Orlando.