Harold Williams Cooney

Friday, December 12th, 2025. Flamingo Motel, room 160, king bed with the AC cranked. Very far off m148 ish of the Florida Trail. Wake naturally at about 5am. Cool, calm, beautiful.

It will be a day of fattening. A day of sport eating. I start with a walk to Pogey’s Family Restaurant. I get the all meat omelet with jalapeños, home fries, and a biscuit. 2+ of 5. A lovely breakfast.

On the way back to the hotel, a stop at Dunkin’ Donuts. Frustration via lack of freshness, 1 of 5, I eat the two I purchased in less than a minute.

I do the nap and McDonald’s routeen. It’s a terrible thing. Obviously. So… I go twice.

Magic words on a hiker zero day, “all you can eat Chinese buffet.” Located down the street at King House Chinese Restaurant. A regretful 1 of 5.

To make myself feel better, I stop into Publix for a box of orange cream popsicles. I work the parking lot, the auto repair place, and the hotel lobby, and manage to give 3 away to random people (eating 3 myself).

Back to the hotel for doom scrolling and naps. McDonald’s for another round of bacon double cheeseburger and ice-cream.

In McDonald’s is a hiker! On optimistic looking one at that! A young woman whose name is maybe Hayley? She started in Key West on November 15th and is looking for Maine. Her first thru hike. She’s gonna make it! That’s my estimation.

Back to my room for more memes. Into Publix for popcorn and kombucha. And then bed, a lot fatter than I was.

Great day. I am extremely thankful for my life.

Milage:

Out and back to breakfast, it seems like a legitimate 3 miles to me.