Harold Williams Cooney

Category: Daily Narrative

  • D12 – Beautiful, delicious, and friendly

    D12 – Beautiful, delicious, and friendly

    Wednesday, December 10th, 2025. Plaza Travel Inn, room 119, far side of a king bed. Off m103.7 of the Florida Trail. Wake naturally at about 515am. Perhaps 60°, 90% humidity, no breeze. In the hotel, the AC unit is set to 70, lol. 26.754489,-80.925202

    I sleep. So thankful. I’m not the type of person who can get more than 8 hours of sleep, a weakness to my vagabonding game, but I’m comfortable in my bed overnight. I wake feeling rested enough.

    The convenience store across the street is 24 hours, I walk over and get a black coffee. Work in the hotel to figure my life out. I desperately need to do laundry. My underwear is a printshop. My socks are stiff and sandy. The options for washing here in town are thin.

    A little after six, I walk across the street to Bonafide Bakery. Coffee con leche. Guava and cheese pastry. Breakfast sandwich. I definitely recommend this place. Clean. Obviously loved by owner. Excellent fresh food made with pride. Get in here! Argentina represents!

    I have never been successful in life. I have, however, been extremely lucky to live with culinary privilege and have always navigated this opportunity with a sharp personal distinction. The best part of my life. I love some small part of the food world, and I hate some much larger slice of life. This pleases me. I’m a fool who eats like a king. I have no problems being choosey. This place safely 3+ of 5, I’d say. A gift to the universe. Eat here. Spend your money here.

    I decide it’s better to wash my socks and underwear in the hotel shower rather than spend the morning at what looks like one of the worst laundromats in America. It’s a good time. Dancing the dirt away.

    By 9 am, I am ready to walk out of town. The water here is so terrible that I decide to stop and buy a gallon from the convenience store, and I convince myself to try and continue this trick for as long as possible here in South Florida.

    Impossible to resist the opportunity, I stop at Bonafide Bakery on the way out for another coffee con lache and two pastries. Definitely 3+ out of 5. This is a good place.

    I haven’t been carrying or fixing coffee on this trip. The first time ever that my backpack does not have coffee. I have always considered instant coffee to be an absolute necessity, an emergency if I don’t have it. Now, it’s part of the description of town food and I’m happy. Makes for a more simple life. Also, it seems like not having a fixation for caffeine is part of my sober life, which makes sense, I suppose.

    Lake Okeechobee as seem from Clewiston Picnic Area, a lovely place.
    This morning’s red line is a bike path. Fantastic.

    It does take a bit to get my life settled down, but about a quarter of ten, I’m on the bike path headed trail north. So thankful. It’s a gorgeous day.

    My culinary adventure continues when I reach the town of Moore Haven and the Mexican restaurant Haven Fresh. Tacos! Two el pastor, one chorizo, and one steak. Pretty good! To round out the caloric debauchery, a vanilla conchas, and a cup of toasted coconut ice cream. My life is amazing.

    I studied the map and found a campground that offers electricity, showers, and a place to pitch for $25. I can be there by 9 pm, I say. See you then, they say. My life’s amazement continues.

    I’ve never been a person to dream of a boat. The way I figure it, so many things have died in the ocean, the whole place smells like fish.
    Florida is about the only place on the East Coast that gets “big sky” credit. I have a heart whose affinities favor a Western momentum. Adventure in America, as my brain thinks, is an experience found under a big sky.
    I didn’t hold the opinion that Florida is one of the most polluted places in America before this hike, but that’s a feeling I have now. Perhaps the highest elevations in Florida are landfills. And uncovered mountain of domestic human waste moated by irrigation canals and food crops.
    The whole of central Florida was drained for real estate and agriculture. US Sugar, ready to be burnt and harvested, their entire life cycle, downhill from a billion tons of diapers and KFC mashed potatoe cups. Organically to our system, this is what America has grown into.
    Sunset on another beautiful day. Absolutely fantastic.

    I finish a zombie book (Until the end of the world by Sarah Lyons Fleming) and start a hiker classic (A walk in the woods by Bill Bryson). I can’t decide whether Bill Bryson is flawed by being or not being a zombie.

    I make Twin Palms RV Resort Cabins & Camping by 740pm. The manager very kindly meeting me as I walked down from the levy guided by my headlamp. He talks briefly about the hikers they have hosted (Fresh Ground and Pegleg, don’t you know). Shows me the showers and bathrooms. Invites me to cowboy in the almost completely screened gazebo (I immediately agree, it’s hiker trash paradise).

    It’s now 850pm, I’m showered and ready to sleep to the sound of crickets and trucks running up the highway. So very grateful.

    Milage:

    FarOut has it as 28.9 but my math is 28.8, whatever. GREAT DAY! Florida is beautiful, delicious, and friendly. Thrilled.

  • D8 – Dude, swamp walking

    D8 – Dude, swamp walking

    Saturday, December 6th, 2025. Pinecrest Group Campground, Big Cypress National Preserve. North end of tenting area. Off m75.9 of the Eastern Continental Trail/Florida Trail Connecter. 68°, 94% humidity, fog, visible humidity, no wind at all. 25.762739,-80.919220

    I toss and turn all night again because of discomfort in high humidity. Everything has condensation in the morning. I am in pit toilet pooping with everything packed up at 430am. I’m hoping to be on the road walk in a few minutes.

    Walking on the road in the dark, I get growled at by alligators. It’s discomforting. Lol. Some sound much larger than others.

     

    The sun is arriving. The moisture is burning off.

    I am eager for the day. I would say nervous. I feel as though difficulties are ahead, lol. Oh, man, the Florida Trail!

    I pick up water at the narrow bridge at 82.1. The sun is up, and I am very close to the next level of hiking. Comments on FarOut make it clear that the 8 miles to the Oasis Visor Center will take 7+ hours. I have read about these areas and seen them on YouTube, but it’s about to be first person.

    The goal this year is “Key West to Canada and Back,” and I realize now that getting to this point going south will be an amazing feeling. South of this is nothing but easy days. It’s hard to imagine. 11 months from now, perhaps.

    I make the trailhead at 733am. Let’s go!

    The beginning of trail! No architecture or signage. At one time, this was the official start of the Florida Trail.
    Double blaze! Let’s go!
    Nothing captures trail like a vertical photo. Limestone from old coral, I think. Challenging footing from here on.
    Most of the footing is manageable because water on the trail is clear. It’s clear because it’s moving. It is very interesting to look, feel, and see the water moving.
    I don’t know what kind of snake this is, but it’s still the kind I don’t touch, lol. It was opening its mouth at me, angry that I was close. I don’t think this snake is very old.
    This is a trail famous spot, the pitcher pump at Frog Hammock Camp. I for sure hope to never camp here ever in my life. Lol.
    Some areas feel tropical.
    Such a fantastic experience.
    This is a strand swamp, I think.
    I didn’t take too many photos because I’m scared to drop my phone in the water. Lol.

    The most difficult bit was north of the Frog Hammock camping area. Continuous water.

    By 1130am, I am washing my shoes and socks in the hose provided at the Big Cypress National Preserve – Oasis Visitor Center. The park people let me sit in the movie theater and charge my devices, work on this blog.

    It begins! I’m so happy for me!

    A few minutes before 1pm, I am northbound on the Florida Trail. This is so fantastic.

    Laughable understatement and misdirection.

    I don’t have any problem admitting to my inner fool. Departing the southern terminus, there was a voice in my mind speaking to the idea that the rest of the Florida Trail would be dry dirt. The Florida Trail, known for being a wet buggy nightmare, was done with being a wet buggy nightmare at m0.0, obviously not the reality.

    It is dry for about 100 yards out from the visitors center and around the airport.

    The first blaze! (I think, lol)
    Looks like great walking. Dry. Pine trees. Should be easy. Right? Lol.

    At 2:22 p.m., at mile 3, I pass a rain fly for a large two person tent. This is not good. Somebody is gonna miss that. The woman running the information desk at the visitor center, she said that there was a man in the morning with a very large backpack who said he was going to Maine. My thinking is, this is his fly. I expected to see this person walking south, but I never do.

    It’s painful to see abandoned gear on the trail because it could happen to me. Pay attention, I tell myself. Good luck with that.

    The same voice that was talking about all dry trail for the rest of my life, was also wanting to night hike to a campsite at 23 or 24. This is insane. Walking in the dark here is totally unnecessary. Far to early in season for that kind of work and definitely bad here where the footing really benefits from eyes.

    A more normal section of the Florida Trail.

    It has been constantly wet, water to calf at most, since the visitor center. I’m exhausted. On a dry spot on trail, I take my pack off and put my water kit in my pocket. Short of my tentsite, when I’m standing in water, I scoop my bag full, carry it like a baby to camp.

    By 530, I have my tent set, and I’m not at all disappointed. It’s been a very good day. It took a week and a day to reach mile 0. I’ve made it safely. Somehow, there are far fewer bugs here than last night by a large margin. There is even a breeze. The ground even takes stakes, which has been a problem this whole trip because Florida is all limestone.

    An excellent tentsite. Plus, I’m exhausted. If I’m really tired, everything looks like great camping.

    This environment is not for me. I like it well enough. I’ve greatly enjoyed walking today. But, the reality is, this place is dangerous, and I’ll be glad to be gone.

    There is a picnic table. I try to dry my feet. I watch the sunset. Write all this. The minute the sun goes down, the bugs world goes ape shit. So very happy to be tented.

    Multiple friends living outside my tent as the sun goes down. I gotta say, I’m not really a fan of the juggle. Honestly, fuck your mosquitoes and spiders.

    Milage:

    From my campsite at Pinecrest Group Campground, Big Cypress National Preserve to the visitor center and m0.0 of the Florida Trail, Farout says 15.8 miles. My camp is Okalee Wachekaleshke, which I can only spell because of copy and paste, on m9.5 of the Florida Trail. Math says 25.3 miles for the day, seems about right.

  • D7 – Mosquitoes and gators

    D7 – Mosquitoes and gators

    Friday, December 5th, 2025. Tented on the north side of the water control structure on m53.0 of the Eastern Continental Trail Florida Trail Connecter. As the sun is rising.  67° and ground haze. Very humid. Wake naturally to the sound of highway traffic at about 630am. 25.761727,-80.553251

    The drama of the evening didn’t really contribute to a great night’s sleep. Very muggy and at wake up, the condensation is so great that it might as well have rained in my tent.

    Packing up, I give it mosquito apocalypse, 2 of 5. So, not great. The top corners of my tent were packed full of mosquitoes. I managed to get myself squared away and walking before 7am.

    I tented in the grass right here. I was entertainment for several hundreds of mosquitoes.
    The moon’s still up, purple skies at the flood control structure.
    Looking east back towards where I tented.
    What’s reported as a sketchy bridge into a restaurant. I’m sorry not to be taking it, I do like a sketchy bridge, but the restaurant does not open until 9am. That’s two hours from now.

    It is quite roasty and humid. I am a sweaty mess. I reached the Value Jet Memorial at about nine thirty.

    More than a hundred died, the memorial is pretty … minumal and unkempt.

    It’s a long hot while along the road. Eventually I make The Miccosukee General Store. I get lunch twice. The lunch special; beef over rice. It was okay. And a Cuban sandwich, which was also almost okay. I eat an ice cream to make it feel better that the resupply selection is so poor. I walk out with two boxes of crackers and some bananas. Lol, sigh. Out 120pm.

    It’s interesting times in America. It never crossed my mind I’d be close to this new national … feature.

    I had to stop on the side of the road twice to rest. The sun and heat did a number on me today. I did manage to get my tent and sleeping bag out into the sun for a few minutes to dry, making a big difference.

    Saw my first on trail gators on Loop Road. There seems to be quite a few of them
    Loop Road.
    That’s a gator bed or slide or whatever to the right there. The water looked clean and beautiful, I bet they are happy. Tons of fish swimming around, easy to see.
    Group of one, please! Gate is closed, so thankful! This means no boy scout troops. I have the place all to myself.
    Me, my tent, and the mosquitoes.

    I decided to call it an early day. I’m not really feeling that great. Need rest. Tent up before 530pm as the sun goes down. I am in my tent, tring to kill all the mosquitoes in there at about 6pm.

    My plan is make an early start tomorrow. I won’t set an alarm. If I can sleep, I want me to.

    Milage:

    Started today at 53.0 and I’m camped at 75.9, so that is 22.9. It’s definitely a short day. Needed it.

  • D6 – No running my tent over

    D6 – No running my tent over

    Thursday, December 4th, 2025. Room 105 at the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Florida City. Way off m22.8 of the Eastern Continental Florida Trail Connecter. 67°, overcast, amazingly great.

    I probably shouldn’t complain about my seedy hotel, but I did. It was the room not having any toilet paper that set me off. The no towels thing, no problem. Beds that might be dirty, but maybe that’s me. People parting in the neighboring room to 345am, probably I’m just insecure and jealous. But, can’t shit because no toilet paper? There will be complaints!

    I don’t sleep well because of mental health. I have a couple of good stretching sessions to try and settle me out and ease my physical discomfort, which is good. But, yeah, grumpy at wake up. I pack my stuff and complain at the front desk. Eye rolls in return. That makes sense.

    I walk to Cracker Barrel (lol, fuck) for breakfast. I charge my stuff and update this blog. I don’t have any trouble explaining the obvious to myself: I am so lucky to have the life I do, NO COMPLAINTS!

    From Cracker Barrel to Walgreens. I get bug stuff and manage to make important water bottle change. I was carrying 6x 1l bottles, which is something out of New Mexico. I buy 2x 1.5l bottles and ditch 4x 1l bottles. So now, 6l max in 4 bottles. Still, a lot of water. Map says I need it.

    Starbucks for coffee and water to fill my old bottles. I call for a Lyft, it costs less than yesterday and arrives almost instantly.

    Just before 930am, me and my lucky, lucky Starbucks life is back on trail. Warm and sunny.

    Back on trail (road).

    Wonderful walking. Hot in the sun but not exhaustingly so. I make decent time and enjoy watching the world on the far side of the canal.

    Farming in Florida is crop diverse, trying to understand what is growing, what is being harvested, and is quite impossible for me. I have a hard time distinguishing for certain between human food and landscaping plants.

    The businesses seem quite small, 10s of acres. I see a few workers here and there and wonder what their schedule is like this time of year.

    Just before SW 168th Street / Richmond Drive, I walked past a model airport. AMPS R/C Club is one of the coolest experiences I have had on trail. While walking, I have dozens of flyovers from jets that perhaps have a 4 foot wingspan. So great!

    After the airport, I turn right and am quickly at an outdoor Cuban spot that to me seems built to cater to the agricultural labor that works the fields I have been passing. They don’t speak English but I manage to order asada and black rice, it was pretty good. Two Mexican like frozen dessert bars and fill my bottles. El Pirata Ranch, do recommend. If one is less gringo than me, probably the food situation is even better.

    El Pirata Ranch

    Up and out at 4pm. Good times.

    Above the canal north of SW 136th
    Sun goes bye-bye at 530pm

    No bugs all day. Not a one. As soon as the sun goes down, it’s a mosquito world. Yikes. But, I did buy a bottle of bug stuff, and even though I’m against wearing it, I find myself rushing to get it out of my pack and on my skin. Real quick. Lol, fuck.

    The trail crosses the Tamiami Trail (Highway 41) to be on its north side. It’s quite a busy road and under construction. The trail crosses a canal that’s north of the road and travels west in a straight line for some time.

    There is a campsite proposed in FarOut less than 3 miles from crossing the  highway. I get there, and it is definitely not great. Trash, including broken glass. Tall grass that already had beads of moisture on it. Looks unappealing. But I set up anyway.

    I’m in my tent at about 10 pm. It’s not long after that a car of some sort comes. They use a handheld beam to light my tent up. Someone in the vehicle says something about running the tent over. I yell back at them and get out of the tent to go face to face. By the time I do, they have driven off.

    I get back in my tent, and a few minutes later, there is another vehicle. I do not know if it’s the same one. Things feel sketchy. The second vehicle drives a little ways looking to gage my response.

    I make the decision to pack up and move. Nightmare, but I do an okay job. I go not very far to a gate on a lock. I reset camp beyond the gate and a little control building of some kind.

    At both locations, mosquitoes in the tent tent tequire much killing after getting inside. Takes time and effort.

    Also, at some point in all of this, I feel the sharp strain of accute back pain. Nightmare.

    It’s now 11:10 pm. In tent exhausted ish. Worried for my back. Also concerned about returning tent visitors.

    Milage

    Started at m22.8 and am tented at the “water control structure” on m53.0, so 30.2 for the day. I’ve only had a few incidents in hundreds and hundreds of nights backpacking where I’ve been openly threatened. Quite unusual. I’m thankful to end the day alive and well enough.

  • D5 – Privilege parade

    D5 – Privilege parade

    Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025. Room 207 at Key Largo Inn. On m100.5 of the Overseas Heritage Trail (using the Startbucks pin on FarOut as a marker).

    I woke naturally at 6 am. The hotel lobby coffee was not ready. I walk to the bakery. I got two guava and cheese pastries, a ham and cheese with onion on cuban bread breakfast sandwich, and a large coffee con leche. And, noting for fun, took a huge shit in their bathroom. Good lord, the last couple of days have been insane in the colon.

    I study the map and things look difficult. 7-8 miles to end the Overseas Heritage Trail. Then, beginning the Eastern Continental Trail/Florida Trail Connecter where there is very limited water.

    I can end the Overseas Heritage Trail at a Circle K and then it’s 28+ miles to water. A 28 mile carry out here is not great at all.

    I get myself packed up. I feel tired and somewhat intimidated. Out at 745am.

    A bit of immigration enforcement across the highway from me this morning.

    At 845am, I stop at a Circle K to use the bathroom (you know, because counting shits is apparently a thing now).

    The Overseas Heritage Trail is complete. By 1030am, I have purchased 4l of water at Circle K and filled the 2l I have. That gives me a 6l carry, which is a stupid amount of water.

    I talk with a lifetime sailor Steve, 74 years old, about life on the move. He would never walk, I would never sail. Out at 1045am.

    10.5 miles of not great, walking up highway 1.
    Looking over the bridge just out from Key Largo.

    The stretch of highway north out from Key Largo was not great. Miserable 1 of 5. I get to the off ramp towards the boat ramp and the Southern Glades Trail at 200pm.

    Finally, off the highway. The trail comes off the east side and loops around, going back under the highway and then north on the west side.

    The bugs are in effect. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. The bugs get bad enough that I wear my bug net. I hate wearing it but if I’m going to carry something, probably I shouldn’t be shy about using it.

    It begins. Something totally different than the urban mess of the Keys.
    The road along the canal looks paved, but it’s the old coral limestone floor, I think.
    My resting spot on the lock.

    At about 430, I reach a lock that crosses me over the canal. I have hopes that the bugs won’t be so bad on the lock, and surprisingly, it’s true! I take a good long break. I still have 3l of water.

    I make the mistake of using my phone while on break to look at hotel availability. Lol. I know, I know. I was just looking. And then I saw that there were multiple cheap hotels. And Lyft to town for $20. I did press the buttons. Great shame to me! Lol. What kind of hiker am I? Terrible.

    I walk fast and happy as the sun goes down and the excuse for my trip into town comes to me in full force while walking: hella mosquitoes. Like wow. Makes the bugs during the day feel like a joke. My bugnet did a great job in the day, the bugs never seemed to want my legs, but these mosquitoes definitely wanted my legs.

    Sun goes away, and the mosquitoes come out in force. Full moon, absolutely beautiful. Too bad I’m a weakling who desires town food and a shower.

    Now, having a great reason to go into town, I walked with a passion! Lol. My Lyft arrived a couple of minutes after I made the road. Interestingly, I think he was drunk. Drove with his high beams on the entire trip. Never once came to a stop despite many stop signs and traffic lights. But, I arrive safely.

    I admit that, after checking into the hotel, my visit to Texas Roadhouse had nothing to do with mosquitoes. I just wanted MEAT! Lol. I am the luckiest person in the world. I eat despite the horror of watching wait staff line dance in front of my table. There was only one woman in the group dancing for me, and looking at her, I could very clearly hear her telling me not to look at her. Lol. The part where I eat was good. The part where I was at fake cowboy Disney Land was bad; for them (her), I just sat there and looked like a lonely man thirty years older.

    The hotel was indeed a dive. No towels. Okay, no problem, I just go and ask. I get a single towel, lol. There’s soap, and the water is hot, and I’m thrilled. SO LUCKY TO HAVE THE LIFE I DO.

    Milage:

    My hotel (this morning’s hotel, stop laughing) was at m100.5, and the Circle K, where I ended my time of the Overseas Heritage Trail, is m107.7, so that is 7.2 miles. I got my Lyft to the next hotel (yes, I know, it’s a parade of privilege) at the Ingram Highway CR9336. FarOut has it as m22.8. So that’s a flat 30 miles for the day.

  • D4 – Seven shits to Key Largo

    D4 – Seven shits to Key Largo

    Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025. North of m69.1, the Layton Trail. Near trail split, about halfway between road and the water. Dank, jungle like, slab rock covered in leaves and dirt. 24.823406,-80.817892

    I wake naturally at 6 am to the sound of trucks barreling up the A1A. By 625am, I’m sitting in front of the Quick Stop. It’s not open, although it should be.

    Looking west as the sun comes up, sitting in front of the Quck Stop waiting for it to open.

    I did get a little sleep. The temperature seemed to drop a little, and I wasn’t wetted with sweat like I was previous nights. I can feel the tight burn of skin on my neck, sunburn.

    I’m in a pinch for water. This store is late opening. There is a restaurant across the street that opens in an hour, 730am. But other than that, it’s a long way to water. I basically have to stay here and wait for the best to happen.

    Sitting out front of the convenience store, I’m getting absolutely destroyed by no-see-ums. It sucks.

    A woman does come to open up at 7am. She turns out to be an amazing woman, an immigrant from Bangladesh with a daughter, three years old. I get starbucks from a little robot machine. I tried to get tap water, but she said it’s dangerous to drink. She gives me one liter of bottled water.

    She asked me about my relationship with god, and I told her that I was very encouraged by her presence in the world. We have a brief conversation, absolutely lovely. I love immigrants. Long live multiculturalism in America.

    I am able to shit. Walking north ay 730am.

    I am able to pick up a liter of water at the Monroe County Fire Rescue by a dude washing Ladder 1. It’s a bit of a uncomfortable situation. He leads me into the inner sanctum of the fire station, and I use their water machine to fill up my bottles. I spill a bunch on the floor, and it has to be cleaned up.

    I walk with a wonderfully friendly couple along the bike path for a couple of miles. Can we talk about all sorts of things. Life in America. Technology. Cuba.

    When we reach the spot where they are turning around, the guy asks me if I have a YouTube channel, and I say no, but I have a blog. He looks really deflated and says, “Oh well, I’m not really in the blogs. Thank you anyway.” Lol, sounds about right.

    Nothing says contemporary America like “The Gulf of America.”
    Channel 5 Bridge.

    I was able to use the bathroom to shit and use my shirt to bathe a little bit in the sink at Annie’s Beach.

    The roast is on! It’s hot. I ask a group of dudes smoking blunts out back of Robbie’s of Islamorada for water, and they hook me up. Thank you!

    Brief rain gets a rainbow. A couple biking past me was ecstatic, “A RAINBOW JUST FOR US!”

    I get a burrito bowl at Bad Boy Burrito, skirt steak with salsa Verde, very good but I eat the whole thing in about one minute. I could easily eat three or four of them. And, it cost a lot of money.

    Less than two miles down the road, I walk into a Publix for a pubsub and kombucha. It was easier on the wallet, but there was no place to sit. I take two shits in their bathroom.

    And a mile or so after that, lol, into Starbucks for coffee. I take a shit in their bathroom – what the fuck?

    It’s easy to see I am no survivor man. I like food. And air conditioning. And fresh coffee. And taking shits, apparently. Writing it out here is embarrassing. I’m so lucky, so privileged! Food! Coffee! Other people’s bathrooms!

    Studying the map makes it look like getting camping on the south end of Key Largo will be difficult. I take advantage of that assertion to get a hotel. More privilege! 90 after taxes and fees, ending me at about 30 miles for the day. Stoked. And that’s not just the coffee talking.

    It’s a long afternoon. The sun goes down. The bike path stays around, but it’s a lot of cars, and it’s not interesting.

    I made my reservation online. But the hotel called me to confirm my check-in time. I told the woman from the front desk that I would arrive at 930pm, that’s a half hour before they close up for the night, and the lady was directly not pleased. Hurry up, she said. Lol. Fuck. Okay.

    I managed to make it by 830pm.

    On my way into the hotel, I stopped at Pinecrest Bakery – Key Largo for a Cuban sandwich. Ate half walking the two blocks to the hotel, the second half in the room. I showered and walked back for a mini Key Lime pie and a fruit tart. Fantastic. So happy with the universe.

    I try to stretch out in the comfort of the AC but all I want is sleep.

    Mileage:

    Started at the Layton Trail, m69.1, and, using the Startbucks marker on FarOut, the hotel is on m100.5, so that’s 31.4 miles for the day. I’m very tired. And I think I took 7 shits today.

  • D3 – Seven Mile Bridge

    D3 – Seven Mile Bridge

    Monday, December 1st, 2025. Bahia Honda State Park Campground, site 13. Off m37.9 of the Overseas Heritage Trail. 75°, occasional breeze. 24.657882,-81.278230

    I woke up about fifty times throughout the night. The temperature did eventually drop. A little wind did pick up, but it was a sticky mess inside my tent all night long. Uncomfortable. Bit up by bugs.

    The moon was out most of the night. It rained for a few minutes just as it went down. I convinced myself to get up and pack up sometime after 6 am. With all my gear in order, I walked back over to the shower house to take another shower.

    Yesterday, I washed my underwear and shirt in the shower. I put them on wet this morning, but it wasn’t bad at all. I eat a little breakfast and try do a good job with all the chores and stuff. Walking out from the state park a little before 730.

    Wet underwear, high humidity, terrible red skin in my groin. Still hopeful there will somehow be no more additional painful chafing today. Lol.

    Beautiful morning at Bahia Honda State Park Campground.

    It’s going to be a challenging day today. I really need to move and find distance. I need to try not to stop for too much food. Lol.

    Most notable of the day’s obstacles, the Seven Mile Bridge. A trail famous feature. It comes on quickly departing the Bahia Honda State Park.

    Beginning of the Seven Mile Bridge. Looks peaceful, doesn’t it? Ha!

    Walking into traffic gives the larger of the two bike lanes. Research on this situation says the worst part isn’t repeat impending death by oncoming traffic. It’s the inability to go to the bathroom.

    Fred the tree.

    Fred The Tree is an actual Florida thing. There’s no way to get to Fred. Even with a boat, you’d need a landing party with a grappling hook and ladder.

    For me, the biggest issue over the Seven Mile Bridge was the fear of falling over the barrier and into the water. Seems possible and is absolutely inadvisable. I’m not a fan of the water or falling off bridges. Confirmed.

    I make it off the bridge by 10:45am. A handful of vehicles came over the white line at me, but it wasn’t that bad. I even managed to figure out how to urinate, very relieving.

    To celebrate not dying on the bridge, I go into the Seven Mile Grill. “We make our own sausage!” Oh well, omelet then, please. Rye toast, home fries. Good times. It was okay.

    There is a Starbucks a couple doors north of the diner. I want a latte until they tell me it’s more than $11! Wow. Yeah, no. Regular coffee, please. Out from Starbucks, 12:15pm. I live an amazing life.

    Working my way across Marathon Key and it’s hot! 77° is what the weather says. In the sun, on the sidewalk, keeping an eye on cars that might run into me, the temperature feels a lot hotter. At 1pm, I stop in to Publix for bathroom and water. That means I’ve had 2l since Starbucks, one hour ago.

    On trail neighbor.
    Marathon Key is a busy urban place along A1A.
    The older bridges that are crumbling have railway, and this explains that. Railway to Key West until hurricane in the 30s. So, those bridges are OLD!
    A bit of shade and distance from the road, north  of Marathon center.

    Just before the sun goes down, I stop for a bacon cheeseburger at S.S. Wreck & Galley Grill. It was okay. Maybe. Sigh. I gotta stop stopping at these key restaurants, expensive and mediocre! I am carrying more than enough food for me on my back! I don’t have anywhere near enough money to eat like this, lol. Cheeseburgers are my siren song. Nightmare!

    By 630pm, less than a mile after the restaurant, the trail offers me a protected bike lane. It is completely dark as I get ready to pass Duck Key. The moon is out. The temperature is fantastic, the no-see-ums are not horrible, and the wind is below moderate. NIGHT WALKING! LET’S GO!

    The trail from Conch Key to Long Key was fantastic; the old roadway converted to bike path. The breeze is up, the moon is bright, and there are people fishing in the dark.

    I take an excessively long break at the Long Key parking lot, where there is a semicovered park bench that I try really hard to talk myself into cowboying on. The breeze would have been lovely but very close to the road, and so I decided to move on.

    I make for the Layton Trail, a quarter-mile nature trail out to a “viewpoint” on Florida Bay. To me, a viewpoint is an elevated situation. In this case, viewpoint is a break in the dense plant matter where there’s water. Between the road and the water, I find an open enough spot in the jungle leaves to set my tent. Miserable.

    At 1030pm, I am on the ground, in my tent, in one of the most humid, stale air spots I’ve ever camped in in my life. Lol, hell. I probably should have cowboy’d at the parking lot. Sleeping will be difficult, and I’ll probably get eaten by a centipede.

    It’s been a great day. I probably shouldn’t have gotten the omelet and cheeseburger, but I did. I really need sleep. I’m low on water, but there is a convenience store fairly close to here that opens at six.

    Milage:

    I started today at m39.7, and am now camped at m69.1. So, that’s a 29.4 for the day. Seems about right to me.

  • D2 – Coffee con leche and trail-side diarrhea

    D2 – Coffee con leche and trail-side diarrhea

    Sunday, November 30th, 2025. Tented south of Overseas Heritage Trail m11.3. Across the street from the Monroe County Fire Rescue Station 9. Google Maps had it as Porpoise Boulevard. Old asphalt covered in organic debris. 24.597448,-81.654341

    Wind and a little rain overnight but minimal. Woke naturally to the sound of wild roosters doing their thing at about 6 am. Toss and turn all night, but I do think I got some sleep. Very humid and sticky.

    Slept here. A car passed me in the night coming into this area, which was highly suspect. The car did not exit. Eventually, I went back to sleep. In the morning, I see they are car camped 100 yards away.
    Post coffee photo of path into last night’s campsite. I wonder if I would have checked it out if I didn’t see it on FarOut.

    At Around The Bend Hostel, I was talking with another hiker about morning routines. I had said that making coffee, packing up, and two poops and all that, it took me an hour and a half. I told the hiker this frustrated me and that I called it a 90-minute morning

    Today, I am sitting in a Cuban like coffee shop at 635am. Walked south about half a mile to Big Coppitt Coffee. They have steamed milk and coffee in a styrofoam cup. Just like Puerto Rico.

    When the bike lane ends, it’s time to walk with traffic. Perfectly normal.

    Reading the map, it seems like the thing to do is make a tenting reservation at Bahia Honda State Park. After fees and everything, $49. I feel it is expensive and am a little frustrated with myself. Wouldn’t it be better if I just stealth on the side of A1A? Lol, probably not. It’s gonna be a great day. I wish I could speak Spanish. I wish I could drink another coffee, but it’s definitely time to go. Out the door of the coffee place, 720 am.

    I stopped at Baby’s Coffee. Cuban sandwich, key lime pastry, another coffee con lache, and some electricity. Oh, man, do I love food and coffee. Delightful. Out at 930am.

    So far, much of the bike lanes – what looks to be the original highway – have been open and in pretty new condition.

    Somewhere on Summerland Key, I have explosive diarrhea. The first LNT violation of this trip. Perhaps Jamaican revenge, who knows.

    Some of the path is away from the road and under the shade of trees. Some as in less than 5%, but still, very nice.

    It’s hot, and I stop several times to rest. I have the feels in various body parts, notable my left knew, this is unusual.

    Much of the on-road walking is causeway, and mostly, there is plenty of room to walk. I give it sketchy road walk 1 of 5.

    My food bag is heavy. Not helped by all the restaurants along this roadwalk. At 330pm, I stopped at Pop’s Smoke Shed – Big Pine Key, hoping for BBQ but getting a Cuban. The waitress is over the top, either she thinks I’m a retard or she’s an alcoholic. Food was not great. I told her it was. Gross.

    Section of trail that is far from the road on its own bridge. Often, there are people fishing. I even saw a woman land a fish today. It was pretty small, but still, pretty cool.

    In the afternoon, I start having hiker related body problems. Lol. I did a reasonable amount of work before coming out here, a thousand miles in Ohio, but still, I’ve got the problems.

    For one, and not really that funny, I have obvious hotspots and blisters growing on both feet. Good times.

    The old bridge – and long unused – onto Bahia Honda. This bridge and many others are actually falling apart, large pieces of concrete and iron falling into the water.

    For two, and definitely funny, I used an electric hair trimmer to cut the hair on my head and face down to the shortest level possible before checking into Around the Bend Hostel. That’s how I feel the most comfortable, with very short hair on my head and face.

    Walking the last section of causeway into Bahia Honda State Park as the sun goes down. The shoreline there is the park. It’s a pretty nice place.

    The funny part is that I’m an idiot and for some reason, I decided to keep using the trimmer with its shortest possible setting on my pubic hair. If you don’t know, pubic hair helps lower skin on skin resistance of activities like walking. Less hair means more resistance, and now I have a terrible rash in my groin, and it’s very painful. Lol, hell.

    After the front entrance gate, before the campground gate, in Bahia Honda State Park. Let it be known that I do yield for turtles because they’re dinosaurs.

    I get into the state park just as the sun is going down. The first thing I find is the bathhouse, and I’m thrilled. I washed my underwear and shirt in the shower and did my best to clean the areas that have been experiencing high resistance friction all day.

    The moon is out, and I set my tent up by moonlight. It’s quite beautiful, although there are a lot of mosquitoes out and I get ate up. Lol.

    It’s hot, relatively, and I’m a sweaty mess in my tent. I roll up both rain shell doors to my tent to try and get some circulation in this thing as I write this update.

    Another fantastic day, I’m thrilled.

    Milage:

    I woke up at m11.3, and the state park is m37.9, so that gives me a 26.6 for the day. Good times. Probably there’s some worthy extra distance there going back for coffee this morning and trying to get into the state park this evening, but I’ll just call it 26.6 miles.

    So thankful. A great day

  • D1 – Georgia to Overseas Heritage Trail Southern Terminus

    D1 – Georgia to Overseas Heritage Trail Southern Terminus

    Saturday, November 29th, 2025. Stanimals Around the Bend Hostel. Hiawassee, Georgia. Wake via alarm at 3:55am.

    I’m not sure how many pieces of “day one” writing I’ve done in the past five plus years, but quite a few, and here I go trying again.

    You’re reading what wants to be a hiking blog. The first thing to know is that making it to the start of a hike is one of the more difficult parts of the adventure.

    Thanksgiving day. Information board at the top of Brasstown Bald describing visible points on the Appalachian Trail.

    After feasting at the hot bar of an Atlanta Whole Foods for Thanksgiving, I drove north for the short adventure up Brasstown Bald overlooking the Appalachian Trail.

    Thursday night, I slept in the parking lot of the Hiawassee grocery store, and Friday afternoon, I drove the short distance up to Around the Bend Hostel.

    I woke just before 4 a.m., and before I could turn my alarm off, I smelled coffee. That’s friendly service.

    Around the Bend Hostel drove me two hours to the Atlanta airport but dropped me off at the wrong terminal. I didn’t know there was an airport where the international terminal was a 10-minute bus ride from the domestic terminal, but now I do. It all works out.

    I’m sitting in 28E of my first Spirit flight to Fort Lauderdale. I’ll take a second flight to Key West.

    The adventure I’m attempting has a simple tagline. Over the next year, I’ll be attempting to walk from “Key West to Canada and Back” via the Appalachian Trail.

    It’s about 8,500 miles, and I have to survive these two flights with my backpack intact to begin.

    1. Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, 108 miles
    2. Eastern Continental/Florida Trail Connecter, 92 miles
    3. Florida Trail to Deer Lake Junction, 1,055 miles
    4. Blackwater Connecter, 45 miles
    5. Alabama Roadwalk, 200 miles
    6. Pinhoti Trail, 350 miles
    7. Benton MacKaye, 72 miles
    8. Appalachian Trail, 2,200 miles
    9. International Appalachian Trail to Canada, 138 miles

    I have flown with my backpack a few times, and while nothing catastrophic has ever happened, the stress of that possibility has always loomed heavy over the experience. Checking my backpack is a terrible feeling.

    I tried a different approach on this flight. I put my backpack inside a large laundry bag. It either works or I’m a very sad person.

    My first flight, from Atlanta to Ft Lauderdale, was completely full. The flight was late, and passengers started disembarking at the time my flight to Key West was to begin boarding. Something of a run across the airport, I make the flight. I asked the reps at the gate if they thought my luggage would make it, and they said, “Oh, yes, of course.” Good times.

    The second flight was basically empty, a pleasant surprise.

    An empty flight is a definite rarity. Aircraft announcement says just a 39-minute trip.
    Navel Air Station on Boca Chica Key, trail miles 8-9 down there somewhere.

    The flight was quick. I waited for my backpack longer than the flight, I think. I was thrilled not to get a cocktail at the First Call Beach Bar at the baggage claim. Mt backpack arrived safely, laundry bag idea is definitely worth repeating in the future.

    It takes a good bit of time to unpack my pack. Get myself situated, drain water from the can of green olives I brought and add water to my water bottles. Attempting to walk out of airport at about 2:15pm. Thrilled.

    I’m not a big fan of sea life, which perhaps is turning my nose up at 70% of the earth, but so be it. This sign, however, gets a thumbs up from me. I don’t stop for manatees, but I did stop to take this picture.

    I reached the southern terminus at the southern most point at about 3:15pm, and of course, it’s closed for construction, a hilarious and hopefully not ominous sign.

    Southern most under construction point. Lol.

    Walking 100 feet north to this bar front replica, I got a German tourist to take a photo.

    Looking frumpy. Lol.

    At about 5 p.m., I stopped at the One Love Food Truck for jeek chicken. It was delicious. The ginger tea was a perfect match.

    Sun goes away pretty much immediately after dinner. Passing the naval station in the dark. Two sessions of rain, both very brief and not very serious.

    A brief moment without traffic on A1A.

    As recommended to me by FarOut, there is a cowboy on Big Coppit Key across the street from the Monroe County Fire Rescue Station 9. Google Maps calls it Porpoise Boulevard, but it’s really just a place where meth heads dump house remodeling trash in the middle of the night, preferably not tonight.

    Difficult time setting up, the ground is debris covered asphalt for the most part. I use chunks of concrete to weigh down the corners of my tent. Hopefully, it will be fine.

    Inside the tent, it’s immediately very hot and very humid. Uncomfortable. Lol. Down on the ground at 8pm.

    What a fantastic day!

    Milage:

    0 – Saturday, November 29th, 2025 – 3 miles walking from Key West airport to the southern terminus (southern most point monument). Tented just south of m11.3. Call it 14.3 miles.