station outside Punta Gorda tonight. Gonna have lunch with Diamond from AT tomorrow...yippee!

Day two: 27 miles yesterday, 33 miles today - my butt is sore, my arms are sore & burned,but I'm a happy bag lady! Camped behind a high voltage

Can't update blog except for title with iPhone...won't provide keyboard when I touch where text body goes. Anybody able to help me?

Visiting Nutella and Moonpie and then back to Sarasota

I love having trail friends all over the place. Nutella is a young woman I met in Millinocket at the end of the trail. She "yogi'd" a ride from us back to her hometown in Camden Maine, but we got the best tour of the coast - what a wealth of information she has. Her family is living in Florida now. So when I knew I was passing through, I made a call to her and asked to crash on her couch or floor. Her place in Winter Park is adorable. I small but efficient one bedroom - and so well decorated. I pulled my air mattress, my silk liner, my pillow from the car and made a great bed on her living room floor. I love being able to sleep anywhere. Flexible, I am. We had a great dinner at my favorite chain, Chipotle, and then she drove me out to Big Tree Park where there are two ancient palmetto trees, one 2000 years old and the other 3500 years old. They were massive! Biggest trees I've ever seen next to the California redwoods. Then we toured downtown Orlando. When I think of Orlando, I think of Disney. But, guess what! There's more to Orlando than Disney! There were funky restaurants and art galleries. There were quaint homes on cobblestoned streets. Beautiful place. I could live there! The next day we hooked up with Moonpie for breakfast. He's a young man that I hiked with through New Hampshire and Maine. He saved the day for me at Zealand Hut in the Whites when, after my noticing that I had lost a croc and was moping around thinking how difficult life was going to be without it, he comes tromping it waving a croc about asking if anyone had lost it. Trail magic! I told him I loved him from that moment on!!! Moonpie used to sell cars in Raleigh NC before hiking the trail. After the trail he said he couldn't go back to that job and heard that Disney was hiring. He got a job down here managing their food and beverage carts. I may have to stop back and see him on my way out of Florida because he can get me in to the park for free. I'd love to see Universal studios! We'll have to see... Using my new toy, my iPhone, I found a favorite, funky breakfast spot in Orlando that neither Nutella nor Moonpie knew about: All American Cafe on Ferncreek Ave. Yummeeee! They have a breakfast buffet on Sundays that is to die for! A very rustic but real spot. Check it out if you're ever in Orlando - downtown.

Next stop after hugging my buds goodbye, for now, was to stop and see an ex-Xerox colleague who's moved to Palmetto FL. Laura Meyers is a changed woman. She's lost 50 lbs, hired a personal trainer, met a wonderful man, and is getting married May 2. I wouldn't have recognized her on the street - she looked fabulous!!! She's my mentor now. These extra few pounds have got to go. I want to be a lean, mean, sexy machine when I get back to Fairport. I really only have to work on the lean part, I think...and maybe some sexy lingerie would help. After a short, but sweet visit to Laura and Frank's new home, catching up on the news, sharing photos of the trail, and getting to know Frank a bit (loves the outdoors...my kind of guy!), I moved on down the road back to Kim's house in Sarasota. Here I'll pack my bike, store my SUV and canoe, get my new credit card (yup, right in the middle of this trip Citicards decides it needs to reissue my card to protect me...they did this while I was on the trail, too...thanks Citibank for making my life so easy), get my new battery-driven charger for my iPhone and iPod, and off I'll go, tomorrow. I'm chomping at the bit to get this show on the road. I'm ready for sun, sand, pedals, tents, and freedom - all by myself. I may get to Key West and not leave. Stranger things have happened!

Hanging Out

Not much news to report, just hanging out with my daughter and her roommates. Finally got a couple of short bike rides in around St. Augustine, but have barely begun to condition for this long trip starting next week. Guess I'll just have to get in shape as I go, instead of biking in circles to get ready for it. I may have some short days in the beginning, but I have no time constraints so I can take as long as I wish.

I have also managed to get down to the beach a couple of times: once to catch some rays and walk for an hour or so...then again last night to enjoy the breezes, smells, and sounds. I do love the beach!

Wednesday I'm hoping to hook up with Hammock Hanger who lives in Jacksonville and do some paddling on the intercoastal waterway. Then, at least, my canoe will get off the car and get wet. I also have a place south of here to put in on Thursday. I was hoping to go there tomorrow but they're calling for thunderstorms...not a good time to be on the water in a toy boat.

So hang tight. I'm hoping the bike trip starts next Monday, or Tuesday at the latest. I'm as anxious as y'all to get started. Once I do begin, I won't have internet access unless I find libraries with connections. We'll just have to see what gives.

I have to say my knee has not been cooperating. It's fine as long as I don't use it. It's had some issues biking because of the torque I have to get it to release my clips...ouch! I was reading about using a foam roller to stretch the IT band and help to release some of the trigger points, so I decided to buy one today. Now, my friends know how frugal I can be. Well, the real foam roller sold to do this (with CD) was $22, BUT they were selling foam roller water shooters for $10! It's smaller in diameter, but does the trick. Hey, $12 is $12, and I didn't need the CD...

I guess that's all the news that's fit to print.

Hugs to all, Bag Lady

Moving On

After 3 full days in Sarasota, it's time for this wanderer to hit the road again. I'll be packing up my toys (oh yah, I didn't unpack any of them here) and heading on to St. Augustine to spend some time with daughter number 2, Dana. She, her boyfriend Joe, and his friend Carl all share a small house there. I may have to sleep in the back of my SUV or go to the beach and camp if room is really limited... I not sure what the accommodations will be. But Dana knows I can sleep anywhere, so things will be fine.

I'm hoping to hook with a trail buddy, Hammock Hanger, who lives in Jacksonville. We may do some paddling although I don't know where exactly. The story of how we met is a true example of the wonders of the Appalachian Trail. I started my trail journal on line (at trailjournals.com) before I left home and in it I mentioned that I was going to use a hammock. Hammock Hanger read my journal and signed my guestbook. We corresponded a bit. Her plan for the summer was to hike the Eastern Continental Trail, I think it's called. Then, out on the AT, in Virginia, hiking along, didn't our paths cross? She on her trail, me on mine, where her's and mine were one for a while! How serendipitous was that? We hiked together for a couple of days before her trail broke off from the AT. So now we're hoping to hook up again and get our feet wet.

I've been busy planning my bike tour. The one place in Florida that I've always wanted to see was Key West. And now I've decided to bike there. Kim, my friend here in Sarasota, suggested I take advantage of the fast ferry between Key West and Fort Myers, and the plan was born. After checking for the direction of the prevailing winds in the keys, I've decided to bike from Sarasota to Key West, then take the ferry back to Fort Myers and bike back to Sarasota. Distance: about 425 miles. I'm in no hurry and will visit and play along the way. I'll try not to just put my head down and pedal on without seeing the sites. I'll camp mostly - stealth camp as much as I can, but a shower at the end of the day in a campground is also welcome. I'll get a room only when I can't camp.

I'm excited because this will be a blast seeing new sights and meeting new people, but also scared because I don't know what I don't know. And what I don't know could get me in to trouble.

The Beat Goes On

The photos are of Yonder spinning a pizza that he then baked in his gas oven on the back of the truck. Hot pizza trail magic!

Oh, well, looks like canoeing is on hold altogether. Okeefenoke was booked, the rivers are swollen, my "toy boat" may be too small for the Intercoastal Waterway and its rough waters, and it's dang cold here in the south this week and all I brought was my 50* bag, so EZ and I decided this was not the time to do this trip. Perhaps towards the end of April we can do it. We'll just have to see how things happen.

Now what do I do? I call my girlfriend in Sarasota, the one I was going to bike from St. Augustine to see and decide to stay with her this week. My daughter, Dana, is working all week so she doesn't want me to arrive there until Friday. Homeless. I'm beginning to feel it. But not friendless!

Now I have to rethink the bike trip. Where to go? Any suggestions? I was originally going to bike from St. Augustine over here to Sarasota and back. Now I should bike to somewhere else. But where? I'll be starting mid week, next week. I've always wanted to see the Keys, maybe I'll drive closer and bike down from there. Hmmm. Flexible. Remain flexible. It will be what it's suppose to be. Can't wait til the Universe fills me in!

Now remember:

1. I love to sing, but can't carry a tune... even in a bucket. This video even had me in stitches. I know my daughters will really get a kick out of it!

2. I'm new at this blog thing, so lower your expectations. I'm doing the best I can, but I'd rather be doing stuff other than sitting at this computer writing and uploading photos.

Step Lightly,

Bag Lady

Suwanee Above Flood Stage

Rain in Florida last week has caused the Suwanee River to flood, so we've had to cancel our canoe trip down it. Boo hoo!

I'm here in Atlanta now at E. Z. Duzit's and Marybeth's house. Looks like EZ and I are going to try canoeing the Okeefenokee National Wildlife Refuge together. Thumper's already done it before and wasn't interested in joining us. Marybeth was looking forward to having the week to herself and encouraged us to go anyways. So EZ and I are going to see if we can rent a 2 person canoe and go explore the swamp which is in the southern part of Georgia. Tomorrow we'll make some phone calls and see what trip we can put together for this week.

I've learned long ago that you have to be flexible and just go with the flow. I'm disappointed The Three Snoozes (EZ, Thumper, and me) won't be together floating down the Suwanee as planned, but whatever we end up doing will be fun! We'll miss Thumper, though.

Giving Trail Magic

I'm too busy to be writing. And I hope to be able to post some photos, but I don't want this journal to own me. I don't think it's going to be a daily blog as it's started out to be.

But today was great fun. Janet, Yonder and I went up to Garenflo Gap just south of Hot Springs and fed 8 hikers pizza cooked in the back of the truck, hot dogs and bratworst, fruit, candy, chips, and soda. We couldn't believe that 2 of the hikers had bear stories! One of them was approached by a bear as he was cooking his dinner. He grabbed his food and ran down the trail to another hiker's site where he hung his food with the other guy's. When he went up later, the bear was gone. The other guy saw a mama and cub come right through his site. He was in his tent and could hear her claw at the tree. She got his food bag down, broke it open and tore through all his food. When he finally got nerve to go out and see what was left, there was nothing left of his food bag, but the Mountain House meals were left behind - not a favorite he guessed!

I can't tell you how much I wanted to just walk off with those guys heading north. And to be able to get just a whiff of hiker funk was a real treat. It's surprising what things you miss.

Off to Atlanta tomorrow to spend the night with E. Z. Duzit, then he's riding with me down to Florida on Monday.

I'm happy to be wandering again. Photos will have to wait until after the canoe trip.

The Drama Continues April 3

Well, as if I didn’t have enough suspense yesterday, today I had the usual problem of remembering to get gas. Even after I thought about it, I just as quickly forget that I needed to get it. And I found myself driving through the mountains of North Carolina with the fuel light on (who knows how long) and the needle below empty. Dang it! I’m going to have another catastrophe today. I’m going to run out of gas miles from nowhere. Just keep driving. Keep driving. There’s got to be gas soon. Miles after mile of rolling mountains and no signs of civilization. How long can I go? What will I do if I run out? Is that a sign? Yes. Can I get there? Sputter, sputter as I exit the highway. Keep running. Fumes. I made it on funes. That seems to be a theme for me. I did it 5 times on my trip to Minnesota last fall. The 5th time I ran out. Had to bike to a gas station, buy a gas can and gas, and bike back to my car. Didn’t really want to do that in the mountains.

I had a technology breakdown. I got this gadget that plugs in to the lighter and provides a household outlet for charging all my "things", but when I went to use it....nada, nothing, no power! Found out here at Janet and Yonder's that my lighter doesn't work and it's not a blown fuse. But, aha, this gadget also clips to the battery and charges stuff, but I have to be stopped and sit around while it does its thing. That's not as efficient as I was hoping, but it does keep me powered....and that option does work.

The drive today through the rain was quite beautiful. I saw my first blossoms in WV. The woods and mountains were tugging at my heart. I do love them so. So many trail memories came flooding back. And as I looked at those mountains that I hiked through, even I couldn't believe that I had hiked 2175 miles two years ago. It just seems so formidable.