[ft-l] JP, who 'lse?

[ft-l@mailman.backcountry.net (ft-l@mailman.backcountry.net)]

Hi, folx, 

Jus' a lil uipdate on myownself...I've lost my cy. of ever'1's address...plz. reply w/that Nfo...thanx.

Ju's hiked the 134 mi. fm. K. West 2 Homestead FL...twas a beauty, 'tho mucha the time 'twas a lil' hotter that desirable...I swear it approached mid-80's.

How I got there was leavin' my car @ god trl.-workin' friend Dean Sim's place in Homestead & he & wife Betty drove me over 2 the bus sta.; then a pleasant drive down, w/the usual cast-0-characters, most ever'1 of 'em smokers @ ever dismount.

Arrived KW @ last lite & walked the 3 box over 2 the AYH Hostel...rite nice  unrowded, as most places were, as this is the off-season.  Shared a 4-pers. rm. w/1 other guy.

Nxt. AM., Thanxgivin', had brkfst @ a deli, dip on S-most bch, then hiked r'round the island's E. side..this & ever' day sunswept & breezy...used my Golit umrella 2 keep in the shade; I'd say this give 1 10-deg. of coolness.

Was fun walkin' by the squatter-type boat houses, which come in all shapes/sizes & I understand will soon B gone or payin' $800 rents.

Onward on wy 1...mosta the time was on bike paths...always the semi's (which weren't visible on Thanxgivin' but were the rest-0-the-time) would veer as far away as poss.

Only saw the occasional "Mangrove Mite"...name ascried 2 the drifter class down tere (& 1 assumes, 2 me).  Saw may B 2 bike trkkers. but didn't get 2 talk 2 'em.

Has sveral blisters, which R rare 4 me...I think it's a function of road-walkin' & hig-humidity.

The 1st nite I was draggin' & asked 'bout a motel rm....$85 & no way.  Jus' 100 yds. down the rd. was a Vol. Fire Dept., so I went up 2 their balcony-stule porch & jus' laid out.  Water fm. behind the place & all well.

2nd Day arrived @ Big Pine Key, known 4 its tiny Key Derr, w/preserve.  I stealth-camped in the preserve so's I could B there in te late PM/early AM 2C the deer & this strategy worked out wll the nxt. AM as I saw 2 bux & a doe (Nerestinngly, the bux show themselves, as opposed2 ther larger cousins, the Eastern White-Tail).

Meanwhile I was mostly grazin' @ ever' covenience store.

Other nites i stealth-camped by a bridge, in a park which was under construction, in a copse of trees, & on a cement plat4m which was some sorta H20 control pt.

Plenty-0-birds & folx fishin'...seemed that the poorer folx, mostly Latinos were on the many bridges...saw hundreds a-fishin' & only 1 caught anythin' as I passed & proudly posed 4 a foto.

Notable was walkin' over the 7-mi. bridge, which happily was 6.5-mi.  Plenty of views & a 5-ft. breakdown lane...no breax the whol' way over.

My last day in te Keys 2 different guys offered me rides.

Then I was on the straight-North stretch of Hwy 1, thru the 'Glades & counted on a store @ a marina 4 resupply...turns out it had closed due 2 floodin' nuty a kind lady gave me a sandwich, soda, ice H20 & offered me a table & restroom.

All-inall 'twas kinda fun & most-beautiful but I've gtta get off this computer.

Looks like I have a lock on Blackburn Trl. Cen., a hosel owned by Potomac Appl' Trl. Club, 12 mi. S. of Hapers Ferry,WV, & due W. of DC....will B there 'round the turn of the yr.

Also hope 2 go 2 NC & do some trl. work.

Plz. respond, 'specially w/yr. address.

Yrs. & Happy Trls., W