I'm back on the road! About 26 miles north of Brunswick, Georgia, neart South Newport on Highway 17.
Last week, while still healing, I borrowed Emily's car and drove up to meet the Bradys on the 2nd at Tybee Island, Georgia, our original rendezvous point near Savannah. Found them on the beach, of course, got tanned along with them, and then chowed down at the Crab Shack.
On the way to and fro, I put in a few walking miles to get into Georgia, but wasn't offiically cleared to walk by my doctor, Victoria Camp, until Saturday the 5th. By then I had already done 10 miles of Georgia and hooked up with Kelly Roper, who drove down from Atlanta with his sister Kathleen. They got me back down to St. Augustine where my pedorthic specialist, Scott Reedy, had my new shoe inserts ready to wear that afternoon. He had notified me that I had been wearing the wrong size shoe for 35 years! So now, instead of a 11EEEE, I am in a 14EE And it feels great!
Only got in a couple more hours on Saturday, so Sunday was the first full day back at it and I put in about 18 miles.
Between Woodbine and Brunswick, there's a "town" called Waverly, nothing there except a convenience store that looks like it was built in the 40s. Kelly and Kathleen were alternating walking with me, and I had to go to the bathroom. Just about when I was ready to head into the woods, a fire station appeared with a guy keeping things clean. His name was Mark and I got to use his place. He learned what I was up to, and wanted his picture with me, so here he is, Mark, the only paid firefighter in Waverly!
It was so good to see Kelly the time just flew by, we talked constantly. It sure is fun to have people that you know walking with you.
Covered 40 miles in three days time, but not so much today. Getting some blisters, but in different places due to the new shoes. Slowed me down a bit but my feet are starting to toughen up.
I have a new strategy for hitching to my starting point and back to the motel at the end of the day's walk. If I throw on my Alaska tourist shirt and hold my cell phone, everybody thinks I'm an old man tourist whose car has probably broken down. The tourist-type shirt beats the tie-dye. Funny thing, old man tourist type, it's exactly who I am.
Also got my hair cut and beard trimmed. Barber left me only about 1/8 inch of stubble, so my skin was almost fully exposed to the sun. Can feel the wind on my face.
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