After a week of hiking under the canopy in the Swampy Green and Richloam Land Conservation area’s I was ready to see the sky, and confirm that more than 10 people still existed on the planet. I pushed hard for 9 1/2 hours until the woods finally spit me out, footsore and exhausted.

The next portion of the ‘trail’ was a long road walk but at that point I was only a three-day walk to another good friend who was wintering in Florida with her husband and had also invited me to visit. So again, I went off trail. About five hours later my friend, Glenda, texted me – “Where are you? I feel like a drive?” She picked me up walking along the road. Such a kind and lovely surprise!

There is nothing quite like sleeping on hard ground, eating trail gruel and immersion into solitude to feel intense gratitude for a comfy bed, delicious food and good friends. I sure appreciated the three nights of generous hospitality visiting Glenda and Mark in their lovely motor home on a horse ranch close to Ocala. I went to church with them and afterwards we enjoyed a variety southern dishes at the church lunch. Anna Marie (a super fun lady we met there) invited us to Rainbow Springs the following day where sat by the water and picnicked on brisket sandwiches. It was a beautiful day! So many thanks to Glenda and Mark!

I set up my tent at Glenda and Mark’s place planning to sleep in it, but instead, just kept my gear there. It was a shock when I went to pack up and found fire ants swarming the inside. I couldn’t believe it! I don’t know how they got in! Even after shaking and shaking my clothes, inside and out, I didn’t get them all. I repaired 17 small holes in my tent floor where they had chewed through. My poor old tent is increasingly held together with duck tape, bandades, a wish and a prayer. Good thing I went to church!

With single digit nights continuing as far as my weather app can see I have changed course yet again in my quest for warmer nights. I took a Greyhound red eye milk run to Miami. The Miami bus terminal is full of interesting characters and is a unique slice of life at 3am. But it was still too cold, so I booked a 4am bus to Key West.

So here I am. Literally as far south as I can go without getting on a boat. I have started walking back. I am still gimpy as one of my feet still hasn’t recovered from the push in the woods but I will follow the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail as far as I can make it and see what I see. A lot of water I think. With all this bouncing around, if it seems like I have ants in my pants, it’s because I still do. As far as the ants go, I may not be out of the woods just yet!