I was the last out of bed today; actually Mark had to wake me up as I must have forgotten to turn my alarm on.  Nice, woke up to scrambled eggs, hash browns, fresh brewed coffee and everything bagels my new favorite bagel.  Aaron you would make some woman a good husband. After breakfast we loaded up the bikes and set out for highway A1A on the ocean.  We dropped
Aaron’s car off in a mall parking lot, got our bikes out and loaded mine with full panniers and set out through heavy city traffic.  I was impressed the motor vehicles were courteous and gave us plenty of space.   What I didn’t like seeing was a relatively steep bridge to cross to get to A1A but climbing it was over before I began breathing hard.  A1A proved to be almost pancake flat and I didn’t have nearly the struggle keeping my bike from wobbling every which way like I did when I departed Port Townsend in Washington State.  If I thought the homes I had seen along some of the Keys were big and beautiful the ride today dazzled me with the size and magnificence of the homes.  Aaron said most of these homes begin at five million dollars. He said on the ocean side of the homes there was generally a yacht, too.   Whew, I didn’t realize how poor I am until today.

Second surprise of the day I was able to maintain a 12 mph average while riding with a loaded bike against a 10 mph headwind.  The downside my quads were burning from the extra effort.  Later in the day I also began feeling it in
my knees from having to frequently stop and start due to catching a red light
at signal lights.  In less then two hours we arrived at the 20 mile stop where Aaron would turn around and head home.  I was sad for my friend as he
sincerely wanted to join me on this leg of my journey.  I was further saddened for his medical problem.  I ask myself and the Lord why do good people have to suffer but alias I don’t have an answer.  Before leaving we had a passerby take a picture of the three of us.

The Old Guy, Aaron and Mark

Mark asked how I was doing and I said fine, though as mentioned above my quads and knees as well as my ankle were bothering me.  I kept telling myself, “get over it, you are about to be on your own and you’re feeling sorry for yourself”.  I did ask him to find a convenience store and buy me some Gatorade as there are no stores allowed on this stretch of highway before departing for his daughter’s home.  Mark is really a good guy and like other folks have been is an excellent SAG driver.  He not only went for Gatorade
for me he also advised me of how the route turned in a few miles down to Hwy. 1 where there would be stores and restaurants for me to stop when he returned
with the Gatorade.  Mark also realized he had purchased a Gatorade bottle size too finish at one stop as well as too big for my bottle holders and my panniers were already full.  His solution is that he’d drive a couple miles up the road where there was a big tree providing shade from the sun and I’d be able to finish off my drink.  That was really nice and kind of him as I knew he wanted to get on his way.  Mark is quite a kind and it is a pleasure to be in his  company.  Mark’s biggest and most noble project is that he has dedicated his life to help support and grow an orphanage in India.  He has helped the
orphanage grow from being able to care for six children to seventy and hopes to one day be able to help hundreds of abandoned children.  In the very near future he is going back to India for several months to physically help with the building.  Also he is on a fund raising mission here in the USA and plans to visit several churches in Tampa to seek their support.  I know you will be successful you’re your mission to help the children.  God has blessed you
and the world with your goodness.

After Mark was gone, I realized this is it the Old Guy is on his own.  No more SAG drivers to carry my equipment, will I be able to successfully complete this final stage of my journey with the added challenge?   I kept telling myself snap out of your melancholy you can do this think of all the positive vibes from the folks who believe in you as it is your inner strength which makes it possible.

About 3:00 PM I arrived in Hobe Sound and it was time to begin my search for a place to stay without spending money on a motel.  My first stop was the County Fire Department the Lieutenant in charge was sympathetic but was sure the Battalion Commander would not allow me to stay at the firehouse due to several bad experiences with folks in the past and he was right.  My next effort was the Public Library where I visited with Carol who was in charge.  She recommended I ride back a mile and half to Harry and the Natives.  OK, so I had to ask what is “Harry and the Natives”.  To which I learned it was an old established restaurant which was known to help folks in need, which I guess I qualified.  Upon arriving at Harry’s a lady came out the front door to help an UPS driver drop off a delivery to the place.  I guessed correctly she was the owner.  I introduced myself and my need for a shower and a floor to sleep on this night. Paula, the owner, sad nicely she was in business to make money not give everything away. Maybe this isn’t a good time but I agreed with her and thanked her for hearing me out and was about to leave, when Paula said well I can provide you a shower if you don’t mind it being outdoors.  After riding with the Bike the US for MS group an outdoor shower would be better than what we had some nights.  I said thank you I’ll take it and she led me to her backyard which was fenced in with an 8’ privacy fence.  Paula told me she liked taking showers outdoors which is why the unit is there.  She then said she would let me stay in one of the old cabins but they were all full of junk.
Next she said she wouldn’t be able to let me sleep in the open area of the restaurant either, as the police patrolled her place frequently and they
would run me off.  As she turned to leave me to take my shower she said she’d provide me dinner.  Paula, you are a sweetheart and have a good heart, too.  I felt like a human after taking a long warm shower.  Returning to the restaurant Paula told me I could eat have any of the “Day’s Specials” for my dinner.  I said really, “even the Mac and Cheese with Lobster”.  The answer was yes and I have to tell you there must have been a whole lobster in the Mac and Cheese and a better description would have been lobster with Mac and Cheese.  Full from this tasty and filling meal, I began walking around the place checking out the many good humor signs.  It was also quite noticeable Paula was a Good Samaritan serving many in her community as there were also many commendations on the walls from the fire department, police department, various ball teams, Marines serving here in the USA as well as a unit in Falujah. She even had a USA flag presented to her which had flown over  US Congress building and many more commendations too numerous to list here.  Visiting with Paula further I learned she believes in giving back to the community and helps local individuals who are down on their luck or in need of medical attention and can’t afford to pay.  Just listening to Paula made me feel good inside and thankful I was sent to her.  I thanked her for her kindness and was about to walk out the door she said I should go to the Catholic Church across the way, go in the back where the Priest lives and let him know my needs as he would probably allow me to stay.  Paula is member of the church.  I thanked her yet again and said I’d go there if I didn’t have success staying at the Methodist church a few miles further in town.

Arriving at the Methodist Church I found two guys standing behind fellowship hall and asked them if they were members of the church, hoping one of them was the minister.  They weren’t they were part of a group “Lives in Crisis” traveling through town and arranged to stay this night at the church.  One of the men was the leader of the group and he and I went into fellowship hall to see if we could fine the minister’s phone number to call and confirm it would be OK for me to stay the night.  Unfortunately we were unable to come up with a number.  The guy thought there would be no harm in my staying and I was pretty sure there wouldn’t be either but it would be better to have a
confirmation.  That said I decided I would go ahead and haul my gear into fellowship hall, then continue looking for a phone number to call as it was approaching darkness. Opps, went I went out the door it closed and locked me out.  Again I went to the Crisis leader and he said he didn’t have a key for
fellowship hall as his group was staying in the office complex and I wouldn’t
or shouldn’t be with his group. OK, Frank it’s onto plan C ride toward town
until I either saw a police officier or came to the actual police department.  I went about another two miles when a Sheriff’s patrol came along and I waved the deputy down.  I shared with Deputy Palmer my need to contact the minister of the Methodist Church and the reason.  Deputy Palmer called dispatch and began making phone calls on my behalf but just I was unsuccessful in connecting with anyone so was he.  We continued visiting and
I learned the deputy had just returned from his first vacation to Washington
State and he loved it, in fact we had traveled much of the same route but his
was by car.  Failing to find anyone to contact at the Methodist Church Deputy Palmer said he’d contact the Sherriff Department Chaplin as he was a good man and would know who to contact.  Sure enough Chaplin Brian Irving came to my rescue.  He instructed deputy Palmer to send me to the Bible College where they had overnight guest rooms available.  Chaplin Irving also had the deputy give me his cell phone number to call him once I arrived at the Bible College.  Four miles and 20 minutes later in darkness I arrived at the Bible College and phoned Chaplin Irving as instructed but was only able to get his voice mail.  Finally in desperation, as now there was no way I could continue riding in the dark, I saw there were a few gals in the cafeteria and went to them to see if any of them knew of my need or if Chaplin Irving had called they hadn’t but one gal seemed to know who to call or several folks to call.  Before long there were five or six folks trying to help me.  But none of them had
the keys to the guest facility.  Finally the right man arrived and about at the same time Chaplin Irving returned my phone call.  The Chaplin had me give my phone to the man with the keys and instructed him to allow me to stay the night and the Sherriff’s department or the Chaplin would see that the cost of the room would be paid by them.  Wow!  I didn’t know there was going to be a charge and to hear the Chaplin say he would pay the costs was amazing.  Yet again I have been humbled by the kindness and generosity of folks to help a total stranger.  I don’t know as I even thanked the Chaplin but I’m thanking him here and now.  Today, which is actually the 16^th, I received and email from
Joe, the man who had the keys to the guest rooms, sent me a thank you for my
visiting them. I’m the one who is thankful.  All of the folks at the Bible College who showed a desire to help me, to Joe, to Chaplin Irving and a special thank you to Deputy Palmer for wanting to help a stranger.  You’re all wonderful people and I’m truly a better person because of meeting all of you.  And
let me not forget the most important thank you of all.  Thank you God for sending me on this journey of self-discovery and of the goodness which abounds inside the heart of all your children.