25.1 miles today (40.4839 km's)…49,146 steps…$0.26 picked up…findings for the day: ! 8" chef's knife, 1 small tackle box with rubber creatures (insert joke here!), 1 poker chip, 1 pair of cheap sunglasses, 1 quarter and 1 penny…Valerie (my driver) found a book: "Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Florida"…wildlife sighted: more 'gators but not as many as Sunday as the canal is wider and deeper, they don't favor open water…finished up with route 41 and made a serious south turn onto 997, finished the day about 16 miles north of Homestead, Florida at West Kendall Nursery.

 

Weather report for Monday: cloudy skies, temperatures in the 70's.  Road report: smooth pavement in and out of construction areas for most of the day.  Flat and smooth makes for fast walking.  Cooler temperatures are also favorable for walking.  That would explain  the distance and the number of steps.   Today I flew!  997 on the other hand was (is) a nightmare.  No shoulder to speak of, what little there is, is covered with trash, weeds and dirt.  This is Miami so EVERYONE is in a hurry and they ALL drive like people possessed!  Even with the recent addition of the bright orange flag I feel I am running a gauntlet.  It appears that I have roughly 137 miles to go before I place my palms on the buoy at Key West.  I am guessing it will get real in about 138 miles!!!

 

Shortly after The Walk got underway today I came across some guys on the route 41 road crew.  Tommy Flanagan, Gilbert Melendez and Liborio Perez were all kind enough to make contributions to "the cause".  Dr. Dave Okubo and the staff at Camp UTADA will, no doubt put the funds to good use.  Thank you, gentlemen, for your kind generosity and words of encouragement.  As the day was ended and we were getting gas, Gilbert dropped by again and extended a dinner invitation for Tuesday evening.  He lives in Homestead so that will work out nicely.  As I have travelled through Canada and the United States I am more and more impressed at how people by and large are just plain nice.  At the same gas station, Tim Dalling, from Nova Scotia came up and chatted as well.  He had cycled across Canada in 1987(?), from sea to shining sea.  He too was kind enough to make a contribution that will go to Camp UTADA.  It was a great day, made very good time and met some wonderful people in the process.  See ya'll down the road.  Mark your calendars, Sunday, April 14, 2013 at 2:00 PM Eastern time…CHEERS!!!