FINAL THOUGHTS
Words sometimes do not allow the total expressiveness of one's emotions and thoughts. Nonetheless, I will attempt to describe what I have acquired through this wonderful and unique journey. What has this jog meant for me? What have I learned - Physically? Emotionally? Spiritually? Who are some of the more notables I have met? What's in store for the future?
As you can tell by my journal, I am not a planner. If I think it is a good thing to do I go for it. The planning of the trip was gathering my camping gear, a road map of Florida and google maps. I took off for the western most beach of Florida. I didn't even know the name of the beach till I got there and asked someone. Every place was new and unexpected events were the common occurrence. I loved it! From the Panhandle to the Bend to the Gulf Coast to the Keys to the entire East Coast the journey was one of depending on God, myself and the encouragement and help of family and friends, some of whom I met along the way.
I purposely didn't contact the VFW, of which I had been a member a few times, nor any other military groups like the Amvets, American Legion, Marine Corps League. Nor did I contact any church denominations or individual churches. I didn't want the clutter of the peripheral things these organizations would put on me. Like, "Come let's have a beer." or "Can you speak here?", etc. Also, I didn't want anyone to claim they made it possible for me to do this. This journey was my own thing. Something I wanted to do myself. Individual help was welcome at times, but no organizations. I had sought a couple possible sponsors out earlier but they didn't pan out and that led to the feeling I wasn't supposed to do it that way.
I started this journey with the notion of seminars and a few ideas of grandeur along the way. Ha! It didn't happen. And now I am glad it didn't. I needed this for myself. After a while, people would ask why I was doing this. Was it for a certain cause? Finally, especially after the article Tim Croft, editor of The Star wrote, I realized that this jog was for me. To find and be myself again and grow as well. It didn't start as a Christian thing nor anything else, just for me. I needed it. But it did end up very Christian. Because I am one.
When I started this adventure, I prayed about this and got the feeling that it was a go, except that God let me know it was going to be harder than anything I have done before. It was going to be very tough. The biggest difficulty was not the daily challenges to figure out where and how to jog, to eat and to sleep. Nor was it the financial difficulties I faced form time to time, which were not easy. But the most difficult was the loneliness I had to endure. That was hard. Sometimes it was really hard. And relationship matters were hard as well. There were things I had to fix with God's help. Personal growth is not easy! But it is necessary and well worth the pain.
Many things and methods changed along the way. I started out in a big six-man tent and switched to a van after Vernon Harness suggested it and I prayed about it. After prayer I envisioned a white van, but none was to be had in my area as I wanted to trade my Mercury Sable for one. I ended up checking out a red van and just behind it was a white one, which is the one I still use. Sweet.
Also, I started out with the idea of doing free or donation-based seminars along the way, but that took advanced planning and specific dates and stops. Not for me. I could afford (barely) to skip that part and just focus on my jogging and writing my journal.
I started jogging with a hydration pack with some survival stuff which fit into my hydration pack. I ended up jogging with just my keys, my wallet, I-POD, and a bottle of water. Interestingly though, I started jogging in a jacket and ended jogging in a jacket as well. Amelia Island was chilly in October!
The people I met along the way were fantastic. A few scoundrels, but most were just super folks. Some were rich, some were poor, some had mansions and other were homeless. From kids to seniors, folks were interesting. From the little toddler on the beach who liked the color of my tennis shoes, to Snap Revell, the awesome electric guitar playing worm grunter, to the 90-year old on Marco Island native who served on a destroyer in WWII at Iwo Jima. And so many more. I learned from many of them and hopefully helped a few myself.
And you who have followed me! Wow! Thanks! I still don't know who most of you are and wish you would email me ([email protected]) so I can thank you personally. I hope you will forgive me my misspellings, etc. I appreciate you!
The churches I visited were all interesting. From Pentecostals, Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians to the Casadaga Church of Mediums and the Universalist Church. I leaned much and was able to either prove or disprove my predilections about these churches. But every day I trusted God to guide me to a safe place to sleep at night. And He never failed. (Once in the Keys I was woken up with banging on my van by security but I had earlier sought permission to be there. Afterward, they let me sleep the night there in a different spot.) Sometimes, after settling in for the night I had the feeling I should move, and I did! So, God was with me. Though I am not perfect by any means, I am His child through Jesus, His Son. And He protected me from much. Even sermons were changed for me. I remember one Baptist church I attended on the Panhandle, the pastor said God had lead him to change his sermon just that morning. And that new sermon was for me! I felt it. It was an encouragement from God for me not to let anyone put me down. And I relied on that many times.
Once at Naples, I had the plan to jog in the morning, then do my laundry because it really needed to be done and then jog the first part of Keewaydin Island in the afternoon. But I kept getting the distinct feeling that I should forego the laundry and it was a struggle but I followed and if I wouldn't have followed this feeling, I would have had a hard time jogging that island. As it turned out, it worked out perfect for me. Parking was the key issue and God had His plan for me. He's so Cool!
Living out of the van was wonderful! I had a small library, my wardrobe, pantry and cooking stuff, my fishing gear, sleeping gear, kayak and bicycle. Even now I, when I need to get away for a day or two, I hop in my van and go dancing or something and sleep in the van. It is like a little vacation! Minimizing my life is one of the best things I have done. It gives me freedom from the things I have collected. Very liberating!
Hotels were nice too, especially the bathtub! When I stayed at a hotel I took about four baths a day. Just soaking in hot water. All my muscles could relax, wonderful! And I was the guest of folks a time or two as well.
I wish I could tell you about all the people I met, some of whom I don't even know their names! Like the fellow vacationing with his family from Kansas. When I got done with a jog on the Gulf Coast and danced along the cement jetty, the fellow, without looking up, said, "Get that out of your system, did you?" Hilarious! There were Ron, Jeanice, Sue, Carl, Howard, Deb, Viola, Sharon, Pam,David and Melissa, Cheryl, Levi, Ed, Nancy and many other nice folks who became friends along the way. And many, many others.
There is one thing I really don't know how to express. Towards the latter half of the journey, I seemed to have developed this inner strength. Kind of like iron. Maybe it slowly grew from the day-to-day challenges, maybe it just happened. I don't know, but it is there to stay.
I considered this experience a long overdue sabbatical. (I can actually read a novel again.) Something maybe we should all do from time to time.
Florida is a beautiful state! The national and state parks are fantastic. The plants and animals, especially the birds, dolphins and stingrays. Every day had a surprise to it. I think the dunes and national parks are my favorite places in Florida. So natural.
I have decided on one of four spots to move to when I move down there. St. George Island, Sarasota, Stuart or St. Augustine. Nice folks and nice beaches. I have to include Melbourne as well.
Florida attracts all kinds of people. And I am not a Pollyanna when it comes to Florida. There are some really nice and wonderful folks there. But there are also some of the nastiest, most evil folks there as well. I appreciate the former and stayed clear of the latter.
It wasn't always easy to jog the beaches. Getting accurate information about the next beach(es) was often a challenge. Sometimes I would see one that wasn't marked or mentioned and hop out and jog it. Physically, I had a few back issues that sidelined me for a week or so, my Achilles tendons acted up so much that for the last month or two I hobbled almost everywhere I went when I wasn't jogging. Sometimes, after jogging a few hours I would sit down to rest and then get up to jog some more. Sometimes it took more that one try to get up and get jogging as my back was totally tightened up and I would jog very so slowly until my Achilles tendons were loose again. Often I would have to massage my left hip area to make the pain go away. And it did! By massaging I mean digging my fingers or knuckles into my glute sore spots or pound on it for a while. But it worked! And even though it took it's toll on me I smiled every step the last hundred miles or so. I would do it again, and this time jog NASA as well! In fact, if anyone can get me on the base beaches for a day that would be great!
I counted it up and from January 1, 2011 through Oct. 20, 2011 I have jogged 121 days, 196 jogs, 798 miles of beach, kayaked 17 times and jogged 302 beaches in order. Cool!
I am now back in Ohio, watching my son grow. He is 16 and a father needs to be near at these times in life. My daughter is graduating this year from Ohio University and I am so proud of her. My son plans to matriculate there as well. I hope to take trips to Florida often. But I will only move there when my son is ready for life. Actually we are toying with the idea of taking the summer after he graduates from high school to jog the beaches of the Iberian Peninsula! That sounds like fun, doesn't it?
As you can tell by my journal, I am not a planner. If I think it is a good thing to do I go for it. The planning of the trip was gathering my camping gear, a road map of Florida and google maps. I took off for the western most beach of Florida. I didn't even know the name of the beach till I got there and asked someone. Every place was new and unexpected events were the common occurrence. I loved it! From the Panhandle to the Bend to the Gulf Coast to the Keys to the entire East Coast the journey was one of depending on God, myself and the encouragement and help of family and friends, some of whom I met along the way.
I purposely didn't contact the VFW, of which I had been a member a few times, nor any other military groups like the Amvets, American Legion, Marine Corps League. Nor did I contact any church denominations or individual churches. I didn't want the clutter of the peripheral things these organizations would put on me. Like, "Come let's have a beer." or "Can you speak here?", etc. Also, I didn't want anyone to claim they made it possible for me to do this. This journey was my own thing. Something I wanted to do myself. Individual help was welcome at times, but no organizations. I had sought a couple possible sponsors out earlier but they didn't pan out and that led to the feeling I wasn't supposed to do it that way.
I started this journey with the notion of seminars and a few ideas of grandeur along the way. Ha! It didn't happen. And now I am glad it didn't. I needed this for myself. After a while, people would ask why I was doing this. Was it for a certain cause? Finally, especially after the article Tim Croft, editor of The Star wrote, I realized that this jog was for me. To find and be myself again and grow as well. It didn't start as a Christian thing nor anything else, just for me. I needed it. But it did end up very Christian. Because I am one.
When I started this adventure, I prayed about this and got the feeling that it was a go, except that God let me know it was going to be harder than anything I have done before. It was going to be very tough. The biggest difficulty was not the daily challenges to figure out where and how to jog, to eat and to sleep. Nor was it the financial difficulties I faced form time to time, which were not easy. But the most difficult was the loneliness I had to endure. That was hard. Sometimes it was really hard. And relationship matters were hard as well. There were things I had to fix with God's help. Personal growth is not easy! But it is necessary and well worth the pain.
Many things and methods changed along the way. I started out in a big six-man tent and switched to a van after Vernon Harness suggested it and I prayed about it. After prayer I envisioned a white van, but none was to be had in my area as I wanted to trade my Mercury Sable for one. I ended up checking out a red van and just behind it was a white one, which is the one I still use. Sweet.
Also, I started out with the idea of doing free or donation-based seminars along the way, but that took advanced planning and specific dates and stops. Not for me. I could afford (barely) to skip that part and just focus on my jogging and writing my journal.
I started jogging with a hydration pack with some survival stuff which fit into my hydration pack. I ended up jogging with just my keys, my wallet, I-POD, and a bottle of water. Interestingly though, I started jogging in a jacket and ended jogging in a jacket as well. Amelia Island was chilly in October!
The people I met along the way were fantastic. A few scoundrels, but most were just super folks. Some were rich, some were poor, some had mansions and other were homeless. From kids to seniors, folks were interesting. From the little toddler on the beach who liked the color of my tennis shoes, to Snap Revell, the awesome electric guitar playing worm grunter, to the 90-year old on Marco Island native who served on a destroyer in WWII at Iwo Jima. And so many more. I learned from many of them and hopefully helped a few myself.
And you who have followed me! Wow! Thanks! I still don't know who most of you are and wish you would email me ([email protected]) so I can thank you personally. I hope you will forgive me my misspellings, etc. I appreciate you!
The churches I visited were all interesting. From Pentecostals, Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians to the Casadaga Church of Mediums and the Universalist Church. I leaned much and was able to either prove or disprove my predilections about these churches. But every day I trusted God to guide me to a safe place to sleep at night. And He never failed. (Once in the Keys I was woken up with banging on my van by security but I had earlier sought permission to be there. Afterward, they let me sleep the night there in a different spot.) Sometimes, after settling in for the night I had the feeling I should move, and I did! So, God was with me. Though I am not perfect by any means, I am His child through Jesus, His Son. And He protected me from much. Even sermons were changed for me. I remember one Baptist church I attended on the Panhandle, the pastor said God had lead him to change his sermon just that morning. And that new sermon was for me! I felt it. It was an encouragement from God for me not to let anyone put me down. And I relied on that many times.
Once at Naples, I had the plan to jog in the morning, then do my laundry because it really needed to be done and then jog the first part of Keewaydin Island in the afternoon. But I kept getting the distinct feeling that I should forego the laundry and it was a struggle but I followed and if I wouldn't have followed this feeling, I would have had a hard time jogging that island. As it turned out, it worked out perfect for me. Parking was the key issue and God had His plan for me. He's so Cool!
Living out of the van was wonderful! I had a small library, my wardrobe, pantry and cooking stuff, my fishing gear, sleeping gear, kayak and bicycle. Even now I, when I need to get away for a day or two, I hop in my van and go dancing or something and sleep in the van. It is like a little vacation! Minimizing my life is one of the best things I have done. It gives me freedom from the things I have collected. Very liberating!
Hotels were nice too, especially the bathtub! When I stayed at a hotel I took about four baths a day. Just soaking in hot water. All my muscles could relax, wonderful! And I was the guest of folks a time or two as well.
I wish I could tell you about all the people I met, some of whom I don't even know their names! Like the fellow vacationing with his family from Kansas. When I got done with a jog on the Gulf Coast and danced along the cement jetty, the fellow, without looking up, said, "Get that out of your system, did you?" Hilarious! There were Ron, Jeanice, Sue, Carl, Howard, Deb, Viola, Sharon, Pam,David and Melissa, Cheryl, Levi, Ed, Nancy and many other nice folks who became friends along the way. And many, many others.
There is one thing I really don't know how to express. Towards the latter half of the journey, I seemed to have developed this inner strength. Kind of like iron. Maybe it slowly grew from the day-to-day challenges, maybe it just happened. I don't know, but it is there to stay.
I considered this experience a long overdue sabbatical. (I can actually read a novel again.) Something maybe we should all do from time to time.
Florida is a beautiful state! The national and state parks are fantastic. The plants and animals, especially the birds, dolphins and stingrays. Every day had a surprise to it. I think the dunes and national parks are my favorite places in Florida. So natural.
I have decided on one of four spots to move to when I move down there. St. George Island, Sarasota, Stuart or St. Augustine. Nice folks and nice beaches. I have to include Melbourne as well.
Florida attracts all kinds of people. And I am not a Pollyanna when it comes to Florida. There are some really nice and wonderful folks there. But there are also some of the nastiest, most evil folks there as well. I appreciate the former and stayed clear of the latter.
It wasn't always easy to jog the beaches. Getting accurate information about the next beach(es) was often a challenge. Sometimes I would see one that wasn't marked or mentioned and hop out and jog it. Physically, I had a few back issues that sidelined me for a week or so, my Achilles tendons acted up so much that for the last month or two I hobbled almost everywhere I went when I wasn't jogging. Sometimes, after jogging a few hours I would sit down to rest and then get up to jog some more. Sometimes it took more that one try to get up and get jogging as my back was totally tightened up and I would jog very so slowly until my Achilles tendons were loose again. Often I would have to massage my left hip area to make the pain go away. And it did! By massaging I mean digging my fingers or knuckles into my glute sore spots or pound on it for a while. But it worked! And even though it took it's toll on me I smiled every step the last hundred miles or so. I would do it again, and this time jog NASA as well! In fact, if anyone can get me on the base beaches for a day that would be great!
I counted it up and from January 1, 2011 through Oct. 20, 2011 I have jogged 121 days, 196 jogs, 798 miles of beach, kayaked 17 times and jogged 302 beaches in order. Cool!
I am now back in Ohio, watching my son grow. He is 16 and a father needs to be near at these times in life. My daughter is graduating this year from Ohio University and I am so proud of her. My son plans to matriculate there as well. I hope to take trips to Florida often. But I will only move there when my son is ready for life. Actually we are toying with the idea of taking the summer after he graduates from high school to jog the beaches of the Iberian Peninsula! That sounds like fun, doesn't it?