The Florida trail is unique in that it hosts a kick off event each year allowing hikers to meet other aspiring Florida trail thru hikers. A large section of a campground is rented. Thirty or more volunteers show up. Multiple tents are erected with multiple grills, warming dishes and numerous tables loaded with food. Hikers who have completed the trail give words of advice to those of us who might be experienced hikers but who have never spent days walking through muddy, alligator infested swamps. More food than even thirty aspiring thru hikers could eat is dished out, and we are driven to the trailhead with words of good wishes.

The kick off event began on January 7 this year. While some people chose to leave on the morning of the eighth, I decided to wait until the ninth. I knew I could use the day to transition. I had no idea what a special day it would become.

Steve Brindle also known as Blueberry, which is the Trail name he was given when he thru hiked the Appalachian Trail, drove an hour from his home to pick me up where my car was left. He drove me the three more hours to the kickoff event. To eliminate the need for me to pay for camping, Blueberry shared his campsite with me. He informed me that if I wanted to, he would take me on an airboat ride in the morning. I had no idea what an airboat was, but thought it sounded like a great plan so it around nine in the morning we left to go on the ride.

Steve had booked a package deal which included not only an airboat ride through the mangrove swamps, but also a ticket to see an alligator show which included getting to pet and hold baby alligators. it also included a much longer boat ride through the 10,000 Island which is part of the Florida Everglades National Park. We enjoyed a lovely tour of the area and got to see a number of pods of dolphins swimming along with us. I also got to learn about some of the native history of the area.

After our boat tour, we stopped for a late lunch. While I didn’t kill and skin it as I did with the rattlesnake I ate when thru hiking the Pacific Crest trail in the 1980’s, I did get to finally eat alligator. I can’t say for sure what the chewy morsels tasted like since it came batter fried, but I can say for certain that this day is another that will be added to my gratitude list. Between my Mary Christmas and my spectacular sendoff, the Florida Trail is already exceeding any expectations I had.

I am grateful to be better at accepting kindness without feeling guilty or undeserving, realizing that my entire life I felt guilty and unworthy of accepting gifts of kindness, knowing there would be a price I was expected to pay later on. This was true in my childhood as well as in my marriage and I always had a difficult time relaxing into kindness witout fearing the end results. But all of these trail angel gifts guve so freely with no expectations has helped me shed those old fears and step into the present accepting what comes my way with open armed gratitude knowing I want to pass it on to others at every chance I get.

I am making conscious memories of these days to help me through any difficulties I might encounter on the trail.

#thru hike #thruhiker #nationalscenictrails #floridatrail #iceagetrail #iat #connecticutriverpaddlerstrail #appalachiantrail #pct #azt #arizoniatrail #pnt #pacificnorthwesttrail #potomacheritagetrail #phnst #ptsd #did #251club #kindness