BLOG 108—Heading Toward the North

(Do you wander or just wonder?)

With my words, I hope to throw some oblique light upon your life.

By writing this blog I want to inspire you to see life in a different and/or better way and find joy how you can.

*** Remember, to read past blog posts, go to kitsummers.com/blog/
*** If you are reading this through Facebook, check out my blog on my website.
*** If you are not my Facebook friend, yet, please befriend me.
*** The freedom I am experiencing in my travels is a marvelous thing!
*** Going where I want, when I want, and seeing wonderful places and people.
*** I will have places to show you and tales to tell.
*** I will have secrets to unfold and good news!

I WANT TO TAKE YOU AWAY WITH ME

ON WONDERFUL ADVENTURES!

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INTRO TO THIS WEEK >>

As you might be able to tell, I greatly enjoy my travels. I hope my weekly blog writings are adding to your life. As I am trying to add to your life, you must help others as you can.

Yes, as I have and continue to do, you can overcome life’s challenges and always keep moving forward. You must enjoy each day to the fullest — no matter what might happen. Joy is your main aim in life for a joyful existence.

I found out this week that Tina no longer wants me to communicate with her. We had a great love for about eight years, and now it is just gone forever. For me, once you left someone, there should always be that love there somewhere. What do you think?

I’ve been thinking about some of the girls and women I’ve been with in my life. Carol and Karen and Tina and others. We had a strong bond and love between us, now they want nothing to do with me. It just seems so strange to me that any love or caring just goes away.

Mary Ellen and I were together for about 30 years, 23 of those years married. We will always have a connection because of our lovely daughters, Jasmine and April. I will always care about my family.

WORDS TO INSPIRE YOU! >>
Inspirational quotes and motivational sayings have an amazing ability to change the way we feel about life and can change our thinking.

This is why I find them so interesting, challenging, and important on our path to joy and happiness and finding ways to inspire yourself. Inspirational quotes provide us with a quick and timely burst of wisdom to get our focus back, offering the inspiration needed for the day or occasion.

I hope to inspire you with my words.

To the right, I am relearning how to juggle after
my first accident. I could not stand or walk at this point. 

Words have power.

You see, the way you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about what is possible for you, determine everything that happens in your life. It all derives from your quality of thinking.

When you improve the quality of your thinking, you change the quality of your life—sometim0es instantly!

Just as positive words can make someone smile, and/or, a well-timed humorous quote can make someone laugh, your own thoughts react to the world in real-time. You have this control.

You have complete control over only one thing in the universe — your thinking — and that’s where motivational quotes come in!

To be successful, you have to use each day as an opportunity for improvement, to be better, to get a little bit closer to your goals. It might sound like a lot of work—and with your busy schedule, next to impossible.

But the best part is, the more you accomplish, the more you’ll want to do, the higher you’ll want to reach. So as long as you have the hunger for success, you will always have the power within you to achieve it.

Self-talk is so important—THINK RIGHT!
Motivational words, yes, they’re just words.
But they’re positive words; they will keep you on track.

I hope the words I pick do help you.
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BE INSPIRED BY THESE WORDS>>

1. Nothing lasts forever but at least we got these memories. – J. Cole
2. Don’t you know your imperfections is a blessing? – Kendrick Lamar
3. Reality is wrong, dreams are for real. – Tupac
4. To live will be an awfully big adventure. – Peter Pan
5. Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. – Maya Angelou
6. There is no substitute for hard work. – Thomas Edison
7. What consumes your mind controls your life – Unknown
8. Strive for greatness. – Lebron James
9. Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are. – Kurt Cobain
10. And still, I rise. – Maya Angelou
11. The time is always right to do what is right. – Martin Luther King Jr.
12. Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. – Rumi
13. May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. – Nelson Mandela

Now, it’s time to get out there and do
something incredible that you can rejoice in! =================================

MY DAILY JOTTINGS >>

2/27—Back at the Naranja Library. At this library, I can get wifi outside and they have an electrical outlet outside, which I am plugged into now.

I wrote before, every Saturday it is like my life is just starting out again; this time even more. I have my computer back and there is nothing to hold me back from going anywhere, I just don’t know where I want to go. And, I went to the laundromat yesterday and all clothes are clean.

In the last month, I have had too much city, too many people. I had to get away, off I went back to The Everglades. Back to nature, how I like it.

I arrived in the afternoon at Shark Valley (where there are no sharks and there is no valley.) This is where, when I was here last, I grabbed an Alligator by the tail and held him for a time. I parked in a nice spot, opened a beer, and I am writing to you.

Here is about Shark Valley, enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-m_cvCtkw8

Did you know there is nowhere anywhere in the world like The Everglades?

This unique landscape is beautiful, mysterious, and wild; a joy to see. You will see tropical and temperate species flourish side-by-side in these beauteous lands.

Since the beginning, humans have imposed on the Everglades, much. Dredging, killing, changing, which has done much harm. Now they are reconstructing, and, hopefully, things will settle in in a better way.

Made my way down Burns Road, where I had seen a sign for a campground at Burns Lake. A very nice area. Huge mobile homes that seemed to be permanent residents were all around. Found a campsite, but, because of so much swamp around here, I could not find wood for a fire. And, you know how I like my fires.

Made a big salad (and you know how I like my daily salad), poured a glass of wine, and now I am sitting in comfort.

I expect it will be very quiet and dark tonight, just how I like it. I’ll take this over any big city in the world.

2/28—YES—today is my birthday! I heard from many, it was a great day for me.

I found another campground and drove in. Seemed to be many long-term people set up and staying here, too, in their huge motor homes. It was a big open grass-covered area. I found a spot and parked, I thought for the night.

In looking for firewood it seemed that there was not much. A lot of swamp land around. That is the main reason I get a site at a campground, to build a big fire.

It ended up that a guy chased me off, he wanted me to go to a pay site. Yes, I can understand, but, if I’m not going to have a fire, I’m not going to pay for a site. So I just moved down the road and found an even better place in which to park and sleep. All alone.

On my way down Route 41, I stopped by Shark Valley once again. Like I wrote before, there are no sharks and there is no valley. Did a shorter bike ride today.

As I was exiting, I stopped by the place where I held that alligator by the tail briefly. I looked and there was another one in the water right next to the one-foot embankment.

I sat down, stuck my foot out, and touched his back solidly. He didn’t like that much at all. At least I got him to move. It was quick, not harassing for the gator.

Driving down Route 41, I turned it off at a Visitor Center. This place had Wi-Fi available and somewhere I can plug in. So I spent a couple of hours and worked on stuff. I was also able to fill my water containers with safe drinking water. This stop made me happy.

Then I went to Everglades City, where I am now. I am at the library where I can get on their wifi. Also, I’ll be sleeping here tonight.

Earlier, I saw the temperature in the van is over 38c (100 degreesf). And now at 7 p.m., it is around 94f. As the night comes it will get cooler and more comfortable. Hope you sleep well tonight, I will.

It is Sunday night. I am parked at the library in Everglades City. I will sleep here tonight. Spoke with my daughters, April and Jasmine, today on the phone, always nice.

I heard from over 200 Facebook friends. That was a nice surprise, so many wishing me happy birthday.

I had a great day today, alone, but you were with me.

3/1-2—Something I don’t love are mosquitoes! A few had gotten into the van. You might know that I don’t like to kill anything. But These blood-sucking little vampires are too much. I already itch all over my body, can’t take much more. So when I hear one near my head I kill it. There are still a few in here, though.

No idea where I’m going, but I’ll get there.

The van was making sounds like before. I decided to go back to Alan and ET auto repair to have them check it out. Also, I had to have the air conditioning fixed (it’s not worked for months, I get very hot) and got an oil change. So, only 100 bucks later and I’m driving with a smile.

My computer is working superbly.
The van—Excellent.
My bike—Fabulous.
The unicycle—Great.
Nothing to hold me back, I just don’t know where to go next.

I’ve done both coasts of Florida, I’ve also done the middle. I decided to go back to Big Cypress national park. I do like it here. It will be north from here tomorrow. So close to Miami, but I am sure there are many who grew up in Miami who never have seen Big Cypress Park, that is a sad thing.

I stopped by Shark Valley to ride the bike again. I really love that bike, it really gets me there. Then further down Route 41, then turned down Country Road 94. Driving along, I saw a turn-off for a campground and then went to take a look.

I have not seen them very often, alligators that were about 1 foot long, – little guys. I was thinking about picking one up by the tail and just holding them there, but I didn’t after all. I really don’t want to harass the animals.

I could tell there is not much wood for the fire around So I went down the road with to look for more wood. It is so swampy in the whole area it’s hard to find dry dead wood. I continued down the road and saw a turnoff, so I took it.

This area is way away from everyone. I may be here for the night. I will get wood and have a fire. There is no fire-ring, of course, I will just do my fire on the ground.

I went a gathering wood and came up with much for the fire. There’s a lot out there to obtain when I need more. So, a happy boy am I.

It’s so interesting how watching a fire is so hypnotic. You don’t really focus anywhere you just see you through the fire, fascinating.

While looking forward, I took a walk to see what was down the road. I got to the end of the road just a little way down and found it locked and chained up. It looks as though no one will be on the road tonight except for me. And that’s how I like it. Alone out in the wilderness!

When I park I always try and leave my vehicle pointed in the way I will be exiting. So, after turning around, I’m all lined up to leave in the morning. I do like it here, could stay here forever?

Seemed that the mosquitoes thought the open door was an invitation to come in. So I closed up the doors and I’m currently killing the ones that I can. I’ve been bit up too much – I itch, much. Interesting when you smack a mosquito you know the red is your blood.

In my little hidden away place in the forest, I was hoping to see some animals. At least, perhaps, an orangutan or a zebra or a Cheeta (I know, wrong spelling for the cat. I had dated someone with that name back in high school. I looked her up on Facebook and we reconnected.) But no such luck for any animals, though. Wouldn’t that had been nice!

I was going to wait till morning, but I felt dirty and hot. So I did the shower outside the van as I do. Yes, Kit, naked to the world. I do I feel much better now.

My whole time out here in big cypress Wilderness I saw no vehicles and no people. Very pleasant, nice.

3/3—Moved out of the wilderness into a library in Naples. I was connected for a while working on stuff. Then I went to get some food from a couple of different food banks, both were closed. I will go again tomorrow. But, I keep enough food on board to last me a couple of weeks, so I will be alright.

As you might remember, last year I did not eat, at all, for a full week. I only drank green tea. I am thinking about doing the same thing again, this time for two weeks.

What do you think about the idea?

Will you do it with me?

I found a resort area, golf course, that is completely shutdown. The greens are looking shabby. I went gathering wood for my wood stove and did some juggling, I think I will be here for the night. But, it is only 2 in the afternoon, so a little early to settle in.

There is a McDonald’s within a mile from here, perhaps I will go there and get online, I will let you know.

3/4—I was at a McDonald’s on their wi-fi around dinner time. But I didn’t fall for it and get a meal at McDonald’s. I went out to the van I made up my dinner which is actually quite good.

I decided to go into the town of Naples to look for a food bank or two. I found one that was open on the day I was there. This place gave me so much food, all good, have enough to last me at least one or two weeks.

Two loaves of good bread.
Two containers with cut-up fresh fruit.
Meats, four different kinds.
6 different kinds of cheese.
Bagels.
Cookies.
Some fresh fruit some fresh veggies.
All in excellent condition at no cost to me.
Good food I get from the banks.

Parked in an empty lot, a guy came up and told me I could not park there. He even threatened to call the cops on me. I said to him, what harm am I causing? Then I just drove away.

It took me a while, but I finally found another place where I could park and sleep. Should not be bothered here, hopefully.

Driving along Route 41, the Tamiami Trail, I thought I’d turn off for the Collier Seminole State Park. I found out it was four bucks for you then and at first I thought naa. But I paid the fee and I am loving it here.

I went for a bike ride, a unicycle ride, a walk. Boy, I’m really giving my money’s worth. I think I’ll stay where I am and sleep overnight here, too. There is a campground, but I’m going to see if I can slip in and just parked. Also, showers were available, so I did. So clean and fresh now.

On the grill, I cooked up a chicken burger and two ears of corn. Have you ever cooked corn directly on the coals? It makes the best-tasting corn you will ever have! You’ve got to try it sometime.

Spent all day Here at Collier Seminole State Park. Well worth the 4 bucks to get in.

Take a look, it’s fabulous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxSeZvp6eHI

3/5—On to Costco for a gas fill-up as I am heading toward the north. My friend, Phyllis told me about Siesta Key, up near Sarasota. I will be heading up to check it out. Stopped by a fantastic library in Ft. Myers Beach, where I am currently getting my blog out to you.

I’m lonely out here, I would love to hear from you.

Either through Facebook or email, kitsummers@gmail.com

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MY CHALLENGE FOR YOU THIS WEEK >>

Remember when you used to love reading books? This week, pick a book and start reading.My favorite book is, “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior” by Dan Millman. I love this book, it can change your life.

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NEXT BLOG>>

Will be heading toward the north and Fiesta Key. I think I, and you, will like that place.

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