Trippin' with Susan Straley

  Sometimes I make good decisions.   Do I do better that 50%? Hmmmm. I made a good decision when I decided to visit Jean Hawks on my journey north.   Jean is a more recent friend of mine. Of course we met through trike riding. I don’t remember ever meeting someone so passionate about their career.   Jean, at 72 is a psychologist.   She specializes in treating people who have experienced trauma.   She is fascinated by the stories and delighted by the people she chooses to treat. We were going to camp together along with her husband at Paul B Johnson State Park near Hattiesburg and ride the Rail Trail there.   But their RV needed some repairs, so Keith went off across country to get the repairs done and I ended up sleeping in their guest room.   Sleeping very well, I might add. Jean took me for a trike ride around part of the reservoir near their home.   It was mostly trail.   I got to meet her friend, Sandy.   Jean

 Greetings from Alafia River State Park,  This trip is almost over and I haven't had a chance to write to you.  First I was soaking up Sanibel.  After that we were in the Everglades at Midway Campground.  We didn't have cell or WiFi service.  We were out in the boonies! What I will tell you is the island is full of no-see-ums.  The Everglades has fire ants and mosquitos.  So spending time outside sitting especially at dawn or dusk is asking for lots of tiny bites.  I got tons on my ankles, feet, legs, and arms.   I have used a lemon-grass oil and Off for keeping them from biting.  After being bitten I have used after-bite, Benedryl cream, and cortisone cream to keep me from scratching all the skin off my extremities.  I think the natives in the old times must have coated themselves with swamp mud to keep the bugs from driving them insane. Sanibel Last I wrote you I was in Periwinkle Campground on Sanibel Island, Florida.   The folks I met up with (from Polk City, FL near the Va