Trippin' with Susan Straley

I am writing this from Starbucks in the Miami, Florida area on Monday, October 14, 2019. We are staying at the Midway Campground in the Everglades.  Located 1/2 way between Naples Florida and Miami.  The highway (highway 41) is called the Tamiami Trail.  It is named for the two cities it connects, Tampa and Miami. Jim McCrae said they are raising up Highway 41 in places so that the flat-flowing river that is the Everglades will be able to flow better.  So far the places being raised are on the Miami end.  I drove over them this morning. The campground has electric!  I am glad for that so I can cook my meals, make a morning coffee.  There is water at the bathroom.  The RV's don't have a sewer hookup or a dump station.  So their time here is limited. Also, being in the middle of a very large wilderness area, there is no cell service and no internet.  Once in a while my phone would ping and I would see a message come in.  Most often I could not reply because the service ju

I learned years ago that fear and excitement can be the same physical reaction in the body.  What really makes the difference is the label we put on those feelings. The little bike tour I am about to do is nothing.  I am riding my bike to the airport, flying to Wisconsin and riding my bike to my sister's house. What is that compared to what women and men have done and are now doing around the world?   Walking across and living in the Western prairies like the pioneers did?  That took guts. I know of two women today (Katherine Zimmerman and Sylvia Halpern) who have triked through foreign countries with oppressive governments, few women's rights, and rampant poverty.  Yet they not only survived but enjoyed the experience. Some of my friends say they are "afraid" for me on my minor trek.  What does that mean? Are they not excited about the adventure?  Do they only picture the bad possibilities and none of the good? I heard a podcast recently and it said that