Day 4. Out of the swamp and meeting "Shoeless"

Thank God Island (MM 26.3) to Nobles camp (MM 35.7) 9.4 miles total.

Breakfast: 2 steel cut oats, pack of freeze dried apples.
Lunch: (at I-75 rest stop) coconut bar, vanilla wafers, Doritos. Water.
Dinner: hot ramen with turkey jerkey while walking up and down to prevent mosquitos from biting me. (Yes, I have Picardin but didn't want to slather anything on me before bedtime)

Today was a gorgeous day to walk. After a restful night at Thank God Island, NewBear and I put on our wet socks and shoes back on and ventured to finish walking thru the swamp.

New Bear has a faster pace than me so he was ahead but he always stopped to wait after a while or before a tricky blaze area, which I truly appreciated.

NewBear waits for me in the distance.

I passed by Ivy camp .5 mile north of our start. The 4 mile trek out to the I-75 rest stop was mostly the same as the previous day: water or thick mud. I have been told the water level is very low this year, as it only came to our knees at most and not to hip or chest level as it has been in years past for some. For this, I am grateful as my DIY bag (aka "The dead man") is not 100% water proofed at the moment.

Ignore the thread in front of the lense. Can you see the footprint? Someone hiked this section barefoot recently!

Today I saw a harmless rat snake friend sunning around mile 28. It was beautiful and minding its happy business, just like me. 😀

As we approached the gate at I-75, we signed the Trail's register and celebrated our accomplishment by taking commemorative photos.

Hikers are expected to add their names and dates of entry/exit at specific locations.

Me, 30 miles wiser

A very happy NewBear!

 Once at the rest stop, we charged electronics, mended feet, washed shoes and feet, ate a little something and rested for about an hour.

Heading back into the Preserve after crossing I-75

Another trail register awaits Hikers after crossing I-75

As we walked along the canal back into the park across I-75,  we saw 2 large aligators, some unidentified  animal remains and pretty large bear scat.

👣

Once at our destination, we met Terry Riley, AKA "Shoeless". I recognized his feet immediately from the footprints I had noticed in the mud just a few miles back.

"Shoeless" is 63 years old and on his 3rd attempt to complete the trail. In the past, he has gotten as far as Ocala National Forest but damage to his feet by road surface and health issues  have prevented  him from finishing it. He now uses Xero shoes for road walks. A retired US Navy man of 32 years, hikes barefoot on anything other  than asphalt and rocks, loves to wear the color orange, a kilt and does not use a stove. His wife is also retired from the US Navy. "Shoeless" wears a Road ID tag on his left ankle and backpack, "in case they find my foot somewhere", he said.
"Shoeless" also told us about Warrior hikes, a program that sponsors veterans to hike the Florida Trail.
 It was a pleasure and an honor to share a quiet and informative night with "Shoeless" at camp.

Terry Riley, AKA "Shoeless" ready to  walk.

Unlike "Shoeless", neither of us carries a bear canister, so we had to search for an adequate tree branch to hang our loaded food bags. There were none around to do the job, so we ended up placing them as high as we could on the thickest branches we could reach, settling for the possibility of loosing our rations in exchange of a quiet night in our tents some distance away.

Nobles camp,  FNST. MM (Mile Marker) 35.7

Listening  for sounds of soft paws on crunchy leaves and swarms of mosquitoes above imy tent, I fell asleep early and easily. I woke up at midnight ready to pack my tent and start walking again. It is funny, how being in nature fools your perception of time.

Follow "Shoeless" on
FaceBook: Chief Shoeless
IG: Chief Shoeless