Update #3 - Jan 11th, 2003
Satellite Beach, FL - 417.92 miles (668.7 kms.)

The first week on the road went really well. It was great seeing some old friends in the Vero Beach area. From Vero Beach, I headed south to North Palm Beach. I used my new headlight some. In Jupiter, I got stopped by a couple in a car who asked me if I wanted some pizza. They were going home from a pizzaria and they had four slices. They pulled over and gave them to me along with a soda. Several miles down the road, I stopped at a Catholic Retreat Center to see if I could find a place to put down my sleeping bag. I talked to the night watchman. There wasn't any room since they were having a Bishop's conference but I was surprised at getting fifty dollars. I used it to get a motel room several more miles down the road.

The next day, I rode through the West Palm Beach and Palm Beach area. It was something else to see all of the new houses being built along Millionaire's Row. I got as far as Highland Beach when I got the feeling that I should turn around and head north. Earlier in the day, I heard on the radio that a major court case was starting where eleven police officers were up for corruption. There was talk of potential race problems. I didn't think that I needed to get into the middle of things there. I turned around and got on U.S. 1 and stopped at low cost motel to get a room in South West Palm Beach.

The next day saw me backtracking my route to Jensen Beach. I got to the First Baptist Church about halfway through the prayer service. The pastor there was really friendly. He offered to get me a motel room but since there were none available in Jensen Beach he got me one in Stuart and arranged for a ride there.

The next two nights, I used my tent outside of Orchid on Sebastian Island and then near Satellite Beach. Today, I'll be backtracking my route through Patrick Air Force Base and Merritt Island to Titusville. I hope to be at least to the small town of Mims on U.S. 1 before dark. I will not be able to get back on FL. A1A till Daytona Beach. I have some friends in the Jacksonville Beach area that I hope to visit with.

After Jacksonville Beach, I will be crossing into Georgia and then crossing the state in the southern section. I'll be crossing back into Florida around Tallehassee and then taking the Gulf Coast route through Apalachicola, Panama City, and Pensacola, FL on the way to New Orleans. Eventually, I'll be making my way along the Southern route to California.