At Nobles Campsite mosquitoes hung on the tent, waiting for me to emerge. I ate Crunch n Munch for breakfast, hiking through spider webs stretching across the trail, north towards the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation.
On the first Sunday of every month, Big Cypress New Testament Baptist Church offers a free meal for anyone who would like to join. They also allow hikers to camp behind the church, so it was a double blessing for those of us on the Florida Trail who happened to be passing through.
“Giving glory to God,” Pastor Payne reminded the grateful hikers, all of us feeling blessed with their abundant hospitality, even as the church actively works towards fundraising for a shower and laundry house to benefit future hikers.
Staying the night in the backyard of the church gave me a chance catch up with friends, and wake up to deep fried bacon courtesy of @freshgroundleapfrogcafe for the second taste of his #trailmagic
That fueled the walk out of town with @joshua.acey, along the canal, past dozens of alligators, where we ended up camping in the large bubble of friendly hikers still clumped together so early in the trail.
#floridatrail #ftthruhike