St. Augustine

I can see why people come to Florida. For one, though I've been to the ocean a few times, on and off, until now I've never really spent much time near it, and the longer that I do the more I enjoy it. A lot of my route, for the past few days especially, on highway A1A, is essentially right on the water, with nothing in between the road and the beach, and around noon, when the sun really starts to bake, it's a welcome relief to jot over and splash around for a while. The inland river is close by, too, now, and last night I camped in the dunes near its inlet.
Certainly people have been taking care of me. Sunday, after staying the night in my tent, by the road, I walked a few miles before stopping by a church a little before noon, where I found myself invited to a pot-luck lunch. Later in the day, in the town of New Smyrna Beach, a family saw me walking down the street and called me over. I was fed another meal, and given the offer to stay for the night, but I decided to walk another few miles before turning in behind a church.
Tuesday, after visiting the library in the morning, I was picked up by an older guy name Paul, a retired New York school teacher who took me to his boat club. I took a shower and then we got on his boat and rode around the waterway for an hour before getting lunch at a place just off the dock. Afterwards, Paul took me back to the corner where he picked me and sent me on my way with a hug.
And Wednesday night, walking down the highway a little beyond Flagler Beach, I was called over by a couple named Oliver and Leanne, and their baby daughter Trinity. They seem to be fellow adventuring spirits, and they fed me dinner and supplied me with the fourth book of the trip, as I'd just finished reading my last.
So yes, I'm finding plenty of people who go out of their way to make my day, and I feel strong, and I'm walking well. Timothy comes over Sunday, and I'm looking forward to it immensely.