DAY 7

March 21, 1999

I woke up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain in my left
knee.  So I'll be here for at least another day.

I've had a history of problems with both my knees from running and mountain biking accidents.  One mountain bike accident found me airborne at 50mph and landing on my right knee.  The impact rotated my pelvis and caused a slight leg length discrepancy.     My left shoulder has been dislocated a couple of times and it always hurts when I overwork it.  As a Physical Therapist, I'm my own worst patient.   :)

I got a cup of coffee with the complimentary continental breakfast.  You know those are the worst and cheapest breakfasts' ever.  Anyway, after I drank the coffee, I filled the empty Styrofoam cup with water and put it in the freezer.  Oh yeah, the room has a small fridge with a freezer and a microwave.  Later I can tear some of the cup away from the ice and use that for an ice massage to my left knee.

Hobbling over to the grocery store I was constantly reminded about going up and down curbs with a hurt leg.  Up with the good and down with the bad.  I stood at the magazine rack reading magazines when I realized I got a big caffeine buzz from that small cup of coffee.  I haven't had any caffeine in over a week, and caffeine has always been my daily addiction.

I bought a phone card, skin lotion, and small zip lock bags to put the "cup of soups" in.  Yesterday evening I bought quite a few soups that come in their own cup and I transferred these to the zip lock bags.  I also got some instant mashed potatoes, "Vigo" flavored rice (those are sooo  good),  Oatmeal and powdered Gatorade.

I went for a swim in the pool and then went back inside to ice my knee some more.   Lynn called while I was watching TV and offered to pick me up and said I could use her computer to access my e-mail and submit my journal entries.      KEWL!!  :)

She picked me up about 12:30 and we drove to the KOA and got a guide to all the KOA campgrounds across the US and drove to the lake for a view.  We then went to her cabin, which is on the lake and is very nice.  She lives in a small group of log cabins in a small wooded area.  The whole place here seems quaint and peaceful by the water. We spent the afternoon hanging out in her cabin.  I e-mailed my journal entries while Lynn studied.  She's Canadian and will be taking a test soon for her citizenship.  We then sat outside for a little while and talked.  That was until I wimped out because I was getting a bit chilly with the sun setting and the cool breeze.

Lynn treated me to pizza at a local pizza place and we discussed the area here.  She reinforced what I heard before about Belle Glade and Pahokee, Miami would be much safer to bike through.  We talked about the different personalities (what I call rednecks) in south Florida and how she came to live here.  She's traveled to many places including all over Europe and has found where she is now to be comfortable at this time in her life.  This home is the one constant in her life right now.  She has 2 grown kids and some grandkids as well.

I hope I get to meet more people like Lynn on this trip.  Although I was initially skeptical, after our phone conversation, this turned out to be a good stop on my trip.   She has a very dynamic and animated personality, a truly sincere, caring and wonderful person.  Once we began talking about people and life in general it was hard to find a stopping point.  Lynn seems to be a talker much like myself.  She dropped me off at my motel room and I showed her my bike, trailer and some of the gear I was using on this journey.  We said goodbye to each other and I was on my way.  I will be meeting her friend Sally at the cyber-cafe in the morning.

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