I traveled about 25 miles today.
Walked the rest of the way around the western side of Lake Okeechobee - never did see an actual lake. Just as we finished by crossing the Kissimmee river, we caught up to Devilfish and Carl. By the way, the bridge over the Kissimmee is Treacherous!!! Absolutely no shoulder. Reports from hikers ahead have been that the Kissimmee river section of trail ahead is waist deep and higher water. This is all cattle country around here. Not wanting to swim through cow piss, I arranged for Mike, a great trail angel, to give me a ride north, skipping this flooded part. Talking with Mike was the highlight of my day. He has done a little hiking and is enjoying meeting the folks hiking the FT this winter while he drives his camper around. The picture is where Mike dropped me off at the beginning of the Three Lakes section which started with a 2 mile walk on a diet road. As soon as I stepped off the road onto the trail it was all water. I took a side trail back to the road which parallels the trail and will walk it through here instead. I expect when I reach the Green Swamp west of the town of Kissimmee that I'll encounter more flooded trail, but I have my fingers crossed. The walk this evening was very nice - just me, a couple deer, and some birds. Finally away from fast traffic and it is very quiet out here far from anyone.