You might remember my blogs documenting my journey in the Florida Keys on Day 87, Day 88, Day 89, Day 90, Day 91, Day 92, Day 93 and Day 94 of the Trust Tour. My goal was to travel the 100 miles from Key Largo to Key West. It was an intentional intervention in my life to change the way I treat my body. My blood pressure is up and the doctors are warning me of the long term effects. My original idea was to walk the entire 100 miles. I heard about the a new overseas trail that had been created. A friend told me it was an awesome hike. I decided it was for me, it was warm, beautiful and flat. So I got started and made some good time. However as I approached the halfway mark in Marathon Key my feet began to swell and blister. I did not want to change my goal of making it to Key West, so I decided to buy a $100.00 K-Mart bike and ride it the rest of the way. Only a few miles into my ride, over 7 mile Bridge, my front wheel began to develop a shimmy. I found out there was a bike shop up ahead at Big Pine Key. (this is where all the small deer are)
I stopped, went inside and met Marty the owner. Marty took a look at my bike, fixed it up and did not charge me a penny (pay it forward) . He asked me where I was going and seemed to be amused by my story. He told me it was a bit dangerous, one should be careful. In fact, there was a man who had been hit by a car while riding his bike only a day before. He was a man who currently had limited resources and was living in a sailboat. Marty asked me what I was going to do with the bike when I got to Key West. I told him I was going to find someone that needed it and give it to them (pay it forward). I asked about this guy Randy that was hit by the car and if we could get the bike back here to Pine Key? Marty told me his wife worked at the bank in Key West and she could pick up the bike and bring it back to Randy. It was a perfect solution; Marty helped me and I could in turn help somebody else. We arranged for the transfer (a lot of trust happening here )
Marty took a few pictures and here they are… Randy is on the left and Marty is on the right. If you are ever in Pine Key stop by and say hi to both of them for me! Remember to Pay It Forward!!
