Day 6: October 5, 2009

Starting out at the Escambia/Santa Rosa County line with thunderstorms on every horizon, I lace up my walking shoes and head east on 90--It's Milton or bust.

Ten steps away from the air conditioned interior of my wife's car, the humidity and trapped fumes of Pensacola traffic are like a shot to the gut. I can tell this is going to be a rough day. Then, as I encounter a dead rattlesnake on the side of the highway up ahead, I am reminded that the day will in fact be tough but am oddly comforted by the fact that I'm not the only one crazy enough to crawl these highways.

After seeing the snake, my attention is divided between the dangers on the road and in the grass. And, as I move, I am enveloped by the constancy of hot, moist air. Without a doubt, this is the hardest stretch of walking I’ve done so far.

Through the heat and distraction of danger, I manage to find encouragement through thoughts of my father and the purpose of my walk. I know he had days like the one I'm having; days that were probably more the rule than the exception. I grit my teeth and push on.

There really is no glory in this walk, just sweat and constant pain in my Achilles. No one is honking or waving, no one even really knows why I’m walking outside of what is publicized. So, it’s lonely out on the road and I think, “Faith isn’t always easy to have, not while you’re doing what I am.”

After a while, I break for some southern food. I get fried chicken, black eyed peas, and corn bread from one of Santa Rosa’s finest country restaurants. My son, Geoff, and I joke about hitting every local food gem from here to Miami—my spirits lift as we laugh at the thought.

After lunch, I get back on highway 90 and the traffic abounds. I focus on the task at hand, the walk toward Milton. Ultimately, I arrive. Milton’s historic structures and comely feel take the wind out of me, a most unexpected feeling, but one that is good and will serve as a memory of a goal accomplished.

At my next stop, I believe the worth of today’s walk is realized when we visit Families Count, an organization headed by a woman named Cate Jordan, that is actively seeking to transform today’s at-risk youth into tomorrow’s young leaders. I was inspired by these young people and the training they receive to deal with and offer creative solutions to everyday realities they face.

Families Count- I’ll dedicate the miles I just completed to this program and hope to use Worst To First to become a champion for the lives they are changing within the Milton, Florida community.