LOUISVILLE, KY

Henry picked me up on time and we drove down the interstate while talking about my Trek, life goals, American society, work, and what in life makes one truly happy.

Henry asked about my health and I commented about how difficult it has been to make my way thru IN. Hwy 31 was a major thoroughfare thru IN and had paved shoulders to walk on but no grass or gravel to spare my feet the punishment. He made a casual statement about if I had an opportunity to change my initial plan to incorporate a vehicle, would I choose to do so? I immediately replied that that wasn't an option because of the things I might miss because of moving "so fast." He countered with, "what about the things you may be missing because you are limited by range due to exploring by only walking?" I had to concede his point. An example is how I missed seeing the House on the Rock while traveling thru WI. Another point of contention is the the difficulty to stay in campgrounds due to their locations so far out of city limits.

Upon arriving in Louisville, we said our farewells and I thanked him for the ride and his recommendation. I gave it a lot of thought after he dropped me off; I hadn't made any decisions at that point, but I did know I couldn’t continue any more on my feet. Some of my toes are still numb, my ankles ache, and my arches are sensitive to the touch. Everything feels bruised and abused. I also can't wait out the recovery in hotels any longer due to the cost. I have decided to trade off the expense of hotel rooms for a rental car.

After a day of coordination and planning I will call a rental car agency and set up a ride for the rest of the trip. One option was to fly directly to FL which wouldn't allow me to see what I initially set out to do. Another was to purchase a used car, but that is problematic due to paperwork and other registration issues. Also, it wasn't cost effective or timely.

So, with the decision made, I will set out on Fri in a rental car and enjoy the remaining half of my trip by driving the same route I would have walked and continue to take the time to enjoy the sites I would have normally seen while on foot.