It’s been over a week since I came back to King of Prussia, PA. I’ve been planning to write a gratitude post, but time seems to pass me by and my laziness seems to reach infinity. This is what happens when I’m at home. There’s no obligation to do anything, unlike traveling. However, today is the day that I want to thank everyone who has helped me in the past two months or so. Each person has made my journey to Florida a memorable experience.

I want to start off by thanking my friends, whom I cherish dearly. They include Brooks Gathagan, a coworker and a friend who allowed me to stay at his house in Philadelphia, PA. Brandi and Judy Panbach, who took time from their busy schedule to fit me in for a day at their house in Silver Spring, MD. I’m also grateful for Nick Eng for taking a PTO day so we can spend more time together in DC. Liz Scherrer, for a last minute overnight stay at her house in Alexandria, VA. In Doswell, VA, I reunited with Kathleen Kenney and her husband, Dave. Both of them were a delight to talk to and I’m glad they are back on Warmshowers. A special shout out to Crispin Schamp and his wife, Margery. Crispin drove two hours from Greensboro, NC, to pick me up at Clarksville, VA, so I won’t have to ride in the rain. I ended up spending four days at his place. I hope I didn’t stink like a staled fish. He also drove me to Durham, NC, to drop me off. Thank you so much, Crispin! Lastly, to Ed and Hannah, whose wedding I went to in Gainesville, FL. Thank you to both of you for allowing me to stay for three nights. It was a great wedding and I had a lot of fun! Thank you Ed for helping me box up my bike and ship it via UPS. Also for the ride to the bus station while both you and Hannah had many things to do. Grateful to have both of you as my friends. Lastly, thank you Merritt for the conversations. It was great to step back momentarily from all the traveling to reconnect with home life.

I’m also thankful for all the Warmshowers hosts. Some of them even allowed me to stay an extra night so I can rest more and do some exploring. They include Rodolfo Gomes de Oliveira and Hali of Newark, DE, Sarah Krantz and Jackie of Richmond, VA, Akshay Raghavendra Bharati of Raleigh, NC, Brett Hack, Janice, and Alan of Jacksonville Beach, FL. Jon Blumhagen and Earline of Orlando, FL, allowed me to stay with them for another night when I was trying a catch a flight from Orlando to Philadelphia. Jon even drove me to the airport in the morning. Thank you, Jon!

I want to give a special thanks to James at the Beacon Rescue Mission in Dunn, NC. Thank you for your kindness and generosity to house me for two nights. It was a great experience that I’ll never forget!

To better visualize my Warmshowers hosts, and others who have hosted me, here’s the complete list of my stays.

Dates StayedNights (3/20 - 5/13)LocationNameRelation3/20 - 3/211Philadelphia, PABrooks GathaganFriend3/21 - 3/232Newark, DERodolfo Gomes de Oliveira and HaliWarmshowers3/23 - 3/241Joppatowne, MDStephen FranzoniWarmshowers3/24 - 3/251Middle River, MDMarshall A. Schmidt and ConnieWarmshowers3/25 - 3/261Linthicum Heights, MDDave and Susan EvansWarmshowers3/26 - 3/271Silver Spring, MDBrandi and Judy PanbachFriend3/27 - 3/292Crystal City, VANick EngFriend3/29 - 3/301Alexandria, VALiz ScherrerFriend3/30 - 3/311Prince William Forest Park, VAN/ACamping3/31 - 4/11Fredericksburg, VAGigiAirbnb4/1 - 4/21Doswell, VAKathleen Kenney and DaveFriend4/2 - 4/42Richmond, VASarah Krantz and JackieWarmshowers4/4 - 4/51Dinwiddie, VASmryna Baptist ChurchChurch4/5 - 4/61South Hill, VAGreenwood InnHotel4/6 - 4/104Greensboro, NCCrispin Schamp and MargeryFriend4/10 - 4/111Durham, NCKade SchemahornWarmshowers4/11 - 4/132Raleigh, NCAkshay Raghavendra BharatiWarmshowers4/13 - 4/152Dunn, NCJamesRescue Mission4/15 - 4/161Elizabethtown, NCKnights InnHotel4/16 - 4/171Reigelwood, NCLee Luzader and TamaraWarmshowers4/17 - 4/181Wilmington, NCSteve HamalainenWarmshowers4/18 - 4/191Shallotte, NCFire StationCamping4/19 - 4/201Murrells Inlet, SCDavid WehrleWarmshowers4/20 - 4/211McClellanville, SCHoney Hill Recreation AreaCamping4/21 - 4/232Charleston, SCNotso HostelHostel4/23 - 4/241Beaufort, SCBob and KathyAirbnb4/24 - 4/262Savannah, GAMisty and JoeAirbnb4/26 - 4/271Brunswick, GARed Roof InnHotel4/27 - 4/281St. Marys, GANiki RellonWarmshowers4/28 - 4/291Fernandina Beach, FLRobert Reily and KarenWarmshowers4/29 - 5/12Jacksonville Beach, FLBrett Hack, Janice, and AlanWarmshowers5/1 - 5/21St. Augustine, FLEllen LucasWarmshowers5/2 - 5/31Daytona Beach, FLAna TencheWarmshowers5/3 - 5/41Lake Helen, FLGary KatuinWarmshowers5/4 - 5/5, 5/16 - 5/171Orlando, FLJon Blumhagen and EarlineWarmshowers5/5 - 5/61Withla, FLHenry MeekerWarmshowers5/6 - 5/71Tampa, FLCathi GilmanWarmshowers5/7 - 5/81St. Petersburg, FLRenda and Bill LedererWarmshowers5/8 - 5/91Port Richey, FLGrantAirbnb5/9 - 5/101Brooksville, FLThomas GrayWarmshowers5/10 - 5/111The Villages, FLKeith DennisWarmshowers5/11 - 5/121Ocala, FLRahul RazdanWarmshowers5/12 - 5/131Gainesville, FLJuliane Struve and KaiWarmshowersTOTAL DAYS54

TypesUniqueNightsPercentageFriend61018.52%Warmshowers242851.85%Camping335.56%Airbnb459.26%Church111.85%Hotel335.56%Rescue Mission123.70%Hostel123.70%TOTAL4354100.00%

Last but not least, I want to thank my road angels. Dean and Felicia provided me water while I was on my way to Joppatowne, MD. Inti of Alexandria, VA, paid for my breakfast burrito. Jeremiah of Dinwiddie, VA, bought my dinner and informed me of camping at his church. Lee Luzader, my Warmshowers host who picked me up in Elizabethtown, NC, since I had a broken spoke. Brady, a waiter who paid for half of my lunch at Southport, NC. Brett Hack, my Warmshowers host who adjusted the tension on my spokes. Cathi Gilman, my Warmshowers host who rescued me from the Gandy Bridge due to me having a flat tire. Real, a guy I’ve never met, paid for my breakfast at the diner in Ocala, FL.

I also want to thank my friend and fellow cyclist, Joan O’Connor, for supporting me with $100. And Josh, a stranger from Reddit, who supported me with $50. Thank you so much to both of you!

This trip has been a great success due to people like my friends, Warmshowers hosts, road angels, and even strangers on the internet. I’m so grateful to have encountered so many kind people. It just goes to show that the world is really a better place than what’s shown on the media.

Thank you, all! Here’s to the next great adventure! Cheers.