Summer 2015 PDF - Florida Trail Association

Transcription

INSIDE: FTA AWARDS 2015 STATEWIDE AND CHAPTER WINNERS
FOOTPRINT
Magazine
Summer 2015 Volume 32 Issue 3
Where
Wilderness
Takes Over
The Lopin’ Gopher
Railroad
Building A
New Trail
and Bridge
Trailblazers Tackle
Critical Project at
Camp Blanding
Transit
Relay Hike
An Experience
Backpacking the
FNST
Florida Trail
Association
Footprint
Summer 2015
1
Cover Photo: Pam Hale
hiking with baby Ben Hale
in 1981. Photo taken by
Joe Hale.
Inside Cover: Anonymous
2
Florida Trail Association
FloridaTrail.org
Contents
Departments and Features
DEPARTMENTS
5President’s
Message
7 Forward Footsteps
9Membership
Matters
10 Thank You
14 Passing of the Blaze
15 Volunteer Spotlight
9
18 Building a New
FEATURES
7 Florida Trail
Association Trail
Staff and Our
Trail Volunteers
by Tom Daniel
9 2015 Membership
Recruitment
Announcement
by Eve Barbour
12 Where Wilderness
10
28 Completing the
15 31
FNST in Orange &
Osceola Counties
by Megan Eno
by Doug Alderson
33 The Florida Trail
by Megan Donoghue
Key West
by Ed Talone
by Roy Moore
End to End
16
Footprint
31
A family’s journey
along the Trail
33
by Sandra Friend
38 A Little Respect
16 A Walk from
28
2015 Ocean to Lake
Backpacking Trip
Takes Over
A Chat with Eric, who
volunteers with the
Panhandle Chapte
18
members
15 Eric Lewis
by Janie Hamilton
Chapter’s
Transit Relay Hike
by Apalachee Chapter’s
Association Awards
2015 State-wide and Chapter
Award Winners.
Trail and Bridge
in Camp Blanding
22Apalachee
7
10 Florida Trail
18 North Florida
Trailblazers
21 News from the North
22 The Transit Tales
28 Southern Scoop
31Loxahatchee
Lowdown
33 Book Review
35Chapters
Goes a Long Way
by Sandra Friend &
John Keatley
Summer 2015
3
Footprint
The Magazine of the Florida Trail Association
FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION
5415 SW 13th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608
Toll-Free: 877-HIKE-FLA
Tel: 352-378-8823
email: [email protected]
website: FloridaTrail.org
Facebook.com/FloridaTrailAssociation
Digital Magazine: Issuu.com/FlaTrail
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Carlos Schomaker
VP Trails: Tom Daniel
VP Outreach/Development: Holly Parker
VP Membership: Eve Barbour
Secretary: Leslie Wheeler
Treasurer: Pam Hale
Directors: Eve Barbour • Christopher Boykin
David Denham • Megan Digeon • Gary Knecht
Jim Powell • Jan Wells • Adam Wiegand
FLORIDA TRAIL STAFF
Administrative Director:
Janet Akerson • 352-378-8823
Membership Support:
Diane Strong • 352-378-8823
Trail Program Director:
Alex Stigliano • 828-333-1529
Volunteer Program Coordinator:
Karl Borton • 570-574-3240
North Regional Representative:
Jeff Glenn • 352-514-1455
FLORIDA TRAIL FOOTPRINT
Editor: Alex Stigliano
Layout: Sean Lucas
© 2015 Florida Trail Association
All rights reserved.
Contributors retain copyright to their work but give
the Florida Trail Association permission to use to
promote FTA and the Florida Trail. Articles are subject
to editing for clarity and space. Materials will be
returned if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped
envelope. Opinions, observations, and endorsements
made within the Florida Trail Footprint do not
necessarily reflect those of the board or staff of the
Florida Trail Association.
The Footprint (ISSN 1064-0681) is published
quarterly by the Florida Trail Association
5415 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL 32608
Bulk rate postage paid at Gainesville, FL.
Postmaster:
Send change-of-address form 3597 to:
Footprint, 5415 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL
32608.
The Footprint is printed with
soy-based inks on paper with
post-consumer content
4
OUR MAGAZINE
The Footprint is published by the Florida
Trail Association, a volunteer-based nonprofit
organization focused on Florida hiking and trail
building. Since 1966, the primary mission of our
organization has been the care and protection
of the Florida Trail, a 1,300-mile footpath across
the Sunshine State - Florida’s own National
Scenic Trail.
OUR GOAL
To provide outreach to our readers through
informative articles that express appreciation for
and conservation of the natural beauty of Florida;
to inform our readers of Florida Trail Association
business; and to provide information on Florida
hiking and outdoor recreation opportunities.
CONTRIBUTORS
Contributors are welcome to submit items
for our various departments as well as trail
and association-related news. Please contact
the editor at [email protected]
to discuss ideas for feature stories prior
to submission.
FloridaTrail.org
MEMBERSHIP
If you’re not already a member, join now. As a
Florida Trail member, you receive a subscription
to The Footprint magazine, membership in a local
chapter, a local newsletter with local activities,
opportunities for outdoor skills training,
participation in regional and annual conferences
and more. Call toll-free 877-HIKE-FLA for more
information.
ADVERTISING
Reach a highly targeted demographic of
Florida outdoor enthusiasts by advertising
with us or becoming a regular sponsor. Your
advertising dollars directly support production
and publication of this magazine and assist the
Florida Trail Association in fulfilling its mission.
Call 877-HIKE-FLA or email [email protected]
for more details.
Deadline for articles for the Fall issue of The
Footprint is September 1, 2015.
Deadline for chapter activities covering July October to appear in the electronic version of
the The Footprint fall issue is September 15, 2015.
President’s Message
W
hat is the
proper
place of
commemoration
and remembrance?
How do we best
honor the things
that came before?
Are events and
Carlos Schomaker
places honored for
FTA President
their own sake, or
should their memory serve as kindling
and fuel for the future? And should
commemoration gloss over the past in
a rosy hue, or can it illuminate its true
nature, warts and all?
I’ve been thinking about
commemoration and remembrance
lately. Next year, there’s a 30th
Anniversary celebration of a US Navy
ship’s commissioning, one that I had the
pleasure of serving on as a member of
the initial “Plank Owner” crew. The ship
itself is already gone, a victim of systems
obsolescence, cost, and (believe it or
not) tests to see what would sink it. It will
be nice to see old shipmates; but unless
the attendees jointly dedicate ourselves
to some other cause or work, the event
will be a reunion, not a celebration of
the past and a light to the future. There’s
an importance difference between the
two.
The National Park Service (NPS)
celebrates its 100th Anniversary in
2016. Rather than serving as merely a
remembrance of what has transpired in
that agency’s history, however, the NPS’s
Centennial is being used 1) as a tool to
remind people about the very special
places preserved under the aegis of NPS;
2) to gain and inspire advocates for the
continued protection of those Parks and
Monuments; and 3) as a springboard
for new programs and initiatives to get
people, especially younger generations,
back into nature. This is crucial for
maintaining future public support for
NPS’s mission. Urban modernity, voter
apathy, generational lack of exposure to
the outdoors, and short-sighted or hostile
politicians are just a few challenges
faced by America’s crown jewels. The
National Park Service recognizes its
Centennial Anniversary as an opportunity
A look back at FTA’s history
to address these problems.
You know where this is leading. Next
year is also the 50th Anniversary of the
Florida Trail and its dedicated volunteer
association (FTA). The first blaze of
what would eventually become the
Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST) was
daubed onto a tree in October, 1966, in
the Clearwater Lake area of the Ocala
National Forest. Fifty years ago, the
Florida Trail story started.
So the calls begin for celebrations,
for commemorative events and parties
and orange-blazed merchandise. The
Florida Trail’s founder and other pioneers
will be feted and everyone will look
at old photos and film and feel good.
These things are justified and earned
and should be done. Everyone touched
by FTA has memories of their time here,
whether as a trail maintainer, casual
hiker, or hardcore backpacker. Group
activity addict or loner, organizer or
casual attendee, chainsaw expert or
lopper novice, staffer or volunteer--each of them has a different perspective
on what transpired, and what it meant.
A few veterans have been involved
with FTA for that entire half-century. A
few uninitiated people may be picking
up this magazine because it looks
interesting, and they’re wondering what
this Footprint business is all about.
But what do we do with this “BigNumber” Anniversary? Celebrate with
the bands of true believers and veterans,
like a school reunion (or that military
unit opportunity I mentioned above)? Or
leverage it into an energy source for the
next fifty years, like the National Park
Service is doing? It’s easy to say “both”,
but the truth is, the end result will be
determined by overall intention. We
should do the latter thing. We must do
the latter, if we care enough about FTA
and our FNST to work for their continued
success.
Let’s go back and look for inspiration
and insight from other new endeavors
and events occurring in ’65-‘66:
Recently the 50th anniversary of the
March on Selma and the Voting Rights
Act were commemorated. Don’t want to
get into politics here, but it’s clear that
race is still a topical issue. Based on the
speeches about unfinished work, this
civil rights commemoration seems more
akin to the NPS example above than it
does to an alumni celebration.
The Ford Mustang! A special-edition
50th anniversary model is coming out,
and you can bet Ford will trumpet the
successful history of its legendary pony
car. Mustang aficionados will wax
nostalgic about certain past models,
but it’s clear that Ford has, and will
continue to, radically change that car.
The company has to change it, in order
to compete in the marketplace, meet
new regulations and economic realities,
respond to changes in the buying
public, and incorporate new ideas and
technologies. The Mustang’s anniversary
probably mixes some appreciation for
the purists and long-term devotees, with
a lot of push to reach new buyers.
In television, Star Trek originally
debuted as a series in 1966. (So did
Batman, That Girl and The Monkees,
which might have fans celebrating their
50th as well. Lost in the dustbin of time
are Burt Reynolds’ Hawk and a sitcom
named Hey, Landlord. It’s doubtful that
their anniversaries will be noticed.)
Although Star Trek lasted only three
seasons on TV, it has gone on to spawn
successful movie and TV spinoffs and
has been hugely influential on popular
culture. The science fiction franchise
will release a new feature film on its
50th anniversary, and the half-century
milestone will probably be celebrated by
astrophysicists, astronauts, film directors
and others who were inspired by the
space fantasy.
Super Bowl 50 is scheduled for
February 7, 2016, outside San Francisco.
Not “Super Bowl L”. That would follow
the convention of roman numerals
used through the last half-century, but
it doesn’t look impressive. “L” as in
“loser”? The world of sports, for better or
worse, has changed a great deal since
the first NFL-AFL championship game.
Legendary TV executive Roone Arledge,
Footprint
Summer 2015
The National Park Service
(NPS) celebrates its 100th
Anniversary in 2016.
5
Photo courtesy of Sandra Friend / FTA
for example, revolutionized sports
broadcasting by focusing on the human
interest side of games, way back in 1960.
Telling good stories goes a long way
toward getting people to watch others
play a game. Telling good stories always
gets people engaged.
These cultural events, and many
others, were taking place at about
the same time as Jim Kern was first
leading small groups of people into the
woods to build the Florida Trail. Here
in the Sunshine State, the same era
saw the opening of the last pre-Disney
attractions: Pirates World, Ocean World,
and the oddly-named Tragedy in U.S.
History Museum. All of them are gone.
Thankfully FTA and the Florida Trail
are still here, but extinction has always
been a possibility--- even if you’re a
St. Augustine museum that features
memorabilia from the deaths of John F.
Kennedy, Elvis, James Dean, and others!
So it’s clear that the celebration of
milestones can have deep meaning for
a wide swath of humanity, or for a few
individuals. When these events touch
Pitcher plants along the Florida Trail
near Camel Lake
6
many people, they should be celebrated
loudly. When they touch less people or
are more personal (such as a wedding
anniversary), the celebrations are more
intimate.
But what of celebrations that need to
sound a clarion call, like the National
Park Service example above?
Then the impulse to focus on
the history, culture and unique
experience needs to be offset
by an equal focus on the future,
on inclusivity, and on shared
values. In other words, when
you need new people to join
you, you better not make
your anniversary party into
something that makes strangers
feel turned off or indifferent.
Why is this so important? Well,
besides the obvious numerical reasons
(same number of supporters, aging
membership, need for more volunteers),
the real reason is this: Things are getting
complicated for the FNST and all other
National Scenic Trails. At a time when
only a very small fraction of Floridians
even know about FTA or our mission,
hiking trails are under siege. Tallahassee
and Washington legislators are spawning
endless bad ideas for public lands,
many of which directly impact our
trails--- a return of grazing and other
uses to Florida State Parks, advertising
along trails, cuts to land acquisition and
management funding, privatization of
public lands, etc. Under these pressures,
our partner land managers start
envisioning trails that allow more uses,
or cut costs and change the core nature
of our trails. Without massive public
outcry, what else would they do? These
days, even a Florida State Amendment
passed by a signal majority of voters to
finance public lands isn’t being honored
by our legislators.
David J. Brown of the National
Trust for Historic Preservation recently
blogged about the future of that national
movement (in many ways similar to
the work done by FTA and our sister
National Trail organizations). His threepart essay comes in advance of the
50th Anniversary of another landmark
piece of legislation, the 1966 National
Historic Preservation Act. His thesis:
change is the new constant; preservation
is about people; preservation is a
political movement. He argues that the
future of America’s significant historic
FloridaTrail.org
architectural and
archeological sites
will depend on a wider net of support,
not on arcane arguments and technical
minutiae. Success will depend on how
well the public knows about, appreciates
and supports historic preservation.
FTA should take the same approach as
it considers the future support for the
Florida Trail.
The National Park Service, at its
Centennial, understands that its ability
to fulfill its mission relies on more than
the silent, tacit support of the American
people--- the vast majority of them feel
favorable toward National Parks--- but on
strong, active citizen support and action.
That’s why their anniversary party is
designed to stoke the fires of engagement
in Americans of all ages, colors, and
creeds. Florida Trail Association should
take the same approach as it celebrates
its fiftieth year of building Florida’s Trail.
Nostalgia is nice. Commemoration
and remembrance are good and decent.
But relevancy and strength and an eye to
the future are everything.
Let’s remember the past. The best way
to honor it is to prepare for a brighter
future for the Florida Trail.
Carlos Schomaker
FTA President
Forward Footsteps
by Tom Daniel, VP Trails
Trail Staff and Our Trail
Volunteers
I
would like to address the need
for the sharing of knowledge and
responsibilities between the Florida
Trail Association (FTA) volunteers and
the FTA Trail Staff. I often encounter
a misplaced assumption that our FTA
Staff arrive with an in-depth knowledge
of Florida’s topography and a working
familiarity of how Florida National
Scenic Trail (FNST) trail classes and
standards can be applied to specific
ecosystems across the state. The reality is
that Florida isn’t just a single ecosystem
of completely flat land. There are many
different ecosystems with vastly different
characteristics that affect the trail, and 8
inches of elevation change can make all
the difference. When it comes to the FTA
Staff’s responsibility of applying policies
and procedures across the state, the
specific and localized knowledge of our
FTA volunteers becomes essential. The
responsibility of maintaining the FNST
to standard is a two way street. FTA Staff
must learn from seasoned volunteers as
much as the FTA volunteers learn from
the staff!
FTA members and volunteers
have always been the champions
and stewards of the Florida Trail. As a
15+ year veteran of volunteering on
the FNST, sharing the decision and
coordination responsibilities with FTA
Staff is sometimes challenging for me,
as I imagine it is for many of you. But
cooperation and coordination in such a
massive task as the Florida Trail requires
collaboration. FTA doesn’t own one
inch of the Florida Trail or the land over
which the trail passes. Sweat equity yes,
but we are not the owners of the Florida
Trail. The reality is we have never owned
it, and have always collaborated with
partners, FTA staff and others. Ownership
belongs to the Public. There was a time
when FTA volunteer Section Leaders
were able to make unilateral decisions
on trail relocations and were the sole
coordinator with land managers. That
time has passed and we must either
adjust to that reality or move on.
Over several years, the FTA Trail
Staff has grown from the Trail Program
Director (TPD) to include a Volunteer
Program Coordinator (VPC), and two
Regional Representatives (RR’s). Both
the TPD (Alex Stigliano) and VPC (Karl
Borton) have statewide oversight,
collaboration and coordination
responsibilities, while the two RR’s have
similar responsibilities for a specific
geographical segment of the Florida
National Scenic Trail. Currently, the
Florida Panhandle and the Western
Corridor of the Florida Trail, together
with the Florida Trail System of nonFNST trails do not have RR’s. The reason
is simple—the current lack of FTA
funding.
During the course of updating and
revising the FTA Trail Manual, questions
arose about how FTA Trail Staff fit into
the decision making model, processes
and procedures for the Florida Trail.
The short answer is significant and
widespread! But with the caveat,
that these decisions must be made in
collaboration with our volunteers.
Both RR’s have oversight,
collaboration and coordination
responsibilities for their trail segments.
This includes, but is not limited to, all
trail corridor relocations, infrastructure
planning and construction, signage
selection and placement, partner liaison,
monitoring and allocating available
funding, and assistance in closing small
and large gaps in the Florida Trail. At
times, they share FTA Trail Crew Leader
duties with local volunteers, but let me
be clear—volunteer-led and managed
trail maintenance and building duties
on the Florida Trail are alive and well.
Our RR’s serve to assist and facilitate
volunteer work events; they were never
intended to replace volunteer trail crew
leaders, Trail Coordinators or Section
Leaders.
The VPC has statewide duties to
assist FTA in expanding, monitoring and
assessing the capacity and accomplishments of the Florida Trail volunteer workforce. This includes both FTA volunteers
and non-FTA member volunteers.
The TPD has general oversight and
coordination responsibilities for the VPC
and both RR’s positions. He or she also
has coordination, workplan and budget
Footprint
Summer 2015
7
Will the 2015 FNST Maps
and Data Book be Accurate?
development and primary liaison duties with
the USDA-Forest Service. The TPD also has
limited collateral duties for the Panhandle
and the Western Corridor Florida Trail
segments until a RR can be hired for those
regions. Needless to say, the time available
for the TPD to apply to Panhandle and the
Western Corridor is limited.
FTA Staff share the Florida Trail passion
and vision. They are professionals that bring
their expertise, experience and passions for
the trail and wild places! That said, none
of us are perfect or all knowing. It is more
than OK to tactfully question things that
contradict prior procedures, standards and
differences in interpretations in your area.
FTA Trail Manual
After accuracy, the next two objectives in revising and
updating the Manual were transparency and volunteer input.
The process has taken nine months and six drafts. Multiple
reviews, peer solicitations, comments and input from USDAFS, FTA staff and volunteers. The final draft is currently
posted on the FTA web site at: http://www.floridatrail.
org/2015trailmanualdraft/. The Manual will be presented to the
Trails Committee on July 11th and the FTA Board of Directors
on July 18th.
The Manual serves as the handbook to FTA volunteers and
staff while engaged in trail development, trail construction, and
trail maintenance related activities for the Florida Trail and the
Florida Trail System.
Yes, only if the data from 2014 was
good and all the 2014-15 trail corridor
changes and data are included! In the two
counties my chapter covers, there have been
five corridor changes in 2015. Each year the
trail corridor has multiple small adjustments
and occasionally a major one. By the time
you read this, the 2015 FNST maps and
data book revisions will be underway.
Trail Coordinators, Section Leaders and
Regional Representatives should survey the
2014 maps data for accuracy and forward
any corrections and/or new trail corridor
GPS tracks to the FTA office. Identifying
inaccuracies is not solely the job of FTA Staff
and trail leaders. If you’ve identified an inaccuracy, let them
know the specifics immediately. The window for submitting
changes and corrections closes July 31st. The procedure
and information required for map and data book revisions is
detailed in the 2015 FTA Trail Manual, and currently available
for review here: http://www.floridatrail.org/wp-content/
uploads/2014/12/206-Trail-Maps-and-Data-Book-050515.pdf.
The window for submitting changes and
corrections closes July 31st.
No Ambulance. No Hospital. Miles from the
nearest road. Hours, perhaps days from help.
No rescuers are coming.
What are you going to do?
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8
FloridaTrail.org
Membership Matters
Notes on memberships
2015 MEMBERSHIP
RECRUITMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
Eve Barbour, VP Membership
S
omewhere on this day, I hear strains
from the “Rocky” theme song
playing for the FTA Membership
Drive Winners -
SUNCOAST CHAPTER
Photos courtesy of Sandra Friend
While Suncoast is our largest chapter
with 503 members, they recruited 17
new members during the recruitment
period of April 9 to June 6. Congrat
ulations are in order for Suncoast.
They have won the Home Depot Gift
Card contest by gaining the most new
members.
The chapter with smallest number
of members (15) – Fisheating Creek –
increased itself 53.3 % by gaining 8 new
members during the recruitment period.
This chapter has also won a Home Depot
Gift Card.
We tip our FTA orange hardhats to
these other chapters. While not winning
a prize, they made us proud.
Highlanders Chapter – 10 new members,
Florida Crackers – 8 new members,
Central Chapter – 8 new members,
Apalachee Chapter – 7 new members
Loxahatchee Chapter- 7 new members.
With the help of all 19 Chapters – FTA
recruited 109 new members during
this campaign. This brings our numbers
UP from 4074 in May 2015 to 4143 in
June 2015. In case this looks like fuzzy
math, we also compute the number of
dropped members for the month. Last
year in spite of reaching our goal of over
100 new members, our membership
numbers actually went down during the
recruitment period. Our chapters get
an “attaboy” this year for retention of
members too.
With the help of all 19
Chapters – FTA recruited
109 new members during
this campaign.
Footprint
2016 CONFERENCE
ANNOUNCEMENT
The FTA Board of Directors has
appointed a team of our newest, young
and enthusiastic board members to
spearhead the 2016 50th Anniversary
Annual Conference. They are Chris
Boykin, Megan Digeon, Adam Wiegand
and though not an FTA newbie, Pam
Hale. They are full of ideas so stand
by for forthcoming details on date and
place.
Just an FYI for those who attended
the 2015 Conference in Leesburg this
past April, though the attendance was
average, we managed to clear almost
$8000 after expenses. So thank you all
so very much for spending your money
at our auctions and our raffles. Thank
you also to all of you who donated such
great items.
Summer 2015
9
Thank You
FTA Annual Awards
Awards
2015 State-wide and Chapter Award Winners.
Lifetime Achievement
Award
This award is presented to those select
members who have demonstrated
lifetime dedication to the mission and
goals of the FTA. This award recognizes
those individuals who have participated
in all levels of the organization throughout their years as a member of the FTA.
Fred has held numerous positions at
both the state and local levels of FTA and
is responsible for the maintenance of
several hundred miles of hiking trails.
Margaret has demonstrated lifetime
dedication to the mission of FTA. She
helps plan and execute the Big O
hike and the Ocean to Lake hike. She
has been an outstanding leader of the
Loxahatchee Chapter for many years.
2015 Margaret Brabham
Loxahatchee Chapter Chapter
2015 Fred Davis
Loxahatchee Chapter Chapter
2015 recipients for the Cornelia Burge Volunteer Award
are Don Mock, left and Dave Costakis, right
Pictured here with FTA President Carlos Schomaker.
T
he Florida Trail Association’s annual
awards serve as a way to recognize
members, volunteers, partners,
and supporters for their incredible
contributions to the organization and
the trail. Every year we ask our partners,
members and volunteers to nominate
people in the community for their
exceptional contributions.
FTA is very proud of and pleased
to announce the following names of
those volunteers who have served the
organization and our mission in such
an outstanding manner this past year. It
is also with great pride that we print the
names of all of our award winners, both
past and present, as well as the names
of all those members who have given 25
years to FTA.
10
The following awards are presented at
the president’s discretion
Cornelia Burge
Volunteer Award
Our highest award is presented
annually to members who have made
extraordinary progress toward meeting
the purposes and objectives of the FTA
on a statewide basis.
Dave and Don worked tirelessly for
many hours designing and updating the
FTA trail maps and Data Book. We could
not have done this without them and are
most grateful to them for their amazing
work.
Friend of the Florida
Trail Association
2015 Don Mock
Florida Crackers Chapter
Presented to non-members or
organizations that have made significant
contributions to the Florida Trail
Association.
Hazen went above and beyond
to accommodate our access to Camp
Blanding for trail maintenance, planning
and events, including significant
assistance resulting in the success of the
2014 Ididahike.
2015 Dave Costakis
2015 Hazen Mitchell
Camp Blanding
FloridaTrail.org
John Weary Trail
Worker Award
This award is presented annually to
members who have made extraordinary
efforts as trail maintainers in helping
reach our organizational goal of a
continuous trail across Florida, and those
who have worked diligently in building
and maintaining the side and loop trails
of the Florida Trail System.
2015 Lou and Rachael Augspurg
Central Florida Chapter
2015 Richard Graham
Apalachee Chapter Chapter
2015 Janie Hamilton
North Florida Trail Blazers
2015 Eric Lewis
Panhandle Chapter Chapter
2015 Robin Luger
2015 Bernice and Steven Nemeth
Highlanders Chapter
Special Service Award
This award is presented to members who
have made significant contributions to
the Florida Trail Association at a state
or chapter level. Examples of significant
contributions may include leadership,
fundraising, recruitment, outreach, or
other valuable volunteer service.
2015 Virginia Barton
2015 Elaine Fisher
2015 John Grob
Highlanders Chapter
2015 Gail Irwin
Loxahatchee Chapter
2015 Joan Jarvis
2015 Doug Kucklick
2015 Scott Lunsford
Loxahatchee Chapter
2015 Steve Meyers
Loxahatchee Chapter
Florida National Scenic Trail, Volunteer of the Year for 2015 is
Tom Daniel with the Choctawhatchee Chapter, here with
Megan Donoghue, left and FTA President Carlos Schomaker, right.
2015 Mary Nixon
2015 Bill Roy
Fisheating Creek Chapter
2015 Connie Scott
2015 Judy Trotta
2015 David Waldrop
Heartland Chapter
2015 Jean Williamson
Activity Leader Award
This is presented to members who have
made extraordinary efforts and are
highly qualified as Activity Leaders or
Activity Coordinators using activities as
a means to introduce the public to the
Florida Trail.
2015 Mary Slater Linn
2015 Alan Collins
Loxahatchee Chapter
Florida National
Scenic Trail, Volunteer
of the Year
Given to the volunteer with the most
volunteer hours logged towards the
efforts of the Florida Trail.
2015 Tom Daniel
Choctawhatchee Chapter
Florida National Scenic
Trail, Trail Maintainer of
the Year
Given to the volunteer with the most
maintenance hours logged on the
Florida Trail.
2015 Robin Luger
Florida National Scenic
Trail, Volunteer Partner
Group of the Year
2015 Roy Moore
Loxahatchee Chapter
Given to the partner group that
contributed the most hours on the
Florida Trail.
2015 Shannon Moore
Loxahatchee Chapter
2015 Eckerd College
Footprint
Summer 2015
11
Photos by Doug Alderson
Where
Wilderness
Takes Over
by Doug Alderson
F
lorida is unkind to vestiges of human
history. Water, insects, heat, fire,
storms and a long growing season
often obliterate signs of the past in a
relatively short period of time. So it didn’t
surprise me that the old rail bed of the
Loping Gopher—the Live Oak, Perry and
Gulf Railroad (LOP&G)—was overgrown
with sable palms and native cane, and
most of the original swamp bridges were
gone.
To reach the rail bed, I had hiked
along the Florida National Scenic Trail
south of Highway 98 near the Aucilla
River through the Aucilla Wildlife
Management Area in Florida’s Big Bend.
After entering the St. Marks National
Wildlife Refuge, I headed east along the
abandoned East-West rail tram, while
the Florida Trail veered west. I’m not
sure what I was searching for in the
thick tangle of trees and vines. Perhaps I
merely wanted to touch a bit of Florida
history.
“The Lopin’ Gopher (LOP&G) was
an important rail line during the days
of the big sawmills,” wrote R.C. Balfour
III, author of In Search of the Aucilla.
“It linked the mill towns and centers
together and joined the Seaboard Air
Line Railroad at Live Oak to complete
the connection to Jacksonville, Florida.
At the point where it crossed the Aucilla,
the Fish House was built on the side of
the trestle, giving commercial fishermen
a fast and reliable delivery system to
towns and cities.”
Early locomotives were known as
‘cabbage heads.’ They burned lightered
pine, while the cabbage stacks swirled
sparks until they cooled, preventing
forest fires. One early LOP&G excursion
train seated about eighty passengers
and reached speeds of almost seventy
miles per hour, but lumber was the
main commodity for the Loping Gopher.
Historians suggest that the train carried
more lumber related traffic than any
other short line railroad in Florida.
Today, the Loping Gopher line is no
longer a place for man. Wilderness has
reasserted itself, and the human is now
an infrequent visitor who must move at
a gopher tortoise pace. Not surprisingly,
this area known as the Aucilla
bottomlands was designated a federal
wilderness area in the early 1970s, soon
after the wilderness act was passed by
congress. It isn’t virgin land. Loggers cut
the original trees and built the raised
tram, but the bottomlands are wild
again, and if left undisturbed the swamp
forest will slowly reclaim its old-growth
glory.
I found a long beam of rusted metal,
no doubt part of the old rail line or
logging operations. A stack of mosscovered logs lay nearby, cypress that
had been cut but never used. The roar of
steam engines and grunting men were
no more. Only the distant drone of an
airplane.
FNST through the Aucilla
Bottomlands
12
FloridaTrail.org
Florida has hundreds of lost towns
and their associated roads and rail
lines. They originally sprung up to cut
trees, tap pines for turpentine, mine
phosphate, net fish, or entice people to
soak in mineral springs. Most are gone,
reclaimed by nature or paved over to
make new dwellings or roads. Along the
coast, many defunct hamlets and fish
houses are sinking beneath ocean waters
as sea level rises.
Men and women worked long hard
hours in those early Florida endeavors,
often risking life and limb. Little room
was left for pencil pushers. To make a
living then, especially in rural Florida,
one had to exploit the natural resources,
whether plant, animal or mineral.
Conservation was largely an abstract
concept.
In another part of the St. Marks
Refuge, my wife and I once hiked to
the place where Port Leon once existed
along the St. Marks River. There was
nothing left to see. There were a few
foundation pilings just off the trail,
but those were from an early refuge
headquarters, not Port Leon. That’s the
remarkable thing about this former town
of 450 along the lower St. Marks River.
You can hike or bike there, heading west
about three-and-a-half miles from the
St. Marks Refuge Visitor’s Center on an
unpaved refuge road or the Florida Trail.
When you near the St. Marks River, there
it is, or was, in a spacious pine and live
oak forest—a once bustling port town
that was connected to St. Marks and
Tallahassee by an infamous mule-drawn
railroad.
“The railroad is certainly the worst
that has been built in the entire world,”
wrote French traveler Count de Castelnau
in 1838.
From the Port Leon town site, you can
walk on an old tram to the river’s edge
and enjoy a spacious view of water and
marsh, and imagine sailing ships being
loaded with cotton from North Florida
and South Georgia plantations bound for
the United States East Coast. Only a few
anglers and paddlers move on the river
now, along with manatees, dolphins, and
schools of fish.
It’s almost scary how Mother Nature
can erase signs of man, especially near
the coast. In the case of Port Leon,
two major calamities occurred in less
than a decade. Established in 1837,
the town quickly grew based on a
gross inaccuracy. According to a refuge
Town Site of Port Leon
brochure, advertisements stated that Port
Leon was “handsomely located on the
most elevated site on the bay… beyond
the influence of the highest tides.”
At its peak, the town boasted a
hotel, two taverns, stores, a post office,
newspaper, and warehouses, but then
a three-month yellow fever epidemic
struck, brought by a Key West boat
passenger. Residents fled or succumbed
to the disease, and the town’s population
was cut to less than half.
As the town slowly recovered, Port
Leon was named the Wakulla County
seat when the county was formed in
March of 1843. But six months later,
disaster struck again in the form of a
hurricane. While only one resident died,
the ten-foot storm surge devastated the
town and severely damaged nearby
St. Marks. The townspeople decided
to abandon all hope of rebuilding Port
Leon and move five miles upriver near a
sulphur spring. This is how the town of
Newport came into being, a town that
still stands, albeit a shadow of its former
self.
Port Leon now belongs to the
alligators, deer and other critters; not a
soul lives there.
Port Leon is a good place to ponder
mortality. Civilizations and towns have
risen and fallen over millennia. People
have peeled back the skin of Mother
Earth to work the land and build their
homes, only to have their works one
day be covered again by the wild green
veneer of life. And after Florida’s wet,
corrosive environment performs its
disappearing act on some of our modern
creations, how will future generations
interpret the last remnants of our
passing?
Take a walk along the old Loping
Gopher rail line or view some other
nearly forgotten vestige of civilization
from a period not so long ago, and see
for yourself.
Doug Alderson is the author of several
Florida outdoor books. This article is
an excerpt from his 2014 work, Wild
Florida Adventures. He also works as
the assistant bureau chief for the Florida
Office of Greenways and Trails.
Footprint
Summer 2015
13
Passing of the Blaze
by Megan Donoghue, Volunteer Program Coordinator
T
he rumors are true. This born
and raised Florida girl is headed
west—to the Pacific Northwest to
be exact. Come July, I will be on the
road to Washington to be closer to my
niece and nephew, and to start a new life
adventure!
For more than three years, the Florida
Trail Association has been my family: My
loving, loud, crazy, hardworking, fun,
tough, adventurous, honest, comfortable,
sometimes challenging, but always
welcoming family.
I look back on that seemingly average
day three years ago when I walked into
the FTA office and asked if any volunteer
help was needed. I can’t help but think
of how random life is—how one day,
one decision can totally change your
path. Going from a volunteer who spent
hours filing paperwork to working on
communications and membership, to
eventually packing my bags and moving
to Tallahassee to coordinate the volunteer
program has been quite a ride.
It’s not easy leaving something you
worked so hard to grow. And I only wish
the best for the future of the Florida
Trail Association and the Florida Trail.
I hope to see a growing volunteer base
of eager, diverse faces. I hope to see a
steady flow of accomplishments in the
realm of infrastructure, trail protection
and getting more trail off the roads and
14
into the woods. I hope to see our social
media sites booming with smiling faces
of volunteers and members. I hope
to see our volunteers decked out in
awesome shirts, and gear sponsored by
people who believe in our
Mission. I hope to hear
about Alternative Spring
Break groups from across
the country fighting to
grab that one week on the
Florida Trail. I could go
on, but to say it plainly: I
hope to see more people
wanting in on this so called
“best kept secret.”
The next couple of
weeks will consist of getting an updated
website and volunteer hours reporting
system off the ground (finally!), designing
and mailing out our end-of-year
volunteer appreciation packets, assisting
with the planning of the 2015 Trail Skills
Training, compiling volunteer data from
the 2014/2015 trail season for our next
Trail Operations Report, and last but not
least, training a new volunteer program
coordinator.
The lush, prehistoric Aucilla Sinks.
The air plant and palm tree painted Big
Cypress. The white sands and aqua water
of Gulf Islands. The Kissimmee night sky.
The magical valleys along the Suwannee.
Florida is my home and always will
FloridaTrail.org
be. The Florida Trail opened my eyes
to a Florida that I will forever love. A
Florida that not everyone has seen, but
because of the hundreds of dedicated,
hardworking volunteers, everyone has
access to.
Thank you to the staff and volunteers
who have made the decision to leave
so hard. I will make sure to represent
the Florida Trail loud and proud. And as
Grandma Donoghue always says, “It’s
not goodbye, it’s so long.”
Happy Trails,
Megan
Volunteer Spotlight
by Megan Donoghue, Volunteer Program Coordinator
Eric Lewis
FTA: If you could have one item while
A chat with Eric, who volunteers with the
Panhandle Chapter
FTA: How and when did you get
involved with the Florida Trail
Association (FTA)?
EL: I joined the FTA in 2012. I was
FTA: What has been your favorite
volunteer project/event to date?
EL: So far my favorite project was the
invited to a hike along the Econfina and
loved it!
FTroop to extend the Eglin section of
trail. I got first hand experience in seeing
how a trail is built from scratch.
FTA: As FTA members of the Panhandle
FTA: What’s your favorite way to enjoy
EL: I’m currently the Section Leader of
EL: It’s being on the trail. I go out almost
Chapter, what do you do?
the 18 miles of the Econfina section.
I also act as Trail Master and Activity
Leader for the chapter.
FTA: What’s your favorite section of the
Florida Trail and why?
EL: Econfina Creek, the entire
Rattlesnake Section. Miles of creek,
springs, suspension bridges, flowers,
longleaf pines, prairies, and oaks. I have
it all just 25 miles south of me.
the Florida Trail?
weekly just to walk sections and keep an
eye out. It’s meeting random people on
the trail that I really enjoy. Finding out
where they are from and getting a picture
of them.
FTA: Where is the neatest place you’ve
ever hike?
hiking, what would it be and why?
EL: Go Pro. I really need one! Just to
record all the things I see and encounter.
FTA: What’s your favorite volunteer
activity on the Florida Trail?
EL: Leading hikes. Getting to share
everything I’ve learned from listening to
others.
FTA: What is the best part about
volunteering on the Florida Trail?
EL: Meeting everyone. All the other
volunteers from across the state. Working
with the USFS on occassion. I’ve learned
a lot by talking as well as watching
others.
FTA: If you could give advice for
someone interested in volunteering on
the Florida Trail, what would it be?
EL: Have fun! I was nervous when I
up the side of a mountain. You could see
miles from the top.
signed up for my first trip with the FTA.
I did not know anyone there but I ended
up loving it: Working outside and helping
to create something so many enjoy.
Footprint
Summer 2015
EL: Just outside Casa Grande, Az. Hiked
15
Now on US Route 1, I began to
cross the more than 40 bridges that link
the keys to the mainland. My planned
campsite was the Bow Channel Bridge
near mile 20. Just before camp, I passed
a campground where two women from
Quebec offered dinner. I fell asleep to
the sounds of waves against the pilings of
the old railway bridge.
The next day, perfect weather
followed me another 20 miles over a
number of the old bridges. For trail use,
they have been narrowed to their historic
A Walk from
Key West
Photos by Ed Talone
by Ed Talone
I
n 1998, I decided to thru-hike the
Florida Trail. My first task was not to
buy maps, or a guide, but rather to call
the Florida State Police. The reason for
my call was to find out if it was legal to
walk the bridges of the Florida Keys. You
see, my Florida Trail was going to start
at Key West if at all possible. The call I
made brought only good news, plus a
bonus. Not only could I walk the road
bridges, but a number of the original
bridges of Henry Flagler’s railroad were
being saved for a rail trail, and on those I
could camp!
A railroad builder from New
York, Flagler opened up Florida to
development by building the Florida
East Coast Railway. By 1896, his railroad
reached Biscayne Bay. The citizens of the
area were grateful and wanted to name
the new town after him. He declined the
honor, insisting they use the Indian name
Miami.
In 1905, Henry got restless and
decided to see if he could build a 156
mile extension to Key West. Already
75 years old, he did not expect to see
it completed. However, in just seven
years the wonder was done. On January
22, 1912, a triumphant Flagler rode
into Key West. The railroad overcame
five hurricanes and many engineering
challenges. For instance, the US
Government forbade the construction
of many planned miles of causeways to
carry the railroad. It was feared that the
16
Gulf Stream would be altered. This meant
the construction of more bridges. Flagler
won one point however, converting the
planned Nine Mile Bridge to the Seven
Mile Bridge with causeways at the south
end. The railroad operated until it was
wrecked by the Labor Day Hurricane
of 1935. At that point it was decided to
extend US Route 1 south utilizing much
of the famed route. In 1969, a modern
version of the road opened and much of
the railroad right of way was abandoned.
When I heard that I could walk parts
of the railroad, I was ecstatic. I had
arranged a ride to Key West and began
my walk among the stately homes of
the historic district. A highlight was the
grounds of the “Truman White House.”
Soon I arrived at the buoy that marked
the southernmost point in the US, and
turned north. A number of harbors
along here were filled with colorful
houseboats.
FloridaTrail.org
railway width. My second camp was
along the southern end of the original
Seven Mile Bridge. A section some 3000
feet long has been converted to a fishing
pier. This would allow me a very early
start for crossing the modern Seven Mile
Bridge.
My third day was magic. At first light
I started out over nearly 7 miles of open
ocean. Traffic was light as I enjoyed the
spectacular views. To my left, the ruins
of the original bridge were fun to study.
I noted that the guardrails of what had
been the highway were actually the
rails from the railroad. At the north end,
over two miles of the original bridge are
open for walking and biking out to the
village on Pigeon Key. After three hours
of “walking on water,” I reached land
on Marathon Key. I stopped to resupply
and sample conch fritters. I then passed
through the city of Marathon till near
day’s end. Camp was a sliver of state land
near Tom’s Harbor in a very developed
area. I was congratulating myself on
stealth when up walked a man named
Greg who knew exactly what I was up
to! Five minutes later I was enjoying a
My third day was magic.
At first light I started out
over nearly 7 miles of
open ocean.
hot shower in the resort across the street.
I returned to camp with homemade
rabbit stew and a new friend. It turns out
that Greg led bike trips through the Keys
and his group was here for the night. He
knew of my campsite because he had
used it on solo trips of his own.
The focus of my trip the next day
was Islamorada. First, I crossed the
Long Key Viaduct. This famous 2.3 mile
long bridge was featured in many of
the publicity shots for Henry Flagler’s
railroad. Perfectly restored, it is currently
the longest trail bridge in the nation.
Shortly after leaving the viaduct, I
crossed two restored railroad bridges
and entered Islamorada. The trail here
wound through beautiful gardens and
past yards in a very upscale area. In such
a manicured area, I wondered where I
might camp. As usual, I got lucky. There
was a short section of trail bordering an
undeveloped strip of land covered with
marl. Slipping off the trail, I was able to
fashion a “lights out” camp just 75 yards
from civilization.
The next day, my last in the Keys,
began with a visit to the Windley Key
State Park. Here, great outcrops of
limestone were quarried for the overseas
railroad. Interesting railroad artifacts
and walls of cut limestone are carefully
explained at an exhibit there. Too soon, I
pushed on over the last restored railroad
bridges and on north to Key Largo. There
was no thought of camping as I found
that the nearby state park is booked a
year in advance. Towards evening, I
found reasonable accommodations at an
old hotel and began to muse about the
second half of my journey to Loop Road
and the FT.
The next leg consisted of a 10 mile
walk along US Route 1. Near Surprise
Lake (so called because it was a surprise
to railroad builders) I spotted a railroad
spike coming through the pavement
where I walked. I wondered what other
things were buried there. After crossing
the Intercoastal Waterway, I reached the
C-111 Canal. Based on my atlas map
and faith I intended to follow this canal
all the way to US 41. I was gratified
to see the first segment signed as a
greenway. With evening coming fast, I
made camp just off the wide service road
that served as a path. Within minutes, a
large dump truck lumbered up the road
towards me. I had just passed a milepost,
so I felt legal, although as usual I had
no idea if I was permitted to camp. I
On my left, Everglades National Park stretched to the horizon.
need not have worried. A friendly man
got out with two sizzling burgers, potato
salad and ice tea. It turns out his wife
had seen me walking near US 1 and
thought I might be hungry. Each evening,
Henry had to return the truck to a work
area about two miles from my camp. She
got things fixed and got him to deliver
my feast. I still am filled with wonder
and gratitude 17 years later. Henry
watched me eat, and gave me valuable
tips about how to follow the correct
canal route at intersections up ahead.
With a wave he was off, and although
I passed the work camp we never met
again.
The route here was fascinating.
On my left, Everglades National Park
stretched to the horizon. On my right,
fruit trees and other farm products
revealed themselves around every turn.
At one point I had to jog two miles east
on a side canal just to cross a bridge. An
hour later I was back headed north on
the main canal. The area was filled with
all manner of wildlife, and I even saw
sign of black bear. I was hesitant to use
canal water, even filtered, but was able
to fill up courtesy of engineers at a pump
station.
After three days along the canal, I
reached US 41 and turned west. My first
stop, Coopertown, Florida advertised
airboat rides, so I took one. What a thrill
this was, skimming over the water as
our host pointed out wildlife and sites
of interest. It turns out scenes from the
movie “African Queen” were shot here.
My camp for the night was across from
the restaurant along the Tamiami Canal.
The next leg of my journey was a
long one. I followed the Tamiami Canal
to stay off US 41 and eventually reached
the lands of the Miccosukee Indians.
Numerous airboat ride concessions
beckoned, but I stopped only to sample
their famous Indian Tacos. Towards
evening, I reached Loop Road and
entered another world.
Loop Road dates to around 1928,
tracing 26 miles through the Everglades
to rejoin US 41 at Monroe Station.
What I found was a wildlife paradise
interspersed with history. Gators by the
score, egrets, herons, and vultures kept
me company. I saw signs of bobcat and
black bear. Near Pinecrest, I passed
a yellow structure that had been a
restaurant until recently. Just down the
road was a dwelling said to be the base
of operations for Al Capone. Just at dark,
I reached a campsite provided by the
National Park Service. I am certain I have
never seen so much wildlife in a small
area, to say nothing of orchids and other
plants I could not name. Only two cars
interrupted my reverie.
The next day I reached the Florida
Trail by 10 AM. In total I had come 200
miles from the buoy at Key West. The
route had been an unqualified success.
Footprint
Summer 2015
2015 note: Because of the expansion of
the Overseas Heritage Trail since 1998,
along with bikeways along US Route 1,
there are now more than 175 miles that
can be hiked off road between Key West
and the FT. Soon, the only exceptions
will be a few major bridges and Loop
Road which sees few cars.
17
North Florida Trailblazers
Building a New Trail and
Bridge in Camp Blanding
Clay Electric delivered the poles as
close as they could get them to the
creek crossing.
by Janie Hamilton
T
he North Florida Trailblazers were
very busy this past hiking season.
Not only did they host the annual
Ididahike fundraiser, they also completed
a critical new section of trail and built
a bridge in the Camp Blanding Military
Preserve.
After the 2011 closure of the
Keystone Airpark Trail and many failed
attempts to get it back open again, we
started pursuing alternate routes for
the Florida National Scenic Trail in the
Camp Blanding area. The existing trail
in Camp Blanding was an approximate
4 mile section which hit a dead end
when it reached the Airpark property
fence line. This made Camp Blanding
undesirable for thru-hikers unless they
just wanted to hike in and back out to
the same trailhead to be able to claim
they had completed it. Then you had
to continue down the busy SR 21 for
another 3 plus miles to get to the reroute
around the Airpark property. Some hikers
just avoided this section altogether due
to the road walks. Before the current
administration, there was talk at the US
Forest Service to simply move the trail
onto the Palatka to Lake Butler Trail
and reblaze the Gold Head and Camp
Blanding sections of trail to make them
blue side trails. Well, the North Florida
Trailblazers were determined to not let
this happen!
18
Conversations with Camp Blanding
to try to find another route around the
Keystone Airpark property started over
three years ago. In the interim, we
decided to try for an addition which
would loop the trail around Magnolia
Lake and bring it back out onto SR
213, just 3 miles south leaving a short
distance to reach the reroute around the
Airpark. Camp Blanding personnel were
in support of this endeavor and started
looking at areas that might support
a trail. We joined them and started
mapping out a new section of trail. Along
this new section, we had to find a way
to cross Alligator Creek which was over
twenty feet across, with water too deep
to wade through. We found a perfect
spot to cross, but needed a bridge to do
so. The goal was to get this trail in before
another hiking season came and went.
I contacted our local power company,
Clay Electric, in hopes of getting a few
power poles donated. They gladly offered
to bring us used poles as soon as they
had them available. In the meantime,
with the assurance that we could get
the poles, we flagged our new trail
section and started planning our bridge
project. With hiking season in full stride
it seemed impossible to get the bridge
completed in time, so we decided to
go ahead and cut the new trail with a
temporary bypass of the creek.
FloridaTrail.org
With the help of Camp Blanding
personnel and FWC, we moved the
existing kiosk to its new location.
Then we had to build a stile for the
new fence crossing.
Trail Coordinator
Cary Beuershausen
Once the trail was opened with the
temporary bypass we started planning
our new bridge project.
Hazen Mitchell from Camp Blanding
volunteered to transport the power
poles up to the creek crossing and then
we were in charge of the rest. With
the approval from the Forest Service
engineering team to proceed, Jeff Glenn
started gathering tools and what supplies
he could and then gave us a list of
additional supplies to gather. Finally,
April 19th was set as the start date and
April 25th would be our finishing up
day. I sent out an email to several of
our members requesting their help in
building the bridge. We had a total of
12 volunteers for the first day, with Jeff
Glenn coordinating the project. First, Jeff
reviewed the safety procedures and gave
out the safety equipment.
Once the poles were across the creek (which took several hours) the
abutments were installed and the poles cut and notched to fit.
He gave a short training session on While all this was going on others
use of the pulley system to get the were cutting the decking boards.
I was so proud of the skill and
poles across the creek.
enthusiasm that was shown by all.
Footprint
The decking was added with a
kick rail on one side to keep the
mower on the bridge.
Summer 2015
19
What a great group and what an
awesome time we all had working on
this project. Camp Blanding was very
pleased as well and said they weren’t
expecting such a professional job. They
asked if we would be interested in
replacing the aluminum bridge on the
other section of trail next. They also gave
us permission to place a picnic table
along the trail at the old Magnolia State
Park location and a bench beside the
beautiful Lost Pond area.
Day one was complete!
The following weekend was set aside
for finishing the project by building and
installing the handrail. Our 6 volunteers
basically came up with the handrail
design on site. We added the final
touches with a few signs and were done
in time to remove 4 fallen trees from the
trail before a storm set in.
Lost Pond
The final product –
a bridge to be proud of.
Even with this new section completed,
we still have not given up on the
Keystone Airpark trail. Shawn Thomas,
the FNST Program Manager with the US
Forest Service has taken over the task
of trying to reestablish the FNST on our
Airpark trail.
For now, if you haven’t hiked the
Camp Blanding trail and even if you have
in the past you won’t be disappointed.
Come check out this new trail section
and bridge. I am so proud of our crew
Lime Rock Washout at Lost Pond
and once again I am reminded why I
love being a part of this awesome family
of Florida Trail members.
To see more pictures and a video of the
bridge building go to our chapter meetup
and check out the links listed below:
www.meetup.com/NorthFloridaTrail
Blazers/photos/26062458/
www.meetup.com/NorthFloridaTrail
Blazers/photos/26076189/
https://youtu.be/zwBhrifjO9s
Bridge building crew:
Darlene Altman, Cary Beuershausen,
Aaron Bowden, Walter Bryant, Mike
Campbell, Jeff Glenn, Janie Hamilton,
Joel Hickox, Allen Janosz, Scott Johnson,
Leon Meeks, John Ruskuski, Kevin
Sedgwick, Donnie Snow, Leslie Wheeler
and our mascot Strawberry
Special thanks to:
Hazen Mitchell – Environmental
Division/Camp Blanding
Allan Hallman – FWC/Camp Blanding
Chris Carson and Barry McGee –
Clay Electric Coop
20 Florida Trail Association
FloridaTrail.org
News from the North
by Jeff Glenn, North Florida Representative
A
s the weather transitions from
pleasant to broil this time of year,
our work outside on the trail slows
from a boil to a simmer. Only the bravest
among us willingly go out for work hikes
during the hottest parts of the summer,
leaving the FNST to the red bugs, banana
spiders, and ticks. The vegetation takes
this time to soak in the heat, humidity,
and ample rain to thoroughly grow
over the trail so that come autumn, FTA
volunteers have plenty of work to do. So
what’s a trail maintainer to do?
Safety in the Summer
If you do work during the summer as
many of our volunteers do, please be
careful out there and take precautions
against heat related illnesses such as heat
exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration.
Never work alone, carry plenty of
fluids, salty snacks, and replacement
electrolytes. Make sure someone knows
your itinerary and check in often with
your crew mates about how they are
doing. Have fun and enjoy the solitude!
AM I HYDRATED?
Maintain equipment
Now is a great time to make sure
trail maintaining equipment is stored
properly: a full tank of ethanol free fuel
treated with fuel stabilizer, the gas turned
off, and some sort of injector cleaner
like Seafoam sprayed into the carburetor.
This will ensure that the old mower or
brushcutter will start up after sitting
for a few months. Climate controlled
environments are ideal, but we do the
best we can.
If you are looking for the perfect
activity on a Sunday afternoon, hone
your sharpening skills and get those
mower, chainsaw, brushcutter, and
lopper blades sharp and ready for a
busy fall.
Scout Projects
Urine Color Chart
1
2
If your urine matches the
colors 1, 2, or 3, you are
properly hydrated.
3
Continue to consume
fluids at the recommended
amounts.
4
If your urine color is below
the RED line, you are
5
DEHYDRATED and at risk
for cramping and/or a heat
illness!!
6
YOU NEED TO DRINK
MORE WATER!
There are already many events
scheduled for the North region starting in
September so sign up early and if you are
from another part of Florida,
please come join us!
Helpful tips for
working in the heat
Proper hydration is key to
preventing heat related illness
DO
Start work well hydrated
Drink plenty of water
throughout the day
Consider sports drinks for
electrolyte replacement
when sweating a lot
AVOID
Drinking pop and other
sugary drinks
Drinking lots of coffee
and tea
Drinking alcohol
Waiting for
thirst before
drinking water
When the time comes to hit the trail in
earnest, have a full work plan ready to go
by doing some scouting this summer. Pay
attention to infrastructure needs, signage,
needed reroutes, and problem areas and
work with your chapter and FTA Staff to
plan work projects.
7
Schedule
• Water depletion. Signs include excessive thirst, weakness, headache, and
loss of consciousness.
• Salt depletion. Signs include nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps,
and dizziness.
Although heat exhaustion isn’t as serious as heat stroke, it isn’t something to be
taken lightly. Without proper intervention, heat exhaustion can progress to heat
stroke, which can damage the brain and other vital organs, and even cause death.
With your chapter’s trail coordinator and
regional FTA Staff plan and post at least
2 Volunteer Work Parties on the FTA
website! By doing so you can reach out
to new volunteers, receive extra logistical
support from staff, have food provided,
and get help with the planning. In
addition to chapter Meetup sites, using
the Volunteer Opportunities page on
the FTA website is a great step towards
making your events successful.
8
There are two types of heat exhaustion:
Treatment for Heat Exhaustion
If you, or anyone else, has symptoms of heat exhaustion, it’s essential to
immediately get out of the heat and rest, preferably in an air-conditioned room. If
you can’t get inside, try to find the nearest cool and shady place.
Footprint
Summer 2015
21
The Transit Tales
Contributed to by Apalachee Chapter’s members
Apalachee Chapter’s
Transit Relay Hike
by Linda Patton.
A backpacking experience on the entire section of the Florida
National Scenic Trail maintained by the Apalachee Chapter.
Sec. 2 – St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Mar. 1-4, 2015 Hikers: Gwen Beatty & Gary Sisco
(leaders), Andrew Baratta, Paul Geyer,
Rayanne Mitchell, and Mike Tucker
Sec. 1 – Fort Braden Trails – Feb. 28-29, 2015 – Hikers:
Dawn Griffin (leader), Toni Courtier, Debbie and Kevin
Grant, Larry Reese, Gwen Spivey, and Mike Tucker
D
awn—We learned that the Aucilla River was at flood
stage and the trail within the ravines was around 4’
deep. Several participants hover around 5’ in height,
so the thought of swimming through these deep areas with
our backpacks was not appealing. Since we had been looking
forward to this event for some time, an alternative plan to hike
within Ft. Braden Trails was organized. We started hiking from
the trailhead, along the East Loop, Center Loop and a portion
of the West Loop--where we camped along Lake Talquin. It
rained on us slightly, but the creeks were filled with water and
the sounds along our journey were wonderful. The next day,
we lingered at the campsite enjoying views of Lake Talquin
before hiking back to the trailhead. Howard Pardue provided us
with fabulous breakfast cookies! Life was very good. The Fort
Braden Trail was opened on National Trails Day in 1995 thanks
to the volunteers of the Florida Trail Association. What a jewel
so close to town! (Gwen—What a great way to celebrate the
arrival of Spring... getting ‘back in the swing’ of backpacking!
Debbie—We enjoyed sharing stories about things we forgot
to bring. Larry—So glad we didn’t let the rain deter us...but
we forgot my fishing line. Toni—Neither rain, nor cold...can
prevent me from enjoying this much-anticipated hike with
good friends and new friends.)
22
Gwen ~ Day 1: Linda Patton and Karen Berkley dropped off our
team of six at Small Game Rd. off US 98 on the east side of the
Refuge to begin our hike. My first glimpse of the trail indicated
water, water everywhere–a continuous string of large puddles
stretching like a chain of beads before us. It looked like a long
linear lake. There was nothing to do but slog through it. Like
small children delighting in stomping through mud puddles,
we plunged in and waded through ankle-to-knee deep water,
making our way over and around unseen obstructions, cypress
knees, and root systems with no major mishaps, not stopping
until we reached higher ground. Fortunately for us, the water
wasn’t deeper, so we kept our packs dry. Nevertheless I was
happy see the end of submerged trail. We were better able
to enjoy the experience when it wasn’t necessary to watch
every step; and the Refuge was indeed beautiful. (Rayanne
~ A little over a mile in, the trail returned to high ground,
boardwalk, and puncheon at the Refuge boundary. A red bud
in bloom, Fla. maples, feathered red flowers, buckeyes with
palm shaped red leaves, yellow trumpet flowers on the forest
floor, fallen from the jasmine vines high in the forest canopy.
The pools & swamps along the old tram road are stark &
beautiful. Trees with bare branches, trunks and limbs alive
w/ resurrection fern, mosses, lichens & turkey tails. The dark
green of the sweetbay magnolia in the wet woods. We see
only two other people on the trail the first day. Andrew saw
a pygmy rattlesnake on the tram road just beyond the east
boundary of the Refuge.) The bridge over the Pinhook River
was a perfect place to stop for lunch and check for blisters. The
Over nine inches of rain fell in the
Tallahassee area during Jan.-Feb. 2015,
leaving the FNST severely flooded along
the Aucilla River section and extremely
wet everywhere else.
FloridaTrail.org
river, sheathed in marsh
grass and enclosed by
sandy banks, stretched
sinuously beneath the
bridge headed toward
the Gulf of Mexico. We
were reluctant to leave.
No matter how much
you look forward to a
particular campsite,
hiking is not about the
destination, it’s about
Pinhook River was a perfect
the journey. It’s about
resting spot for lunch.
the delight of spotting
and identifying wildlife,
appreciating the nuances and variation in colors, marveling
over shapes and sizes and locations of both flora and fauna
and getting to know your fellow teammates. It’s about feeling
the ground pass under your feet and listening to the sounds of
the world around you and feeling the sun on your head or the
fog on your face or the rain wetting your arms or whatever the
day happens to bring. Much of what you experience may be
mundane and not the composition of a remarkable photo but
there is always much to admire in the small things: a clump of
violets, a burst of color from a budding red bud tree, or the trill
of a song bird paused for a moment on its migration. Having
appreciated the small pleasures, you are all the more prepared
to drink in the splendor of the moment when you round a
curve and see a magnificent vista.
It was a splendid sight indeed when we walked out
onto the levee, with astounding vistas that stretched in both
directions as far as you could see. On both sides of the trail,
sinuous streams of water accompanied us on our way, gurgling
occasionally as they tumbled over obstructions or pushed
their way through narrowed apertures. Alligators lay on the
banks enjoying the sun, and slipped shyly into the water as
we passed. Marsh grass stretched to the horizon on both
sides, relieved by hammocks of palms trees rising above the
water. It was a world of endless variation and nuance, the gray
greens merging with bottle greens fading to avocado greens
highlighted with golden greens, and a gentle breeze blowing
through it ruffling the leaves and teasing our cheeks. We were
tired but elated when we reached our campsite at Ring Levee,
a small dry oasis of high land surrounded by water. The gnats
and no-see-ums were elated to see us. We were the featured
entree of an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Much is always said
about the larger and
more glorious wildlife
but rarely do they affect
hikers as much as the
ticks and chiggers and
gnats and biting flies. I
gave so much blood at
Ring Levee Campsite
that I’m thinking
of claiming it as a
donation on my tax
return. The gnat wildlife
Sunset at Ring Levee campsite population was indeed
healthy and prolific,
forcing us to make a hasty retreat to our tents earlier than we
would have preferred, but not before a bear was spotted in
the far distance meandering between the palm hammocks.
(Rayanne ~ Mike saw the bear. He called us over from our
chores to see the bear moving far off in the distance. We stood
together looking hard—searching the grassland between the
palms in the dwindling light of that first day. Such a small thing
to stand together and look off in the distance for a glimpse of
a wild creature in a wild and beautiful place we had walked
into together.)
Between Ring Levee and Port Leon
Gwen, Gary and Rayanne
Day 2: The prettiest part of our hike may well have been the
hike from Ring Levee Campsite to Port Leon Rd. Hiking the
levee rewarded us with another day of magnificent vistas
merging in time with tall pines before succumbing to the
inevitable long road to Port Leon. Just past the Port Leon
Campsite, the trail turned sharply and headed into the woods
which had recently been burned. Soon we were at the St.
Marks River and waiting for a boat ride across to the other side.
I had arranged for someone to ferry us across but when we
called, we found he had forgotten and had scheduled another
charter. He was kind enough to call Shell Point Boat Club
and send someone over for us. But a person in our group had
already hailed another boat (Thank you, Top Notch Tree Service
guys!) and soon we were all across the river and walking to
Miss Joy’s store for ice cream bars and snacks.
From there, we drove to the Thompson House to camp
in the yard and enjoy amenities such as a campfire. Mike
provided the entertainment. What a story-teller! He told us
of the time when he and his friends were trying to remove a
washer from a steel rod that was crimped to hold it in place.
As he worked on cutting through the rod, both the rod and
washer became hotter and hotter. As he neared completion,
the washer, hot as a firecracker and seeking refuge in the
nearest safe haven, launched itself up Mike’s undefended left
nostril with all the aplomb and enthusiasm of a baseball player
sliding into home base to score the winning point. Mike could
not dislodge it; it would not budge and could not be retrieved
Footprint
Summer 2015
23
using the usual digital recovery system.
He had no choice; he ran from the
building pressing his right nostril tightly
closed and vigorously and repeatedly
inhaling great bursts of air and blowing
lustily through the affected airway to
dislodge the offending alien. After many
attempts, the gasket, acting like a whistle
and keening shrilly with each blast was
launched amid a stream of blood and
mucus into the air. His friends had been
no help; they were doubled over with
laughter. We were too when he told the
story. Gary told him it was shame he had
removed it. If he had left it in place,
he could have held one nostril and
whistled out of the other one the next
time Florida Fish and Wildlife stopped
him while paddling to ask if he had
a whistle.
Day 3: Our third day took us past a high
sawdust mound, through the Cathedral
of Palms, and on to Shepherd Spring. It
was a bit salty but the springs provided
a potable water source. The water
required treatment before drinking and
everyone had a few floaters despite
different filtering methods but it was wet
and the day was hot and it was deemed
drinkable. It was a beautiful place to
stop and spend a few minutes before
continuing down the trail.
The trail was very, very wet. Much
of it was loose, sticky black mud that
sucked at our boots with every step. In
places, the trail passed through ‘lakes’
of standing water. We waded through
it all. Our boots and socks never dried
Day 4 at Purify Bay Rd trailhead after shuttle around Spring Creek closure
Gwen-Paul-Mike-Rayanne-Andrew-Gary
out during the whole trip. It was good
to have dry socks to sleep in at night.
I discovered that wet socks and boots
aren’t all that uncomfortable after the
initial shock of trading warm dry socks
for the already wet hiking socks. Most of
us ended up with at least one blister and
many hot spots. Every water break was
an occasion to stop and check our feet.
We used a lot of duct tape and blister
wraps during our four days of hiking.
Hiking through standing water and
gooey mud is tiring and it was a bit
discouraging to arrive at the Wakulla
Field Campsite and see a sign pointing
back the way we had come saying it was
3.1 miles to the nearest campsite we
Map section of the Florida National Scenic Trail hiked
FloridaTrail.org
had passed and 7.1 miles to the nearest
campsite ahead of us. It didn’t match
the mileage in the source book or the
data sheets. [note: they just interpreted
it backwards--it was 7.1 mi. to the last
campsite they had passed, and 3.1 mi.
to the one ahead.] We thought we were
much nearer to the Porter Tract Campsite
where we had intended to camp for
the night. We wondered if perhaps the
Porter campsite was fairly new and they
might not have updated the signs yet.
Not wanting to take a chance on having
to hike another 7 miles of wet trail, we
opted to stay at Wakulla Field Campsite
for the night. It was a great choice.
The campsite was very near to a large
swampy area that was heavily populated
with frogs, which formed a chorus and
serenaded us at intervals all night long. If
something came along to disturb them,
they sang lustily in protest sending the
interloper on his way with a cacophony
of song. It was wonderful lying in my
sleeping bag and listening to the night
music. The next morning over breakfast,
I learned that everyone had awakened
during the night to enjoy the frogs.
Day 4: Our last day was our shortest
day for hiking. For safety reasons, FTA
recommends avoiding trying to hike
through the dangerously deep mud and
shifting debris in the area around Spring
Creek. So we hiked out to the road and
met Linda and Karen who ferried us west
to the Purify Bay Rd. trailhead. We then
hiked from there to our terminus point at
the Carraway Cutoff Rd. trailhead.
Day 4 - at Carraway Cutoff (Medart) trailhead - end
of Section 2 Paul-Gary-Gwen-Mike-Andrew-Rayanne
Once the storm had passed Rayanne and Mike took
the opportunity for a quick dip in the Sopchoppy.
When you’re with a group, much of hiking experience
depends upon the people who share those experiences
with you. I enjoyed Mike for the stories he told, his wise
quips and the wealth of knowledge he is always so willing
to share. He showed us things his wife, Betsy, had made for
him that make his pack lighter and more efficient. I enjoyed
Rayanne for her enthusiasm and joy of life and her ability to
appreciate the small things so easily overlooked. I enjoyed
listening to Paul talk about his wife, Jan–how intelligent and
organized she is and how much he loves her. To hear him
tell of his health problems and how he copes with difficulties
and continues to enjoy outdoor experiences is inspiring.
Andrew was the youngest member of our group. I enjoyed
his resourcefulness and carefree pleasure in trail experiences.
Most of his equipment was homemade. He hiked the entire
way in sandals and doctored the many blisters and hot spots
he had to deal with without complaint. Most of all I enjoyed
Gary with his constant gentle humor and concern for my feet.
It was great sharing his pleasure in the wildlife and grand vistas
we enjoyed. Our four day trek across the St. Marks National
Wildlife Refuge was indeed an event to remember. (Rayanne—
The St. Marks Wildlife Refuge is full of wonders...and the
Florida Trail provides all of us with the opportunity to walk
right up to it and through it. I am grateful for an organization
that provides all of us with an opportunity to walk through
public lands that are part of our natural heritage. I am grateful
for the many volunteers who worked to blaze and maintain the
trail. I am grateful for the responsible and diligent leadership
of people like Mike Tucker and the other activity leaders for
seeing to the safety and well being of those of us fortunate
enough to be a part of this hike.)
the night. After making good time we arrived at our camp site
around 3 pm and set up our tents and hammock on the banks
of the river. We had been watching an approaching storm
for most of the afternoon and shortly after we set up camp it
hit with strong winds and pouring rain. Fortunately no one’s
gear got wet, but I did have to get out in the rain at one point
and tighten down my tarp tie outs after the wind blew one
loose. Once the storm had passed Rayanne and Mike took the
opportunity for a quick dip in the cold waters of the Sopchoppy
and I took a nap. Afterwards we tried to get a fire going but
the wood was too damp so we sat around the unlit camp fire
and cooked dinner before retiring to bed for what would prove
to be a very cold night. (Mike ~ Trail angel Toni Courtier had
supplied us with lots of fresh water and peanut butter pretzels
in the morning, which lasted long into the day.)
SECTION 3 – Apalachicola National Forest, East – Mar. 5-8,
2015 – Hikers: Louis Brooks & Al Ingle (leaders), Paul Geyer,
Rayanne Mitchell, and Mike Tucker
Louis ~ Day 1 started off nice and cool but quickly warmed
up. The trail was in good shape but got considerably wetter the
closer we got to the Sopchoppy River, our camping spot for
Day 2: Dawned clear and cold with temps in the 30s. It was
at this point that I proposed an alternate plan due to the
weather forecast. No one was very excited about wading
through Bradwell Bay, which was deeper than usual this year,
in temps in the low 30s with the possibility of hypothermia. I
proposed that we hike to tonight’s campsite and catch a shuttle
into town so others could clean up and resupply while I took
care of an equipment issue. Then we would resume at the
western side of Bradwell Bay the next afternoon when it was
supposed to be warmer. The others agreed and we set out on
our hike along the Sopchoppy River. I have never hiked this
six-mile section and I must say it is now one of my favorites
with beautiful views as it meanders along the bank of the river.
(Mike ~ The trail along the Sopchoppy river required a short
detour around a deep ravine that was previously crossed on
a bridge that had been torn down. The detour was not much
help because we still had to find a way across the ravine,
requiring some scouting and delicate maneuvers on a shaky
log. The native azaleas were already in full bloom, adding to
the gorgeous scenery along that portion of trail.) After hiking
about 5 miles, we reached camp around 3 pm and Scott,
Rayanne’s husband, was kind enough to pick us up and shuttle
us back to Tallahassee.
Footprint
Summer 2015
25
SECTION 4 – March 8-11, 2011 – Apalachicola National
Forest, West – Hikers: Barry Haber & Dawn Brown (leaders),
Louis Brooks, Paul Geyer, Larry Reese, Cindy Shrestha, and
Mike Tucker
Day 4 - at Al Ingles cabin for dinner
Barry-Cindy-Mike-Dawn and back FEATHER-Louis
Barry ~ DAY 1: There was concern about the difficulty and
the safety of hiking under wet-trail circumstances, so we
scouted alternate routes and came up with detours that traded
underwater trail for forest roads. Not exactly what I wanted,
but better than the alternative. On day one, Larry Reese and I
stashed water along the trail with Dawn’s help. That night we
met at Al’s Cabin, where I briefed Mike on the detours and got
his approval. (Larry ~~ I met Dawn Brown and Barry and Cindy
at the Camel Lake Campground where we left two vehicles,
riding with Dawn to Porter Lake Campground. We met Linda
Patton there. After pitching our tents we all drove to Al Ingle’s
cabin where we met up with Mike and Louis and had a
cookout. After stuffing ourselves with hamburgers and hot dogs
we headed back to our camp at Porter Lake. Sleep was difficult
until some nearby owls settled whatever disagreement they
seemed to be having.)
Day 3: We reconvened the next day at the western side
of Bradwell Bay, where Al Ingle joined our merry band of
hikers and Rayanne informed us she had to leave the hike.
Our planned campsite for the night was almost completely
under water, so we decided to head to Al’s cabin--a few miles
away on the Ochlockonee River--for the night. After stuffing
ourselves with spaghetti, we decided another night off the trail
would be OK.
Day 4: Al and I went back to Bradwell Bay to slack pack
to Porter Lake where we would spend the night. The trail
continued to be very wet and we spent most of the day wading
through calf deep water, but the final two miles was through
a diverse forest containing the most beautiful steepheads
we would see on the entire trip. Half way through the day’s
hike we met up with Paul Geyer and his nephew who had
joined him for the day. It was a beautiful day for hiking with
clear skies and warm sunny weather. We reached Porter Lake
campground around 2 pm and headed back to Al’s cabin to
meet up with the Section 4 hikers for a hamburger/hotdog feast
brought in by Linda Patton. Then it was back to Porter Lake to
spend the night and start out on section 4 in the morning.
Day 4 - at Al Ingles for dinner, Larry-Linda-Al
26
Where Barry slipped off log
DAY 2: The hike was routine except there was a lot of water
on the trail. At one point I slipped off a log bridge and got
wet – no big deal, just embarrassing. The trail was so wet that
we spent half of the 10-mile day on forest roads. In addition,
the Forest Service had been doing “prescribed burns” and
much of the forest was charred. We finally camped at the
corner of Forest Roads 175 and 107 and met up with Louis,
who had hiked ahead. He had met up with two other hikers
and provided them with some of our stashed water; he also
described how he had been lost for a period of time. (Larry
— The terrain varied, with some spots fairly wet with narrow
board or log bridges to maneuver across. At least one of our
party slipped off soaking his boots. Some broken pieces of
old clay turpentine pots could still be found along the trail – a
reminder of the turpentine industry that existed there in the
past. We set up camp at a crossroads of forest roads. Forest
along one side of the roadway had been prescribed-burned.
The next morning we would learn that the other side, through
FloridaTrail.org
Day 2 - camping at FR 175-107
Barry-Cindy-Dawn-Mike
Day 4 - at Camel Lake - end of Section 4 Paul-DawnLarry-Mike-Cindy-Barry
which we had planned to hike, was scheduled to be burned as
well. The weather seemed hot while hiking but as we settled
down at our campsite it was quite enjoyable, and we were able
to enjoy a beautiful red sunset through the pine tree forest.
their chants. The rhythm of what must have been thousands of
frogs persisted a good while and initially sounded to me like
“two, two, two”, but then the rhythm would change a little and
it would sound to me like “ check for ticks, check for ticks”-somehow matching up with my subconscious thoughts. After
the frogs finished their chants, it then sounded like some ducks
decided to show what they could do. Eventually it quieted off
and the day’s heat subsided as the darkness of the moonless
night set in.)
DAY 3: We woke to forest trucks and rangers getting ready
to do more prescribed burning. We were glad that we did
not camp in the forest that night. We literally could have
been part of the ‘prescribed burn.’ This day was spent doing
another 10 road miles and camping along Forest Road 112.
We were about 2 miles ahead of schedule due to our detours.
(Larry — Soon after beginning our daily hike we were notified
by forest personnel that the section of forest that we would
be walking along would be set on fire in about an hour. A
mile or so into our hike we ran into a large group of forestry
personnel planning the day’s burn. Occasionally, a low flying
helicopter and plane would circle over us as we walked along
the roadway. We were probably a good half mile past the
forest personnel before they started the fires. While we were
never real close to the fire itself, we continued to experience
its smoke and ash for the remainder of the day. Since this day’s
hike was along the roadway and not as shaded as the trail
through the woods it seemed much hotter. This night’s planned
campsite was at an area referred to as Vilas. Since we arrived
there fairly early we decided to try to put in a couple more
miles to get a little further away from the smoke of the forest
fire and shorten our hike on the following day. After getting
some rest and bandaging up blistered feet we loaded up our
stashed water and moved on. After going a couple more miles
we decided to call it a day, again camping along a forest
roadway. Although it was only about 5:30 p.m. many of us
decided to get in our tents to avoid the gnats that were plaguing
us. As darkness fell, the critters of the forest and swamp began
DAY 4: On the last day we were finally able to get on hikeable
trails. It was a quick 8 miles and we concluded the hike about
12:30 at Camel Lake Campground. (Larry — Today we got an
earlier start, possibly eager to get home and get a bath and
something besides trail food to eat. The weather was cloudy
keeping the temperature cooler. After a short walk on roadway
we were again able to get back on the Florida Trail. The hiking
was enjoyable, with the terrain changing from pine forests to
wet areas with an interesting grove of either cypress or cedar
trees and then some sand hills with scrub oaks. There were
a couple of challenging water crossings on this section with
some difficult-to-cross single or double plank walking bridges.
We went through an area that seemed to contain an unusually
high population of bees, but as far as I know none of us got
stung. Although we thought we had plenty of water, it seemed
to go quicker than expected. However, we shared what we had
between us and made it to our parked vehicles at the Camel
Lake Campground with a swallow or two to spare. After posing
for one last group photo, we said our goodbyes and headed off.
After getting home, cleaning up, eating a good meal, and later
laying down in my soft bed, I found myself wishing I was back
on the trail, in the open air, in my tent and sleeping bag, and
among my hiking companions.)
South Regional Conference
November 13-15, 2015
Theme ~ WATER
See page 36 for details
Footprint
Summer 2015
27
Southern Scoop
by Megan Eno, USFS
Completing the FNST in
Orange & Osceola Counties
Follow-up to the Southern Scoop by Alex Stigliano:
Closing the Deseret Gap – Winter Footprint
The Gap
There are approximately 60 gaps within
the Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST)
corridor: some a matter of only a few feet
without permanent protection between
designated portions of trail, and the more
extreme requiring dozens of miles of
road walks for those who are attempting
to thru-hike. One of our largest, and most
prevalent, gaps on the FNST has become
known as the Deseret Gap. The name
comes from Deseret Ranch, a 300,000acre agriculture and cattle operation that
occupies portions of Osceola, Orange
and Brevard counties in central Florida,
and flanks the 31 mile road walk on CR
419 and CR 520 on both sides.
The Florida Trail did at one time
traverse the Deseret Ranch property
along a levee, but was removed in the
2000’s as the Ranch, and many other
properties owned by the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints, revised their
policies on public access. Unless the
property was sold or developed for other
uses, relocating the Florid a Trail was
unlikely.
A Ranch in Transition
The recent transmission of the North
Ranch Sector Plan to the Florida
Department of Economic Opportunity
shows that the framework for such
future sale and development is being
put in place . By 2080, the 133,000 acre
portion of Deseret in Osceola County
considered under this plan could be
home to 493,000 people and 83 million
square feet of retail, office, and industrial
space. A remarkably different landscape
from the one we see today. There are
several conservation corridors set aside
within the plan and these are likely to
be of continued discussion during the
pending Plan review. As those corridors
FloridaTrail.org
Willie Angel paints historic blaze
at Deseret/Tosohatchee boundry
Summer 1989
are currently proposed, the Florida Trail
would be able to make the north-south
connection to existing trail in Bull Creek
and Tosohatchee Wildlife Management
Area’s. The Florida Trail and the Florida
Greenways and Trails System Priority
Networks are addressed by name in the
Plan’s Urban Form Framework, Policy
5.1: Transportation: Greenways and
Trails Network. Being identified and
specifically named means long-range
completion of the Florida National
Scenic Trail within this corridor may, in
fact, still be possible. Even so, both the
County and the Ranch have emphasized
that development will proceed slowly as
Sector Planning is only the first step. The
current road walk, however, continues
to present unsafe passage long-distance
hikers, and with the timeframe and
partners for development of the Deseret
Ranch property unknown it has become
prudent to revisit alternatives in the area.
Completing the Trail in Orange & Osceola Counties
Our Options
A- The Western Route – taking advantage
of the network of public lands in both
Osceola and Orange Counties, this
route of approximately 60 miles will
still contain road walks, but with natural
oases anchoring the trail in between
these connectors. With designated
trailheads, campsites, water access and
recreation areas along the way, this
Western Route has quickly risen to the
top as the preferred alternative. Public
lands include: Holopaw Conservation
Area, Lake Lizzie Conservation Area,
Split Oak Forest Mitigation Park &
Wildlife Environmental Area, Moss
Park, Crosby Island Marsh Preserve, the
Innovation Way Trail, Hal Scott Regional
Preserve & Park, Pine Lily Preserve, and
Savage/Christmas Creek Preserve.
B – Deseret Ranch – this long term
alternative depends largely on the rate
and scale of implementation of the
North Ranch Sector Plan. The US Forest
Service, Florida Trail Association, the
Florida Greenways and Trails Foundation
and Osceola County will continue to
monitor and the review the long term
implementation of the conservation
corridors identified in the plan as
opportunities future trail connections.
(See North Ranch Sector Map – meant to
be a thumbnail image, okay if can’t ready
key, etc please delete highlight).
C – St. Johns River Eco-Heritage
Trail – already slated for construction,
the St. Johns River Eco-Heritage Trail
would make up a significant portion
of this eastern proposed route. Major
road walks along 4 lane highways and
continued development made this
corridor likely unfeasible for permanent
north-south connectivity of the Florida
Trail.
The Partners
In planning, the assembled group of
partners have included: the U.S. Forest
Service, National Forests in Florida as
administrator of the Trail; the Florida
Greenways and Trails Foundation as
champions of connectivity for all major
state trails; the Florida Trail Association
as stewards of the Florida Trail; and
Orange and Osceola Counties as public
land owners and long term planning
interests for the region.
Footprint
In implementation, the group will
grow significantly to include public
and private land owners, and ultimately
community interests for stewardship
and enjoyment of the trail. Preliminary
discussions have been held with the
Harmony Development, the Orlando
Utility Company, and St. Johns River
Water Management District. Outreach
continues to a handful of private land
owners within the corridor as well as the
Department of Transportation for those
connectors within their boundaries and
right-of-ways.
Long Term Implementation
An initial stakeholder meeting hosted
by Osceola County in October of
2014, tours of the proposed routes in
fall of 2014 and spring of 2015, and
Summer 2015
29
Show your FTA colors
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individual meetings with land owners
have provided a wealth of information
and a great sense of opportunity for the
proposed Western Route for the Florida
National Scenic Trail through Orange
and Osceola Counties. Draft Memoranda
of Understanding are being circulated
with the counties for continued
consideration and implementation of the
proposed route as consensus is reached
with individual units. The Florida
Trail Association Board of Directors,
recognizing that implantation of the
North Ranch Sector Plan may provide
other opportunities for consideration in
the future, passed a motion of support
for the Western Route at their most
recent meeting.
The ultimate decision to construct a
new route for the Florida National Scenic
Trail will be documented in an Optimal
Trail Location Review (OLR). Prior to
major trail relocation and potential land
acquisition, OLR’s have been utilized
by the Appalachian National Scenic
Trail, and the Pacific Crest National
Scenic Trail. The OLR is a process
that is designed to ensure that the
proposed route meets the original intent
of these Congressionally designated
National Scenic Trail insomuch as they
“emphasize nationally significant scenic,
historic, natural and cultural features,”
and that the physical, biological and
social environment are considered
for optimal user experience and
sustainability.
To learn more about Optimal Location
Reviews visit the Florida National Scenic
Trail website here:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/fnst/
land-resources-management/resourcemanagement
For other Resources related to the North
Ranch Sector Plan start here:
http://www.osceola.org/agenciesdepartments/smart-growth/
north-ranch-sector-plan.stml
It has a tough seal, durable 3-ply
construction. Pays for itself in approx 5
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FNST logo and you can write on it with
marker to personalize
Order online at
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30
Site visit at Harmony
FloridaTrail.org
Loxahatchee Lowdown
by Roy Moore, Loxahatchee Chapter
of Environmental Resource Management,
ERM. This is now a permanent relocation
of the trail.
Several veteran OTLHT hikers met
us on the trail and spent a night with us
at DuPuis and Corbett. We also crossed
paths with a couple from Cape Cod,
MA doing the entire hike in 5 days.
Although there was some standing water
on the trail again this year, the trail was
in great shape due to the work of the
Loxahatchee Chapter trail maintainers
and outstanding support from our area
land managers.
2015 Ocean to Lake
Backpacking Trip
T
he Ocean to lake backpacking trip
is always an opportunity to enjoy a
bit of adventure, get some exercise,
and meet new friends. Hikers this year
hailed from all over Florida and further.
We enjoyed company with packers from
Colorado, New York and Pennsylvania,
too. Equally divided between men and
women, there was a wide range of ages
from 13 to 70. The average age was
“younger” than ever before and every
hiker was a member of the FTA!
After a hearty breakfast at Harry & the
Natives in Hobe Sound, a cool but sunny
Saturday greeted the 24 hikers for the 6
day Ocean to Lake Hike. From the very
start there were many surprises.
First, two Palm Beach County Sheriffs
met us at the LOST trailhead and
escorted us across a very busy US 441.
To avoid the active mining operation
west of the DuPuis Management Area,
a re-route on County rights-of-way farm
roads was provided by The Department
Footprint
On Monday we “camped” at the
Everglades Youth Conservation Camp
managed by FWC/Wildlife Foundation
of Florida. The weather, cooperative at
the start of the trip, gave us rain early
Wednesday, but by 8 AM skies cleared
and we packed up wet tents for the hike
up to Indiantown Road. Pizza, Mexican
and junk food awaited us at a strip mall
there, and due to the sunny day, we were
able to dry our tents before getting to the
last campsite in Jonathan Dickinson State
Park.
The weather was cool again that night
but all were ready bright and early for
the last day and a lunch at Taste in Hobe
Sound. Due to the cool (cold for South
Florida) we had the beach to ourselves.
Too bad—I always enjoy the reaction
of beach-goers watching a bunch of
exhausted backpackers walking down to
the ocean.
Summer 2015
31
Ensure the Florida Trail’s Future.
Remember the Florida Trail
Association in your will.
Contact FTA at
[email protected]
or call 352-378-8823.
Did you know you can now easily spread your
donation to FTA across several months or years?
List of Hikers 6 days:
Brian Bohmuller,
Landsdale PA
Rick Byrnes,
Loxahatchee, FL
Fred Davis,
Lake Worth, FL
Bill Detzner,
Miami, FL
Nancy Frey,
Baker, FL
Susan Friedman,
New York
Patrick Given,
Key Largo, FL
James Hoher,
PBC, FL
Phyllis Malinski,
Miami Beach, FL
Brian McArdle,
Inverness, FL
Charles Noe,
WPB, FL
Rich Quinn,
Stuart, FL
Donate
Please consider putting your donation to FTA on a recurring
basis. You decide the amount, you decide the frequency,
you control your account, and it all benefits the FTA.
You will be directed to our secure donation page.
The Network for Good, a leading giving platform for
non-profit organizations.
List of Hikers 3 days:
Dag Adamson,
CO
Jerillyn Clark,
Homosassa, FL
Bill Herr,
Boca Raton, FL
Paul Madeira
Joe Mehrten,
Boynton Beach, FL
Colt Mehrten,
Boynton Beach, FL
Wayne Vassello,
PBC, FL
Much planning and work the hikers seldom see goes into a trip
such as this, so many thanks are due! I want to thank all of my
fellow hikers for their support and cooperation as well as all
the great stories around the campfires. After 8 OTLHT hikes, I
can say this was the best hike ever!
Thanks to the supporters of the hike for our chili dinner that
raised $480 to offset cost of maintaining the trail. Bill Helfferich
was my delivery man for the chili dinner supplies and my cook.
He also donated salad and the bread.
There have been many improvements to the Youth
Conservation Camp since last year. Kudos to Camp Director
Janice Kerberos, her staff, and the Commission!
Once again BJ Kattel provided a water drop at the DuPuis
campsite. This will be the last year that will be necessary thanks
to the South Florida Water Management District; there is now a
pitcher pump at the campsite.
Thanks to Palm Beach County ERM for the 441 crossing.
Last but not least we must thank Scott Lunsford and all the
shuttle drivers for their support for the hike.
Go to FloridaTrail.org and click
32
Barbara Quinn,
Stuart, FL
Judy Steinbicer,
Ft. Walton Beach,FL
Trish Thomas-Arnold,
Cocoa Bch, FL
Beth Tobin,
Ft Lauderdale, FL
Elaine Zumsteg,
Stuart, FL
FloridaTrail.org
Book Review
by Sandra Friend
The Florida Trail End to End
A family’s journey along the Trail
W
hen Mike Umbarger first
boys showed the others how to set
started making plans to take
up their camp. The final season, I
his boys hiking on the Florida
remember asking Zack to start getting
Trail, his questions popped up on a
the gear out at camp while Bear
forum I was running on FloridaHikes.
(Cody) and I went for water. When we
com at the time. It was heartening to
returned, Zack had the entire camp
see a father planning to get outdoors
set up. The tent was up with all the
with his children. What began as a day
gear inside, the bear rope was hung
hike here and a backpacking trip there,
(downwind), and the camp stove was
mostly centered around their home base
set up with our food waiting to be
of Orlando, became a jigsaw puzzle of
cooked.
hikes across the state to complete the
“I was also impressed on how they
Florida Trail.
both stuck it out, especially the last
Released in April, Mike’s book, The
six months,” said Mike. “Our last six
Florida Trail End to End, recounts their
months of the trail, we would hike
journey. It took two and a half years
for a week, take three weeks off, then
for Mike and his sons Zack and Cody
head out for another week. I loved
(ages 13 and 10 when they started) to
how their motivation remained high
finish their series of backpacking trips,
with such a fast turnaround, which
day hikes, and roadwalks to say they’d
also included the Big Cypress Swamp,
walked from one end of Florida to the
which was their toughest hike ever.”
other on the Florida Trail. John hiked
When you roam the length of Florida,
with them as part of a group hiking the
you discover our state’s diversity. “We
Big Cypress Swamp in 2013, and we
did not realize just how much a few
encountered them again that spring as
feet in elevation could totally change
they were finishing up in Blackwater
the trail,” said Mike. “It was pretty neat
River State Forest.
to start off the day in a pine forest and
You’ve read about some of their
watch it change to an oak canopy,
adventures in the pages of the Footprint before. But after
then an open prairie, a palmetto thicket, and a dense junglereading the book, which recounts their adventures through the
like hardwood hammock. Florida may be flat, but we see more
journals that Mike kept along the way, I asked Mike to reflect
different types of plants and trees in one day than we see on
on how hiking the Florida Trail changed their lives.
any mountain hike.”
“The most fulfilling part of completing the trail was seeing
With his wife Dawn an integral part of logistics for their
Zack and Cody transition from new backpackers to long
hikes, Mike had high praise for the entire family pulling
distance hikers,” said Mike.
together. “I think our adventure really brought our family
They showed such great teamwork helping each other stay
together as a team. Even though the boys and I were the only
motivated when the other felt low. Watching them learn to hike ones hiking, it took the entire family to work together to make
was amazing. I still remember how nervous they were the first
this adventure possible. Dawn and Hannah only got to camp a
time I told them that they were in charge up setting up the tent. handful of times as we hiked through Ocala. We would all stay
I showed them how to do it multiple times and now I would
together at the established campgrounds through Ocala, slackonly show them where to place it and they would do the rest.
packing along the way. The rest of the time Dawn and Hannah
I sat back and watched them work together
would drop us off and pick us up, driving
and set our little tent up, they kept asking “Is
of miles and several hours at a time.
I think our adventure hundreds
this right?” and I would respond “We’ll see.” It
Several times they would have unscheduled
really brought our
took them a while, but they set it up perfectly.
trips if one of us got sick, or some equipment
The next hiking season, we had bought our
broke. I lost track of how many times their
family together
friends an identical tent so they could hike
schedule was interrupted in order to help
as a team
with us. I watched in amazement as my two
us out. If it had not been for them, our
Footprint
Summer 2015
33
The Umbargers at the last Florida Blaze on the
Florida Alabama State line
adventure would not have been possible
and we are truly grateful. That’s why
I tried to give them a well-deserved
dedication in the front of the book, but
even that cannot reflect how special they
are to us.”
Living simply is something that every
long distance hiker learns, and the
Umbargers were no exception. “Since
we were already avid campers, we
were used to pretty simple living. It did
take several trips to narrow down what
equipment we actually needed and
what we did not, to try to bring our pack
weights down as far as possible.”
What was the toughest part of their
journey? “Making sure the boys were
safe, having fun, and staying motivated,”
said Mike. “The last thing I wanted
to happen was for one of them to get
hurt, sick, or just not have fun where
they would never go out again. I would
always walk in the back so that I could
watch how they were walking, and listen
to their conversations so I could make
sure that we could make adjustments if
needed, which we did many times.”
To make adjustments, Mike planned
their days in advance. “I usually always
planned three pickup points for the end
of each trip,” Mike said. “One primary,
one closer (in case we were not making
very good progress), and one farther out,
in case we made better time. I finally got
to a point that I could tell how each of
the boys were doing by just the way they
walked, or held their head, or how they
were talking to each other.” Spending
so much time on the trail let them learn
their strengths and weaknesses. “As a
group, our third day out was always our
toughest,” said Mike. “For some reason
‘Day Three’ usually meant a slower pace
and a little lower morale. However, ‘Day
Four’ and the remaining days of the trip
were fantastic. We did attempt one 30
Photo courtesy of Diane Dammiller
34
FloridaTrail.org
day trip. During that 30 days, we ended
up coming off the trail for a day or two
each week because of sickness and one
very low morale day, but we did head
right back out as soon as we recovered.
Our average trip for our entire adventure
was 7-10 days. I made sure that if it
seemed like it was getting to be too
much, we always came off the trail and
headed home. I kept telling the boys that
‘It’s not a race or a forced march. The
trail will be here when we get back.’”
With their big accomplishment
behind them, the family still gets into
the woods together. “Zack is starting
college...and Bear has headed off to
public high school, so it is much harder
to plan trips around their schedules. The
entire family went out on an overnight
backpack trip last year and Bear and I
hiked for five days on the AT in North
Carolina. Later this summer we are
heading down to camp for a few days at
Bahia Honda State Park in the Keys.”
At 312 pages, it’s an engaging read
to follow the family’s adventures (and
misadventures) along the Florida Trail,
including how their friend “Cool Breeze”
got his trail name and how they were
strafed by a crop duster during a rural
roadwalk. The boys enjoyed surprising
people they met by telling them how
far they walked, and why not? It’s an
incredible accomplishment for teenagers.
“I had a great time watching Zack and
Bear grow up on the Florida Trail,” said
Mike, “watching them go from holding
their cookies above their heads because
the grass they were hiking through
was as tall as they were to seeing them
become self-sufficient near the end was
awesome. Hopefully, I will get to do it
again with them and their kids in the
future.”
The Florida Trail End to End is available
online at Amazon.com as an e-book or
paperback.
FTA Chapters
List of Florida Trail Association Chapters
ALLIGATOR AMBLERS CHAPTER
Charlotte, Collier, and Lee
Carl Kepford 239-252-8363
When you join the state-wide Florida Trail Association you automatically become a
member of your local chapter based upon your zip code. However, members may
attend the activities of any chapter and may transfer to any chapter they wish simply
by informing the FTA Office.
Florida Trail activities are organized by our local chapters and are led by authorized
volunteer activity leaders. Many of our activities are open to the general public so you
can get to know us before you join. Activities can be found online at www.floridatrail.
org Click on “About Us” then click on the “Upcoming Events” button on the left. Local
activities are usually also listed on the chapter websites, Facebook pages and Meetups.
Click on “About Us” then “Our Chapters” for links to local chapter sites.
Participants in activities must sign an Assumption of Risk form and agree to accept
personal responsibility for their safety and the safety of accompanying minors. Always
contact the activity leader in advance for more information, to let them know you are
attending, to find out any special requirements or equipment for the activity, and to
check for any last minute changes.
AA Sub Chapter
FISHEATING CREEK
Glades and hendry
Margaret England 863-674-0695
APALACHEE CHAPTER
Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon,
Liberty, and Wakulla
Dawn Brown 850-668-0091
BIG CYPRESS CHAPTER
Miami-Dade and Monroe
David Denham 350-667-8643
BLACK BEAR CHAPTER
Flagler, Putnam, and Volusia
Linda Taylor 386-774-0734
For more information about chapters and links to websites/meetups/photos
go online to FloridaTrail.org/about-us/chapters/ then select the chapter
CENTRAL FLORIDA CHAPTER
Orange, Seminole, and Osceola
Bill Turman 407-359-8318
CHOCTAWHATCHEE CHAPTER
Walton and Okaloosa
Richard Kersten 850-683-0803
HAPPY HOOFERS CHAPTER
Broward and Hendry
Lynn Thompson 954-609-4727
HEARTLAND CHAPTER
DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands,
and Polk
David Waldrop 863-605-3587
HIGHLANDERS CHAPTER
Lake and Sumter
Howard Pospesel 352-589-2543
INDIAN RIVER CHAPTER
Brevard and Indian River
Richard Loudon 321-638-8804
LOXAHATCHEE CHAPTER
Palm Beach
Roy Moore 561-422-2189
NORTH FLA TRAILBLAZERS
CHAPTER
Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Nassau,
St. Johns, and Union
Walter Bryant 904-704-6218
Photo courtsey of Gretchen Dewey
FLORIDA CRACKERS CHAPTER
Alachua, Levy, Gilcrist,
and Marion
Mitch Sapp 352-332-2065
Sunset over the Savannahs
PANHANDLE CHAPTER
Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson,
and Washington
Charissa Thacker 850-814-5365
SUWANNEE CHAPTER
Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette,
Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor
Irv Chance 386-330-2424
SUNCOAST CHAPTER
Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough,
Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota
Sue Bunge 727-504-8574
TROPICAL TREKKERS CHAPTER
Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie
Jim Couillard 772-485-8367
Footprint
WESTERN GATE CHAPTER
Escambia and Santa Rosa
Helen Wigersma 850-484-0528
Summer 2015
35
WATER
IT IS IMPORTANT
TO OUR LIFE
And it is the THEME for the
FTA South Regional Conference, November 13-15, 2015
Riverside Retreat (United Methodist Camp), 7305 County Rd. 78,
LaBelle, FL 33935 (see registration form in this issue)
HIGHLIGHTS
Camaraderie 
Hikes, Kayaks available for rent, and a “Crazy Walk” 


Speakers include:
Jennifer Hecker, Director of Natural Resource Policies for the Conservancy of
Southwest Florida will address “fracking”.
Bob DeGross will deliver a presentation on how water impacts the Big Cypress National Preserve
and the portion of the Florida National Scenic Trail that lies within it.
Ray Judah, a former Lee County Commissioner, active in water conservation
Mary Mangiapia will tell about her experience as the first woman to circumnavigate Florida by Kayak.
Stories of the “Florida Crackers” around the campfire.
And, of course, we’ll have the “Wuz-nu”, Raffle and Auction along with lots of good food.
Registration and Check-in begin Friday at 4pm. Friday night features Hospitality night from 6-9pm. Bring a dish/snack
to share and spend a fun evening with “like-minded” friends.
Deadline for Meals and Reserved space (RV or bunkhouse) is October 25, 2015. Tent space is not as limited.
Registration forms at: www.meetup.com/Alligator-Amblers or http://Amblers.FloridaTrail.org
36
FloridaTrail.org
South Regional Conference
November 13-15, 2015
Theme ~ WATER
LOCATION: Riverside Retreat (United Methodist Camp), 7305 Co. Rd. 78, LaBelle, FL 33935
DIRECTIONS:
From the West Coast – take I-75 to Exit 141, east on 80 - 12 miles turn left on Broadway and go over the river to the stop
sign. Alva school will be directly in front of you. Turn RIGHT (east) on CR78. Camp is 5 miles on right.
From the East Coast: Go to LaBelle. Go west on CR78. Camp is 10 miles on your left.
CAMPING: There are bunkhouses (bring your own sheets, pillows, blankets, etc), tent camping and RV spaces. Shower and
toilet facilities not available inside the bunkhouses, but are a short walk from bunkhouses, tent sites and RV sites. You may
wish to bring: chairs for the campfire ring; your bicycle to get around the 150 acre site; your kayaks and canoes for a paddle
on the Caloosahatchee River - rentals are available. NO SMOKING and NO PETS permitted in any public facility, including bunkhouses. Owners must keep pets on a leash and pick up after them. If you play an instrument, please bring it for the
campfire.
REGISTRATION/CHECK-IN - GO TO THE RED PAVILION:
4-9 pm Friday and 8-12 noon on Saturday
INFORMATION:
Please bring your own water bottle (we will have water for refilling) and your own mug for coffee/tea
Friday night hospitality 6-9 pm, bring a dish/snack to share.
Saturday Workshops and Events
Saturday Night Entertainment : Dinner, Raffle, “Wuz Nu” Silent Auction, Campfire and stories.
Sunday Chapel Services 7am, Breakfast, Closing ceremony

REGISTRATION FORM
Names of Adults: _______________________________________________________________________________
Names and Ages of Children:_____________________________________________________________________
Mailing Address/City/St/Zip: _____________________________________________________________________
Telephone: Day _______________Evening/cell___________________email_______________________________
Chapter Affiliation _________________________________________ Is this your first conference? Y
N
Registration Fee: Number over age 6 attending (6 and under free*) _____ x $10.00 =
* Children 6 and under are free in tents and RVs, but pay full price in bunkhouse.
Bunkhouse: Number of people________________ x $10.00 per person x______ nights
RV site: Number of sites____________________ x $27.50 per site
x______ nights
Tent:
Number of people__________________ x $5.00 per person x______ nights
Tent w/power...................................................... $16.00 per site
x______ nights
$______________
=$______________
=$______________
=$______________
=$______________
MEALS:
Saturday breakfast: Number _______________ x$6.00
= $_______________
Pancakes, sausage, oatmeal, eggs, cottage cheese and fruit
Saturday lunch:
Number_______________ x$9.00
= $_______________
Grilled cheese sandwich/quesadillas w/tomato soup, cottage cheese, yogurt and fruit
Saturday dinner:
Number_______________ x$11.00
= $_______________
Baked chicken BBQ, vegetable, rice or potatoes, rolls, salad bar, cottage cheese, yogurt and fruit, cookies
Sunday breakfast:
Number_______________ x$6.00
= $_______________
Breakfast casserole (french toast, sausage, egg), toast or biscuits, cottage cheese and fruit
TOTAL: include Registration fees, Camping fees and Meals
=
$_______________
DEADLINE: Registration for Meals and Reserved space - October 25, 2015
Make check payable to: FTA Alligator Amblers, Mail check and registration to Karen Bledsoe, 13155 Chesterton Ave,
Ft Myers, FL 33919. Additional Information: Karen, 239-267-1404 email: [email protected]
Footprint
Summer 2015
37
A Little Respect
Goes a Long Way
by Sandra Friend & John Keatley
W
hen the news came through of a landowner closure
along the Superior Hiking Trail - one of those
mid-length trails we’ve planned to do but haven’t
gotten around to yet - we figured it was a sell-out of the land
to someone else, something that’s happened here along the
Suwannee section of the Florida Trail. A new owner buys the
property, doesn’t realize there is a trail on it or, worse, thinks
hikers are going to break into their home, and kicks the trail off
their land.
Not so along Lake Superior. Here’s a quote from the article,
from landowner and avid deer hunter Randy Bowe, who has
owned the property since the 1980s and wants it to stay a
forest. “We were cussed at for using our four-wheeler on our
own trails. On our own land.” Speaking of the incident that
sparked his decision, Bowe talked about an elderly friend who
was in his deer stand. “Three guys came up and gave him
heck for being a hunter, basically said he was the devil. They
proceeded to stay by his deer stand and howled like wolves for
an hour. They ruined his hunt,” Bowe said.
During our “Not Quite Thru” in 2012, we saw bad behavior
by hikers all along the Appalachian Trail’s southern reaches. It
started with grafitti in shelters and names carved into trees. This
isn’t a new problem, but it’s increasing in volume, and we met
people who felt carrying a Sharpie and “tagging” their name on
every surface was “the thing” to do. The bad behavior escalated
to tossing trash in privies, leaving trash in shelters, and even
skipping out on hostel owners without paying. Here on the
Florida Trail, we’ve heard about intentional “branding” by
Sharpie and hikers breaking into buildings - not for emergency
shelter, but to brag that they did so.
This, folks, is how services shut down and how trail access
disappears. It’s why a scenic piece of the Superior Hiking Trail
is now missing. People who provide trail services - especially
private landowners - deserve respect.
From the article: “Ninety-five percent of the hikers are
great. But those other 5 percent ruined it for the rest. It was
going from two or three incidents each year to four or five,”
said Bowe.
You may not approve of hunting, but when you’re crossing
private land leased by a hunting club - as the Florida Trail does
many times - stop and say hello when a hunter walks or rides
up towards you. Take the time to thank them that their club
supports the Florida Trail by providing access. If they don’t
know that the Florida Trail is on their land, show them your
map and tell them how the trail goes from one end of Florida
to the other.
Keep in mind, just like us hikers, hunters would rather
have a forest than a subdivision on that land. And we’d rather
have a trail going through their hunting lease than on another
roadwalk.
Reprinted with permission from FloridaHikes.com
May 2015 eNews.
You can read the whole article here.
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/3731849landowner-kicks-superior-hiking-trail-property
Become a Member!
Support the Florida Trail Association
and our mission by becoming a member
or by renewing your current membership today!
38
FloridaTrail.org
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND GIFT FORM
MY GIFT TO THE
FLORIDA TRAIL
DESIGNATIONS
ORDER BY PHONE 877-HIKE-FLA
ORDER BY FAX 352-378-4550
ORDER ONLINE www.floridatrail.org
Name ___________________________________________________ Daytime Phone Number ______________
Address _________________________________________________ Email ____________________________
e
ANNUAL FUND
Provides funds to ensure a
steady income stream for
operations. It’s how we keep
the lights on and The Footprint
coming.
City ____________________________________________________ State _______ Zip __________________
MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES
Please mark one of the boxes below if you are joining or
renewing your membership in the Florida Trail Association
Please send a gift membership to:
Name _____________________________________
$35 Individual
$50 Family*
$125 Sustaining*
$250 Supporting*
$1000 Individual Life
$1500 Family Life*
$30 Senior (65+) or Student (18-23)
$45 Senior (65+) or Student (18-23) Family
Address ___________________________________
City ______________________________________
*Includes spouse and children under 18.
I do not want my address shared with FTA-affiliated organizations
State _____________ Zip _____________________
e
Employer/Occupation ___________________________
Daytime Phone Number _______________________
Spouse Name _________________________________
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ENDOWMENT FUND
Provides an ongoing
endowment to the
from interest earnings.
It is the gift that keeps
on giving.
Spouse Occupation _____________________________
Ship membership package to
Number of children _____________________________
The Footprint magazine?
Me
New Member
Digital
Printed
I learned about the Florida Trail from _____________________________________________________________
MY GIFT TO THE TRAIL
I am making a gift to the Florida Trail Association and want my gift designated to:
e
TRAIL
PROTECTION FUND
Supports land acquisition and
trail construction
projects with the ultimate goal
of protecting the trail corridor
and completing the entire Florida Trail. Independently funds
programs like F-Troop, trail
crews, and outreach to implement programs wherever they
are needed within the Florida
Trail System.
Annual Fund
My gift is
Endowment Fund
Trail Protection Fund
Map Fund
In Memory of _____________________________ In Honor of ______________________________
FUND
AMOUNT
SEND FORM AND PAYMENT TO:
MEMBERSHIP TOTAL _______________
FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION
5415 SW 13th St., Gainesville, FL 32608
GIFT TOTAL _______________
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PAYMENT OPTIONS:
CHECK: Make checks payable to “Florida Trail Association”.
CREDIT CARD:
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Credit Card
Number:____________________________________________________________ Exp. Date: _____________
MAP FUND
Provides funding for
updating the Florida Trail’s maps
and databook.
Signature: ________________________________________ Security Code (3 or 4 digits): ________
To order merchandise from the Florida Trail General Store, visit
www.FloridaTrail.org
or call the Florida Trail office at 1-877-HIKE-FLA.
Footprint
Summer 2015
39
FTA Chapter Activities
List of Florida Trail Association Chapters
The Florida Trail Association offers activities
throughout Florida. These activities, led by authorized
Activity Leaders, Section Leaders, or staff members,
are organized by our local chapters. People interested
in attending any activity should contact the Activity
Leader for more information and for last minute
changes.
All activities are open to the general public unless
otherwise indicated. Almost all of our chapters now
post their activities on Meetup.com To find your local
chapter go to http://www.floridatrail.org/about-us/
chapters/ or go to Meetup.com and do a search for
“Florida Trail Association” then join the chapter(s) in
your local area.
August 9 Backpacking DIY Gear Bag Workshop. We will
be making cuban fiber stuff sacks for use while hiking and
backpacking. This uses a no-sew process and is a good
introduction to making your own gear. No equipment needed,
however there is a $30 fee per person to cover materials which
should provide 3-5 stuff sacks. Mail fee (check payable to Louis
Brooks) to: 8785 Minnow Creek Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32312 at
least two weeks before the event to reserve your space and so
supplies can be ordered. Limit 8 people, FTA MEMBERS ONLY.
Sign up at http://www.meetup.com/Apalachee-Florida-TrailHiking or contact Louis Brooks (850) 728-3018 louisbrooks@
yahoo.com or Dawn Griffin (850) 509-6103 [email protected]
August 11 Chapter Meeting. To give everyone a much needed
break, there will be no chapter meeting for August. See you in
September for the fall Hiking Kickoff!
APALACHEE CHAPTER
Activities August-September 2015
August 1 Wacissa River and Slave Canal Paddle. A wilderness
paddle on the Wacissa River and Slave Canal. Expect many
pullovers and low trees on this float through this bottomland
hardwood forest. Limit 15 canoes/kayaks. Contact Kent Wimmer
(850) 528-5261
August 4 Paddle on Lake Lafayette. A 7-mile paddle through
open water and cypress lined paddle trails. Originally this system
was a wet prairie, much like Gainesville’s Payne’s Prairie, filling
during heavy rains then draining through sinkholes into the
Florida Aquifer. Over millennia, when the lakes drained, Native
Americans hunted and gathered flint for tools and weapons on the
lake bottom. In historic times farmers grazed cattle and planted
crops in the fertile lake soil. Two dams constructed around 1950
divided the lake into three sections: Upper Lafayette continues
to be a wet prairie, Piney Z Lake is a 200-acre open water lake,
and Lower Lafayette resembles a cypress-covered Louisiana
bayou. Limit 10 canoes/kayaks. Contact Mike Tucker (850) 5453489 [email protected]
August 8 “Red Hills Ramble” Hike. Who doesn’t like to
“ramble” along a beautiful county road?! Join us for our fourth
6-mile ramble on the entire length of Old Centerville Road from
Centerville Road to the Florida/George state line (a canopied
road, half paved road and half hard packed clay; it’s an easy
hike.) The Red Hills has been identified for special conservation
efforts and the Nature Conservancy has designated the Red
Hills as one of America’s “Last Great Places.” Wear comfortable
clothes & walking shoes and bring water & trail snacks for several
hours. Meet at 10 a.m. at the Retreat (parking under oaks) across
from at Bradley’s Country Store where we will begin our walk
(approximately 6 miles beyond Bradfordville/Roberts Roads).
Afterwards plan on enjoying a well-deserved sausage dog and
drink at the country store. Sign up at http://www.meetup.com/
Apalachee-Florida-Trail-Hiking / or contact Dawn Griffin (850)
509-6103 [email protected]
August 15 Hikes for Tykes: Mother Nature under the Microscope.
Phipps Park--Meridian Park Trailhead on Meridian Rd. @ 10 a.m.
Allow your little one to explore the wonders of nature on the
microscopic level! Children will be provided with magnifying
glasses and a field microscope will be available so they can
investigate what they find along this 2-3 mile hike. Parent or
guardian required to accompany child. Trail is not stroller
suitable so baby wearing is encouraged. Limited to 10 families.
Contact Mike Tucker (850) 545-3489 [email protected] or
Ashley Hopkins (850) 339-3488 [email protected]
August 15 Night Prowl at the Tallahassee Museum. Special group
program only offered in the evening. Group will head down the
Florida Wildlife trail at @ 7:00 p.m. to observe the nighttime
behaviors of the animals. Guides will be located throughout the
trail to help us find animals in the habitats. Guided tour lasts
1.5-2 hours and includes a wildlife encounter. Museum staff
provide flashlights, but wear closed-toe shoes, bring bug spray
and water. Cost is $10 per person, paid directly to the museum.
These night prowl programs are open to the public and fill up
quickly, so reserve your spot ASAP directly with the Tallahassee
Museum at (850) 575-8684. Contact Carol Watkins-Babcock
(313) 319-9463 [email protected]
August 16 Chipola River Paddle: Yancy Bridge to Magnolia.
Leisurely 10-mile paddle with a lunch stop at Hinson Park. The
river flows through river swamps and hardwood forests. At lower
water levels, enjoy viewing limestone bluffs and caves, visible
from the water. Cool off in the abundant refreshing springs! Plan
to enjoy a late lunch/early dinner at a restaurant in Marianna
before returning to Tallahassee. Limit 12 canoes/kayaks. Contact
Gwen Beatty (850) 539-6027 [email protected] or Gary
Sisco (850) 545-4776 [email protected]
FloridaTrail.org
APALACHEE CHAPTER - Continued
August 23 “Chillin’ in the Hot Summer.” Join us at a musical ice
cream social. Steve and Carol Babcock will host, Dawn Griffin
will provide ice cream and Howard Pardue has generously
agreed to provide banjo music. We are having a lazy day--come
anytime after 2:00 p.m. with your own plates/bowls/beverages/
silver, and we will provide hotdogs, ice cream toppings, and a
place to wander around. We live on a long dirt road, so a walk is
a possibility. FTA MEMBERS ONLY. Please sign up by Aug. 19 so
we know by how much food to provide: contact Carol WatkinsBabcock (313) 319-9463 [email protected] or Howard
Pardue (850) 386-1494 [email protected]
August 6 Moonlight Hike on the Miccosukee Greenway: Good
Food, Good Folks, Good Times. Laissez les bon temps roulez!
Hike a 7-mile section of the Miccosukee Greenway in a unique
way, cast in shadows and (almost full) moonlight. You can meet
at 5:30 p.m. at Coosh’s Bayou Rouge [(850) 894-4110 located
at 6267 Old Water Oak Rd., NE Tallahassee 32312 Suite 101],
grab some good eats before the hike or meet us at 7:30 p.m. at
the Crump Road trailhead (across the street from the brick house
at 4955 Crump Road). Then carpool to the Fleischman Road
trailhead to begin our hike. The first 1.5 miles of trail are natural
path. The remainder of the pathway is broad level gravel. The
white stones will make following the path an easy task. Wear
comfortable closed-toe shoes and bring water, a flashlight or
headlamp, and bug spray. Sign up at http://www.meetup.com/
Apalachee-Florida-Trail-Hiking or Contact Dawn Griffin (850)
509-6103 [email protected].
September 1 Lines Tract Off-Road Bike Ride. A 9-10 mile offroad bike ride through pine forest and hardwoods with sections
bordering Lake Talquin. Casual pace with numerous rest spots.
Limit 10 people. Contact Mike Tucker (850) 545-3489 tuckems@
hotmail.com
September 4-7 Backpacking on the Appalachian Trail – Springer
Mountain to Neel’s Gap. This will be a 4-day backpacking trip on
the Appalachian Trail starting at Springer Mountain and hiking
32 miles to Neel’s Gap. This will be a very strenuous trip and
participants should be comfortable hiking 10-12 miles a day in
mountainous terrain while carrying a full backpack. Note: Start
training with your pack on the Monday Brisk Walks! Limit 6
people—FTA MEMBERS ONLY. Sign up at http://www.meetup.
com/Apalachee-Florida-Trail-Hiking or contact Louis Brooks
(850) 728-3018 [email protected]
September 8 Chapter Meeting: “Rules of Two: Recognition
and Preparation for Life’s Emergencies.” The program will be
preceded by presentation of the Chapter’s annual Volunteer
Awards. For our hiking-season kick-off, join Al Ingle as he
categorizes emergencies that we may face in our lifetime,
and provides simple guidelines to prepare for and overcome
the challenges faced. Based on Al’s former experience as an
Assistant Scoutmaster in an active outdoor-focused Boy Scout
troop, and lessons learned as an Alaskan bush pilot, he will offer
his summary of experiences and how to survive by expecting,
categorizing, and preparing for the risks of a given activity. And
come early--6 p.m.--for our annual used-hiking/backpacking/
camping/cycling/paddling-gear sale! NOTE EARLIER TIME.
Contact: Liz Sparks (850) 570-5950
September 19 Kolomoki Mounds State Park: Day Hike, Museum
Visit & Picnic. Located in Blakely, GA, approximately 90 miles
from Tallahassee. This historically significant park is the oldest
and largest Woodland Indian site in the southeastern United
States, occupied by Indians from 350 to 750 A.D. Georgia’s
oldest great temple mound, standing 57 feet high, dominates
two smaller burial mounds and several ceremonial mounds. The
park’s museum is built around an excavated mound, providing
an unusual setting for learning who these people were and how
they lived. Inside, visitors will find numerous artifacts and a
film. Carpooling from Tallahassee. Park fees apply: check out
at gastateparks.org/KolomokiMounds. Bring your own picnic
lunch, snacks and beverages to stay hydrated. Limit 25 people.
Rain Date Sunday 9/20. Contact Carol Watkins-Babcock (313)
319-9463 [email protected] or Melanie Knapp (850) 3398830 [email protected]
September 26 Hikes for Tykes: Tree Leaf Rubbings. Phipps Park-Gate B on Miller Landing Rd. @ 10 a.m. On National Public
Lands Day, in Take A Child Outside Week, explore the delightful
trails and trees of Phipps Park with your little explorer on this
child-friendly 2-3 mile hike. Paper and crayons will be provided
for children to make leaf rubbings for their nature journals. All
ages welcome, parent or guardian required to accompany child.
Trail is not stroller suitable so baby wearing is encouraged.
Limited to 10 families. Contact Mike Tucker (850) 545-3489
[email protected] or Ashley Hopkins (850) 339-3488
[email protected]
FLORIDA CRACKERS
Summer Activities
Kayak Wednesday, August 15, 9 am.
Monthly week day kayak day trip. Exact location will be set in
July. See http://www.meetup.com/Crackers-FTA/ for details.
Kayak Saturday, August 18, 9 am.
Monthly weekend kayak day trip. Exact location will be set in
July. See http://www.meetup.com/Crackers-FTA/ for details.
Kayak Wednesday, Sept. 16, 9 am.
Monthly week day kayak day trip. Exact location will be set in
August. See http://www.meetup.com/Crackers-FTA/ for details.
Kayak Saturday, Sept. 19, 9 am.
Monthly weekend kayak day trip. Exact location will be set in
August. See http://www.meetup.com/Crackers-FTA/ for details.
Chapter Activity Leader Meeting, Saturday, Sept. 19, 10 am.
Meeting for all Cracker Chapter Activity Leaders and those
who are interested in learning about leading activities for
FTA. Bring your fall/winter activities and ideas. We’ll cover
requirements for becoming and Activity Leader, hours and form
submission, and work on scheduling. Exact location will be
set in August. Deb Blick at [email protected] See http://
www.meetup.com/Crackers-FTA/ for details and to RSVP.
Footprint
Summer 2015
41
INDIAN RIVER CHAPTER
SUWANNEE CHAPTER
July 31, Friday - Full Moon Hike – Bull Creek – Meet at 8:30 p.m.
at Sam’s Discount Club, 4255 W New Haven Ave, Melbourne.
Please call Activity Leader: Tony Flohre 321-723-6339
FUN FRIDAY WITH ANDRE
Every Friday Andre is doing something “fun”. Canoeing,
kayaking, fishing, hiking, bicycling and more, to find out what is
going on, call Andre a few days ahead at 386-362-7308
Activities for August - September 2015
activities for July - August 2015
1 August, Saturday, Trail Maintenance Hike – Bull Creek - Meet
at 7:30 a.m. at Sam’s Discount Club, 4255 W New Haven Ave,
Melbourne. Activity Leader: Tony Flohre – Phone: 321-723-6339
3 August, Monday - Monthly Chapter Meeting - Meet at 6:30 p.m.
at the Melbourne Public Library on Fee Avenue in Melbourne
– Socializing, Program (TBD) followed by a business meeting.
Contact. Richard Louden-321-638-8804. For additional details.
8 August, Saturday - Trail Maintenance Hike – Three Lakes/
Prairie Lakes - Meet at 7:00 a.m. at Sam’s Discount Club, 4255
W New Haven Ave, Melbourne. Activity Leader: Noreen Poor
Phone: 813-956-0855 e-mail: [email protected]
Friday, August 14, 2015 - Workhike Day
The Jones Spring Area needs work. Let’s meet at Gibson Park
at 8am (route 751). The trail is approximately 1-1/2 mile and
we will be lopping and blazing. Bring water, snack, lunch, bug
spray etc. For more info contact [email protected]
Saturday, August 15, 2015 - Workhike Day
Alapaha Suwannee Section is also in need of work. Meet at
Gibson Park at 8am (route 751). The trail is approximately 1-1/2
mile and we will be lopping and blazing. Bring water, snack,
lunch, bug spray etc. For more information contact RJWildlife@
windstream.net
17 August, Monday - Bi-Monthly Planning Meeting – Meet at
7:00 p.m. at the Melbourne Public Library on Fee Avenue in
Melbourne. Leader: Richard Louden, Phone: 321-693-3820,
e-mail: [email protected].
October 19-23, 2015
The Blackwater activity is rescheduled for October 19-22 and
return on the 23rd. I have reserved the same site as before #21.
Maybe the weather will cooperate this time. Please let me know
your site # after you make reservations. Hope to see you there.
22 August, Saturday - Annual Turkey Creek Paddle & Cook-Out There is vacancy now.
– This event is for Florida Trail Members only. If interested in PS Motels 1 & 2 are 11 miles from the park entrance.
joining Florida Trail Association go to Website http://www. Activities include Paddling, Hiking and more. For more
floridatrail.org/. Must provide your own canoe/kayak and safety information call Sam at 386-362-5090 or email Sambar2@
equipment. Personal floatation device (life jacket) is required. windstream.net
We will canoe/kayak up Turkey Creek and then return for lunch/
cookout. Hamburgers, hotdogs and sodas will be provided. November 4, 2015
Bring a side dish, chips or dessert to share. Must call activity Join Fred at Steinhatchee River Paddle for approximately 12
leader: Dale Weddle, Phone: 321-729-9162 for details.
miles downstream. Meet at the parking lot at 9am. For more info
email Fred at [email protected]
29 August, Saturday - Full Moon Hike – South Tosohatchee –
Meet at 8:30 p.m. at the Viera MacDonald’s on North Wickham
Rd. Please call Activity Leader: Tony Flohre 321-723-6339 for
information
FloridaTrail.org
Footprint
Summer 2015
43
Nonprofit Organization
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Permit No. 702
Gainesville, FL
5415 SW 13th St., Gainesville, FL 32608
Create Your Volunteer Profile Online!
You can start volunteering today!
www.FloridaTrail.org/NewVolunteers/
FloridaTrail.org

Summer 2015 PDF - Florida Trail Association

Transcription

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