March 30th, 2007 Sandra Friend
This photo isn’t taken from an odd angle. This cypress knee was tall enough I could step up to it and press my nose against the tip of it. Pretty awesome. Another botanical wonder, this one at Peacock Springs State Park north of Mayo. And you should see the cypress it belongs to! I was there looking for the new “trace the path of the caverns” trail but it’s not quite ready for prime time yet. The cypresses and sinkholes, however, are outstanding, and the rain-lilies are in bloom.
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March 30th, 2007 Sandra Friend
I’m still working away on my newest book, Exploring Florida’s Botanical Wonders. About a month ago, I had the pleasure of joining in an expedition to determine a new Big Tree for the Florida Register. It’s along the Florida Trail in Rice Creek Swamp, and here’s my story. It’ll appear (with photos) in the Florida Trail Footprint later this year.
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March 25th, 2007 Sandra Friend
It’s been a ridiculously busy week, culminating in a crash-landing back home for my birthday this weekend. I went from the Annual Conference to hanging out with my buddies shown in the last post’s photo, to a trip to Tallahassee, during which I managed to fit in five hikes on short trails mostly new to me (info to come soon). Another cross-state bound and I spent the morning attending the launch of Expedition Headwaters, in which my friend Beth Kelso is participating. It’s a 12-day combination paddle and trek from Shingle Creek, “headwaters of the Everglades,” to Lake Okeechobee. Check out the daily reports on Channel 13 News!
We spent my birthday visiting Cross Creek, including the little nature walks at the Rawlings House and dinner at The Yearling, one of Florida’s classic restaurants. And long after the festivities had died down, I found … ticks! Ick! It’s a little early for them to make an appearance, and a sad reminder that hiking season is starting to wane.
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March 18th, 2007 Sandra Friend
Now here’s a real comparison in pack weight for long distance hikers. To the left, Mike “Smileage” DeWitt, with a pack that many of us gals could crawl into and sleep in, it’s so danged big. He won’t say but I’m guessing it tips the scales past 50 pounds. To the right, the esteemed Nimblewill Nomad and his pack, roughly 12 pounds with water. I split the difference when I’m hiking….
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March 18th, 2007 Sandra Friend
A busy crazy weekend trying to be in forty places at once at the Florida Trail Conference down in Umatilla. I’m just unpacking my bags after a long afternoon spent unwinding at The 88 Store in Lake Kerr with my buddy Mike DeWitt. Friday started out with torrential rains and a wild goose chase after a crane that turned out to be a common one, but the front passed through, the clouds parted, and it was blue skies, sunshine, cold weather and more than 400 friends all at once. If I wasn’t working … I’d be running around just as much trying to take it all in! Hard to describe other than a blizzard of ideas, advice, friends, food, fun that went past much too fast. Now I’m off to the Panhandle and will post a few hikes on the site as I try them on for size.
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