The Hiking Thread

[O Really]

I'm not entirely sure that pic is real, without some 'shopping. But it is realistic in Okefenokee in the Spring. Seriously. Don't be texting and walking.

[JTA]

Do alligators cry crocodile tears????

[Seth Milner]

You should have fought the gator to the death.

Then we wouldn't have our forum buddy today!

[Seth Milner]

Do alligators cry crocodile tears????

You should apply for a government grant to study that!

[billy.pilgrim]

Post some pics when you get back man, don't get eaten by any alligators.

In Florida, the alligators have developed sign making skills. . .

My first night in central fla many years ago. I stopped at a pretty little private camp and set up my tent by the river away from the motor homes and other campers. After dark I got in my vw to read for a couple of hours. Around 10, I flipped on the headlights to show the way to the tent. There was a large gator between me and the tent. I slept in the vw.

You should have fought the gator to the death.

I taste too much like chicken.
I just curled my 6'3" self into the back seat of that 63 beetle and finished my book - "Slapstick"

The next night I camped further from the Withlacoochee.

[JTA]

Post some pics when you get back man, don't get eaten by any alligators.

In Florida, the alligators have developed sign making skills. . .

My first night in central fla many years ago. I stopped at a pretty little private camp and set up my tent by the river away from the motor homes and other campers. After dark I got in my vw to read for a couple of hours. Around 10, I flipped on the headlights to show the way to the tent. There was a large gator between me and the tent. I slept in the vw.

You should have fought the gator to the death.

I taste too much like chicken.
I just curled my 6'3" self into the back seat of that 63 beetle and finished my book - "Slapstick"

The next night I camped further from the Withlacoochee.

Shouldve been like "Ay yo gator bitch" and threw some hot dogs at him.

[billy.pilgrim]

one of the bet ya won't / bet I can grade school antics (like 10 year olds) was to jump into a canal onto a sleeping 3 or 4 foot gator and pull it out of the canal

one of my cracker neighbors was a guide (short for poacher) back in the 70s when gators were still protected. after his kid told me about the big 10 ft gator his dad caught the night before, I ran into him at the store and offered congratulations. he got real quiet and asked me not to repeat to anyone. after that he would occasionally drop off a section of tail meat.

he also made smoked armadillo sausage

[Vrede too]

Offline until 4/6 or 7. Gonna check out N. FL before S-M ruins it (more than it already is). .

[JTA]

Offline until 4/6 or 7. Gonna check out N. FL before S-M ruins it (more than it already is). .

Have fun and be safe!

[Seth Milner]

Offline until 4/6 or 7. Gonna check out N. FL before S-M ruins it (more than it already is). .

I hope no one thinks it's a co-incidence that we're leaving at the same time.
did you remember to text me your cell number?

[billy.pilgrim]

Offline until 4/6 or 7. Gonna check out N. FL before S-M ruins it (more than it already is). .

I hope no one thinks it's a co-incidence that we're leaving at the same time.
did you remember to text me your cell number?

I'm not supposed to tell you, but us being buds and all, I thought you should know that the rest of us have already logged over 200 posts about it on our secret thread.

[rstrong]

I'm not supposed to tell you, but us being buds and all, I thought you should know that the rest of us have already logged over 200 posts about it on our secret thread.

Great. The 'Meanwhile Back in the Closet' thread is out of the closet.

[billy.pilgrim]

I'm not supposed to tell you, but us being buds and all, I thought you should know that the rest of us have already logged over 200 posts about it on our secret thread.

Great. The 'Meanwhile Back in the Closet' thread is out of the closet.

I'm sorry, I know that I swore never to reveal the stealth thread, but Seth called me pal and I got confused. It finally came down to betraying my pal, or breaking my sworn promise. I just couldn't betray my pal and I sincerely wish both of them the best vacation ever. If y'all vote to kick me out of the secret room - so be it, I stand with my pals, Vrede and Seth.

[Vrede too]

I don't mind being called gay a bit, but it hurts that y'all think my taste in men would be so poor.

[billy.pilgrim]

Where did you go

[O Really]

So'd you get a bit chilly in the swamp last week, V?

Lady O Really and I stopped off at Rainbow Springs for a few days. Paddled up to the Rainbow headwaters and back; Rode about 20 miles on the Withlacoochie rail/trail through Inverness.

Tell us about your trip!

[Seth Milner]

I don't mind being called gay a bit, but it hurts that y'all think my taste in men would be so poor.

Tasted one, you've tasted them all. I'm actually flattered you would find me distasteful; no love lost here either.
Glad you made it back safely, hope you had a good vacation.
Still going to be gone for a while; so don't insult me too badly behind my back while I'm gone; save the best for when I get back.
You can do it; I know you can.

[Vrede too]

More noise from the closet.

Cumberland Island, GA - 9-10 mile walk through the estate, up the beach (swam), back on an inland scrub trail, surprisingly few people once a mile away from the ferry landings. Carried a tracker along with many others for a grad student working on day usage patterns. Told him we'd be an outlier when we turned it back in.

O'Leno S.P., FL - Way cool for a day hike, the Santa Fe river disappears!

10 mile Suwanee River canoe paddle from Anderson to Manatee Springs - Paddled right over a manatee (rare in late March) at Fanning Springs S.P. then hung out with it for a bit, couple of gators, bald eagle. Big, flat, developed river for my tastes, but a good first splash and the south side is mostly Andrews Wildlife Mgmt. Area - took a walk there after the paddle.

Cedar Key, FL - Meh, not so great, 3 short walks, nice-ish museum featuring John Muir.

Lower Suwanee National Wildlife Refuge - Shell Mound Trail, Nature Drive, very cool River Trail.

Manatee Springs S.P., FL - North End Trail is nice.

Peacock Springs S.P., FL - Very nice short loop trail with fascinating trailside info. on cave divers. Maniacs!

Stephen C. Foster S.P., FL - Permanent crafts demos., weekend old tractor demo./fair. Good Upper Suwanee River hike. Odd place though - Big park, grandiose memorial, but Foster was only south of the Mason-Dixon line once in his life and that was a month long trip to New Orleans. All he did was write "Swanee River" and we were told it was originally about the Peedee River, anyhow.

Had a tire tread separate like a recap (but not blow :-0?> ), it trashed my fender, broken jack but did have a spare (not a donut), called for a roadside tire change and mickey mouse fix of the fender (all insured), lost less than 1 1/2 hours.

Okefenokee Swamp - Hundreds of gators and tons of cool birds, of course. The nights were cool-ish, I actually had to put on long pants and a long sleeve shirt, horrors!

I was offline, brother printed the overnight camping permits, screwed up by not entering 4 people rather than 1. Robotic FWS Ranger essentially said, "Tough shit, the computer is God, nothing can be fixed on a weekend." We played 'good brother/bad brother (me)' with her for awhile to no avail. I asked to speak with a supervisor - "Can't be done unless someone dies." I threatened to kill my brother and told her she is why people detest bureaucracies. Went to Okefenokee Adventures to get boats for, sadly, day trips only. Mentioned being screwed by a minor computer glitch to the owner, Joy - the platforms were still mine and mine only for 2 nights, but they would have ticketed the rest including my 13 year old nephew. She got on the phone with, of course, the "unreachable" FWS Ranger supervisor (on a fire in TN), left credit card number with her for the computer person to fix on Monday. Joy brought joy.

Day paddle (had always planned on it) to Cedar Hammock and Mizzell Prarie, sand hill cranes. Brother dropped his camera in the water, went swimming for it ("Don't tell the wife!"), found it but first found a nice, still working, heavy duty flashlight. Score. Haven't asked whether the camera survived yet.

8 mile paddle to Monkey Island, set up camp, another 1/2 mile to Buzzard Roost Lake. Had a wood stork hang out just feet from the boardwalk.
13 mile paddle to Canal Run, set up camp, another 5 1/2 miles exploring with empty boats, amazed at my nephew's stamina.
10 mile paddle out, drove home without breaking any more of my SUV.

Someday:
Traverse Okefenokee, NE to westside.

[Wneglia]

Sounds like you had a great time. I'm happy for you. Welcome back.

[billy.pilgrim]

I don't mind being called gay a bit, but it hurts that y'all think my taste in men would be so poor.

Tasted one, you've tasted them all. I'm actually flattered you would find me distasteful; no love lost here either.
Glad you made it back safely, hope you had a good vacation.
Still going to be gone for a while; so don't insult me too badly behind my back while I'm gone; save the best for when I get back.
You can do it; I know you can.

what did you catch?