Nice Report and the bears whooo buddy.. Thanks for sharing!
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Nice Report and the bears whooo buddy.. Thanks for sharing!
I sure do miss living in Florida. Thanks for the the story and photos, really makes ya appreciate that place even more.
And Water Moccasins. I am convinced that they are pure evil and they have been my worst enemy since I found one in my pool at the age of 6.Quote:
Originally Posted by MAD777
Fronkey
The heat, well, I'd say you get used to it, but that's not entirely correct. I've been here in FL for more than a decade and an half, and I'm still not entirely used to it. I've become reconciled to the fact that I'm going to hate the weather for four to six months out of the year, but I haven't really gotten used to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by weaver2469
Still, I work in a kitchen at night that gets as hot as 114+ by the entrance door (the coolest part!), and I've learned that the human body can operate at those temperatures, as long as it is fed water constantly. You sweat it out, even at 100% humidity, and your body will regulate itself. It's just tough, is all. Same as sub-freezing temperatures up north. It requires a skill set to survive.
Whiskey in the Jar was just what came to mind first; it's one of those songs that's just more fun with friends. Even if they don't know any of the lyrics, the clapping during the chorus is easy enough for anyone to do, even after their sixth beer. I didn't know that Jerry Garcia had covered it, but that's a pretty good version. Personally, I prefer the Dubliners' classic live recording, followed by the Dropkick Murphys and The Pubcrawlers' versions.
Thanks! Sometimes, things get a little more interesting than you bargained for out there. Thankfully, nothing untoward happened; it sure could have.Quote:
Originally Posted by sswens
No problem. It sure is different from anywhere else I've lived. For that matter, I miss Winter; but I suppose, living in Minnesota, you've probably had enough of that already!Quote:
Originally Posted by Fronkey
Cottonmouths are some of the most aggressive little ***holes that I've ever met. They don't just bite you; they chase you down and try to kill you. Oddly enough, though, I've not had a problem with them in Florida; it was when I was living in CT that they were a problem! :rolleyes:
Hope that hip of yours gets better soon!
I finally figured out how to post to YouTube. Here's the video log of my trek:
I enjoyed the pictures very much but being a native Floridian and now married to a Cape Cod yankee I'm being taught to avoid the heat in the hot months. glad you did have a good trip though.
Great trip report and video. I almost headed over that way from the Jacksonville area this weekend, but decided to delay my trip a couple of weeks. Any good online resources you recommend for the ONF area?
Heh. Yeah, it took me quite a while to reconcile myself to the heat down here when I first moved to FL. You never really get used to it, but you learn to coexist with it eventually. Kinda like a case of the flu that doesn't go away for six months...Quote:
Originally Posted by jima59
Yeah, check out the Ocala National Forest website, and the Florida Trail Association website. Both have resources which will help with your trip. The FTA will charge you for their information, including the trail data book, but the fee isn't exorbitant and goes to maintaining the trail. So, it's in a good cause.Quote:
Originally Posted by tlhoward
If you intend on doing the FL Trail through the forest, be aware that several of the water sources mentioned in the trail book are either very hard to get to or nonexistent due to drought conditions right now. Also, wear long pants--I know that sucks in this heat, but I have the chigger bites to prove that it's a good idea.
Make sure you keep an eye out for spiderwebs across the trail; more than once, I straightened up from ducking under a deadfall right into the web and had one of the suckers hanging from my hat. Not fun. I didn't get bitten, 'cause they usually won't bite you unless you squeeze them, but it sure didn't help my blood pressure any.
Don't expect any cell service anywhere in the forest; I don't have signal from the western edge of the forest all the way almost to I-95 when travelling along SR 40. I didn't have any at all when hiking the trail. I also didn't see another soul on the trail proper. The only time I saw anyone was at the campgrounds/springs areas. So, expect to be self-sufficient. I know that usually goes without saying, but...well...I'm saying it...I'm not sure why...:confused:
Let me know if you have any specific questions, and I'll try to answer them as best I can.
Yeah, the Yearling Trail turnoffs are only marked by 4x4's painted brown. They have little double yellow blazes on them, but are way too easy to miss if you don't know what they are. I've been thinking about making some signs, maybe 4x6, to put on the 4x4's to make it a bit more clear. And the banana spiders, another good reason to hike with a buddy, let him take the lead! ;)
Yeah. On reflection, I figured that's what it was. What fooled me was two things: the "Jeep Trail" marked on the section map and the fact that the Yearling Trail is marked in a reddish color on the section map. I figured that, since the blaze color was different, and it sure looked like it could be a jeep trail, it was probably that. My own fault; I didn't actually read the blaze since I was in such a hurry. I should've double-checked the data book when I came to it, as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by lilricky
And, yeah, since the spiders have been here since the dinosaurs, they'll outlive thee and me. Still, they ain't fun to run into out there!