Ladies and Gentlemen—It is with the greatest of pleasure that we invite you one and all to the FIRST ANNUAL FLORIDA HANG in the Buck Lake Campground, Ocala National Forest and January 21 – 24, 2011.
The site is located in the Ocala National Forest, a vast 607 square mile tract of land covered in palmetto hammock, Florida prairie, and pine uplands as well as springs, rivers and swampy lowlands. The orange-blazed Florida Trail, which runs over 300 miles up the state, runs right through the forest and numerous side trails cross the land. The Forest is near the city of Ocala in central Florida and not too far from Gainesville, Orlando, and Tampa (the later with a fine airport).
Our advance team has returned from the field with encouraging reports about the site, the presence of water, and most importantly, plenty of healthy trees from which to hang multiple hammocks. The entire campground is reserved for our use for the whole weekend. This means ample parking for as many as 25 cars (room elsewhere for more), ground space for groundling campers, and lots of trails for day hikes or overnight adventure. Add to that canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swimming, birding, and more.
Florida winters usually average in the 60s and low 70s during the day and drop to a bone chilling 50s at night. Obviously, we cannot control temperatures, but those of you seeking a break from winter’s chill could do a lot worse. Add to that the amusement of seeing us local swamp rats freak out when it drops below 50 and you have a very nice winter break.
We hope that all Florida hammock campers and also our friends, both met and as yet unmet, from every corner of the earth Hammock Forums reaches will consider coming on down to the Ocala NF and joining us for a grand show and tell of hiking and hanging gear and the chance to hike in the warm and see gators, sand hill cranes, armadillos, and even perhaps the enormous legendary Whoopie Sling Tree that ancient Tumucuan lore holds grows at the center of the forest.
Please private IM your interest, or just come on down unannounced. We are really looking forward to it!
Yours,
Damifino, Islander, Edhess, and me, Flackfizer
Links:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fs...Forest-%20Home
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...h&z=15&iwloc=A
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocala_National_Forest
Bookmarks