This is some of the written directions of the meeting area...way better than I can write it since I'm totally navigationally challenged
This is the beginning of the journey.....
"Forest Road 33 (used to be 65), which is not marked well (if at all) on
SR 40. The best you’ll see is a little brown sign with the number 33 on it. When you see this
little brown sign, and the little dirt road you’re supposed to turn onto, and you wonder if
David is completely nuts to bring you all the way out here, then you’re in the right place. If
you pass Juniper Springs, or come to the traffic light at SR 40, you went too far. Way too far.
Go north on FR 33, for 3.4 miles to the intersection with Forest Road 38 (used to be 76),
which leads west from FR 33. At that intersection, there is room to park on the east side of
FR 33, where old Forest Road 76 (going east) has been closed to vehicular traffic. If you step
out of the car here, and figure you’re in the middle of nowhere, and it’s so dark the starlight is
casting shadows, and you wonder why you ever agreed to do this, then you’re in the right
place. Load up your backpack, lock the car, and walk about ¼ mile east along the old road,
which is deep white sand. This old road goes due east over a hill and down the other side.
When the road makes a left turn at the bottom of the hill, find your way through the trees into
the clearing visible to the east. This is a grassy pond area, with plenty of dry grassy land to
camp on."
This guy who wrote the instructions to get there, and who planned this trip entirely is my friends step-dad, he's been a scout master for so many years it's crazy...as you can see, he has quite a sense of humor...
Basically everyone was supposed to be meeting up at this spot around dark, since we had people coming from GA and all over FL..
Myself and my friend got there around 5 so we were there about 4 hours before anyone else got there.
Ended up being a nice total of people.
Most were related, and their friends.
My friend and I were the only hammockies
We slept at the meeting spot for Friday night, when the final couple showed up around 11pm...
free photo hosting
pic hosting
pic upload
free photo hosting
image sharing
picture hosting
free image hosting
The next morning we broke camp, moved our vehicles east, drove back to our starting point in one vehicle and headed out on foot.
pic upload
For the most part we did our own navigating since he's been coming here for YEARS...
picture hosting
free image hosting
We took a break at this big oak tree he had marked on the maps...
image ru
free image hosting
online photo storage
image
Then we met up with part of the FL trail and followed that to Hidden pond
photo uploader
BUT our special little spot ended up being east of hidden pond.
pic hosting
MY FAVORITE SUNSET PHOTO I HAVE EVER TAKEN
image hosting sites
image hosting sites
picture sharing
photo sharing
After we camped there Saturday night, which was below freezing ( I have never camped in that temp EVER, and my first attempt was in a hammock!!! )
I slept so good I actually DREAMED!!!!
I woke up confused where I was because I slept so good.
We broke camp and headed out 6 miles or so on the Florida trail to where our vehicles were parked.
picture sharing
We hit the grave site, and sinkhole on the way there.
image sharing
photo sharing
My descriptions are pretty awful, but the photos speak for themselves.
photo sharing sites
Bookmarks