Florida Scenic Trail, Ocala NF, 1/17-21

**emcee** · 01-30-2014, 07:11

Originally Posted by Great White

It looks like you two had a great trip. I am surprised about how open you found the forest north of Hopkins. It almost looks like a savanna.

Thanks, just goes to show you what good forestry management can do!

**emcee** · 01-30-2014, 07:12

Thanks, LifeScout

**chattalotchuck** · 01-30-2014, 20:21

Hey Marty, great trip report. Man I sure did enjoy the backpacking and all the planning on your part. This has been my first day back on the computer since the hike. That second night campground was the best. I also enjoyed listening to the coyotes. And that water was freezing in that spring, I don't how you could stand in it. The journey is the adventure. Nice time. This hike gave me some excellent sleep, night after night. Thanks for the shuttle and pictures Jason. peace

**Floridahanger** · 01-30-2014, 20:38

Chuck, glad to hear your ok after such a long hike. I hope you have some pics for us to share, if not, at least you can share some stories for us around the camp fire.

**MAD777** · 01-30-2014, 21:11

Fantastic report, Marty! I wished I could have joined you & Chuck. You took some great pictures, as always!

**emcee** · 01-31-2014, 07:07

Originally Posted by chuck

That second night campground was the best. I also enjoyed listening to the coyotes. And that water was freezing in that spring, I don't how you could stand in it. The journey is the adventure. Nice time.

Yeah, the coyotes....that was a little spooky in the dense fog/smoke. They were close. We picked up their trail soon after getting back on the trail. Such a miserable morning, cold and wet with everything soaked by the fog, turned into a very pleasant evening.

Originally Posted by MAD777

Fantastic report, Marty! I wished I could have joined you & Chuck. You took some great pictures, as always!

Thanks, Mike.

**Grinder** · 01-31-2014, 08:27

I get all excited just hearing about the coyote experience.

I first heard them in the Colorado Rockies three years ago and since then , a few times in our own Florida forests.

I would love to see movies of them while howling. My mental image is of them jumping and dancing around. I wonder if it's accurate??

**Ospreydog** · 01-31-2014, 15:14

Man that sound like a great trip.

**chattalotchuck** · 01-31-2014, 15:17

I had never had so much dew on both sides of the tarp, down everything wet. the fog night/morning was crazy i woke up coughing. i woke marty up and said "hey do we need to leave" and in his calm voice it's only smoke fog or did he say fog smoke well i don't remember but i went back to sleep to be woke again by the group of more then 3 coyotes this time i felt lucky. the smoke must have masked our smell because those guys were close. They sang 3 times that morning all from different spots to our north. Shoot! That morning we had fresh tracks all over the place. The whole hike was filled with fresh scat and prints. It was fun in that way. that afternoon everything dried out fast great time