Day 2: Ten-Mile Camp to Oak Hill Camp

Sunday, Jan. 8

Before arriving in Florida, a bunch of us had been communicating through the Florida Trail Class of 2017 Facebook page. I'd made a deal with a hiker named Beerman -- also a writer -- that if he gave me coffee each morning, I'd drop some water for him on a subsequent stretch of canal, where there's no water to be found (filtering the canal water isn't so great). So Beerman had coffee for me on this frigid morning, which is all I needed. Soon our little troop was up and off.

We hiked several miles this morning amid beautiful scenery. The weather was warm, but pleasant. However, my pack was pulling on my shoulders so much I wasn't sure how much longer I could hike. And I'm pretty tough. Eagle Eye said to tighten my waist straps, which would put more of the load on my lower back so it wasn't all hanging from my shoulders. Voila, the weight totally shifted and it was great. Clearly, I'm a rookie at this.

We had learned from previous hikers that the swamp starts around mile 21. (It differs a bit annually depending on how much rain the area gets in the summer/fall.) Right before we got there, Boxcar saw a cottonmouth, which is a poisonous snake. Yikes! I saw the end of it. Pyrite jabbed at it a bit and I screamed. Why would you annoy a poisonous snake?! But the guys just wanted to see it. Boys! 

Then the swamp began. For starters, the water is incredible clear, as all the vegetation filters it. It's not some scummy, fetid place. But you're walking through water that's anywhere from ankle- to knee-deep, so it's slow going. Plus there are these holes that you can sink into. So maybe you're walking in ankle-deep water for 10 minutes, but then one leg sinks down to your thigh. You have to move slowly and carefully. Most hikers go 1 mile per hour. Our group was averaging 45 minutes/mile. 

For weeks before I came, I worried about the alligators and poisonous snakes in the swamp. But here's the thing -- the trail is very narrow for the most part, so you really can't picture a gator swimming down it. And you're concentrating so hard on keeping your balance and where you're stepping that you really aren't thinking about snakes and gators. Which is a good thing! So all of those fears I had beforehand were for naught.

We had hoped to make it to Ivy Camp, but only got to Oak Hill Camp. Oak Hill is a small camp, and about 8 of us camped there at night. We filtered our water right from the swamp we were walking in! (It tasted fine.) It wasn't as cold as last night, but it still was cold for my hammock. I didn't get too much sleep again tonight. 

Day 1: Oasis Visitor Center to 10-Mile Camp

Jan. 7, 2017

I got crap sleep last night. Not because the hammock wasn't comfy -- it was actually quite nice -- but it was about 70 and muggy with absolutely no breeze. Despite my bug net I got bitten all over my legs and shoulders. Oh well. Made it easy to get up at dawn.

Our group arrived at Oasis, took the obligatory "start" photos by the southern terminus rock, and set off. Our group consisted of Beerman, Eagle Eye, Boxcar, Parks, Pyrite, Rollie and me. These are all trail names, which people either give themselves or are bestowed upon them. I'd given myself the name Valderi on the Ice Age Trail after the song "The Happy Wanderer," but no one knew that song here or how to pronounce my name. I think I need a new one!

It was sunny and hot out, and I'd never hiked with such a heavy pack before. It was probably 20-30 pounds. The scenery was beautiful, and the trail was relatively flat, but it was hard due to the pack weight and the weather.

Our group took a break for lunch at 7-Mile Camp, where we ran into Sunshine and Trail Mix, a young hiking couple. They were just going out and back and collected our garbage to pack out so we didn't have to carry it several more days. Sunshine also said she was going to buy my book, Thousand-Miler, as soon as it's available, I like Sunshine! :)

We arrived at 10-Mile Camp, our destination, in the early afternoon. It had started raining lightly by then, which was actually quite nice because it had been so hot before. I'm proud to say I set up my hammock all by myself, and quite expertly. We filtered water for the next day at a nearby cypress dome, ate our dinner early and then headed in to sleep at 6-ish. It was already getting cold and windy. Most hammock campers attach an under quilt to the bottom of their hammock, but the weather forecast had been for warm weather, so I hadn't purchased one. Well, it got down to the 30s that night, our group collectively agreed, and I literally froze my buns off. I had on three tops, pants, socks, gloves and a hood. I put my feet into a stuff sack and was curled in a fetal position and still froze. A stiff wind didn't help any. I don't think I slept more than an hour or two. The only positive: my tarp/knots held!

The Adventure Is About to Begin

Friday, Jan. 6

I flew into Fort Lauderdale airport yesterday and was picked up by my friend Judy. Stayed with her overnight and learned about the horrible shooting in that very same airport the next day, not 12 hours later. That was a bit chilling, and made my trudge through an alligator-filled swamp seem tame by comparison.

Judy dropped me off at Dolphin Mall in Miami at 4 p.m., where I met another hiker, Rollie, who was heading to the Florida Trail kick-off like me. We were picked up by Gail, a "trail angel" (volunteer helper), who was going to drive us to a campground near the trailhead, where Florida Trail volunteers had prepared a dinner and set aside an area for us to camp in and get to know each other before heading into the swamp the next day.

En route to the campground, when we were a mere 15 minutes away, Gail's car got a flat. Rollie said he could change it, but he was having a hard time getting the jack under her car because she had pulled it off onto the shoulder and it was on a weird slant. Meanwhile, cars were whizzing by at 70 mph without a care for us. We also saw a gator just off the shoulder and across a creek. Yikes!

I also have to add that we had been on schedule to arrive at the campground in daylight, much to my relief, as I had purchased a hammock for these first three days of camping and did not want to set it up in the dark. I'd spent weeks poring over YouTube videos about how to set up the hammock, bug net and tarp, and practiced tying knots. I was quite nervous about the whole thing,

To make a long story short, I ended up jogging to a nearby visitor center and found someone to help us change the tire. We arrived at the kick-off after dark, and thank goodness a nice, young woman named Julie helped me set up my hammock.

It was very hot and humid that night, and there was no air movement at all. I barely slept all night because it was sweltering in my little hammock. Or maybe I was just nervous about the next day's hike ... 

Florida National Scenic Trail: Another Adventure Awaits

My New Year's resolution, if you want to call it that, is to hike all 11 National Scenic Trails before I die. Ambitious, I know. Probably too much so, as I'm well into middle age and a lot of these trails are tough. But, well -- there's only one way to find out. And the human body is capable of so much more than we give it credit for.

I've already twice thru-hiked the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, so that's one NST down, 10 to go. Today I'm preparing to start #2: the Florida National Scenic Trail. I won't be thru-hiking this one, as I don't have enough time off; at about 1,100 miles, it would take more than a month. But I hope to put about 1/5 to 1/4 of its miles behind me.

Hikers tackling this trail generally hike January - March; there's a big kick-off this weekend at the southern terminus, where most people start. It's good to attend the kick-off and find some hiking buddies for the first few days, which entail hiking through Big Cypress Swamp, with its alligators, black panthers, bears and cottonmouth snakes. Yikes! I've found me some buddies via a Facebook page dedicated to the Class of 2017, as we're called, and am prepared for the next major adventure of my life.

You can follow my escapades over the next two weeks right here. I'm betting I'll have some exciting stories. 

Day 35: Centuria to the Western Terminus!

Friday, Oct. 2, 2015

This morning I met the Gray Ghost at the small parking lot near the Pothole Trail, on which the western terminus marker lies. We dropped my car, and then he took me to Centuria and I was off.

Another great day for hiking. I overdid it with the running yesterday – the tendinitis flared back up – so no more jogging for me. Knocked off the mile from Centuria, then did the road walk to the St. Croix Falls segment. The path along the river was pleasant. There were some soggy parts, and you had to creatively jump across some streams, but nothing too difficult. I spotted some bones laid out on a picnic table in one spot. Interesting!

Mindy Creek was as pretty as always, and then I got to hike the new Zillmer section. Boy, the IATA did a great job on that! The Gray Ghost met me in the middle of this section to hike me in, something he likes to do (start off or walk in thru-hikers). We had great conversation along the way, and he showed me a unique blaze holder he created on a fence post (see photo). And then, we were there! Chet took some pix of me, congratulated me and then we looked at the potholes and the "old man in the rock," or whatever that formation along the bluff is called.

I dropped off a trail journal in the office; Chet and Dean will be creating some kind of holder for it that will be placed along the trail in the park. The intent is for section- and thru-hikers to sign in.

I had to pay a fine on my way out! Rats. I thought I had this year's park pass on my windshield, but apparently I had last year's. So I had to buy the 2015 sticker (not a big deal), but I was also charged $5 for not having a pass. Actually, I don't understand that. The park office wasn't open when I arrived in the morning, so even if I'd known I needed a pass and tried to buy one, I wouldn't have been able to do so. But I don't mind, since it's a good cause.

Oh, I did happen to look at my watch when I ended. My friend, Jason Dorgan, who has the thru-hike record (22 days and 6 hours, I believe), finished at 12:34 p.m. on May 6, 2007, giving him the distinction of finishing at 1234567. I didn't get such a fun finishing time, but I was happy to see I covered the trail in 34 days, 4 hours and 44 minutes. 34-4-44 has a nice ring!

Yes, I'll make my conference in Las Vegas that starts on Sunday. I'll post again once I have time to gather my thoughts about this trek.

Day 34: McKenzie Creek to Centuria

Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015

Today was another beautiful sunny, cool day. I love the fall! Began the day hiking the last part of McKenzie Creek, which was just as lovely as the prior sections. From there I moved into Pine Lake and then Straight River; I think it was in the latter where I had one misstep when I picked my way across a swampy area only to find no blazes or trail. I backtracked over it and finally saw that a directional arrow had fallen off a tree and was lying arrow-side down in the mud. I set it right-side up at the base of the tree, then veered off to the right. That path pops you out into a big meadow with a deer stand; you cross the meadow, climb over a gate (I couldn't open it) and continue on.

I love the Straight Lake segment, accessed through a weighted gate. This is another enjoyable hike with lots of views of the water while being tucked in the shaded, pretty woods. 

Trade River surprised me. I do remember passing the "big basalt rock" indicated on the IATA map back in 2013, but I totally forgot all of the other cool rock formations inside this segment. The ski hill area of Trade River, which lies down a short connecting route, was well-trimmed and easily navigable.

I've been fighting tendinitis in my left leg ever since the day I had to hike in the rain in my hiking boots all day, when my older sister crewing me lost me until 8 p.m. Today it felt better, so I did a bunch of jogging when I hit the Gandy Dancer trail and made it all the way down to Centuria, where Dean was waiting to drive me back to my car. Can't believe tomorrow's the end!

Day 33: Grassy Lake to McKenzie Creek

Today's first segment was Timberland Hills, a ski area. There was some standing water here, but nothing too bad. I saw the famous mermaid carving, but I missed the skull nailed to the tree (maybe it's only visible hiking west-east). Saw a lot of deer here, and they were running away faster than any deer I've ever seen. Most stare at you a bit, then scamper away. These acted like I was shooting at them.

Sand Creek was sandy. There also seemed to be a lot of either logging or some kind of construction going on. A lot of signage indicated I was now in Polk County.

Indian Creek was just gorgeous. It was the perfect kind of trail, meandering through the woods, passing a burbling creek, nothing too strenuous.

I ended the day doing about half of McKenzie Creek, which was just as pretty as Indian Creek. I could see the creek much more clearly than during my 2013 hike, when I passed it at the end of August and there was a lot more foliage around. There are some steep hills in this one. I think I was climbing an esker or two.

Tonight Dean Dversdall of the Indianhead chapter gave me a lift back to my car. Dean will shepherd me to the end, which is right around the corner!