Black-Necked Stake

Being the atypical gal that I am, all I wanted for Valentine’s Day was to visit Myakka State Park.  For years I had heard of this uniquely beautiful park and the river that gives it its name.  At last I got my wish and wasn’t disappointed.  In fact I was surprised at the seemingly pre-historic beauty of the park and the abundance of wildlife found there.

Located off Highway 72 east of Sarasota, the Myakka River winds through 58 square miles of prairie, wetlands, pineland and hammock.  The diversity of habitat attracts a broad variety of wildlife.  During our visit I had opportunity to photograph birds, wild boar, alligators and even an armadillo.

Chillin' in the Florida Sun

One of my goals during our visit was to find out what activities we could plan during a longer stay.  I learned that the park offers canoeing, kayaking, bicycling, camping, over 39 miles of hiking & horse trails, log cabin rentals, airboat rides, birding, an elevated canopy walkway and observation tower and some really awesome homemade gumbo served at the concession.  Being a bit of a foodie I would visit just for the gumbo.

With 39 miles of trails configured in loops the options for a weekend backpacking trip to any of the six backcountry sites are many. This is my plan for our next visit. During this visit we were warned that recent rains have made the hiking trails extremely wet.  Having hiked the swamped trails in Wekiva State Park recently, I respect the warning and plan to time my return to avoid a swampy trek.   It’s either that or I bring waders!  Before planning to hike here call to check trail conditions.

Look for future posts featuring this dramatic Southwest Florida State Park.

Heron

Leanne Wiggins (my daughter) wrote the following trip report as a special guest to our blog. Thanks for your contribution!

Alexander Springs Swimming Area

Growing up, I went camping many times with my family all over the country. I was thinking it was finally time to go on one on my own. I’m in college, I have a job, and my boyfriend’s birthday presented the perfect excuse to go on a short trip.

We took a lot of time picking out a campsite – we looked at price, whether pets were allowed, what kind of marine life was available there, and the location of the site. After looking at many, we finally decided on Alexander Springs. It costs $18.67 per night, allowed pets (although in the end we didn’t bring our dog anyways), and they had a wide variety of fish. Being only an hour to an hour and a half from Daytona Beach – our leaving point – it seemed perfect. Alexander Springs – Here we come!

We borrowed a tent (a 17’x8’ Field & Stream monster) and most of the camping and snorkeling gear from my father. That saved us a lot of money. One thing we are very glad we brought – even though it took up a lot of room – is a patio umbrella. The shaded site we were in wasn’t shaded for long, and the umbrella kept the September heat at bay.

After getting a little lost and asking for directions at a cute little country store, we finally made it! It only took us about twenty minutes to set up the tent (with LOTS of help from instructions sewn into the bag) and we were ready to relax. The restrooms and showers (very clean for camp baths) were within a two minute walk along a pretty trail, but they were out of view from the site. The campground is only about a fifteen minute walk or a two minute drive from the springs.

Speaking of the springs – they are gorgeous – crystal clear water with a variety of areas that has a fit for each person. At a constant 72◦F, it is definitely chilly. When you are walking up, you see lush green trees and picnic areas. Closer to the water is a small sandy beach area, and there are stairs down into the water. There is no easy place to just jump in, but for the first part of the swimming area it is all shallow water no higher than your knees and white sand that makes it easy to keep an eye on young children. Further out, you start to see a little vegetation and after that is a drop into a gorgeous underwater ravine perfect for beginning divers.

The fish in there are unbelievable – orange, green, silver, and rainbow fish are everywhere. Catch the springs close to closing time and you might get to see this huge turtle that is the size of a spare tire and with a tail a foot and a half long and as thick as a human arm. Josh and I spotted it around that time coming up from the ravine and it was an amazing sight. We snorkeled around several times, and we saw a school of rainbow trout (or so we think), and hundreds of fish just floating around you. It truly is a breathtaking view. Don’t forget to bring an underwater camera!

Back at the campsite, we were neighboring with two interesting groups. To our left, we have what I named the Rowdy Drunks who got kicked out their first night there for noise. They were certainly interesting – and loud. On our right we had the “Cheaper by the Dozen” knock-offs, a large, loud, and very rude family of about ten that had five tents total (of course, the middle-school girls set their tent up about ten feet from ours and were singing songs from Shrek all night).

The last night we were there we saw something that I had to share in this article – don’t forget all the poles to your tent. A group of three City Girls came and left not long after realizing they had forgotten the tent poles. They soon showed up with a brand new tent. After setting it up, it appears they had greatly overestimated the size. It was a single person tent, no where near large enough to hold three people. So what did they do? Took their original tent, hung it up on the lantern hook, and used rocks to hold the ends down. Trust me – that was a sight to see. Free entertainment, right?

We had a good time – our grill went out so we cooked on the fire (which tasted better anyways) and a raccoon scared me one night, but it was a perfect. We are already planning our next trip – and this time, we’ll bring and underwater camera.

- Leanne M. Wiggins

PS – We did bring the hammer my mother mentioned, it is very handy.

Kayaking one of Florida's spring fed rivers.

Fall is knocking on our door at last. In Florida fall arrives later than for most of the country, but I think we appreciate it more. After a summer of hot humid days spent cooped up inside an air-conditioned house, the first cold front to arrive is a relief.

You see, we don’t do spring cleaning, we do fall cleaning. This is the first time in months we get to throw open the windows and air out the house, inspiring a major cleaning spree in my house. It’s also time to sweep the cobwebs from the soffits, clean off the patio and get ready to resume outdoor living.

This is when I start to plan family campouts and backpacking trips. By November the weather will be ideal for Florida adventures. The Florida Trail stretches for more than fifteen hundred miles passing through temperate and subtropical ecosystems. Florida also has a multitude of fresh water springs providing swimming, canoeing and kayaking opportunities. Campgrounds such as Juniper Springs also offer shady campsites and easy access to trails.

Of course I’ll miss the sleepy days of summer. The quiet waterways and beaches were a real pleasure. So were the summer deals many hotels and restaurants offered. But those days will be back, and for now it’s time to get outside and enjoy the first breaths of cool air in months.

Tips for Eco-Friendly Camping: First review the principles of “Leave no Trace.”

This article offers a few more ideas to keep your next camping trip eco-friendly so that we may all continue to enjoy what is left of our wilderness.

Eco Friendly Eco Wise ~ From TotalEscape.com

“Seems you can’t go deep enough. The further into the forest you go, you still seem to see it – evidence of neglect for our land. In every outting these days, we constantly notice tons of litter & graffiti. Deliberate disrespect for the open spaces & valued wilderness lands. What is going on here?” Click to Read: Eco Friendly Eco Wise

Alpen Light XT - Lightweight 4-Season Tent

“What hammer?” was not what I wanted to hear. Setting tent stakes was hard enough in this campground’s packed clay – without having to use a rock. After mashing a few knuckles, I decided I would have a better plan next trip.

One of the hardest parts of packing for a camping trip is gathering everything from throughout the house and garage without forgetting something. After considering a “master packing list,” I went one step further. We love to camp, a lot. For us the best option was to dedicate our camping equipment rather than take regular household items.

This method does a good job of saving time and can be economical. Once we put it in place, all we had to do was load three boxes and shop for food on our way out of town. We also found that we camped more often now that it was so simple.

Here is how to set up your own “quick escape” camping system.

1) Write up a master list of everything you normally pack for camping. I found the best time to do this is when you return from a camping trip. Not only will what you packed be fresh in your mind, but so will what you forgot.

2) Divide the list into perishable items such as most food and non-perishable items such as tent stakes and salt.

3) Look through the list for the items that you gathered from your regular household equipment. For example, plates, pans and hammer (maybe). Could you dedicate any of these things to your new camp boxes without replacing them? I had too many pans in my kitchen and lots of extra utensils, so I dedicated the excess to camping.

4) Make a list of the items you can’t dedicate to your camp boxes and buy “camp” versions of those items. I’m not suggesting spending a bunch of money. Visit discount stores for things such as plastic plates, bowls and a hammer, or visit Good Will for an extra set of flatware. They don’t need to be pretty, but anything that can “nest” together is a plus. All of my cups and bowls stack tight to save space and I didn’t spend more than 50 cents apiece.

5) Place all of your camping equipment in one location and try to estimate what size and number of boxes/bags you will need to contain it all. I divided my equipment based on function – one box for cooking stuff. And where it must be stored – sleeping bags and pillows stay inside the house. I ended up with two large boxes, one small box and a couple of big laundry bags for sleeping bags etc.

6) Label the boxes with a list of what is stored in each one. This makes it easy for helpers to pack up at the end of your trip. Also keep a list of standard perishable items you want to bring such as butter or milk. This speeds up your shopping or you may want to use what you already have in the refrigerator.

Over the years I have tweaked my boxes and you will too. I keep a full set of spices, coffee fixings and cooking spray in my “kitchen” box now. This works only if you camp often. I also remove all batteries from flashlights and lanterns at the end of every trip. If they leak (burst) inside of your equipment it will be ruined.

If you enjoy backpacking also, this system works well for that too. I store everything I can in my pack. The sleeping bag lives in a laundry bag when not in use so that it doesn’t get over-compressed (reducing its lifespan).

You are now ready to go camping on short notice. Just grab the boxes and bags, do some shopping and you are set.

Happy trails folks!

Like many of you, I have more than one job. I do some corporate flying as a “second job.” Last week we had an assignment to fly to the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. Soon, we found that this place is a lot of fun. Occasionally this job has some great fringe benefits!

View of Shady Gators from our room.

For those of you not familiar with this lake, it was formed when the Osage River was dammed in 1931. This formed a lake that winds for more than 90 miles and has numerous coves. It is sometimes referred to as the “Dragon Lake” for its unusual appearance from the air. The surrounding area offers several State Parks with hiking, camping and backpacking opportunities. There are even several caves to explore, another favorite hobby of mine.

If a little party action is more your speed, check out Shady Gators or the Horney Toad. Both offer live music, a lake view and very lively crowds! Sadly our flight schedule did not allow us to take in any of the festivities – this trip…

Instead we hit the lake in a boat and headed to the Four Seasons for breakfast. Cool ride. This lake is packed with every kind of water craft you can imagine. In fact we are told that on weekends this lake belongs to the “big boys.” Because of the steep shoreline, wakes reverberate creating a rough ride for a small boat by lunchtime.

We also noticed some VERY nice real estate along the shoreline. One cliff-top home sports two man-made waterfalls spilling over into the lake. Awesome!

It looks like this will be a regular trip for us from now on. Look for pictures, trip reports and more in the future. If your travels take you near The Lake of the Ozarks, take the time to visit. It will be worth your time.

As the spring flowers bloom it is time to get out and do some backpacking. This bag by Ledge Sports, is warm enough to keep you comfortable during the still cool nights. Where would you like to hike to this spring? Let us know!

Deep Creek +25 Details

	86″ x 32′ x 22″ Mummy Sleeping Bag. 1.8 lbs featherloft fill. Single layer. 190T Nylon shell and liner. #5 two-way full-length zipper. Comes with stuff sack. Pack weight 3 lbs.
PRICE:	$34.95

Flower Gap in October

Next week we are headed to Brevard, NC to hike and camp in and around the Pisgah National Forest for four days. This area has been one of my favorite areas for over twenty years. Most of the time we stay in the Davidson River Campground but last time we choose a Bed & Breakfast in Brevard. Either option provides a convenient base to hike from.

Just a short drive up Highway 276 is the Blue Ridge Parkway. Along the way you will enter the Cradle of Forestry a 6500 acre historic site in the Pink Beds Valley, definitely worth a visit. You will also pass numerous trail heads along either side of the road. One favorite short hike is Moore Cove Falls. This is an easy and kid friendly hike from 276 to a scenic waterfall. Waterfalls are plentiful in the area and an entire trip could be spent just seeing a fraction of them. In fact, Transylvania County has more waterfalls than any other North Carolina county.

If you need some maps or books on the area stop in and see Looking Glass Outfitters. Even though we offer an online outdoor retail store; we always try to support the local businesses wherever we go. Without them we would loose our local experts. This outfitter also offers guide services.

Once up on the Blue Ridge Parkway, head to Graveyard Fields for another easy waterfall hike or hike the Art Loeb Trail out to Shining Rock. On the way to Shining Rock you will pass Flower Gap. By far, this is one of my favorite places for a picnic in the spring or fall. High on a ridge, it offers fantastic views.

Next week I will gather more pictures and trip reports to share. In the meantime I would love to hear about your favorite N.C. hikes. Maybe we call all fine some new destinations. If anyone would like to know more about the hikes in Pisgah, feel free to email me. I have spent a lot of time on the trails there and would love to share!