Upcoming Events

April/May 2008

3/29-30 Sat, Sun Moderate Micanopy/ Gainesville area	North Marion County and Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail Bike Rides- Here is an opportunity for 2 rides over 2 days. North Central Florida presents itself as the old Florida, still undeveloped, pristine with mature forests, rolling farmland and void of heavy traffic. Come join in for one of the best scenic rides in Florida as we make our way through the beauty of North Marion and Alachua County; riding through unchanged hamlets, horse country and back road routes that will make you believe you have left the state. Using Paynes Prairie as the basecamp, participants are invited to come camp Friday for some early socializing, or if you prefer, join us in the morning for the 9:30 Saturday ride departure and camp Saturday night. Day riders welcome just as well. Comprehensive information about this weekend which includes the 3 day agenda, ride experiences, camping details, recent photos, and route maps; go to http://www.explorecp.com/trekkercur.html . Hosted by Clark Getz - cagola1@aol.com (407 855 5351).
3/29-3/30 Sat-Sun 7:30 AM Moderate Marion	Ocklawaha Paddle and Camp - Join Fellow Trekkers for a 2-day trip on one of the most beautiful and scenic rivers in Florida. We’ll meet at the Ocklawaha Outfitters on CR316 in Eureka before 7:30am sharp to begin the shuttle to Wayside Park. (Outfitter charges $16.00/boat) and plan to be on the water by 10am. After a short paddle up stream on the Silver River we’ll begin our downstream paddle to our campsite just before Gore’s Landing (approx. 8 miles). This is primitive camping alongside the river so participants will need to bring all appropriate camping equipment, food and water for lunches Sat & Sun, Sat dinner, and Sun breakfast. We’ll break camp and be on the water by 10am or so to paddle the final 7-8 miles to our takeout at the Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost RV Park. The Ocklawaha Outpost has camping and cabins to rent. Also canoes and kayaks. Please call 1-866-236-4606 and mention this WT trip. Members and invited guests only. Limited to 14 boats. Reservations required. Event host: Lee Simmons 386-846-8396 or leedeland@yahoo.com (preferred).
4/6 - 4/13 Sunday Strenuous Georgia	Satilla River Paddling & Camping GEORGIA - River Camping - with Host Nancy Doucette - Annual Spring Break trip - We will river camp for a week on the Satilla River in Georgia. The river has been described as narrow with a lot of twists & turns. It's the clear black fresh water with nice sand bars for camping. This is not too far over the border into Georgia. Please come with supplies for a week of camping. It is usually cold for Spring Break, so be prepared for cold weather too. Nancy Doucette (561) 968-1789 kayakldy@yahoo.com
4/12 Saturday 8:30AM Moderate/Stren Apopka	Rock Springs Run Paddle- Apopka to Longwood - Come & paddle a beautiful stretch of scenic river from Rock Springs/Kelly Park area in Apopka, downstream to the Wekiva Marina in Longwood. It's a mostly easy paddle, but may be long for beginners. Approx 7 or 8 miles, lasting approx 5 hours depending on current, and any swimming breaks or rest/snack breaks we may take along the way. We'll meet at 8:30AM at King's Landing (#407-886-0859)(Kingslandingfl.com) on Baptist Camp Road, Apopka, to begin un-loading our boats & gear. At 9:00AM we'll run our own shuttle, with a plan to be on the water at 9:45AM. $15.00 CASH needed for put-in & parking costs. Pack a lunch, bug spray, sunscreen, and plenty of drinking water. RSVP to Host: Valerie Mundo VALERIEMUNDO@YAHOO.COM cell# 407-920-3221 *Subject to cancellation for bad weather conditions*
4/19-20 Sat-Sun 9AM Moderate Dunnellon	Trailwalker Hikes – 9A Saturday, Tidewater, 2.5 – 5.5 miles / 9A Sunday, Holly Hammock, 2.3 miles We may also hike Black Prong 3 – 6 miles either Sat or Sun. For information on the Florida State Forest’s Trailwalker program, maps and directions to trailhead, visit http://www.fl-dof.com/forest_recreation/ twalker_trails.html Please RSVP to Cathy Edwards oviedoedwards@earthlink.net Non-members welcome.
5/3 Saturday 9:00am Sanford	WT Annual Spring Gathering - Please come to vote for the 2008-2009 Wilderness Trekker Board at Sylvan Lake Park in Seminole County. Breakfast will be provided. This park has it all so bring a bike, hike, or paddle. We will have different types of kayaks for people wanting to try before buying. Look for the signs to direct you to the pavilion #3. Make reservations to Eric Kendrick jerickendrick@hotmail.com #407-970-3373 or Lynn VanHorne lynnvh@embarqmail.com #407-331-8609. There will also be a new member orientation and a host meeting before the activities start. The old Katie's Landing is minutes away for anyone who wants to paddle there, and the Wekiva Preserve is even closer with a 2-mile loop. Don't forget to bring cash or checkbook if you'd like to purchase any cool Wilderness Trekker merchandise, available for purchase! Directions: 3 1/2 miles west of I-4, south off of Hwy 46. If you reach Longwood Markham Road you can also turn left (south) and circle back to it. If you reach the bridge crossing the Wekiva or Seminole Forest, you need to turn around and go back. Try MapQuest for precise directions
5/17 Saturday 10:00am Educational Leisure	Avian Reconditioning Center Apopka Education Day. Join Erimi & I for a leisurely educational experience at The Avian Reconditioning Center. It is a birds of prey rehabilitation facility with the main focus being the physical reconditioning of raptors that have been inactive for an extended period of time while recovering from illness or injury. They also use falconry techniques to evaluate a bird's chances for survival in the wild after recovering from an injury and to teach nestling birds how to hunt. We will meet at the entrance that is located at 323 West Lester Rd. Apopka, Fl 32712. You may call or e-mail them @ (407) 461-1056 http://www.arc4raptors.org/ for more information. Please e-mail Eric Kendrick to confirm attendance jerickendrick@hotmail.com or call me the day before @ 407-970-3373
5/17-18 Sat-Sun 9AM Strenuous Pasco/Hernando County	The Suncoast Trail Bike Ride- is 41 miles from end-to-end passing through suburban, agricultural and natural areas. Throughout the trail, rest / interpretive areas illustrate historical significance, emphasize transitions between ecological communities and identify native species. Among the trail’s highlights is the segment adjacent to the Jay B Starkey Wilderness Park. This section crosses various rivers and creeks. Meet at the Crews Lake Park trailhead. Bike south on Saturday, north on Sunday. One of us will bike 30-40 miles each day at 10-12 mph. The other may do a shorter/slower bike. Camping at Jay B Starkey Wilderness Park, 727-834-3247. For Suncoast Trail maps and directions, please visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/ westcentral/trails/suncoast.htm Please RSVP to Cathy/Den Edwards oviedoedwards@earthlink.net Non-members welcome
5/23-26 Friday-Monday Leisure/Stren Longwood & Apopka	Rock Springs Run and Wekiwa River Paddle and Camping- River camping on Rock Springs Run and the Wekiwa River. We will car camp on Friday night at Wekiwa Springs State park. On Saturday morning, we will put in at King's Landing and swim and slowly paddle to our campsite on the bank of the river. On Sunday, we will travel to our second campsite on the Wekiwa River. Monday, we will continue to the River Haven take out. It is a leisurely, relaxed trip with a lot of swimming. Contact host for meeting time and location. Event Host: Nancy Doucette #561-968-1789 kayakldy@yahoo.com
FUTURE DATES TO LOOK FORWARD TO.....in later newsletters: July 2008 Exact dates pending... Ozark Mountains of Missouri - River Camping with Host Nancy Doucette - We will be river camping in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. These rivers are paradise on earth. They are crystal clear spring-fed rivers that can be warm enough for comfortable swimming. There is more wildlife and more birds than I have ever seen anywhere. There are fabulous cliffs and caves. Anyone interested may join me. Nancy Doucette (561) 968-1789 kayakldy@yahoo.com November 2008 Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Weekend 2008 LONG KEY STATE PARK Florida Keys Camping/kayaking in the Keys over Thanksgiving. Call Reserveamerica ASAP to reserve a spot and if full keep checking back for cancellations. 1-800-326-3521. Host Cathy Phillips 561-688-2398 or kyklvr@earthlink.net (preferred)
NOTES TO ALL TRIP PARTICIPANTS: On all each individual is responsible for bringing the appropriate gear & provisions for the trip. For ideas check out our GEAR CHECKLISTS. Guests are welcome unless designated a members only event. Groups will wait no longer than 5 minutes beyond the set meeting time. Unless otherwise stated, Wilderness Trekkers events are free. R/T indicates round trip. Difficulty ratings: L - Leisurely, a short event of less than 4 miles. M - Moderate, a 4-7 mile event. S - Strenuous, an event of 8 miles or more. Other factors such as tides, terrain, temperature also determine difficulty ratings. The term "moderate" can indicate an event that may be stressful to some persons. Know your skills. If you are not a strong hiker/ paddler/ biker or have physical limitations, check with the event host before you sign up. Lengths of trips, distances, and times are all approximate. As always, No pets, firearms, radios, or TVs please.