December 2009 - January 2010 |
|
11/20/09 – 11/22/09 Friday - Sunday Paddling w/camping Econlochatchee River |
Econlochatchee River Paddle - we will car-camp on in Lake Mills County Park. On
Saturday morning, we will run a short shuttle from 419 to Snowhill Road. We
will river camp on Saturday night, paddle a very short distance on Sunday and
take-out. Plan to relax on this trip. Host: Nancy kayakldy@yahoo.com |
11/21/09 – 11/22/09 Saturday & Sunday Time: 9:00AM Paddling w/camping Moderate Santa Fe River High Springs, FL |
Santa Fe River/Camp/Paddle -
Come join fellow Trekkers on a 2 day paddle down the Santa Fe River near High Springs, Fl., Gazetteer page 65 or See Map. We will meet at the Santa Fe River Outpost (386) 454-2050 at 9AM sharp. This will be a 20-mile paddle in 2 days, starting at the Outfitter's launch at US 441 just South of the Santa Fe Bridge. We will paddle upstream for 2 to 3 miles seeing part of the river most people miss. After reversing our course back past the Outfitters, we will stop for the night at Lilly Springs to camp. Nature Ed has an agreement with Santa Fe Outfitters for groups to camp overnight. The cost for the Outfitter will be $25.00/boat (insurance has gone up), and $9.00 per person at Lilly Springs. Nature Ed will provide firewood for the campfire. The group will continue down the river on Sunday morning and take out at the Hwy 47 Bridge. This has been an exciting river paddle and camp in the past. As always stated, this is primitive camping (though Lilly Springs has an outhouse). You will need to provide camping gear, 2 lunches, 1 dinner, and a breakfast. It is exciting to find out that the wonderful "Great Outdoors Rest. & Lounge" is back open at the Opera House in High Spring. I will make reservation for Sunday afternoon when we get back. The food was always great. The Outfitter can provide transportation of some camping equipment to Lilly Springs. Reservations are required. Limited to 16 members and their guest. Event Host: Lee & Anita Simmons leedeland@yahoo.com (preferred) or 386-846-8396. |
11/29/09 Sunday Time: 1:00PM Paddling Leisure DeLeon Springs DeLeon Springs State Park, FL |
DeLeon Springs Paddle -
Meet at 1:00 PM at the spring head area for a 1:30 AM launch. This will be a family friendly paddle. We will paddle a short distance (45-60 minutes) and see several types of turtles, fish, reptiles, birds, manatee, and other wildlife on the way out and back. Bring a snack for a break; sun lotion, and plenty of fluids. Plan to share a pancake brunch at the Old Spanish Sugar Mill Restaurant or bring your own lunch. Bring swim goggles if you'd like to stay and picnic next to the spring/swimming area. State Park entrance fee is $5.00 (2 to 8 people in 1 car). Canoe & kayak rentals available 386.985.5644. See Map for State Park directions or Page 74 in the Florida Atlas and Gazetteer. Members and invited guests only. Limit: 12. Check out further details about the spring, the park and the restaurant at DeLeon Springs S. P.
Host: Bill Maish Email to register at billsplash@bellsouth.net or call 407-375-4406 |
12/01/09 Tuesday Time: 8:00 Hiking Leisure Wekiwa Springs S.P. Longwood |
Hike Wekiwa Springs State Park -5-6 miles. Meet at 8:10 in parking area just past the ranger station at entrance. Who knows what we’ll see. Once we saw a jaguarundi! Bring water and snack.
No reservations required. If information is needed, contact Erica Johnson at paddlepuff@earthlink.net or 407-327-4044. |
12/05/2009 Saturday Time: 8:30 2 Separate Hikes Hidden Waters Preserve North of Mt Dora Sawgrass Preserve Lake Yale |
Two hikes in Preserves near Mt Dora and Eustis - I hope this interest many of you, but I wrote Lake County Water Authority that owns these preserves asking if they could provide an interpreter. THEY WILL! A biologist will join us on the hike. I hope others like "Ranger Lead Presentations". It was suggested that maybe just one of the 2 preserves be part of the program as doing both might be a bit ambitions. More details later. There is a plan for folks in Metro Orlando, and east or south of there to meet a 8:30 at Apopka and then carpool from there to the first hike just north of Mt Dora. Please check back on the details of the carpool. Others can just meet us at Hidden Waters at 9:00. The 2 hikes for this Saturday morning are located just east and north of Eustis in Lake County. Hidden Waters Preserve is a 90 acre preserve with a deep depression and a small pond in its center. There is a trail that circumnavigates about this hole which is considered a leak into the aquafer and hence is highly protected land. There is a spring on the land and a clear stream about 2 feet wide. Ninety acres is a pretty heafty size property and I suspect the hike will be near 2 miles around. Then about another 20 minutes away north of Eustis and actually on the north shore of Lake Yale is Sawgrass Preserve. This is an 1,100 acre tract of land that is mostly swamp but the fringes of the lowlands are pine forest and typical Florida uplands with oaks, hollys, sweetgum, and palmetto. There are a few substantial trails, but nothing circles back around to the parking. This will be an ideal area for which we could take in as much as we want before returning. I invite you to click both links to these Preserves. I suspect we will be back to Apopka in the 1:30 to 2:00 timeframe. Bring hydration and snacks or even a light lunch if you would like. Host: Clark Getz cagola1@aol.com 407 855 5351 RSVP required, guests and non-members welcome. |
12/06/2009 Sunday Time: Contact Host Kayak Skills Session Lake Mills Park Chuluota |
Kayak Skill Session- For All Skill Levels -
Learn about safety gear to carry with you. Learn basic paddle strokes or improve your skills, learn how to be an effective paddler, paddle with finesse. Guaranteed that you will learn a new skill or improve on existing skills. And of course, we will play and have fun too. The session is about three to four - hour long with Ken Knapton, Michael Shugg and Mariam Mohsenin. RSVP is required. For members only. The session will be at Lake Mills Park located in west Seminole County, See Map. If for some reason, Lake Mills is not open/feasible, the alternate venue will be announced to responders. PFD and whistle are required on all sessions. Give yourself ample time to arrive and get ready. Out of courtesy to the participants, please be ready to paddle at 9:00 am. Focus all reservations to Mariam Mohsenin at (407)325-7596, mohseninma@gmail.com |
12/12/2009 Saturday 5:00 - 9:00 PM Christmas Party Leisure to Strenuous Clark & Pam's House South Orlando |
2009 Wilderness Trekker Christmas Party
Clark and Pam Getz would like to invite all members of the Wilderness Trekkers to the 2009 Christmas party at our house in Orlando, Florida. The party will be on Saturday, December 12, 2009 RSVP by Dec 11th Our address is: 3016 Crystal Oak Ct, Orlando, Florida Map We live on a short street, so feel free to park way up in our driveway Our phone number is 407 855 5351 The Wilderness Trekkers will provide the meat, eating utensils, and drinks. When you RSVP, we can coordinate the cover dishes you will bring to complete the spread. We will have a Chinese Auction after eating. Prizes should be no more than $15.00. (Think Wilderness stuff). Pam and I hope to see all Wilderness Trekkers at the party. |
12/19/09 Saturday Biking Moderate to Strenuous Cross Fla Greenway Ocala, FL |
Off-road Biking from Santos trailhead to I-75 Land Bridge - We will meet at 9:00 at the Santos Trailhead parking, See Map to get an early start. The trip will be approximately 23-miles on the easy path. The easy path is a blast and a great way to travel through thick forests. We traverse a variety of forest communities including huge oak canopies, planted pine, sweet gum, hickory, and sand oak; and occassionally slip by a horse farm pasture. I would not classify this ride as hilly, but the path does take plenty of dips and turns and an occassional steady and long grades.
This is recommended for fairly strong riders with suitable off-road bikes. The trail is a continous wooded drive, with rarely any sand and at times we can get up to a pretty fast pace. If this is your first off-road experience, please call the host for additional preparedness and explanation of conditions. Bring plenty of hydration and/or sport drinks, although we can refill at the land bridge parking. Bring high calorie and salty snacks. Bring a lunch which we will have a the land bridge parking on our return trip. We plan on making a good day of it, so plan on about 6 hours (including rests, and lunch). Contact Clark Getz: e-mail - cagola1@aol.com or call - 407 855 5351. |
12/20/09 Sunday Time: 9:00 Paddling Moderate Haulover Canal |
Intercoastal Paddle in Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge- Haulover Canal is one mile long and links the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon in the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. We hope to see, manatees, dolphins and numerous birds. We will either paddle the Indian River or we might paddle Mosquito Lagoon, but we plan on a 10 mile trip. This paddle may not be suitable for everyone due to open water conditions and its distance. Contact host for additional preparedness and information.
PFD and whistle are required by law and PDFs must be worn on all sessions. Give yourself ample time to arrive and get ready. Out of courtesy to the participants, please be ready to paddle at 9:00 am. Your hosts: Ken Knapton and Mariam Mohsenin at (407)325-7596, mohseninma@gmail.com |
1/2/10 Saturday Time: 9:00AM Paddling Leisure Blue Springs Orange City, FL |
Blue Springs Paddle -
Meet at 8:30 AM at the canoe launch area for a 9:00 AM launch. This will be a family friendly paddle. We will paddle a short distance (45 minutes) and and see manatee, a variety of migratory birds, several types of turtles, fish, reptiles, birds, manatee, and other wildlife on the way out and back. Bring a snack for a break; sun lotion, and plenty of fluids. There are videos about the manatee, a nice playground an picnic area. State Park entrance fee is $5.00 per car. Canoe & kayak rentals are available. Take exit 114 off Interstate 4 and follow the signs. Go south on 17/92 to Orange City, about 2.5 miles. Make a right onto West French Avenue. See Map for State Park directions or the top of Page 80 in the Florida Atlas and Gazetteer. Members and invited guests only. Limit: 12. Check out further details about the spring, the park and the manatees at Blue Springs S. P.
Host: Bill Maish Email to register at billsplash@bellsouth.net or call 407-375-4406 |
01/06/10 Wednesday Time: 9:30 Hiking Leisure Lyonia Preserve Deltona |
Hike Lyonia Preserve - where we may see some friendly Florida Scrub Jays (a protected species) and the typical plants found in one of Florida’s few remaining scrub areas, the predominant ecosystem in Central Florida before human intervention. A recent count found 27 scrub jay families residing there. Lyonia Preserve is behind the Deltona Public Library (2150 Eustace Ave, Deltona). This is rather hilly terrain with a sandy trail and limited shade; approx. 4 mile trip. Directions: From I-4 take exit 114 to go east on Howland Ave, Right on Eustace. See Map
Meet at 9:30 am, bring water and snack. Host – Erica Johnson, paddlepuff@earthlink.net |
1/9/10 Saturday Biking Easy to Moderate Cross Fla Greenway Ocala, FL |
Off-road Biking on Mid-Section of Cross Florida Greeway Ocala- If you’ve tried Santos you’ll like this! We start at the SW 49th Ave. trailhead and go east over the Land Bridge toward the Land Bridge Trailhead. Take a break and head back toward SW 49th Ave. but we’ll continue past it and go to CR 484. At this point we can turn around and go back, or if everyone’s still feeling adventurous we’ll continue across CR484 onto the newly constructed yellow trail toward SR 200. For detailed trail maps and parking, see the Ocala Mountain Bike Trails, and for driving directions to the 49th Ave lot.
BE PREPARED! This ride can last anywhere from 3 to 5, or more, hours. You must have enough hydration (2 bottles is good), spare tire, a snack or lunch, and helmets are a must. The Yellow trail is considered the easiest, but if you’re not used to off road biking it can be quite strenuous. But it’s scenic and loads of fun! Contact Carol Noll: e-mail - horsfeathers.noll@gmail.com or call - 352-817-5257. |
1/15/10 – 1/18/10 |
Rock Springs Run/Wekiva River Trip -
This is an easy three day river camping trip on Rock Springs Run/Wekiva River. We'll stay at Wekiva River State Park on Friday night (optional), and meet at King's Landing at 9 AM Saturday. We'll run the shuttle, and leave when we're ready! We'll stay at one of the designated campsites on Rock Springs Run on Saturday night, and on the Wekiva River on Sunday night. We will take out at Katie's Landing by early afternoon on Monday. Don't forget about Happy Hour and hors d'ouerves on both Saturday night AND Sunday night! If you plan to stay at Wekiva State Park on Friday night, MAKE YOUR RESEARVATION MONTHS IN ADVANCE, because they will surely be unavailable if you wait until the end of 2009 to reserve a site. (Easy river camping) |
1/23/10 – 1/24/10 Saturday – Sunday Time: contact host Paddling w/camping Moderate Arbuckle Creek Avon Park/Sebring, FL |
Arbuckle Creek - Located east of Avon Park and Sebring. Car-camp at a secluded Friday night in the Arbuckle State Forest, then spend two days on one of the prettiest and most diverse rivers in the state. We'll wind through canopied forests, open pastures, a cypress area, and finish with a bit of a lake. There's frequently an abundance of wildlife, especially birds, and you may hear coyotes howling at night. Wilderness camping Saturday night on the banks of the river. Sign up early, as space will be limited.
Event Host: Linda Leeds, (561) 683-2851, lindamarie7@juno.com. |
1/24/10 Sunday Kayak Skills Session Lake Mills Park Chuluota |
Kayak Skill Session- For All Skill Levels - Start the year with a resolution, become a better kayaker, we all have room for improvement. This skill session will help you paddle further with less effort. We will be concentrating on getting the kayak to do more with less work from you. The session is about four to six - hour long with Ken Knapton, Michael Shugg and Mariam Mohsenin. RSVP is required. For members only.
The session will be at Lake Mills Park located in west Seminole County, See Map. If for some reason, Lake Mills is not open/feasible, the alternate venue will be announced to responders. PFD and whistle are required on all sessions. Give yourself ample time to arrive and get ready. Out of courtesy to the participants, please be ready to paddle at 9:00 am. Focus all reservations to Mariam Mohsenin at (407)325-7596, mohseninma@gmail.com. |
1/30/10 – 1/31/10 Saturday & Sunday Biking and Camping Easy to Moderate Manatee Spring State Park Chiefland, FL |
Camping will be at Manatee Springs- http://www.floridastateparks.org/manateesprings/ . As of Oct. 20th there are 20 sites available. Plan on biking both days. We may do some hiking as well since the Park has some 8+ miles of its own trails.
Bike riding will be on the . Nature Coast State Trail Located near Fanning Springs, this rails-to-trails spans 3 counties totaling 31 miles of trail. Saturday we’ll ride from Fanning Springs to Cross City. Aproximately 27 miles round trip. Pot luck dinner and campfire Saturday night. Then Sunday we’ll ride one of the other segments. More info to come …. Contact Carol Noll: e-mail - horsfeathers.noll@gmail.com or call - 352-817-5257. |
1/31/10 Sunday Time: 9:00 Paddling Moderate - Strenuous Ponce Inlet Launch: Contact Host New Smyrna Beach |
Ponce Inlet Paddle - We will paddle north to the inlet and go out to the ocean. Time permitting, we may have lunch in a waterfront restaurant. This is an all day paddle, weather permitting. This trip may not be suitable for everyone due to open water conditions and currents, suitable for sea kayak , must be comfortable in open waters, dressed properly for the cold season, and able to roll the kayak. Contact the host for additional preparedness and information.
PFD and whistle are required by law and PDFs must be worn on all sessions. Give yourself ample time to arrive and get ready. Out of courtesy to the participants, please be ready to paddle at 9:00 am. Your hosts: Ken Knapton and Mariam Mohsenin at (407)325-7596, mohseninma@gmail.com . |
1/29/10 – 1/31/10 Friday – Sunday Time: contact host Paddling w/camping Easy-to-Moderate Econlockhatchee Chulota FL |
Econlockhatchee River Camping Trip - This is an easy overnight river camping trip on the Econ, east of Orlando. We'll paddle from the SR 419 bridge in Chuluota to the Snow Hill Bridge. We'll stay at Hidden River RV Park on Friday evening, or you can show up at the put-in on Saturday AM if you prefer. Plan on a great Happy Hour & hors d'ouerves on Saturday night, and of course, plenty of fun as well! This is a relatively easy overnight trip. If you'd like to go, if some detail or another is stopping you, please call me! (Easy river camping).
Host: Jim Ostrander, j14152@gmail.com , or 561-627-1943. |