Alafia River Paddle - Please join me for a paddle down the Alafia River. This is a great river and offers good scenery. Depending on water level we may see some shoals. Bring lunch as we will take a break mid-way down on the banks. To locate the put-in see Delorme 92. Please be there and unloaded by 9:30am so we can get the shuttle completed and be on the river by 10am. Limited to 12 boats. Members and invited guests. Host-Kim Joiner. Please email me at trekon12@verizon.net for reservations.

Ravine Gardens State Park Hike.  This unique Florida St Park has trails along a steep ravine near the St. John’s River.  The azaleas should be blooming along the winding trails.  We’ll meet at 11:00 AM at the parking area near the main building.  US 17/SR100, turn south onto Moseley Ave, the east onto Twigg St.  There are good signs to follow.  $4 a car.  From there we will go on SR 206 and right before the Matanzas River at the second Moses Creek secured parking area, we will hike less than a mile into a shaded Florida backpacking site with a bench overlooking the river!   This site is usually cool because of the breeze from the river, so be prepared.  Beginners are welcome, please advise the leaders.  Welcome for day only or overnight.  Smores provided.   Check for car pool.  Reserve by March 22.  No cell phones.  Lynn and Kurth  LynnV@oco.net  407-331-8609

Caladesi Island State Park Paddle.  Tour the mangrove shrouded canoe/kayak trail, then paddle to Caladesi’s white sandy beaches for some sun and surf time. Pack a lunch and bring the sun block. Not recommended for canoes.  Any size kayak is fine.  Rentals are available. We will meet at the kayak rental concession on the Dunedin Causeway at 10 a.m.  Florida Gazetteer, Page 82, D2.  Contact trip host for more details.  Fredmays@yahoo.com. 407-963-4308

Suwannee River Paddle, Hike & Camp It's great to be up by the Suwannee in the Spring time. This long Easter weekend will include some hiking and paddling on the Suwannee, including the Shoals, a rapid which can be easily portaged. Bring a special hat for the Easter Hat Contest. Friday 10 am we'll meet at the Bell Tower in the state park at White Springs for our Friday outing. Camping at Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center in White Springs - Erica has Gopher site # 27. (Reserve America 800-326-3521). If the state park is full, try Suwannee River Valley Campground (386-397-1667). If interested, there is an Easter service at the park early Sunday. Members and one invited guest; contact Erica by April 1, paddlepuff@earthlink.net or 407/327-4044

Wekiwa Springs State Park Hike.  State Park admission fees are $5.00 per vehicle for up to 8 people.   Meet at the trail head.  This 10-mile stretch of the Florida Trail is mostly sunny. It passes through open woods of pine and palmetto, hardwood hammocks and vine-tangled wetlands making several picturesque crossings of spring-fed streams.  I walk at a leisurely pace of about 2.5 mph.  For park info: www.FloridaStateParks.org/WekiwaSprings Cathy Edwards oviedoedwards@earthlink.net 407-716-9811

Buck Lake Conservation Area Hike. Volusia County.  We will be looking at three campsites on lakes for future backpacking trips. The hike will be about 5 miles. Wear a hat and bring sunscreen. Meet 5 miles east of the St. John's River or 7-8 miles west of I-95 on Hwy 46. The parking area is right off the highway. Reservations not required, but appreciated. Lynn and Kurth, LynnV@oco.net or 407-331-8609

Bulow Creek State Park Hike.  No entrance fee required to enter this park.  Meet at the parking area on Monument Road.  Portions of this 6.5 mile hike can be very wet.  Participants who leave their contact information will be advised of trail condition by Fri 4/13.  Bulow Plantation was established in 1821 when 2,200 acres were cleared by slave labor and planted in sugar cane, cotton, rice and indigo.  It was burned during the Second Seminole War in 1836 but the ruins of the sugar mill and springhouse still remain.  The trail passes through young forest, old-growth hammocks with live oaks up to 200 years old.  We’ll cross several streams and finally emerge at Marsh Point for a panoramic view of the pristine marsh.  Cameras are a must for this hike. www.FloridaStateParks.org Cathy Edwards oviedoedwards@earthlink.net 407-716-9811

Ocklawaha River Paddle.  Meet at Wayside Park (west side of Delk’s Bridge on State Road 40).  There is a $2 parking fee.  See Florida Atlas and Gazetteer, page 72.  We will shuttle cars to the Gore’s Landing take-out point.  Bring water, lunch and sunscreen.  This is a moderate paddle with the current on one of Florida’s most spectacular waterways.  Usually there is plenty of birds and wildlife spotted in this section of the river.  Contact Fred Mays, 407-963-4308 or fredmays@yahoo.com

Cross Seminole Trail Bike.  Meet at the San Sebastian trailhead on 436 near Bally’s Total Fitness to bike 15-miles (round trip) along the former route of the Orange Belt Railroad.  There are several markers along the route noting historic towns.  Farm animals such as goats, horses and cows may stare as we ride by.   Picnic tables are available at the San Sebastian trailhead.  There are several busy intersections to cross.  Helmets required.  I bike at a leisurely pace of  about 8 mph.  Cathy Edwards oviedoedwards@earthlink.net 407-716-9811

Cross Seminole Trail Bike  Meet at the Oviedo Trailhead for a 15-mile (round trip) bike ride.  View the Oviedo wildlife, free-ranging roosters and hens.  This semi-shaded scenic trail passes over Howell Branch Creek, runs along 434 in Winter Springs and crosses Gee Creek.  When we return to Oviedo, we can have a picnic lunch at Sweetwater Park.  There’s about ½ mile where the bike lane shares the road on 434.   Helmets required.  Cathy Edwards oviedoedwards@earthlink.net 407-716-9811

WT Annual Spring Gathering. Please come to vote for the 2007-2008 Wilderness Trekker Board at Sylvan Lake 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 Shelley shelley.claudin@cubic.com or Lynn LynnV@oco.net  407-331-8609.  There will also be a new member orientation and a host meeting before the activities start.

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.

Mosquito Lagoon Paddle .  Meet at JB Fish Camp on A1A, just before the entrance to the Canaveral National Seashore.  We will caravan from there to the put in point.  We will paddle the open water of the lagoon, then follow the marked canoe trail through the islands.  Bring water, lunch, sunscreen and bug spray (they don’t call it Mosquito Lagoon for nothing).  Contact Fred Mays at 407-963-4308 or fredmays@yahoo.com.

Myakka River State Park Hike. State Park admission fees are $5.00 per vehicle for up to 8 people.  Hike about 10 miles (North Loop) at a leisurely pace.  This State Park is one of Florida’s largest and most diverse natural areas with wetlands, prairies, hammocks and pinelands.  For park info: www.MyakkaRiver.org and www.FloridaStateParks.org/MyakkaRiver To camp overnight, please contact www.ReserveAmerica.com at 800-326-3521.  Cathy Edwards oviedoedwards@earthlink.net 407-716-9811