Man, have I been busy this year. Outdoor events, hikes, runs, biking, kayaking, autograph sessions (well, maybe not) - I’ve been all over the place. My blog posts and videos are stacking up, unfinished and sitting in limbo until I can squeeze in some time between work and events. I’m not complaining, mind you, it’s just that if I continue this pace I’ll have to quit my day job and dedicate all my time to telling you fine folks about my adventures. Darn.
So I found myself Saturday, September 20th at Silver River State Park out at the 2008 Marion Springs Festival, wandering around from one environmental display to the next, all the while being amazed at the amount of families that were in attendance. The Springsfest draws a large crowd, featuring live music, good eats, guided hikes and paddles, seminars - everything related to preserving Florida’s diminishing natural resources.
I got a chance to talk a little bit with Lucy Beebe Tobias, author of 50 Great Walks in Florida. If you are looking for tips and information regarding Florida travel and history, Lucy’s got the answers. She also serves as VISITFLORIDA’s Authentic Florida Expert, and since I’m the VISITFLORIDA Outdoors and Nature guy, that makes her and I colleagues, I suppose. I feel sort of strange about that, since she and the other VISITFLORIDA experts are well-known and well-respected in their fields. Me? I’m just a goof with a outdoors blog, thank you very much.
Discovery Kayak Tours busied themselves with guided river trips and their booth was constantly packed with people wanting more information on kayaking, which they provided with expertise and a smile. I also sat in on a hiking seminar and slideshow with Sandra Friend, author of too-many-books-to count on Florida hiking. The seminar was a full house, with no empty seats in the room. Make sure to visit Sandra’s Florida Hikes! website to find a hike near you.
OK, it’s time for me to hush so you can watch the Marion Springs Fest video.
Pictures? I’ve got a few here in the gallery.
Two firsts were celebrated out at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on September 27th, one being the Inaugural Expedition Everest Challenge 5K, and the other was the fact that this was the first organized race that I have entered. You heard me right, I crawled out of the woods, shaved, and ran alongside a couple of thousand other people out at Animal Kingdom. And guess what? It was pretty cool!
In the past I’ve steered clear from participating in organized runs and other outdoor events, but I had a good time and think I’ll enter some more things in the future. My wife, who is a better runner than I am, kept me moving the whole time. I trained for this race mostly by consuming large amounts of fast food and Chek cola. I need a Chek cola intervention and support group, I can’t kick the habit.
We had to get down to Disney’s Wide World of Sports early and pick up our race packets, after that we drove over to Travel Country Outdoors to check out their fantastic summer porch sale. As usual, it was worth the trip, there were great deals on all sorts of gear and clothing.
After depleting our checking account at Travel Country, we spent the rest of the time before the race over at the Animal Kingdom Lodge relaxing. Apparently, lots of other runners had this idea as well, you could see the race armbands on what seemed like every other person there.
Ever been to Animal Kingdom at night? Since the park closes at dusk, not too many people have had the opportunity to hang out there after the sun sets. Once the race was over, there was one heck of a Disney-style party located over in DinoLand USA. How all these racers had the energy to boogie down and ride Everest beats the heck out of me. I was whipped. To my defense, I had gotten up really early and spent all morning out at the Croom Crusher Adventure Race, shopping at Travel Country, and consuming sugary beverages.
Well, you know the drill. Watch the video above for some highlights and the awards ceremony (it was too long, so I embedded the YouTube one) and check out the gallery for a couple o’ pics.
I bet you thought I forgot about all about you. To the legions of fans outside my house, you may return to your vehicles and go home now. You have proven your point, I have neglected you and I’m sorry. You see, I’ve been real busy doing all the things that I write about here on wahoohiker.com, and over on VISITFLORIDA.com. Between the day job that pays the bills, blogging here and at VISITFLORIDA, and actually doing the stuff that you want to read about, I’ve gotten behind.
But, guess what? I’ve got all sorts of stuff all ready to go for you to read and watch. I’ll be back on track tomorrow with new and exciting posts!
The West Central Florida Adventure Racing Club (WeCeFAR) is known for putting on great events all over the state, and the 2008 Croom Crusher/Crumbler was no exception. I’ve been lurking around at WeCeFAR’s races when they are in my neck of the woods for a few years now, and I’m thinking that perhaps next year I might just participate in the Croom Crusher or Crumbler. Living just outside the sleepy hamlet of Nobleton has finally paid off. You see, I would have home-field advantage, and this might make up some for my lack of skill and conditioning.
I wish I could have stuck around longer, but I did manage to catch the teams preparing and the start of the race. Months prior, my wife and I had signed up for the Inagural Expedition Everest Challenge 5K over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom which happened to be on the same day. Wimpy in comparison to the WeCeFAR events, I know, but it was our first foray into organized running. Good fun, more about that in a upcoming post. It was a lot different that running around on our own at Tucker Hill, that’s for sure.
Back to the Croom Crumbler. Actually, I’ll just let the pictures and video do most of the work, take a peek at them and I’ll bet that you will want to get out and participate in the future. It was pretty chilly the morning of the race, and the start of the course led the racers through one of Nobleton’s outstanding algae-encrusted canals. Stanky cold water is the perfect way to start off an adventure!
Click here for the pictures.
October 17, 2008 - OK, this is my new favorite outdoors event in Florida. I’m embarrassed to say that before this past Labor Day weekend, I had never attended Clyde and Niki Butcher’s annual Muck-About. I’ve wanted to, but being a few hundred miles away it’s been one of those things that has gotten passed up before. Not anymore, my wife and I had a great time!
We made the trip down south, set up camp even though Hurricane Gustav was a looming threat, and headed out to do a little swamp walking. Actually, the daylight hours were absolutely perfect. We got some pretty strange looks tent camping at Collier-Seminole State Park with a hurricane in the neighborhood, but I wasn’t too worried. Plus, I do silly stuff like this from time to time, so I’m used to the strange looks. I will say that the nighttime hours brought some heavy wind and rain that pushed our Coleman car camping setup to the limits. The rainfly was completely saturated and began to mist through. Wind snatched furiously at the nylon, and I thought at any moment we might have to abandon ship and head for our vehicle. But, it was exciting, and we made it through without getting blown away.
Let me get back on track and give you a run-down of the Muck-About at Big Cypress Gallery. Let’s start off in the gallery itself, where from the moment you cross the threshold of the front entrance you’ll be surrounded by Clyde Butcher’s photographs. Being a huge fan of Clyde Butcher’s photography, I will say I was somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer amount of images in the gallery. Breathtaking! After spending quite some time in the gallery, we headed out back to check out the festivities. Valerie C. Wisecracker and Cindy “Sawgrass” Hackney were providing the tunes for the event. They have a great CD out, “My Florida“, that captures the spirit of the Everglades. Ever had a ‘gator wrap? Delicious! There were plenty of good eats to enjoy after a swamp walk. Over 1,500 people attended the Muck-About, with cars lined up and down Hwy 41.
There’s a few reasons why you should get out your Sharpie marker and write that September 5-7, 2009 you’ll be at the Big Cypress Gallery for the Muck-About. First, you watched the video, saw all the swamp walking, and are kicking yourself for not attending this year. Shame on you, but I’ll forgive you just as long as you promise to be there in 2009. Secondly, you have a pair of shoes that you would like to completely beat the tar out of. I’ve worn out a lot of shoes out in the woods, but nothing come close to the wear that I put on a pair of old trail runners during the swamp walks. The sole of my right shoe came partially detached that made an awesome flop-squirt-flop-squish melody afterwards.
The last reason is a little more serious. Folks, Clyde and Niki Butcher, as well as all the other staff and volunteers need your help to protect this vital ecosystem. The fee for the swamp walks goes to support the Friends of Fakahatchee, Friends of Big Cypress, and the Florida Trail Association. Get out there, get your feet wet, and have a blast at the Big Cypress Gallery!
Photos? Yep, I’ve got ‘em here and here. If you see a good one that you like, it was surely taken by my wife. She is a great photographer and a true adventurer to boot. Together we held that tent down at Collier-Seminole State Park, rode out the storm, and had a great Labor Day weekend to remember at Clyde and Niki Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery.
I’m sorry, old Salomon shoes; duct tape can no longer keep us together. We have a lot of history, but you have to go. I’ve found a new love, and they are called XT Wings.
I have a hard time parting with good shoes, but a couple of months ago I decided it was time to get rid of the old skanky Salomon XA’s that had carried me down many a trail, and replace them with something that would be a little kinder to my feet. After reading some reviews and jealously stealing looks at other runners’ footwear, I picked up a pair of Salomon XT Wings and proceeded to get them dirty the next day. Sorry, no mall-walking for you, XT Wings.
After miles of good Florida trail hikes and runs, over varied terrain, I can honestly say that these are by far the most comfortable shoes I’ve owned. There was a slight break-in period where I noticed some rubbing on my outer right toe, but after about a week this trouble spot went away and now there are no other areas of concern. Salomon’s Kevlar QuickFit lacing system is as good as ever, providing a solid tight grip that doesn’t require much attention. Once tightened, they tend to loosen just a bit during the first few minutes of use, so I lace up a little tight knowing that once I get moving the laces will adjust and maintain a comfortable tension.
There’s all sorts of fancy copyrighted technolgy that make up the XT Wings with names like Ortholite and Contagrip and stuff like that. I know a lot of design went in to the creation of these beauties, but I’m not so sure that naming each component of the shoe makes individual features stand out or just confuses consumers. Perhaps it’s just something that gear nerds can sit around and yak about while sipping on hot cocoa in a lodge somewhere. Stuff like, “What do you think of the new Agile Chassis System, do you find that it provides optimal stability and control, hmmm?”
Either way, it’s a great pair of trail runners. Lightweight, great fit, and durable - Salomon’s XT Wings were a great purchase and are serving me well.
OK, I must put on my XT Wings, grab my cocoa and head to the nearest trailhead for tonight’s fireside chat on “Advances In EVA Foam Technology” and “Building A Better Flip-Flop”. See you there.
Need to mail a Skunk Ape Research Headquarters postcard to your Maw-Maw while you are down in the Everglades? Head a mile or so west of the campground/Skunk Ape building on Hwy 41 and keep a sharp lookout to your right.
Wait, is that a shed? Well, it was originally an irrigation shed for a tomato farm, but now it’s the smallest post office in the good ‘ol US of A. It makes for a great photo opportunity, so pull over and snap away.
I stopped in and got a couple of pictures to share you folks, I was down this way for the annual Clyde Butcher Muck-About. More about that in a future blog post, it was a great event!
More post office pictures - View Gallery
Enjoy!
Trench foot. This is one gnarly foot, and you can see how something like this would cause you to not run on it properly. You can also see how this improper running would lead to tendonitis, right?
This injury has pretty much ended Karl’s hopes of the Appalachian Trail record of 47 days, set by Andrew Thompson. But Karl is still out there, busting out 50-mile days, and some haven’t counted him out just yet. What if Speedgoat’s leg heals and he is able to knock out a couple of 100-mile days? Maybe it’s all some elaborate scheme to keep me and you totally hooked on Speedgoat Karl news…whatever it is, it’s working. I check whereskarl.com every day.
It’s not all about the beating the record that keeps me interested in Karl’s quest on the Appalachian Trail. It’s about the tenacity to keep moving forward, despite an injury, and seeing something through to the end. Most people would have left the trail once a setback like this occurred. You’ve gotta appreciate that kind of commitment.
Who knows? Maybe Karl will surprise everyone and beat the record, or maybe he’ll just keep moving towards Springer Mountain and enjoy the beauty of the Appalachian Trail. Either way, it’s an adventure that keeps me interested and hopefully inspires others to press on in the face of adversity.
You can’t call yourself a trail runner and not know who Karl Meltzer is. He runs long races, and wins most of them. When the “Speedgoat” arrives at a race, sometimes runners simply pack up and go home. Nah, I’m just kidding about that part, but they know that their dreams of winning have been crushed…!
So, Mr. Meltzer is attempting the “Appalachian Trail Assault” starting on August 5. Karl has partnered up with the dudes at Backcountry.com for support, and you can follow all the action over at whereskarl.com. He’s got a SPOT satellite messenger, and you’ll be able to track his progress in real-time.
Can he complete all 2,174 miles of the AT in 47 days? Well, I think he can, and I believe he will. Should speed attempts and things like this even be attempted on the Appalachian Trail? A lot of people think the Appalachian Trail is a place for their own sole enjoyment, and if it differs from the way they hike (or run), they get all crazy and upset. What’s your opinion?
You can bet I’m going to be glued to whereskarl.com for 47 straight days. Don’t bother calling or emailing me, I’ll be too busy watching that SPOT dot moving south from Maine. Make sure you stop by and cheer him on!
As fate would have it, I had a few extra bucks in the “bank” (well, if you call a cigar box a bank), and thought I would try out the Jetboil PCS (Personal Cooking System) since there’s been lots of hoopla over it for a few years now. I’m not quick to change out gear, or buy gear just for the heck of it, but the Jetboil has really made some significant changes to the world of backcountry cooking. I guess I’d better see what all the fuss is about, huh?
Returning home with shiny new gear makes me feel like a kid at Christmas, and it was hard to resist the temptation to open the box and fiddle with the Jetboil on the drive home. But I held out, and upon my return I promptly took a series of pictures and began some initial testing.
Weighing in at a just under a pound, it’s not the lightest cooking system you can have, but it compensates for its heft by offering a great design and the promise of boiling water in mere moments. It boasts a 75 percent fuel efficiency, and uses a unique “Fluxring” heat exchanger to evenly distribute the heat across the entire bottom of the cup. You can fill the Jetboil with a liter of liquid, and there’s a nifty 2-cup mark inside for proper measurement. The neoprene cozy serves double-duty - keeping your hands from getting melted to the aluminum cup and trapping the heat inside where it belongs, in turn boosting the overall efficiency of the stove. The whole system stores neatly inside the 1-liter cup, making it a cinch to pack up and stow.
The Jetboil does exactly what it says it will do. Under normal conditions, it will boil 2 cups of water (enough for your gourmet ramen meal) before you can dig your lexan spork out of the bottom of your pack. Although finicky, simmering is possible with the Jetboil PCS, which means you can expand your backcountry menu from simple heat-and-eat items. So, is the Jetboil magic, or possibly possessed by some sort of ancient fire-breathing demon? Nope, sorry folks, no demons here - it’s just great design and technology hard at work.
So, is the Jetboil PCS the stove to rule all stoves? That depends. While it probably won’t make on your gear list for super-ultralight hikes, it is perfect for regular camping, day hikes, and paddling adventures. If you are shopping for a new solo cooking system, take a good look at the Jetboil PCS - it’s well-built, easy to operate, and makes meal time less of a fuss.
Visit Jetboil.com for detailed specs and where to pick one up for yourself.
It snowed this morning! Snow, sleet - whatever. We don’t get much of either, so anything that collects and is icy white gets called snow. We’ve had a week or so of really strange weather! Video taken in Inverness, Florida with a Canon Powershot SD780 IS.
Mullet, manatees, Crevalle Jack - you can see so much aquatic life at the Fish Bowl. There’s both freshwater and saltwater fish here!
Just a little video of a rainy day at the Iron Bridge area in the Withlacoochee State Forest. I just sat there (rain jacket on, of course) and watched it rain for about an hour. Good stuff.
Check out these cats riding in the Vortex area of Santos on the Cross Florida Greenway. Me? I stuck with the Puppy Trail, thank you very much.
I got a chance to go up to the top of Bok Tower! Now, not every Tom, Dick, and Harry gets to go up there, you have to be somebody to gain access to this incredible structure. That said, I’m not too sure how I got in…
Visit www.boktowergardens.org for more information on this amazing [...]
So I was stingy and never shared this video here with you, my loyal fans. It’s been sitting on my YouTube channel, but for some reason I didn’t post it here. Sorry, homeboys and homegirls, hopefully you will be nice and give me a pass this time, it won’t happen again.
We all know and faithfully [...]
