A dear friend of mine, Warren Resen, is a member of the Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association. He’s organizing a walk and asked me to help get the word out about it:
I am in the process of setting up a team for the American Diabetes Association walk in West Palm Beach on Saturday, October 4, 2008. This is the annual “Step Out to Fight Diabetes” and is a 2.5 mile walk. Goodies afterward at the registration point. Meeting site is City Place.
The team name is “Florida Hikers.” Registration opens at 7:30 AM and the walk starts at 8:30 AM. I’m asking anyone who signs on to show up wearing a Florida Trail t-shirt. Besides being a worthwhile event for ADA, I would like to use this as a forum to promote FTA. After all, one of the themes of the ADA is that walking is a healthy way to exercise.
If you would be interested in joining with me, please let me know. And yes, while this is a fund raiser for ADA, no donation is needed to participate
Please contact Warren if you’re interested in participating … I plan to be there. Thanks!
North of the main portion of the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and its hiking trails in Boynton Beach, a new 3-mile hiking and biking trail opened June 16 at Stormwater Treatment Area 1 West on CR 880, south of Southern Blvd (US 98) at Nine Mile Bend. The trail includes a 200-foot boardwalk and interpretive information about the restoration of this former farm to wetlands. For more information, see this story in the Sun-Sentinel.
Episode 002: Juniper Springs (7:53)
One of many delightful hikes in the Ocala National Forest, the 1.4-mile round-trip Juniper Run Nature Trail at Juniper Springs Recreation Area is the state’s best for showcasing springs. Along this trail, which connects Juniper Springs and Fern Hammock Springs, you’ll see everything from a deep cavernous outflow to tiny bubblers, underwater sandstorms, and bizarre pools of turquoise and gray that look like post-modern video screens. It’s an easy walk and well worth the stop on your trip through the Ocala National Forest.
I’m trying a little content creation in parallel … a video of the Juniper Run Nature Trail at Juniper Springs in the Ocala National Forest, complete with video I shot last month on a hike and voiceover about the hike. I’m working on a podcast about the trail, too, but with the podcast, the words have to paint the pictures. Here’s the first part on my Florida Hikes YouTube channel: check it out and leave a rating!
Next Saturday, July 19, Alachua County cuts the ribbon (or in this case, a vine) at its fifth public land purchased with Alachua County Forever Funds, Sweetwater Preserve. The 114-acre preserve is on the south edge of Gainesville between Paynes Prairie State Park and Boulware Springs Park and spans from Williston Road (CR 331) to the Gainesville-Hawthorne Rail Trail. The celebration will include a short guided walk through seven natural communities. The park will be open sunrise to sunset thereafter.
Episode 002: Juniper Springs (7:53)
