Ocala NF ECT2, Florida Y'all

“Double Cheeseburger on the way home!!

It was a great time! Loved meeting all the TT'rs!!! The hike was great. Too much went on for a trip report this soon!!!”

“"wood boy"???

i don't remember us getting that intimate! superfreaky!”

“I thought it was "would" boy. My bad.”

“LOL!!”

“nowslimmer- great post!

When I'm your age, I can only hope to have half the strength you have.”

“tekdude - Thanks. Did you change your name recently?

Attitude is everything.”

“nowslimmer - yeah, about 15 minutes ago. LOL

Actually, I've been flipping back and forth between tekapo and tekdude for months now. It's all about this period of letting go of my earlier name since it's related to a place I own in Alaska. Thinking of selling the place and there will be no further association with the name.

If you knew me, tekdude's probably more fitting anyway.”

“tekdude - Thanks.

Say, don't go far away. When the others are able to post, you'll hear about some of the more exciting and entertaining things that happened during this hike.”

“That tick bite is some kinda ugly on HPM; dark purple with a red edge. I'm keeping an eye on it to see if it starts dissipating or further develops. I hate ticks, but I still hate chiggers more.”

“That sounds real nasty - I hope the doc says it's nothin'.”

“We made it to my house about 11:00 last night. CMB and 2 Scoops crashed here last night and are still snoozing in the livingroom. Ewker and Trekkingirl heading on through the snow for their homes. HOPE YALL MADE IT HOME OK!!

HMP, hope the bite it gonna be OK!

OM, Thanks for letting us nap at your pad on the way down!

Nowslimmer, I really enjoyed meeting you and chatting about Martial Arts! Your an insperation. Keep kicking ass buddy!

Big Coop, Thanks for the the intertaining ride back to Juniper Springs!!

2 Scoops, ER

Jerbear, Rad, Opie, Goose, Skully, Crazy Mike, Ewker, Stove Stomper,

Arclite, It was great to finally get to meet and hike with you. I look foward to another trip.

Tango, Nice Biceps!

Big Al, Tammy, & Billy Boy Backpacker, Very nice to meet yall!”

“Sorry you couldn't make it Tex!”

“It was nice to meet YOU Walkindude.

Ocala was a total BLAST.Great weather, great people,great laughs awesome hikes made memories I'll never forget.
CMB and Jerbear are too much.TT hikes rock.It was great to meet you guys.Can't wait til RRG.”

“walkindude, I made it home around midnight with no problems, threw everything in the bedroom floor and went to bed. Back to the daily work grind this morning :-(

I will try to have some pics up this evening.

It was nice meeting all of you folks from sunny Florida even though I didn't see any sunshine. The weather was great, overcast and comfortable for hiking even the hike out in the rain was good.

OM, thanks for letting us crash at your place Thursday night/Friday morning. That was a much needed
1-1/2 hr nap.

Big Coop, lets do that ride again
woooooohoooooo. I thought we had lost Jerbear on that hill...lol

HPM, thanks for putting this trip together. Hope you get that tick bite taken cared of. Guess I should do a body search now.

Billy Boy Backpacker has the pants to match the lime green jello thread.

Nowslimmer, it was a pleasure to meet and talk with you. I enjoyed your trip report to the Smokies. I just hope I can be as active as you are when I reach your age, keep it up!!!!

Tango, all I can say is wow. Looking good in the casper suit.

arclite, nice to meet you. I would like to come back oneday and go paddling with you guys. Did still end up going?

Skully & Goose, Stovestomper, CMB, Jerbear, Opie, nice to see you again.

Radagast, Big Al (Alex), Tammy, 2scoops it was nice to meet all of you and hope to see you again.

Hats off to trekkngirl for jumping into her first TT trip with 4 strangers (CMB, 2scoops, walkindude and myself) for a long drive to Fl.

CMB and 2scoops, hope you guys make it home safely.”

“OOOOOOPS!
Can't forget you! Hell, we rode together for 10 hours home. I had just woke up when I made that post. I wasn't clicking on all cylinders yet.
It was great to have met you too Trekkngirl!
RRG is gonna ROCK!!!!!”

“COOL DUDE!!

Tex missed you .Did you decide to keep that cowboy for yourself? OM and I were just wondering.”

“Tex - Missed you? 'ell NO! Missed all the Snickers. LOL


WOW! Turn off your music site and click on the link that appears from this one. SNICKERS® -- DON'T LET HUNGER HAPPEN TO YOU
Then click away.”

“Thanks to all of ya'll for letting me join your hike. I hope there is a plan in the future for an ONF reunion hike next year. I am amazed that with such a large group that it never felt crowded. Ya'll are SO entertaining...(lol)
Thanks again, and if you're headed south any time soon, give me a holler!
Missed ya TWW!”

“er”

“Cool meeting you trailtalker.Still want to throughhike Ocala NF.I'm quiet partial to your weather.

Glad you got home ok scoops”

“The cast of Thousands
Humanpackmule
Big Coop
Big Al
Nowslimmer
Arclite
Jerbear
Tango
Crazy Mike
Walkindude
2Scoops
Ewker
Trekkngirl
Goose
Skullcap
Om
Radagast
Stovestomper
Opie
Trailtalker (Tammy)
With special guest
Billy Boy Backpacker


Friday, Pre-hike
I got to Juniper Springs just before 9am. The first thing I notice is the big freaking gate. Uh-oh, I hope Opie and Stovestomper got in ok last night.

The Big twins, Big Coop and his buddy Big Al were waiting just outside the gate. It seems that the staff at Juniper springs have become very officious and beauracratic and wanted to charge them $4 each just to wait in the parking lot until the rest of us arrived. So, they opted to wait outside.

I chatted for a bit and paid the parking fee and headed on in to find Arclite, Nowslimmer, Opie, Jerbear, Tango and Billy Boy Backpacker waiting. Before too long Om showed up with the folks who crashed at Casa De Om. Crazy Mike, Ewker, 2Scoops, Trekkngirl and a Walkindude still a bit shaken from his experience as a passenger in Cray Mike's car. After a while we got the shuttle plans under control and Om and I trailed Big Coop, Opie and Stovestomper to Alexander Springs where they left their trucks and ran them back to Juniper to begin the hike.

Still no Tex. We figured she was running late and I had sent her a map so she shouldn'r have any trouble coming in late, so off we went.”

“Ummmmm....that was me posting. Treebait was unfortunately unable to make the hike. :(”

“I have just a few words to say about this hike!

IT KICKED ALL FORMS OF ASS!!!!!

You people were so cool I am very happy I drove the 1300 miles that it took to do this trip.

By the way I got home and it was strange to see snow again!

8)”

“Snow? Don't you mean sand?
Ain't got no snow round here.”

“I have always thought that is very fun to ride in a car with me.

8)”

“A thrill a minute!
You go Mike!”

“CMB,they need to ask about the ride with Big Coop.Glad you made it home okay.You be good now.LOL”

“"Walkindude still a bit shaken from his experience as a passenger in Cray Mike's car."


LMAO!!!!!!!!
MDK Factor was looking pretty high a time or two.”

“I think I can try to be good but the one side of my brain never does!

8)”

“Well, I am glad Y'all had a good time and just sick at the course of events that prevented me from attending the hike. It's nice to know Y'all were thinking about me and worried - thanks, it means a lot.

As it is, it worked out ok, I ended up getting sick on Friday and lost my voice yesterday and it's still gone today. I have that yucky chest, viral disease thing going on. Must be due to all the Springtime dust kickin up.

I'll take a rain check and see if I can the next big one.

I can't even begin to describe how down I have been and reading all your posts has not made it any better. :-(

I think I'll just go off in a corner and sulk!

TexWW”

“when are we going to get to see some pics?”

“Sorry to hear ya don't feel good Tex. Better luck next time!!

Miss Opie, I will turn mine in tommorrow. Hopefully they will be ready Friday.”

“Now that brings back fresh memories!”

“I am glad that you are ok Tex!

8)

Very funny pic!!!!”

“Most of the TT'rs met in the parking lot of Juniper Springs at about 9AM. There were Opie, StoveStomper, Ewker, Arclite, Trekkngirl, Crazy Mike, Walkindude, 2scoops, Nowslimmer, Humanpackmule, Big Coop, Alex, billy boy backpacker, Jerbear, arclite.
After shuttles were worked out, we all packed up and headed out as a group. There were 16 of us an impressive sight! We all were pretty bunched up and gabbing away for quite some time. We started to spread out on the trail. At lunchtime every body kind of caught up with each other and snacked and enjoyed the day. It was cool. After a couple more miles we were at Porn Island (heard the story)! It was a beautiful day to hike. Tents were up in no time! Arclite disappeared into his tent not to be seen again until the morning! That man can sleep! The variety of gear was great. I am sure some wish lists got bigger. There was a beautiful half fallen Live Oak which we all hung out taking pictures and generally BSing. Some wandered off to explore the area and gather wood.

The fire was started and the cooking of dinners commenced. Everybody brought their stuff over to the fire area and a fine time was had by all. I can not describe the fun of being around the campfire with this group. Most of which were in rare form! Some fun was made of me since I had on my down jacket and light snow pants, but it had gotten chilly. Crazy Mike was running around in shorts (the thick blooded northerner!) The subjects around the fire were as varied as thread topics (but no trolls!) Trailtalker showed up. Shortly thereafter Skullcap and Goose showed up. Om and Radagast came into camp after I had hit the sack!

In the morning we again gathered around the resurrected fire with breakfast fixings. OPIE and billy boy backpacker had pancakes! We all packed up and in small groups left for the next campsite. This day the weather was pretty iffy. I brought out my Casper suit. It is a snow white tyvek suit similar (but thinner) to Frogg Toggs. Jerbear stayed at the campsite. We stopped at a campgrounds for water and to use the luxurious (NOT) bathrooms. It started to sprinkle again so again out came the Casper suit. We all reached the next camping site the beach of a lake pretty close together. Tents were set up along the tree line with many jokes about who would be the alligators first choice! A chorus of "YO BEAR" rang out across the lake as Jerbear showed up. Nowslimmer came into camp shortly thereafter after he had a leisurely lunch at the campground where we got the water.

The fire was started early and wood was piled up high. The fire blazed and at one point it was over 6 feet! The subjects went from light hearted to some serious. It sprinkled a few times for a few minutes.

The next morning it was raining steadily but lightly. I had my down jacket on and put on my Casper suit over top and then I treated a few fellow TT'rs to a couple of body building pose! Thanks Walkindude for calling me a babe! Everybody (almost) packed up on short order and started the 5 mile hike to Alexander Springs. This is where I really tested the Casper suit! It gets a C-, so it's back to real rain gear. According to OPIE's truck it was 49 F at 11AM.

I have to say that everyone on this trip was GREAT!! Every TT'r was totally COOL!!! I had a wonderful time! The mix of personalities was great”

“I'm in tampa, i'll check in with my pics when i get home...looked at them at a buddy's comp here and they look awesome. Glad you all got to see me!!!!!


BACON!!!!!”

“It was fun watching Crazy Mike and 2 Scoops chase after the Raccoons at Juniper Springs.”

“If I would have caught them!

8)”

“you'd have gotten rabies, LOL”

“Remember the episode of Family Guy....

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaahhhhhhhhh!!!”

“I have watched that already!

8)”

“I am very glad I met you CMB!! Are you watching your boys?”

“I thought the Blackhawks played the Canucks tonight.”

“Tango you are by far one of the top 5 sweet'est girls I have ever met!

You rock!

Oh ya the Blackhawks rule!

8)”

“Friday, assorted details
As the hike began the lady at the fee shack at Juniper asked "Are y'all some sort of club?"

Tango replies "Kinda, we all met each other over the internet."

Fee Shack Lady- Insert your best "WHATAREYOUALLFARGINGNUTSORSUMPIN!!!!!!" look here.

The hike meandered through Florida Pine sandhill, lush low wetlands and eventually opened up to reveal Farles Prairie. There was bear scat everywhere, however Florida Black Bears are very shy and none showed all weekend. A prairie in Florida is a open grassy area spotted with freshwater ponds some of whom come and go as the precipitation level flux from year to year.

Around dusk some of us spent some time looking out across the sea of grasses at the sky, still spotted with distant rain storms drifting by. Later on sandhill cranes could be heard bugling off in the distance. After dark owls and other night birds could be heard calling off in the distance.

Around the campfire Crazy Mike revealed unto us the knowledge of that which is now known as a bacon ring. We were enlightened yet somehow ignorance seemed preferable at the time.

Also on Friday night some intreped gentleman hiker baked cinnamon rolls on aluminum foil by the campfire for all to enjoy. I wonder who that fine fellow was? --ahem--snort--”

“And they were wonderful!!!

HPM is a scholar and a gentleman...and damn funny!!!”

“Ha Ha!!!!!!


Its good to be free and crazy!!!!


8)”

“Oh sorry, CMB thank you for the compliment! You are very sweet yourself! Glad to have met you”

“Likewise!

I look very much forward to hiking with you again!

I would very much like to take you snowshoeing Michigan got 20 inches.

OH YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8)”