Ocala Part 3

“Cool!”

“Details coming very soon.”

“I'm thinking we meet at Lake Delancy campground on Sat. Leave some cars and drive up to Buckman lock and hike south over Rodam dam and back to the cars at Delancy. About 14 miles total.”

“I'll look at my new Fla Trails book!”

“That will be a sweet overnight. I haven't heard any word on potential sites. There are a few metioned in my book and on the map, but nothing like Hidden Pond (that I can see) who knows - I'm sure we'll run acros all kinds of cool stuff on the trail.”

“The northern section is the least used and most remote in the forest. The problem is water and most of the good sources are in nasty campgrounds like Farles.

However by starting at Buckman lock outside the forest we have two good spots to camp just over the dam. The first at Rodman reservior and the second at Penner Ponds.

Another days hike and we reach Lake Delancy. After the deveoped campground there the trail continues to skirt the lake so I'm thinking we can find a spot along or near the shore of the lake.

I was thinking on the last day of the Feb trip we head out at grassy pond.

Using that plan it looks like free parking and a very high probability that we get to camp next to great swimming holes on both nights.”

“Sweet! Sounds like a good plan. I was wondering where the mileage was coming from until I looked at the map and saw that Buckman is that far away from Rodman. Now it makes more sense. I'll have to dayhike from Grassy Pond to the Salt Springs blue blaze sometime to complete my 4 year section hike of the Ocala Trail.

Does that qualify me to post on thru-hiker.com?”

“Yo, CMB.. if you drive.. I might shotgun.”

“Let me double check what's going on with work, but there's a good chance I might join you fine folks.”

“You and me both Coop. After this that will be the only part of the forest I will have not hiked.

Git yer but in the car TD.”

“Yeah! - I'd like to get a chance to hike with the towndawg.”

“I may be out of this trip...got a good bite on a job and will be moving north very soon i think..will keep ya posted”

“(THIS IS OPIE)”

“North as in Nashville?
Good luck with that but the trip is in Feb. Don't count yourself out just yet.”

“Hay all!

OK if I join the fun?

Hound Dog”

“Sure thing Hound dog, Where are you in Fla.?”

“In the swamp, Naples”

“Ah. We're in Atlantic Beach, part of Jacksonville.”

“Thanks for the welcome Treebait. Looking forward to meeting you all on the Ocala Hike.”

“Due to job and other commitments I haven't gotten to go backpacking much lately. I even had to cancel out on Coop at the last minute. I am dieing to go on a trip. That recon hike on 11/1&2 looks really good. The mornings and evenings are even starting to feel a little cool down here.

What are you guys plannning on doing? Driving to the forest on Saturday morning or will anybody be camping Friday night?

If I come I would drive up Friday night. Where would be a good place to camp?”

“Wassup flatlander - I will be driving up there on Saturday morning as it is only about an hour and a half away. There are campgrounds at both ends of the recon hike. I think we're starting at Buckman - the map I have says there is a primitive site there with picnic tables and a latrine.

If you don't have a Florida Trail map of this part of the forest - then I can send you a copy - just email me your snail-mail address.”

“I'll most likely be at Buckman Lock primative site on Friday night.”

“Saturday morn for me.”

“Thanks Coop. I do have a map of the forest just didn't have it when I posted. I also know some of the campgrounds are much nicer than the others. I didn't really know which one would be the best to drive to on Friday night. I guess Buckmans lock would be my best choice. Would it be a problem getting a site if I come in late?”

“I think buckman is just a wide spot in the road. So probably not a problem at all.”

“Gojo has been here doing some work while on his "Will Work For Food" roadtrip. He said he did the Ocala I trip and met some of you. He has also met others of you, as have I.

I've come to the conclusion that many of you are a bunch of redneck, trailer trash, "swomp"rat hicks - as is the majority of Southerners... especially Floridians (but not so much of the people of the Great State of Georgia... which is probably the GREATEST 55,000 SQUARE MILES ON THE PLANET!).

Anywho,
If I do decide to make this trip, be mindful that you SCUMBAG NOT-SO-HILLY-BILLYS keep AWAY from my stuff, especially my dreadfully bland Yankee food.




heheheeeeeeee!”

“gojo... now you make fun of her cooking? you are sooooooooooo ungrateful!”

“No.
My cooking RULES!

It's northern dishes in general of which I speak...”

“Now the real truth comes out. I was trying to keep my split personality under wraps. Note to self: GoJo you're hysterical!”

“I'm so hurt.
I guess I'll just have to go fishing with two sticks of dynamite and a jug of corn squeezins in order to get past it. Now, where are my sunday go to meetin overalls?”

“HPM, you sound like you're from East TN the way you talk. I can picture you with a straw hat on with a piece of hay sticking out of your mouth. As chili, himself, proclaims, "we drink our corn from a jar".”

“...corn won't grow up on Rocky Top, soils to rocky by far,,,,


That's why folks up on Rocky Top get their corn from a jar....”

“Actually he's descended from SC farmers and NC hillbillies with a serious history of moonshine.”

“Yep.
SEEEEEEEEEUUTT!”

“I'm over in the panhandle. Would ya'll mind having a new TT'er come along?”

“I'd like to get their Friday afternoon/evening. I have to work an overnight shift on Sunday night, so I may leave early on Sunday or possibly even Saturday evening.”

“Come on over for the trip!”

“Everyone is welcome to come.
Those that aren't welcome will be explicitly told so.

So far, everyone is still welcome to come.”

“Recon Hike info
November 1&2
Buckman lock to Lake Delancy Campground.
I will be camping at the primitive site at Buckman Lock on Friday night. I expect to arrive about 10:30 or 11pm.

Meet at Buckman Lock Saturday about 9am and shuttle a car to Lake Delancy.

Hike south to Rodman Reservoir or maybe Penner Ponds and camp.

Sunday hike south to the shuttle car at Lake Delancy campround. I will be hiking a little bit south of that campground to scout out a possible campsite beyond the developed one so we can get away from the riffraff on the actual TT hike.”

“Check.

I've never seen any of these areas so it will be interesting to see if there are a few more people around these parts - paticular the first day of hiking. It will also be neat to be hiking around the Oklawaha river.”

“hey! i received an email telling me explicitly (with expletives), that i was not welcome! now i'm definitely going!”

“Youre #&%!$ing welcome.”

“i love it when you talk dirty to me.”

“Shhhhhhh....my wife might find out.”

“Get a room you two!”

“who was it from, rad?”

“It was a joke.”

“awwwwww dammit i wantd some dirt”

“HPM will you please post directions to trailhead?

Who is going on the shakedown hike?”

“State Road 19 at the south side of the Cross Florida Barge Canal bridge turn onto Boys Ranch Road. It has a huge sign that says Rodeheaver Boys Ranch. At the Boys Ranch gate turn left and the trailhead will be on your left at the end of the road.”