Florida Trail Croom Hike

Caleb, Jack, and I went on a backpacking trip on the Florida Trail in Croom this past weekend to try out my new Tarp Tent RainCloud 2. It was also Caleb's first backpacking trip with his Deuter Fox 30 backpack. We parked at Silver Lake Camp Ground near Brooksville and hiked around 8 miles. We stayed just south of Crooked River Camp Ground. The recent rain had provided us with nearly impassible trails that required some nerves to negotiate. Caleb was the one who decided we should just push right on through and wade through the water. The picture of Caleb here walking through the water doesnt do justice to the sections that I was careful not to stop to take a picture. There was one section that was up to my knees and the nearest "shore" area was a complete tangle of completely impassible brush. In all it was a fun hike and a great way for an 8 year old to spend part of his spring break. Jack did a great job on his first hike, im honestly surprised he didnt chew his way out of the tent that night. Oh and we also got a chance to try out Jack's Kelty K9 pack... the rear D ring ripped up from its stitches... I assume from Jack being such an avid mushing dog but i hope he doesnt break it all the way off. Ill have to contact Kelty.
Being Caleb' first real backpacking trip he did extremely well and proved to be a real adventurer. All the bike touring trips we have done together have prepared him for the kind of walking we did. Im hoping to take Caleb out for our next trip on the AT. I also hope that this is the first of many section hikes of the Florida Trail as well... perhaps he will become the youngest person to ever section hike the entire FT? ...we'll see about that ;)

New to Touring

Ellen and I went on an over-night trip up to JB Starkey Park to test out her newly built Fuji touring bike. It was a great trip despite pouring rain the next morning and having to hide under an overpass. Rain gear REALLY helps with the not getting cold part but there is something about rain that just crushes the soul. The trip overall was a great experience, and being Ellen's first over night bicycle trip, was a trip we wont soon forget.

Starting out our section hike of the AT

Ellen and I spent a few days on the Appalachian Trail a couple weeks ago. I have been a bit busy so the post comes a little late, but, we hiked from Amicalola Falls to the official starting place of the AT at Springer Mountain in Georgia. We plan to return in May to do a few more days and hopefully in the years to come we will continue the routine until we have completed the whole trail. Im looking forward to Blood Moutain which is the next major scenic view on our trip since Springer. Take a look at some of our pictures.

Crocs are keen...

I love Crocs... I used to buy up the 8 dollar croc like shoes at walmart and target but it seems they have stopped producing those... today I got myself a pair of Croc brand shoes for the first time and im going to try them out as comfort shoes on the trail. A lot of people are Croc haters... but i think for all those fasionistas out there that they couldnt possibly understand trail fashion... meaning, comfort and weight before fashion... so eat it! anyhow... Crocs are almost a way of life for hikers and I will not apologize for my lack of fashion sense on the trail... though my latest Crocs are not quite the ugly rubber things that most people think of... they are called the Santa Cruz and are the lightest shoes i could imagine bringing on a hiking trail... i love them and you should too.

AT - Commitment

In two days I'll be standing next to Ellen at the base of Amicalola Falls looking toward the summit of Springer Mountain in Georgia. Adorned with backpacks and cold weather gear we will begin a 7 day hike covering some 40 miles along the Appalachian Trail, and ultimately we commit ourselves to a journey that may last much longer. For those who don't know(those of you living under a rock), Springer Mountain marks the official starting point for the Appalachian Trail, or AT for short, that meanders up the East coast of the United States for some 2175 miles before ending, just short of our 51st state, in Maine. Though we will be committing ourselves to 40 miles for this hike, we ultimately have opened up the can of worms that many AT section hikers start and spend years trying to finish. We will have committed ourselves to a lifetime pursuit that is the AT.
What does all this mean? It means blood, sweat, and tears... it means love, commitment, and facing fears... its means a journey that may take years...
I'm looking forward to the journey ahead.