Trail Walkers

So Caleb and I have involved ourselves in a pretty neat program put out by the Florida State Forestry Service. The Trail Walker program is designed to get folks out and hiking in the state forests of Florida. If you hike a certain amount of trails within a certain amount of State Forest parks, they send you a patch. Its kind of like working towards a badge in scouts. Though our experience with Boy Scouts has been lacking, this was a challenge that we are able to take full control of. This program has gotten us out and hiking at least 5 times a year for the past couple of years as we work towards obtaining our patches. It has taken us into some beautiful scenery and given us a chance to try out new equipment in a quest to lighten our packs and become avid hikers and backpackers... I'll try to post more stories as time goes by of our trips but this post will be about several trips we've taken over the last few years. Just a few photos to share for now.
Check out the program link: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest-Service/Recreation/Hiking

Finding Myself

Life can take you down some interesting roads if you are willing to make some turns. For some time I have been interested in homesteading, gardening, self sustainability and such... recently an old friend of mine invited me to join him in helping out on a friends farm. When I agreed to go it was because I was at a point in my life where I needed a new adventure to save me from the monotony of my every day life running a new business(more on that later). What I found out there was something I have been looking for for quite some time. 

Rigo's property isnt much of a farm per se, as a homestead, and when we got started out there it was just barely that. With some sweat, dirt, several weekends worth of labor, and a fair share of gasoline, we have created what is growing into a community supported agriculture project that will sustain multiple families. Vegetables, fruits, livestock, honey, never ending projects, ideas, adventures, fun... 

Finding myself out on this farm has been an adventure that I have only dreamed of in my years of classes in environmental science, biology, horticulture... not to mention the things I have involved my family in with the gardening and keeping chickens... the constant pursuit of self sustainability, controlling the ingredients in our diet that ultimately effect our health. Finding myself out on this farm has been a lesson in finding myself.

About... Brian

For those of you who have been faithful followers of my blog you have seen some of my triumphs, as well as some of my calamities. Life has a way of bringing you up when you need it, but it can also bring you crashing down when you least expect it, and are least prepared.

Much has happened in the years since my last post on Friday the 13th, some negative, some positive; I spiraled through some pretty severe depression, I lost many jobs, I became jaded to the cycling world as a whole... but though I dont ride a bike anymore I have taken some hobbies more seriously, I have built a bigger family, I have made a few friends, and I have learned how to adventure again.

I have had this blog on the back of my mind for a long time since... I guess I left it to the cycling phase of my life, which I triumphantly exited about 3 years ago. Well after coming back and reading a handful of my posts, I realized that this page is not about what I left behind, rather it is about the adventure that I still contain within me. It is not about Bike Brian... it is simply about... Brian.

I want to catch this blog up, as well as some of the people who still linger in to read it once in a while, with some of the adventures I have shared with my family and friends, whether I can include epic bike journeys or my brothers involvement is no longer of serious consequence, because I can enjoy an adventure without mourning him now. I can enjoy an adventure with my son, and my wife, and now my youngest son. I can keep the fun going, and it'll be fun to look back in years to come, at all the things I was able to get out and do with my family.