Trekker Talk. ropical Trekkers are a family of like minded people. Cooperation and respect shine their brightest during difficult activities,

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1 F L O R I D A T R A I L A S S O C I A T I O N Tropical Trekkers Chapter P.O. Box 423 Palm City, FL Chapter Meeting Public Welcome Trekker Talk J u n e V o l u m e 2 1, N u m b e r 6 Ellie & Louise The Tropical Trekkers meet on the second Monday of each month at the Palm City Community Center, located on Cornell Avenue at the Southwest corner of the Palm City Bridge. The meeting begins at 6:45 PM with sign up sheets available for upcoming activities. By 7:00 PM the monthly program begins. We often invite outside speakers that compliment our outdoors theme. July 13th Program: Annual Ice Cream Social. Bring your favorite topping. The (Continued on page 2) By Lori Burris I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e : WazNu for Sale & Trail Report 2 Photo Essay! 4 Activities Corner 8 South Regional 9 Officers & Directors List 11 BOD Meeting 12 T ropical Trekkers are a family of like minded people. Cooperation and respect shine their brightest during difficult activities, such as trail work or backpacking, where working together is beneficial, if not essential. In this photo, Ellie Bauer gives Louise Cunha a hand tightening her boot laces on a backpacking trip from Kissimmee Prairie State Park s office to River Ranch off state road 60. The January 2015 trip was a peaceful amble, not a forced march, and these two old friends had a chance to share in the wonder of Kissimmee Prairie. Water was everywhere when the group didn t need it and they tromped though plenty of it that was knee deep. When they stopped to camp however, there was little water to be had and a group effort was again required. This puddle was what the girls used for water. Lori s pink bowl and water bag made filtering easier for all.

2 P a g e 2 Chapter Meeting (continued) (Continued from page 1) Chapter will supply the ice cream. August Program: No Chapter Meeting. WazNu! Items for sale: Submitted by Carlos Ballantyne: I am totally donating these items with all proceeds going to the TT! $ water bottle Mountainsmith fanny pack. $20.00 Black Diamond backpack (click to see) A little info on the BD pack. It s about a 30 liter long day hike or summit pack. The pack has Black Diamond s ergoactiv hip belt suspension which lets the belt swivel with your hips as you hike, without shifting the pack s weight back and forth and the hip belt suspension is adjustable for torso length. This pack has very good hiking karma. I estimate it to have about 2000 miles on it from the about 3 years I used it and it has been above 10,000 elevation about a dozen times, including Mt. Baldy, Mt. San Gorgonio, and San Jacinto Peak, all in the Los Angeles area. Contact Jim Couillard at or him at koolyard@bellsouth.net to arrange delivery. Rafael Sanchez Trail Work By Tom Clements T he Rafael Sanchez Memorial Trail is a 6 mile trail that follows the old shoreline of Lake Okeechobee before the Herbert Hoover dike was constructed. The southern trail head is at Port Mayaca and the trail goes north to a parking area located about 2 miles south of the J & S Fish Camp along US98/ US441. Over a two day period from Friday, June 5 to Saturday, June 6 Tropical Trekkers Rick Binder, Jim Couillard, Kay Clements, Lorraine Doyle, Noreen Nelson, Georgia Binderow and John McArdle helped me get this trail groomed. We also managed to change the blaze color from orange to white on the first two miles of the trail. I am happy to report that all the equipment worked very well, though the small DR mower needs to have the clutch linkage adjusted to better engage the transmission with the drive wheels. This should just be a matter of adjusting a few nuts. I am also happy to report that Lorraine, Noreen and Georgia indicated they would like to adopt this trail and participate in all the up coming work hikes. This makes me very happy! The more folks we have working the trails the easier it is for all of us. Thanks ladies!

3 Chandler Slough South, Work Hike June 20, 2015 By Jeanne Couillard Early in, early out was the order of the day. When trail master Vicki Lambie says early in, she means be there by 6:30 a.m., as the sun is beginning to wake up and before the heat sets in for the day. Five Tropical Trekkers where there and ready to begin our summer cut and trim, so we would hopefully be able to find the trail in November. Lots of you know about Chandler Slough, for those who don t, with Vickie s help I ll try to tell you a little about the south section, where we worked. The Chandler Slough is now part of SFWMD (South Florida Water Management District) property and is part of the Kissimmee River Restoration. To get there you travel about 15 miles north of Okeechobee on route 98 to Lofton Rd. (on west side of 98). The trailhead is about 1 ½ miles from there. This FNST (Florida National Scenic Trail) section maintained by Tropical Trekkers is about 3 miles long, 2/3 through pastureland 1/3 through oak hammocks. The land was originally owned by Kennedy Farms, which used the property to graze beef cattle. When the land was first acquired for public use there were hikers who would trek through the pastureland between cattle commenting about their size a lot larger than they appeared from the road--- keep on walking, keep on walking. Cattle no longer graze on the property, which means no free mowing service provided by these large animals. Now, the grasses grow and grow in that well fertilized soil and we mow a trail/path through the pasture following FTA blazes. To keep this section of the FNST trail passable and in good shape during the through hiking season, which begins each January, the grass needs to be mowed and the hammock areas need to be trimmed. You may wonder why we do some of this work during the summer good question! It s done so when we return P a g e 3 in November during the Tropical Trekker annual FNST work week (check activity list for dates), we will still be able to see the blazes to follow as the area is mowed. The trail ideally could be cut more often, it was last cut in April and this year earlier rains gave the grasses a great start and there were weeds so high they obscured some blazes. It will be the same way when we return in November. The SFWMD is pleased that Tropical Trekkers/FTA manage the FNST section of the property and allowed us to use their bush-hog to mow our trail across the pastureland. Did I hear someone say UGH? Trust me, the benefits outweigh the work. The land is beautiful and it seems to go on forever, especially when the sky is as blue as it was on this trip. After crossing the pastureland, the hammock is a wonderful reward, shade and a soft breeze from the river greet you. You stop and have a break under these great oaks with people who enjoy the outside as much as you do. Early in the day, you hear bobwhites, meadowlarks, white-eye vireos and several warblers. And there are two crested caracaras along Lofton Rd. pretty much whenever you go there. Best of all is Vicki s love of the land and her overflowing enthusiasm that is infectious. Join us next time.

4 P a g e 4 I Know What You Did This Summer! Untropical Trek: I got the opp0rtunity to spend the last couple days of May hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. This picture was taken along the Continental Divide Trail on the summit of Flattop Mountain. The elevation is 12,300 feet and as you can see from the photo there is a substantial snow pack. This was an aweinspiring albeit breath taking experience for someone used to warm weather and sea level elevation. Photo by Dave Welter Debbie Crowder & granddaughter, Avery, at Long Creek Falls along the Appalachian Trail. Photo was taken by a section hiker named David that we met on our way to the falls, June 15, Sunrise at Camp Mondamin, located in Tuxedo, NC. Photo by Rick Deluga

5 P a g e 5 I Know What You Did This Summer! Bridget Kean, Vicki Lambi and Janet Bartha in Sedona, Arizona, summer Photo by Bridget Kean. My youngest granddaughter Emily graduating from Pre-K! Photo by Kim Himmelmann Hiking Jonathan Dickinson State Park on June 14, Photo by Walt Keller

6 P a g e 6 I Know What You Did This Summer! Tom & Kay roughing it in the Smokie Mountains! Photo by friend and part time neighbor Denny McFerrin. Spent May sewing my new awning! Photo by Debbie Himmelmann Hiking in Halpatiokee May 16, Photo by Walt Keller

7 P a g e 7 I Know What You Did This Summer! Retirement Fun! Cleaning out the ditch in preparation for hurricane season! Two days of manual labor in the Florida heat and humidity is WORK! Lots of breaks and water = a clear ditch. Now let the fun begin! From Facebook post by Audrey Minnis. Keeping the trails in shape. Photo by Ellie Bauer. I spent a day at the antique mall and found my childhood friend, "Zippy"! Photo by Lori Burris

8 Activity Corner: Exploring the Kissimmee River Riverwoods Field Lab Trip May 23, 2015 here were 17 Trekkers who decided to take a vacation day to visit the Riverwoods Field Lab and tour T the partially restored Kissimmee River. On May 23 rd we carpooled from Palm City to Lorida, FL, just a mere 1 ½ hours away. It was a beautiful morning and everyone was on time and looking forward to our adventure. As we drove into the FAU Riverwoods field lab, we were greeted by our tour guide Ben Katz and our boat captain Ken Mazur. We were invited inside the conference center where Ben provided a brief overview of the river and the history of the area. The walls inside the conference center were decorated with pictures of Lorida and Basinger, FL, when they were bustling fish camps. Now they are quiet little hamlets with not much more than sign posts along route 98. There were also pictures of the channelization period when the river was dredged to make a nice straight line; and newer pictures of the area now. We boarded the Explorer II, a lovely covered pontoon boat, and headed out onto the river. Ben pointed out some markers used for measurement purposes. As with so many things, they were solar-paneled equipped to make it possible to transmit information via satellite much easier than trying to get out of a boat to climb a ladder to obtain the data without falling in the water! From Riverwoods we slowly motored through a meandering channel that took us to the ugly river, aka the channelized river section. The walls of this section don t seems to be much more than high dirt walls pock-marked with burrow holes created by armored catfish. These burrows are the same type of holes causing damage of the Hoover Dike along Lake Okeechobee. We passed through the locks close to the Oak Creek area and entered into the restored section of the river. It was like night and day. The shoreline of the river was lined with grasses and some beach-like areas. There were wading birds, birds of prey (including swallow-tail kites), lots of gators and fish. During this time both Ben and Ken were full of information about the biology of the habitats, and the river in general. The boat was moored and everyone had opportunity to enjoy their bag lunches and like all Trekker events there was lots of food to be shared. By Jeanne Couillard P a g e 8 conversation between Ben and the Trekkers was relaxed, yet full of information, each sharing our passion for the environment that we care for so much. I would like to thank each and every one who committed to this field trip. You signed up, paid your fees in advance as requested, and arrived prepared to have fun. It was a pleasure to spend the day with you. Special thanks to Gordon Lindenberger, Lucy Fribourg, Germaine Alger, and Jim Couillard who were our trusty drivers. It was time to head back to the field lab center and the Click here for: More Photos from the Riverwoods Field Lab Trip

9 Florida Trail Association South Regional Conference November 13-15, 2015 Theme - WATER Register NOW for a great conference!!! LOCATION: Riverside Retreat (United Methodist Camp), 7305 Co. Rd. 78, LaBelle, FL DIRECTIONS: I-75 to Exit 141, east on miles turn left on Broadway and go over the river to the stop sign. Alva school will be directly in front of you. Turn RIGHT (east) on 78. Camp is 5 miles on right. From LaBelle south: Cross over the bridge, going north on 29. Immediately upon crossing the bridge, turn left (west) on CR78. Camp is 10 miles on your left. CAMPING: There are bunkhouses (bring your own sheets, pillows, blankets, etc), tent camping and RV spaces. Showers and toilet facilities are a short walk from bunkhouses, tent sites and RV sites. You may wish to bring: chairs for the campfire ring; your bicycle to get around the 150 acre site; your kayaks and canoes for a paddle on the Caloosahatchee River - rentals are available. NO SMOKING and NO PETS permitted in any public facility, including bunkhouses. Owners must keep pets on a leash and pick up after them. If you play an instrument, please bring it for the campfire. REGISTRATION/CHECK-IN - GO TO THE RED PAVILION: **4-9 pm Friday and 8-12 noon on Saturday INFORMATION: *- Please bring your own water bottle (we will have water for refilling) and your own mug for coffee/tea *- Friday night hospitality 6-9 pm, bring a dish/snack to share. *- Saturday Workshops and Events *- Saturday Night Entertainment : Dinner, Raffle, "Wuz Nu" Silent Auction, Campfire and stories. *- Sunday Chapel Services 7am, Breakfast, Closing ceremony

10 Florida Trail Association South Regional Conference November 13-15, 2015 Theme - WATER REGISTRATION FORM Names of Adults: Names and Ages of Children: Mailing Address/City/St/Zip: Contact: Ph (Day/Nite?) Cell Chapter Affiliation Is this your first conference? Y N Registration Fees: Number over age 6 attending (6 and under free*) x $10.00 = $ * Children 6 and under are free in tents and RVs, but pay full price in bunkhouse. Bunkhouse: Number of people x $10.00 per person x nights = $ RV site: Number of sites x $27.50 per site x nights = $ Tent: Number of people x $5.00 per person x nights = $ Tent w/power $16.00 per site x nights = $ MEALS: Saturday breakfast: Number x $6.00 = $ Pancakes, sausage, oatmeal, eggs, cottage cheese and fruit Saturday lunch: Number x $9.00 = $ Grilled cheese sandwich/quesadillas w/tomato soup, cottage cheese, yogurt and fruit Saturday dinner: Number x $11.00 = $ Baked chicken BBQ, veg. rice or potatoes, rolls, salad bar, cottage cheese, yogurt and fruit, cookies Sunday breakfast: Number x $6.00 = $ Breakfast casserole, toast or biscuits, cottage cheese and fruit TOTAL: include Registration fees, Camping fees and Meals = $ DEADLINE: Registration for Meals and Reserved space - October 25, 2015 Make check payable to: FTA Alligator Amblers, Mail check and registration to: Karen Bledsoe, Chesterton Ave Ft Myers, FL Additional Information: Karen, KBSOE@yahoo.com

11 P a g e 11 Officers and Directors Chapter Chair Jim Couillard koolyard@bellsouth.net Vice Chair Kim Himmelmann kimhim1@gmail.com Secretary Penny Snyder pennysnyder@yahoo,com Treasurer Lucy Fribourg lwf4cpa@gmail.com Chapter Council Delegate Kay Clements kayclements@comcast.net Trail Coordinator POSITION OPEN FNST Section Leader Tom Clements thomasc09@comcast.net Programs Chair Bridget Kean bridgetkean@comcast.net Activity Chair Lori Burris loriburris.swamptromper@gmail.com Membership Chair Jeanne Couillard jsc7@bellsouth.net Newsletter Chair Rick Deluga rickdeluga1@gmail.com Publicity Chair Dave Welter dave@inversemodeler.com FNST Trailmasters Kissimmee South/Okee-tanie Kay Clements kayclements@comcast.net Yates Marsh John McArdle barbaraschmucker@bellsouth.net Chandler North Dave Hutchinson dber50@comcast.net Chandler South Vicki Lambie Lambieva@aol.com Starvation Slough Lori Burris loriburris.swamptromper@gmail.com Hickory Hammock Barbara Quinn goodchios@yahoo.com Other Trailmasters Bluff Hammock Joel Kaiser Rafael Sanchez South Kay & Tom Clements thomasc09@comcast.net Hawks Bluff & Halpatiokee Chuck Hamlin Johammy4@aol.com Hickory Hammock Jim Couillard koolyard@bellsouth.net Seabranch Audrey Minnis aminnis@bellsouth.net South Fork Rick Binder binderpd@hotmail.com Links! Trekker Talk Archives Activity List Archives Photo Gallery Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam! Guide to Florida s Greenways & Trails

12 P a g e 12 FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION Hike Florida on Florida s National Scenic Trail Florida Trail Association 5415 SW 13th St Gainesville, FL PHONE HIKE-FLA (answered during office hours) Website: The Florida Trail Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit volunteer organization responsible for building, maintaining, promoting, and protecting hiking trails for the public across the state of Florida, with a special focus on the 1,400-mile Florida National Scenic Trail, one of only eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States. With 18 local chapters throughout Florida, the Florida Trail Association offers educational opportunities for people to learn to appreciate and conserve the natural beauty of Florida, and provides recreational opportunities for hiking and camping. Tropical Trekkers Chapter P.O. Box 423 Palm City, FL We re on the Web! Meetup (Join Now!) Trekkers.FloridaTrail.org T rail Tip: Use hiking poles to help improve your balance and keep your hands from swelling on long hikes! JOIN TODAY... ENJOY HIKING FLORIDA S GREAT OUTDOORS! Florida Trail Association Join online, call the Florida Trail office (1-877-HIKE-FLA), or download, print and mail in an application from this link Membership Brochure B.O.D. MEETINGS The Board of Director meets at 6:30 PM on the first Monday of each month. All members are invited to attend (please inform the host). No Meeting in July or August! TUES! Sept 8h Meeting: Contact Jim Couillard at or via at koolyard@bellsouth.net for further information or directions.