THE BLAZE APALACHEE CHAPTER FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION SPRING 2010

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1 THE BLAZE APALACHEE CHAPTER FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION SPRING 2010 Chapter Officers Chair Terry Tenold, Treasurer Carol Armstrong, Membership Terry Tenold, Programs Linda Patton, Publicity Linda Patton, Activities Terry Tenold, Newsletter Galen Moses, Trails Coord. Carlene Danart, FNST Liaison Kent Wimmer, Website FTA Toll-Free Line (Call this number for any address changes) Section Leaders and Trail Masters Aucilla Barbara Donner, Lee Bonninghausen & Randy Smith St. Marks Dale Allen, Apalach. E. Richard Graham, Galen Moses, Apalach. W. Ronny Traylor, Ft. Braden Howard Pardue, Mike Tucker & Rik Edmonds Torreya Jerry Herting, Bob Gilley Phipps Park Linda Patton, Carol Armstrong & Tommy Oravetz Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month from 7 to 9 PM in Building CHAPTER MEETINGS F, Suite 100 (U.S. Forest Service), the first building on the right as you enter Woodcrest Office Park at 325 John Knox Road, Tallahassee. The meeting room is ground level at the east end of Building F. Look for the Florida Trail signs at wooden door. For more information, contact Terry Tenold (850) or Linda Patton (850) Meetings are open to the public. January 12 Ocean to Lake Trail. Johnny Molloy, author of dozens of outdoor guidebooks, will give a slide show and presentation about his 2009 thru hike of the Ocean to Lake Trail (O2L Trail), a 70 mile east-west spur of the main Florida Trail, running from Port Mayaca on Lake Okeechobee to Hobe Sound on the Atlantic Ocean. Molloy will give an overview of the trail, terrain and campsites so you can plan your trek on the O2LTrail. Bring your questions! February 9 Outdoor Photography. Wildlife photography adds a whole new dimension to enjoying the outdoors. In this program, local author and photographer Doug Alderson will focus on wildlife photography techniques and suggested equipment. What makes a good wildlife photograph? What are some tried and true methods of photographing wildlife? Where are the best places to take wildlife photographs in this area? Doug will show many types of photos, from winners to bloopers, and he ll also cover some basic landscape photography techniques. March 9 Open Forum with FTA Directors. Come hear what is being achieved and worked towards on your behalf, with your support! Executive Director Deborah Stewart-Kent will update us on exciting developments and FTA objectives. Development Director Mike Eurich will outline some exciting activities taking place & answer any giftgiving or legacy questions. This is a rare opportunity to meet State HQ staff face-to face and directly ask the hardhitting questions you want answered. Plan to attend. And bring a friend.. April 13 National Treasures: My Incredible Western Road Trip. Chapter member Linda Patton will show her slides and tell us how she spent 78 days, 14 thousand miles and one night in a teepee while visiting the mountains, dunes and red-rock canyons of 21 National Parks, Monuments, Forests and Recreation Areas in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota during the summer of

2 ACTIVITIES Those interested in an activity should contact the listed leader at least a full day prior to the event. Dress appropriately for our unpredictable weather and the woods wearing layers and hiking footwear is recommended. Always bring water, and possibly snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray. Most activities continue as scheduled, even if the weather is less than ideal. An adult chaperon must accompany children. Codes: P Public welcome to participate; M - Limited to FTA members only; L - Leisurely; M - Moderately difficult; S - Strenuous. Jan. 12 Tuesday Ocean to Lake Trail Feb. 7 Sunday P/L Aucilla Sinks Hike Hike 4 miles along the sinks section of the Florida National Scenic Trail. Bring a lunch and water. Please call by Feb. 4 to sign up. Limit 15 people. Barbara Donner (850) or (850) Feb. 9 Tuesday Outdoor Photography Feb. 16 Tuesday Activities Planning Meeting 6 p.m. US Forest Service Bldg F Terry Tenold (850) Feb. 28 Sunday P/M Aucilla River Hike Hike 6 miles round-trip from the trailhead to the rapids along the river section of the Florida National Scenic Trail. Bring a lunch and water. Please call by Feb. 25 to sign up. Limit 20 people. Barbara Donner (850) or (850) March 6 Saturday P/S Annual Bradwell Bay Wilderness Swamp Stomp Slog about 8 miles in the heart of the Apalachicola National Forest, through one of the largest swamp forests in Florida. Rated by BACKPACKER Magazine as one of the 10 toughest hikes in the USA. If there s been recent rain, expect wading in ankle-to-waist-deep water for over half the hike. Bring lunch, hiking sticks/poles, and extra dry clothes and shoes. Old, but sturdy, boots recommended. Kent Wimmer (850) kwimmer@fs.fed.us March 9 Tuesday Open Forum with FTA Directors March Fri Sat P/M New River Canoe & Kayak Trip Paddle the New River in Liberty and Franklin Counties from Rd 22 Sumatra to Pope Place in Tate s Hell State Forest. We will meet in Sumatra and then go to the landing to unload gear and work out the shuttle to begin a 2-day adventure through Tate s Hell. Bring sleeping gear, food, and water for the trip. Limit 12 people. Ronny Traylor (850) ronnytraylor@gmail.com March 13 Saturday P/L Sopchoppy River Hike View native azaleas and other blooming wildflowers along the Sopchoppy River Section of the Florida National Scenic Trail in the Apalachicola National Forest. Hike about 5 miles in gently rolling terrain. Limit 15 people. Galen Moses (850) March 14 Sunday P/M Nature Conservancy s Apalachicola Bluffs Garden of Eden Trail Enjoy a spring hike along the 3.5 mile round-trip trail that is biologically unique to Florida. Bring snacks and water. A hiking stick or pole may be desirable to assist in negotiating steep climbs and descents. Sturdy shoes recommended. Carpooling. Limit 12 people. Connie Betterley (850) cjbetterley@msn.com March 20 Saturday P/L Wakulla Birding and Wildlife Festival Fun and educational activities for the whole family. The Apalachee Chapter will sponsor an information table on the grounds of the Wakulla Springs State Park. Volunteers are needed to help at the table for 1 or 2 hours, and also enjoy the festival. Call for more information or to volunteer. Terry Tenold (850) totenold49@aol.com March 21 Sunday P/L Leon Sinks Geological Area Hike See native azaleas and dogwoods in bloom. The interpretive trail winds through scenic and varied terrain, including major sinks, a natural bridge, a disappearing stream, and swamps. Trailhead fee per vehicle, so call for car-pooling arrangements. Limit 15 people. Terry Tenold (850) totenold49@aol.com 2

3 March Fri Sun P/L FTA Annual Conference and Meeting, Florida FFA Leadership Training Center, Haines City, FL Details in the FOOTPRINT or online at floridatrail.org April 10 Saturday P/M Torreya State Park Fun Hike Hike the River Bluff-Torreya loop trail about 8 miles in hilly terrain. View the Apalachicola River, mixed hardwood forest, and longleaf pine woods. Bring lunch, water, and hiking sticks or poles if desired. Due to the driving distance, meet in Tallahassee at 7:00 a.m. to carpool. Limit 15 people. Jerry Herting (850) April 13 Tuesday National Treasures: My Incredible Western Road Trip April 17 Saturday P/L Bradwell Game Farm Tract Hike Enjoy hiking about 4 miles on old woods roads in gently rolling terrain through the scenic, historic, game farm tract. View old structures and the Ochlockonee River in the Apalachicola National Forest. Sights include the Red Lodge, old cabin, pet cemetery, and antique car linked to moonshining. Limit 15 people. Terry Tenold (850) totenold49@aol.com April 25 Sunday P/L Aucilla River Hike Hike 5 miles from the Goose Pasture Road along the river section of the FNST. Bring a lunch and water. Please call by April 22 to sign up. Limit 8 people. Barbara Donner (850) or (850) WANTED: Two Trailmaster positions available for the Aucilla Sinks section of the FNST. Each segment is 2 miles. Includes benefits. If interested in joining the Aucilla Trailmasters Club, please contact Barbara Donner at VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO FILL CHAPTER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS Spring is the time when the Apalachee Chapter holds elections for chapter officers/coordinators, so this will be on the agenda for the February 9 Chapter meeting. A quorum of 10 Chapter members is needed at the meeting to make the elections official per Chapter Guidelines. Officer positions up for election are Activity Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, and Treasurer. Officers serve a term of two years. The Activity Coordinator, according to the Guidelines, performs duties for the Chapter in respect to hikes and other events conducted by Chapter Activity Leaders. This includes chairing Activity Planning Meetings for the three activity seasons of winter/spring, summer, and autumn. For each of these periods, the Activity Coordinator collects activity proposals from activity leaders and prepares them for publication in the FTA Footprint, the Chapter Newsletter, and for the Chapter Publicity Coordinator. This position is currently vacant. The Membership Coordinator s primary duty is to receive and respond to monthly membership reports sent to the Chapter by the FTA office in Gainesville. Persons who have recently dropped their membership in FTA are contacted by the Membership Coordinator and urged to renew. The current Membership Coordinator is Terry Tenold, in his second term. The Treasurer is the custodian of the funds of the Chapter, prepares a budget if so directed by the Chapter Coordinating Committee, makes payments in accordance with the budget and Chapter Guidelines, and prepares required financial reports to FTA in Gainesville. The current Treasurer is Carol Armstrong At this same time, the Chapter Coordinating Committee is also looking for members in good standing to step forward and fill a couple of appointed Chapter positions. Linda Patton will be stepping down as Programs Coordinator on January 1, and Galen Moses wants to hand the duties of Newsletter Editor to someone else by election time. Any member of the Apalachee Chapter who would like to get more involved and serve in one of the Chapter positions listed above is urged to inquire about nomination. The Chapter will definitely benefit by new ideas and energy in Chapter service and leadership. If you are interested, please contact Terry Tenold at or totenold49@aol.com -- Terry Tenold 3

4 FROM THE CHAIR As I write this article that will appear in the Spring 2010 Blaze, my current perspective is fall, 2009, specifically mid-november. What actually are the reasons, I ask myself, that we enjoy hiking in the majority of months of the year, but abhor a minority of others? Spring is my favorite hiking season mainly, I believe, because of the profusion of flowers to be enjoyed by sight and smell, the renewal of life after the frosts of winter, and the absence of nuisance insects. In the Big Bend area, these factors are often available to hikers by mid-february, and usually last until the beginning of April. After that, the temperatures and humidity can still be tolerable but the insects are back in force. Also remember that the Governor will be officially designating February as Florida Hiking Trails Month, so let s all get outdoors and enjoy our numerous beautiful trails. Our summer hiking season realistically begins in May, as the heat and humidity builds in preparation for hurricane season. National Trails Day is the first Saturday in June, and, whereas it heralds the start of good hiking conditions up north and in the mountains, for us, it foretells of about three months from mid- June to mid-september when hiking is more swiping sweat and swatting skeeters (also scratching chiggers and picking ticks) than fun. Most of us take a hiatus from hiking during this time and either stay indoors, high-tail it up north somewhere, or wipe the spider webs out of our kayaks and canoes and float, rather than walk, through the North Florida landscapes. Fall, or autumn, can also be a very pleasant season for hiking, especially in the latter period of mid- October to mid-december. My Random House dictionary defines autumn as maturity passing into decline, which is one of the reasons I prefer spring. Fall is a time when flora and fauna go into a period of death or dormancy. This is fine for those pesky biting bugs, but I prefer vegetation that is vibrant and green, and flowers carpeting the fields, rather than dead leaves piling up on the forest floor. And, although they may be less obtrusive, especially on those cool, crisp mornings, the insects are still out there, at least until the first light frost. The chigger bites I am still scratching after a day of trail maintenance at Wakulla Springs State Park a few weeks back attest to that fact. Maybe if we had more fall color locally I would have a more favorable opinion of fall hiking. Our winter hiking season is mercifully short (isn t that why many of us are living in Florida in the first place?) starting around Christmas time and is usually over with by mid-february. Winter can actually be a pretty desirable time to hike, especially longer distances, since we stay more refreshed in the cool weather. Just remember to dress in layers so you can start out comfortably warm, and then start removing outer garments as you and the day heat up. Finally, save the date of March 26 28, for the Florida Trail Days and Annual Meeting & Conference at Florida FFA Leadership Training Center at Haines City, Florida. Watch the FOOTPRINT and the floridatrail.org website for information and registration forms. -- Terry Tenold, Chapter Chair WELCOME NEW MEMBERS IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER 2009 Patrick Bateman, Tallahassee, FL Tom and Mary Ellen Bateman, Tallahassee, FL John Bauer, Tallahassee, FL Jared Bishop, Tallahassee, FL Zilpha Boyd, Tallahassee, FL Art Carlson, Tallahassee, FL Lesley Cox, Carrabelle, FL Michael and Kristen Eurich, Tallahassee, FL Donald Kelly, Tallahassee, FL Dean Kindley, Tallahassee, FL Linda Meadows, Tallahassee, FL Michael and Linda Mikos, Crawfordville, FL Lori Parham, Tallahassee, FL Mark and Jean Stoffan, Tallahassee, FL Paul Thorp and family, Tallahassee, FL Eddie and Lorraine Williford, Monticello, FL 4

5 HOWARD PARDUE TAKES ANOTHER TRAIL I met Howard Pardue in 1994 when he volunteered to help build the Fort Braden Trail. We opened the trail the next year, and Howard has been its Section Leader since. In 2000, Howard retired as Leon County s Director of Community Development and put on a new hat as the Florida National Scenic Trail Land Acquisition Coordinator to lead our efforts to close gaps in the FNST. Howard doesn t have a real estate background, but has other more important qualities -- a consensus builder who understands how to develop and implement a plan. Within a year, Howard was able to work with trail volunteers and land managers to produce the first statewide study showing how the trail could be completed. Timing being everything, during the next 10 years Congress appropriated more than $17 million to the USDA Forest Service to buy land to protect the route of the trail. Through Howard s initiative and coordination, the Forest Service and its acquisition agent, the National Park Service, has acquired or purchased 4,625 acres in 42 parcels, protecting 28 miles of the FNST. Howard has led the effort to close significant gaps in the trail, including 16 miles through the Nokuse Plantation, 5 miles along the Suwannee River, 2.5 miles through Mills Creek Woodlands, 2.5 miles in St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, and a half-mile along the Sopchoppy River in the Apalachicola National Forest. Howard worked with state agencies resulting in the acquisition of the Palatka to Lake Butler rail-trail, Yellow River Ravines, and Kissimmee Prairie that will also close gaps in the trail. Howard has also built needed support for the trail in Blountstown and Calhoun County that will help us complete the trail west of the Apalachicola River. Dan McKeague is following the trail that Howard blazed. Howard will continue to volunteer as our section leader at Fort Braden and stay involved in the Apalachee Chapter. Howard is the finest colleague that I have ever worked alongside. I and the other staff will miss Howard s calm and thoughtful presence in the office. I hope you will join me in wishing him many wonderful days on the trail. -- Kent Wimmer, FNST Liaison F-TROOP UPDATE Apalachicola Trail Re-Route And Boardwalk Construction Join us in the Apalachicola National Forest from December as we re-route approximately 1/3 of a mile of trail in order to protect a species of plant unique to the Apalachicola, Scutellaria floridana. In addition to the re-route, we will be building a short boardwalk on the new section to keep hikers on the trail tread through a wet area. After all, it can be rather difficult to see the tread when it is under standing water! This project will provide a variety of work for various skill sets, from basic lumber construction to new trail construction. A great weekend for a family or friends with different skill sets to work on the same project together. To sign up, contact John Bauer, Trail Crews Coordinator, at (850) or jpbauer@fs.fed.us Difficulty Level: Moderate 5

6 FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION. JOIN TODAY ENJOY HIKING FLORIDA S GREAT OUTDOORS! Florida Trail Association Member s Code: I understand that I am entitled to all rights and privileges of a dues-paying member, and that only members may hike the Trail across private property. When on the Trail, I agree to protect wildlife; hike only marked routes; not carry firearms; leave gates as found; use crossings on fences when possible; where permitted, keep fires small, then drench and obliterate; carry out all refuse; report irregularities to property owners; pick up after those who have gone before; leave only footprints. I understand that hiking the Trail is a privilege and that I do so at my own risk. Neither the Association nor landowners are in any way liable for any injury or accident I might sustain while hiking the Florida Trail. Name: Address: City/State: Zip: County: Phone: H ( ) W ( ) Fax: ( ) Employer/Occupation: Family Memberships: Spouse s Name: Number of Children (18 or younger): Employer/Occupation: Individual $30 Family* $35 Sustaining* $50 Contributing* $100 Supporting* $250 Individual Life $600 Family Life* $750 Senior 65+ $25 Senior 65+ Couple $30 Full-time Student $25 Full-time Student Couple $30 *Includes spouse and children 18 or younger. Check here if you DO NOT wish your address shared with FTA-affiliated organizations. Additional Contribution: General Fund $ Bill my MC VISA DISCOVER AMEX Endowment Fund $ Account: Annual Fund $ Expiration Date: Total Enclosed $ Cardholder s Signature: I learned about the Florida Trail from: Make checks payable to: FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION and mail to FTA, 5415 SW 13 th Street, Gainesville, FL