Florida 2023 - Adventure Day: Getting back on the horse (Feb 27)

 Today was a solo adventure day back at the CREW Flint Pen Stand Trails. 

I re-did the orange trail loop.  Correctly. I also had my location shared with Dungeon Master the whole time from my iPhone, should I try to do anything else exceptionally stupid.  Pictured is the crossroads where I started with the bad decisions last week.

On my way back to the car I met a couple from CO who are moving to MN this spring.  I thought the dude was going to hug me when I said "you know we're out door people right?  All year."  They were also happy to hear that there are hills.  "Like what's the highest that we can climb up and look around?"  No. Not those kind of hills, just regular bluffs.  Dungeon Master can tell you all about them.

I did also go back over to the Rookery trails and sit and watch the birds for a bit.  There was significantly less shade than I remembered so I didn't stay a super long time. 

After supper, Dungeon Master and I went over to Target and then to the BNN that is moving from one part of the mall to another.  They're almost out of books so they won't have a lot to move.

Florida 2023 - February 20 Adventure Day

I woke up, ran my mile, and had a small breakfast.  (Eggs and toast.)

Then I headed out on my adventure. 

Stop 1 was the Cypress Dome Trail, which is the furthest north of the stops I'd make.  I expected to like this one a lot.  I wound up doing a quick loop and heading on.  The paths are well kept and well marked, but the footing is super sandy and lousy.  It wasn't my thing.

 

Stop 2 - was easily my favorite of all the CREW trails, but also my biggest screw up of the trip as of this writing. Flint Pen Stand Trails are also well marked.  When I stay on them.  Sigh.  I meant to take the orange loop for a nice 2.9 mile walk.  Instead, I walked 8.5 miles.  Around mile 3, I thought I was getting close.  Around mile 4 I knew I had a problem.  

 It really was an amazing place. I saw all kinds of birds, some enormous (and far far away gators), and a snake skin.  Mercifully, I did not see the real thing. It was a little scary getting lost, or more like, I wasn't freaked out 'till I realized I was lost.  Once I got my wits about me, I was able to find my way back. That's when I stopped plodding along, and really did an exercise walking speed. I did have water and a little food with me, and it was all gone by the time I made it back to the car. Luckily, the only thing I had to show for it was a bit of a sunburn on my neck.  It could've been a lot worse.