We camped with Morning Wood, who offers assistance to hikers from his van, and who cooked cheeseburgers to lift our spirits. Then it was right back to the swamp and the underwater Florida Trail to hike in rain for most of the day. You hope to setup your tent during a break in the rain, […]
Author: cleanshave
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, Florida
You are going to get wet. That’s the first rule of the Florida Trail, and something to take to heart, even in a normal year. Not only will you be hiking in water almost every day, but for Central and South Florida, this year’s El Niño is shaping up to be one of the strongest […]
Herbert Hoover Dike to Okeechobee, Florida
We woke up to find a regularly scheduled trash fire burning behind our tents, welcoming the warmth as we packed, and hiked the Herbert Hoover Dike north towards Okeechobee. We’d hiked on and off with Forrest, who was hiking across America with his Gump for President message, suggesting to people that there was something wrong […]
Uncle Joe’s Campground, Moore Haven, Florida
There was a storm coming that had many hikers concerned about spending the night outside. Personally, I was more concerned that I’d finished the last of my water before we broke camp at the STA-5 water management complex. We’d be walking the levee along the canal, where water without agricultural runoff would be scarce if […]
Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, Florida
At Nobles Campsite mosquitoes hung on the tent, waiting for me to emerge. I ate Crunch n Munch for breakfast, hiking through spider webs stretching across the trail, north towards the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. On the first Sunday of every month, Big Cypress New Testament Baptist Church offers a free meal for anyone who […]
Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
Twenty miles through the swamp took all day, with knee to thigh-deep water slowing every step. Unseen holes beneath the surface threatened to slow progress, or worse, bring you to an ankle breaking stop. Every step demands attention, pushing through knee-deep water while searching for solid footing. That alone will wear you out, but the […]
Florida Trail Thru Hike Kickoff
Picked up by two of the finest people you could meet, @adventurepreacher and @boxcar_hikes, to camp with a bunch of friends, old and new. Fed, and fed some more by the incredible @ftthruhike#trailangels Strangers providing food, information, and assistance with logistics to ensure that everyone can embrace the trail in a way that resonates with […]
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail
Long days of rhythmic, meditative footsteps across unfamiliar terrain allow for easy access to mystic-lite states of consciousness. Where the balance between the internal and external experience is a sort of perpetual motion, a physical reflection of the inner need for exploration, growth, and understanding. But then again, I’m a romantic. This idealized view of […]
Northbound from Key West, Florida
It took two days to reach the southern most point of the Continental United States, only to then immediately turn around, hiking north on the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. A new beginning, to see Florida again with fresh eyes. Two days more of pounding pavement, back to the Seven Mile Bridge, where cars rush […]
Family Time in Florida
Like a ship grounded by fate, I found myself pulled into the vortex of family I hadn’t visited in years. Life for Carisa and her husband Johnathan had recently been turned upside down when their car caught fire, leading to her moped accident, rendering her reliant on crutches. Yet, their resilience outshines setbacks, illuminating a […]