Archive for September 2008

Well, pretty much everyone has gone home. It's just me and two others left behind. They're headed to Orlando and have time to kill so I hang out for a while to see what else the park offers. We take a stroll down some random trail.





Vist Fern Hammock Springs.



And call it a weekend. It'll be good to sleep in my own bed tonight.

Wow. Last night was cold. No, that would be an understatement. I knew it would be cooler than normal but it had to be lower than the 60 that was forecast. The fog and dampness made it worse. I had tried to clip my stock tarp as an under-cover for the hammock but it didn't work. The cold, damp air crept through the bugnet and I often had chills despite the blanket. Oh well, I survived.





Today's hike was hot. We broke camp about 10am and struck out headed north. The trail was mostly open and unprotected from the scorching heat. We made our way through the burned out remains of a large pine forest. Aside from the palmettos it seems that very little lives out there. I can only imagine how long it will take to recover from the fires.





We finally reached an oak and pine stand and enjoyed the relief the shade provided. We left the stand for more open but not burned terrain. The next stand was just ahead...uphill...with more sand.




The hill was conquered and we took a break at FR10. After a quick snack and letting our feet dry out we hit the trail again. It only took about 45 min to hike the last bit to Hopkins Prairie where we were picked up and returned to Juniper.



At Juniper Springs everyone dumped gear and relaxed in or around the cool natural spring. It sure felt good even though I only dipped my feet. My blister had reached epic proportions so I'd lanced and dressed it.





I'm sitting at a tent site now. We finished a day earlier than expected. I was wiped out and ready for bed. I really wasn't going to write tonight. However, on my way back from the bathroom a couple of woman stopped me. They used their flashlight to show me our neighbor. Watching a black bear near your site standing no more than 30' from a large, wild animal seems to have given me a little more energy. I would say he was over 6' based on the few times he stood up. Note to self: don't blind the bear with your headlamp. I guess he got tired of everyone blinding him so he lumbered off. And I climbed into my hammock and turned on the MP3 player. If I can't hear him he's not there right?


Hint: He's standing behind the tree. My trusty Marine comrade wouldn't get closer with his flashlight. :-(

This ends most of the adventure for this trip. We'll have to see what tomorrow brings.

9/26/08

Today I started my 3-day hike through the Ocala National Forest. We hit the trail at 9:10am and hiked about 1 mi. to the actual FT trailhead.



I started with way too fast a pace. In no time my 40lb pack was really starting to wear on me. My feet and calves didn't take long to burn. So much for all that beach training. :-) The trail starts with a nice run of white sugar sand. It helps speed up the burn in your legs.

As I got used to the weight things got a little better. I got into a good rhythm and was able to really enjoy the scenery. What really surprised me was the many burned out trees as well as those twisted by severe storms. My clothes are streaked with charcoal marks. Nature has really been busy at work here.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the first water hole. Water shouldn't be a problem. It felt good to walk on the slightly damp trail. Sadly it was short-lived. It didn't take too long to get back on the sugar sand.



For most of the trail you only have a shoulder-wide path. In some sections you don't even have that. I pity anyone trying to wear shorts and t-shirts. The fallen trees and saw palmettos grab at you with every step. Your pants and shirt continually get snagged and debris clutters the path. Each step could easily put you on your face.

We passed several more water sources along the way and had to traverse small sections of flooded trail. Balancing a 6' person on a 6" log with a 40lb pack is an interesting feat when you're not used to it. But the real workout was still ahead.



If you're looking for a good workout, the FL Trail may be for you. Especially after some storms. The "easy" trail was replaced by a grueling dance alternating between duck walking and crawling on hands and knees to clear low-hanging trees covering the trail. After a lengthy section of this I find myself having to slow down my pace as fatigue sets in. Just when I was really sick of crawling it was over. Alas, as before, the joy was short-lived.

Note: this picture is misleading. You can actually see the trail here. :-)


If you ask someone, the camp site is always "just past that line of trees" or "right over the next hill." Hill? But this is FL!

Yes, Virginia, Florida does have hills. On the trail, they're covered with...more sugar sand. Up we trudge as the sand reflects the heat up to you and you start to feel the burn again.

I can hardly believe the amount of fire damage the area has seen. As a wilderness area if it burns it burns. No effort is made to stop it. No controlled burns are done. Whatever nature does is what you see. What wasn't burned was twisted by high winds.



Finally, it's there. The lake. It's not the final stop but it's very close. The water is surprisingly clear. It's much better than the other sources. We take the opportunity to fill up and I top of my hydration bladder and Nalgene bottle. Soon we take off again.



We finally see more people. Well, at least a single woman right around the bend. Perhaps there was someone else in the tent. We didn't stop to talk. We hike around another lake and make camp. We've covered about 6 miles in 3 hours. Not bad considering how cluttered the trail was.

I got a nice spot with three trees. I hang my hammock and tarp and I'm not alone. Out of 9 of us making the hike 6 were hanging. I use my third tree to attach a line to let my clothes dry out.



After some lunch we just sat around chatting. I'm sitting here against my tree looking over the lake. I look down and see I have a little friend. A cocooned worm is crawling by. He's slow yet somehow seems to be covering a lot of ground. I figure he's stocking up before sealing himself in for good.



I seem to have a blister on my toe. I'm surprised. I haven't had this problem before and didn't feel anything while on the move. Overall I've recovered well I think. I've refilled the Nalgene. The sun is going down so it's not too cool now as it's no longer blocked by the trees. There's a slight breeze so that helps. We'll see what happens tonight and tomorrow.

9/26/08

Today I started my 3-day hike through the Ocala National Forest. We hit the trail at 9:10am and hiked about 1 mi. to the actual FT trailhead.



I started with way too fast a pace. In no time my 40lb pack was really starting to wear on me. My feet and calves didn't take long to burn. So much for all that beach training. :-) The trail starts with a nice run of white sugar sand. It helps speed up the burn in your legs.

As I got used to the weight things got a little better. I got into a good rhythm and was able to really enjoy the scenery. What really surprised me was the many burned out trees as well as those twisted by severe storms. My clothes are streaked with charcoal marks. Nature has really been busy at work here.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the first water hole. Water shouldn't be a problem. It felt good to walk on the slightly damp trail. Sadly it was short-lived. It didn't take too long to get back on the sugar sand.



For most of the trail you only have a shoulder-wide path. In some sections you don't even have that. I pity anyone trying to wear shorts and t-shirts. The fallen trees and saw palmettos grab at you with every step. Your pants and shirt continually get snagged and debris clutters the path. Each step could easily put you on your face.

We passed several more water sources along the way and had to traverse small sections of flooded trail. Balancing a 6' person on a 6" log with a 40lb pack is an interesting feat when you're not used to it. But the real workout was still ahead.



If you're looking for a good workout, the FL Trail may be for you. Especially after some storms. The "easy" trail was replaced by a grueling dance alternating between duck walking and crawling on hands and knees to clear low-hanging trees covering the trail. After a lengthy section of this I find myself having to slow down my pace as fatigue sets in. Just when I was really sick of crawling it was over. Alas, as before, the joy was short-lived.

Note: this picture is misleading. You can actually see the trail here. :-)


If you ask someone, the camp site is always "just past that line of trees" or "right over the next hill." Hill? But this is FL!

Yes, Virginia, Florida does have hills. On the trail, they're covered with...more sugar sand. Up we trudge as the sand reflects the heat up to you and you start to feel the burn again.

I can hardly believe the amount of fire damage the area has seen. As a wilderness area if it burns it burns. No effort is made to stop it. No controlled burns are done. Whatever nature does is what you see. What wasn't burned was twisted by high winds.



Finally, it's there. The lake. It's not the final stop but it's very close. The water is surprisingly clear. It's much better than the other sources. We take the opportunity to fill up and I top of my hydration bladder and Nalgene bottle. Soon we take off again.



We finally see more people. Well, at least a single woman right around the bend. Perhaps there was someone else in the tent. We didn't stop to talk. We hike around another lake and make camp. We've covered about 6 miles in 3 hours. Not bad considering how cluttered the trail was.

I got a nice spot with three trees. I hang my hammock and tarp and I'm not alone. Out of 9 of us making the hike 6 were hanging. I use my third tree to attach a line to let my clothes dry out.



After some lunch we just sat around chatting. I'm sitting here against my tree looking over the lake. I look down and see I have a little friend. A cocooned worm is crawling by. He's slow yet somehow seems to be covering a lot of ground. I figure he's stocking up before sealing himself in for good.



I seem to have a blister on my toe. I'm surprised. I haven't had this problem before and didn't feel anything while on the move. Overall I've recovered well I think. I've refilled the Nalgene. The sun is going down so it's not too cool now as it's no longer blocked by the trees. There's a slight breeze so that helps. We'll see what happens tonight and tomorrow.



9/27/08
Wow. Last night was cold. No, that would be an understatement. I knew it would be cooler than normal but it had to be lower than the 60 that was forecast. The fog and dampness made it worse. I had tried to clip my stock tarp as an under-cover for the hammock but it didn't work. The cold, damp air crept through the bugnet and I often had chills despite the blanket. Oh well, I survived.





Today's hike was hot. We broke camp about 10am and struck out headed north. The trail was mostly open and unprotected from the scorching heat. We made our way through the burned out remains of a large pine forest. Aside from the palmettos it seems that very little lives out there. I can only imagine how long it will take to recover from the fires.





We finally reached an oak and pine stand and enjoyed the relief the shade provided. We left the stand for more open but not burned terrain. The next stand was just ahead...uphill...with more sand.




The hill was conquered and we took a break at FR10. After a quick snack and letting our feet dry out we hit the trail again. It only took about 45 min to hike the last bit to Hopkins Prairie where we were picked up and returned to Juniper.



At Juniper Springs everyone dumped gear and relaxed in or around the cool natural spring. It sure felt good even though I only dipped my feet. My blister had reached epic proportions so I'd lanced and dressed it.





I'm sitting at a tent site now. We finished a day earlier than expected. I was wiped out and ready for bed. I really wasn't going to write tonight. However, on my way back from the bathroom a couple of woman stopped me. They used their flashlight to show me our neighbor. Watching a black bear near your site standing no more than 30' from a large, wild animal seems to have given me a little more energy. I would say he was over 6' based on the few times he stood up. Note to self: don't blind the bear with your headlamp. I guess he got tired of everyone blinding him so he lumbered off. And I climbed into my hammock and turned on the MP3 player. If I can't hear him he's not there right?


Hint: He's standing behind the tree. My trusty Marine comrade wouldn't get closer with his flashlight. :-(

This ends most of the adventure for this trip. We'll have to see what tomorrow brings.

9/29/08
Well, pretty much everyone has gone home. It's just me and two others left behind. They're headed to Orlando and have time to kill so I hang out for a while to see what else the park offers. We take a stroll down some random trail.





Vist Fern Hammock Springs.



And call it a weekend. It'll be good to sleep in my own bed tonight.

The Ocala hike is almost here. I'm trying to get as much wrapped up tonight as possible so I can get a good night's rest tomorrow. I usually end up running around like mad the night before a trip so I'm hoping to turn a new leaf this time.

I waterproofed the topo maps last night. That was more of a chore and time consuming than I'd anticipated. I didn't get to bed until after midnight. Hopefully they'll turn out ok even though they're supposed to cure for 72 hours and I won't have that time. I used Aquaseal Map Seal. The bottle I got is supposed to do 6-8 maps. I don't see how. I must be using way too much.

I have most of the stuff in the pack. I have a few odds and ends here and there and I still need to pack the food. I was working on a food stuffsack tonight but it's working against me. I'm having a bear of a time getting the channel finished for the drawstring. Oh well. Hopefully I'll knock that out in short order tomorrow.

That's it for now. Need to keep things brief so I can get back to packing.

I did my final training hike this afternoon. I pretty much have the final load figured out. There are a few odds and ends I need to add but right now the weight is sitting at 30 lbs. Since we've had some decent rain lately I'm hoping for the best and taking 2L less than I'd planned. However, I'm taking 2 2.5L Platypus bottles in case I find things are slim so I can stock up if needed. They barely weigh anything.

I did 6 miles today along the beach. I was home with the boy while he was sick so it was late afternoon before I hit the "trail". The cold front has cooled things off, too, so those two together made for a fine walking day. The only problem was the high tide left me little beach to work with and the rotting seaweed smelled. On the way back the tide was turning so I had a lot more space.

I guess that's about it. I need to get some rest since the wee lad's been waking us up at 5:30 the past few mornings.

Well, I pulled off another short beach hike yesterday. I was kind of irked when I got home, though. I thought I made incredibly good time for a 4-mi hike. That's when I realized I only did 3. I started at a new spot and used Google Maps on the Blackberry to calculate the turnaround point. However, when I got home and double-checked with Google Earth I realized I was off a mile. Oh well. Still got a workout in.

I've decided that it's time to invest the money in quality socks. I think I'll be picking up some SmartWool socks this afternoon. I wore generic athletic socks and my feet paid the price in the sand. I didn't get any blisters but could definitely tell that one was very close to cropping up right on the base of my left big toe. I figure my foot was sliding around as I was walking through the soft sand. I figure the thicker socks and wicking action should help out. I'm also going to pick up some liner socks.

I also finished off two more Mountain House entrees this weekend. So far they're the only ones that didn't need anything added to them to be palatable. I tried teriyaki chicken and the lasagna. The only thing I'd point out is that with the teriyaki you really need to stir it up good. I must've missed something in the corners because I ended up with a glob of teriyaki sauce that didn't break up too well after the fact.

I'm still digging the MacCat. I think it'll prove to be a great purchase. :-) On Saturday I just used the ridgeline I'd run for the Hennessy tarp. Yesterday I went ahead and dropped the ridgeline and used two separate tie-outs for the ends. I'm not sure which method is going to work better for me. I'm actually thinking of picking up some ring buckles and trying that route with some webbing. I just want to have a light support system that will let me get the tarp up in a hurry in case I'm having to setup in the rain.

Well, here I am under the MacCat. I dropped the head suspension line before settling in so the tarp is slightly higher. However, I still feel like I have plenty of coverage.

Tonight is beautiful. The moon is full and bright overhead. The tarp is diffusing the light to make a nice, even nightlight. I think I'll sleep good tonight.

Goodnight!
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Well, it was a grueling two days, but my MacCat Deluxe finally arrived in the mail today. I can't say how anxious I was to rip down the stock tarp and replace it. As soon as we'd finished dinner, the wee lad and I went out to make the swap.

When I opened the package, this is what I saw.



I hurriedly opened the stuffsack and laid the tarp out on the ground.



Suddenly I had a horrid realization. Earlier today I picked up 75' of hot pink 5/23" poly rope. I'd planned on making new tie-outs at 10' each. This would give me plenty of line if I had to go further than planned to stake the tarp out. I counted 8 tie-outs from memory which meant I ended up cutting to 9' instead for a total of 72'. Well, when I saw it on the ground I realized the sides only had a single cat cut, not the double I remembered. That's for the 12' Ultra model. Dang. Also, if I use a separate ridgeline instead of individual tie-outs for the ends I'll use the prusik knots and biners. That's two less lines I'll need. So here's a tip: don't cut tie-out lines until you've verified what you need.

Well, I sucked it up and started putting it up. Since my trees in the backyard are so close to the fence, I cheated and put two hooks in the fence to connect the lines to on one side. Here's the overall look. It looks like the MacCat is a little off center with the ridgeline but once I'm in the hammock the sag drops it down and the tarp is perfectly pitched.



Here's a closeup of the hot pink line and my Figure 9 tensioner.



And the end tie-out held taut by a Figure 9 biner and ridgeline prusik.



And finally, the hammock and tarp together.



I was a little concerned when I first started putting up the MacCat. I wondered if I should've gotten the Ultra for its longer ridgeline. Well, I don't think that's a concern now. Laying in the hammock I think it'll provide plenty of coverage. On the ground I think there's definitely enough coverage to sit under the tarp during a storm to cook or just relax. So far I'm very pleased. Construction is top notch!

Note this is about "tarpin'", not "tarpon". I don't know much about the big, shiny gamefish. However, I am starting to learn more about tarps. Probably the main thing I've learned is that I'm not a very big fan of the stock Hennessy tarp.

I have lofty dreams of making my own tarp but that might be off in the future a bit. I have some very good plans for making a nice cat (catenary) cut tarp with a 12' ridgeline. Unfortunately material prices have skyrocketed. What used to be around $5/yd is now over $11. I did find a supplier with 2nds for $4.50 but it's untreated instead of silnylon. I have somebody sending me some fabric samples so I can try my hand at waterproofing it myself but we'll have to see. I need 8 yards of ripstop so under $40 would be much nicer than over $90.

In the interim I've decided to go against my initial thought and bought a tarp. After reading various reviews on a number of different tarps I opted for the MacCat Deluxe from Brian at Outdoor Equipment Supplier.

I'm really excited about getting the MacCat and trying it out in the backyard. I never expected to be looking forward to laying in a hammock in the yard hoping for rain. :-D Brian said he'd ship it out today and it's coming Priority Mail. If my finger crossing works I'll at least have it by Saturday afternoon to try it overnight and report back on Sunday.

In other news, we've also decided to move our church camping trip. We'll be doing it in October now. I'm a little bummed since I was hoping for a test run on some of the gear before the Ocala hike but it'll probably work out better for the group. I think I'm pretty prepared for Ocala. I just need to finalize the menu and decide what to do about water. Since TS Fay dumped a lot on us I'm in a quandary. I hate to carry the weight of 5L of water if I can just fill up along the trail. I'm really tempted to stick with the 3L bladder in the pack and carry a 2.5L Platypus bladder. If it looks like water might be more scarce even after the storms I can fill the spare bladder and have slightly more water than originally planned. If I don't need as much I haven't forced myself to carry a lot of extra weight unnecessarily. I need to figure it out quick.

Oh well, not much else going on. Looking forward to more hiking and can't wait to get in the woods.

I must bow in the general direction of the chemical gods that gave us permethrin. Our backyard is a skeeter haven and it's difficult at best to do anything without getting eaten alive. Just the other day the son and I were getting attacked while trying to find his flying disc that was lost over the fence. We never had a problem until the city decided to clear cut the "protected" area behind the house for a drainage ditch. Now it's just a festering cesspool of mosquito spawning. But I digress.

After my last outing I was horrible. There were so many bites it appeared as though I had a bad rash on my hand, knee, and foot. And don't even get me started on the itching. Oooh boy.

I picked up the first thing I could to solve the problem. A quick trip to Wal-Mart got me a 6oz aerosol can of Repel Permanone. I soaked the bottom of the hammock and let it dry. I can attest that after a 2-night backyard trial it worked like a dream. I did get a few bites but none while I was in the hammock. I could hear them I could see them, but they didn't get me.

It was a beautiful sight this Sunday morning when I watched the sunrise and could see the skeeters bouncing angrily between the noseeum netting and the tarp. I just laughed and exhaled more carbon dioxide on them so they'd know what they were missing.

So if you've got skeeter problems, get permethrin. If you don't get the Repel version, Sawyer's makes a non-aerosol and a concentrate for soaking your clothes.

Now if only I could find a solution for keeping the !$!#^%$^@ pine tar off the tarp.

Well, I had a much better night's rest last night. I did realize I didn't allow for the hammock sagging when I got in, though, so the tarp didn't cover me as it should have. Good thing it didn't rain. But that's why I'm doing this backyard testing. It's a grat way to learn.

My new Kelty camp pillow made a huge difference as well. It sure made for a more comfortable night.

I don't seem to be itching any so I guess the Permethrin worked. We'll see in a few when I climb out of the hammock.

Well, I'm starving. Time to finish my breakfast bar, fire up the Jetboil, and make some coffee. :-)
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Well, Hanna is a fading memory. The skies are clear and the wind is calm. So tonight I'm in the hammock again.

Last weekend I got eaten alive by skeeters. This weekend the bottom is soaked in Permethrin. Hopefully they're dying by the 100s.

Laying in the hammock it appears I still need to work on putting up the tent. I really don't like the Hennessy tarp. Time to make my own.

Oh well. It's hard to type a lot on the Blackberry. Another update later today.

Happy hanging!
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Well, since I knew I wouldn't have to be anywhere on Labor Day, I thought it was the perfect excuse to put the hammock up in the back yard. I still hadn't had the chance to try it out in the rain and hoped I'd get my chance.



I have to say that I had a horrible night until I finally got to sleep around 2am. One thing I didn't have that would've been a great help is ear plugs. The frogs were something else! Not to mention my neighbor's AC kicking in every time I was ready to fall asleep.

I also realized how crucial tarp placement is. I thought I'd done a good job. Unfortunately, I created a sauna. The tarp kept right up against the netting and I got almost no airflow. I was just hot and uncomfortable. I got out at one point to change it but the skeeters ate me alive. I rushed and didn't do much better.

I did finally get to sleep and must've been out good. I didn't wake up until 9. The wife wanted to go to the beach at 9:30 so we didn't quite make that. I think a good pillow is a must. That's now on my shopping list.

After the beach we came home, ate lunch, and it was time to nap. I know, it's rough, but somebody has to do it. :-D I did a much better job with the tarp before my nap. I separated it from the ridgeline and connected it to dedicated lines via Figure 9 biners.


*Ignore the rope on the tree. That's from another project. :-)

This worked well and I got a great deal more ventilation. However, I think I'm going to try running a separate ridgeline as a single piece between the trees instead of using two shorter lines.

As luck would have it I got the rain I was hoping for. I napped for a couple of hours and then it came down. It wasn't real heavy and didn't last too long, but I was pleased to see that the tarp worked great. I'm a little worried about the stock Hennessy cut as it doesn't seem to provide quite enough coverage. I did get a little water on the side of the hammock towards my head but it wasn't bad. Had the wind been harder I think that'd be another story.



I did have some cleanup to do after the rain. The tarp had a lot of pine sap on it so I had to remove that for storage. I hope the Goo Gone and mineral spirits don't have an adverse affect on the material.

I've started using the Figure 9 devices everywhere. I've added them to the tie-outs for the hammock and the tarp. They really make it so much quicker and easier to get things taut.



Well, that's it for this Labor Day.