[ft-l] Joan "Igloo" Hobson - Section 4 - 1/29 to 1/31

Section 4 - Okeetantee - Hickory Hammock

Beginning: Okeetantee Recreation Area

End: Water Control Structure 565-B, 2.5 Miles North of Hickory Hammock.

Total Mileage: About 40.8 Miles

Conditions: Levee and road walking. Facilities and water off trail.



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Saturday January 29, 2000

Off up the trail/roadwalk at 8:10AM. Five miles to the trail. Nice walk in
Yates Marsh. Lots of cows running helter skelter in front of us. They don't
seem to know what to do. Lots of palm and palmetto thickets - no more cows.
Looked down the blue blazed trail for the picnic table and fire ring. Blazes
ended, no table. Ate lunch and headed North to the lock. Lord help us with
this one! My prayers of the morning are answered and we are allowed across
the dike. We're on our way to the 9-mile grade county park. We're in by
2:30PM. Day Hot. Good to relax for the P.M. Hot showers and swings. Had time
to pick and eat fruit here. Nice to have something fresh, a rarity on this
trip. Fire at night and off to bed by 8:30PM. Saw a couple of hawks and some
sandhill cranes today. Lots of cows here and there and dogs and cats.

Posted by Jeff Walters on Friday, February 11, 2000.



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Sunday January 30, 2000

Up a little earlier - foggy this AM. Ate wild rice a wild rice, apples and
yogurt mixture - hot - for breakfast. Different. Hot coffee and pack up the
"stuff". Carrying water as there is little. Road walks all the way to
Istokpoga Canal and Hickory Hammock. US98 treacherous. Cars passing one
another coming up from behind and crowding over into our lane. One was a
huge semi-trailer truck. I think my life is in danger. Along the road came
an FTA member who rescued us. We've reached Hickory Hammock and decided to
walk into the campsite. Well marked and the trail looks used, path clear.
Saw armadillos on the way in. Expect to spend a pleasant evening. So far on
this trip I've seen a moccasin, green garter snake, pigmy rattler, horses,
cows, cats, dogs, an otter, a bobcat, white tailed deer, hogs and armadillo.

Posted by Jeff Walters on Friday, February 11, 2000.



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Monday January 31, 2000

Woke to an overcast sky. Off at 7:30AM. Nice trail. Blazed and well
maintained up to the farm house. Some confusion and searching for blazes!
Some water where there was none before as a result of the Kissimmee River
Restoration Project. Last two miles threw cow pastures to Bluff Hammock Rd.
Easier walking. Started to rain and kept it off and on the rest of the PM.
We stopped in Avon Park Bombing Range and the spitting . It's 6PM and I'm in
my tent by candle lantern writing this journal. Nutra-grain buns tonight!

Posted by Jeff Walters on Friday, February 11, 2000.



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