[ft-l] Joan "Igloo" Hobson - Section 14 - 2/20 to 2/22

Beginning: Rodman Dam, Ocklawaha River

End: Holloway Road

Total Mileage: 35.0 Miles

Conditions: Rural roads, farm roads, woods roads. Few but well spaced
facilities and water. Rice creek sanctuary itself has been clear cut. No
portable water or facilities.



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Sunday February 20, 2000

Up later 6AM. Noisy here at night and early AM with Fishermen. Yummy Apple
Cinnamon Farka for breakfast. Off just after 8AM /wind and some overcast.
Sun arrived with blue sky by 9AM. Nice walk on dike next to the canal.
Rested, ate and aired my sleeping bag. On again across SR19. Register.
Noticed a thru hiker ahead of me. Made one wrong turn on the sand roads but
ended up in the same place by compass. One killer sand road (N/S) here which
finally ended on the R.R. bed. I've been on the R.R. bed before and I'm
saddened to see such a mess. Looks like a wild fire came thru. "trash"
everywhere. No campsite. Lots of downed trees. Finally, found one semi-clear
place near the turn. Each did an hour maintenance clearing a spot for tents.
We had carried water from Buckman so we're fine here for the night. The road
is in sight and an occasional car or truck is passing in fall view. Small
fire for short time. Starting to get cold. Into tent and finished chores.

Posted by Jeff Walters on Monday, February 28, 2000.



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Monday February 21, 2000

Very cold. Probably in the Mid 20's. Ice on my fly - thick! Hard to shake
off. Hot coffee and fruit bar, and get going. Warmed quickly and time to
break and take off a few layers. Artesian well for water. Up clear cut, sand
roads to the Sanctuary. R.R. tracks and into the Georgia Pacific property.
Nice walk threw the woods until a very new clear-cut across the trail.
Blazed around, but tough walking. Out to Stickland Road 1:30PM and onto
Bud's Grocery. Settles on cold drinks, coffee and food. In and out of the
store. Chatting and eating. 2 more people to walk with arrived about 5PM.
Four of us from now on. Went to bed 9PM but slept poorly.

Posted by Jeff Walters on Monday, February 28, 2000.



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Tuesday February 22, 2000

Up at 5:30, wash and coffee. Sit in warm store on bench, moved in from
outside. Nice gesture. Fine folks here. Bought a spiral notebook and marked
it for hikers, signed it and left it with Bud. Off about 8:15AM with two
additional people, Mountain Marching Mamas both. 5 miles up sand roads to
Etonia Creek. Flowing swiftly, sandy bottom and clear water. Saw deer both
today and yesterday. Yesterday a doe and two babies. Met the two hikers from
Wisconsin today 3 times. They are now ahead of us. This is the Marching
Mamas first day so we have gotten water and settled in an Oak Grove. We all
appreciate the walk in the woods today and face roads tomorrow on the way to
Gold Head. Good to have three for company. Bruce tomorrow again at Gold
Head. Small warm fire and into the tent by 7PM. It's finally dark. We heard
two loud sonic booms and wondered if a shuttle had come down. We've been out
of touch with for a while. Did chores and read until 8:30 and settled down.

Posted by Jeff Walters on Monday, February 28, 2000.



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