[ft-l] Joan "Igloo" Hobson - Section 16 - 2/27

Beginning: SR 100/231 West of Lake Butler

End: Olustee Battlefield, US 90

Total Mileage: 19.1 Miles

Conditions: Georgia Pacific Timberlands. Pine and Cypress Woods. Will cross
many forest roads. Trail basically parallels CR 231. Mudholes, confusing
blazes. Note: no camping allowed in this section.



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Sunday February 27, 2000

Up at 6AM and off by 7AM. Tents very wet this AM. There seems to be several
changes in the trail since I came thru last. Roads are wider, more clear
cuts and some were trail in the woods. Blazing is good even on the road
walks. We reach the half way point by noon. We waded Swift Creek to save
time. We are really hoping to get to Olustee by 5PM. Clouds have been
collecting and disappearing all PM and we think we may be in for rain. Two
more people leave to go home today when we arrive. This is a long day and
3PM finds up with 4 miles to go. As we figured, it's sprinkling. Another
mile and it's pouring. I've got my jacket, but it's starting to soak thru.
My feet, legs and torso are now wet. We are walking as fast as we can. The
others are ahead. It's beginning to thunder and lightning. We are moving.
All of a sudden we hear the road noise and we merge onto US90. A welcome
sight for two drowned rats. The other two arrived ahead and are standing in
a small building out of the rain. I decided to try to find help. A motel
seems the right choice. As a car drove up, I flagged it down and explained
our plight. The driver turns out to be a ranger and agrees to take us to
Lake City. We got a room and fixed coffee. We spent the next couple hours
hanging up things and trying to dry "stuff". Off to Bob Evans for a great
meal, telephone calls, more to drink and journal to write. Have a ride to
the conference and back to Olustee tomorrow. To bed at midnight, very
comfortable.

Posted by Jeff Walters on Wednesday, March 22, 2000.




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