[ft-l] Status - The Big 360 Hike

[TOKTAADN@aol.com]

Length of hike - 360 miles

Starting point - Clearwater Lake - Ocala National Forest

Direction - Southbound

Latest Segment hiked - Chuluota to Seminole Ranch

Length of Segment - 14.1 miles

Cumulative miles hiked - 62.5 miles  

Miles to go - 297.5 miles

Comments:  Sandy and I attended the opening of the Land Bridge over I-75 on 
Saturday.  Also saw her Eminence, the List Mistress there taking a rare 
opportunity to mingle with us commoners.  :)  Found out that the length of 
this hike will be shortened because the western corridor will no longer go 
through Dunnellon.  It's not yet possible to put an exact mileage on the 
whole route, but a round 360 miles shouldn't be too far off, and it gives the 
hike a new catchy title, the Big 360.

The segment described here was actually hiked on two separate days.  Today's 
hike was about 9 miles and included the Orlando Wetlands Park and some of the 
Seminole Ranch.  It was a good day for wildlife, including an awesome barred 
owl, a red-tailed hawk, several armadillos and 8 deer -- not including the 
dead one we came across being consumed by dozens of turkey vultures who did 
not care for our interruption of their repast.

We've hiked about a sixth of the hike in the heat and are looking forward to 
the cooler temps only a few weeks away.  Soon we'll be hiking longer segments 
and camping on the trail.  Should anyone care to join us, just drop me an 
email.  Next segment -- heading south to Tosohatchee.

And a belated thanks to Joan from Oviedo who gave us a needed shuttle from 
Chuluota to the Black Hammock parking lot when my car was in the shop.  My 
apologies for omitting that on my last report.

Happy trails,

Rich Evans
Orlando
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