Green Springs

Green Springs

Green Springs is a natural spring in a park on the north shore of Lake Monroe in Volusia County.  Its light green waters are beautiful to see and it is a peaceful and quiet place to relax.  It is also a hop-skip-jump from the Orlando area and being adjacent to a rail trail, makes for a nice walk in cool weather.  Not that it is too cool yet, but it was 72 degrees an early Sunday morning in late September.  You could smell the sulfur spring when you first got on the trail, just a few yards away from the water.  That was the smell of money before the Civil War when Cornelius Taylor built the first hotel on top of a shell midden on the spring outflow.  The  hotel attracted riverboat tourists in the mid-1800's who were looking for recuperation along Lake Monroe.  Many years earlier the Mayaca and Seminole Indians considered the land sacred because they believed the sulfur water was healing.  Here's the link to the park.  The midden, or shell mound, like many others in Florida was hauled away for road construction and fertilizer production early in the 1900's.
This is my first post-summer (short) hike and I promised a weighed packing list for my day pack.  All weights are ounces except the total.

REI Flash 18 Pack	9.7
Bladder (empty)	5.5
Back Pad	1
First aid kit	3.5
Headlamp	1.5
Hand sanitizer	0.9
Carabiner	0.7
Bug spray	0.8
Pocket knife	0.8
Compass	0.5
Bandanna	0.8
Stuff bag	1.2
Book & pen	3.5
Marmot rain jacket	12.5
Hand Towel	1.4
Wet ones lg	3.3
	44.1
Water/1 liter	35.2
Food
Breakfast bars x2	2.4
Nuts	0.8
Weight oz/lbs	82.5	5.25

This is my REI Flash 18 with the reduced item list from a few months ago at a comfortable 5.25 pounds, a lightweight rig for day hikes with lots of room to spare!
It would be hot with an afternoon temperature of 93 degrees forecast this day, but Walt and I were starting the bike trail at 8:30 AM, when it was cool and finished a couple hours later when it was just 86 degrees.  Walt showed up with a smile and we began walking along the East Central Regional Rail Trail (click the name/link) adjacent to the Green Springs park.  The blue sky was framed with a few puffy white clouds.  We paused along the way to check out an Eagle's nest in a tree beside the trail.  The trail is well designed and is setup like the other rail trails in the area with occasional benches, painted traffic lines and lots of signage at road crossings. There was a cool breeze blowing through in a low spot and we took full advantage of it while we caught up on our lives.  We saw a woodpecker flitting from tree to tree.  There was a good amount of bicycle and walker traffic on the trail, and we struck up a good conversation about feeling healthy with a lady who passed us.  The walk back seemed much quicker, probably because we were going downhill.

East Central Regional Rail Trail

The rail trail has a lot of great possibilities where in the future it will reach across the state to both Cocoa in the south and Edgewater to the north, near Daytona Beach when it is finished.
I tried a couple of Walt's "health bars" when we got back to the car.  The pumpkin one was quite good for something made out of desperation.  Walt had made the mistake of reading the label on an energy bar a few weeks back and decided he could make something as good tasting but with no fat and way fewer calories.  Walt is good about stuff like that, he built my road bike (and several others) from tubes and can make just about anything with his hands.  He has made a great start with these "Walt's Bars"!  I brought my breakfast bars home to eat another day.
I'll be back to walk and bicycle this trail and the nearby Springs to Springs trail later this fall.

All my new gear

Kumo

Notch

Alpine Quilt

So, putting my ultralight backpacking kit all together, I have chosen an ultralight Gossamer Gear backpack, the Kumo.  A Thermarest 35 degree Alpine Down Quilt, and a Henry Shires Tarptent, the Notch.   That covers the "big three", except for number "four", the cooking system.  I already own a Snowpeak Trek 700 Titanium cook pot my wife gave me for the holidays (so cool), so what is left is the stove.  For the portable stove I have selected the Trail Designs classic Ti-Tri Caldera stove.  Much has been written online about this fine design, how it encloses the heat source with the pot to provide the most efficient heat and how well it all packs down small and light into its own container, and that it works at most any elevation!  I expect to cook with Esbit tabs on the gram cracker stove and have considered using some found wood to cook with if necessary.  I have also seen these stoves used as a "night-time-tv" at campsites when open fires are discouraged.

Caldera Cone

So now, what else?  Well, the list of stuff I still need, of course!

Remaining Camping List

I need a headlamp, several Op Sacs and a food storage bag, 50 feet of small orange cord, a larger pocket knife (about 1.4 ounces), a new sleeping pad, water filter and drinking bags, new trail shoes and insoles, a cooking cozy, a mosquito head net and bug spray, a new wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off me, Body Glide, a slew of small containers to repackage things, freezer bags, trash compactor bags, Esbit tabs for fuel and some food.


Here's the Petzl Tikka 2 headlamp.  It uses 3 AAA batteries, runs about 90 hours on the high setting, has 3 light settings with flash, and weighs about 3 ounces.  There are many more lights out there, but this one works fine.  I'll also have a small backup light for emergencies.
REI has a smaller size than this one, but the LOKSAK OPSak is what you pack your "smellables" into.  I'll use them separately for food and toiletries and they sell a  handy 4-pack of smaller sizes I may be using.  It is expensive for 3 bags but nothing else seals as well and I'll reuse the bags on multiple trips.  The LokSak bagged food will go into a larger cloth storage bag like the medium-size Granite Gear Zippsack.
EZC2 line sells at Gossamer Gear for $14 for 50 feet.  This line is NOT for a bear bag, I'll make one of those when I'm camping in bear country.  This is for the short lines to retrieve tent stakes, extra tent line, clothes lines, pretty much as utility as you can imagine, plus it can be seen at night with its reflective braid.  I'll order some of this with my pack.
I think they discontinued the larger knife I was looking at, so here's number two, the Gerber LST.  It weighs 1.2 ounces, has a lock blade, and has a lanyard hole.  For something so light it actually fits in your hand, allowing you to use it for crafts and carving, just like with a "real" knife!
The sleeping pad I have is a short Thermarest Ridge Rest.  It has seen some use!  I would like to upgrade to a Thermarest Z Lite Sol, which I have slept on and I prefer it over the Ridge Rest.
For a water filter I'll get a Sawyer Squeeze filter.  They are highly rated and are the most simple solution for me.  Just squeeze to filter water!  Evernew makes some of the best water bladders/bags out there, and they even fit the Sawyer Squeeze filter!  They are hard to find in stock, so I'll have to hunt a little.
I found these shoes 10-15 years ago and New Balance keeps changing them a little, but the fit has stayed the same for years.  The New Balance 626 is what I comfortably wear on the trail daily and at home.  I need a set for trashing in the outdoors, and a "clean" one for home.  I'll add some new insoles like these and will be set for the year.

Cooking Cozy

Here's a cooking cozy, as good as homemade!  The cozy is how we cook (simmer) food "in the bag".  I'm not going to ruin my car's sunscreen and cut a larger than quart-size hole out of it to make my cozy!
A mosquito headnet is for those days and nights in Florida when the bugs will just not leave you alone.  I prefer no bug repellent on mine.  This also makes a good stuff sack for keeping the gloves and sleeping hat organized in the pack.  The bug spray I'll use is Repel Lemon Eucalyptus.  I won't use Deet, so the jury is still out on this particular bug spray.
The new wide-brimmed hat I have in mind looks like this, and it is called a Sunday Afternoons Adventure hat.   It has a flap in the back for shade.  I'll have to see how well it works with the mosquito net but expect it will be fine.  I have seen a few people wearing them while kayak fishing in Mosquito Lagoon.  There's not much more sun and bug exposure in Florida than that.
The Body Glide I plan to use on my feet can be found at REI also, I plan to repackage it into a smaller container for backpacking.
A slew of small containers would look like this, my old ones are all lost so it is time to update.  I won't use all of them, just a few for Body Glide, sun screen and food items.
Quart-size freezer bags are for cooking my dinners and carrying food.  Available locally at Target, maybe on sale.
Trash compactor bags are what everything goes into first inside my backpack for waterproofing.  There are only 4 to a box.  These are also at Target.
Esbit tabs for fuel.  I've been using these for 9 months now and I like them for simply boiling water.  I have read online there are now more outdoors people cooking with Esbit than with alcohol stoves.
Food will be covered in detail closer to the trip.
My clothing is otherwise taken care of (I'll buy new stuff later, on sale).  I'll wear a sweat-busting t-shirt, compression shorts, short socks, zip-off-leg nylon pants and a long sleeve nylon fishing shirt daily.  To sleep, I'll wear my lightweight long underwear with wool socks and my hat and gloves if needed.  Then there are my fleece pants and jacket if it really gets cold (can wear the rain coat on top) and that's everything I have.  The long pants and long sleeve shirt will keep the bugs and sunburn away during the day and as long as it is cool outdoors (70 degrees?), I'll be comfortable.  I've worn this stuff for years outdoors and it still functions.  New pants, new shirts, down jackets and new socks are very nice, but I'll be fine with what I have for now.
So, I still have to find these items online and available in my size, choose the color, order everything, unwrap it when it arrives and check it out when it gets here.  Then I have to weigh it and post the gear list.  Then buy and package the food for breakfast and lunch and dinner on the trail for the trip duration.  Then make sure I have the right batteries and medicines and figure how to pack everything.  And repack everything.  And listen to my wife ask why I'm repacking it while I repack it a third time.  Before you ask, here' a simple diagram I'll use on how to pack an ultralight backpack from Erik the Black's blog.
Do mouse-over the text for all the links I posted here.  I will begin price-hunting soon.  I listed many items at REI mostly for convenience, but there are many other online sources available.  Start with EMS, Campmor, Backcountry, Moosejaw, Sierra Trading Post, Amazon, and my wife's favorite, LL Bean.
Locally we do have places where we can touch items and talk to people who use them like Travel Country Outdoors, Gander Mountain, Sports Authority, Dicks Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shop, and a local Army Store or two.  I'll be the one there with the confused look shopping with all the lists.

Tent Minutia

Remember the Tube Tent?

I've had some great tents!  And I have had some not-so-great tents.  In the years way passed, I began Boy Scouting as a child with a gift, a canvas army-type "pup" tent with no floor that weighed 10+ pounds with its wooden metal-jointed poles and wooden splinter-covered stakes.  That was "light weight" in the 1960's.
From that heavy tent I moved to a plastic tube tent in the early 1970's where I got soaked when it rained and eaten alive by bugs the rest of the time.  I didn't use it much but it was light!  After college, I purchased a small orange nylon "survival-type" tent. A two-person lightweight backpacking favorite at the time that lacked a screen door. The tent's cloth "doors" just tied closed.  It gave up the ghost in the Tennessee mountains, high in the Cherokee National Forest, during a heavy rain storm at night when a tree fell on me (no one was hurt except the tent).  I tried more tents while living in Tennessee but didn't come up with any winners, typically sharing my camping partner's tents for years.
After moving to Florida in the mid-1980's, I finally bought a 2-person Eureka Timberline tent with a center hoop and a vestibule at 7+ pounds.  It was a "5-star hotel" compared to my earlier purchases.  We could stand up to change inside (bent over) and we both had plenty of room to sleep and store our gear!  It worked great for the local, state and national parks where my wife and I camped by car, and it was dry no matter how hard/long it rained!  It even worked well under snow on our first Colorado trip!  My wife and I really enjoyed that A-frame tent and all the great tent camping and travel we did then.
Shortly after that, I purchased a Eureka Crescent tent, a 1-person, half-dome-type tent that became my favorite bicycling tour and single-person backpacking tent to date.  At 4-pounds, it was lightweight for the day, had aluminum poles and that great zip-open front screen door with wonderful ventilation!  It had a large hoop pole that held up the dome side of the tent with a short triangle overhang on top, just enough to leave the door open at night, with screen closed and no fear of bugs, or rain, but with great views.  This was part of my bicycle touring gear for over a decade!  It would disappear in the woods with it's light gray color, and wouldn't appear on the Internet this week no matter how hard I searched.  I used the tent from the late 1980's through to the early 2000's in the south, the eastern mountains, and the Colorado west until the waterproofing died.  I saved one long pole I still carry when snowshoeing in case I have to dig for anyone in an avalanche!  The Timberline suffered a similar fate about the same time and we used it for the kids in the Colorado back yard watching the milky way for meteors and other birthday "tent" celebrations until it failed.

Tarptent Notch

When my son joined Boy Scouts a few years ago, I used whatever tent was left over in the troop storage trailer or my 9-foot square "family" tent for the monthly camping trips.  We found the boys preferred sleeping 4-5 in the big tent we called the "Taj Mahal".  That's when I picked up my two Alps Mountaineering tents,  the 2-person Zephyr and the 1.5-person Mystique, and I used them for scouting, car and backpacking trips in Florida and summer Scout camp in Virginia and North Carolina.  I learned after I purchased them that they both weighed about the same at 4 pounds each.  They are well-designed and ventilated tents, but are just too heavy for ultralight backpacking.
So for ultralight backpacking what will I use?  A tarp or a tarp-tent?  While I'm experienced with setting up tarps outdoors, as long as I am camping in the south (read bugs, crawly critters, etc.) I'll be sleeping outdoors secure in a tent of some kind.  I like Henry Shires tarp-tent, the Notch.  It positively answers all my tent-type questions.  A one-person, two trekking pole, well-designed and breathable 1.5-pound tent.  It uses 4 stakes and sets up in about a minute, and won't get wet inside during the rain from setup.  Both sides have doors and make vestibules, and the interior separates from the fly.  I can cook in light rain from inside the tent!  Since my wife is allowing me to fend for myself on these ultralight backpacking trips, I won't be sharing sleeping quarters and will be in/out nightly and the occasional rain storm.  This tent will pack quickly and at just over 1.5 pounds (26 ounces), I'm very happy with the light pack weight.  There are several other ultralight weight and tarp tent companies like 6 Moon Designs and Big Agnes, but I like the way the ultralight industry has taken to Mr. Shires products, so this is my choice for now.  For a double-person tent the Rainbow and Scarp tarptents seem to also be winners and I may be considering one of those a few years from now for a possible AT through-hike with my daughter.

More Backpack and Quilt Minutia

Gossamer Gear Kumo

I kept thinking about my previous Backpack Minutia post where I had selected a Gossamer Gear Gorilla, a 50 liter ultralight backpack, and I could not shake the fact that most of the time in the near future my backpacking trips would only last an overnight to three overnights, 5 nights at most, perfect for a 36 liter pack.  So what would I do with all that available through-hiker room in the Gorilla backpack?  So I kept looking for a smaller day pack that could easily handle a 25-pound load.

MLD Burn

I may have found just that with the Gossamer Gear Kumo.  Kumo is Japanese for "Cloud".  It is built on the Murmur frame but is made with lighter and tougher materials like 140 denier Dyneema Gridstop and is designed to carry the 25 pounds my scale and research says I'll need for up to a 5-day trip.  It also has a zipper pouch on the top pocket and 3 outside pockets.  Only the side-cut of the back pocket concerns me (maybe too short to securely stow my planned tarp/tent).  This is also mentioned by other reviewers but that may or may not be a real issue-we"ll just have to see.  Gear reports have been very good like this one here.  At 14.65 ounces for the large size, the pack weight is great and the load capacity is 2200 cubic inches or 36 liters.  The Gossamer Gear website says both "We recommend the Kumo Superlight backpack for total weights below 25 lbs." and "25 lb. maximum carry capacity, but 20 lbs, is better".  In my case, that 5 lb. difference before getting "better" being mostly estimated water weight for long trail slogs between refills.  Overall, the pack seems to be able to handle my planned gear load without lots of "empty space" to have to strap down and would be a significant weight savings over the 27 ounce Gorilla pack.  The cost is OK at $55 less than the Gorilla and when the time comes that I need the additional 15 liters of gear space for a season-long through hike, I'll just have to upgrade.  And who knows what the marketplace will have to offer then?

GoLite Jam 35

Other packs I'm looking at include the MLD Burn, a 2300 cubic inch pack in the same price and feature range as the Kumo.  Here's a review.  It certainly has a better main outside pocket, can handle much larger loads and appears to carry greater weight.  By adding two side pockets on the waist belt it improves the functionality and could act (for me) more like a Gorilla pack in a smaller package!
Also, the GoLite Jam 35 is a good pack for the money at $99 on sale.  I do not like the large fabric rear pocket as much as a mesh pocket, but otherwise the pack is a good deal.  At one pound 10 ounces it is a little bit heavy but I can surely use the $65 dollars to buy more gear! Here's it's review.  It is out of stock today but that may change soon.
There are a few packs in the 36 liter size from manufacturers like Gregory, Osprey, Deuter, REI and others, some at better prices, but none at one pound or less total weight.  And that is what I just have to have, an ultralight backpack.
So, on to Sleeping Quilt Minutia...My Florida backpacking experience has mostly been with 20 degree sleeping bags where I sweated year-round.  Once I left the south I found the bags worked better but were still too hot for me most nights in the southern mountains.  I have chosen the quilt because of the light weight, the open bottom and the fact it will sleep "just like at home" under the quilt at night.

Therm-a-rest Alpine 35 degree Quilt

So in this corner, I am looking at the Therm-a-rest Alpine. A 35 degree sleeping quilt, with no bottom, no zipper, and low weight.  This seems like what I am looking for down south.  I would rather wear more clothing at night and carry a lighter quilt if I could.  This bag was also rated at 40 degrees by a reviewer here.  The Therm-a-rest Alpine is $250 at Campmor.
In that corner, is the 20 degree GoLite quilt, with more insulation for cool nights in the mountains and higher elevations, and water proofing on the foot and head.  The GoLite quilt is on sale for $199, (usually is $400) a great price!  Check here for a review.

GoLite 20 degree Quilt

I do have a short Ridge Rest pad to sleep on but would like to purchase a Z-Rest pad since I have tried it and I found that I prefer folding it instead of rolling it.
We do camp during the winter here in Florida and in the summer anywhere else.  It can get cold but is usually in the 40's and 50's at night.  Most of my camping experience in the southern Appalachian mountains has been comfortable with 50 degree down to 30 degree nights.  In Colorado it was always colder and I rarely had enough insulation in my sleeping bag to keep warm.  I don't think I"ll be camping in the inter-mountain west any time soon, but you never know.  When I do it will be with a 20 degree quilt.
I have many, many more 'minutia' decisions to make just like this.  It would be interesting to hear your experiences in different temperature-rated sleeping bags and quilts "down south".  Please write in to let me know your preferences and why.  Much more minutia to come...

Books for Ultralight Backpacking

During the hot and rainy Florida summer I have been stuck inside the air conditioning reading and reviewing two books which I find perfect for the Ultralight Backpacker.  In the evenings, just when the temperatures drop to the mid 80's, the lightning starts and the rains begin.  We got a very short walk in last week on one of the local paved trails before the sky opened up.  When we got back home, it had never rained.

The two books are the Ultralight Backpacking Tips by Mike Clelland and the Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide by Andrew Shurka.  Click the link to find the books on Amazon.com.  I really like Mike Clelland's cartoons and the Tips format, and the read is light and enjoyable.  This is the one book you really need to get started with Ultralight Backpacking.  The first 10 tips are an overview of just about everything you need to know about UL backpacking. The rest of the book adds in the details and skills up to Tip #153 and includes a "10-day model trip", gear lists and food prep.  Mike's link is here for more information.  For a couple of my close 'traditional' backpacking buddies I've given them the books to help them appreciate Ultralight Backpacking and ultimately enjoy this activity.  I love my Kindle version except for some reason the packing lists do not change font size for easier reading.

Andrew Shurka picks up where many of us leave off with the manufacturing details of the gear we use.  I believe he has tried just about every item available at the backpacking gear store at some place just off the margins of the world atlas.  30,000+ backpacking miles gives him the experience to coach us neophytes in what we should do in the outdoors.  Andrew starts the book with the questions we all need to ask like,   "(1) what are my objectives, (2) what route and environmental conditions will I likely encounter, and (3)what gear, supplies, and skills will best help me achieve my objectives and keep me safe and comfortable?"  The rest of the book answers these questions based on the variety of locations and season you may be backpacking.  The meat of the book explains how the different varieties of Gore Tex are made and how they work (or don't), how different fabrics are constructed and in general, why gear works like it does.  Armed with this information you can make an educated guess when trip planning so you are carrying what you actually need in order to have a safe and comfortable trip while Ultralight Backpacking.  Plan to reread this a few times before planning your next adventure.  There is so much information to remember, I'll be referring to this book for years.  Also check out Andrew's web site here.  Especially read his blog called "Stupid Light" which was included in Gossamer Gear's online newsletter recently (and do read this before buying gear).  Andrew also leads group training sessions in the outdoors and I cannot think of a better person to learn from.
Both books should be required reading for new ultralight backpackers, and Andrew Shurka's Ultimate Hikers Gear Guide will benefit anyone backpacking or travelling outdoors.
I expect the Florida weather will be cooling off soon; we may even have to weather a peak-season hurricane next week to break the heat cycle (or not-we never know a few days out).  The best thing for me to do now is plan backpacking trips for the fall/winter season.  I really like Myakka River State Park near Sarasota, provided the water is low.  They have a huge and low back country prairie section with 20+ miles of hiking trails and 6 primitive campsites providing a few 2-3 day trip options.  There is no hunting allowed at Myakka during the cooler hiking season, perfect for Florida!

Kratzert and Deltona Library Hikes

Kratzert Trailhead

My wife has warned me about hiking during hunting season, that life is not worth much when being shot at while outdoors.  I grumble about wearing my orange vest, but still go, keeping my head down and just hiking.  When I hear the shots I am still startled and start to feel guilty for being there.

Kratzert pine trees

My first day of hiking in 2012 started during deer hunting season in January.  It was cool, but clear with a light breeze that became windy as the afternoon passed.  My start was a short hike along the Kratzert property on the east side of Lake Monroe, then I was to hike the Lyonia blue bird trail at the Deltona library.  As I was getting my gear ready at the Kratzert trail head, I noticed my bright orange hunting vest wasn't with my gear.  OMG, I must have left it at home!  My wife would just kill me if I got shot!  The young hunters waiting in the parking lot seemed to understand my plight and passed a vest over with no worry as to how they would get it back.  I thanked them and showed them where I would leave it for them after my walk.  As I pulled the vest on, they drove off after telling me to have a good time.  Their moms would be proud.
I followed the trail to the right just past the trail sign into an old field planted with pines.  I mention the trees because it smelled sweet and strong like pine-sol.  The 1.5 mile loop is short but follows streams, was dry and heavily shaded.  It loops around palm hammocks, with massive oaks and vines.  In a small clearing trail-side a spent shotgun shell lay on the ground.  As the trail rose back up to the pine field, I passed a horse fence on my left.  A few more yards and I was out with no shots being fired!  I stuffed the vest into it's hiding place and drove out around lake Monroe where I stopped to eat lunch at a park and enjoyed the lake view.

Lyonia trail map

From here it was a short Interstate drive to Deltona, a quick exit and follow the signs to the Lyonia preserve, that 400 acres surrounding the Deltona Library building.  This is ground zero for Scrub Jays in central Florida. The trails take off to the right of the building, I took the Lyonia, then Red and Blue loop trails to see the most of the site.  This was pure Florida scrub with little to no shade and I was thankful for the wind.  Part of the trails include the historic deer hunting path from Enterprise to Deland.
The trail loops up and over short hills, at one point reaching the highest site in the county (75 feet, woo hoo!).  I sat here a few minutes to drink water and watched the wind blow the trees.  There was a lake in the middle of the site and I watched a turtle drag himself into the bushes.  Just after the high spot I saw my first of three Scrub Jays.  It followed with me for several yards then was replaced by another, just as beautiful blue bird.  Down near the lake I saw the last Scrub Jay for the day, it was building a nest.  The birds seemed very friendly to me, and all flew close enough for me to touch.  Per the warning signs I kept my hands to myself and enjoyed their song.  I have heard it since at Seminole State Forest but just saw the blue flash of a bird there.
At the end of the hike I toured the museum, store, lunch counter and more.  Quite a lot has been built here to celebrate these birds and I hope people continue to create spaces for them to nest and grow.  It was a nice relaxing day hike here and I highly suggest this for families and kids.

Scrub Jay

Directions:  Kratzert Tract, from SR 46 and SR 415 near Sanford, go north on 415 for 2.5 miles, cross the St. Johns river bridge, turn left onto Reed Ellis Road, trail head parking is the second lot on the left.
Lyonia Preserve:  I-4 exit 114, drive south on SR 472 for 2.5 miles to Providence Blvd., turn right.  Go 0.7 miles to Eustace Ave., turn right into the library parking lot, park near the trail kiosk on the right side.
Be sure to check out the Lyonia Preserve activities and maps at
http://lyoniapreserve.com/calendar.htm and http://lyoniapreserve.com/lyonia1.htm.
Always remember to wear blaze orange vest/clothing when hiking during hunting season and hike during the weekdays to reduce your exposure to weekend gunfire.  There are many sites to visit in Florida where no hunting is allowed and I'm working on a hunt-free list for next season.  My wife will like that!

The Scale

Scale Heaven!

My new digital postal scale arrived the other day.  Now I fell like a real ultralight backpacker!  By the evening I had weighed my day pack and some gear.  During the weighing, my wife is teasing me that I will have to choose either not to eat or not to sleep with a 20 lb. lightweight pack, that there won't be room for the both the food or tent.  Then I told her about ultralight backpacking at a 10 lbs. base weight.  Now she is saying I won't eat or sleep so I better get good rest and eat hearty on the way to the trail because there won't be room for either food or a tent in a pack that small.
I've been carrying 6.6 pounds on my day hikes in my REI Flash 18 backpack including 3 liters of water, lunch and fuel.  For Florida hiking in the summer, that's about enough water for half a day without refilling.  The bad news is the weight of a few items is way too much to be considered for "Lightweight or Ultra-lightweight Backpacking".
My favorite (for 25 years) Swiss Army knife (3.7 oz) weighs more than any other item except rain gear/shelter and my cook pot.  I knew that it was heavy and would have to go at some point.  I'll surely miss it.
My compass also seems light at 1.1 oz but I have a lighter one at 0.4 oz that will work for everything except cross country travel.
I have also been carrying a rain poncho as an emergency tarp with rope and stakes but they total 26.3 oz.  My current 12 oz rain jacket will be just fine.  I'll get a SOL emergency bivy at 3.8 oz for that emergency overnight I never really expect to have.
My first aid kit also grew from 2.3 oz to 4.3 oz due to adding extra medications, bandages and a small pocket knife with scissors. I'll just replace my heavy knife with this smaller one for all but Western sojourns and through-hikes.
I also have an ounce of carabiners I love but do not use.  They mainly jingle while I walk so I'll reduce them to one for clipping my Platypus water bottle on my pack straps (no side pockets).
Then there is a micro backup flashlight at 0.6 oz (go ahead and call me an Eagle Scout, I earned it) and a 3.7 oz monocular I rarely use.  Since I already have a small headlamp with new batteries, I'll leave the backup micro light at home and will only bring the monocular when accompanying my birding friends (or looking at peaks in the Rockies).
As for the rest, I'll continue to carry Micropur tabs for emergency water purification, 50 feet of line and my cook kit (in cooler weather) and can now reduce my pack weight about 2 pounds to an easy 4.5 lbs.  I will reweigh it for you at the next outing.

As for my old pocket knife, I'll get over it.  Just don't tell my wife!

Elk Crossing and backpacking ultra-lightweight

Like my previous backpack at 5.5 lbs empty

What does lightweight backpacking mean to you?  Hopefully it means a much lighter load on your back and ease of overland travel.  For me, it means I can actually now carry a backpack again.  It has been years since I hiked on a multi-day trip with a backpack when I lived in Colorado.  It was my second backpacking trip there to the Flat Tops wilderness area with a friend.  We encountered fairly heavy snowfall late in the season and attempted to backpack a loop trip in it.  We didn't get more than 5-6 miles from the car and reached a creek that was overflowing.  We couldn't cross it or continue the trip.  We walked back from the creek and pitched the tent in what became "Elk Crossing".  After dinner we lay in our sleeping bags and listened to all the elks bugle, for hours.  When morning came, the area was full of elk track crossings just outside our tent.  Hunting season would start on Monday and this was the Saturday before, so we figured the elk were enjoying one last "fling" before hiding in the woods for the next several weeks.  Those are the things you miss by not backpacking.
The main thing was I couldn't continue with the pack on, it was a struggle just to get back to the car, and my friend Owen even packed the tent.  That huge backpack and tent are now gone and since then I have day-hiked, until my son joined a Boy Scout troop and we began "car camping" at Florida state parks.  On our few backpacking trips during Scouting I used a day pack and a one-person tent.  It was painful because the pack couldn't carry the weight of my old sleeping bag and pad, plus the stove, cook gear and toiletries.  BSA camping was a group event and I still really enjoyed being out (I slept great!).

Like my REI Flash 18

So my reason for lightweight backpacking is just to get out "there".  To follow a trail until sunset, to get up and hike again the next morning and the next.  To eat and sleep outdoors and to enjoy the views and the peace.  And to be able to do this much later in life.  At a base weight of 10 pounds,  a pack weight around 25 pounds is "carry able" by me, even up to an occasional "through-hike 35 pound-er".
This winter, I purchased an REI Flash 18 day pack, a Platypus 2-liter hydration bladder and an Esbit mini-stove to seriously reduce my day hike weight.  My wife pitched in with a Snow Peak 700 titanium cooking pot at Christmas (very nice).  I added the ten essentials and recently a Marmot Precip rain jacket (on sale) this spring.  I generally hike about half a day locally on trails a quick drive away and am back home nightly.  I used to pack for an accidental overnight using a poncho and my hiking poles, but am planning to change to a lightweight bivy to save weight.
The problem with living in Florida is the heat during the summer and the daily thunderstorms, not to mention the bugs.  That cycle has been underway since late May with no breaks until October.  I will only get out a few times to actually hike over the next 3-4 months.  Once October/November arrive, we can start discussing camping out locally.

My daughter's REI Flash 18

In the meantime I ride my bicycle weekly on the local rail trails, and walk for exercise early in the mornings before work.
I recently bought a new version of the Flash 18 pack and Platypus hydration bladder for my daughter for college graduation.  Now she can hike with me locally on her days off and we can enjoy some of the outdoors together.  We will cover the trails mentioned in this blog and she may even grace a picture or two along the way.

Daily Walks

My wife and I almost daily walk the local trails near my home.  We can walk just outside our neighborhood to one trail or drive a short way to the other one which we like better.  It is an old rail trail and is heavily shaded.  This trail is paved, has benches, trail heads for parking and now, even art.

Trail Art

We like the way people have planted signs and dedicated trees for their dearly departed.  We meet a few of the same people daily walking, running, bicycling or skating during our 33 minute, 2 mile walk.  On days with more time before work, we walk further.  On some weekends I'll walk to the end of the trail a few miles away at the Wekiva River, and usually I'll bicycle there.
We walk for the exercise and for the quiet time we have.  It gives us something to plan for and we even catch up on ideas and plan outings.  I find I miss her when I walk alone, and I don't walk as fast without her.  I can hear her laughing at this.
Except for longer walks, I don't carry a pack or even water.  We are in-and-out so quickly, it really doesn't matter.  We get back to the car and hydrate on the way home.
The other trail is along a power line system and has almost no shade.  While we can walk it quicker without using the car, it just doesn't seem the same.  I save this one for walking in cooler weather or for bicycling because I am usually moving faster and going further.  I can cross the Interstate highway on a pedestrian bridge and pick up that first rail trail to follow it to the end and back for a 20+ mile bike trip.
Both trails have a way of grounding us and helping us handle life's stress.  We like them!
I am so lucky to live in such a nice area with such wonderful trails!

St. Francis Trail

St. Francis Trail

This day hike runs north along the St. Francis dead river alongside the St. John's river in Lake County. Just follow the orange blazes from the trail head sign.  The town was a steamboat shipping community around the turn of the century and had one of the only roads in the area.  St. Francis had a hotel, a general store and a newspaper!  As the railroads took over the steamboat shipping business and transportation of people into the area, the town died off.  In 1939 it closed shop, people moved away and the Ocala National Forest took over.

Raised Trail with a neat use of screen wire

Today there isn't much to show St. Francis was ever there.  You can follow the trail from the trail head about 4 miles until you hit a dead end at a road crossing with a Wilderness area in front of you.  On the way you travel through a low-land area with raised hiking decks (to keep your feet dry!)  and lots of interesting palm hammocks and oak trees.  The dead river is to your right the entire way.  There is a turn-off to see a sulphur spring to the left, save it for the return trip!  Follow along the floodplain area until you get to a sign and follow it to the right to St. Francis.
After more forest, you come to a raised area and a single path bridge over some water. This place was cleared for growing rice many years ago and the dike you walk along was part of filling the area with water to grow the rice.

Single Lane Bridge

There is another road you cross after this, going right takes you to the dead river, very nice and peaceful.  I found two paint buckets upturned to sit on and enjoy the quiet.  This was an old shell mound and it provides the fill for the road back to the trail.  If you look close you can see another shell pile across the river from you.  This is a good location for camping!
You continue along in forest until you reach a road and the end of the trail.  Take the road to the right to see the river landing on the St. Johns.  Here there isn't much to see except some very nice views. I've watched a few boats go by here on Fridays and expect things would be busy on the river over the weekend.

St. Francis landing

Walking back from the river follow the road 1/3 mile past the trail you will find the return path, off to the left.  Following this takes you through pine scrub and pine forest areas to get back to the trail head.  At one point, you follow a tram path which goes perfectly straight for a long way.  Eventually you arrive at a sign pointing to the right to take to the sulphur spring.  It is a nice loop and you can really smell the spring water.  Follow from there to the trail head and your car.
I first hiked this in February this year (2012) and it was cool and dry that day.  The next time I went with my friend Walt and we hiked the same route but added the dead river side trip (that's Walt in the bridge photo).  It is about 8 miles total and makes for a nice half-day relaxing walk in the woods.  Enjoy!

Return trip along the tram way

To hike to St. Francis, take I-4 North from Orlando to Hwy 44 at Deland.  Go west on 44 through Deland to the St. Johns River.  Take the first right onto County Road 42 and the first right onto River Forest Road at the hiking trail sign.  Do check out this fine site if you would like to know more:  http://www.floridahikes.com/st-francis-trail/

Oh yes, if you are hungry, check out the first restaurant just south of the bridge on the east side of the river or drive on to Deland for a plethora of food places.

St. Johns River Bridge on Highway 44

FL Hikes

I have found most of the trails that I hike listed in the book "Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State" by Sandra Friend.  She has documented hundreds, no thousands of miles of trails in Florida both in multiple books and online at flhikes.com.  I like her style and the level of detail that she writes.  I have actually read her Hikers Guide from cover to cover and plan to hike many of the trails she listed, mostly as backpacking trips when the hot Florida weather cools down.

Many of the trails I hike, I already knew about from when we lived here before moving away to Colorado.  The Florida Trail has changed a bit (fewer road sections) but the national forest trails are still the same.  We have been back in Florida for nine years now and I still get out to bike and hike almost weekly.  Once I found Sandra's book online and purchased it, I have hiked several of the trails she describes.
When I write about that trail, I try not to "compete" with her on the details. No one knows the trails better, or can describe the plant life or trail history in Florida better than Sandra Friend.  I hope to meet her someday to tell her that in person.
Please check Sandra's web site or read one of her many books. Better than that, hike the trails!  The books make great gifts.
This spring we bought our daughter the 50 Walks in Central Florida book.  I expect she is using it for fun...
Sandra is now hiking the Appalachian Trail.  And she is still writing and posting stories when she gets a chance.  Good for her.  And great for us!

Backpack Minutia

Gossamer Gear Murmur

Let's talk about the lightweight gear I'm looking into, starting with backpacks.  Experts may agree the backpack is the last piece you should purchase, but to me it must be at least considered up front.  As in how many ounces/pounds you are considering carrying, how small your gear packs down (volume), and the weight of your total gear on a 5-day hike (greatest amount of food and gear).  I do plan some long hikes eventually, maybe even the Appalachian Trail.  So I will need some serious carrying capacity and good weight transfer to my hips in order to manage the loads.
My last backpack and tent were from Alps Mountaineering and it was the kit I used for weekend BSA camping trips.  I first used it in Virginia at summer camp when we took the boys on an overnight trip.  It rained all night and the tent was snug and warm.  Everyone else slept under a tarp.  The backpack needed load adjuster straps, but it held the tent, stove and overnight gear OK.
I have read that 5 days is the average time for resupply of food on a long trip like the AT, and prepared food for a weeks backpacking will weigh about 13-15 pounds.  Add 2.2 pounds for each liter of water (4.4 for my two liters), iso-propane fuel at about 1 pound and that's at least 21 pounds of variable weight - variable because you eat the food each day and use the fuel and your pack gets lighter because of that.  Water doesn't really count because you will fill that back up again and may need to carry more daily.
So here is my scale-less estimate of "other" weight...
Now we have a sleeping quilt at about 1 and one quarter pound plus one pound and one quarter of sleeping pad for 2.5 lbs.
Then add the tent at, say 3 pounds - the single person Alps Mountaineering tent I use now will have to fit until the time is right to replace it.
Cooking gear weighs little at 4.2 oz for the cooking pot, under an ounce for the spoon, 1.2 oz for my cup and guessing at the iso-propane stove for 1 pound and a half for all cooking (fuel is calculated already with the consumables).
Clothes (3 days), rain wear, first aid, headlamp and all personal items are about 4 pounds.
That gets me to 11 pounds (my base weight) into the lightweight range before adding the 21 pounds of food, fuel and water, or about 32+ pounds for capacity.  No wonder you need a scale...

Gorilla pack from Gossamer Gear

ULA Circuit pack

My first wish was for a Gossamer Gear Murmur pack but the carrying capacity is at 15 pounds, total.  That won't even hold my food for the week.
So we move up to a Gossamer Gear Gorilla pack with a capacity of 30-35 pounds.  Link http://gossamergear.com/packs/backpacks/gorilla-2012-ultralight-backpack.html  A much more featured pack and with a curved stay and hip belt with pockets, even better for the long haul.  I am hoping that will carry empty (with no food) just fine.
Also as an option, the ULA Circuit or CDT are very good bags with similar features and carrying capacity, the CDT a little less than the Circuit.  Check them here at http://www.ula-equipment.com.  They are very close if you compare the specs but the ULA Circuit has more features like water bottle holders on the straps, thumb loops and an internal zipper pocket.
There have been some good reviews about the 2012 Gorilla pack at http://sectionhiker.com/the-2012-gossamer-gear-gorilla-backpack/ and http://www.briangreen.net/2012/04/2012-gorilla-ul-backpack-updating.html.  ULA's website has reviews on the Circuit also.  From what these fine folks are saying, I cannot go wrong with either pack.  Decisions, decisions.  Minutia.
We will continue looking at gear items over the next few weeks with a hike or two thrown in for balance.
Please share what gear you use in the comments section.  I can use all the help I can get : )