THE ADVENTURES OF PLATY AND THE GANG
2005
Volume 1
(click on the pictures for a larger view)
Our
first excursion this year was when Judy hiked the western loop of the Florida
Trail. She thru-hiked the Florida Trail in 2000 with Joan Hobson.
They hiked the eastern route around Orlando. When Joan announced that she
was going to hike the western route Judy decided to join her. Judy started
at the junction at Three Lakes WMA on 1/25 and began the first of many days of
road walks. 
On
the second day she caught up with Joan and Cliff. Cliff is attempting to
be the oldest person to hike the entire trail.
The trail for the next few days is a series of road walks until it reaches the Green Swamp.
There
they donned their full packs
and
tented for four days.
The weather turned cold, Cliff fell in the creek, and Joan's back
bothered her. Otherwise everything turned out fine.
I
met them as they were walking down the road towards Trilby and the Withlacoochee
Trail State Park. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/crossflorida/trails/with_state.htm
There Judy decided to bike while Joan hiked with a lady who joined her for a few
days. 
Later
Joan biked for a few days till the end of this section at Dunnellon.
From
Dunnellon they followed the The
Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. The Greenway occupies
much of the land formerly known as the Cross Florida Barge Canal.
For
more history on the canal project go to History
Cliff
returned to hiking at Pruitt Trailhead after recovering from his fall in the
creek .
They
left the Greenway just east of the city of Ocala and did a couple of days of
road walking before reconnecting to the eastern loop at Store 88 on
Feb. 15. Joan and Cliff continued on north and we stopped at the Canfield
KOA for 2 days before returning to Ft Myers.