The River Fixes Everything (ECT Day 42)

• Hiked Today: 22.2 miles
  • The Florida Trail (606.9 – 621.8 & 624.7 – 631.4)
  • White Springs DG Alt. (0.6 miles)
• Total Hiked: 847.4 miles
• Total Paddled: 99.5 miles

Jeep Trail Site to Sweet Suwannee Spot 

I slept good last night. In my tent, I change it up from side to back throughout the night, but generally I tend to sleep pretty good out here. Last night, I was still; out for the count. Maybe my bed of pine needles did the trick!

The fog and mist was only light this morning. For an hour I walked through more pines and palmettos before popping out to a road. I believe it marked the end of the Osceola National Forest.

My plan today was to get into the town of White Springs (the same town where Trail Fest was held a few days before) as quick as I could. I had a few tasks to accomplish, one of which was to charge up my power bank. That takes time, so the earlier I got there and plugged in, the better.

Mni Wiconi “Water is Life”

The sandy roads didn’t last long. Around mid-morning I cut away from them on a trail leading to the Suwannee River. It was nice, but the real highlight was reaching the river itself! I popped out right at a rapid. Big Shoals is apparently Florida’s only class III rapid. I’m not really sure what that means, but it sounded impressive to me.

I was enthralled. I’ve never really seen a river like it, although it did remind right away of Tahquamenon Falls in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Both have the dark water from tannins that turns frothy and almost rusty orangish at the falls. The trail reminded me some of Northern Michigan riverside trails too the way they twist and go up and down continuously. There were several incoming tributary streams dumping in, each with its own carved-out ravine to get around.

As I walked this stretch, I listened to my audiobook Black Snake: Standing Rock, the Dakota Access Pipeline, and Environmental Justice. The young leaders of that movement are incredibly inspiring to me and their motto of Mni Wiconi, which is Lakota for “Water is life,” resonated with me. What a timely message as I soak in the magnificence of this beautiful river.

All that got me wondering what the history was here at the Suwannee River. I tried looking into it and generally found that the Tumucuan and Seminole lived here before, although in my short research dive I didn’t uncover much about them leaving. I suspect at least for the Seminole it coincided with their general forced removal, which eventually lead to escape into the Everglades for some and complete upheaval via the Trail of Tears for others.

This is Robinson Creek, which flows into the Suwannee River

Clear water! This is from Bell Springs, which also flows into the Suwannee River.

Little shoals wasn’t as impressive, but still, I was loving this river

The limestone was what really made it feel different to me.

Going into this theme a bit more, while walking through here I also found myself pondering connections to water in my own life. I have always felt a deep affinity to and sense of harmony when in and around water. Despite this, whenever I talk with folks about how important developing a relationship is  with the outdoors for youth, I seem to focus on the land.

As a kid, my yard would sometimes flood. My brothers and sisters and I would get out the rubber boots or maybe just go bare foot and splash around. There was a pond across the street where I’d fish for bass and a creek down the hill that drained into a swamp. The creek bed was always a clay-like mud and I remember constructing “boats,” to sail down the small ripples. As I grew older, my world expanded to the many lakes and rivers in the area, the most impactful being “the big lake,” Lake Michigan. These connections are important. I hope to dig into this more and find a way to communicate with others better about this importance for kiddos growing up nowadays. I believe it’s often lost or given less value nowadays. Alright, Stevie sermon over.

The White Springs In and Out

I got into White Springs slightly earlier than I thought, so that was a bonus. Right away I spied with my little eye a hiker, who turned out to be Jelly! And a few minutes later Peanut Butter joined too! I met these two at the Big Cypress New Testament Baptist Church earlier on trail. They’re great and offered me genuine congratulations getting up here and encouragement going forward. I wished them the same. 

Here’s a summary of my town activities (at almost every step I plugged my power bank in to charge)…

• Got into Dollar General and did my resupply shopping. Moved outside and commenced to breaking down and removing excess cardboard and packaging
• Packed up and moved across the street to visit Fat Belly’s restaurant. Ordered a classic cheeseburger, fries, and sweet tea. Delicious! So great getting town food.
• Walked back across the street to a liquor store where I found an atm. Got some cash out.
• And, back across the street again. At the downtown intersection, I went inside the local hardware store and purchased some stove fuel. I think I accidentally left my water bottle somewhere in there too

Random chicken in the hardware store 🙂

• Headed “sobo” on trail back the way I’d come to laundry. Got all clean clothes again and hung out there doing the majority of my electronics charging.

Such an amazing mural being painted on the side of the laundromat! I got to talk with the artists (C. Stanley  Creative) and found out they also did the one downtown that was unveiled during Trail Fest. I love that they’re bringing such bright colors and beautiful nature scenes into town!

• The last stop was across to a gas station to buy a new water bottle having misplaced my original 
• Boom, town tasks complete!

On the walk at 4:15 pm ish, I felt good about all I’d accomplished in my 4+ hour in and out. This was another nice resupply stop with both short road length coming in and out. And it kicked off with more of the very pleasant river walk. The trail and the lighting were absolutely top notch.

I was digging all the limestone features uncovered by the river channelling…

Really cool water fill up spot with limestone islands!

Tent spot that overlooked the river.

All was going swimmingly until out of nowhere… toothache! And not just a burst of pain that went away quickly; it stuck around keeping me up until midnight. For a while I was leaking tears like the Grinch when his heart grew three sizes. I popped ibuprofen and then some more. Eventually, around midnight, it did subside and I fell asleep, but that whole ordeal wasn’t delightful. Hoping it disappears tomorrow and never comes back!