Under the Bridges (ECT Day 44)

• Hiked Today: 26.8 miles
  • The Florida Trail (654.7 – 658.1, 660.1 – 668, & 672.6 – 685)
  • Accidental Trespass Alt. (1.9 miles)
  • Yellow Trail Alt. (1.2 miles)
• Total Hiked: 897.5 miles
• Total Paddled: 99.5 miles

Weather: cloudy, rain starting around 11:30 am, some wind, 60-80°F

Holton Creek River Camp to Mill Creek North Campsite 

The last two mornings I turned off my alarm and kept sleeping. Exactly 7 minutes later, I awoke again and started getting ready. This is extremely rare for me. I kind of pride myself in my ability to just hear that beep and start rolling. Really I just don’t know any other way, It’s almost panicky, like boom, got to go. 

The trail continued to be scraggly and overgrown. Sick of dealing with it, when I saw a dirt road on my map that followed the trail’s same path, I veered off to take it instead. When there’s really just some flagging marking the trail and not much else, it didn’t seem worth it to tough it out. In that section of morning trail though, I did startle an armadillo/it scared the bejesus out of me, came across a group of about 10+ deer (I’d see a lot of deer today) and saw a raccoon climb up a giant oak.

These unidentified birds of prey weren’t happy I was around…

The Rain Cometh 

So, rewind a few days ago and my plan was to kayak about 50-miles of this Suwannee River section. I was really excited to get on the water again actually, but a day before I was to set sail I called the outfitter and cancelled that scheme. My reason for such a 180 degree change was I’d seen a big storm forecasted for today. The idea of being wet all day in the kayak seemed less pleasant somehow than being on land. And if there was lightning, that didn’t seem too great either. Alas, I’m hiking it and loving it!

A little before 9:00 am, I made it to the campsite I’d originally thought of getting to last night. It would’ve been a nice spot to hang for the night, out on a peninsula at the confluence of the Alapaha River and the Suwannee River. I had been eyeing it for a second breakfast stop and sit, but made a last minute change up to keep things moving. The storm was forecasted to start rolling through between 12:00-1:00 pm ish. Looking ahead, there was a store that apparently had an inside spot to hang with outlets and so I set out to make that, hoping I could shelter as it passed.

I should know better than to try and outrun the weather. I’ve tried before and it never works out. This time too, I was not speedy enough.

The rain started earlier than anticipated, around 11:30 am, and I was moving slower too. When I finally got to the bridge crossing over to the convenience store, I aborted the mission altogether. Apparently, I would have had to walk out of my way to hop on the bridge and the whole thing would be about a mile out of my way each way. That’s how petty/lazy I’ve become as a hiker haha. It might have been different, but I really didn’t need anything from the store at the time. Twas more of a want. This would hopefully let me get to camp at a better time too. Instead of going across for lunch, I stayed under the bridge, which worked out great. It was dry at least, even if not warm or with hot food and drinks. 

I took another break under this second bridge to get situated and get my tunes going before the last stretch.

Pushing Through the Rain

Before this Fall I’d never heard of Chappell Roan. At a Halloween thing I mistook my friends costume of her for Ariel in the Little Mermaid. Pretty embarrassing, but hey, despite my attempts to be hip with the younger generations, I’m just not haha. Anyways, at the Peace Center a few days ago, someone put the Pink Pony Club song and I was digging it. If any of the other songs on the album were like it, I’d be dancing up the trail! You may have noticed my album of the day ritual. I find on trail when I have the time, I like listening to full albums. Sometimes I do my playlists, but it’s fun to expand my musical horizons in different ways 😊

The music kept me grooving and I got to my intended site early, around 4:30 pm. I was thinking of moving on ahead, but had been out of  water for a few miles. After filtering some Suwannee River water and coming back up to the picnic table, the clouds looked dark. Quick decision made and I started setting up my tent using all the speedy skills I’ve developed over the past few years of backpacking. I had plenty of time turns out, but you never know with these things.

Once dry and organized inside my tent, the drops started, so chalk that up as another smart Stevie decision. Sheesh I’m on a roll. It’s never long before I make a dumb one though, so fingers crossed I keep the streak alive!

Album of the Day: “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023)” by Chappelle Roan

Song of the Day: “Under the Bridge (1991)” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Finished the Audiobook: “Black Snake: Standing Rock, the Dakota Access Pipeline, and Environmental Justice (2021)” by Katherine Wiltenburg Todrys

I mentioned this already, but the young folks  that led this movement to try and stop the Dakota Access Pipeline amaze me. This fight is ongoing. I believe the pipeline is currently operating illegally. Using both civil disobedience and legal avenues to stop the pipelines seems effective, but it’s an ongoing war, especially nowadays as there’s a push to invest more in fossil fuels rather than transition to sustainable energy sources.