THE NEXT WEDNESDAY HIKE

THE NEXT WEDNESDAY HIKE

I was a little taken aback when Willy Woodpecker asked me why I was walking upside down. When I told him that it was he who was upside down, he laughed and stomped his feet to prove that he was rightside up. I stomped my feet but Willy just accused me of cheating, woodpeckers never trust people, look what they did to his grandfather Ivory Bill. In the end, we decided that there was no difference between up and down. After all, you put up a book by putting it down, you hang up a telephone by putting the handset down, it's the same thing! Willy asked, "if down is duck feathers, what's up?" When I said "nothing, what's up with you," he got right up and left. I left to write it down, or is that duck feathers?

APRIL 29, 2009 HIKE

Bad news, it's the last hike of the season! But it's a good one, actually two of them. We'll meet at the Sam's Discount Club parking lot on New Haven St. in Melbourne just East of I-95. We plan to start the hike on the Barrier Island trail which is the southern most one. The drive to the trailhead is only about 25 miles but will take at least 40 - 45 minutes to drive so if you want to meet at the trailhead, we will meet in the new EEL'S visitor center parking lot at about 9:15 or so. The center should be open then so we can walk through and check things out. From there, we take the boardwalk to Bonsteel Park, cross A1A and start the trail. It's only half a mile and ends right back at the visitor center. From there we drive North about 4 miles to the Maritime Hammock Trail just past the Mark's Landing Subdivision. This trail has been expanded from last year to about twice what it was, click on the map link below to see. It's a good addition so you'll want to check it out. After that, it has been suggested that we bring a picnic lunch and drive a few miles to the Ponce DeLeon Park and partake thereof, everyone is invited. If anyone wants to do the Coconut Point Trail after lunch, it awaits but it is very dry and sandy. Too much traffic on it could damage it.
GPS for meetingplace is N28 4.712', W80 41.815', for the trailhead is N27 54.189' W80 28.306'

The November 4 hike will be somewhere to be determined.

There is more information on the South Beach Trails at:
http://www.eelbrevard.com/eel/ep_recreation.php

Mick Karolick is leading a trail maintenance hike at Bull Creek WMA on Saturday, May 2. Meet at Sam's Club on New Haven Ave in Melbourne at 7:30 AM.

Lisa Myers is leading a hike at Micco Scrub on Sunday, May 3. Meet at the BB&T Bank on Babcock St. and Malabar Rd at 7:30.

The trail directions site is:
http://www.geocities.com/jimescoffier/directions.html

A map of this weeks hike is at:
http://www.geocities.com/jimescoffier/map.html

This message is repeated at:
http://www.geocities.com/jimescoffier/message.html

DIRECTIONS TO SOUTH BEACHES TRAILS

From Sams Discount Club in Melbourne at hwy 192 near I-95, take 192 East through Melbourne to hwy A1A. Turn right on A1A and drive south 6.1 miles. Look for a kiosk on the West side of the road at the Coconut Point trailhead across the Highway from the Ponce de Leon Park. The trail is 0.75 miles long and terminates on Hwy A1A at the 6.3 mile mark. The second trail is 10.2 miles from the 192 - A1A junction, on the West side of the road and is named Maritime Hammock Trail. It is a two mile loop ending as before on A1A at the 10.4 mile point.The Barrier Island trail starts across the highway from Bonsteel Park at the fourteen mile point from 192. It is a 0.5 mile loop to the river around and back to A1A across from the new EEL'S Visitor Center. The palmetto scrub visible from the highway quickly gives way to spectacular tropical forest on all three trails. Good everythinging!
GPS for meetingplace is N28 4.712', W80 41.815', for the trailhead is N27 54.189' W80 28.306'

LINKS

Hike Schedule
Hike directions
This weeks map
Florida Trail Assoc.
Florida Trail Local Newsletter
Out in the Boonies
Titusville Hiking Trails
Space Coast Hiking
Environmentally Endangered Lands Program
Florida Native Plant Soc.
Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary
Plant Photography by Shirley Denton
North American Butterfly Assn.
Space Coast Paddlers
Moth Photographers Group
St Johns River Water Management Dist.
Watershed Action Volunteers
Bug Guide
Keep Brevard Beautiful
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Any questions, e-mail Jim Escoffier

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