Spring Break 2011 @ The Fort By TCD

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I accept your challenge.

But, I must warn you that I have already been awarded the (genuine cardboard) championship crown at the Meadow Trading Post.

Plus, in the unlikely event that I find myself falling behind, I know that all I have to do is point and shout "SQUIRREL!!!!" Then, I can rearrange the board.TCD

What can I say, glitter, squirrels, it doesn't take much :rofl2:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I will leave you hanging no longer.

In my last update, I had failed in my mission to re-trace the route of the FWRR.

So, it was time for Plan B.

It was almost 9 am.

And, the Bike Barn opens at 9 am.

I headed there to rent a canoe.

No big deal.

I've done it before.

And, as I have mentioned before, I earned my canoeing merit badge back in my scouting days.

I thought I would be the first one there when the Bike Barn opened.

But some eager beaver family was there renting canoes, too.

That could mess up my plan.

But it didn't.

So, here we are leaving the banks of the Fishin' hole. There's the Bike Barn:

And, there's the Meadow Trading Post:

This is the footbridge that goes from the 600 loop to the Campfire area. We were just on that bridge a few posts ago:

I love the authenticity of this bridge:

After crossing under the bridge, we are paddling by the 600 loop. It doesn't look so great from this perspective:

We have seen some beautiful photos of some of the waters around Fort Wilderness in this report. Now we are going to see a not-so-beautiful photo of some water:

And, here's one more:

Yuck.

And, I'm canoeing in that.

This is a shot of the back of some of the sites on the 500 loop:

Now we are at the bridge that carries road traffic from the 1400 loop to the 300 loop area. Check out the poor duck swimming in the slime:

You can see that insects are establishing residence under the bridge. I call these things dirt daubers, but I'm not sure if anyone else does:

I did not see my buddy Norm (a.k.a. The Troll) under the bridge here.

He must be staying somewhere else these days.

After passing under the big bridge, the canal looks much nicer:

This is one of the banks that you could get to by walking in from behind the dog park. I think it would be nice to wet a line here:

Just around a little bend, we come to the old supports from one of the train trestles from the FWRR:

That is one side.

And here's the other:

Just past the old trestle, things open up, and we can see the Dog Park from the water:

There are the adjacent volleyball court and playground:

We take another turn, and head out toward the big canal on the East side of the Fort:

Here is all that remains of a footbridge that used to cross the canal here:

As we turn the corner and head into the big canal, I snapped this photo to my left- this sign directs paddlers back to the Bike Barn (and there's another nice reflection):

I paddle up the canal a bit.

And, then I pull up to the shore, and exit the canoe.

I think this should be prohibited, but I did not see anything in the rental agreement that said I couldn't do this. So, i did it.

As you know, I am a very literal person. If there is a clear and unambiguous rule, I will follow it. But, that always leaves me with plenty of leeway at the Fort.

KWIM?

I walked through some more heavy brush, which was not as bad as the brush that had caused me to turn back.

I had been right here just about five or six weeks before.

Things were quite different now, though.

The rail, which I could see clearly then, was very hard to see.

You can see a bit of rail at the bottom center of this photo:

You can see a double rail at the bottom center of this photo, if you look past all of the vegetation:

We are not far from the big canal here, but the brush has grown up so much, you can barely see the canal:

Here are a couple of photos of the most open part of the rail I could find:

When I was here the previous month, you could stand here and see the rails. Now you can't:

You can see all of the new growth coming up through the stuff that died off over the winter. You see how high the dead stuff grew? That is how high this new stuff will get. Since these photos were taken back in March, I would guess that the new growth is already there:

I had wandered quite a bit from where I had pulled in, and for a while, I had trouble finding my canoe.

But then I did:

So, I made it to the rails after all.

But, I couldn't see anything.

And, everything had grown up so I couldn't see any of those nifty rusty nails I picked up the last time.

I guess I am not going to be back this way again until next February.

And, unless you like thorns, snakes, yellow flies and mosquitoes, I suggest that you wait until then too.

Let's see.

What's next?

Can you guess?

Well, I'll give you a clue . . .

I have to get back to the Bike Barn.

And, this may be my chance to take a look at that weird thing floating out in the Fishin' Hole.

TCD

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

You are quite the adventurer :banana: I have one question about the green water. Is it slime? I know you said it is but up here we get the same thing only it is duck grass. It looks gross but if you look at it closely you can see it is plant life. I have never canoed at the Fort but I just might give it a try. Lord help me if a squirrel comes by, I might never make it back :rofl2:

Now hurry up I need to know what the weird thing in the water is :banana:

[Lil Lisa 53]

Yay!! I'm in! Better late than never, right?

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I love the pictures from the Canal. Most of us wouldn't venture out to canoe so it's truly part of the Fort we'd never see. I am glad someone else answered your questions about the leprosy!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Yay!! I'm in! Better late than never, right?

I was late to this party too.

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

The green stuff is 'slime' aka algae. We had the same stuff behind us on the 500 loop during our May trip

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Well then all I can say is :barf:

This w3hat we have in our area, it doesn't take long for it to take over a pond over creek.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

You are quite the adventurer :banana: I have one question about the green water. Is it slime? I know you said it is but up here we get the same thing only it is duck grass. It looks gross but if you look at it closely you can see it is plant life. I have never canoed at the Fort but I just might give it a try. Lord help me if a squirrel comes by, I might never make it back :rofl2:

Now hurry up I need to know what the weird thing in the water is :banana:

Like Ed says below, I don't think it's duckweed- it's just slime.

Yay!! I'm in! Better late than never, right?

Of course!

Glad to see you here.

Where have you been?

I love the pictures from the Canal. Most of us wouldn't venture out to canoe so it's truly part of the Fort we'd never see. I am glad someone else answered your questions about the leprosy!

Not many people rent the canoes. They should. It's fun, and I know it was less than 10 bucks for me. They charge by the half hour. I was gone close to an hour, but if you stay in your canoe, you can cover the whole course in a half an hour, which I think will run you $8.

The green stuff is 'slime' aka algae. We had the same stuff behind us on the 500 loop during our May trip

Yep. That's the same slime. On this visit, it was only slimy in the canal between the 600 loop/campfire bridge and the big bridge between 1400/300. But sometimes, the Fishin' Hole gets slimy too.

Well then all I can say is :barf:

This w3hat we have in our area, it doesn't take long for it to take over a pond over creek.

I saw them doing some work on the canal by the 1400 loop, maybe they are doing something to improve the water flow to help clean it out. That duckweed does look like the slime in Floirda, but maybe not quite as thick.

TCD

[stefa70 205]

I can honestly say I have never rented a canoe either. I did do the marshmallow marsh when I was young, but not been in one since.

So who's game? I'll even pay and possibly help paddle! ;D

TCD, great job as usual, and I would definitely buy your Fort book! What are you waiting for?

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I can honestly say I have never rented a canoe either. I did do the marshmallow marsh when I was young, but not been in one since.

So who's game? I'll even pay and possibly help paddle! ;D

TCD, great job as usual, and I would definitely buy your Fort book! What are you waiting for?

I'm in, and if the guys don't wanna go we can do it together. Of course we will have to get a daiquiri when we finish :banana:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I can honestly say I have never rented a canoe either. I did do the marshmallow marsh when I was young, but not been in one since.

So who's game? I'll even pay and possibly help paddle! ;D

TCD, great job as usual, and I would definitely buy your Fort book! What are you waiting for?

I didn't know that you got to go on the Marshmallow Marsh excursion.

Lucky!

Wow, another customer for my book.

I guess that means I will sell at least two.

You are right; What am I waiting for?

I'm in, and if the guys don't wanna go we can do it together. Of course we will have to get a daiquiri when we finish :banana:

Sounds like trouble to me.

Should we pre-alert the Coast Guard?

TCD

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Sounds like trouble to me.

Should we pre-alert the Coast Guard?

TCD

Probably not a bad idea :rofl2:

[anolefan 8]

Here is all that remains of a footbridge that used to cross the canal here:

TCD

This is what I thought the overgrown tree limbs were in your Feb. report right?

Is that why you mentioned another bridge in your reply to my post?

You don't miss much if so.

Another great update!

You're going to give us another update before the day is through right?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Excuse me just a moment.

I must interrupt this Trip Report for an important announcement.

Is everyone listening?

There will be a three day intermission in this Trip Report.

I am sorry to do this.

But it is unavoidable.

I am going to be out of town for the next three days.

And will not have reliable computer access.

Don't freak out or anything.

I'll be back.

On Monday.

June 13th.

And then we will get this thing back on track.

I don't even thing we are halfway there yet.

While you wait for this one to crank back up, I have a few suggestions for you.

First, my friend anolefan wants to have over a thousand viewers of his trip report.

It is a good one.

If you haven't read it, here's a link:

anolefan's Charleston, SC TR

Help the man out and read his report. Try it you'll like it.

And, if you still want to read more after that, here are links to the three previous TCD TR's here on FF.net:

TCD I

TCD II (this one has not been read enough- it is short but is has some good photos and discussion in it).

TCD III

I apologize for any inconvenience.

If you get really bored, hijack this thread. I'll get it back on track when I get back.

I hope.

TCD

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Permission to hijack, ya like we need pemission :rofl2:

[stefa70 205]

Say it isn't so!!! 3 days?!?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Say it isn't so!!! 3 days?!?

Hey!

I said don't freak out.

I'll be back.

You'll be fine.

Take your boat out or something and have a fun weekend.

TCD

[stefa70 205]

Wow, you do pay attention don't you! :raspberry:

Actually, we're doing a water test on Saturday. If we buy it, can't pick it up until Tuesday.

But I will find something to do, even if it gets me in trouble! :laugh:

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

By then we will be settled in our new home for the week and I'll be ready to read. This forced break will allow me to stay caught up for once....

Hey... you aren't going back to FW are you?

I've still got 17months...... :'(

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

3 days for TCD to take a break. Maybe that will give me time to work on a couple of items I've been thinking of ...

[Lil Lisa 53]

...Where have you been?

Workin...I'm trying out that entrepreneur type stuff, so after work I work full time on my 'retirement plan'.

Excuse me just a moment.

I must interrupt this Trip Report for an important announcement.

Is everyone listening?

There will be a three day intermission in this Trip Report.

I am sorry to do this.

But it is unavoidable.

I am going to be out of town for the next three days.

And will not have reliable computer access.

Don't freak out or anything.

I'll be back.

On Monday.

June 13th.

And then we will get this thing back on track.

I don't even thing we are halfway there yet.

While you wait for this one to crank back up, I have a few suggestions for you.

First, my friend anolefan wants to have over a thousand viewers of his trip report.

It is a good one.

If you haven't read it, here's a link:

anolefan's Charleston, SC TR

Help the man out and read his report. Try it you'll like it.

And, if you still want to read more after that, here are links to the three previous TCD TR's here on FF.net:

TCD I

TCD II (this one has not been read enough- it is short but is has some good photos and discussion in it).

TCD III

I apologize for any inconvenience.

If you get really bored, hijack this thread. I'll get it back on track when I get back.

I hope.

TCD

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! I just got here! That is the story of my life, man... I get to the party and suddenly the party is over. :'(

[Lou... 3,118]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! I just got here! That is the story of my life, man... I get to the party and suddenly the party is over. :'(

Well, now that you're here anyways, maybe we can keep you here until TCD returns.

[mgsmom 9]

Anybody want to play cards?

[LORNADUCK 261]

Wow, you do pay attention don't you! :raspberry:

Actually, we're doing a water test on Saturday. If we buy it, can't pick it up until Tuesday.

But I will find something to do, even if it gets me in trouble! :laugh:

Where did I miss this? you are getting a new boat? just in time for crystal river? I'm jealous they still haven't fixed ours and I would love to go up to the river to use it.

What kind of boat and btw good luck with it if you get it.