General Participation Guidelines
Always sign up for an event by contacting the leader so you can be reached if there is a change or an event cancellation.  If you are not pre-registered you may be turned away at some events.

1. Trip Leaders make arrangements and may set limits on some trips
   and activities as needed.  Members and guests must respect these
   limits and the efforts of the Trip Leader.
    

2. Please be sure to sign up or contact the Trip Leader prior to participation.
   Unregistered members and guests may be unable to participate in certain
   activities and could miss out on BIG fun.

If you did not sign up for these events or activities at the last club meeting and would like to do so, please post a message to our YahooGroups list, send email to someone on our "Contacts" page, or call the leader directly.

EVERY TUESDAY at 5:45 PM - WALK THE DOWNTOWN BRIDGES:  Meet at the Chart House restaurant parking lot to be ready to walk a bridge "loop" at 5:45pm.  There is no need to call in advance.  Leader:  Judy M Home 398-2750

THURSDAY THRU SUNDAY – OCTOBER 21 – 24 – CAMPING AT FALL CREEK FALLS STATE PARK:  If you are interested, please call ASAP as sites fill quickly when the leaves change to their marvelous fall colors.  At this time, only 2 sites have been reserved.  When everyone has their site reserved, further details will be decided.  There is a restaurant in the park, but there will definitely be at least one group dinner.  It recently was featured in a national magazine, and it stirred excitement viewing the mountains and falls from the pages. There are 5 waterfalls within the park itself - one being one of the highest cascades east of the Rocky Mountains.  The place is about an hour from Chattanooga.  The country's 2nd largest caverns are located within an hour’s drive - if you choose.  There are miles of hiking trails as well as other activities within the park.  There is a restaurant on-site, but we will want to have some shared campsite meals.  The trip is longer than going to Providence Canyon, but shorter than going to the Keys.  For most of us, this is a new adventure locale. Let me know if you interested, and I will reserve sites.  Remember, campsites go quickly for fall foliage; and Fall Creek Falls State Park's publicity - being one of the top 5 parks in the southeast and the largest in Tennessee - will mean more people aware of its beauty and making plans to go this year.  The trip will be scheduled for October 21-24, 2004 (Thursday-Sunday).  Leader - Marta Winters  725-9521

SATURDAY OCTOBER 23 - 8:00am - BIRDS, BOTANY, AND BREAKFAST
Guana Tolomato Matanzas, Guana River Dam $10.00 a person includes a informative nature walk and breakfast.    http://www.gtmnerr.org/

SATURDAY OCTOBER 23 - 10 a.m. - noon - MAP & COMPASS INSTRUCTION
Westside Regional Park Nature Center 7000 Roosevelt Blvd.   Participants will learn how to find various compass directions, set up a course of travel on a map, find compass bearings on a map, and maintain a correct compass course. These new skills will be put to use by finding eight compass points in the park woods. Please bring a flat plastic/acrylic standard compass. Registration required by calling John Trow at 786-7788 or by e-mail Johntrow3 'at' Juno.com.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 23 - 8-10 p.m FIRST QUARTER MOON STARGAZING
K. A. Hanna Park Lot #8 500 Wonderwood Drive.  All stargazers and would-be astronomers are invited to join the members of the Northeast Florida Astronomical Society and their telescopes for an exploration of the night sky. Beginners to experts are welcome.  Click HERE for details on their web site.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 28 THRU MONDAY NOVEMBER 1ST – CRUISE - This exciting seafaring adventure will set sail from Port Jacksonville at 4:00 PM on Thursday, October 28. We’ll land the next day at noon in Freeport, Bahamas, where you’ll have your choice of kayaking, snorkeling, or touring the Garden of the Groves. That night at 7:00 PM, we’ll set sail for Nassau, Bahamas, where we land on Saturday at 7:00 AM and will be in port till midnight. In Nassau, you can snorkel at Paradise Island, go on a snorkeling Safari and Treasure Hunt at Pearl Island, or tour the Ardastra Gardens. Sunday at sea, we’ll have a ping-pong tournament on the outdoor Sports Deck that morning and water volleyball that afternoon. That evening, we’ll enjoy Halloween festivities aboard the Celebration, our Carnival Cruise Lines sailing ship. Monday morning at 8:00, we dock back in Jacksonville. The cost for the cruise starts at $379, per person, double occupancy. Shore excursions are extra. A $50 deposit is due by June 1 to hold your reservation, and the total balance is due August 15. We only have five cabins reserved for the moment; so if you’re interested, please let me know as soon as possible.  For more information, email GinaMaria at Jerome 'at' thewriteparts.com  or call her at 564.9070. To check out the cruise, visit http://www.aaasouth.com/home.asp or call Kelly Monroe at Ponte Vedra AAA Travel Agency, 280-8181 ext 224.  Please tell her you’re with Sidetrackers to get your discount.

WEDNESDAY – NOVEMBER 3RD – 7:00 PM - GENERAL MEETING – Meet at the Regency Square Branch Library, 9900 Regency Square Blvd. (east of Monument Rd.) to discuss the past events, future events and other information. All members, new members and prospective members are encouraged to attend.  We all have fun at these meeting and after the meeting, all are encouraged to go to a local Restaurant for socializing, coffee, dessert, late dinner or a snack.  Call the Membership chairman for additional information. Membership Chairman: Diane J - Home 821-6707

SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 6TH – 7:00 AM - PADDLE OKLAWAHA RIVER – This is a beautiful river winding through narrow waterways lined with gnarly cypress, swamp maples and sable palms.  The Ocklawaha River is wild enough to have bobcats, deer and black bears along its shore, otters swimming the channels and side creeks and wild turkeys strutting along the banks and roosting in the tall cypress.  It is home to more than 100  species of fish, 200 varieties of birds, and 300 different mammals.
It is spelled both Oklawaha or Ocklawaha.  My preference is without the "c."
We have discovered that the river sustained some damage from the hurricanes.  The area that we were going to put in, at WaySide Park on the Silver River on Highway 40 to Gores Landing has not been cleaned up and there is still a lot of debris on it.  So we will put in at Gores Landing and take out at the Oklawaha Outpost and Resort.  I have made arrangements for a shuttle for our boats, $25 for the first boat and $10 for every boat after that, so we will just combine the price and divide by the number of boats to shuttle.  There are rentals available.  $28 for a single touring kayak, $38 for a canoe or tandem touring kayak.  The trip is about 8 1/2 miles or approximately 4 1/2 hours and should be an easy paddle.
We will LEAVE Hardee's on Lane Avenue at 7:30 AM on Saturday, November 6th.  Be sure to bring plenty of water, bug spray, sun block, a change of clothes and your lunch.  We will have lunch on the river.
You can sign up for the trip at the general meeting at the Regency Library Wednesday, November 3rd at 7:00 PM.  Or, please let either me or Marta Winters know by Wednesday, November 3rd if you would like to go, if you need a partner or need to rent a boat.  We will make the arrangements.  See you either Wednesday or Saturday.
Leaders:  Earline V 904-998-4244 home or 904-614-8629 cell e.veltman 'at' comcast.net and Marta Winters 904-725-9512.

SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 13TH –  8:30 AM - HIKE GOLD HEAD STATE PARK - This will be a leisurely day hike and picnic lunch.  There will be a small entrance fee to the park.  Bring your picnic lunch, and plenty of water.  Meet at McDonald's on Roosevelt across from the Orange Park Dog Track.  Leader: Alex: 389-6555.

SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 20 – 5:30 AM – SUNRISE PADDLE ON GUANA – Meet at Guana Dam at 5:30 AM.  We will watch the sun come up over the dunes, then after the paddle, we will stop for a bite to eat.  There are no rentals available.  Call for partners if needed.  Directions:  JTB to A1A and go south to Guana Dam.  Leaders:  Ray and Sheila H  610-9400or 220-4480

SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 20th – 7:00 PM - HAYRIDE AT WEST SIDE STABLES
Horseshoe throwing; horseback riding; hayrides.  There will also be a bonfire -  SORRY no pig catching this time.  The last pig squealed on us so they’re on strike!  =;^)  Cost is $7.00 per person and $10 for 30-minute horse rides.    Bring something for yourself to cook on the grill, a covered dish to share, and your drinks. 
Westside Stables – off Normandy Blvd before Cecil Field.  3515 Alcoy Road. 
Click here for a map in:     Adobe PDF Format     JPG Format     TIF Format
Leader:  Kathy R – 745-9381

THURSDAY – NOVEMBER 25TH – THANKSGIVING

SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 27TH – 6:00 PM – JACKSONVILLE LIGHT PARADE – Watch the annual Jacksonville boat light parade.  Meet at 6:00 PM on the high deck behind the River City Brewing Company on the South bank.  This is a great viewing spot for the show.  There is no cost and if you need directions, call Leader:  Judy M 398-2750 home or 630-1212 x3897 work

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2004 – 7:00 PM – GENERAL MEETING  Meet at the Regency Square Branch Library, 9900 Regency Square Blvd. (east of Monument Rd.) to discuss the past events, future events and other information. All members, new members and prospective members are encouraged to attend.  We all have fun at these meeting and after the meeting, all are encouraged to go to a local Restaurant for socializing, coffee, dessert, late dinner or a snack.  Call the Membership chairman for additional information. Membership Chairman: Diane J - Home 821-6707

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY – DECEMBER 4TH AND 5TH – OVERNIGHT BACKPACK NEAR THE SUWANNEE RIVER – The details for this hike will be in the next newsletter.  Leader:  Marsha M 886-9709

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY – DECEMBER 11TH AND 12TH – SIDE TRACKERS 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY AT HANNA PARK – Katie D is planning an overnight extravaganza for the Sidetrackers 10th anniversary.  Plan on coming out and enjoying the fun.  More details in future newsletters.  Leader:  Katie D (904) 874-0163

SUNDAY – DECEMBER 19TH – 5:00 PM - LUMINARIES IN AVONDALE:  Walking tour of Christmas lights.  Dress for the weather, wear comfortable walking shoes and meet at European Street at Park and King Street (just past Walgreen’s).  Leader:  Nancy D 448-2708

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY (AND MAYBE EVEN SUNDAY) – DECEMBER 31ST AND JANUARY 1ST (AND MAYBE 2ND) SIDE TRACKERS ANNUAL NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY AT HANNA PARK – More details are coming soon!  Leaders:  Ray and Sheila H  610-9400or 220-4480