ACTIVITIES and EVENTS

May 13th, Saturday, 8:00 pm, - MOONLIGHT PADDLE ON JULINGTON CREEK:  We will be paddling on Julington Creek in the moonlight.  We’ll put our boats in the water around 8:00 PM at Clark’s Fish Camp and Seafood Restaurant, 12903 Hood Landing Road in Mandarin, 268-3474 and paddle for a couple of hours.  These are fun and different trips so plan on joining us.  Be sure to bring water, bug spray and a flashlight or headlamp.  There are no rentals so if you don’t have a boat let me know and I’ll try to make some arrangements for you.   I will also appreciate everyone that does have a boat that plans on going to contact me.  Leader: Earline V   998-4244 h 614-8629 c e.veltman(at)comcast.net.

May 20th, Saturday – OPEN and waiting for a fun activity.

May 21st, Sunday, 2:00 pm, - HIKING AT FT. CAROLINE NATIONAL MONUMENT:  Come join us hiking the trails, visiting the visitor’s center and learn about the history in the area and explore the fort. Wear comfortable shoes, bring bug spray and water. We will meet in the parking lot at Fort Caroline.  Leader: Bob H. 241-4341, cell 866-1375.

May 26th – 29th , Saturday thru Monday, CAMPING TRIP TO HIGH FALLS STATE PARK:  We will be spending Memorial Day weekend camping at beautiful High Falls State Park in Georgia. The park offers 112 campsites with electrical and water hookups (five comfort stations with hot showers are provided in the camping areas), individual picnic sites and group shelters, fishing and boating in the 650-acre High Falls Lake (private boats are permitted and fishing boats, canoes and pedal boats can be rented at the park office), a swimming pool that is open Memorial Day through Labor Day and about five miles of hiking and running trails. There will be a limited number of campsites reserved after that you will be on your own to make reservations. It is a three night min. at $22.00 a night (2 tents per site). Plan on bringing your boat, if you have one, hiking boots, camping gear and meals. Leader: Diane J. 821-6707. http://gastateparks.org/net/go/parks.aspx?locationid=31&siteid=5

June 2nd, Friday, 5:30 - ART WALK IN ST. AUGUSTINE:  Come wander through the streets of St. Augustine, browsing in art galleries, sipping on wine and nibbling on cheese. Leader: Marta W. 725-9521

June 3rd, Saturday, 10:00 am, - SNORKELING AT SALT SPRINGS:  We will snorkel and swim in the natural springs of Salt Springs. http://www.saltspringscampground.com . Bring mask and snorkel, fins if you want, dry clothes, chair, towel, sunscreen and water. Cost is $4.00 a person. Meet at the McDonald's on US 17 across from the Dog Track in beautiful downtown Orange Park. Leaders: Bob H. 241-4341, cell 866-1375, Denise R. hm. 241-4319, cell 463-0535.

June 4th, Sunday afternoon, 4:00 pm, - QUARTERLY PLANNING MEETING:  We will be planning activities for July, August and September at Forestry Tower Park. We will start the planning with a scavenger hunt in the neighborhood, do the planning and then picnic on all your favorite picnic food. If you want to participate in the scavenger hunt be there at 4:00, teams will be formed and clues given out. Bring your chair or blanket, if the weather is nice we can sit under the beautiful oak trees in the park. Bring a dish to share. Water, eating equipment and chicken will be provided. Bring your ideas for trips/activites. Forestry Tower Park is located at the corner of Forrest and Beach Blvd. near Sam Warehouse and next to the Catholic Church (10430 Beach Blvd.). Leader: Diane 821-6707.

June 7th, Wednesday 6:30 pm, MONTHLY MEETING:  We will meet at the Southeast Regional Public Library at Gate Parkway off of J. Turner Butler Blvd. for a report on last month’s events and highlights next month’s events.  All members and prospective members are invited to attend. At 5:00 pm, prior to the meeting, some members meet at Bono’s restaurant on Gate Parkway, for dinner. After the meeting, we move to a local Restaurant for socializing, coffee, dessert, late dinner or a snack.

June 10th, Saturday, 7:00 am, - HIKING AT BAYARD CONSERVATION AREA:  Join us for a moderate 3-4 hour hike from the John P. Hall Sr. Nature Preserve to a beautiful campsite on the St. Johns River. We will see mostly intact turpentine cups hanging from a cat faced stump from a after Civil War turpentine processing camp in the 1940’s. We will climb an observation tower to view wildlife. http://www.sjrwmd.com/programs/operations/land_mgmt/index.html  Bring hiking boots, water, sunscreen and snacks. We will meet at the McDonald's on US 17 across from the Dog Track Orange Park. Leader: Heike M. - 998-2312.

June 17th, Saturday, 10:00 AM - PICNIC AND PADDLE ON THE  LAKE IN INTERLACHEN: My friend Mary Kay has invited us to have a picnic and paddle at her lake house in Interlachen.  Bring your boat, fishing gear, yard games, etc. We will leave McDonalds on Park Ave.(US 17) in Orange Park across from the Dog track at 10:00 to caravan there.  Bring a dish to share and whatever you would like to cook on the grill.  We will have a fun day just hanging out at the lake.  It is quite a large lake so it will be fun to paddle and quite different than paddling on a river.  There is no place to swim, but we can sit on the dock and enjoy the view.  Be sure to bring sunscreen, plenty of water and anything else you would like to drink with your picnic.  Please let me know if you plan on attending. Earline V  998-4244 h 614-8629 c e.veltman(at)comcast.net

June 24th, 8:00, Saturday – CANOE/KAYAK THE ST. MARY’S RIVER (near Folkston, Georgia): This will be about a 14 miles, 4 and half hour paddle, all downstream, however some may be tidal. Canoes and kayaks can be rented for Canoe Country Outpost at US 1 and the St. Mary’s river, 866-845-4443. We will be shuttled to Thompkins Landing and paddle back to the outfitters. Bring water, snacks, lunch (chair, blanket to sit on), dry clothes. Leader: John T. 910-9417.

July 5th, Wednesday 6:30 pm, MONTHLY MEETING:  We will meet at the Southeast Regional Public Library at Gate Parkway off of J. Turner Butler Blvd. for a report on last month’s events and highlights next month’s events.  All members and prospective members are invited to attend. At 5:00 pm, prior to the meeting, some members meet at Bono’s restaurant on Gate Parkway, for dinner. After the meeting, we move to a local Restaurant for socializing, coffee, dessert, late dinner or a snack.
 

There are no long-range activities on the calendar at this time.

Additional information about these activities and events may be
announced at monthly meetings and on our YahooGroups Email list.

2006 Monthly Meeting Schedule
MONTHLY MEETINGS are always on the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m.
at the Jacksonville Public Library, Southeast Regional Branch, at the Gate Parkway exit off
J. Turner Butler Boulevard.  Subscribers to our free YahooGroups email list service
receive an automatic reminder message in their email two days before the meeting.

WEDNESDAY, June 7, 2006 – 6:30 PM
WEDNESDAY, July 5, 2006 – 6:30 PM
WEDNESDAY, August 2, 2006 – 6:30 PM
WEDNESDAY, September 6, 2006 – 6:30 PM
WEDNESDAY, October 4, 2006 – 6:30 PM
WEDNESDAY, November 1, 2006 – 6:30 PM
WEDNESDAY, December 6, 2006 – 6:30 PM

The SIDETRACKERS Newsletter
If you have any comments about the newsletter, or if you have material to submit for inclusion in the
next monthly newsletter, please send email to newsletter 'at' sidetrackers.com.

To Become a SIDETRACKERS Member
Membership applications are being accepted throughout the year.  Please visit our
Membership page on the web, or send questions and comments to membership 'at' sidetrackers.com.

The SIDETRACKERS Web Site
Our web site is maintained by Frank who can be reached by email at webmaster 'at' sidetrackers.com.  Please contact Frank if you have any corrections, photos, or other items of interest from any current activities. We will be pleased to consider your suggestions concerning the web site content.

In Case You Were Wondering...
Email addresses are slightly obscured with 'at' instead of '@' to foil automated spam robots.