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December 31st and January 1st, Saturday and Sunday: CAMPING AND POT LUCK
DINNER FOR NEW YEARS EVE AT GOLDHEAD STATE PARK:
Want to stay
off the streets New Year’s Eve? Come camp and eat with fellow Sidetrackers
and celebrate the start of the New Year. I have reserved a group site which
has shared access to water, an outside cold water
shower and restroom with flushing toilets. Electricity is not available.
Picnic tables and a ground fire ring are provided. Each group of the three
sites will accommodate 25 people. Come down early Saturday afternoon and we
will hike part of the Florida Trail and explore the park. Dinner will be at
7:00, bring a dish to share whether you make it yourself or pick something
up. The club will supply the meat so we will need desserts, starches (rice,
potatoes, pasta) or vegetables. We will share stories of the past year and
goals we want for the new year around the campfire. So if you find some
firewood bring it. The gate locks at sundown. Camping will cost you $5.00 a
person.
http://floridastateparks.org/mikeroess/default.cfm
Leader: Diane J.
904-821-6707.
jarrield@gmail.com
January 4,
Wednesday, 6:30pm: MONTHLY MEETING
is being held at
the Southeast Regional Library near the intersection of J T Butler Blvd
and Gate Pkwy west of Shula’s.
January 6, Friday, 5:30/6:00pm: ST. AUGUSTINE ART WALK AND CHRISTMAS
LIGHTS. This is
the monthly first Friday event where you stroll from gallery to gallery
viewing art - the art varies so that there is always some for everyone's
taste. Good exercise and refreshments along the way. Last year, this amazing
city was named by AAA to be one of the 12 top places to spend the holidays.
The walk is from 5 to 9; however, most of you work -- so, we will meet at
the Winery on Kings Street at 5:30 -- if you cannot be there at that time,
we will meet you outside Rembrandt's at 6:00 (just let us know) which is
just down the street from the Winery. The lights will still be lit for a
last hoorah to the 2011 Christmas celebration. Leader: Marta W. 904 635
7170.
http://artgalleriesofstaugustine.com/firstfridayartwalks.html.
January 8, Sunday, 2:00pm – HIKE AT DUTTON ISLAND PRESERVE
- this is part of a
Jacksonville Preservation Project discovery series. We will meet at the park
and do an easy hike on the nature trail for some fresh air and exercise.
Dutton Island Park and Preserve is a pristine salt marsh ecosystem that
offers visitors exceptional wildlife viewing and awesome outdoor water
opportunities. Enjoy the marsh observation viewing deck and the scenic
nature trail where sites may include wading birds and a variety of native
reptiles, along with palmettos and marshland habitat. The park is located
off Atlantic Blvd. Take Mayport road north to Dutton Island Rd, turn west to
Dutton Drive on right. This is the entrance to the park. We will meet in the
parking lot and hike the trail and discover the area's wildlife. Bring
water and dress for the weather. We might decide to enjoy an early dinner
together afterwards if there is an interest. Contact leader if attending.
Leader - Paula S. 904-400-6699.
http://coab.us/index.aspx?NID=163
January 14, Saturday:
9:00AM INDOOR ROCK CLIMBING. Ever climb a rock, or a wall? Here is
your chance to meet with a group of people who are going to give it a try.
We will meet at the indoor rock climbing gym at The Edge Rock Gym located at
3563 Philips Highway, Suite 702, Jacksonville, FL 32207 (904-683-2512)
Orientation and getting geared up will be first on the agenda beginning
about 9:15. Time frame we have scheduled as a group is from 9:30-11:30AM
If we have 15+ individuals signed up, the cost will be $12 per person,
otherwise, $15 per person. This includes all gear that they will provide.
There are a few snacks and a coke machine available on site. Attire:
Suggested as ‘yoga’ type, including tennis shoes, no cargo pants/shorts.
Climbing shoes are helpful and can be rented for $4.00. For additional
information, please view their web page at:
www.theedgerockgym.com (904-683-2512)
Leader: Steve D.
904.262.7991, 561.602.8613 (C),
ste_dor ‘at’ bellsouth.net.
January 21, Saturday,
MOUNTAIN BIKING AT FORT CLINCH STATE PARK.
Fort Clinch offers a six mile trail for hikers and off road bicyclists.
Traffic is one way for bikers and helmets are required. Hikers may travel in
either direction. The trail begins at the fort parking lot and parallels the
park drive for approximately three miles, then crosses the road and returns
back toward the fort on the opposite side. Parts of the trail are heavily
forested and traverse ancient dunes that are very steep, offering a
challenge to off road bicyclists and hikers as well. Hiking along the
beaches of the Cumberland Sound, one can stand on the northernmost reaches
of Florida and look over to Cumberland Island National Seashore where wild
horses sometimes roam the beaches there. Some of the largest dunes in the
state loom over this section of coast, where rugged windblown oaks and
gnarled cedar trees anchor the sands in steep inclines.
http://www.floridastateparks.org/fortclinch/default.cfm
Admission Fees: $6.00 per vehicle (Limit 2-8 people per vehicle), $4.00
Single Occupant Vehicles, $2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers,
passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass, $2.00
per person Fort admission.
Meet at Hardees on Merrill Rd. at 8:45 AM. Take 9A North or Southside Blvd
Connector North and exit at Merrill Rd. Proceed East and Hardees is
immediately on your left. At 9:15 AM, we will car-pool and caravan
approximately 35 miles to the Fernandina Beach main parking area and ride
our bikes into Fort Clinch. Bring sunscreen, bug spray and plenty of water
for the ride.
If you live in north Jax or in GA. you can meet the Trip Leader at the
Fernandina Beach main parking area at 9:50 AM. Take I-95 to the Fernandina
Beach/Callahan exit (Milepost Exit 373 - Old Exit 129), and stay to the
right. You will then be traveling east on A1A. (This road becomes 8th Street
within the town limits of Fernandina.) Stay on this road, (A1A), for 16
miles until you come to the intersection of 8th Street and Atlantic Avenue.
Turn right on Atlantic Avenue and go about two miles, Fort Clinch State Park
will be on the left. Go past Fort Clinch, turn LEFT at the light and park
near the skate park.
After the ride, join us for lunch at the beach and/or stroll Downtown
Fernandina. It has two great antique shops, a Fudge Factory and small unique
shops.
(For those that do not want to mountain bike, there are hiking trails and a
paved road for road bikes and walkers. There is also access to the beach
from Fort Clinch. It isn't the best place to swim but it has a long pier and
it is great for hunting seashells.)
Leader: Angie M. 904.553.9499 (c), mercerangie ‘at’ hotmail.com. Assistant
Leader -- carpool from Hardees to Fernandina Beach: Steve D. 904.262.7991,
561.602.8613 (C), ste_dor ‘at’ bellsouth.net.
January 22,
Sunday, 9:30 AM: PADDLING AT DUTTON ISLAND:
Immerse yourselves in a journey of exploration and solace in the protected
and marked canoe trails of Dutton Island. Paddle along and through a
meandering salt marsh creek teeming with wildlife such as roseate
spoonbills, fish eagles, herons, egrets, and schools of shrimp skipping
across the water, perhaps a manatee and much, much more… It is an easy
paddle and a great place to try kayaking for the first time. We will paddle
from 10 AM (high tide) till noon.
Kayak or
canoe rentals are available from
Nautical
Escapes -- $25 for a kayak or $35 for double kayaks and canoes.
Boat reservations must be made in advance by calling Nautical
Escapes at (904) 568-0284 (before noon on Saturday January 21). They will
deliver and pickup kayaks or canoes at their launch spot on Dutton Island.
The rentals include seats, paddles, life jackets, and laminated trail map w/
suggested itinerary based on the tide.
Paddling Guide
We will meet
at 9:30 AM at Dutton Island
Preserve. From Atlantic Blvd, head north on Mayport Road, turn left on
Dutton Island Rd and follow road to the kayak/canoe launch site parking lot
(near the Nautical Escapes pavilion). Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and
bug spray. Leaders: Al R. 706.338.1446 and Steve D. 561.602.8613
JANUARY 28, SATURDAY, WALK HISTORIC SAVANNAH, GA.
A day trip to tour the historical district and waterfront of Savannah will
begin by meeting at Hardee's on Merrill Road at 7:30am for an 8:00am departure.
The drive is only about two and a half hours. If you have never visited
Savannah, it is a must see; and if you have, you know that one never gets
enough of the city (like Charleston and St. Augustine.)
More details to follow at a later date. Trip Leader: Marta W.,
904-725-9521.
February 1,
Wednesday, 6:30PM: MONTHLY MEETING is being held at the Southeast Regional Library near
the intersection of J T Butler Blvd and Gate Pkwy west of Shula’s
February 4, Saturday ROPES AND ZIP
LINES AT ZOOMAIR ADVENTURE PARK IN SANFORD, FL:
Come join us for an amazing adventure high up in the trees in Central
Florida! This adventure park consists of several courses of "games" played
on variously-configured cable walkways suspended between large trees. The
courses feature several zip lines and are great fun. You will be outfitted
with safety equipment, a harness, zip line trolley, protective gloves, and
will go through a 15-minute "ground school" safety briefing before you head
up into the trees. This is a safe and minimally-supervised above-ground
adventure. After successfully completing the Upland course you will be
allowed to tackle the "big zips" and head out and back to complete the
Rainforest course which is higher off the ground than the Upland course.
Altogether there are 60+ "games" between the trees and eight zips including
two very long zips. This trip offers amazing fun for all, including those
afraid of heights who can stay on the ground and enjoy beautiful picnic
areas, or can visit the Central Florida (Sanford) Zoo.
Meet at the
McDonalds at Philips Highway and I-95 at 7:30am for our carpool and the
1-hour and 20-minute drive to Sanford. Bring a water bottle with clip,
camera, sturdy hiking or similar closed-toe shoes, and a bandana to wipe
your brow on the course. Bring snacks in an ice chest which we will leave in
our cars or at a picnic table if someone in our group chooses to remain on
the ground, or you may purchase water and snacks at the very limited onsite
snack bar. Cost is $26 for the Upland course, $46 for both Upland and
Rainforest courses. There may be discounts if our group size reaches 15, and
there may be a package deal for both courses if purchased at the start of
the day. Total time to complete both courses is approximately 3 to 4 hours
depending on breaks, and we will take a quick snack and water break between
courses. There is a 54" minimum height requirement for the adult courses and
an approximate 275-pound weight limit - maximum waist size for harnesses is
48"; maximum thigh size is 26".
After we complete the courses, around 1pm or so, those who wish to stay may
enjoy lunch at the nearby #2-rated German restaurant in the US - The Willow
Tree Cafe in Sanford - for excellent German food and beer in the beautifully
restored historic downtown Sanford.
DUE TO THE POPULARITY OF THIS TRIP, TO AVOID OVERWHELMING THE VENUE, IT MAY BE
NECESSARY TO CLOSE RSVPs AND SIGN-UPS PRIOR TO THE EVENT. IF YOU REGISTER ON
OUR MEETUP.COM SITE, A STANDBY LIST WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE CREATED AND ANY
CANCELLATIONS WILL AUTOMATICALLY CAUSE THE "NEXT IN LINE" PERSON TO BE ADDED
TO THE TRIP. PLEASE SIGN UP EARLY!
Non-members, to save time on Saturday morning, please download, print and bring a signed and filled-out
liability waiver to the event. You can download the form at this link:
http://www.sidetrackers.com/Documents/Form-GuestWaiver.pdf.
Extra copies will be available on Saturday morning and are REQUIRED for
non-members and guests.
More info
including photos and video are at
http://zoomair.us/ and
http://willowtreecafe.com/
Leader: Frank N. 904 708 4607 mobile / fnosalek
'at' gmail.com
February 12,
Sunday 2:00PM: HIKE AT CEDAR POINT PRESERVE (formerly Pumpkin Hill
hike)
This is part of a Jacksonville Preservation Project discovery series. We
will meet at the park and do an moderate hike on one of the nature
trails. Wildlife is abundant and ranges from the threatened American
alligator to the endangered wood stork. Hikers can explore five miles of
multi-use trails that wind through the park's many different natural
communities.
Located off
I-95 or 9A, head east on Heckscher Drive for 1/4 mile. Turn north on New
Berlin Road, then east on Cedar Point Drive. This takes you straight to
the preserve.
We will meet in
the parking area and hike 3 to 4 miles of the trail depending on the
conditions. Bring water, appropriate shoes and dress for the weather. We
might decide to enjoy an early dinner or picnic together afterwards if
there is interest. Contact leader if attending. Leader - Paula S.
904-400-6699
More information:
http://www.nps.gov/timu/planyourvisit/directions_cedarpoint.htm
February 18,
Saturday 9:00AM:
PADDLE THE OKLAWAHA FROM RODMAN DAM TO US 19:
We will meet at McDonalds on 17 across from the Orange Park Dog Track. Be
ready to leave there at 9:00 AM. This is a fairly short paddle, but very
nice. There are no rentals for this trip. Contact me if you want to borrow a
boat and I will try to make that happen. Bring your lunch and we will sit on
the riverbank and eat. Bring lots of water also. Leader: Earline V. 904
614-8629 e.veltman (at) comcast.net
http://www.questforadventure.com/questforadventureepisode6.htm
February 25,
Saturday 10:00 AM: HIKE/NATUREWALK AT UNF NATURE TRAILS:
Sleep in a bit
and then come and join us for a pleasant hike at the UNF Nature Trails. Our
trail hike will proceed around Lake Oneida and then through pine Flatwoods
and the wetlands of the deep swamp. We should be able to view many of the
native plants wildlife associated with the habitat and a 500 year old
Grandfather Cypress tree. The total distance will be approx. 2.5 miles.
After the
hike, for those interested, we can stop by one of the fun eateries at nearby
St John's Town Center to have some lunch and to relax in the warmth of the
indoors.
You will want
to bring a bottle of water, appropriate hat and layered clothing for the
weather, and a bright friendly smile. Directions - take 9A and exit at UNF
Drive towards the UNF campus. We will meet and park at parking lot 100 which
is on the right and is next to the Eco-Adventure Outfitters Center and the
trail heads. Please signup on meetup.com or call me to advise you plan to
attend. Leader: Kim L. 645-5112; (904-610-5029 cell).http://www.unf.edu/recsports/nature/
March 3,
Saturday, 9:30am- JACKSONVILLE ARBORETUM AND GARDENS HIKE:
Come see this
nature preserve in East Arlington. Wear walking or hiking shoes and bring
water. For those interested, we will go somewhere and have lunch
afterwards. Cost: money for lunch. Meet at the Arboretum, 1445 Millcoe
Road, Jacksonville, FL 32225. Note the only way to reach the preserve is
from Monument Road (some online direction services incorrectly show Millcoe
Rd. connecting to Merrill/Ft. Caroline Rd.) From 9A, exit east on Monument
Rd. Turn left on Millcoe Rd. When the road curves to the left, turn right
into the Arboretum parking area. http://www.jacksonvillearboretum.org/
Leader: Paula S. 904-588-2707
http://www.jacksonvillearboretum.org
March 7,
Wednesday, 6:30pm: MONTHLY MEETING AND 7:30 PM PLANING MEETING. This
quarterly planning meeting is being held at the Southeast Regional
Library near the intersection of J T Butler Blvd and Gate Pkwy near Shula’s.
We
will be planning for April, May and June. It is the Club Members who come up
with the activities. Think about what you would like to do during the next
quarter and join us at the meeting. Non-members are welcome to attend.
March 8, Thursday ST. AUGUSTINE LIGHTHOUSE SUNRISE/SUNSET DETAILS TO FOLLOW
March 10, Saturday 8:30AM MOUNTAIN BIKING OR HIKING AT HANNA PARK.
Meeting Place/Time: Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, 500 Wonderwood
Drive, Jacksonville. Meet between 8:30 - 8:45 am at the parking lot just
inside the entrance. Beginner/intermediate ride begins at 9:00 am. Bring
sunscreen, bug spray and plenty of water for the ride. Brunch/lunch after
the ride. From beginners to advanced riders, more than 20 miles of bike
trails at Hanna Park offer something for everyone. "Long Trail" and "Back
40" give novices a place to try their off road skills. For the more
adventuresome and fit riders, "Grunt," "Misery," and "Tornado Alley" offer a
wild and wooly adventure through the trees. Helmets are required. Ride at
own risk. Link to Hanna Park Bike Trails and Hiking Map. Leader: Steve D.
904.262.7991, 561.602.8613 (c), ste_dor ‘at’ bellsouth.net.
March 17 or 18, Saturday or Sunday AIR BOAT RIDE/DETAILS TO FOLLOW (Sandra
V.)
March 24, Saturday HIKE DETAILS TO FOLLOW (Barbara)
March 31, Saturday PADDLE AT WEKIWA RIVER –DETAILS TO FOLLOW (Earline)
April 4, Wednesday,
6:30PM:
MONTHLY MEETING
is being held at the Southeast Regional Library near the intersection
of J T Butler Blvd and Gate Pkwy west of Shula’s
April 7, Saturday PONTOON BOAT RIDE –DETAILS TO FOLLOW (Ray & Sheila/Sandy
& Jeff)
April 20 - 22, Friday –Sunday CAMPING TRIP AT JOHNATHAN DICKINSON STATE PARK
Join Victor
and Marta for a weekend of kayaking, canoeing, wildlife hiking, mountain
bike riding and sightseeing. JD State Park is approximately 250 miles south
of Jacksonville or 12 miles south of Stuart, Fl. The journey will take
approximately 4- 41/2 hours.
We
have reserved 4 campsites on the river site by the Loxahatchee River. We
will meet Friday morning at 6:30am at t.he McDonalds on old St. Augustine
road just off I-95 south of I-295.
We will reserve up to 16
campers. Once we reach capacity, you will need to reserve your own camp
site. This park has many fun options, plus you can take a boat tour of the
river. You can bring your kayak/canoe, however, there is rental facility
available at the park as well as nearby kayak/canoe outfitters. The check in
for the park is 3pm and checkout on Sunday by 1pm. There are many other
attractions nearby such as Blowing Rocks Preserve, Busch Wildlife Sanctuary,
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum, J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area,
Loxahatchee River Center, Loggerhead Marine Life center and John D,
MacArthur Beach Park. Snorkeling is just a couple of 100 feet from the beach
to some of the reefs. Don't miss out on a great trip.
www.floridastateparks.org Call 561 746 1466 for additional park
details. The co-leaders are Victor Corrales, 904-517-2321 and Marta Winters
904-635-7170. |
