Good Friends, Bad Sandspurs, Warm Days, and Cool Nights: 2nd Summer's Last Gasp Hang

**chapmage** · 09-30-2013, 15:51

Great writeup and fantastic pics, thanks for sharing

**Duffy** · 09-30-2013, 16:08

Was great to meet ya Riddled and LittleRiddled! Hope to see ya'll down this way more often. We usually get pretty active in Fla in the cooler months.

**Riddled** · 09-30-2013, 16:14

Originally Posted by Duffy

Was great to meet ya Riddled and LittleRiddled! Hope to see ya'll down this way more often. We usually get pretty active in Fla in the cooler months.

Thanks duffy it was great meeting you and mightymouse as well. I do look forward to being active in these cooler months

**Grinder** · 09-30-2013, 17:37

Nice report, Flrider. thanks.

It was very nice to see a lot of the regulars and to meet some new hangars. If you weren't there, you were talked about anyways!!

I'm looking forward to a great winter season here in Florida.

**FLRider** · 09-30-2013, 17:42

Videos are up:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Hope you enjoy!

**FLRider** · 09-30-2013, 17:55

Originally Posted by SkunkApe

That sir, is a detailed trip report.

Thank you. I find that having an electronic copy of my memory is often more accurate than the wetware version. So...long trip reports. Besides, I enjoy chronicling this stuff!

It was great hiking with you!

Originally Posted by Duffy

We had a great time as always!! Thanks FLRider for putting this together. And thanks to everyone that was there, including those of you who were there only in spirit (OldDog!)! We made the mad-dash down to ONF from Jax as soon as we both got off work Saturday, and parked at Pat's Island in a pouring rain. Umbrella's were unfurled and strong language used, and everyday life forgotten as we trudged the sandhill prairies in the rain. FloridaHanger soon caught up with us, bearing gear we had dropped (thanks buddy!), and I knew we were bound to have a nice campfire despite wet wood. The rain quit before we made it to Hidden Pond, and a fine fire was built as hikers returned to camp from a hard day's walk. All were smiling though! Woke to the sound of coyotes howling Sunday morning, and after coffee took a dip in the pond. Walked around to visit everyone's camp - LifeScout and family had the MOST BEAUTIFUL spot! Lone pairs of pines at the edge of the woods overlooking miles of prairie...just magnificient. Had a very nice (warm) hike out, with old friends and new leapfrogging each other down the trail as we sought out little patches of shade for water breaks. All-in-all a wonderful way to end the summer and begin a new hiking/hanging season!!

I didn't do anything other than pick the dates and say, "Hey! Anyone wanna kill themselves hiking in with me?!" You all did the work, showing up and making things a great time!

Wonderful trip report, Duffy, and I agree that Life Scout and his family had the nicest spot there. Thanks for the beautiful photos!

Originally Posted by Floridahanger

Wonderful trip report, FLRider. Great Pics and I can't wait to see the video. Wish I had my camera too. I think we left Hidden pond before lunch, just after 11am and hit Pat's Island about 12:45 or so, but I could be wrong.

Great time and will have a short report later.

Thank you. I think you're right on the timing for the hike out; this is one of the reasons I try to get things down as soon as possible following an hike. I'll edit the trip report to reflect that.

It was great seeing you again!

Originally Posted by Riddled

Yeah I wish I didnt forget my camera too. Little riddled and I got lost on the way out. So that added to our time of leaving. We were the first gone and last out lol.

Sorry to hear that. Still, you made it okay. Glad to hear that the turkey vultures didn't get ya!

Originally Posted by chapmage

Great writeup and fantastic pics, thanks for sharing

Thank you!

Originally Posted by Grinder

Nice report, Flrider. thanks.

It was very nice to see a lot of the regulars and to meet some new hangars. If you weren't there, you were talked about anyways!!

I'm looking forward to a great winter season here in Florida.

Thank you. I think this is gonna be a good season, too.