New Year’s Eve weekend I was with 60 or 70 avid Florida Trail members at Doe Lake Campground in Ocala National Forest. The iced tea froze in my cup just outside my tent Friday night, but hikers are usually pretty good about coping with chilly weather and the atmosphere inside the lodge was warm and friendly.
Trail gurus, I should call them trail “angels”, Sandra and John, were married at this spot two years ago and were there again. After the nuptials, I was told, members raised canoe paddles to form an arch under which the new couple strode toward their admiring friends.
I wasn’t there for the celebration, so I created a little recollection for them. Friends held aloft my canoe paddle wrapped with a bouquet of poinsettias, here posted to sA special thanks to Rachael Augspurg for organizing this event. The spread was sumptuous. Rachael’s supervision was flawless and no one noticed the temperature dropping as they passed through the line and enjoyed their dinner. Keep this event in mind for next year.
