WalkingBuddies.com

E-News for Florida Walkers

September 23, 2007

Hi Florida Walkers,

The Ocala Walk Derby is almost upon us! Jan Varnon, Mid-Florida Milers President, wrote to me about her group’s enjoyable walking weekend as they reviewed the trails that will be offered during the Ocala Walk Derby. I’ve included her report below. The four walks sound outstanding, so make plans today to attend the 3-club, 3-day walking extravaganza happening October 5-7. The event will be co-hosted by the Suncoast Sandpipers, the Mid-Florida Milers, and the Happy Wanderers. Details are listed below, with links to the event brochure.

Bob and I went to Ocala this weekend and with the help of six other intrepid folks pre-walked the WAF walks. Let me just tell you they were great walks and all four of them were very different.

The first walk we are doing on Friday night is a town walk. We started at Veterans Park in Ocala a very nice tribute to veterans of all the wars the US has participated in. After circling the park we headed out on Ft. King Street walking past lots of lovely old houses into downtown Ocala. They have several horses painted by local artists scattered around the downtown area. Then we walked around a nice lake where there were families fishing and feeding the ducks. Finally we walked back to the Veterans park through neighborhoods and past three cemeteries. A few hills but all in all a nice evening walk.

Saturday the first walk in the morning is on a section of the Cross Florida Greenway. This section is a wide paved trail that has two loops. There were lots of skaters (many pretty young), some bikers, and other walkers and runners. The second loop was a little hilly and had quite a lot of shade. We enjoyed ourselves very much.

The second walk scheduled for Saturday is in the Silver River State Park. It takes the walker through three loops (sort of). The first one takes the walker out to the Silver River via a wooded trail on sandy paths. The second loop goes through more swampy terrain to get also to the river, there is a nice boardwalk on this section. The third circles a sink hole after passing through the area of the park with picnic tables and a Cracker Village. The museum was definitely worth a stop and a great place to cool off after a warm afternoon of walking.

Our favorite walk was the one that we will do on Sunday morning. It is the Landbridge walk. Not only does this walk take you across the Landbridge that we have all seen from I-75 and wondered about, but it also goes through the hills and valleys created by the canal diggers. There are bike paths and horse trails and walking trails through this area. It took us three hours to do this walk but we enjoyed every minute of it. We really got a feel for “the Florida Wilderness” except that we could hear distant traffic in places and horse back riders talking. We walked back from the turn around point on a limestone “paved” road which gave us a better chance to observe birds and flowers and lots of butterflies. This fourth walk is a must do but all of them were very enjoyable and very different from each other.

If you haven’t already made plans to come to Ocala for the Walk Around Florida weekend please consider joining us for a day or the whole weekend. Bob and I think you will have a good time.

The Sunday before the Ocala Walk Derby, you can participate in another outstanding event!

On September 30, the Happy Wanderers will host a new event at Wickham Park Pavilion during the Volkstoberfest IX. Details are below!

Happy Trails,

Letty

Wickham Park Pavilion – Volkstoberfest IX

Sunday, September 30

Hosted by the Happy Wanderers

New Event!

Start address: 3865 N. Wickham Rd., Melbourne.

Time: Start any time between 9:00am & 12:00pm. Plan so you can finish by 3:00pm.

Trail: Natural & paved trails around the park and through the Volkstoberfest IX festivities.

The Volkstoberfest includes lots of classic cars and special events, unique vendors and crafts, and lots of fun & prizes.

Distance: 10K (6 miles); a 5K (3 miles) trail will also be available.

Cost: $3 for all walkers. Children under 12 not walking for credit can walk for free.

Directions: From the North travel Southbound on I-95 to Exit 191 (Wickham Road). Turn left onto Wickham Rd and drive east for 7.1 miles to the Wickham Park Main Pavilion at 3865 N. Wickham Rd (left side of road). Park in the Brevard Community College South parking lot which is adjacent to the North of the Main Pavilion. From the South travel Northbound on I-95 to Exit 183 (SR518). Turn right onto SR518 and drive east approximately 2.2. miles to 2nd traffic light. Turn left onto Wickham Rd and drive north for 2.8 miles to the Wickham Park Main Pavilion at 3865 N. Wickham Rd (right side of road). Park in the Brevard Community College South parking lot which is adjacent to the North of the Main Pavilion.

Contact: Marvin Stokes, marvst717@cfl.rr.com 386-788-4026 or 386-871-0506

Website: www.happywanderersfl.org

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WALK AROUND FLORIDA—WAF XVIII

Ocala Walk Derby

October 5-7 (Friday evening through Sunday Morning)

Hosted by the Happy Wanderers, the Mid-Florida Milers, and the Suncoast Sandpipers

View and print the Walk Around Florida brochure! Click on the links below:

Be sure to look at BOTH files! WAF Page 1 WAF Page 2

Start Location: The walk headquarters is the Comfort Suites of Ocala, 3825 NW Bonnie Heath Blvd., Ocala.

Time: The Derby walks will be held Friday evening (Oct. 5), Saturday morning and afternoon (Oct. 6), and Sunday morning (Oct. 7). See times for registration below. Walkers will drive from the hotel to the actual start points of the trails. Participants can register for all events at one time.

Registration: Participants can register for any or all of the events on Friday, 4:00-6:00 p.m., Saturday, 7.30-9:30 a.m. and 12:00-2:00 p.m. and Sunday 8:00-10:00 a.m. at the hotel meeting room.

Distance: All four events are 10K (6 miles); for each trail a 5K (3 miles) route will be available.

Cost: $3 per walk for all participants, whether credit or non-credit. The Award is $6.50 and includes the walk fee.

Trails: This is a four walk weekend on Columbus Day weekend. The events planned for the Ocala Walk Derby are a Friday evening walk (the Post Parade) which starts at the impressive Veterans Park and goes into the Ocala Historic District; two Saturday walks (the Daily Double), one on the Cross Florida Greenway and one at Silver River State Park; and one Sunday walk (the Photo Finish) on a different part of the Cross Florida Greenway.

Walk Derby Celebratory Dinner: Join the fun at the WAF Dinner on Saturday evening, October 6, at Felix’s, 917 Silver Springs Blvd. The cost will be $25 (paid at the restaurant) and includes options for soup or salad, entrée, dessert, coffee or tea, tax and tip. Any alcoholic beverages are extra. Entrée selections are: Chicken Piccata, Italian Sausage over Angel Hair, or Pecan Crusted Salmon.

RESERVATIONS FOR THE DINNER ARE A MUST. Call/email Alice 727-595-2173/pipers@tampabay.rr.com with entrée selection by Sep 30. Special note about the dinner at Felix’s on Saturday night:Those who have reserved dinner will pay at the restaurant, which will give separate checks. The individual checks will include the fee plus anything not included in the $25, e.g. alcoholic beverages. The $25 is not to be sent to the Sandpipers.

Accommodations: Comfort Suites has a limited number of room blocked for event participants. If interested, make reservations directly with the hotel, 352-482-0800, and ask for the Walk Around Florida group rate. The rate is $89.99 plus tax per night per room and includes a deluxe continental breakfast. The entire hotel is smoke-free.

Driving Directions to Walk Headquarters: Comfort Suites is located at 3825 NW Bonnie Heath Blvd., Ocala. it is about a block west (left from Wildwood) from exit 354 of I-75 (US 27). Coming from the east on FL 40, turn right at NE 14th St, 1.8 miles past FL 35. Follow it as it becomes US 27 and then crosses I-75 (6.3 miles). The hotel is one block past I-75 behind the Huckleberry Finn Restaurant. From Gainesville use exit 354 of I-75 (US 27) and turn west (right) to the hotel one block past I-75, behind the Huckleberry Finn Restaurant.

Award: The event award is the Derby Cup. The “cup” is a whiskey glass (for the mint julep of course), depicting a spirited horse, with inscriptions noting the event. The horse and inscriptions are dark green on clear glass. The cost including credit is $6.50. Awards are available on a 1st come basis from pre-registration.

Contact & Pre-registration: Participants must pre-register for the award and Saturday dinner. Use the form in the brochure to do so. Though you are encouraged to pre-register for the walks themselves, it is not required. Please contact Alice Lawrence (727) 595-2173/pipers@tampabay.rr.com.
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THE SAVANNAH BAKERS DOZEN—MAKE A DATE FOR 2008!

Now is the time to start planning to attend the Happy Wanderers biennial extravaganza, The Savannah Bakers Dozen—Make a Date for 2008! You can check out all the exciting details of the Savannah’s Baker Dozen at:

06-10-07 FINAL Savannah Brochure