An hour and half later of giggling and general craziness with this cutie, I put my shoes on and gathered my new mini backpack for my girlie walk at Flatwoods. Picked up a sleepy Tawny who had crawled home around 3:30am and managed to haul herself in my car at 7:10am.
We got to our meeting point and there was no sign of Kim. Called her quickly to confirm and she was on her way. The parking lot of this part of the park was almost full of speedy cyclists, roller blading freaks and iPod-packing joggers. Then there was us, the lone walkers.
Heat in the 80s and heavy humidity were in full-effect at 7:30am. We were hoping for the best. I've never been here before and the picture below is the beginning of the path.
Next two pictures are examples of the the Florida woods from afar.
My ankles took turns aching on our walk before we turned around the two-mile marker below. The pain worked itself out and didn't hurt the rest of the walk.
This was taken by a bridge. Think Spanish moss hanging around everywhere, humidity and some pesky bugs.
Sections of this park do flood. Here is a water gauge on Turtle Creek.
Our walk this morning wasn't about setting world goals, but just doing it. We ended up walking four miles which was one mile more than we anticipated. They don't have 1/2-mile markers on this 11 mile trail. The cyclists and the joggers were amiable and said hello as they passed you or warned you that they were approaching so you could move to the side of the road.
Park rangers in trucks drove up and down the grassy part of the path. Kim teased they were picking up bodies that had expired from the heat and exercise. It wasn't that funny later when we saw an ambulance at the beginning of the trail. This place is serious business. Keeping hydrated and being realistic about your own fitness level in the heat are key. My gals and I were prepared and made it.
Poor Tawny was feeling exhaustion and sleep's siren call. I was so grateful that she came anyway. It would've been easier and understandable for her to duck out. I treated her to breakfast before dropping her back home.
After a shower and some puttering around, I made my way to Brandon to give my uncle his Father's Day present one day early. When I got there, he was already home from playing a round of golf and had read the e-mail containing a special link I sent before I left the apartment. This was part of his Father's Day gift: Uncle Dave. He said that he really liked it and made him feel good. He should because it is all true!
I ran errands the rest of the late afternoon before collapsing from running around since dark-thirty this morning. I snoozed after dinner and woke up to watch a bit Saturday Night Live and thought about catching some Z's.
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