Journal - Woman on Her Way

Savannah, Georgia

We arrived in Savannah early last night and checked into a hotel in the historic part of town. It was a short walk down steep, uneven steps to West River Street, which borders the Savannah River and offers many choices for food and drink. We supped at Dub’s Bar; I tried crab cakes, which many eateries claim to have the best, and was happy with my meal choice. Dennis had a terrific pulled pork sandwich.

Historic Steps to W. River Street — Historic steps to W. River St.

On our way back to the hotel, we spotted the iconic power plant’s tall, illuminated twin smokestacks. The original 1912 power plant has been restored and repurposed for hotel rooms, restaurants, lounges, and meeting spaces

The following morning, we took the ”Savannah for Morons” comedy trolley tour. It was hilarious and informative, though the acoustics could have been better. The tour guides used music, costumes, and gymnastics to entertain us.

Historic Savannah is about two miles square, roughly corresponding to the pre-Civil War city limits. Within this district are 22 squares (parks), of which I visited about half, and a plethora of tourist attractions and eateries. Since drinking is legal here, many tourists and Savannahians walk around with open containers, yet the streets are pristine of litter.

I walked along the river and then through half of the squares. The blue-bird sky was spotted with clouds, and the air was in the 70s, perfect for my 10-mile walk. Afterward, we ate outdoors, where I tried cheesy grits, which I liked after seasoning with fresh ground pepper and salt.

Old Town Trolley Tours of Savannah — Old Savannah Trolley Tour

That night, we went on a Ghost and Graveyard walking tour. The narrator was very informative, not only about the ghostly topic but also about the history of Savannah. According to him, people walk over the bones of 20,000 corpses buried under sidewalks and streets in unmarked graves. He regaled us with stories of murdered people or those who died suspiciously, about battles and the yellow fever epidemic. Among the haunted houses, we visited The Pink House, now a high-in-demand restaurant, The Mercer Williams House, the Foley House, the 432 Abercorn Street House, The Davenport House, The Marshall House, and more. Our guide, Dan, was very knowledgeable and encouraged the audience to ask questions.

Marshall House Savannah Georgia — Marshall House Savannah, Georgia

Savannah surprised me with progressiveness, tolerance, and friendliness, which are uncommon in the South. There is much to do and explore in Savannah; I recommend at least a two-day visit.

Nathan Benderson Park

For our last walk in 2020, we chose Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, FL. This is a 3.5-mile circular path around a man-made 400-acre lake which was initially excavated during the construction of the highway and later enhanced for sprint rowing and regatta games. We usually prefer hiking in natural settings but the overcast and windy weather was perfect for today’s open walk.

The signage is poor and there are no maps. Not knowing which was the better way around the loop, we headed for the observation tower and from there started walking south. The path is wide enough for bidirectional traffic and social distancing.

There is a pebbled path that runs parallel to the paved one. On the west side, it is often under trees and would provide sun coverage. Since I was wearing sandals, I decided to stay on the tarmac. On this side there are bathrooms, but not on the other.

I am glad we went on a weekday because there were only a few bicyclists and joggers on the path. There were many more walkers. I was disappointed to only see a few fishermen and no one on the water.

Siesta Key Beach to Point of Rocks

Hiking along Siesta Key Beach is one of our favorite local places to walk. Siesta Key is an eight-mile-long island that is accessible by two bridges from the mainland. On the Key, there are three beaches: Siesta Key Beach, with adjacent Crescent Beach, and further south Turtle Beach.

We accessed the beach from the pavilion where there are bathrooms, dressing rooms, food, picnic areas, a playground, and volleyball courts. We used the yellow lifeguard stand as our reference point and headed south toward Crescent Beach and Point of Rocks, about two miles south.

Yellow Lifeguard Chair near pavilion entrance to beach

Siesta Key has fine white quartz sand. Walking on it is like walking on cornstarch—soft, smooth, and cool. As we approach Crescent beach the sand becomes grainier with shells and we are thankful for our sandals.

Siesta Key Beach birds — Various aquatic birds sharing the beach

Crescent Beach ends at Point of Rocks, a rocky area with a tide wall. At low tide, you can see various forms of marine life in the clear water, making it a fun place to snorkel.

The four-mile round trip walk took us about 1-1/2 hours. I recommend this hike at sunrise, sunset, or on cloudy days. Otherwise, it can be very warm and crowded.

John Ringling Causeway Bridge

John Ringling Causeway, aka, the Ringling Bridge is named after John Ringling of the Ringling Brothers Circus. It spans across Sarasota Bay and provides stunning panoramic vistas of Sarasota and the keys.

Though the 65-foot tall bridge extends from Sarasota Bay to St. Armands Circle (about 2.6 miles), we only walked the first portion to Bird Key Park and back for a roundtrip hike of 4.25 miles.

We parked at the Bayfront grateful for the cloud cover. On hot sunny days the bridge walk can be scorching, the only shade provided by the turnaround tunnel at Bird Key. We passed the controversial stature Unconditional Surrender. City residents are divided on whether the “kissing statue” should remain in the Marina.

Approaching Ringling Bridge from Cedar Point

On the approach to the bridge, we passed Cedar Point, which was home to Sarasota’s first jail. Because of the beautiful sunsets from the location, it became known as “Sunset Park.” With the intentions of building a causeway to connect mainland Sarasota with the keys, John Ringling purchased property on Cedar Point.

Though the vistas from the bridge are spectacular, this is not an ideal hike. The traffic makes it too noisy and the diesel-fueled trucks make it smelly. Additionally, there are no facilities.

At the Eloise Werlin Park, located on the eastern base of the John Ringling Causeway Bridge, there is a walkway under the bridge that provides access to the opposite side of the bridge. There is such a turnaround at the other end of the bridge at Bird Key Park.

At Bird Key Park, there are picnic tables, benches for watching the wildlife and bird watching, and a canoe launch. There is also a whimsical bike sculpture. I wonder if it is one of “Dr. Nik‘s” who has more than 36 decorated bikes around Sarasota.

Jelks Preserve

To calm my post-election tenterhooks while awaiting the outcome, Dennis and I sought refuge in the Jelks Preserve near Venice, FL. There the cool breeze, the buzzing of insects, and the sun reflecting on the river chop helped calm my spirits. I suggest downloading the map and following the markers 1 to 19 around the 3.7-mile loop. With the side trips to view the Myakka River and with having to backtrack a bit to avoid a swampy area, we walked 5.5 miles in the preserve.

The path is enticing and the first half is shaded. Live Oaks and Slash Pines dominate the tree canopy.

The trail is easy to walk, mostly sand with patches of pine needles, wiregrass, wildflowers, or ground cover. Wild boar have dug up large areas making it difficult to walk, but passable. Though we did not see the pigs, we did see deer on two occasions.

Jelks Preserve Boar Tillings — Boar Tilling

In two different areas we spotted unused boar cages. From the trail damage, it does seems apparently that they have not be recently used.

There are three opportunities to see the Myakka River: at marker 2, 4, and 6. At the first river sighting, I could feel the stress leave me. I was so glad we came. Marker 6 had a picnic table, so we picnicked there.

Jelks Preserve river view near marker 2 — Myakka seen from Mark 2 (Left) and Marker 4 (right)

Jelks Preserve River View Marker 4 — Myakka seen from Mark 2 (Left) and Marker 4 (right)

The path was muddy in places but planks or bridges made them easy to cross, though I was glad for my poles.

Jelks Preserve Bridge Crossing — Bridge Crossing

Unfortunately, there was no way to cross the swamp between Markers 12 and 13. We backtracked to Marker 9 and made our way to Marker 14.

Jelks Preserve Impassable Swamp — Impassable Swamp

We spent about three hours at Jelks Preserve. without meeting people other than those leaving when we first arrived. With a few more hours we could have walked all eight-miles of trails.

Celery Fields

Before turning back the clocks this weekend, Dennis and I wanted to see the sunrise. Since Dennis is not one to rise early, getting him to agree to venture to the Celery Fields in Sarasota was more than unusual.

We arrived before sunrise. After summitting 85 feet to the third highest point in the county, we waited only momentarily for the sun’s greeting. As the orange globe rose quickly through the horizon’s wispy clouds, the birds started chirping. Nice way to start the day.

Unlike other local hiking spots, Celery Fields has ascents and descents and nice views of the water management from the top of Observation Hill. Hiking here is great practice for the more rigorous northern hikes.

Celery Fields Regional Stormwater facilty — Celery Fields Regional Stormwater Facility

This site, according to the info board, was once a lake used by mammoths and mastodons. Over time the lake became a large sawgrass wetland system. In the 1880s, it was drained for agriculture, especially celery. Remember FANCEE Celery? This is where it was grown.

In 1994 the county purchased the property to make drainage for times of heavy rain. The “hill” comes from soil that was excavated for demucking. Lime was added to deacidify the soil and return the farm into wetlands and a wildlife habitat attracting more than 200 species of birds. We saw 5 or 6 of the more common Florida wading birds: cormorant, anhinga, egret, ibis, and roseate spoonbill.

This dazzling plant makes a delicious jam and an excellent mosquito repellant. For recipes, click here and then scroll down. I’m thinking of planting it in our yard.

It is interesting to note that the drainage ditch behind our home is part of this treatment area. Each day, I check the water level and wildlife. It saddens me to see so much plastic junk and recyclable bottles make its way into the basin.

Stormwater facility map — Celery Regional Stormwater Facility and Philippi Creek Basin Treatment Area

Sleeping Turtles Preserve

Sleeping Turtles Preserve lies just west of T. Mabry Carlton, J. Memorial Reserve in Venice and about 20 miles from home. This 174-acre preserve is divided by the Border Road and contains in all about 5 miles of interconnecting hiking trails, including a single-track along the Myakka River.

To date, the northern side of the preserve is, for me, the most scenic local hiking experience. Several mowed and tree-covered paths intertwine to ensure several hours of walking.

Typical Path in the Sleeping Turtles Preserve North

It was interesting to note that in 2003, the Myakka River flooded to heights greater than Dennis. Note that this gauge stands up from the riverbank about 3-to-4 feet and is about 20 or 30 feet inland from the shore.

Myakka River flood levels in the Sleeping Turtles Preserve

Once we reached the northern limit of the preserve, we followed a single path along the riverbank. This was most scenic but unmarked. We were on guard for alligators sunning on the banks or near the edge of the water. At one point something large dove into the water. When nothing surfaced, we backed tracked, just to be on the safe side.

Single-track path near Myakka River in the Sleeping Turtles Preserve

There are plenty of benches and several covered picnic tables to provide resting areas. Today’s lunch was sardines or smoked herring, bread and butter, and olives.

After lunch, we hiked the southern portion of the preserve. Unlike the northern section, dogs are not allowed on these trails, but horses are. Since this side is not near the river, it is not a scenic. Also, since it is nearer to the highway, the the traffic noise detracted from enjoying nature’s tranquility.

The southern side also had fewer benches and the interconnecting trails could confuse someone without a map. Even though the maps at the entrance were not up-to-date, there are more trails than depicted, we managed not to get lost, thanks to Dennis’ good sense of direction.

Overall, we had a wonderful visit and I recommend hiking in the Sleeping Turtles Preserve, especially the northern portion. We will return to this picturesque local hiking spot.

T. Mabry Carlton Reserve

About 20 miles southeast of Sarasota, the T. Mabry Carlton Reserve is a wonderful midweek wilderness escape. The reserve has over 90 miles of trails and is nearly 40 square miles. We only hiked about 5 miles in the small black rectangle pictured below, following the red and then green trails.

Upon arrival, we hiked a short loop to the restrooms and picnic area. Luckily, Dennis notice this fellow before sitting on the loo. It is as big as his hand, measuring 4 or 5-inches

Spider found T. Mabry Carlton Reserve Men's Room — Spider found T. Mabry Carlton Reserve Men’s Room

Planning a 5- to 6-mile hike, we packed a lunch, carried 3 liters of water and a large bottle of Gatorade. Because the weather was predicted to be around 87° F and sunny, we carried our GoLite UV protection umbrellas, but we did not need to use them—a breeze helped cool us, though Dennis who does not tolerate the heat would have preferred it to be cooler.

Carlton Reserve Dennis Pack — Dennis with hiking umbrellas in backpack

This habitat is similar to that of other local reserves. There are scrub grasses, palmettos (some that might be as much as 10,000 years old according to the website), birds, game, insects, and an occasional tiger lily. We did not see large wildlife, though we did find deer tracks.

Deer Tracks at the T. Mabry Carlton Reserve

There were plenty of insects. Cicadas buzzed, grasshoppers clicked and clacked as they flew around us. There were numerous types of dragonflies and, of course, mosquitos near the boggy areas. Dennis spotted a 3-inch Florida Lubber Grasshopper. Good thing he did not try to pick it up. “When alarmed, lubbers will spread their wings, hiss and secrete foul-smelling froth from their spiracles. They can expel a fine spray of toxic chemicals for a distance of 15 cm,” the UF research states.

The Red Trail (3.0 miles) is mostly a mowed path, with a few muddy places. The Green trail (2.1 miles) had knee-high grasses and more difficult mud patches to cross. Heading south, we followed the Red Trail until it junctions to the Green Trail which we then followed back to the picnic area. After lunch and a nap for Dennis, we headed north on the Red Trail and returned on the other end of the Green trail, thus completing the two loops.

We returned home hot but mellowed. It is refreshing to get away from the noise and worries and spend time out in nature. There are many other trails to hike in the T. Mabry Carlton Reserve. I am sure we will be checking them out.

Rothenbach Park

About 10 miles from our house is a waste management landfill that was converted into Rothenbach Park. This community park at the end of Bee Ridge Road has about five miles of paved trails, playgrounds, and picnic areas. Since this old landfill is the highest point of the county, about 90 feet above sea level, we were sure our legs would get a workout.

We decided to explore the 2.75 mile Hammer Loop trail. After stopping at the pavilion to put on sunscreen, we proceeded north (turning left) on the loop so we would have the wind to our back. This meant that we were in the sunshine for about a mile before reaching tree cover. A junior high school track team paced by heading in the opposite direction and, since it was after 4 PM and approaching 90° F, they appeared red-faced and winded.

Rothenbach tree-covered path — Tree-covered path

Once we were were under the cover of the moss-laden trees, I removed my hat and glasses. It is amazing how much cooler I felt without that sun protection. On an informational panel, I learned that Spanish moss is an epiphyte (“Epi” meaning “on” and “phyte” meaning “plant”) and is not a true moss, but a member of the bromeliad family.

Though the park has deer, wild boar, bald eagles nesting in the trees, and alligators, we did not see any of these critters. Though, we did see evidence of wild boar activity.

There are many benches where one can pause to enjoy the Rothenbach serenity or a picnic lunch. Every couple of hundred feet there is fitness equipment for doing chin-ups, crunches, leg raises, etc. For me, hiking is sufficient exercise.

After crossing the first bridge, we missed the trail turn and proceeded on the Turkey Trail which lead to the South Access Road. We could see the Hammock Loop across the river and regretted not staying on it. The access road was in full sun.

Once the pandemic is under control and the grandchildren can travel, I am sure we will be taking them to Rothenbach Park. They would enjoy hiking and biking here.

Local hiking: no need to travel far when there is so much to see nearby.

Hello, Everyone.

Much has happened since I last posted. Last fall, I took several trips cruising the Caribbean and even visited the Panama Canal. Since I had previously toured many of the islands, I chose not to write about them again. And then the pandemic arrived and I canceled all travel plans. Though I do walk 6 – 8 miles daily walk around the community, I have been feeling cooped-up.

Recently, I read Travelled Far by Keith Foskett. (For my review, click here.) The book discusses the benefits of local hiking. I immediately decided to do the same and hike trails around Sarasota Florida. Though still flat, these unpaved trails would offer me relief from inner-city environs and the constant pounding on a solid surface.

My first adventure was to Red Bug Slough (pronounced SLOO) a broad, shallow channel filled with flowing water except in periods of extreme drought. In this marsh, there are many forms of wildlife, and my husband and I saw turtles, an alligator, red dragonflies, woodland ducks, egrets, and other waterfowl. Though we only saw shiners at the water’s edge, fishing from shore is permitted.

The preserve is only 72-acres but the hour-long walk was as wonderful as walking in a huge wilderness tract. The birds and bugs replaced the city sounds with soothing background noises. The soft and sometimes muddy earth enticed us to keep going. The oak forest and pine flatwoods provide cooling shade. And all of the “wilderness” within a few miles of home.

Red Bug Slough Oak Tree with Spanish Moss

I will have to return when the summer’s wet season is over to visit some of the trails that were not accessible. For those who do not like walking on the grass and dirt, there is a paver block walkway along the southern boundary of the preserve, though we did not visit that.