I gotta jump back and kiss myself, heh!

Posted Feb 6, 2007 by Mike DeWitt

Updated Feb 6, 2007 at 05:04 PM

Godfather of Soul Greetings, Hikers!

Do you want to know what feels really good when you’re thru-hiking the Florida Trail? 

Reaching the Suwannee River.  I’m talkin’ pure, unvarnished JOY. 

Wanna know the weirdest name you’ll never forget?  Winquepin. 

No, I can’t pronounce it, but I can darn sure walk it.  And so will you if you’re a southbound thru-hiker in search of what is likely the most famous river in Florida.  No southbound sojourn on the trail comes to Suwannee serenity without enduring a dusty Winquipin Street saunter. 

One nice thing about it though, four miles of walking gives you plenty of time to chew over all of the possible pronunciations of a road named either for a Native-American or an RV manufacturer in Wisconsin.  As you can see, hikers, I’ve narrowed it down for you.

I reached the river at the sun-soaked hour of noon, an ideal time to unlace and unwind for a minute or two.  The bar was open so I ordered 100 ounces of hand-purified Suwannee River water to chase the Winquipin Street dustburger I had for brunch.

Last night was clear and icebox cold.  I (with an urgent nudge from my bladder) forced myself from the toasty embrace of Big Agnes and was none too happy about it.  The sun doesn’t actually get over the tops of the pines until 9-ish.  On days where water is plentiful, you might just wait for warming rays to dry your tent and pack up.  But I wasn’t exactly flush with water.  I burned through a bunch of it last night as I rabidly concocted emergency hot chocolate beverages as much to warm my hands as my innards.  Ergo*, the inevitable early morning exit from Agnes. 

* Note:  My use of the word “ergo” may be entirely inappropriate as I am Latinly-challenged.  Feel free to come on up here and correct me in person.  Just know that if you’re not carrying a large combination pizza with pineapple and extra cheese when you get here, they’ll never find your body. 

It’s a weird feeling to cross a paved road in the middle of nowhere and so it was on SR 53, or as I like to call it “the road Florida built just for the hell of it.”  All of the sudden it’s there.  No cars, no sign of occupancy at all, just a dadgum road.  Kinda cool, huh? 

Have you ever seen “The Omega Man”?  It’s a movie about the last guy on earth. It’s a freaky Charlton Heston flick that I dug heavily back in my youth.  Well, standing in the middle of a road upon which there is virtually no sign of human presence is a bit like that, with the exception that there isn’t a cult of toxic mutants trying to kill you.. and as Martha Stewart likes to say “ That’s a good thing.”

I’m in Twin Rivers State Forest just north of Dowling Park, Florida (Motto:  It’s on MY map!)  The forest is beautiful, acres and acres of oak trees, big ole’ pines and a mossy river that’ll be my constant companion for days to come.  Today I begin a part of this trail to which I’ve looked forward for four long days… and .. in the words of the Hardest Working Man in Show Business – the immortal Mr. James (Heh!!) Brown.. “ I Feel Good!”

Easy Living Cheers from the Florida Trail!  Mike

PS.. Now you tell me, hikers.  Where else are you gonna find a Winquipin, the Suwannee River, Martha Stewart, a life-saving pizza pie and the Godfather of Soul all on one page???  Right here, babies, right here with me on the Florida Trail!