Life Outside My Door

Geocaching on Seminole State Park's Gopher Tortoise Trail

2012-02-04T04:20:00.007-05:00

Having an opportunity to finally get away for a long overdue Geocaching adventure, we decided to traverse 90 miles west from Valdosta to a remote corner of Southwest Georgia. Located about 20 miles off of US 84, and just prior to entering Alabama, you'll find Seminole State Park in the small town of Donalsonville, Georgia. The drive was a relatively easy one for us and we were all eager to find another one of those beautiful green ammo cans with the highly sought after "state park stamp" inside (those who are familiar with Geocaching will understand what I mean). Joining us for our adventure would be our two trail dogs, Walker (left) and Spencer (right).

At first glance, the park seems to be a bit undersized. And though we didn't spend much time exploring the park itself, it was typical in that it was beautifully maintained. If you haven't been to a Georgia State Park, excuse me while I unashamedly boast about them. With that in mind, I will not spend much time critiquing the amenities of the park, instead, I will focus on our experience on the Gopher Tortoise Nature Trail.

Like many of the parks that we've visited before, there is a small parking area at the trail's head, and at the initial entry point you can find typical information/warnings such as the one above. Since I didn't have a trail map, I was careful to create a 'waypoint' on my GPS just in case we had trouble finding our way back. Most trails that we've visited this year are clearly marked, but from time to time we've noticed that fire-breaks and service vehicle trails can cause a bit of confusion while attempting to stay on the trail. If there be one semi-negative critique that I have about the trails at our Georgia State Parks, it would be this. At Seminole State Park, however, we found only one instance of this and it may have been resolved had I had a trail map. Thankfully, our initial decision to go left was the correct one. For your future reference, I am referring to the direction that you should take after ascending from the "wetlands" and you approach a bench. At that point, the trail goes off to the left and right.

As far as the difficulty of the trail goes, it was 2.2 miles and we found it to be easy to moderate. We encountered a few instances where the trails ascend slightly, but there really wasn't much of a need to exert any extra energy. We found it very manageable. We did encounter a fire break, or two, along the trail, but they didn't seem to interfere with our ability to stay on the trail. I would suggest, however, that there be just a few more directional signs, or directional blazes. Again, we probably wouldn't have had an issue if we had a trail map. (Note: the Park Ranger had posted a sign on the Welcome Center door that he/she was at lunch and would return at 1:00pm. Therefore, since we arrived at 12:45, we did not wait around to get a trail map. There were none located at the trail head.)

Perhaps it was the time of year (January 28), but the wildlife was non-existent. In fact, the only thing that we witnessed worth noting was a cute little dog on the trail that seems to have wondered off from his owners. He did make things interesting, however, since we had our two trail dogs with us. Thankfully, there wasn't much cause for alarm, but we did have to hold Spencer for a while since he wasn't particularly pleased with our new trail guest.

I previously stated that we didn't spend much time exploring the amenities of the park, but we did notice a nice size RV camping area that seemed to have quite a few guests. Additionally, we passed by some great looking cabins/cottages along the lakeside. Along the trail, we came across a pioneer camping area, and we also observed a treehouse camping site. According to the website, it will sleep 15 people.

Other opportunities for enjoyment at Seminole State Park are a children's playground, a beach, and plenty of fishing docks and a boat ramp. Picnic tables are also abundant throughout.

In case you are wondering, somewhere along the path, we were able to locate our prize.

So if you find yourself down around the Southwest corner of Georgia, or the Southeast corner of Alabama, I'd recommend that you take the time to visit Seminole State Park. In fact, I'd recommend that you take the time to visit any of our State Parks. It's a great way to spend the day having fun, enjoying family, or just 'plain ole relaxing'!

Seminole State Park: A Georgia State Park

2012-01-29T14:24:00.000-05:00

This is a picture slideshow that I created from our visit to Seminole State Park in Donalsonville, Georgia. I am currently working on an additional post, but for now, I hope you enjoy the pics.

The Art Expo at Three Georgia State Parks

2011-11-18T04:20:00.001-05:00

"It seems as though there is a masterpiece around every corner. These views are great pieces of art!"

I exclaimed the above words to my wife during one of our most recent outings to some Georgia State Parks. And since we visited three parks in one day (George T. Bagby, Providence Canyon, Florence Marina), we felt as though our pictures would provide us with many, many "masterpieces". In all, my wife, my son, and I traversed about six miles worth of trails that day, but neither of us felt like it. Rather, much of our time was spent taking pictures and catching our breath after awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, gasps for air as we viewed some of the most magnificent natural scenery to be found. Quite different from those traditional snow-capped mountain pics that easily draw ones attention, the beauty we found was Autumn's unique splashing of colors throughout the forests, scattered amidst a lake, and throughout gorgeous canyons.

I couldn't help but attempt to capture every scene and take in each moment. The view was stunning...breathtaking! With my family beside me, we were blessed with a view of God's very own handiwork, and it was if He was telling us "this is just for you."

Our stroll through this exquisite art expo was not without a few unique snapshots either.

When it was all said and done, we had hiked the Chattahoochee and the Lake Loop trails at George T. Bagby State Park, and the Canyon Loop Trail at Providence Canyon State Park. We had also managed to find time for a Geocache adventure at George T. Bagby and Florence Marina State Park. The Chattahoochee Trail and the Canyon Loop trails were 2+ miles long and rated "easy to moderate" (The Lake Loop was jut under a mile), though the Canyon Loop Trail at Providence Canyon was a bit more challenging with its inclines, declines, and muddy creek beds. We found both to be quite enjoyable and were able to handle them easily. Quite a few dogs were seen taking their humans for a walk at Providence Canyon, as well. Neither seemed to be having a hard time.

You can find more information about the parks we visited by clicking the following links:

George T. Bagby State Park

Providence Canyon State Park

Florence Marina State Park

A Day at Providence Canyon State Park, Georgia

2011-11-13T15:06:00.001-05:00

I hope you enjoy this slideshow that I created with the pics I took while we visited Providence Canyon State Park in Lumpkin, Georgia. The pics were taken from the Canyon Loop (White Blaze) trail and it was 2.45 miles: easy to moderate. I will post more commentary about the trip soon.

As always, your comments are welcomed.

Have Camera Will Travel.

2011-11-11T03:40:00.000-05:00

Photo opportunities like these present themselves all the time as I travel throughout South Georgia. This is why I carry my digital camera with me everywhere I go.

Eyes Wide Open!

2011-11-09T04:02:00.002-05:00

While it is always my goal to capture wildlife footage through the lens of my cameras on the trail, there always seems to be that surprising moment that I don't quite expect. Though I'm prepared and ready, often times I find that I'm not as prepared as I thought. Such was the case on the Little River Trail at Reed Bingham State Park in South Georgia yesterday. Having stopped at a couple of observation platforms along the river to get a few shots (hopefully of a gator or two), I had come up empty. Further on down the trail, however, I happened to glance through the thick brush towards the river as the trail snaked along beside it and to my surprise:

there they were! Two gators basking in the warmth of the sun about 200-300 yards from me. From my initial vantage point, I knew I was too far for my pics to turn out, so I found myself having to trek through a bit of thick brush and swamp to get as close to the river's edge as possible. With every step through those woods, my heart raced with a mixture of fear, adrenaline, and excitement. I was constantly aware of my surroundings. Surprisingly (and thankfully), I didn't happen upon any snakes or gators on my side of the river, thus affording me these shots. Not as close up as I wanted, but close enough for comfort's sake.

I'll be posting a full review of my day at Reed Bingham State Park soon, but in the meantime, I wanted to share one of the awesome bits of scenery from Life Outside My Door!

A Summary of Our Visit to Stephen C. Foster State Park: A Most Excellent Adventure!

2011-11-04T11:52:00.003-04:00

Charred pines stand tall as wounded soldiers still holding the line valiantly after a fierce battle with the fire-breathing enemy. Though many were consumed and felled, Stephen C. Foster State Park still has an abundance of those protectors swaying victoriously in the wind; having survived yet another swamp fire, and thus yielding provision to the new life springing forth to replace the dead.

This is what I recollect after seeing the many hundreds, if not thousands, of trees that were scarred with fire damage from the most recent Okefenokee Swamp Fires. I was humbled and moved almost to a point of reverence as I peered at those still standing. Perhaps many will look and not be so touched, but a least for an instant, my heart was pierced. There was a beauty about the scene, even in the wake of such devastation. For an article about the Okefenokee Swamp Fire, click here: Swamp Fire

Stephen C. Foster State Park struck us as being small and quaint. The structures were typical of other state parks that we've visited, and we found the trails to be quite easy...too easy in fact. Yet, when considering the abundance of wildlife that we were privileged to see, most of the other parks that we've visited to date paled in comparison. We were fortunate enough to video deer, an alligator, and a few turkey. Unfortunately, I was not quick enough with my camera to capture the "Red Shouldered Hawk". He was quite majestic to be sure!

For starters, the registration office is next to a waterway with a boat ramp. In the office, there are a few gift items that may be purchased, and there are restrooms located on the side of the building. Around the waterway are docks with quite a few aluminum boats and canoes for rent. There are also guided tours available for purchase if an excursion out into the swamp is in your plans (Dogs are not allowed in the boats). During our trip, however, we chose to forgo the boats and focus on the nature trails instead.

The first trail that we encountered was the Trembling Earth trail. It was located just outside of the registration office and was the shorter of the two. During our visit, there was about a 2,000 foot section of the trail closed. Though I did not inquire as to why, my suspicion is that much of the wooded walkway was probably damaged during the most recent swamp fire. Nonetheless, we found the short walk (a mixture of wooded platform, crushed rock, and dirt-trodden path) to be quite enjoyable. As our miniature dachshunds, Walker and Spencer, led the way, we saw first hand some of the ravages that the swamp fire left behind. Strangely enough, however, we also witnessed the bloom of new life emerging throughout the Forrest floor. Some of the nature that we experienced were insect eating plants, Spanish Moss trees, massively over sized grass-hoppers, butterflies, a various assortment of wild flowers, and upon the exit of the trail at the water's edge, we were astounded by the large gator basking in the warmth of the sun. He seemed quite uninterested in our presence, but he did offer himself up for a photo or two.

After our brief walk along the Trembling Earth trail, we surveyed the picnic area and found it to be more than adequate. There are two covered picnic pavilions with many other picnic tables scattered within the area. There also seemed to be an abundance of grills available. Additionally, there is a children's playground, a volleyball court, and a basketball court.

From the picnic area, we made our way to the Upland Pine trail. The trail length is 1.5 miles overall in length, 3/4 miles down and back. We found the trail to be very easy and other than the large buck that we captured on video, we found it to be a bit wanting. Two main reasons exist for our lack of enthusiasm about this trail. The first issue that we had concerning the Upland Pine trail is that it is very close to the entrance road to the park. In fact, for most of the trail, you can see the road. With that in mind, it did not lend itself to much of a feeling of being alone out in the wilderness, or nature. Secondly, we found that the trail itself was not marked very clearly. There seemed to be some type of service roads weaving in and out of the area, and at times it was confusing as to which was the road versus the trail. Signs would have helped in these instances, but they weren't always there. We did managed to find our way through without incident though.

As we prepared to leave the park, we took a brief ride through the two main camping areas (1 and 2). Though we don't have much experience camping, we were surprised to see that all camping is done here regardless if you have a tent or an RV. The spacing seemed adequate, however, there are some that may differ in opinion, since we really aren't experienced enough in this area to comment. At the Upland Pine trail head, there is also a group pioneer camping area. During our brief stroll through the area, we noticed a covered picnic pavilion, a group fire-pit, and few camp shelters.

In summary, our trip to Stephen C. Foster was an experience that we will not soon to forget. I'd like to think of it as The Little Park That Did. We are already planning a return trip in the Spring.

I have included this video slide show that I created from our visit. If you'd like to see more, please check out our YouTube channel. Thanks for stopping by and your comments are welcome.

Thoughts About Our Next Outdoor Trip: Stephen C. Foster State Park

2011-11-01T07:46:00.001-04:00

Today I find myself in a most peculiar situation. It is a Tuesday and I have a day off from work due to working both days of the past weekend. With that in mind, my wife decided to take a half day off from work so that the two of us could go out and enjoy the afternoon together. In the shadow of our 21st Anniversary (November 3), I am further reminded of just how special she is and how blessed I am. Yes...blessed indeed!

Since we will only have about a half a day to spend, I decided to pursue something relatively close to our home. Two nearby state parks came to mind: Suwannee River State Park (Live Oak, Florida) or Stephen C. Foster State Park (Fargo, Georgia). In case you were unaware, Stephen C. Foster penned the famous song "Old Folks at Home" aka Swanee River. He is also credited for other favorites such as: "Oh! Susanna" and "Camptown Races". Both state parks are about an hours drive from our home, but since we have previously visited the Suwannee River State Park, Stephen C. Foster won out. There are many more details that factored into our decision, but I'll save those for our post trip blog article/slide show.

I have two cameras that I utilize for keeping our memories alive. My digital camera is the Sony Cybershot DSC-W120 (7.2 Mega pixel). While it takes great pics and video outside, I find it to be less than stellar for inside shots. Other than that, I have no complaints what so ever. It is easy to use, upload, and carry. If I had to rate my camera, I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars. How about you? What kind of camera do you use?

My digital video camera of choice is the Toshiba Camileo S20. I haven't had a whole lot of experience with this camera so I am limited as to what I can tell you. Thus far, however, I have found it to be adequate for our purposes. I chose this camera specifically based on cost and size. I also like the feature that allows you to upload directly to YouTube from the camera. Though it also takes still pictures, I have yet to utilize that function. The battery life seems very good and it is extremely portable. For a novice, this camera seems to be a great fit. 4 out of 5 stars for this video camera.

As for my hiking companions (other than my wife and son), I have two miniature dachshunds that enjoy the trails as much, if not more, than us. Just as many others will declare, our dogs are special and where ever we go, they are just happy to be there with us. I must confess, however, that I am somewhat concerned at times about those tiny little legs having to keep up. So far, other than their tongues dragging the dirt along with their bellies, they have been up for every challenge. They provide great company!

My trail shoes are the New Balance 646. I purchased these because of my experience with New Balance in the past. These particular pair provide a great deal of stability for me, particularly laterally. Since I am a carrying much more weight than I ought (big-no skinny jeans here), I need the lateral support that these shoes provide. They are also very comfortable and have very good traction. In addition to a reasonable price of about $75.00, the fact that they are also water resistant was very appealing in the decision making process. To date, I have no complaints about the shoes and I'd give them a 5 out of 5 star rating.

So that's about it for my pre-trip post. If you don't mind taking the time to comment, I'd appreciate it. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying Life Outside My Door and preparing a post-trip post and slide show.

The Swanee River(Old Folks at Home)

Written by Stephen C. Foster

Way down upon de Swanee Ribber,

Far, far away,

Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber,

Dere's wha de old folks stay.

All up and down de whole creation

Sadly I roam,

Still longing for de old plantation,

And for de old folks at home.

Chorus

All de world am sad and dreary,

Eb-rywhere I roam;

Oh, darkeys, how my heart grows weary,

Far from de old folks at home!

2nd verse

All round de little farm I wandered

When I was young,

Den many happy days I squandered,

Many de songs I sung.

When I was playing wid my brudder

Happy was I;

Oh, take me to my kind old mudder!

Dere let me live and die.

3rd Verse

One little hut among de bushes,

One dat I love

Still sadly to my memory rushes,

No matter where I rove.

When will I see de bees a-humming

All round de comb?

When will I hear de banjo strumming,

Down in my good old home?

**For more info about these lyrics, click here.

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My New Adventure

2011-10-26T11:20:00.000-04:00

The past few months have been a re-awakening of sorts. Radical changes in my life such as, a job loss, a child leaving home for college, and a surgery, seem to have interrupted my normal, average, lifestyle. For many, this would be cause for alarm, I suppose. But for me, however, I find myself revitalized and longing for adventure with the rising of each new day. I've often heard the old saying that life has a way of making you who you are. I guess that could be true. Yet, I also think that if one chooses to believe that, he or she would just be a follower of all the good and bad that life has to offer, never venturing off to create scenarios that offer something better. Those kind of people are defined by their life situations, often bitter and uncaring, mad at the world. Perhaps this is who I was turning into...until recently.

I acknowledge that I had no control over being laid off from a company that was re-structuring, just as I had no control over all of the others who lost their jobs. I also know that I have no control over my children growing up and venturing out on their own, carving their own slice of life. In the latter, however, I can choose to have an impact, though. As far as the surgery that I had, it was an umbilical hernia that was repaired and I don't know for sure if I could have prevented that. It's a non-issue now, and how I choose to live my life from here forward is what is important.

The longing for new adventures was inspired by a new hobby my family and I discovered: Geocaching. In case you're not familiar with what Geocaching is, let me give a brief description. Geocaching is like a modern day, "high tech" treasure hunt. Given a set of coordinates, one is expected to locate a hidden container. The contents of the container, as well as the size, often varies. All containers, however, contain a log book for the finder to sign acknowledging his or her discovery. Many containers also have small, inexpensive trinkets for trade. The rule is that if you take something, replace it with something of equal or greater value. There is a website dedicated to this hobby: Geocaching.com.

Our venture into geocaching is instrumental into my foray of the great outdoors. During many of our geocache hunts, we found ourselves hiking through the beautiful forests of our great state parks. This immediately led to a perceived need for a backpack. Beyond that, I formulated in my mind that I needed new shoes designed for hiking, a walking stick, a digital camera, and yes...bug spray. With all of this in mind, I slowly started to realize that for me it was much more than just hunting a hidden cache, it started to be much more about spending time outdoors with the ones I love. Yes. It started to be much more.

My goals in life have slowly evolved into what they are now. I don't want my experiences to be ordinary anymore...no more average. I now see life in a different way, exciting and exhilarating! This is how I choose to live from now on. I want to be adventurous, spontaneous, and challenged. I want to see and experience the good things of God's creation; the things that I have taken for granted for so long; things like spiders, mushrooms, wild flowers, tall trees, clouds, sunrises, sunsets, and wild life. None of this can be experienced indoors. The warmth of an afternoon sun needs to be felt. The coolness of a crisp, Fall morning air needs to be breathed. And the thrill of seeing a white-tailed deer while on a hike through a state park needs to be experienced! These things attract me now.

Moving forward in my new found lifestyle, I have surmised that there are a few things that I'd like to improve upon. First, I plan to use my time outdoors, particularly day-hiking, as a way to get myself back to a healthy weight. Currently, I'm a bit overweight and I'd like to lose many of those excess pounds. Secondly, I'd like to become a better writer. This blog will be my tool and will allow me to share all of our experiences with those of like mind. Third, I'd like to become a better photographer. I've already started reading articles that apply to this. Furthermore, I've even been practicing around the house (see previous blog post). Lastly, I hope that my new found sense of adventure will allow me to be a more involved dad, a more caring husband, and a much more interesting person. When it's all over, however, and the final chapter is written on my life, it is my desire that those who knew me would say, "he lived this life the way it should be lived, with no regrets, and he has now passed on to an even far greater adventure...far greater!"

Hot Biscuits and Cane Syrup!

2011-10-22T05:40:00.000-04:00

Yum! Yum! But wait a minute...how are hot biscuits and cane syrup relevant to this blog? It's the pictures that I take. They have to get better. Read more below.

Since I have decided to document our outdoor travel adventures, I've noticed a bland tone to some of the pictures I take. In fact, it can be said that most of the slide shows I've presented contain the same stuff: trees, spiders, and mushrooms! It should be known, however, that for the most part, this is what each location has presented thus far. On at least three of our trips, the trails seemed to look exactly the same.

From here forward, I have decided to commit to being a better photographer. Though my wife thinks I do fine, we are merely amateurs judging amateurish work (I'm truly thankful for her encouragement though). To do this, I have started doing much more reading online about this topic. You know, things like "How to Take Better Pictures", "How to Be a Better Photographer", "10 Tips That Will Help You Take Better Pictures"...that kind of stuff.

In the end, I trust that my continued education into this subject matter will pay off. In the meantime, please continue to veiw and comment on the slideshows and posts. Constructive comments are always welcome.

A Day at General Coffee State Park

2011-10-21T04:36:00.000-04:00

While our oldest son was home from college, we enjoyed a day at General Coffee State Park in Douglas, Georgia. Many of the pictures are from the trail and is typical of what you will see. Unforunately, other than the trees and plants, the wildlife was scarce and I was unable to capture any on video or with the camera.

At the end of the hike, we enjoyed a bit of time at an "old fashioned village". The farm animals were loads of fun!

Langdale Park in Valdosta, Georgia

2011-10-15T07:38:00.000-04:00

I spent a great afternoon with my son, Jacob and my dog, Spencer, hiking and geocaching along the Withlacoochee River in my hometown of Valdosta, Georgia.

My Recent Trip to Grand Bay WMA - Valdosta Georgia

2011-10-13T06:24:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the New Blog.

2011-10-13T05:58:00.000-04:00

For those of you that are familiar with my other blog: The Sometimes Serious Blog, I had pretty much started to consume it with articles concerning our adventures outdoors instead of what it was originally intended for. Thus, I have opted to create another blog site to to encompass our new pursuits in the great outdoors. As for the title of the blog site, it conveys much meaning for me as I had become somewhat of a recluse behind the door of my house when I wasn't working. The recliner, television, and remote control have now been replaced with a longing to get out and enjoy Life Outside My Door!

I hope you enjoy the site and will feel free to comment and offer any suggestions.

Sonny