FT2018 Day 10: Lakeport Campsite (mile 129.3) to Buckhead Ridge Campsite (mile 149.6)

20.3 FT miles

It was a mysteriously-pretty, foggy morning again today. I didn't have the difficulty getting up that I thought I would after yesterday. I did, however discover that I had a sleeping companion.

Foggy morning.

Smoky sunrise.

It was really “buggy" last night as I was setting up my tent. I had set up the frame and tent fly before popping up the tent itself to try to avoid bugs flying in. Despite my efforts, two mosquitos and a large spider made it in. I killed the mosquitos and tried to pop the spider out my tent door. Apparently I had failed. I found the spider still in my tent as I was packing up, somehow unsquished despite my tossing and turning.

My tent crasher.

I started along the trail and quickly came upon a water control structure where two men were working. One of them had clearly seen me yesterday morning during my road walk because he asked where my dog was.

One of the two men had no idea about the Florida Trail so we talked extensively about it and he seemed pretty impressed. The other one knew about the trail, but said he rarely sees hikers.

This is why I was very surprised to run into two other thru-hikers only about a half mile further beyond the control structure. I met Buck on the dike trail itself, and he had camped with Woodchuck, who was still packing up below.

All three of us started walking down the trail, but we split up as Buck and Woodchuck went to a convenience store while I walked to a park to eat breakfast, fill up with water, and use the bathrooms.

Then, I continued down the dike, which was no longer paved, looking at Buck and Woodchuck staggered in the distance ahead of me.

The dike walk was very pleasant.  It was a sunny day and I had a canal to one side and a lake to the other. Lake Okeechobee seemed to have a mash system on its northwest shore which was nice to see. I also passed some turtles that were hanging around in the grass on the dike.

Canal to one side.

Lake Okeechobee to the other.

Cooter.

About halfway to my final destination for the day was a campsite, where all three of us thru-hikers had independently decided to stop for lunch. As we were all veterans of other trails,  we had a nice, extended conversation about thru-hiking. We also learned that Buck’s thru-hike funding had been pulled, so he was probably going to have to leave the trail. I felt pretty bad for Buck.

Pavilion/Campsite along the dike.

I was really low on water, so I filtered some from the canal. There was less agriculture in the surrounding area, so I was hoping there would be less pesticides. I needed water though, so I didn't really have a choice.

I walked the dike for another 5 miles before I came upon a shaded bench. Woodchuck was there, as was another thru-hiker. Since this isn't a particularly crowded National Scenic Trail,  I was really surprised to bump into three other thru-hikers in one day.

The other thru-hiker was the one who had stopped me on my road walk yesterday with the trail angel and offered me a ride. His trail name was Hui. Not only was he a veteran of other scenic trails, but he had hiked the PCT this past year too. It turns out he was a couple weeks ahead of me and able to get ahead of most of the forest fires.

As we all headed towards the town of Okeechobee,  Woodchuck and I set up our tents at the Buckhead Ridge Campsite.  Hui had found a nice site about a mile earlier and Buck was either further down the dike or had made it into Okeechobee. 

Late day on the canal, closer to town.

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