Juniper Springs

Juniper Springs Campground

Ocala National Forest

Florida

July 2013

Recently, tent camping has been a frequent request from Egypt. I had hoped to take the girls to northern New Hampshire for a long weekend of camping, but it didn't work out. I didn't want to disappoint Egypt, so I took her on a 3 day, 2 night father/daughter tent camping trip in Florida, in July. We were extremely lucky as the temperatures topped out in the low 80's and we didn't have a single drop of rain!

As soon as we picked a campsite, Egypt helped to scout out the best location for the tent. Once she picked a good spot, I left her to get the tent out of the car. On my way back, I heard Egypt screaming and looked back to see that she had fallen into the fire pit with her legs in the air and her head backing against the metal fire ring. 

I could tell by the cries that she was hurt, but I didn't know how bad. Luckily, the fire ring didn't have any hot ash remaining from the last fire and after a few kisses and some reassurance, Egypt dusted herself off and we were ready to set up our campsite.

Egypt helping with the stakes:

First request was to go swimming in Jupiter Springs:

After swimming for 3.5 hours bike ride around the campground loop:

Getting ready to build a fire (after lots of camp fire safety talks and establishing a safe zone around the fire ring):

Spaghetti dinner:

Smores:

Almost bedtime:

Watching a few Alicia Keys videos before bed:

Breakfast drumming:

Early morning bike ride:

Bubbles before swimming:

Egypt was tired of hearing the bugs buzzing around her ears and came up with this solution herself:

Fishing for minnows before swimming for 7+ hours on day 2:

It took awhile, but Egypt finally asked to jump off the platform where the older kids were having fun. I asked Egypt several times and she was sure. I walked up with her and she went right to the edge, grabbed my hand and jumped off. I wasn't expecting her to jump so fast and went a split second after her. As I came up, Egypt was already above the water and her smile was magical. She wanted to go again and I asked if she could do it by herself so I could take pictures. Without hesitation, Egypt said she was a big girl and proceeded to jump a couple more times:

Emerging from the 25 foot deep springs:

The magical smile:

We saw this squirrel on our way back to our campsite:

Helping to make some coffee to have with the smores:

I think the safety zone actually got through:

It was smores time after some mac and cheese:

Breakfast on top of her air mattress for comfort:

Another early morning bike ride:

We ended our trip to Juniper Springs with a nice hike:

Egypt had a great time and wants to go again "next weekend". This was her second time tent camping, but she was only 2 1/2 when we went camping for just one night as a family for one of Kellisa's camps. I was a little worried planning the trip, but she was an angel and we both had a blast...so more tent camping is definitely in the future!

Mid-Atlantic: Unfinished Business (7/8.10)

A question we are always trying to answer: What can be done in a weekend? One answer would be: Fly to Baltimore, drive 623 miles, camp two nights, reach 4 Highpoints, visit a Zoo, a cavern, a National Park, two State Parks, a Presidential Memorial, drive under a harbor (twice) and fly home to Jax.

After work, I picked Kellisa up from summer camp to head to the Jax Airport. After the flight and a couple hour drive, I just wanted to set-up the tent, give Kellisa her medicine and tube feeding and fall asleep in the fresh air. Like usual, it wasn't so easy.

We get to the campground and I let the lady know that I have a reservation as I give the site number. She says OK and that I can proceed to my site because the other members of my party had already checked in. I explained the fact that we didn't have any other members. After some more discussions, she called for a ranger to escort us to the site.

Sure enough, someone had set-up camp at our site. We returned to the check-in office. I knew this was trouble because the campground was full and we were in the middle of no where. We had to camp here or sleep in the car at a rest area somewhere. After awhile, the lady comes back and explains the situation. Even though most people with our last name spell it different, there was another reservation with the same spelling for this night. She gave the other family our site by mistake. I was asked if I would mind taking the other site? Not at all, after losing almost an hour, we were both desperate to get the tent set-up and drift away to dreamland.

Our first campsite was at Rocky Gap State park, MD:

The road to the Highpoint of Pennsylvania:

Flashback: We were within a mile of the Highpoint in December 2009, only to be turned away by the freshly fallen snow:

After a short trail, the Highpoint comes is in view:

Kellisa reaches Highpoint #16 on July 31, 2010:

View from the Highpoint Road:

After lunch and a long drive, we start up the trail towards the Maryland Highpoint:

To date, this is the hardest Highpoint reached. Most would think it's because the trail gained 700ft. in only one mile. They would be half correct. The other part of the answer would be leaving the guidebook in the car. This error caused us to miss the correct turn 2/3 of the way to the summit. Before we knew it, we were completely off the trail and surrounded by featureless forest. Thankfully, the wheels from Kellisa's off-road stroller made back tracking easy.

After a few minutes, we were back on the trail heading down. We quickly found the correct turn in the trail and headed back up in the correct direction. The trail was steep and rocky from the start. At this point, the trail got even steeper, rockier, twistier and to add insult to the situation- narrower. With the summit no where in sight, it got to the point where I could not get the stroller up another foot.

I left Kellisa for a minute as I scouted the trail up ahead. It did not get any easier and I still did not see the summit. I returned to Kellisa defeated. I knew we had to head down without the summit. I turned the stroller around, but knew we had to be very close to the summit.

Since this would be our only chance, I decided to leave everything except Kellisa right there. I picked Kellisa up and asked her to help with her 70+ pounds as much as possible. We headed up the trail. I was frustrated, tired and it was hot as we ascended. I fell to my knees several times as I had to set Kellisa down a few times to catch my breath. It seemed like forever, but after about 15 minutes, we reached to top of Maryland:

We shared the summit with two couples who were more than happy to snap the above picture. We thoroughly enjoyed the picnic table at the summit as we talked to the couples. Below is a view from the summit:

We stopped at Blackwater Falls State Park, WV on the way to our next campsite:

Seneca Rocks, WV:

It rained most of the time we were at Seneca Shadows Campground:

Views from the foggy road leading to the Highpoint of West Virginia:

The sign at the trailhead leading to the actual Highpoint:

Highpoint #18 for Kellisa and #23 for Chris:

A stop in the clouds:

Kellisa enjoying our stop at the Luray Zoo:

Kellisa's favorite part of the day was our visit to Luray Caverns:

Her favorite part was the 10 minute "special" ride down into the caverns:

The ride back up was just as fun:

We entered Shenandoah National Park:

Views along Skyline Drive:

Paying our respects to the 26th President of the United States and enjoying a little hiking:

The next stop was this tree in Fort Reno Park, Washington D.C.:

Just past the tree is the Highpoint of our capitol:

We had a little extra time as we headed back to the Baltimore Airport. Kellisa loves long tunnels, so we headed to the Harbor Tunnel for a quick out and back drive:

Kellisa enjoying the drive down into the tunnel:

How did we cap off this amazing weekend? Well, I was close to getting arrested by TSA workers at the airport. Why close? Because Lisa did not make this trip and I showed restraint at the last second out of concern for Kellisa.

Here's what happened: Most airports have a line for flight crews and wheelchairs. Not Baltimore's airport. OK, so we zigzag through the long line like everyone else, no problem. After 10 minutes, we are probably halfway through the line. All of a sudden from behind, two airport workers are making their way through the zigzags pushing two people in airport wheelchairs. As they pass us, I follow them to the front of the line...assuming this is the "wheelchair procedure" in Baltimore.

I was wrong. TSA workers allowed the two wheelchairs to go directly to the front, but stopped Kellisa. They said we had to wait and I explained that I did not understand. I was told that the other wheelchairs were escorted by airport workers and Kellisa did not have that benefit, so it was back to the end of the line. My first words of reason explained that Kellisa could not walk at all and out of the three wheelchairs, hers was the only "real" wheelchair, meaning the other two people were using airport wheelchairs.

While we are having this "discussion", the guy in one of the wheelchairs gets up, walks through the metal detector and starts gathering his bags, all while standing. I was hot, but not yet at the exploding point. Next, the little girl in the other wheelchair gets up and actually runs through the metal detector. The TSA workers made her go back so she could walk through. That was the last straw and I start yelling as loud as I could. I point to guy in the first wheelchair as he was still standing holding three bags while he waited for his wife. He looked at me and then acted like he couldn't hear me.

Then I pointed to the mother of the running daughter and accused her of having her daughter fake a disability just to get through. I told her I would apologize if she told me what caused her daughter to need an airport wheelchair while allowing her to run through the metal detectors. The mother turned away, dropped her head and proceeded through the metal detectors. I probably can't repeat everything I was yelling, as I would like to keep this a family site. I will admit to yelling to both the mother and guy from the other wheelchair that we would be "talking" on the other side!

At this point, I was being surrounded by TSA personnel who were all talking into their little radios. I was so tempted to push our way through, however, I stopped to catch my breath. In those few seconds, one of the TSA workers approached, not with handcuffs, but a friendly voice as she guided us to the front of the line. It's hard to say what would have happened if we weren't allowed passage at that exact moment?

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