After over a year of prayer and logistics, we finally pulled it off.
I don't remember who's idea it was, mine or the Gunny's. But we both had it on our hearts to have a Wild at Heart based retreat on a river. We started planning, got with our Church and ended up getting involved with an adventure ministry called Going the Distance. Gunny was also involved with a group called R3 warriors who do work based on Wild at Heart and strive to set men's hearts free.
E-mails, meetings, prayer meetings, bbq lunchs, and exploration by GTD, the day finally came.
Here in west central florida, we are in a severe drought. So, most of our rivers are dry or getting close. GTD checked out the Suwannee, Withlacochee, Peace. None of them were reliable. As a matter of fact, the Suwannee was about to bust it's banks. Go fig, the rest of the state is dry as the Sahara. Eventually the Silver and Ocklawaha rivers were our destination.
Friday we started out. 25 of us loaded our canoes at Wayside park and set out for adventure.
Our first campsite was about 6 miles down the river. The river was beautiful. So clear you could see 15ft to the bottom. My paddling partner and I poked along and were one of the last to arrive. What we saw was all of the canoes beached at an approx 10+ shear bank.
This is the campsite? Yup, it is. Start bringing up the gear!
That was a feat. But we got everyone up there.
Once set, our guide from GTD, Kevin, said there was a platform about an minute's paddle away were we could jump into the river. So a bunch of us set off. Awesome, we would jump off the platform, about 20ft above into the 72 degree water below. I think we spent about an hour there before dinner. Some guys got more adventurous and dove head first. But not this fat boy. The best thing about this spot was the forestry sign which stated, Warning, people have been gored by bison in this area." Yes, we do have buffalo in Florida.
After dinner, and back at the camp, and after a group prayer I started my devotion on and Adventure to Live. We had a great time of discussion and fellowship.
The next morning, Gunny started his devotion getting us ready for the remaining sessions. We broke camp and set off down the river.
We did a couple hours of paddling and pulled into a park for lunch. After eating, Mike started his devotion on the Wound. It was awesome to hear him open up. He would later finish at our next camp.
Our camp at night 2 was a lot easier to set up. Our outfitter brought a bunch of Hennesy Hammocks, so I asked if I could try one out. He gladly obliged and I lent my tent to another guy who was not comfortable in the hammock. There will be more to this story later.
Mike finished his devotion on the Wound and we all relaxed around the fire. After dinner that night, Mario had his talk on a Battle to Fight. We had a great night and mst of us were drained.
So on to my hammock.
I am 6'6", 300lbs. Not a little fella. On of my buds was showing me how to hang the hammock. We put it up pretty high figuring it would sag a bit when my large lumbering frame waddled it's way into the cocoon. We got it hung and I crawled in, gracefully I might add, and laid there in my death pose for what seemed like an eternity. Dave said, well, if it hasn't fallen yet, you should be good. I got out and went to the fire.
After a couple hours I wanted to turn in. So I headed back to the hammock to go to sleep. Again, I gracefully lumbered my way into the hammock. Got my pillow set, and got ready to catch some zzz's.
Peace and comfort at last.
POW, THUMP, OOOF!- Man down!
Yup, the top rope parted and I hit the ground flat on my back from about 4 feet. Laughing like mad.
Yeah baby, adventure to live!
The guys come over to help me out and string a new hammock. The guide said he never saw any part a rope like that. Well, with a body like this, ...
All night, I laid there waiting for the inevitable crash. But it never came.
Sunday morning it was time for another devotion. this was by Allen and it was on having a Band of Brothers. When he completed, we packed up and headed to the take out.
We had a great trip, great fellowship. I cannot describe the depth of the conversations and explain what we may have gotten out of this. We all connected.
There is one picture of Gunny with a grin on his face. That picture says it all.
Ocklawaha
Going The Distance
I don't remember who's idea it was, mine or the Gunny's. But we both had it on our hearts to have a Wild at Heart based retreat on a river. We started planning, got with our Church and ended up getting involved with an adventure ministry called Going the Distance. Gunny was also involved with a group called R3 warriors who do work based on Wild at Heart and strive to set men's hearts free.
E-mails, meetings, prayer meetings, bbq lunchs, and exploration by GTD, the day finally came.
Here in west central florida, we are in a severe drought. So, most of our rivers are dry or getting close. GTD checked out the Suwannee, Withlacochee, Peace. None of them were reliable. As a matter of fact, the Suwannee was about to bust it's banks. Go fig, the rest of the state is dry as the Sahara. Eventually the Silver and Ocklawaha rivers were our destination.
Friday we started out. 25 of us loaded our canoes at Wayside park and set out for adventure.
Our first campsite was about 6 miles down the river. The river was beautiful. So clear you could see 15ft to the bottom. My paddling partner and I poked along and were one of the last to arrive. What we saw was all of the canoes beached at an approx 10+ shear bank.
This is the campsite? Yup, it is. Start bringing up the gear!
That was a feat. But we got everyone up there.
Once set, our guide from GTD, Kevin, said there was a platform about an minute's paddle away were we could jump into the river. So a bunch of us set off. Awesome, we would jump off the platform, about 20ft above into the 72 degree water below. I think we spent about an hour there before dinner. Some guys got more adventurous and dove head first. But not this fat boy. The best thing about this spot was the forestry sign which stated, Warning, people have been gored by bison in this area." Yes, we do have buffalo in Florida.
After dinner, and back at the camp, and after a group prayer I started my devotion on and Adventure to Live. We had a great time of discussion and fellowship.
The next morning, Gunny started his devotion getting us ready for the remaining sessions. We broke camp and set off down the river.
We did a couple hours of paddling and pulled into a park for lunch. After eating, Mike started his devotion on the Wound. It was awesome to hear him open up. He would later finish at our next camp.
Our camp at night 2 was a lot easier to set up. Our outfitter brought a bunch of Hennesy Hammocks, so I asked if I could try one out. He gladly obliged and I lent my tent to another guy who was not comfortable in the hammock. There will be more to this story later.
Mike finished his devotion on the Wound and we all relaxed around the fire. After dinner that night, Mario had his talk on a Battle to Fight. We had a great night and mst of us were drained.
So on to my hammock.
I am 6'6", 300lbs. Not a little fella. On of my buds was showing me how to hang the hammock. We put it up pretty high figuring it would sag a bit when my large lumbering frame waddled it's way into the cocoon. We got it hung and I crawled in, gracefully I might add, and laid there in my death pose for what seemed like an eternity. Dave said, well, if it hasn't fallen yet, you should be good. I got out and went to the fire.
After a couple hours I wanted to turn in. So I headed back to the hammock to go to sleep. Again, I gracefully lumbered my way into the hammock. Got my pillow set, and got ready to catch some zzz's.
Peace and comfort at last.
POW, THUMP, OOOF!- Man down!
Yup, the top rope parted and I hit the ground flat on my back from about 4 feet. Laughing like mad.
Yeah baby, adventure to live!
The guys come over to help me out and string a new hammock. The guide said he never saw any part a rope like that. Well, with a body like this, ...
All night, I laid there waiting for the inevitable crash. But it never came.
Sunday morning it was time for another devotion. this was by Allen and it was on having a Band of Brothers. When he completed, we packed up and headed to the take out.
We had a great trip, great fellowship. I cannot describe the depth of the conversations and explain what we may have gotten out of this. We all connected.
There is one picture of Gunny with a grin on his face. That picture says it all.
Ocklawaha
Going The Distance