For this adventure I stepped out of my comfort zone. You see normally, I would pick my own thing and just go do it or convince a friend of mine that it will be the most awesome thing of all time and then go. Normally this person wouldn’t find the joy of the simple things in life. This person also probably wouldn’t ever join me on an adventure again. Fortunately for me this time, I had a companion that even suggested a place to go.
So off we embarked…
We paid the two dollars, followed a couple of signs and ended up at a parking spot in front of a children playing on a swing sets and such. Ahead, I could see a bulletin board that immediately gathered my attention.

I was instantly reminded that I was in the great state of Florida. The place laws are made for. I looked over my shoulder instinctively and tried to remain calm. Where had my compadre brought me?

“There’s a great path ahead,” she suggested obviously being familiar with the park. As we approached her golden path we were confronted with a flooded trail of Florida swamp. Signs all around us suggested that we didn’t proceed any further. Disappointed she persevered in the idea of greatness being only just ahead. We blazed our on path as far as we could through Florida wooded terrain until inevitable defeat. But I was able to capture a great photo!

We decided to make the best of what we had since we had made the long trek down Dale Mabry. For those of you unfamiliar with Tampa, Dale Mabry is essentially hell. If you can avoid it, do.

There wasn’t much to see in the part of the park that was accessible so we were quite disappointed. We headed back to the jeep and decided to go off and find whatever other adventure our Saturday might have in store for us.

When up ahead I saw a sign in the park that said ‘Archery Range >>>’. “Well **** me! Lets check that out!” I haven’t found a good spot to practice my bow shot since I’ve been down in Florida. I’ve also got an Elk hunting trip in Colorado planned for September, so I need to get my shot on.

The archery range was everything I expected an archery range in the state of Florida to be. It’s no Cherokee park archery range. Rules were posted every where. People overcrowded it. When I shoot my bow I want to be alone. Even one onlooker would grind my gears and deter from my shot. I saw three.

Further down the path we found the part of the park that my partner in crime had been raving about. There was indeed a second route to her promise land. Some family was having some birthday cook out ahead of where we parked. There was also a sweet ass looking dirt bike path in front of us. But Heather suggested we walked the trails she was accustomed to.

So off we set. And some friendly passersby we encountered. Some were even on horse. This is when the day finally started to feel complete.

After suffering the exhaustive heat of July in Florida, we decided it was time we went and got some lunch. But as we exited we saw a huge turtle crossing the road.

And when we got back on Dale Mabry and headed North Bound I was captivated by the sign on the side of the road that reminded me I was leaving the Yankee part of Florida and entering the South…