Workday fun clearing the Florida National Scenic Trail thru the Apalachicola National Forest
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Independence Day 2014
BEAR!
Howdy, this bucket continues my comment from July 4 bucket.
I was out in the Apalachicola National Forest this morning doing maintenance on the Florida National Scenic Trail and when we took a break, we looked up the forest road and saw this black bear approaching. Steadily approaching except once it turned left to mosey into some berries or something tasty. We were downwind so even tho it might see us, it didn't smell us - or whatever bears do to be alerted.
The bear did get alerted by a couple turning down this road on an ATV and that scared it off. The only darn people we saw all day and they came by at the wrong time. Dang it - I coulda had some great pics even with the cheap camera I had in my pocket.
We locked the food up in the truck after that as we went back to cutting Titi. This section of trail, mostly used by thru-hikers in the winter and not so much day-hikers, was nearing the point where we might lose it to overgrowth.
That was it for the bear. After that I had to content myself with the wildflowers along the road, that roadside between me and the bear.
More after the fold . . . . .
All of these wildflowers are growing along the forest road where we stopped. This is the most common of the Meadowbeauties.
MARYLAND MEADOWBEAUTY - Rhexia mariana
I'm not sure if this is different than the one above. I'll have to look closer at the leaves next time we go out trail trimming. We are about 1/2 mile into this section of the trail with at least another 1/2 mile till it turns into an old lane which hopefully will not need such intense cutting.
PANHANDLE MEADOWBEAUTY - Rhexia salicifolia
Hey, it comes in Yellow!
YELLOW MEADOWBEAUTY - Rhexia lutea
The Trailwork
Here is the trailhead, or rather, the intersection of Forest Rd 175 and the FNST, a long ways from nearest paved road. That's Titi, Gallberry and Palmetto surrounding the Slash Pine. FTA uses orange blazes to mark our trail.
and then looking down the trail from the road.
Here's Mike with the gas-powered brushcutter (sawblade cuts shrubs at the ground easily). In some places Titi blocked the path while others branched over our heads. Not a lot of shade once cleared; no breeze thru the thicket either.
Hidden danger under a palmetto frond. This is an old nest but we were careful, looking under before cutting and throwing over the sides.
Titi in flower
Titi in seed
Titi rules
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Best flower of the day
Rose-gentian or Marsh-pink
Sabatia dodecandra or decandra
Decandra means 10 and Dodecandra means 12 - not a lot of help since one reference says the flower can have 9-12 petals. Looking at my photos that is what I see.
Marsh Rose-gentian or Bartram's Rose-gentian
Unique to the lower SE- from eastern Panhandle FL and across south GA. Favors bogs and wetlands. Here it's growing along a forest road where the water is persistent but not too deep. Small basal leaves that produce knee-high stems with the loveliest show of blooms. More annual than perennial, it has a long period of bloomin' and seedin'.
What makes this species so showy are its vivid pink flowers, with its broad petals forming a corolla nearly 3 inches across. ... And, as common to the genus, the base of each petal has a canary yellow point outlined in red - forming a complex star pattern around the noticeable green ovary and the coiled stigma and style.
Vivid color and extra-bright day - I toned it down some from the original iPhone pic that was even brighter. Note the shadow it casts.
Bonus on the ride home:
This is a Fever tree (Pinckneya pubens). There are 3 of them growing together in a ditch along SR-20 west of Tallahassee near Ft. Braden. Somewhat uncommon so this one attracts a lot of attention from those that care.
Description:
Pinckneya is a small deciduous tree native to the coastal plains of the southeastern United States. It is notable for the very showy blossoms borne on the tips of the branches in late spring. Their color is usually pink, but the possible shades range from creamy-white to rose-red. The blossoms occur in large clusters, and a tree in full bloom is a spectacular sight.
Actually the petals of the individual blossoms are small and inconspicuous. The size and color of the bloom comes from the sepals, which can expand to several inches. Because these sepals retain their color for an extended period before fading, the show lasts for several weeks.
- - and home again. Thanks for riding along. Now it's your turn to drive with comments and observations from your backyard.
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