Bartram Quote of the Day

“This charming nyphaeum is the product of primitive nature, not to be imitated, much less equalled, by the united effort of human power and ingenuity!”

-William Bartram, Travels

Bartram at this point during his travels was describing Manatee Springs. Out of all the states Bartram visited during his travels throughout the south it seemed that the ‘land of flowers’ was his favorite. I guess the name Puc Puggy explains why he was so fond of Florida. Florida is a great place to hunt flowers. Today you have to look a little bit harder to see those flowers, but if you look hard enough, down the untraveled path you may be rewarded in your flower hunting.

Florida. United States. Earth. Universe.

Hiking Cone’s Dike

“The extensive Alachua savanna is a level green plain, above fifteen miles over, fifty miles in circumference, and scarcely a tree or bush of any kind to be seen on it. It is encircled with high, sloping hills, covered with waving forests and fragrant orange groves, rising from an exuberantly fertile soil. The towering magnolia grandiflora and transcendent palm, stand conspicuous amongst them. At the same time are seen innumerable droves of cattle; the lordly bull, lowing cow, and sleek capricuous heifer. The hills and groves re-echo their cheerful, social voices. Herds of sprightly deer, squadrons of beautiful fleet Siminole horse, flocks of turkeys, civilized communities of sonorous watchful crane, mix together, appearing happy and contented in the enjoyment of peace, till disturbed and affrighted by warrior man.”

-William Bartram, Travels of William Bartram

—–Crazy Intro To My Hike—–

Paynes Prairie has become my ‘New Wekiva’. Both share the following qualities:

1. Both are state parks.
2. Both have hiking trails.
3. Relative closeness to where I live. (I currently live in Gainesville which is close to Payne’s Prairie, but until recently I lived close to Wekiva)
4. Both exemplify Florida’s natural ecosystems.

I compare the before mentioned state parks to make the point that both have played the part of being green escapes for me personally, in other words places where I can go simply to get outside. To put it simply they are both hiking playgrounds. Wekiva State Park in addition is known for being an excellent paddling playground. When I lived near the Orlando metro area Wekiva State Park was my hide-away from the hustle and bustle of suburbia. Remember that suburbia is the place where they name the neighborhoods and streets after what used to be there. Whenever I drive by a gated community I am like Wait!…this gated community is called Pine Preserve, so why are there no pine trees…all I can see is junky Queen Palms. Going to Wekiva on the weekends as I now go to Payne’s Prairie is a means of escaping the visual sprawl of progress and the over stimulation I attribute to our normal daily routines. It wears you down eventually and the only way to fix it is to get some renewal in the outdoors. In addition, going to a place like Wekiva gives the lonely hiker the opportunity to find ’self’, which is becoming increasingly harder in today’s world. In today’s world, especially in consumer societies we have mutated into hyper individualists who are more concerned about purchasing things, instead of living in communities, loving our families, and ultimately caring for nature. Remember things we purchase steal our time. Marketing promises that more is better, but ultimately I have found less is more. Time is what we want more of. With time we can care for our families, communities, and ultimately the earth. I guess we got things all wrong. We work harder to buy more things, yet at the end we are really missing out on what we all want…friends, family, and sense of place. By going out-of-doors you can step outside of the more is better status quo and go within nature where simplicity is beauty and diversity is celebrated. I go outside so I can find myself. I think more people should take this to heart. Go outside and reek the benefits. Go outside simply to see how you compare to the rest of the living world. Go outside to remember that we are all connected to a much larger community that includes all the tribes of plants, animals, and little creepy crawlies.

Since moving to Gainesville back in February I have sought to find a natural area that contained the personal benefits of an out-of-doors place such as Wekiva State Park. Payne’s Prairie has become my new Wekiva.

To fully understand the ecology of Payne’s Prairie, or what Bartram called the Alachua Savanna, I feel that it is necessary to hike through it. Have fun by getting dirty. Many people who visit the prairie only stop by the visitor center to look at the various historical and wildlife displays. They occasionally climb the observation tower in hopes of spotting the reclusive bison. While I too enjoy these attractions I find that they provide a minimal experience compared to the real thing. Any hiking trail in the park will give the outdoor enthusiasts positive results, especially if you venture out into the great Alachua Savanna. There is always the chance that you will stumble across a chunky alligator who has the stature of an ancient dinosaur and the potential of turning the friendly hiker into gator bait. But there are no worries for me while departing for my hike because gators are opportunistic feeders who prefer to eat the occasional clumsy Seminole fan. Gators do not hurt fellow Gators right?

I have hiked most of the trails within the park, including the La Chua Trail which leads to the Alachua sink which Bartram mentions in Travels. Bartram said that the ‘crocidiles’ were concentrated at such a high density that you could easily step across them as if they were stepping stones.

—-The Hike—-

Today I decided to hike Cone’s Dike Trail. The hike is only an 8 mile round trip leading into the extensive prairie. On this hike I have a small pack with me that contains a few snacks, water bottle, camera, binoculars, and a trusty plant press. The binoculars are used to find the occasional bison or to sharpen my my birding skills. I am no birder by any means, but I am a student of nature who enjoys their good company.

This hike is nothing new. I have completed it on numerous occasions. With every hike I discover new sights and sounds that ultimately develop into new experiences. On today’s hike I was accompanied by a tribe of red-winged black birds. They have taken up residence in the numerous coastal plain willows that dot the edge of the trail. I see that these birds are plentiful, but they seem industrious as they tend to their current nesting priorities. Though common, this species or tribe in Bartram language, is remarkable in physical appearance. The male proudly displays red coverts on its wings, the female’s uniform has brown streaks on her belly and is of equal beauty to the male.

Further down the trail I spot a tribe of wood storks. This bald and ancient looking bird seems to be statue-like during my viewing. These old baldies seem content with standing in place as if relaxing in an upright posture. Another bird, the Grey Catbird is spotted multiple times along the trail. This bird has a blackish cap that he wears proudly. This bird is also industrious and seems to be foraging endlessly in the woody under story encountered along the path. Birds are worth noting. Many times they are the only creatures encountered on trips into the ‘wildness’.

The trail starts within view of the observation tower. In the beginning the trail is poorly paved, in an effort I suppose to accommodate cyclists. On this day I choose my feet to carry me into the prairie, nothing mechanical. By walking, it is possible to think, because you proceed on a pace that allows both observation and personal reflection. At about mile marker one I reached a pleasing view of the prairie. The scale of it all is hard to grasp and is in all honestly some what overwhelming. At this point I can’t help but noticing the numerous gator trails. These little paths of trampled vegetation are like gator highways. They frequent them often, but on today’s hike I am disappointed that I did not see any rowdy reptiles. I have seen them before, but today they seem to be hiding, though the occasional barking gator reminds me that there may be a grinning gator around the next bend in the trail.

During my hike I notice a very tiny blue flower out of the corner of my eye. I stop to further examine and realize to my surprise that it is blue-eyed grass. A delicate flower, this iris often hides amongst the grasses. The flower itself is a bluish-purple, the perianth 6 parted and with keen observation you notice a yellow center. I stop to press a flower with my small plant press. I also take multiple photographs. I realize at this moment that I love this flower. It reminds me how the Native Americans would call Bartram “Puc Puggy”. This name translates into flower hunter. Basically the native people were comfortable with Bartram’s presence because how dangerous is a man who is hunting flowers. I guess on today’s journey I was pardoned by the gators for being a hunter of flowers.

Flowers are sexy. A silly phrase on many levels, but give it some thought. Flowers catch the eye and it is hard to ignore them. Nature has created them with an attractive design that simply calls out for our attention and more importantly the attention of pollinators like bees. It is funny that I can go on and on about one flower, but I just find it strange how it catches your eye. Flowers are sort of like women, both are fun to look at. At least the pretty ones of both species are nice to look at.

My hike would conclude with a sighting of four bison. Within a mile or so of the trail head I spotted some big furry bumps out in the open prairie. With further examination with my binoculars I realized I was watching three adult bison and a single baby. The bison were content with feeding. I was content with watching them. In the end I was more than content with my day of hiking in the Alachua Savanna.

Florida. United States. Earth. Universe