Econfina

What a gorgeous couple of days to be off the roads again and hiking the very scenic Econfina Creek. We must have spent a couple of hours taking pictures at the Two Penny bridge ( basically a log with hand cables), and the Sweetwater Creek waterfall. Shortly after that we crossed the Fender bridge, which is in the process of being replaced by a new suspension bridge by the F-Troop (Fl Trail's maintenance crew). We had been warned that the old bridge might already be down by the time we arrived, and we might have to wade, or find an alternate way across the creek, so we were very glad to find the old bridge still intact, but we were rather cautious crossing it, not knowing if the dismantling process had already begun.

We celebrated Ian's birthday on our second day in Econfina. He doesn't like to make a big deal about his birthday, so I just picked up my pace a bit to be well in front of him, then wrote "Happy Birthday" in two foot high letters in the sand roads we crossed.

The trail winds through the woods along the creek, then along the side of a steep ravine before hiking a couple of miles through a pine forest. The last mile or so of the off road hike was through a logged and replanted area which had also had a recent fire. It was the first time we had come across an area like this with such new growth pines and we really enjoyed the hike across the high valley. The small trees were just finishing the grassy phase and becoming tree like and were very lush and green. Some had been affected by the fire and had half scorched brown needles and the other half green. The trail here is one of the few places we have hiked so far where you can see ahead and behind for a considerable distance.

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