Post Cards from the Edge
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I was last at Torreya on 30 August 2016 at the beginning of my cross country trip. I had just settled in for the night when I checked the weather one last time and received a notice from the National Weather Service about 55 mph winds, tornadoes, and heavy rain. I backpacked out that night and headed for higher ground.
However, I felt like I wanted to come back and hike some of the trails in the park, particularly the Torreya Challenge Trail, a 6.5 mile trail that is considered the most challenging in Florida.
The trail was a challenge but very much fun to hike. I still had to rest after every uphill section to get my heart rate down, but the scenery was great and the trail very clearly marked and the hike was worth the trip.
I also needed to try out my new tent. I still love my backpacking tent but wanted something a little more spacious and with head room for those times I was camping in a state or national park and doing day hikes.
The REI Kingdom 8 has been rated by several review sites as the number one tent and I have to agree. It met all expectations. One key feature in all the reviews was its waterproofing. All of the test tents but one - the REI Kingdom 8 - leaked a little in heavy rain. This one not only didn’t leak, but showed no signs of condensation inside the tent. I think it got its best test the last night I camped. The rain started around 9 pm and continued heavily until around 2 am. I was dry as a bone.
After I returned, I received my queen size air mattress that will fit nicely in one section of the tent.
My Life in Plants - a travelog of plants species with photos and descriptions.
Travels with Fred - a blog of my travels thus far.