Spirit 2 Spirit

Low water levels on the Suwannee River exposed miles of beautiful limestone walls.

On a cold January weekend nine friends ventured to the beautiful Suwannee River to paddle this historic river and camp along it’s high bluff banks. What follows is a collage of photos from this challenging and fun-filled weekend!

The trip was to begin at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park near Live Oak, Florida. Having heard of the park but having never been there before it was a huge music venue with hundreds of campsites and cabins. There was a concert starting at 7pm featuring Snake Blood Remedy but unfortunately paddlers opted to go eat Bar B Que and miss the concert.

Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is HUGE!
Big Woods Bar B Que in Live Oak was Friday night’s dining destination. It did NOT disappoint!
Odie puts the finishing touches on the new Haven Hammock! Jack inspects and gives his approval (below)!
The Warbonnet Blackbird Hammock does not disappoint! This hammock sleeps warm and dry and is incredibly comfortable!
The new Haven Hammock is quickly becoming very popular amongst the Hammocking public!
A warm campfire felt great a cold January night along the river bank!
Breakfast Saturday Morning was enjoyed at Fat Belly’s in downtown White Springs, Florida,,
The boats are ready!
The trucks were positioned back at the Spirit of the Suwannee boat landing and the boats are loaded at Stephen Foster Park.
Always beautiful, the Suwannee River never disappoints!
For sure!
Mike and Jay are ready!
And they’re off!
The sun breaks thru the clouds however the weather would soon change…
Crazy tree roots line the beautiful Suwannee River!
The low water level exposed miles of limestone walls.
Beautiful springs flow into the Suwannee!
If you’ve ever wondered what the underside of the I-75 bridge over the Suwannee looks like…here it is!
The low water levels leave the bridge pilings completely exposed!
Cypress Knees!
Day one ended at the Woods Ferry River Camp
Woods Ferry River Camp boasts several screened buildings, a pavilion and bathrooms!
Nice Pavilion!
This extravagant walkway leads from the river to the campground above!
The boats are secured for the night!
A nice campfire was a welcome sight after a day on the river!

DAY 2

Day 2 saw paddlers leave the Woods Ferry River Camp and paddle about 12 miles to the landing at the Suwannee River Music Park. It was a beautiful day but the weather was changing, the winds were picking up and rain was forecast for later in the day. This stretch of the river consisted of miles of limestone walls on both sides of the river. Low water levels greatly exposed these walls!

This now abandoned bridge over the river is a reminder of days gone by.
This flowing artesian spring comes from behind this rock wall at Suwannee Springs. Suwannee Springs was a popular tourist destination in the 1800s and boasted the first Hotel in Florida. Visitors came to enjoy the artesian spring and it’s medicinal benefits. The hotel and it’s guests are long gone now but this rock wall still stands. The water is beautiful but it stinks!
Slow moving water and miles of limestone walls!
This spring flows into the Suwannee River!
Pedal Power!
These beautiful limestone walls went on for miles!

This was an incredible two day paddle trip. The river was flowing slow and the water level was low! Paddlers encountered six “shoals” which pushed the boats forward however at no time did paddlers need to portage their boats. Very few other outdoor enthusiasts were seen during this trip. Wildlife was also pretty much unseen. The weather cooperated and the rain didn’t begin until about an hour off the river. It is always a great time to get outdoors and paddle the incredibly beautiful Suwannee River!

Best of….2025 (In Photos)!

What a great year 2025 was! So many blessings, so many great opportunities to grab the camera and shoot a few photos! Thanks for stopping by and taking a look! Gearing up for a exciting 2026 with more adventures ahead! Until Then…..

July 4th Celebration Liberty Co. Florida
Swat Roundup International Competition Orlando, Fl.
New Years Eve, Cascades Park Tallahassee, Fl.
Swat Roundup, Orlando, Fl.
July 4th 2025, Liberty County, Fl.
Snow Days! Tallahassee, Fl.
Tom Brown Park, Tallahassee, Fl.
Suwannee River, Florida
House Fire, Tallahassee, Fl.
Cemetery Sunshine, Midway, Florida
Winter Sunset, Ochlocknee Bay, Florida
Appalachian Trail, Damascus, Virginia
Invasive Hydrilla on Lake Bottom, Liberty County, Fl.
Swat Roundup, Orlando, Florida
Appalachian Trail, Damascus, Virginia
Motorcycle Doggie, Miami, Florida
Eagle Scout Awards, Tallahassee, Florida
Controlled Burn, Tallahassee, Fl.
Swat Roundup, Orlando, Fl.
Appalachian Trail, Damascus, Virginia
Red Fire, Liberty County, Florida
On Golden Pond, Liberty County, Florida
Keep Climbing! Damascus, Virginia
Cold Truck Ride, Holt, Florida
Golden Sundown, Holt, Florida
Beautiful Hart Springs, Suwanee, Florida
Pine Tree, Damascus, Virginia
Abandoned RR Depot, Lily, Georgia
New Years Eve, Tallahassee, Fl.
Reflections, Suwanee River, Florida
Hallows Eve, Tallahassee, Fl.
Wakeboard, Liberty County, Fl.
Appalachian Trail, Damascus, Virginia
Freight Door, Lily, Georgia
Lake Swing, Liberty County, Florida
Morning Paddle, Suwanee River, Florida
Summer Storm, Liberty County, Florida
Paddleboard, Liberty County, Florida
Firearms Training, Quincy, Florida
Flag Loop, Leon County, Florida
Bust the Bus, Havana, Florida
Motors, West Palm Beach, Florida
Long Cover, Havana, Florida
ICE! Tallahassee, Fl.
Sunrise, Destin, Florida
Rooster Tail, Liberty County, Fl.
Halloween! Tallahassee, Fl.
Father and Son, Liberty County, Florida
Ready to Ride, Miami, Florida
Hosses! Liberty County, Florida
Controlled Burn, Leon County, Florida
Sunny Palm Tree, Miami, Florida
Cold Corduroy, Vail, Colorado
Memorial, Tallahassee, Fl.
Lunch Time! Blue Sky Basin, Colorado
Munson Monday, Leon County, Florida
Fireworks, Liberty Co. Florida
Steeple, Tallahassee, Fl.
Christmas Time, Tallahassee, Fl.
Sundown Hydrofoil, Liberty County, Florida
White Hats, Tallahassee, Fl.
Tin Roof, Lily, Georgia
Ice Truck! Tallahassee, Fl.
Snow Day! Tallahassee, Fl.
Monarch Butterfly, Sopchoppy, Fl.
Riding On……Cordele, Georgia

Wishing you and your family a blessed and prosperous 2026!

Blackwater Images.

Sasquatch ’25

A large contingent of avid gravel riders found themselves at the 10th Annual Sizzlin’ Sasquatch ride at the Georgia Veterans Memorial Park near Cordele, Georgia in early November 2025. What follows are a few photos of this epic event!

The Cycling Sasquatcy Gravel Ride celebrates it’s 10 Year Anniversary!
The Saturday Morning sunrise only means two things….breakfast and riding!
Long shadows..
Sag Stops are well stocked!
Long Georgia back roads!
The old railroad depot in Lilly, Georgia
Lilly Georgia’s historic RR depot
Freight Door
Craftsmanship!
Rolls of cotton were a’plenty across the vast cotton fields!
Dirt Road Tracks!
Georgia Rails
Homemade Ice Cream was a real treat after the ride!
What was thought to be sherbert was actually Vanilla Ice Cream!
Sasquatch crossing!
The “impossible” bike! Reverse gears in the headset made this bike impossible to ride! Turn it left and it goes right…turn right and it goes left…..
Reverse gears!
Long time Sasquatch Rider Rick Ashton keeps the fire going!
Libations!
Turkeys on the pellet grill!
Cyclists gather around the fire!
Turning the cranks……..

The tenth annual Sasquatch ride is in the books! Once again Ray Egan and his incredible team put an awesome event together! The weather was cool and clear, perfect for a weekend gravel event! The food was over the top as usual! The large crowd had a blast! Definitely looking forward to next years ride! Until then……

“Health Concerns…”

‘Twas a cold early November when a group of friends ventured to the Blackwater River State Park near Holt, Florida for a 2 night/2 day camping and kayaking adventure. What follows are a series of photos of this incredible adventure…..

The Blackwater River in the Florida Panhandle is incredibly beautiful.

For several years now a group of friends have made an annual pilgrimage to the Blackwater River State Park near Holt, Florida to camp and to kayak the beautiful river. This time of year is special because with the approach of cooler weather few people visit the river. This also applies to biting insects!

Bob Aker built this Kayak Rack which transported five kayaks to and from the river. This rack proved to be an incredible benefit!

Prior to getting to the river paddlers stopped at the FWC Fish Hatchery. A biologist there took the paddlers on a tour of the “runs” which held several species of fish.

These are the “runs” at the fish hatchery which are used to study and raise fish.
Here are a few fish in one of the runs.
It was a beautiful day at the fish hatchery!
The first night was spent at the Blackwater River State Park which is a very well kept park. This particular area became known as “The Sawmill” once the sun went down…..
These fresh pastries were placed on a picnic table at the park campground around 4pm. Within half an hour “Dirty Mike and the Boys” got into these muffins and helped themselves. We’ve lost food to the resident raccoons in years past. This year proved to be no exception!
Firewood was gathered for an unseasonably cold November night in Florida
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Edward prepares to head to the river!
The key to making the trip work is to hire an “outfitter” who transports to boats, the gear and the paddlers 20 miles upstream to the Wilderness Landing and put out there. From there paddlers paddle downstream back to the state park. The outfitter showed up with four canoes already on the trailer which made the transport a little sketchy. All in all it worked.
Paddlers were hoping for a ride in the short bus since temps were in the low 40’s but it wasn’t meant to be. The outfitter arived in this old stake bed truck with benches in the back for paddlers to sit next to their gear and two kayaks which would not fit on the trailer.
And away they go!
Forty degrees at 35mph down the road produces a windchill of 23 degrees farenheit! It was a cold ride to the landing!
Twenty miles later paddlers arrive at the Wilderness Landing
The water level was low due to a lack of rain
Paddlers were glad to finally be on the river!
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The sun sets on the Blackwater River!
The campfire was a welcome relief on a cold night!
Daylight brings a new day on the Blackwater River
D
The Blackwater River State Park is home to thousands of Long Leaf Yellow Pines
Hot coffee on a cold morning!
Jay and Edward discuss the plan for the day
Odiel prepares the Jet Boil
Staying warm!
The river was low and beautiful
Steve enjoys the morning!

So ends another incredible kayaking journey on the beautiful Blackwater River! Although the temperatures were unseasonably cold the river was low and beautiful. We are truly blessed to enjoy such beauty with such a great group of friends. Until next time…

SWAT ROUNDUP 2025!

Made it to Orlando one more time to photograph the 2025 International SWAT Roundup at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office range. What follows are a few photos of that event. Enjoy!

Let the Roundup Begin!
Competitors make the turn heading onto the range…
Competitors run to their assigned shooting positions…
Done and run!
Smooth is fast……
Up ‘n Over!
The events are closely judged by judges seemingly all over the range….
Mark Wheeler and Mike Medina discuss the events of the morning.

Although these photos were only a small part of the competition, the events will continue throughout the week with the overall champion being declared on Friday. The competition was intense and the athletes well trained and ready. However…the real test will come when these heroes return to their communities and are summoned to compete in the true life and death scenarios in which they will be cast into at moment’s notice. May God Bless these warriors and forever keep them safe……

TERROR on Beard Street!

October 31 is always a hoot on Beard Street as residents decorate for Hallow’s Eve and thousands of visitors fill the street to celebrate this annual event! What follows are a few photos of the scary decorations just prior to the start of the event! Enjoy!!!

Once again the spirits of Hallow’s Eve were somewhat “alive and well” as revelers and candy hunters began to descend upon this quiet north Tallahassee Neighborhood to partake in the spoils of the evening. May the spirits always be with you……………

Havana Nights….

Anytime the opportunity presents itself to photograph SWAT Training it is a great thing! This training venue was behind locked gates in the small town of Havana, Florida just south of the Georgia State line on a hot August afternoon/evening. What follows are a few photographs taken during this training. The topic of the night….Bus Assaults! Among the vast number of training topics required of tactical units is the responsibility of rescuing children from School buses should they be taken hostage on a bus. Unfortunately this is a reality in today’s crazy world. Many thanks to the dedicated professionals who put their lives on the line and remain ever ready to address situations of this nature!

Team Members run to the bus once the command is given!
Team Leader Mike Trowbridge coaches his team between runs.
Team Members gather under shade and re-hydrate while receiving instructions between runs.
Operators practice porting school bus windows…
The importance of eyewear!
Various weapon systems are utilized to break windows
Spring loaded window punches are also effective! Members are forever challenged to use various tools to get the job done.
Every scenario is a learning experience and Team Members discuss what works (and what doesn’t).
Team Leaders discuss tactics
A drone keeps a watchful eye from above
Go!
Rake n’ Run
Once the windows are ported members control the interior of the bus from the outside
Team Leaders discuss tactics with the team

We remain forever grateful that during a hot August afternoon these dedicated professionals brave the late summer heat to prepare themselves for events such as a hostage situation on a school bus. Hopefully they will never have to use this training in a real life scenario but if they do they will be ready……Thank You gentlemen…

A Day on the Range…

An August morning shoot led to a new concept of target focus. What follows is a series of photographs taken during this day on the range…

The red and white steel head plate target system in the background became the focus of today’s shooting!
This unique target system utilizes visualization and focus.
Brass flies as shooters focus on the targets
Shooters make final preparations….
Shooters utilize MOS (red dot) sight systems
Frangible ammo was used to shoot the steel target systems
Falling targets are re-set by pulling them up with a rope.
Each shooter has a coach behind him keeping a close eye on the action

Any day on the range is a great day! During this training opportunity shooters learned and then demonstrated proficiency with the new focus system which will be a benefit for years to come. Train Smart….train often.

The Day After…..

July 5th on Beautiful Lake Mystic offers another day of fun on the water in the North Florida sunshine! Late afternoon offered a few more photo ops before (and after) the sun set on another incredible day!

Lake Mystic Sunset…….

A Few Leftover Fireworx…….

The Honorable Mayor of Lake Mystic acquired a few leftover fireworks in which to bid farewell to another July 4th weekend on the lake! Hopefully you were fortunate to have been on the lake Saturday night to enjoy this incredible show! Ka Boom!

Independence day ’25 is in the books! What a blessing it has been to spend it on this beautiful lake! We have so much to be thankful for! Until next year…….