Justin Wright » Florida

Florida Has A Ton Of Caves

Justin Wright — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:16:59 +0000

Standing Near the Entrance of Peace Cave

While hiking around in Withlacoochee State Forest, we happen to run into a few “cavemen” who were working on restoring a cave. They told us a bunch of cool stuff about the caves found in Florida and pointed us in the right direction to find some of them.

Unfortunately, at the time we didn’t have any flashlights so we couldn’t do much other than look down and wonder what was down below. So we decided to head back up there with a few flashlights to see what we could find. Here’s a quick video taken from Peace Cave, which is one of the more popular caves found in the forest:

It was hard to see in the caves (even with a flashlight) so the video doesn’t do the cave much justice. Either way it was still fun to climb down and look around inside the caves. Other than a few rodents, we didn’t find much other than an odd smell.

Hiking The Old Fort King Trail

Justin Wright — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:35:01 +0000

Entrance to the Old Fort King Trail

After driving by the entrance to the Old Fort King Trail on our way to the Hillsborough River State Park, my girlfriend and I decided to head back to check it out.

The Old Fort King Trail is approximately 6.7 miles long and runs just south of the Hillsborough River State Park. It also runs into the John B. Sargeant Sr. Park which is right along the 301. It’s great for hiking and also looks like it would be fun to ride a bike on.

Judging by the lack of people we saw, I would assume this is not that popular of a hike in the summer. I have a feeling it’s due to the large quantity of flying creatures including wasps, bees, mosquitos and who knows what else. And don’t forget the massive amount of spiders dangling from the trees.

We also learned from our experience that the trail can definitely be wet during the rainy season. We ended up turning around on the trail since we didn’t want to walk through all the water. Instead, we ended up following some roads and eventually found a different trail.

Here’s the path we ended up taking:

Our Makeshift Hike Path

It actually turned out to be an awesome hike. We walked along the Dead River Road for what seemed like forever and saw some of the largest wasps ever. We then ran into the Dead River Youth Camp and found a nice trail along the river. The total hike came in around 7 miles since we had to repeat our path back to the car.

Photos From the Hike

Below is a collection of the best pictures I took during the hike. Don’t forget to click on them to view the better quality version:

My Favorite Photo Of The Hike

Scary Looking Water

A Velvet Ant (Wasp)

An Old Tractor

Standing Under Some Spanish Moss

Following An Old Road

Our Dog Leading The Way

What Appears To Be An Alligator Track

Our Dog Had A Blast

A Huge Grasshopper

Great Shot Of The Sky

I must say, the Old Fort King Trail was a fun hike. I was disappointed at first because I thought we would be walking along the road the whole time but once we got further in it turned out to be really cool.

***
You can check out the rest of my pictures in the Old Fort King Trail photo gallery.

Hiking In Hillsborough River State Park

Justin Wright — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:50:51 +0000

Crossing A Suspension Bridge in Hillsborough River State Park

One of the best adventures I’ve had here in Florida happens to be hiking through the Hillsborough River State Park. The park is one of the oldest parks in the state of Florida and features hiking, canoeing, camping, and kayaking. Best of all, it’s located less than an hour outside of Tampa.

When it comes to hiking, the park has four different trails that you can choose from with a total of around 7 miles of trails. We opted to hike each of the trails and managed to complete the trip in around 3 hours. There are a few primitive camping spots which would make for a great backpacking trip. They also have a regular campground for those who can’t do without electricity.

When hiking through the park, many of the trails follow the the Hillsborough River which is an awesome thing to see. There are a few rapids in the river as well as a couple suspension bridges that pass over it. We saw a few alligator signs along the way but didn’t happen to bump into any of them.

Instead, one of the only things we saw on the hike was an abundance of these:

A Florida Garden Spider Up Close

These spiders were literally everywhere and we constantly had to stop and duck below the webs that were crossing the trail. Some of the spiders were gigantic! Unfortunately, we had no idea if they were venomous or not until after we got home so we approached them with caution. Once we got home, we were able to find out they are harmless.

If you’re terrified of spiders, you might want to hold off on this hike.

Pictures From the Hike

Here’s a few of my best shots from the hike through Hillsborough River State Park:

A Black and White Shot of a Florida Spider

A Few Rapids in the Hillsborough River

Standing Next to A Huge Tree Covered in Moss

Take Nothing But Pictures, Leave Nothing But Footprints

A Look Downstream

A Cool Florida Butterfly

Hiking Through Palm Trees

A Sun Beam Shining Through the Trees

I highly recommend checking out the Hillsborough River State Park, especially if you live near the Tampa area. It’s a great place to go on a weekday since we were one of the only groups of hikers out there. For more information on the hike, you can check out the official website.

***
See more photos in the Hillsborough River State Park photo gallery.

Hiking In Withlacoochee State Forest

Justin Wright — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:53:01 +0000

It’s no secret that Florida is a flat state. There are no mountains and barely any hills from what I’ve seen. I miss mountains a lot more than I thought I would after leaving Arizona but I have not given up on finding some cool hikes here in the sunshine state.

The good news is that Florida does have a handful of state forests and parks that have some great hiking trails. A perfect example is Withlacoochee State Forest located near Dade City. My girlfriend and I made the drive up there from St Petersburg to check it out and were not disappointed.

Quick Facts

Withlacoochee State Forest is the third largest state forest in Florida and is home to a variety of tree species. It still surprises me to see pine trees and palm trees growing right along side one another.

The forest also hosts a bunch of different creatures including bald eagles, snakes, black bears, deer, wild boar, bobcats, and alligators. Talk about a wide range of species all calling one place home. The only thing we came across were a few deer and what appeared to be a boar or an armadillo (couldn’t see through the brush).

The Hike

The forest has a variety of different trails including an all-purpose paved trail. We went with one of the dirt trails that didn’t appear to be on the actual map. It took us through a few miles of marshy land along with a few meadows where we saw the deer. My goal was to hunt down some gators but I didn’t have any luck.

Here are a few pictures from the hike:

One downside was the fact that mosquitos were EVERYWHERE. I don’t think I’ve ever seen mosquitos as thick as they were in the forest and we forget our bug spray (not a good idea). If you decide to check out the forest, make sure to pack some decent spray are you will regret it.

An Observation Tower

Once we looped back to the main trail we came across this observation tower:

After climbing up the tower I was pretty impressed with the view:

A Replica Village

Besides coming across the observation tower, we also found a replica village that had a few different buildings including a cabin, church, and a small general store. Here are a few pictures of the village:

Video From The Hike

Here is a quick video I put together of the hike through Withlacoochee Forest:

***
I must say I was really impressed with this place. It is one of the coolest place I have come across here in Florida and I definitely plan on going back to check out the gators. If you’re ever in Florida, I highly recommend checking out Withlacoochee State Forest.

Want to see more photos? Check out the complete photo gallery here.

The Honda Grand Prix

Justin Wright — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:16:15 +0000

One of the coolest events I’ve attended so far here in Florida was the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. I’m not a huge fan of racing but since the main race was rained out on Sunday, they decided to make general admission free since it was pushed back to yesterday morning.

The other reason I wanted to check it out was because the race literally took place a few blocks from my house. The track was set up so close to my house that I heard the cars all last week while they were practicing and doing time trials (they’re louder than you think).

I must say, it’s pretty awesome to see cars racing through downtown. It sure beats watching them go around in a circle. The 1.8 mile track was setup right along the bay downtown and was the perfect place for a race.

As far as the race goes, Will Power in the Verizon #12 car won it. Seems like he was the favorite coming in to the race, but I can’t say I know much about the Indy series.

Photos From the Race

It was tough to get pictures since the cars were moving so fast but I ended up getting a few good ones. Here’s a few I took near the track:

For more photos of the race, check out the Honda Grand Prix photo gallery.

Videos From the Race

Since the still shots do not do the cars justice, I recorded some videos while standing near the track. Here’s a few of my favorites:

You can see a few more videos from the race over on my YouTube channel.

***
After seeing the Honda Grand Prix in person, I must say I was really impressed. It’s so much different seeing the cars in person as opposed to watching the race on television, especially when they race a few blocks from where you live.

The Tampa Twilight Criterium

Justin Wright — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:59:08 +0000

The Tampa Twilight Criterium took place this past Saturday and my girlfriend and I accidentally attended it. We were in downtown Tampa looking for the ECO.lution festival and ran right into it.

I wasn’t sure what it was but it turns out the event is a fast-paced bicycle race that features a ton of cyclists racing on a short urban course through downtown Tampa. Besides having a variety of different races, there were also a bunch of different vendors with products relating to cycling.

The Races Were Intense

I was pretty impressed by the bike races, especially since it was the first time I had ever seen a bike race in person. It’s pretty crazy how fast people can go on a bicycle. I stood there in awe as the cyclists came flying by us doing lap after lap at high speeds.

Here’s a video of one of the bike races:

Pretty crazy huh? What’s really impressive is the fact they keep those speeds up for 40 minute straight. I was exhausted just watching them do a few laps.

If you’re in to cycling, I highly recommend checking out the event next year. It’s free to spectators and you can watch it from various places in downtown Tampa.

Cigar City Brewing & Whole Foods Market Cask Ale Tasting Event

Justin Wright — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:41:42 +0000

This past weekend was the first annual Cigar City Brewing and Whole Foods Market Cask Ale Tasting event. The event featured twelve different beers from a handful of different breweries including Cigar City Brewing, Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Peg’s Cantina, and Dunedin Brewery.

I personally tried the Cigar City Brewing Cubano Espresso, which was pretty damn good. I’m a coffee fanatic and drinking a beer with a hint of coffee flavor was the perfect combination for me.

Besides beer tasting, the event also had live music provided by World Wide Zoo. They also had a outdoor grill that served up some food from Whole Foods, though I didn’t try any of it myself.

The great thing about the event was that 100% of the proceeds were donated to the Whole Planet foundation. It always feels nice to give back and help others.

The only downside to the event was the fact that it took place inside. It was super crowded and getting around was pretty much impossible. Then again this is pretty typical for events, especially ones that feature beer.

Photos From the Event

The ale tasting event was a great place to try some different beers and give back to others. Hopefully they will have it again next year (though I hope they move it outdoors).

ECO.lution Tampa 2010

Justin Wright — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:31:26 +0000

This is a quick announcement about a cool event that kicks off today. ECO.lution is an annual event that takes place here in Tampa to encourage everyone to make green and sustainable choices.

This year marks the third annual ECO.lution event and it consists of three difference events:

ECO.expo

The ECO.expo will feature displays from a wide variety of green product manufacturers, local businesses, design firms, local schools and government organizations. The main goal is sharing information about the products and programs to help the general public and design professionals be more sustainable.

The ECO.expo event is open to the public and will offer complimentary food, beer, and wine (awesome). There will also be live music by Kevin Mongelli. It sounds like a blast, especially if you like learning about new products and getting free samples (I do).

When: Thursday, March 25th, 2010 / 5PM – 9PM
Where: The Ritz Ybor / 1503 7th Ave. Tampa, FL

ECO.festival

The ECO.festival takes place this Saturday and promises an afternoon of fun, enlightenment, and entertainment. The festival will take place outdoors and will feature food, wine, green products, educational seminars, children’s activities, and live music.

The festival is also combined with the 2nd Annual Tampa Twilight Criterium urban bike race. Participants of the race are invited to join the festival and learn more about helping Tampa become a sustainable city.

When: Saturday, March 27th, 2010 / 11AM – 9PM
Where: Lykes Gaslight Park and the Streets of Downtown Tampa

Paint the Town Green

Paint the Town Green is a restaurant/bar hop utilizing Tampa’s public transit system. Hundreds of people and dozens of venues have participated in the event over the past three years and this year looks to be just as much fun.

Each participant gets a passport to record their journey visiting various venues along the HART Green Line and the TECO Line Street Car. Each location will offer various food and drink specials the night of the event.

When: Friday April 2, 2010 / 6PM – 10PM
Where: Restaurants/Bars around Downtown Tampa, the Channel District and Ybor City

More Details To Come

I plan on attending each of the events myself so stay tuned for more updates. I’ll be sure to write-up a few posts about the various events once I attend them. Hope to see some of you there!

For more information, head on over to the ECO.lution Tampa website.

The Saturday Morning Market in Downtown St. Petersburg

Justin Wright — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:36:13 +0000

For the past few weeks, I’ve been checking out the Saturday Morning Market here in St. Petersburg. The market has been going strong since 2002 and is an awesome place to go and shop for a variety of different items. It’s also nice to get out and support small businesses and farms from the area.

What Can You Get There?

For the most part, it seems like you can get (or experience) just about anything at the market. Below are some of the common attractions and items available each Saturday:

Live Music

Besides shopping, you can also check out the market for some live music. Each week they have different musicians that perform various types of music.

Fresh Coffee

The market has a few vendors that provide fresh, local coffee as well as serve various coffee drinks including hot cappuccino’s.

Local (and Organic) Produce

A handful of local farms provide conventional as well as organic produce. The prices are very reasonable and it feels great knowing you are getting fresh food right from the farmers.

Free Range Eggs

The main reason my girlfriend and I head to the market each week is to pick up some free range chicken eggs. It’s nearly impossible to find them in stores and it’s nice being able to get them from someone in the area. The prices vary from vendor to vendor but average around $4/dozen (highly recommend the Dancing Goat).

Plants / Flowers

You can find a wide range of plants, herbs, and flowers at the market. One of the best purchases we’ve made so far is the mint plant I’m holding in the picture below.

We drink Mojito’s from time to time and the mint leaves at the store are not only old, but also expensive. For not much more than the cost of a small package of leaves we managed to get an entire plant.

Food / Drinks

Besides shopping for various products, the Saturday Morning Market is also a great place to grab breakfast, lunch, or a snack. There are a bunch of different vendors that sell various food items including pizza, breakfast plates, tacos, and a huge selection of baked items.

One of the best things I’ve had so far is the organic fruit smoothie seen below.

Much More

By no means is that everything they have available at the market. They also have furniture, hand-made soaps, clothes, and tons of other items. You never know what you might find while walking around at the market.

When and Where?

The market is held every Saturday morning in downtown St. Petersburg from 9 AM to 2 PM. It takes place in the parking lot near 1st Ave. S and 1st St. Also, the market is open from October 3 through May 29.

Want even more information? Check out the official Saturday Morning Market website or follow the market on Twitter (@SPSatAMMkt).

What $100 Worth of Groceries Looks Like – Florida vs. Hawaii

Justin Wright — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:37:41 +0000

The main reason I decided to migrate down to Florida is because I am a sucker for tropical climates. I love palm trees, warm weather, and beaches more than anything. While Hawaii is the perfect place for this, I didn’t want to return to the high cost of living that Honolulu had to offer.

After doing a few cost of living checks, I learned the most of Florida is relatively affordable. However, it wasn’t until the other day when my girlfriend and I were grocery shopping that the cost of living difference between here and Hawaii really hit me.

Below is a side-by-side comparison of what $100 will get you in each state:

Hawaii

This photo was taken in 2007, so the prices may be a tad outdated. Everything in the picture was purchased from a Sam’s Club in Honolulu for roughly $100.

Items included:

1 Bag of Mixed Fruit
1 Box of Cereal
1 Bag of Beef Jerky
1 Package of Deli Turkey (Double-pack)
2 Loaves of Whole Wheat Bread
1 Bag of Frozen Strawberries
1 Bunch of Bananas
1 Bag of Frozen Vegetables
1 Bag of Frozen Broccoli
1 Bottle of Mrs. Dash Spices
1 Bag of Tilapia

That’s it…

Florida

This photo was taken a few days ago and most of the items were purchased at a local produce stand or natural food market. Everything came in at roughly $93.

Items included:

2 Bottles of Organic Lime Juice
2 Bottles of Olive Oil
2 Bottles of Organic Soy Sauce
1 Bottle of Orange Juice
1/2 Gallon of Organic Milk
4 lbs. of Organic Oatmeal
3 lbs. of Organic Chickpeas
1 Dozen Eggs (Free Range)
3 lbs. of Frozen Blueberries
2 lbs. of Carrots
7 Bunches of Broccoli
4 Sweet Potatoes
7 Zucchinis
1 Piece of Fresh Ginger Root
3 Cloves of Garlic
3 Bags of Spinach
7 (Huge) Apples
1 Bunch of Strawberries
1 Bunch of Bananas
1 Gallon of Vinegar
1 Bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide
1 Rolling Pin
1 Bar of 100% Cocoa

A Clear Winner

It is pretty crazy when you can see the cost difference side-by-side. Not only was I able to buy a lot more stuff (and better quality), I was also able to support a few local businesses at the same time.

***
Just curious…do you think you could get more or less where you live?