Juniper Springs

Juniper Springs Campground

Ocala National Forest, FL

July 2013

Laurel became very interested in tent camping. I had hoped to take the girls to northern New Hampshire for a long weekend of camping in a forest with a high concentration of moose, but that plan didn't work out. I didn't want to disappoint Laurel, so I took her on a 3 day, 2 night father/daughter tent camping trip in Florida, in July. We were extremely fortunate as the temperatures topped out in the low 80's and we didn't have a single drop of rain!

As soon as we picked a campsite, Laurel helped to scout out the best location for the tent. Once she picked a good spot, I let her get the tent out of the car. The stillness of the central Florida jungle ended when I heard Laurel screaming. I looked back to see that she had fallen into the fire pit with her legs in the air and the back of her head against the metal fire ring. 

Dark Forest

Sunset - Juniper Prairie

Juniper Prairie Wilderness

Ocala National Forest

January 3, 2006

Two friends, Amber Peck and John Parker from Gainesville, FL leave for a backpacking trip to Hidden Pond in the Juniper Prairie Wilderness in Ocala National Forest.

150 miles away, a 19 year old male wakes up in Largo, FL and decides he wants to know what it's like to kill someone. He boards a Greyhound bus headed to Ocala with a concealed AK-47 in a duffel bag. While in Ocala, he purchases camping gear before taking a taxi to the Juniper Prairie Wilderness.

January 4, 2006

Just outside the Juniper Prairie Wilderness area, the young man from Largo hitches a ride back to Ocala.