Not quite new member introduction

[Chris Meyers]

Hola compadres!

 

I have been lurkin' here since the flood of '62, and been a member for year or two or three (thanks for not bootin' me out Keith!) so I figured it was time to officially say hello.

 

Hello.

 

I grew up over in North Fort Myers, without owning a horse or 4x4 (yeah, I was a strange child). As kids we did a LOT of fishing and boating (to this day you only have to whisper my name across any backwater and then watch the snook pack up their little fish bags and leave for deeper water). Unfortunately I never learned to appreciate what was right down the road... Big Cypress, 10,000 Islands, etc. Finally turned 18 and skedaddled up to UF/Gainesville and eventually made it my home.

 

Fell in love with North Florida nature: cave diving in the springs, canoeing & kayaking the Santa Fe & Suwanee, camping weekends at Juniper Springs. Got hooked on Jeeps (and that whole “go where no one has gone before” thing) and eventually rediscovered the 'glades back home. How did I ever not notice ENP & Big Cypress while growing up down there?

 

So now I do more off-roading, camping, and paddling than ever before. All my kids are exceptional paddlers and some combination of us head out to the woods about every other weekend. Seems I end up down Everglades more & more often...  Jeeping thru Bear Island, hiking Pace's Dike, paddling Turner River, or swilling a cold, cold beer with Lucky over on Loop Road.

 

I am fortunate to have stumbled upon y’alls little group here. There is so much passion and adventure and knowledge. I cannot thank you enough.

 

Anyway…

Chris

 

PS. Just to keep it interesting, tell me the location of my user photo and a drink is on me! 

[shawn beightol]

Chris, that would be Cocoanut Hammock and I like a cold pabst or yuengling.  Joannie's sometime?

[Chris Meyers]

You get one of each because you spelled it correctly too!  And I'm up for any beer establishment... Joannie's, Seafood Depot in e-city, Lucky's on the Loop, etc.

(BTW, I *almost* made it out there this past May.  Ah... one day.)