ACTIVITIES and EVENTS
 

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THERE ARE WEEKDAY EVENING WALKS IN MAY and JUNE IN SAN MARCO, AVONDALE/RIVERSIDE, THE WONDERWOOD BRIDGE AND JAX LANDING. IT’S BEST TO CHECK MEETUP.COM/SIDETRACKERS TO SEE IF THE EVENT IS ON. MANY WALKS ARE CANCELLED LAST MINUTE DUE TO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. YOU MAY ALSO TEXT OR CALL THE LEADERS, VICTOR OR SANDRA

Check Meetup.com for all dates in May, Frisbee Golf (Disc Golf) Ed Austin Regional Park: Come join us for a fun day of golf Frisbee. Even if you aren't great at throwing a Frisbee, if you've ever wanted to try playing a round of Disc Golf on a real Disc Golf course, this is your opportunity! We'll need at first to limit the number of players and then as our members learn the basic rules we can form additional 4-8somes and have a larger number of members on the course the next time. If you have your own discs you can bring them, otherwise discs will be provided. You might want to bring a hand towel to wipe your disc before you throw, something to drink and some bug spray. Wear sneakers or light hiking shoes and NOT sandals, flip flops or high heels.  There is a limit of 8 people, so please sign-up only if you are planning on attending and update your RSVP if your plans change.  Afterwards we will get a bite to eat; location to be determined later.  Leader Chris G., cell 904-536-3822.  For more information: http://www.pdga.com/course-directory/course/ed-austin-park-fore-palms-disc-golf-course

Fri Sun,  5/6 -5/8, 7am, T.H. Memorial St. Joseph State Park, camping, kayaking, hiking, fishing and snorkeling trip :  Come join us for a fun weekend on the gulf side of Florida.  This beautiful lagoon state park sits across from Port St. Joe in the Florida panhandle. The park has 9.5 miles of snow white sand beaches with aqua blue waters with a wilderness preserve nearby. This park has camping, hiking, biking, fishing and kayaking. If you wish, just sit back and relax or bird watch or do some star gazing at night. I have 4 camping sites available. Anyone wishing to go must pay me for campsites in order to reserve a site. The campsites can have 2 tents, 8 folks per sites, with water and electricity.  You can try to double up in tents so we can have as several people participating in the fun. Event leader:  Vic Corrales at: 904-517-2321 txt. The state park address is:  8899 Cape San Blas Road, Port St. Joe, FL 32456, 1-850-227-1327. Kayaks are available just before you get to state park at:  Happy Ours Kayak and Bike Outpost 1-800-229-1991. Kayaks are $35/4 hrs, tandem, $50/4 hrs and bikes are $15 a day. https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/St-Joseph and http://www.happyourskayak.com/

Sat 5/14, 10:00 am, Biking on the Baldwin Trail, Jacksonville: Come join us for a fun morning in our own backyard.  We will meet in the parking lot at 10:00 am. Just west of bustling downtown Jacksonville, the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail-Trail, one of north Florida's oldest, traverses a rural setting of hardwood uplands, wetlands and pine flatwoods. A dense tree canopy shelters much of the nearly 15-mile paved path, providing habitat for hawks, wood storks, stilts and belted kingfishers. You're also likely to encounter turkeys, alligators, rabbits, gopher tortoises and coral snakes.

We will be meeting at the Camp Milton Historic Preserve, which serves as a mid-point trailhead located at 1225 Halsema Rd N, Jacksonville, FL 32220. From town take I-10 west to Chaffee Rd. North exit. Turn left on Chaffee heading north to Beaver St. (Hwy 90). Turn left on Beaver until you take a right on Helsema Rd. The park is on your right.  The plan will be to meet at Camp Milton and then take the Jacksonville-Baldwin trail west for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  At that time the group will turn around and head back for Camp Milton. Hopefully with having a timed ride it will not make a difference if you are a fast or slow bicyclist. No matter how far you travel on the trail if everyone turns around at the same time we will all finish together. After the Sidetrackers event concludes, some of us will get a bite to eat at Cross Creek Steakhouse and Ribs for lunch, located at 850 Lane Ave S, Jacksonville, FL 32205.

Leader Mike Miller 904 294-5064.  For more information, Baldwin Trail http://www.traillink.com/trail/jacksonville-baldwin-rail-trail.aspx Camp Milton http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/campmilton.html Cross Creek http://www.crosscreeksteakhouse.com/

Sat 5/14, 9:45 am, Otttis Castle Tour in Vilano Beach (Sidetrackers Members Only): Come join us for a day of fun exploring the Otttis Castle. Castle Otttis is an impression of an Irish castle of 1,000 years ago. The interior was created under guidance of historians from the Catholic Diocese of Northeast Florida.  Enjoy the view of the Atlantic Ocean, Vilano Beach and St Augustine from the roof top of its towers. This is a free tour, however, donations are encouraged. The Castle is located 103 3rd St, St Augustine, FL 32084 on highway A1A three miles north of St. Augustine, Florida.  The tour will begin promptly at 10 am. For additional information:  http://www.castleotttis.com/. Hosted by Joanne G, (904)553-7707. After the Sidetackers event is over, some members may opt to have lunch at the Reef near by the Castle.

Sun 5/15, 11:00am, Paddle Board Lessons at Black Creek Outfitters, Jacksonville: We will meet at Black Creek Outfitters at 10:30am, 10051 Skinner Lake Drive, Jacksonville, FL. It’s right by the Town Center on Gate and (JTB/202) Butler Blvd.   This is a beginner class, but you need to be in fairly good physical shape. It is a full core workout, per the instructor.  We will be in flat, wave free water and will paddle in a safe lake.  I have already secured 15 reservations. The cost is $25.00 a person if we have 15 people in attendance. The class will be around 1 hour. If we get enough people on the wait list, we will do another class. Leader: Julie H. (904) 424-1548. The website is: https://www.blackcreekoutfitters.com/

THERE ARE WEEKDAY EVENING WALKS IN JUNE IN SAN MARCO, AVONDALE/RIVERSIDE, THE WONDERWOOD BRIDGE AND JAX LANDING. BEST TO CHECK MEETUP.COM/SIDETRACKERS TO SEE IF THE EVENT IS ON. MANY WALKS ARE CANCELLED LAST MINUTE DUE TO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. YOU MAY ALSO TEXT OR CALL THE LEADERS, VICTOR OR SANDRA

Sat 6/25, 9:30 AM, Crazy Fish Airboat Ride: Come experience one of the top ecotour/thrill rides in the state of Florida. You will be amazed as you board this 600 horsepower, state-of-the-art, air boat, piloted by a licensed US Coast Guard Master Captain. Sit back while you tour the views of the Giant Ships of the Mayport Naval Station. You will be in awe of The Planes and Helicopters that do fly-over maneuvers above your head. You will be intrigued as we cruise by the historic and very active Mayport shrimp boats, as these large ships with nets cruise in and out of port with a bounty of fresh shrimp.   Get ready for your hair to stand up on top of your head, as we fly and spin around the magnificent marshlands, wetlands, creeks, streams and islands, this is the part of the tour that will blow you away... Goose bumps will form on your skin as we float through the pods of atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Yes folks, it's true, there's so much wildlife on our tour we GUARANTEE YOU WILL SEE DOLPHINS!  Captain Josh is offering a special price of $39.99 (regular $99) for a one hour tour with 15 prepaid riders.  If you RSVP for this event, you must mail a check in the amount of $42.80 made payable to Old Florida Aquatics to 4461 Port Arthur Rd, Jacksonville, FL  32224. We will meet at 9:30 am at Morningstar Marina at 4852 Ocean St, Jacksonville, FL  32233 – just past the Ferry.  For more information, check out http://www.crazyfishjax.com/fun.html

July 5, Tuesday, RIVERSIDE PARK

Non-members and their guests must fill out a liability waiver form, available here, before participating in any Sidetrackers event or activity.  Please note that Meetup group membership alone is not the same as Sidetrackers club membership.  For more information please visit our Membership page.

Additional information about these activities and events may be announced at monthly meetings and on our Meetup.com/Sidetrackers trip reservation pages.

2016 Monthly Meeting Schedule.  Locations Will Be Announced.
MONTHLY MEETINGS are always on the first non-holiday Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m.
and the location may vary.  Subscribers to our Meetup.com group receive an automatic reminder message in their email two days before the meeting.

The Sidetrackers Newsletter
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Members pay a small annual fee to help share the annual cost of maintaining this web site and the small costs of running the club.  Members are not required to submit a Guest Waiver form at each Sidetrackers trip, activity or event.  Membership applications are accepted throughout the year.  Please visit our Membership page, or send questions and comments to membership 'at' sidetrackers.com.

The Sidetrackers Web Site
Our web site is maintained by Frank who can be reached by email at webmaster 'at' sidetrackers.com.  Please contact Frank if you have any corrections, photos, or other items of interest from any current activities. We will be pleased to consider your suggestions concerning the web site content.

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