This blog is a compilation of photos taken on April 24, 2023 during the Law Enforcement Memorial in Tallahassee, Florida.
This was a very somber event as eleven Law Enforcement Officers lost their lives in the line of duty last year. We long for the day when we don’t have any Officers killed and these type of events won’t be necessary…
Blessed to have had the opportunity to honor our fallen brothers who gave their all for their communities in 2022.
The Tour de Force is a 270 mile bike ride which begins in North Miami and ends five days later in Daytona Shores. The ride is to raise funds and to honor those Law Enforcement Officers who died in the line of duty during the past year. Unfortunately, we lost 11 Heroes last year.
It was a great ride for a great cause. It was a privilege to have been a part of it.
Our journey began on Saturday as our team left Tallahassee and drove to Daytona where we picked up a couple more cyclists and their gear and headed to Miami. Twas’ a long ride, but we were excited as we knew we had a great event awaiting. Welcome to Miami!
The morning of the second day (Sunday) is spent on a “warm up” ride from Coral Gables back up to Sunny Isles. Always a beautiful ride, this year’s warm up ride was no exception! Once again, we found ourselves riding north up US 1 in South Beach just prior to the Pridefest parade! This was a very well attended event. We rode up the parade route with no interference from Police assigned to work the event!
After breakfast we continued our ride north into and thru South Beach. Little did we know today was the annual Pridefest Parade! The event was very well attended and we found ourselves riding north on the mile long parade route just minutes before the parade was to begin!
After the warm-up ride and a swim in the Atlantic out behind the hotel, we showered and loaded up and headed to one of the trip highlights…dinner at Versailles! Versailles is an incredible Cuban Restaurant in Little Havana. The food is over the top and we have looked forward to this dinner since the last time! This restaurant is the hub of Cuban politics in South Florida and it is said that the Bay of Pigs invasion was decided in a back room at Versailles. If you are ever in the area, do yourself a favor and visit this place, you will thank me later!
After dinner we returned to the hotel and went out to the pier out back. Lots of people were fishing and I saw a Pompano and a Mackerel caught. Lots of excitement when these fish were reeled in, not so much by the fisherman who caught them but by the crowd gathered.
After a good night’s sleep, we got up early and headed to the North Miami Police Department where the ride began. A large crowd had gathered to get the ride started. Once again it was very humbling to think of why we were there.
The 2023 Tour de Force Ride is in the books. The tour did an outstanding job honoring the 11 fallen heroes that we lost in 2022. Participating in this ride was a true honor for all who were involved. It would be great to say that this will be the last ride but deep down inside we all know that it won’t be…and sadly next year we will ride again. Never forget that the reason for this amazing event are the Heroes who stood in the gap and sacrificed their lives so that the rest of us can safely enjoy all that this great State and Country have to offer.
Officer Ray Hamilton Officer Jose Perez
Officer Brian Golden Officer Echy Echaverry
Officer Kyle Patterson Officer Jorge Arias
Officer James McWhorter Deputy Michael Hortwick
Officer Chris Fariello Deputy Blane Lane
Deputy Chris Taylor K9 Drago
K9 Blue K9 Max
God Bless You and Your Families.
Early April 2023 found the AT crew back at it again, this time the journey began in Tallahassee and after a day’s northbound drive temporarily ended outside the Iron Horse Station in Hot Springs, NC where a fire had shut off the town’s power for a few days. Leaving the truck in Hot Springs the group was shuttled another 50 miles north to the launch point at Sam’s Gap where the five day trek south back to Hot Springs began. ‘Twas a good week, but make no mistake…it was a very tough week. What follows is our story…..
The first day found the group trekking 11.2 miles from Sam’s Gap to the Flint Mountain Shelter. If all goes well this trip will bring the group about 327 miles from the original starting point of the approach trail at Amicolola Falls to Springer Mountain where it all began several years ago.
As we continued to walk south on day 2 we came across a sign leading to the Shelton Graves. There are 3 people buried together on top of this mountain. Two were brothers who were home on leave during the Civil War. While on leave they were discovered by Union troops and shot and killed. Their family buried them here. One young Confederate Soldier was only thirteen years old.
This trip brought us to approximately 327 miles completed since leaving the approach trail to Springer Mountain at Amicolola Falls walking northbound. We will continue our efforts to conquer the trail until we no longer can. The further we venture the tougher the logistics become. This was a great trip but make no mistake it was very arduous. This was the toughest leg we have accomplished so far and that is saying something. We introduced two new hikers to the trail which was rewarding in and of itself. We saw two bears which was a treat as we had not yet seen a bear until this trip. The timing of this trip allowed us to encounter numerous northbound “thru-hikers” who’s goal will be to make it all the way to Mount Katahdin, Maine. They are unique individuals and we wish them the best. Our hat’s are off to anyone who can reach that goal. Until you spend some time on the Appalachian Trail its tough to appreciate what a tremendous undertaking that is! Kudo’s to five member team and their families who made this trip possible. We worked together as a team and looked out for each other and accomplished our goal. This trip reaffirms our belief that life is short and we had all better take the time to enjoy the blessings God has given us. If you want to do something then DO IT! Thanks be to God for giving us the resources, desire and strength to make this happen. We are already in the planning stages for the next leg north on the trail. Thank You for taking the time to check out this blog and allowing us to share this trip with you! (Dave Ferrell).
As we continued our southbound Suwanee River Kayak junket, we started where we left off last year at the Suwanee River State Park on a rainy Sunday November Morning. The five paddlers met before daylight and loaded equipment into two trucks and drove to the State Park.
Fortunately, the rain subsided and the weather could not have been better for the three day trip with highs in the 70’s and lows at night in the 50’s which kept the mosquitoes at bay.
With day 1 in the books, the paddlers pulled into the first stop of the trip, Dowling Park River Camp. These river camps are state run camps only accessible by the river. There is a camp host at these sites who oversees and maintains the properties. The camps are free but you do have to make reservations ahead of time. They are a very welcome sight to weary paddlers. They have restrooms and bath houses with hot/cold running water. They have picnic tables and screened in houses to sleep in. They could not be nicer!
Day 1 consisted of 14.5 miles of paddling at a 3mph pace. The winds were light and the paddling was excellent. The river was very low which, over the course of 3 days, exposed 12 sets of rock shoals that the paddlers had to navigate. These shoals were challenging and added some excitement to the trip!
Shortly before noon on day 2 a big whitetail buck flew down the eastern bank of the river and with one huge leap hit the river. He was on a mission as if swimming for his life. I paddled close to him in order to take a few photos, trying not to get too close, but he spotted me and turned back. I backed off all the while taking photos. Unfortunately, he swam into a large, downed oak tree in the river and got trapped. He desperately fought to get over the tree and finally made it. Once away from the tree, he swam to the shore and climbed the bank and ran south. Having seen little wildlife on the trip this was an exciting occurrence!
Paddlers paddled 18 miles on day 2 with an average speed of 3mph.
Day 3 was the longest day of paddling with approximately 20 miles having been covered. The trip ended at the Hwy 27 bridge/boat landing where the next leg of this journey will begin. This was a wonderful adventure with 5 great friends! The entire trip was approximately 52 miles at a 3mph average. The river was low and we encountered 12 rocky shoals. Wildlife was scarce however we did see a deer, turkey, otter, and a lot of birds. Very little boat traffic and few people were encountered! This trip only leaves us to strongly anticipate the next leg! Hope you enjoyed this blog! All photos were taken with a Go Pro Hero 8 Black.
With Covid finally slowing down the 2022 Halloween event on Beard Street was full on! Below are some of the ghosts and goblins waiting to greet trick or treaters on this scary Hallows Eve Night! Enjoy!!
The 2022 Hallow’s Eve was set to be a great event! Lots of people were beginning to arrive prior to 5pm so hopefully everyone had a great time! A lot of work went into putting this event together! Hope you liked it and……HAPPY HALLOWS EVE!
We just recently returned from a week long trip to Northern Michigan. Having never been there before we really had no idea what to expect other than what we had read online, had heard from friends and seen from looking at photos on the internet. Upon our arrival we were in for a tremendous surprise! The place is incredibly beautiful!
The season was fall in mid-October, the temperatures were cold (well, cold for Florida residents, the good folks in Michigan weren’t too affected by the weather). A storm was passing thru which led to rain and strong winds coming in from the west across the lake. Winds so strong they knocked a lot of trees down including some across the power lines which led to three days of no electricity. Fortunately we were privy to a Generac Home Generator which ran non-stop until at last the power was restored.
It was harvest season and farmers were busy bringing in apples and corn and lots of both! Road side fruit stands were plentiful and to stop at one was a treat! The offered apples, cider, honey, baked goods and just about anything else you could imagine that makes this area so very special! Visiting this area took me back about fifty years to when we had similar stands here in Florida. Sadly they have become a thing of the past in our part of Florida. The stores in Michigan were clean and very well stocked. The employees were friendly and helpful, a far cry from what we have been accustomed to.
We hunted early one morning. The rain on Lake Michigan had turned to snow further inland and the wind was howling. We hunted over corn rows using two highly trained Brittany Spaniels who knew their business. They located and flushed these pheasants who fell to 20ga shotguns loaded with #5 high brass shells. These birds will be enjoyed with gravy over rice and yes, that is snow on the birds and on the tailgate! It was COLD!
The Hunting lodge was loaded with mounted birds, fish, deer and other animals. The Taxidermist who mounted these items is world renowned and awards adorn the walls of the cabin. He is very skilled!
One thing that really stood out is the cleanliness of the area. There was NO trash on the roadsides, on the beach, nowhere! What a difference this made and it really added to the uniqueness of the area. Its a very special place.
One afternoon we visited a beautiful lake fed by a crystal clear and strongly flowing trout stream. We were blessed to have caught several very nice Rainbow Trout, some weighing in the neighborhood of 3lbs! These fish were fat and healthy. They put up a great fight and were put back into the lake to hopefully fight another day!
The seasons were changing and the leaves were incredibly colorful, more so than I have ever seen before!
As the weather finally calmed we were able to get down onto the beach along Lake Michigan and do some walks. The water was clear, emerald green and very similar to the water in the Caribbean. I wanted badly to swim but I knew I’d suffer if I did because it was freezing cold. The lake could very well freeze over in a couple of months!
The sand was tan and smooth and very clean. There were a lot of rocks in certain areas of the beach and in the water. The rocks were different colors and sizes and were smooth due to the constant wave action which was similar to the waves in the ocean. One afternoon while we walked 3 bald eagles flew overhead! It was a very beautiful beach and much like the roads there was no trash to be found!
Our research and anticipation of Lake Michigan did little to prepare us for the absolute beauty of this area. It was nothing like I had imagined. The beauty of the water rivals the Caribbean! Had it not been so cold I would have spent the afternoon swimming in it! The lake is vast, over 300 miles long and 160 miles across, unlike any lake I have ever seen! Words alone cannot describe it’s awesomeness and beauty!
The Northern Michigan landscape is stunning this time of year with the turning fall foliage. Large corn fields and apple orchards line the hillsides for miles. This visit was truly a step back in time to the beauty of this great country that I remember from my childhood. It was a trip we will never forget!
Was recently invited to photograph the Leon vs Lincoln High School Football game at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The game started at 7pm, we arrived just before 6 in order to capture some pre-game warmups which many times leads to some outstanding photos! This was the first time I stepped foot onto this field since the artificial turf has been installed. Still not a fan of this stuff, was told the Leon County School Board has spent around $900k for this field and others like it. Rumor has it that in 3 years the turf will pay for itself in upkeep over a natural turf field. They may get some folks to believe this but I’m not buying it, I can buy a lot of water, fertilizer and mowing jobs for $100k, much less $900k. Their math and mine just don’t add up. Many thanks to the half cent sales tax that the Leon County Taxpayers were saddled with several years ago….
Meanwhile, we got to the stadium in plenty of time to get set up and start taking some photos. The October weather was perfect and the light was good! What follows are the results of this effort.
It was great covering this football game. Lincoln managed to defeat Leon but regardless it was a great game to photograph! The crowd was large and was very much into the game. Hope these young men realize that these will be some of the best days of their lives, it surely was for me!
Friday night I was invited to take some photos of a high school football game at Leon High School. It was a great opportunity that I really enjoyed! I have not covered a football game recently so I embraced the challenge and done my best. What follows are photos taken during the first half of the game.
It was great covering the Leon vs Munroe football game! The game brought out a large crowd in spite of it being the Friday night just before Labor day! The new field was impressive but the old soil held the blood and sweat of many years of practice where boys developed into men. Hopefully the new turf will absorb the same drops of transition. The dedication and teamwork are still there, only time will tell. Kudos to both teams who played their hearts out but tonight Munroe won the game!
Once again I had the opportunity to attend the annual amateur boxing competition at John Paul II which is sponsored by the great folks at the Lincoln Center in Tallahassee. This year’s event was very well attended and featured 18 three round bouts! Athletes came representing various boxing clubs from around Florida were in attendance to include several from the Lincoln Center in Tallahassee and a couple from the Shiny Head Boxing Gym in Gadsden, County! This event is always well organized and supported by officials from USA Boxing as well as medical personnel. This year’s event did not disappoint!
This event always provides great entertainment, discipline, intense competition and sportsmanship! These young athletes are learning lessons that will carry them thru life. Much appreciation to these coaches who selflessly devote their time and expertise to build these young men. And many thanks to the great folks at the Lincoln Center who once again put on a great show! Looking forward to next year!
It is hard to believe that we are once again celebrating the Fourth of July at Lake Mystic! It was just a few short months ago that we were celebrating it last year and here we are again!
It is also hard to believe that 246 years ago, the fathers of this great country declared their independence from the tyranny of King George III and pledged their lives to create this wonderful country that we are so blessed to live in. Needless to say, these are scary times we are living in today and I think we can all look around us and be grateful for the blessings bestowed upon us to include celebrating our independence around a beautiful spring fed lake.
Your flag team has been hard at work preparing and hanging the flags around the lake. This year your team hung 51 flags! This tradition was started years ago by Mr. Billy Rankin whose roots run deep in the sandy Liberty County soil. Billy has since moved from the lake but still has ties to the area and if you are lucky, you may see him around from time to time. If you do, please thank him for creating the annual flag decor around the lake. It adds a lot and demonstrates the patriotic spirit shared by residents and visitors of the lake.
Weather has certainly been a factor leading up to this year’s Fourth. Although the lake was busy, it did not seem as busy as in year’s past. No doubt several factors probably played into this to include the weather and the economy. Regardless, those who made it out enjoyed a wonderful fireworks show. Thanks to those of you who made it happen, this was one of the best!
Although the water level is still high, the residents and visitors enjoyed a great afternoon before the evening festivities!
The boat parade was scheduled to begin at 7, however the weather played a factor in this year’s parade and between showers and lightning, it finally started around 730 for a few brave souls who decided that the show must go on!
And as the sun began to set, the skies cleared and the rain stopped. The temperature was cool and it was a perfect evening for a July 4th Fireworks show on the lake!
And as dark approached, the crowds gathered to watch what was sure to be a great night of celebratory July 4th fireworks! They would not be disappointed!
What an incredible weekend! Many thanks to those of you who made this possible. You are making memories for the young people who will always remember spending the Fourth of July at Lake Mystic! It was a tremendous event and leaves us looking forward to next year’s celebration! Never forget the reason we celebrate and for those who gave their lives in defense of the freedoms that we enjoy. To those we owe our sincere gratitude.
May God continue to Bless America!
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