Volunteers Replace Bridge For Hikers

THONOTOSASSA - In an effort to make hiking more pleasurable for others, a dozen volunteers ventured into the forest to replace a bridge.

Nearly three-fourths of a mile into the woods of Hillsborough River State Park, volunteers with the Florida Trail Association's F-Troop braved slippery slopes, a precarious plank used as a temporary bridge, whirring chain saws, bugs and, aside from cell phones, isolation.

Association volunteers spent last weekend replacing a bridge located down one of the side trails of the Florida Trail system, a network consisting of both the linear 1,400-mile Florida Trail and a collection of loop and linear trails on public lands throughout Florida.

The members of F-Troop took on the task after seeing the decaying condition of the 20-year-old bridge during a hike. With donations and funding from park services - about $500 for materials - they ventured out to replace the 40-foot span.

Ted Youngblood, a 20-year association member, helped pull out some older support beams with a tractor. The beams were replaced with utility poles donated by Tampa Electric Co.

Association members Bill Martin, Alan Bailey and Tom Hammond guided the poles into place.

"We're out here to support the organization and get the bridge fixed," said Youngblood of Spring Lake. "The old bridge was leaning at a 30-degree angle. It will be fixed by people that wouldn't do this for a living, who are out here volunteering their time."

Bob Woods, trail crew program coordinator in Tallahassee, said building the new bridge would help hikers traverse the boggy area in the 3.5-mile trail offshoot and would help F-Troop with future upkeep further down the trail.

F-Troop member Mitch Almon said constructing the new bridge was one of the biggest tasks he had taken on since joining the organization.

"But I enjoy doing this stuff," Almon said. "It's fun; I get out in the woods and work with tools. From a conservation point of view, doing this helps other people get out in the woods, and they're going to get more interested in helping preserve the woods."