Post by Kelly Jessop on Jun 28, 2009 9:35:24 GMT -5
History, fun on springs tour
Self-guided tour combines maps, digital audio.
Published: Sunday, June 28, 2009 6:10 AM EDT
ICHETUCKNEE SPRINGS — More than a dozen people took part in the Saturday kick off of the Ichetucknee Trace Self-Guided Tour, which explores the ancient riverbed that once flowed from Alligator Lake to the Ichetucknee Springs.
The tour allows those interested to visit various spots along the Ichetucknee Trace and learn about the history of the springs and the ancient riverbed using a brochure and a digital music player.
“For the past 15 years or so, Jim Stevenson with the Ichetucknee Working Group has been taking local leaders on a trip from Alligator Lake to the springs, following the ancient riverbed that the Ichetucknee used to flow in, which is now dry,” said John Wheeler, education and outreach committee chairman of The Ichetucknee Partnership. “It was a half-day commitment, but that’s not something the general public can normally participate in because of time constraints. So the concept came about — let’s use the Internet, let’s use iPods and let’s chop it down to three stops and invite folks to take the self-guided tour as they’re on their way to tubing the Ichetucknee.”
Those taking the 14-mile tour are encouraged to first pick up a brochure at SunState Federal Credit Union or the Baya branch of Mercantile Bank in Lake City, or download and print the brochure at www.ichetucknee4ever.org. Those with MP3 players are also able to download four audio tracks which feature directions to each tour stop and narratives of what can be seen.
Kiosks with more information can be found at each stop — at Alligator Lake, Cannon Sink and Rose Sink — and visitors can use the unique hole punches at each kiosk to mark their stop.
Upon completing the tour and arriving at the springs, visitors can receive $2 off a tube or canoe rental at the Ichetucknee Family Campground and discounts at the S&S Food Store in Fort White.
The tour on Saturday consisted of primarily tellers from SunState Federal Credit Union and their families. The tellers will be the ones handing out the brochures, Wheeler said.
Connie Rollberg, manage at SunState, said she became involved after becoming involved with Leadership Lake City.
“I found out that we actually are known for cave diving in Lake City, and then when I began hearing through the Rotary Club that the water is being degraded by what we’re putting into our septic tanks, we started thinking about what we can do,” she said.
She noted that the bank is currently playing the Ichetucknee Promise video in its lobby and tellers are beginning to hand out of the trace tour brochures.
“We just decided to get everyone together and go find first-hand what it was all about,” Rollberg said.
www.lakecityreporter.com/articles/2009/06/28/news/doc4a46e015add94585510402.txt
Self-guided tour combines maps, digital audio.
Published: Sunday, June 28, 2009 6:10 AM EDT
ICHETUCKNEE SPRINGS — More than a dozen people took part in the Saturday kick off of the Ichetucknee Trace Self-Guided Tour, which explores the ancient riverbed that once flowed from Alligator Lake to the Ichetucknee Springs.
The tour allows those interested to visit various spots along the Ichetucknee Trace and learn about the history of the springs and the ancient riverbed using a brochure and a digital music player.
“For the past 15 years or so, Jim Stevenson with the Ichetucknee Working Group has been taking local leaders on a trip from Alligator Lake to the springs, following the ancient riverbed that the Ichetucknee used to flow in, which is now dry,” said John Wheeler, education and outreach committee chairman of The Ichetucknee Partnership. “It was a half-day commitment, but that’s not something the general public can normally participate in because of time constraints. So the concept came about — let’s use the Internet, let’s use iPods and let’s chop it down to three stops and invite folks to take the self-guided tour as they’re on their way to tubing the Ichetucknee.”
Those taking the 14-mile tour are encouraged to first pick up a brochure at SunState Federal Credit Union or the Baya branch of Mercantile Bank in Lake City, or download and print the brochure at www.ichetucknee4ever.org. Those with MP3 players are also able to download four audio tracks which feature directions to each tour stop and narratives of what can be seen.
Kiosks with more information can be found at each stop — at Alligator Lake, Cannon Sink and Rose Sink — and visitors can use the unique hole punches at each kiosk to mark their stop.
Upon completing the tour and arriving at the springs, visitors can receive $2 off a tube or canoe rental at the Ichetucknee Family Campground and discounts at the S&S Food Store in Fort White.
The tour on Saturday consisted of primarily tellers from SunState Federal Credit Union and their families. The tellers will be the ones handing out the brochures, Wheeler said.
Connie Rollberg, manage at SunState, said she became involved after becoming involved with Leadership Lake City.
“I found out that we actually are known for cave diving in Lake City, and then when I began hearing through the Rotary Club that the water is being degraded by what we’re putting into our septic tanks, we started thinking about what we can do,” she said.
She noted that the bank is currently playing the Ichetucknee Promise video in its lobby and tellers are beginning to hand out of the trace tour brochures.
“We just decided to get everyone together and go find first-hand what it was all about,” Rollberg said.
www.lakecityreporter.com/articles/2009/06/28/news/doc4a46e015add94585510402.txt