OPORDER

SITUATION:
--Interest among FL Arfcommers in Battle Buddies organization continues to grow.
--weather in Seminole is predicted to be low of 64F, high of 81F, and mostly cloudy.
--The Pinellas Trail is a flat asphalt-paved biking/hiking/running trail approximately 15-20 feet wide with a 10-foot wide grassy shoulder.  Runners/hikers stay to the right-hand side.  There may be one or two bridges with 20^o inclined ramps to cross above four/six-lane roads.  There will be several crosswalks where we cross two-lane roads.

MISSION  
Florida Battle Buddies conducts a 6-mile hike on April 11, 2020 at 0900 on the Pinellas Trail at the trailhead/parking lot across the street from the house at 7166 118th St N Seminole, FL  33772 (the trailhead doesn't have its own address, so that's the best address I can find).

EXECUTION  
INTENT: The intent is to meet fellow Arfcommers, engage in physical fitness training through hiking and meet the hiking requirement for 3rd Class rating.
CONCEPT OF THE OPERATION:  Assembly Area is the parking lot.  Arrive at the parking lot not later than 0900 so we can get rucksacks weighed, safety brief completed, and step off not later than 0930.   NOTE: Rucksacks are NOT required! If you are physically unable to carry a rucksack, or to hike, but want to meet and network with your fellow Arfcommers, SHOW UP ANYWAY!
--We will hike 1.5 miles to the South and 1.5 miles back to Assembly Area at a minimum 3mph pace, then hike 1.5 miles to the North and 1.5 miles back at a minimum 3mph pace, return to Assembly Area, and conduct a final AAR.
--Due to both Pinellas County Board of Supervisors Emergency Order 20-20 and the Governor’s Executive Order 20-91, we need to maintain at least 6 feet of separation between ourselves in the Assembly Area and during the hike.
COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS:  For those seeking to attain Provisional rating, bring a 35lbs. rucksack to wear for the first 3-mile hike.  For those seeking to complete a 6-mile hike towards the 3rd Class rating’s requirements, bring a 45lbs. rucksack.  I will provide a scale to weigh participants with and without rucksack to determine rucksack weight.  I will record participants screen names and completion of the requirements.  
NOTE 1:  Water worn on the body for drinking on the hike does not count towards rucksack weight.
NOTE 2:  LBE and/or plate carrier worn on the body during the hike does not count toward rucksack weight.
NOTE 3:  If you aren’t currently conditioned towards hiking/ruck-marching, go easy and do NOT overdo it with the weight.  

SERVICE & SUPPORT
--Open carry of firearms is illegal in Florida except under limited circumstances that do not apply to this hike, so we shall not hike with rifles or visible firearms.  
--Wear non-cotton socks and broken-in footgear.  This is NOT the time to break in new shoes/boots!
--Bring water that is easily accessible on the hike without having to stop, drop your rucksack, and paw through it.  There is no water point at the trailhead, so bring enough for the entire 6-mile hike. Sodas just make you thirstier, so I recommend leaving them at home.  NOTE: Water does not count towards the rucksack weight.
--Bring an individual first aid kid (and blister-control items if you haven’t conditioned your feet).
--Wear sunglasses and cap with brim such as ballcap or boonie hat.  Check the weather that morning and dress accordingly.  Your body will generate heat while hiking, so don’t overdress; we don’t want any heat casualties.
--Wear sunscreen; UV rays can burn you even through clouds.
--Bring snacks.
--Some of us have never hiked with significant weight before, some of us haven’t ruck-marched since 15 years and/or 50 lbs. ago.  Tips on hiking available here http://westernrifleshooters.blogspot.com/2008/11/weapons-platform-major-xxxs-ruck.html
--If you have a handheld FRS/GMRS radio (Motorola Talkabout, etc.), download a spreadsheet here with frequencies and privacy codes. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13m0E728-EB3VyeyP_0NYC9GeE1XeaEcp6EsiQIytJXw/edit#gid=1519376428  Bring them with you and we can test privacy codes between various manufacturers.  Read your manual in advance on how to set frequencies and privacy codes.
--The assembly area has restrooms about 75m away.

COMMAND & SIGNAL
--Post questions in this thread or IM me through the site.
--If you want to help out in any capacity or have special skills (medic, etc.) let me know either via IM or in this thread.  
--For curious onlookers who ask who we are or what our purpose is, answer them honestly that we are a hiking club.
--I’m open to any suggestions.  All of us together are smarter than one of me!

I will be there if I can of course.

Reading the resolution Spartacus posted in that other thread, I noticed they still allow for hiking and exercise. If everyone is still willing and able to make it we should still be good to go.

I didn't really see any teeth in that resolution anyway though. Spartacus - is this thing just a bunch of finger wagging and polite suggestion or are police actually empowered to do anything substantive when they catch people?

When Pinellas County closed the public beaches, the Sheriff said it would take a LOT for his deputies to actually arrest anyone for violating that.  Despite that, Sheriff Bob is no friend of liberty.  From the article in the other thread, "County Attorney Jewel White said violating the order is a second degree misdemeanor punishable with up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine."  

I think if we're hiking at a public location and are the minimum distance apart, we're fine -- assuming that the public location is still open.  Between dealing with kids stuck at home, and this safer-at-home order, I haven't been able to recon a new location.  We might just do it again at the park in Largo where we had the first Pinellas hike.

Ah, great. Loving all these emergency powers they have all of a sudden, so glad we entrusted them with the ability to throw us in jail for our own good...

Wherever it ends up being I'll try to be there. Depending where everyone's coming from we could meet somewhere else along the trail or maybe look at something in west Hillsborough. I'd have to read their ordnance again but I don't think they put any power of arrest behind it at least.

ETA: looks like the force of law comes from the state level and therefore applies to every county-level order, but the HC sheriff appears reluctant to take it that far. He's publicly expressed concerns about not wanting to give the appearance of a "police state". Sounds like more things are closed around here though so it's probably a toss-up.

Pinellas County parks and rec website indicates they are closing off playgrounds and shelters, and cancelling shelter reservations.  But most parks themselves might still be open.  I'll drive by later this week to check out John S. Taylor Park (where we did our first hike).

As before, myself and spousal unit are in. This time one of our off spring(daughter) will be with us for the fun.  

Hoping the logistics gets worked out and not have to postpone/cancel as this will finish off the 6 milers for the third class rating. WOOT  


Come on guys get your names on here......     Lets get a couple more on the hike.

So I cruised by John S Taylor Park, it's still open.  But a City of Largo police vehicle was hanging out.

We could still do this, if we maintain minimum separation distance.  My concern is if we get more than 10 people to show up, because then we're in violation of CDC guidelines, which means we're in violation of Pinellas County Resolution 20-20 which prohibits that.  And if a Largo cop or Pinellas County deputy is there, we could all get written up.

What's you guys thoughts on this?

Two groups of five? "No officer we're a hiking club with absolutely no relation at all to those guys standing over there with very similar backpacks on...

FWIW Pasco County hasn't issued any sort of official order. I just watched an update video they put on Youtube and they appear to be taking a stance of "we don't have big cities or multi-generational housing so we haven't issued a stay at home order but follow the CDC guidelines anyway". It'd be less convenient but maybe somewhere like Starkey Wilderness Park would work in a pinch.

I've been to Bradenton beach a couple times this week. City/county has declared them closed. Parking lots are closed off but there are people on the beaches and no one was being arrested.
No idea about elsewhere.
Oh, I will be there for the hike if it happens on the 11th, I was hoping to be hiking several hundred miles north of here but the bastards have basically closed the Appalachian Trail!

Breaking news.... Hike ain't gonna happen. Governor DickLips just announced a 30 day stay at home order.
Florida man is warming up in the bullpen.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2020/04/01/florida-gov-ron-desantis-issues-statewide-stay-at-home-order/

I wonder though, all of the county orders thus far have given exercise as a valid reason to be out and about. Does the state order do the same? Could we get around it with a 3 mile hike to a grocery store with 45lb of water on us, dump the water for an equal load of groceries, and hike back to count it as an essential trip?

ETA: EO specifically lists exercise such as walking or hiking as essential. Keep 6- from each other and keep it under 10 and we're good to go for the FLBB hike.

Further research has shown walking etc. is allowed as long as social distancing is followed. I really doubt the SWAT team will be called on a bunch of middle aged guys huffing and puffing with packs on but I would be surprised if a squad car didn't pull up and want to talk to us all. All it takes is one doomer cop to ruin our lovely sunny day walk in the park. Personally Fo Dog Jr. and I will be flouting law and order every day for our evening walk. He is ready and willing to piss on the leg of any who dare defy us our walky time anywhere but I am getting tired of bailing his ass out of doggy jail.
So, if it is on we will be there.

Here's the FL order Gov. DeSantis signed: EO

Between that and the Pinellas County order, my interpretation is that hiking is still allowed if we maintain the minimum distance between us and are 10 or fewer people.

Having said that, I wouldn't be surprised if some Doomer cop gave us a ration of shit anyway.  This is a high population density area.  Hell, there was a City of Largo cop car hanging out there when I reconned Tuesday.

I'll make the call tomorrow whether it's on or whether it's "hike on your own."

Do we necessarily have to meet up at a park? The Pinellas trail goes all the way from Saint Pete to Tarpon Springs. Google aerials show decent portions of it that get semi-rural as well to reduce the risk of Karen calling down the thunder on us.

Also - the Duke Energy/Ream Wilson trail isn't too far away and might be less traveled. We could park at Spectrum Field off Old Coachman Road and either go north for an approximate 1.5mi round trip (two laps) or go south for as far as we wanted (crosses SR 60 which we might not want to do).

There is a rarely-used trailhead for the Pinellas Trail near Lake Seminole Park.  It's a shaded parking lot across the street from the house at 7166 118th St N Seminole, FL  33772 (the trailhead doesn't have its own address, so that's the best address I can find).   We could meet there and go 1.5m up the Trail and back, 1.5m down the Trail and back, for six miles.

Sorry to be so cloak-and-dagger, but with these Stay-At-Home orders I don't want to get LEOs involved who mistake some hikers for Virus Terrists.

FLBB SERE training, lesson 1!

Unless more show up that have not put their name out here, we will be fine. We will just have to talk a little louder to converse.

So having said that, come on people, if you plan on being at the hike, please open your pie hole and speak up.

Actually, this could be an opportunity to try some communications stuff as well. If we have to distance ourselves anyway maybe we can split into two groups and see how things like Zello or evem HAM donfor keeping everyone coordinated. I've never had a chance to actually use my HAM since I got my license due to lack of traffic in my area so it'd be nice to get some actual experience with it.

That's a great idea! I can bring an FRS/GMRS handset and a VHF/UHF ham radio.  Maybe we can walk 100m apart, see how far the front guy can reach to the back with each type.

I've got a couple of Baofengs....

Still a go for the hike at the Pinellas Trail near Lake Seminole Park in the AM, across from the address you listed ?  We three are a go.  

Oh, and what about parking? You said across from the house but it looks on the map to be in the park that you get to from Ridge Rd.

there is a parking lot across the street from that house, it's outside of Lake Seminole Park and to the south of it.

As long as nothing unexpected comes up I'll be there if everything is still a go.

Still in for the 6 miles. Not missing my rating over the threat of some stupid super sniffles...

For reference, here's a snippet of the area with the lot in question circled in yellow. No significant difference in character of the area between the north option and the south option - both are mostly residential, so there's about an equal chance of Karen interference on either path. The northern route has one elevated crossing (Park blvd) and one at-grade crossing of a two-lane road (86th Ave, Street View indicates low-moderate traffic and an RRFB ped singal) while the southern route has two elevated crossings (113th St and Seminole Blvd) and one driveway for a park that'll probably be closed. I'd be more inclined to go south twice than north once, if only because someone who has to actually stop and stare at us crossing in front of them might get weirded out and decide to call us in.

OPORD posted.

A funny tale......this guy I know had a old-ish guy brain fart thing happen.
He was telling me that he went out to this park to meet up with some other people to go for a walk/hike. He tells me he gets there and he sees only one other vehicle in the parking area and thinks maybe it was canceled. He says he checks the info he has, and as   he is reading it out loud, his better half stops him and comments about the date, that he said the 11th, aaaahhhhh, hunny, that's neeeext weekend, she says. So he says, he sat there for a second with this look on his face, then, and said something like WTH, why did I think it was thiiiiis weekend. He goes on to tell me at this point he, his wife, and his daughter are laughing, and what the hell was he thinking. Then it was, well we are here, lets walk.


Yup, it was me, .

So I have some info on the trail. The parking lot is(as was said) across the road from the house address listed, one entrance/exit. As I said, when we got there and by the time we left, there was only one other car in that parking area, so that was good. We went to the right from the parking lot on the trail(that would be south). At first there were a few walkers and bikers but well spread out. On a stretch of the trail there is a separate paved path for walkers(around 3 feet wide), and bikes(about 8 feet wide), with about 3 feet of grass separating them. Where it is only one trail it is about 10 feet wide(seemed like more in some spots) and had a faint line to indicate walker area. Going south, the faint line for walkers was on the left but we walked on the right side(as going with traffic on a road) and had no issues as others were doing the same.

We went a little over 3 miles total. There are two of the pedestrian overpasses to go up/over, while going south(don't know about north). There is another smaller park about 3/4 to 1 mile south from the parking lot. There was yellow tape around the pavilions and     play equip., but the bathrooms were open. The same was noted at the big park(by the parking lot) for the play stuff and bathrooms. The parking lot of the big park itself was about half full when we had finished our walk.
The more important part is, around when we got to the half way(or a little before) I noticed the traffic was picking up. By time we had gone about halfway back from the turnaround point, it was really picking up. To me it seemed to be cyclists had the larger increase of attendance, but more walkers/hikers as well. Being Mr. Obvious, the social distancing thing started to become more of a challenge towards the end of our walk/hike. Another thing was a vast majority of the cyclists did not give warning when coming from behind     and a few passed us fairly close. Also to be noted, there was more sun than shaded, similar to the first place we hiked. It was not bad as time of day and temp were good.

All in all a pleasant morning.

As a side note, it will only be myself and my wife for the hike as my daughter was only here for that week and is back at her home.

@CrazyIvan6115  

These things happen!

The older gentleman who I spoke with at the last hike will be joining us. He is a hiker but I do not know his political stance but I have a hunch he is one of us at least to a degree. Fo Dog Jr and I will be there along with a couple of FRS radios. I only need one, if someone else would like one to play with while walking they are welcome to use it.
Once again I am more than happy to run sweep for our group.

Anyone have any idea where to get a Florida Boogagloo Bois morale patch?

ETA; I see channels on the CEOI but not freqs, any chance we can get a list of those?

ETA Pt II; I dug up a couple of old Uniden FRS radios, will bring those along too if anyone wants to try them out.
Attached File

I see a notable absence of any LEO in that test run - safe to say they weren't out there camping for social distance violators I take it? I'm happy to be there but the number of absurd fine/arrest stories popping up on GD this week has me wondering if and when that level of derp will make it down here.

Thanks for the advance recon btw

I will be there 0900 in green BFL hat!

Still in. Bit of a drive but I'll be there in time.

AAR

Weather was cool for the first 3 miles while we had cloud cover, warmed up for the second 3 miles but luckily we were on the shaded part of the Trail by then.  We had 6 attendees in addition to me.  The Pinellas Trail was rather busy with bikers, walkers, joggers, etc.  We got a couple of strange looks, told them "we're a hiking club; if you have a 45lbs. backpack, throw it on and join us!" which got laffs.



Had a couple of bridges over 6-lane roads.  Yes, at the top of the bridge is a woman going DOWN on rollerblades, she was going mighty fast by the bottom but didn't wipe out, luckily.



Our May hike will be in Tampa/Hillsborough County.  Location TBA; if International Mall is open and lets walkers in early, maybe we'll do it inside there!

It was a good day for a great walk.

Another good outing - I'm glad the situation with skateboard guy ended up alright, and I appreciated the discussion on how to move forward once people start making their ratings. Useful as it is for cohesion and fitness, it'll be nice to branch out a bit from just ruck marching.