An Interview with Cypress
by Chelsea Collison, Community Outreach Manager
An early version of “Adventure Cypress” taking off down the trail.
EXPLORING THE FLORIDA WILD with a 4-year-old Photographer
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Cypress’s first hike with Dad, Keith Curry-Pochy.
eith Curry-Pochy has been hiking with his son Cypress (now, 4 years old) since he was only 11 days old. While living in Gainesville, FL, they started their father-son hiking adventures with local favorites like Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. As Cypress grew, so did their car rides, as they ventured further out across the state including Big Cypress, Suwannee, and Tosohatchee sections of the Florida Trail. Keith reminisces about one of Cypress’s first trips on the Florida Trail, enjoying the views from a carrier on his dad’s back. On this hike, Cypress was determined to touch every bright orange blaze that crossed their path, requiring Keith to lean towards the tree trunks every few paces. Now, when hiking, Cypress often turns into what he calls “Adventure Cypress,” which means running as fast as he can ahead of everyone else. Patience, a required skill for much of parenthood, is absolutely essential when hiking with children, says Keith. Eventually car camping and a new baby brother, Sabal, were thrown into the mix, making their trips even more impressive. On each of their adventures, along with toting two kids, water, and snacks, Keith always carried the extra weight of his DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera to capture the beauty of wild Florida alongside the memories of Cypress and Sabal exploring the outdoors for the first time.
Footprint
Summer 2021
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