🌿🐢 GUIDED NATURE WALK @ SLEEPING TURTLES PRESERVE (20s/30s)

🌿🐢 SATURDAY MORNING NATURE WALK @ SLEEPING TURTLES PRESERVE (20s/30s, Venice)
Beautiful morning walk through one of the most peaceful preserves in the area - co-hosted with our resident flora & fauna expert, Lucas. Optional picnic if we can find some good benches or a clearing, optional group discussion or meditation, and brunch after at Skillets.

Date & Time

• Saturday, May 30
• 10:30 AM start (not too early, not too late — perfect window before the day heats up)
• ~1.5–2 hours on the trails, then a delicious brunch
• Wrap up by mid afternoon

The Plan

• We're walking Sleeping Turtles Preserve North — gorgeous oak hammocks, bluffs over the Myakka River, 5+ miles of trails with markers. Perhaps we'll see some "swamp puppies" (gators) and, of course, turtles!
• Lucas is co-hosting with me — he's a longtime group member, amateur nature photographer, and knows a real amount about Florida wildlife and plants. He'll help lead the way and point out, and educate us on the cool stuff most of us would walk past.
• Optional picnic: if folks bring a backpack with snacks/drinks, we may stop somewhere scenic to hang out for a bit. Could be spontaneous.
• Optional group discussion or short meditation — depending on energy. We might pick a topic (or just go with the flow).
• Brunch after @ Skillets — really good coffee, really good omelettes, and the homemade biscuits are legit. This is ~13 min drive away. If you know of another great breakfast/diner-ish place that's closer, shoot me a message but others the plan is for Skillets!

Who This Is For

• People who love being outside and want a slow, present, conversational morning
• Curious humans — the kind who'll stop to look at a bird, or ask about a tree, or appreciate that the river has a name and a history
• Growth-minded folks who get something out of meditation, philosophy, or a thoughtful conversation in a beautiful place
• Strong character. Good vibes.

Where

• Sleeping Turtles Preserve North — 3462 Border Road, Venice, FL 34292
• Free parking at the trailhead. Park there and look for me + Lucas at the picnic pavilion / kiosk near the entrance.
• I'll post what I / we're wearing and confirming where exactly we're waiting before starting the walk the morning of
• Leashed dogs are welcome

What to Bring

• Comfortable walking shoes (trails are unpaved — fine for most, but skip flip-flops)
• Water — bring more than you think you need
• A backpack with snacks if you want to picnic
• Bug spray + sunscreen
• Camera/phone for photos — Lucas will probably make you want one
• A light hat or sunglasses

Weather Call

• It's Florida in late May — afternoon thunderstorms are possible but mornings are usually clean. I'll check the forecast as it gets closer.
• Plan B: If the weather looks shaky, we'll either delay until the rain passes, OR skip the trails entirely and go straight to brunch at Skillets, then reschedule the walk for a different day. I'll communicate the call the morning of if needed.

Contact
Matt — (941) 363-1459 (text/call or message here)
Lucas is co-hosting — feel free to ask either of us anything

> Slow morning, big trees, good people, great coffee. Come breathe.