Welcome to Breakfast in America
My photo journal is an eclectic mix of things; there’s no guiding theme or topic. It is whatever happens to catch my attention, what I’ve been thinking, doing, and whatever my current obsessions are. At the moment, they are clearing some of the backlog on my ‘honey-do’ list, backpacking and hammock camping.
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Heading east on the Pilot (Tower) Trail in the snow
Heading east on the Pilot (Tower) Trail in the snow. Watch out for those low hanging boughs, they’ll dump their snowy burden on you if you touch them. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Is it a stupid idea if it works?
Is it a stupid idea if it works? Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I don’t have footwear suitable for bad weather, so four years ago I bought some waterproof socks. I’m wearing some Merino wool socks inside them, and they kept me dry and warm while hiking in the snow. I tucked my waterproof pants into the top of the waterproof socks so that my base layer didn’t get damp. And that worked too.
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View across Hercules Glades Wilderness, looking south from the Pilot (Tower) Trail
View across Hercules Glades Wilderness, looking south from the Pilot (Tower) Trail. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. This is one of the few places on the trail with a view to the south. I climbed up a little bit above the trail to get a clearer view of the horizon.
I checked in on my messages as there’s some cell service here, the first since I broke camp yesterday. I discovered that Bishop Diane was poorly, and that this evening’s dinner was canceled. Not to worry. I was already on the trail, the news wasn’t going to change my plan for the day’s hike.
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Junction of the Cedar (Middle) Trail and the Pilot (Tower) Trail, looking west
Junction of the Cedar (Middle) Trail and the Pilot (Tower) Trail, looking west Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I was half expecting to find some tracks at this point. But no, it seems I’m the only one mad enough to be out at the moment.
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Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’
Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow.’ Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I set my tarp in ‘Porch mode’ as there was no more snowfall forecast. Oops. I forgot about all the loose snow falling off of the branches above. You can see there’s some laying on my tarp in this picture. It’s not a problem. It doesn’t take a moment to shake it off every now and then.
I wanted to leave lots of time for both the hike back to the trailhead and drive home. I couldn’t arrive home any later than five and still have enough time to get cleaned up ready for dinner just after six. All this to say I’d need to be on the trail by noon at the very latest.
I had camp all packed away, and I was ready to get moving at eleven thirty.
My hiking clothes were almost the same as yesterday, but I didn’t bother with a down jacket or gloves.
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Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’
Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow.’ Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
A snowy view from my hammock
A snowy view from my hammock. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’
Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’ — I did ponder the potential downsides (or should that be downslides?) of camping on the side of a steep ravine. And I ignored them. I survived. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’
Camped in the snow above ‘Twin Falls Hollow’ — I did ponder the potential dowsides (or should that be downslides?) of camping on the side of a steep ravine. And I ignored them. I survived. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
First Breakfast (in the hammock)
Day Three
First Breakfast (in the hammock). Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Yes, I am taking a page from the Hobbits’ playbook and having a first and second breakfast!
There is frost inside my hammock — I’ve seen this before, but only when it gets quite cold. Sure enough, according to my thermometer it was 16°F last night under the tarp. So probably even colder outside. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. It was jolly cold last night, but my shirt had dried before lights out.
As I suspected, my down jacket was soaked, so I hung it up to dry. It just froze solid.
Despite being 17°F when I was fixing and eating breakfast, it is forecast to get up to 40°F later in the day.
As the sun reached the tops of the trees, the snow in the upper limbs began to melt and rain down. It was going to be another wet weather camp breakdown.
As for my breakfasts, the first was a cup of hot chocolate and a Pop-Tart, and the second was another cup of chocolate, biscuits and gravy. Great stuff to set one up for the day!
Over an hour after I woke up and it’s still chilly out there. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
