All my posts about Hercules Glades Wilderness presented in chronological order. Click here to see the pictures of Hercules Glades Wilderness without all the text.
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Trailside curiosities
Not allowed — It seems that another ATV has been on the trail. Not the ATV I met, this is a much larger specimin., and in a different section of the trail. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
New Witness Tree, old sign. The original tree blew down a few months ago. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.The last time I hiked this trail, it was night, and I met a lost farmer on an ATV. This trip I noticed that another, much bigger, ATV has been on another part of the trail. From what I could see of the tracks it looked like it came in from the Tower Trailhead and made it about two-and-a-half miles down the trail before turning around and going back. My tracking skills, even of large heavy beasts like this, aren’t well honed so I could be wrong, but it definitely went both ways.
The second thing I saw was that the sign marking a witness tree, bearing tree, or something else had been fixed to another tree. The original tree blew down some time last year. I’m not sure what sort of a mark it is, as it is illegible (to me). I’m not sure why someone went to the effort of setting it up again when the markings have faded so much. Maybe there are plans to come back and replace it. Who knows.
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Here’s where I leave the Pilot Trail
Everything has gone green in the last few weeks. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Everything has gone green in the last few weeks. This is the point where the forest road I take to my ‘Deep Hollow’ campsite joins the Pilot Trail. Neither are that obvious from this viewpoint, looking southeast across the Pilot Trail which is running left to right just beyond the grasses in the foreground.
It started raining just before I arrived at the Devil’s Den Trail junction and stopped around forty minutes later when I took this picture. With all the drips falling from the trees, I left my rain gear on, even though I was getting a bit warm.
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Day Two — Starts with a lazy morning
Day Two — Enjoying a morning cuppa at ‘Deep Hollow.’ 
Enjoying a morning cuppa at ‘Deep Hollow.’ Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Yesterday Evening I arrived at my campsite just before six-thirty. I used my compass to get me in the general vicinity, and then the GPS to save me spending too long playing hunt the trees.
It rained briefly while I was down at the creek getting water and started up again in earnest around half past eight. By then, I was all sorted out and settled in for the evening.
Despite turning in around nine-thirty last night, I didn’t wake up until nine. I must have been tired!
The days are much longer now, sunset isn’t until eight o’clock, so I planned to lollygag in camp and leave between one and two. I had decided to hike the Pees Hollow Trail tomorrow and set up camp at ‘Wahoo Point’ tonight, which is pretty much the start of the trail going clockwise. If I leave on time, I should be at my next campsite by six, six-thirty.
Meanwhile, I’d enjoy sitting and watching the trees shaking off the night’s rain and the vultures soaring on the uplift from the nearby bluffs. There was also breakfast and lunch to be prepared and consumed!
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Once again camped at ‘Deep Hollow’
My ‘Deep Hollow’ camp from the south. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. 
Summer tarp time. The bugnet was needed, the moths and insects flocked to my hammock as soon as I turned my light on. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Lollygagging
Lollygagging — it was quite cold early in the morning, I was glad I bought my big puffy jacket and some base layer pants to wear. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Packing away
Packing away — It rained quite a lot last night and the drips were still falling from the trees, so I kept the tarp up while I packed everything away. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Preparing and eating lunch
Lunch before hitting the trail. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Lunch before hitting the trail. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.And finally the sun has come out!
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Sig Sauer P938 Extreme, Alien Gear Shape Shift Holster, and a spare magazine
Sig Sauer P938 Extreme, Alien Gear Shape Shift Retention Holster, and a spare magazine. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I could have sworn that magazine was full when I headed out. This picture shows the ‘clean’ side of the Sig and the holster, that is, the side facing me and my pack. Fortunately, my holsters take the worst of the wear and damage meted out by rocks, dirt, and stones when I set down my pack. My guns aren’t ‘Safe Queens.’ They go out in all weathers and sometimes end up in the dirt with the rest of my gear.
The Sig’s been out in the rain and damp a lot recently. I researched how to fully strip it and the magazines down for cleaning and discovered that this combination of grips and frame was sold as the P938 Extreme. Hmm. I bought it new and didn’t even notice that. I just thought it was pretty 🙂
Update
- August 2025 — I’ve just discovered that the Alien Gear ShapeShift holster system no longer includes the retention holster option shown here. When I contacted them, they stated that it had been withdrawn due to safety concerns. Call me cynical, but I think it’s because they are pushing their Level II Duty holsters and Rapid Force system. If they really had a safety concern, they should have issued a recall notice. 🙁
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Pilot Trail
Pilot Trail — I’ve taken pictures here before, but each time the light, the vegetation and the trail are different. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Fire ring by the trail
Fire ring by the trail. Look at all the flowers! You might think the trail goes straight on. It doesn’t it runs to the left of the fire ring. Copyright © 2023 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
