Back on the Ozark Trail – Fairly typical conditions for this section of the trail. The Ozark Trail is well maintained and very well blazed. I can’t say the same for the rest of the trail system in this area. +2
Another year, another empty trailhead, and my plans for the weekend – parked up at the HWY-CC (McGarr Ridge) Trailhead ready to start my hike. Two-minute read, +1
May 21, 2021 18:29
Three days on the North Fork Loop trail, Mark Twain National Forest, May 2021. Journal: 15 42
May 21, 2021 12:09
Family Day – Spent with Carol & Jim to celebrate Lanie’s Graduation. Katie was also with us but unfortunately, she left before we decided to take a picture.
May 16, 2021 19:36
Maybe it’s about time I had a real vacation with zero writing for more than a week.
May 10, 2021 17:42
Birdbath for Ginger – Thursday was a day of gifts. Carol bought me some farm-fresh eggs, and Jim brought us this wonderful sculpture/birdbath. +1
May 8, 2021 17:47
Behind the lens – I thought I’d grab a quick selfie in the bedroom mirror.
May 8, 2021 17:29
Adult and juvenile male Rose-breasted Grosbeak – this winter we put up four (yes four), bird feeders in front of the ‘Sparkle Zone’ windows. These new visitors arrived today.
May 7, 2021 13:06
Breakfast; crispy bacon, eggs, and tomato – Yesterday, Carol gave me two farm-fresh eggs. She said she wished she could be there to see my face when I cracked them.
May 7, 2021 9:15
Whites Creek Trail completed – now just to hike the short spur trail back to the parking lot.
May 2, 2021 14:52
The final crossing of Whites Creek.
May 2, 2021 13:03
Fiddler Spring – I took a quick detour to checkout the spring and top up my water. +1
May 2, 2021 12:02
Hello li’l buddy – It’s probably as fast on the trail as I am.
May 2, 2021 11:14
Looking back along Whites Creek Trail – This is fairly typical of the trail conditions I encountered. Note the recently cut deadfalls. At this point, it started to rain, and it carried on raining for the next four hours.
May 2, 2021 11:13
Looking into Whites Creek Cave – No I didn’t go in. I took this picture through the grill using my headlamp at full brightness to light up the cave. There’s nothing to give the picture any feeling of scale. Let’s just say, “Pretty big.”
May 2, 2021 10:54
Whites Creek Cave. +1
May 2, 2021 10:46
Looking back down the trail – the trail turns up the hill here (you can just about make it out in this picture). Most people (including me) appear to miss this. The trail marker is not particularly helpful either.
May 2, 2021 10:43
Heading up towards Whites Creek Cave – the trail is narrow and the drop-off steep. It appears that most people miss where the trail turns left up the hill to the cave.
May 2, 2021 10:37
Back on the Whites Creek Trail – Whites Creek Float Camp spur trail (branching right in the foreground). Time to head back to the trailhead, seven and-a-half miles of hiking and lots of rain in my future.
May 2, 2021 10:27
‘eek Float Camp – signs that there has not been a lot of trail maintenance for a while.
May 2, 2021 10:26
Crossing Whites Creek – You have to cross Whites Creek to get back to the main Whites Creek Trail. It’s not very obvious in this picture (or in reality), but the trail climbs up the bank just to the right of the tree on the left side of the frame.
May 2, 2021 10:24
Change of Plan (And an unloved wilderness registration point) – My original plan for today was to hike part of the southern loop of the Whites Creek Trail and stop for the night near one of the big pools that form on Whites Creek. Instead I’m heading home. One-minute read
May 2, 2021 10:20
Time for a nice cup of hot chocolate – Cadbury’s Hot Chocolate, of course. +1
May 1, 2021 19:50
I have a picnic table and a grill – When I found this empty float campsite with a picnic table I knew I’d found my spot for the night. +1