-
Lookout tower at the Piney Creek Wilderness Pineview trailhead
Lookout tower at the Piney Creek Wilderness Pines Overlook (Pineview) trailhead. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Unfortunately, the lookout tower at the Pineview Trailhead of Piney Creek Wilderness is fenced off. It’s a shame as I’m sure the view would be spectacular.
This picture was taken on a day hike to Piney Creek. You can read all about our hike here.
-
Gary by Piney Creek, Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri (365:315)
Gary by Piney Creek, Piney Creek Wilderness, Missouri (365: 315) Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Today is Armistice Day, and the kids have the day off school.
We took the girls with us on a scouting trip down to Piney Creek Wilderness. The wilderness has access from Table Rock Lake, so we’re planning on Kayaking in here sometime then camping and hiking the area. It should make a good 3-4 day excursion. We wanted to get down here now because the deer hunting season starts tomorrow, and for a while it won’t be a good idea to go hiking in the wilderness.
Our plan was to get right down to the lakeshore, but we didn’t quite make it. We had to be back in Springfield early in the evening because Katie is playing in the orchestra for the school’s presentation of ‘You’re a good man Charlie Brown’ this week. So we decided to stop for lunch just short of our planned destination. The girls did really well, we hiked around five miles and climbed over a thousand feet.
Piney Creek, Piney Creek Wilderness
Cooking lunch at Piney Creek
Cooking lunch at Piney Creek
Cooking lunch at Piney Creek
Lanie finds a tree bark mask – Piney
Trail back to the Tower trailhead at Piney Creek Wilderness
Lookout tower at the Piney Creek Wilderness Pines Overlook (Tower) trailhead. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.I couldn’t watch Katie play last night because it was my EfM tutorial night, so we went along tonight, and it was a great show. Afterward to celebrate we treated Katie and ourselves to ice cream at Braum’s.
-
Dead tree
Dead tree, Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
White Pelicans
White Pelicans on Harry S Truman Lake at Bucksaw -
Day 314
-
Studying (365:313)
I’m now well into year two of my EfM course
-
Ten year US Permanent Resident card (365:312)
Ten year US Permanent Resident card (365:312). Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Now I can stay in the US another ten years.
Things seem to have moved on since my two year Green card was issued. This card’s got more security features, is RF readable, and the information pack that came with it was fairly comprehensive. I can’t vote, but I can buy a gun and if I was young enough, be called up to join the armed forces.
Sobering thought. Based on the average life expectancy of my family I won’t need another one…
-
Day 311 (365:311)
Once more I stand before the wall
-
Gary with our Mutha Hubba tent, Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake
I thought I’d get my daily picture out of the way early in the day
We sat around talking most of the morning until finally, the threat of rain persuaded us to pack up and go home while the tent was still dry.
We beat the kids back from Kansas City with just enough time to enjoy an all day breakfast at Ziggies on South Campbell.
-
Bucksaw campsite in the moonlight
Bucksaw campsite in the moonlight. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri
Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Note the cool Crepuscular Rays.
-
It’s November 5th and this year we left the Guy at home (365:309)
It’s November 5th and this year we left the Guy at home (365:309). Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Last year we were also at lake Truman for Guy Fawkes night, and we took the Guy along for company. This year we were expecting to be carrying up loads of kids’ luggage to Kansas City, so we left Guy behind. That’s three years now he’s avoided a fiery demise.
We took the Kayaks out on the lake today, but it was too windy to go far. We saw a flock, or whatever the collective noun is, of white pelicans. After being driven off the lake by the wind I went on a walk around the closed-off areas of the campsite and ended up walking back along the lakeside. When I got back to our campsite Ginger fancied a walk, so we re-traced part or my walk, which was very fortuitous as we were able to see a fantastic sunset over the lake.
Camping at Bucksaw Campground. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Camping at Bucksaw Campground. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Camping at Bucksaw Campground. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Camping at Bucksaw Campground. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
White Pelicans on Harry S Truman Lake at Bucksaw. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Bluffs and dead tree, Bucksaw. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Dead tree, Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
Bucksaw campsite in the moonlight. Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.The wind continued to blow hard and unpredictable most of the evening, making sitting around the campfire hazardous at times, but the sparks made up for the absence of fireworks.
-
Campfire at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri (365:308)
Campfire at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri (365:308). Copyright © 2011 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Our plans almost changed.
We arrived at Church to collect the kids to go to Kansas City only to find out that there had been a few late cancellations and our services were no longer required. We had a hurried debate, as to whether we should quickly go home and pack our packs and go backpacking for the weekend, but we finally decided to stick with our plan, and go straight to Bucksaw campsite on Truman.
Here we are sitting by the campfire, it’s going to be a cold and windy weekend. We have our kayaks and with luck we’ll get out on the lake.
-
Relaxing (365:307)
Tonight we had some rare down time
And even better tomorrow we get to go away for a couple of days. We’ve volunteered to take some of the youth group kids up to Kansas City. We’ll not be needed for the event, so we are going camping by Lake Truman. Just like we did last year.
-
Working late at the computer (yet again) (365:306)
I’ve fallen behind with this project, over a month behind (today’s December 4th). My computer decided to go slow making it almost impossible to process pictures. I’ve kept on taking them, I just couldn’t process and upload them. To make matters worse this coincided with a lot of work (which is continuing). I’ve now got a nice shiny new, custom-built fast computer, which is helping me clear my 250+ picture backlog.
I’m planning to catch up over the next week or two. I hope so; it will be nice to finish posting my 365 days on January 1.
-
Autumn color on the road to the South trailhead at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area
Autumn color of the road from the South trailhead at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area On leaving Busiek I spotted this scene on the track out from the trailhead.
Fall color at home We arrived home from our hike at Busiek to see these wonderful colors in the trees outside our house. Of course all those leaves are going to have to be picked up, bagged and gotten rid of.
-
Fall color at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Missouri #2
Looking up I saw these wonderful colors… -
Fall color at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Missouri #1
Fall color at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Missouri We hiked the Yellow and Silver trails at Busiek today – a little over 4 miles and around 624 feet of elevation climbed.
The color of the trees on the trail by the Carter Cemetery were breathtaking.
-
Gary and Ginger stopped for lunch on Woods Fork, Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area (365:305)
Gary and Ginger stopped for lunch on Woods Fork, Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area The fall colour at Busiek was stunning
We hiked the Yellow and Silver trails at Busiek today – a little over 4 miles and around 624 feet of elevation climbed. Now we’ve started getting out again, we’ve just got to keep it up and get out a couple of times a week. This coming weekend we’re planning on going camping. It’s really good to be getting out again.
The the colour of the trees on the trail by the Carter Cemetery were breathtaking. I took this picture when we stopped for lunch by Camp Creek. We finished the hike in plently of time to visit one of the Flea Markets in Ozark before collecting the big kids from school.
Woods Fork Crossing 
Woods Fork, Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area 
Berries on the Yellow Trail at Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area -
Railroad Bridge over the James River at the Springfield Nature Center
Ginger Kayaking near the Railroad Bridge over the James River at the Springfield Nature Center
