There are a lot of trees down across the trail. One-minute read, +1
Big Piney Trail
A better place to cross. Climbing down the bank here and crossing Big Paddy Creek would have been the clever thing to do. But scouting for a good crossing point I didn’t see it. So, I crossed the hard (and cold) way.
December 4, 2024 14:22
The Big Paddy Creek Crossing has been washed out. But I crossed here anyway. It was deep and cold. How deep? Well, my trail journal in my pocket got wet.
December 4, 2024 14:20
The trail’s a mess at the bottom of the ridge, but I made good time until … Until I got to the Big Paddy Creek Crossing that is.
December 4, 2024 14:00
Enjoying the view and some lunch.
December 4, 2024 12:52
Gary at the Big Paddy Creek Scenic Overlook.
December 4, 2024 12:51
Big Paddy Creek Scenic Overlook. I love this spot and stopped for a bite to eat before embarking on what I reckoned was going to be a difficult time on the trail at the bottom of the ridge. The area flooded recently, and no doubt the trail will be messed up.
December 4, 2024 12:49
View from my hammock, with a hot drink in hand. And the water is boiling to heat up my Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast.
December 4, 2024 8:53
Day Two – Camped in ‘Spring Hollow’ — The Wilderness is very dry. Little Paddy Creek was dry where I first crossed it, and it was the lowest I’ve seen it on the shortcut between the South and North loops. I was glad to find the spring running here.
December 4, 2024 8:19
More Frost Flowers. And it is now three PM. +1
December 3, 2024 14:58
Yuccas at the abandoned homestead. You know you are getting near the old homestead when you start seeing the yuccas. Big Piney Trail — December 2024.
December 3, 2024 14:42
Frost Flower, Paddy Creek Wilderness — When the frost flowers are still out at One PM you know it’s been cold. Plus, my plans for this trip. Three-minute read, +1
December 3, 2024 12:53
End of hike selfie — I Hiked over twenty-two miles in two-and-a-half days. I’m happy with that. Three-minute read, +1
March 29, 2024 15:23
Old signpost — the sign itself is long gone, and I’ve no idea if this was for the trail or something else.
March 29, 2024 11:35
Big Dog! By eleven -twenty I was back on the trail. After the (very) short hike to the Short Cut trail junction, I concluded that I was fit enough for the longer — around seven miles — hike out via the North Loop.
March 29, 2024 11:29
Hammock set up at ‘Paddy Creek Trolltunga’ — It’s good to be back, I had to put in a long hike (with AFIB) today to get here, but it is such a great place to set up camp.
March 28, 2024 17:40
Uh oh! — Pills out on the trail can only mean one thing. Yup, the dreaded AFIB has struck again. Going as slow as I could and taking a rest at what seemed like every few yards, it was still a struggle to bring and keep my heart rate down, and impossible to get it to settle into a regular rhythm.
March 28, 2024 15:44
I don’t want to lose another pencil — As I was taking gear pictures, I thought I’d also take a picture of my solution to losing my pencils while backpacking. +1
March 28, 2024 15:13
Lunch stop, and time to filter some more water. +3
March 28, 2024 15:09
Virginia Bluebells by the trail — Three quarters of an hour later and I’m quite possibly near to where I’d land if I miss-stepped and fell off the scenic overlook. Though more likely I’d be impaled on some tree somewhere on the way down. Probably best to not dwell on that.
March 28, 2024 13:24
Long way down.
March 28, 2024 12:43
New hiking Sandals — I’m not sure when they stopped calling shoes like these huaraches, but sandals seems to be the current nomenclature. These are Bedrock Cairn Evo PRO Sandals. So far, I am much preferring these to my Luna sandals.
March 28, 2024 12:42
Running Repairs — Last night I cobbled together a repair of my broken hiking pole. Hopefully it’ll last the ten-plus mile hike and various creek crossings on my way back to the trailhead. So far, so good.
March 28, 2024 12:40
View from the Scenic Overlook — looking northwest. Clear skies and a higher sun made it a lot easier to see the lie of the land.