Spot my camp – I hadn’t realized that I had camped in sight of the forest road. +1
Backpacking
Everything backpacking: our gear, trip write-ups, and individual pictures.
Old forest road – notice how wet and green it is. No wonder I found several springs near here.
February 28, 2021 9:12
Rainy day – and it had been a rainy night, the night before.
February 28, 2021 9:10
A break in the clouds.
February 28, 2021 9:09
Sunshine on a rainy morning – This is another deliberate stereo pair. The break in the rain was brief but long enough for me to get some pictures and do some exploring. +1
February 28, 2021 9:07
Camped above ‘Spring Hollow’ – The discovery of several springs near here decided me on my name for this hollow. It needs a name, as I’ll be back. +1
February 28, 2021 9:05
An evening visitor and more clumsiness – I was sitting in my hammock thinking about preparing dinner when I felt some water splash on my foot. It was raining hard, but I was nice and dry, and I thought it a bit odd. I bent down to investigate and spotted this little peeper, who’d hopped in to join me sheltering from the rain.
February 27, 2021 20:24
Pole Hollow Cairn (it’s behind me) – The weather seems to be doing a better job of keeping me off the trails in 2021 than COVID-19 did in 2020. Two-minute read
February 27, 2021 14:26
Journal: Searching for springs at Hercules Glades Wilderness, February 2021. Journal: 5 30
February 27, 2021 13:33
Packed and Ready to go – The Bishop’s staff were delivering the second of two training events for new vestry and church leaders this Saturday morning. Like most meetings nowadays, it was on Zoom. I got to be slide master, and we all gave 10-minute talks to introduce ourselves and let the folks know how we can help them. As soon as we’d finished delivering the morning’s training I was ready to get changed and head out of here! Two-minute read.
February 27, 2021 11:18
Snow day gear repairs – I’m usually pretty easy on my equipment, but recently I’ve got careless and damaged three items of my backpacking gear. Today I removed my temporary duct tape fixes and applied permanent repairs to my underquilt protector and rain skirt. One-minute read, +5
February 13, 2021 17:33
Hike over, back at the trailhead – That’s my hike over, and it’s just before 4:15 p.m. Not bad, and still daylight. I should be home by 5:45 p.m. I completed today’s hike of six-plus miles in a little over three hours. I’ll take that.
January 24, 2021 16:12
Back at the Pole Hollow Cairn – It was too dark on the hike out Friday night for my obligatory Pole Hollow Cairn selfie, so I decided to slip one in on my return hike. +1
January 24, 2021 15:38
Nothing to see here, move on… View? there’s supposed to be a view… +2
January 24, 2021 13:36
All packed up and ready to head home – and it’s only six-and-a-half miles of fairly flat going.
January 24, 2021 12:46
Gear Damage – I tore my under quilt protector when I fell out of my hammock on my last trip. Despite spending half-an-hour looking for the damage at home, I didn’t find it. I’ve now made careful notes of where it is so I can repair it.
January 24, 2021 12:14
Improvised water filtering arrangements – This is what happens when you don’t use a packing list and pack in a hurry. I forgot to pack the 64oz water pouch I use for holding unfiltered water. The pouch screws onto the filter, squeeze it, and you have clean water. Fortunately, my 8oz squeezy washing bottle has the same fittings, so I used that instead.
January 24, 2021 11:13
Hot chocolate to start the day. +1
January 24, 2021 10:08
Camped above ‘Deep Hollow’ – Despite exploring for several miles yesterday, this appears to be the only place near a water source. Oh, and it rained (a lot) overnight.
January 24, 2021 9:57
Settled in for the night – somehow, despite arriving in daylight, I ended up setting up my hammock in the dark (again).
January 23, 2021 20:31
Bearing Tree & Land Survey Monument – Marking a corner of the Hercules Glades Wilderness. +1
January 23, 2021 14:12
Puffy jacket hood malfunction – What can I say? You would think I could dress myself by now. At least I didn’t fall out of my hammock this time.
January 23, 2021 11:26
First hike of 2021 – Camped at ‘Twin Falls Hollow’ – I didn’t start packing my gear until I finished work, and so it was dark when I left home. I started my hike at 7:40 p.m., there was some light from the risen half-moon and the sky was clear. Following the trail was easy, and I kept my headlamp on its lowest setting — which proved to be a mistake when I accidentally took the Cedars Trail in the dark. Two-minute read, +2
January 23, 2021 11:24
2020 Backpacking Year Summary – My annual total for 2020 was 28 nights, 216 miles, and 20,500 ft of elevation. Not an overly impressive set of figures, but considering the year’s events, not too bad either.