Day three, sunrise from my hammock — Well, I’m still alive! That’s a good thing. My AFIB has abated, and if I’m feeling okay, I’ll take the longer more arduous route back to the trailhead.
Paddy Creek Wilderness
Enjoying the view from my hammock.
March 29, 2024 7:21
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.
March 28, 2024 12:36
View from the Scenic Overlook — looking southwest. Look carefully and you can see the two roads I still have to cross. But first I have to get down off this ridge and cross the creek.
March 28, 2024 12:35
View from the Scenic Overlook — clear skies and a higher sun made it a lot easier to see the lie of the land.
March 28, 2024 12:34
So that’s what happened to the “No Motor Vehicles On This Trail” sign. +1
March 28, 2024 11:44
My new Hammock Gear Circadian Hammock — My first impressions are that it is wider, and the structural ridgeline is slightly shorter than my Chameleon’s. That appears to result in my being able to lie flatter, and I’m not bashing my head on stuff hanging on the ridgeline when I get in and out of the hammock.
March 28, 2024 10:26
Camped below the shut-ins.
March 28, 2024 7:36
Day Two. It got a little frosty — The temperature last night was a lot lower than forecast, not that I was surprised — it’s not my first rodeo. At least this time I came prepared with my 10° under quilt. +1
March 28, 2024 7:34
Oops! What was that about bad decisions making good stories? I took a risky route to the campsite, misjudged my footing, nearly fell in the creek and broke a hiking pole. I may not be getting too old for backpacking, but I may be getting a bit old to try falling head-first into a deep pool in a 45°F creek while wearing a backpack.
March 27, 2024 16:41
Reflections in the pool below the shut-ins.
March 27, 2024 16:18
Looking downstream.
March 27, 2024 16:17
Pool below the shut-ins.
March 27, 2024 16:15
Shut-ins on an unnamed creek — Paddy Creek Wilderness. This is the upstream side of the shut-ins I discovered on my last visit to the wilderness — for some idea of the scale, it’s around 75ft wide here. The boulders are big!
March 27, 2024 16:08
Stopped for lunch by Little Paddy Creek.
March 27, 2024 15:05
Little Paddy Creek — I stopped for lunch and to top up my water.