Checked in and ready to go — I got away without any major delays, and here I am at eleven-thirty all ready to hit the trail.
Self Portrait
Pictures of me, taken by myself. I tend to go with the official (365 Days) definition of a self portrait: “A self portrait is a photo of yourself taken by you” … “The main thing is that you are both the photographer and the subject.”
Finally seeing results — I’ve been regularly exercising for around and hour a day, five days a week for three months now. I read that it takes a lot longer to get results when you get to a ‘certain age,’ and so it has. This week, for the first time the body fat percentage has dropped into the green.
March 7, 2024 8:10
Heading Home — I remembered to take an end of hike selfie just before I left the trailhead parking lot. Two-minute read.
February 28, 2024 16:25
Back at my home from home — Taking a selfie when I get to the lake has become another Piney Creek Tradition.
February 25, 2024 15:07
Stopped for Lunch by Piney Creek — I thought this was the spot we stopped for lunch on 11-11-2011, but it was probably the next creek crossing. +1
February 25, 2024 14:08
Loop Finished — And I’ll admit the trail kicked my butt. I wasn’t as fit as I thought I was, and my heart deciding to throw a wobbly at the end of day three didn’t help.
February 2, 2024 14:03
Breakfast in my hammock. Irish Wilderness, Missouri
February 2, 2024 10:15
All this bushwhacking is scratching up my feet and legs.
February 2, 2024 9:45
Morning tea in my hammock — Irish Wilderness, Missouri.
February 2, 2024 9:42
At the Float Camp Junction of the Whites Creek Trail — I was last here in March 2023.
January 31, 2024 13:47
Trying out a gas stove for a change — Conclusion: I prefer my Fancee Feest Cat Can stove.
January 31, 2024 8:21
Ready to get on the trail — I’m planning on spending four days hiking the Whites Creek Trail. This time I’m starting with the South Loop (I don’t know why they call it a loop it is not. But hey!).
January 30, 2024 13:10
At the Pole (Pete) Hollow Trail Junction. 39°F and feeling a bit chilly with a slight head wind. Two nights, three days, and a modest 13 miles. That will do for my first run out of 2024. Time to go home and trim my beard. It has done its job! +1
January 4, 2024 14:58
Day Three. Tucked up in my hammock. Deep Hollow, January 2024.
January 4, 2024 8:38
Just to prove that I was there.
January 3, 2024 14:00
Day One. Another year, same trail cairn — I’m off out for three days, blowing away the cobwebs and walking off some holiday season excesses.
January 2, 2024 14:16
Snake on the Trail — I was not expecting to find snakes out in December, so I’m glad I spotted this one. We’ve not positively ID’d it yet. It doesn’t look dangerous, but when it got fed up with me watching it, it coiled ready to strike and it had a diamond shaped head. But it didn’t have viperous eyes. +1
December 7, 2023 12:40
My quilt got a little frosty, though according to my notes it was only 30°F. +1
December 7, 2023 7:11
A selfie for the folks back home — I actually had some cell service here!
December 6, 2023 14:22
Don’t take a step back …
December 5, 2023 11:14
Gary on the trail (and a new hat, too) — on the South Loop at the short cut junction. Backpacking the Big Piney Trail, December 2023.
December 4, 2023 15:33
Not a lot of water — This is Little Paddy Creek. I’ve never seen it this low, it was not really running. That doesn’t bode well for my trip. And all the small springs I have passed so far have been dry too. 2
December 4, 2023 14:32
Eclipse glasses — Ginger and Gary ready for the annular eclipse, in Odessa, Texas. Annular Eclipse Trip Day Four. 8
October 14, 2023 11:12
Faux Stonehenge Odessa, Texas. We stopped here while scoping out potential places to watch the annular eclipse. We decided this might be too twee and too popular. The eclipse photographers were already gathering. +2