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.
Paddy Creek Wilderness
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
Journal: 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. Ginger, Lanie and I camped in Mark Twain National Forest to see this, my third and (most likely) last total solar eclipse. 1999 in France and 2017 in Missouri being the first two. Journal: 5 12
April 8, 2024 15:00
Journal: Three days hiking the Big Piney Trail, Paddy Creek Wilderness, March 2024. I spent three days hiking the sixteen-mile loop of the Big Piney Trail in Paddy Creek Wilderness, which I managed to extend to twenty-two miles. I also managed to break some more gear and, at the end of the hike, needed to call out a tow truck to get me home. Journal: 10 45
March 29, 2024 19:00
Postscript. It was at this point I discovered that the factory-supplied tire iron did not fit these lug nuts — It took three hours to get someone to come out with the right tool to switch the tire.
March 29, 2024 17:35
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
Heating water for breakfast.
March 29, 2024 9:28
Morning Coffee, camped off of the Big Piney Trail.
March 29, 2024 9:23
Finally, the sun reaches inside my hammock.
March 29, 2024 8:19
Enjoying the view from my hammock.
March 29, 2024 7:43
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.
March 29, 2024 7:21
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