Words and pictures featuring Missouri
Journal: Getting outside my comfort zone, Paddy Creek Wilderness, December 2024. Things have conspired to keep me off the trails this year. I’ll be pushing my comfort zone as I don’t normally venture out if the daytime temperature is going to drop below 40°F. Journal: 10 20
Frozen stock pond — And that’s the last picture of this trip. Plus, a trip summary. Five-minute read, +2
Keeping my feet warm at 26°F — A change of plan, I decided to hike the five or six miles back to the trailhead and go home. I ought to be able to finish the trip before it gets dark.
Frost Flower.
A bed of frost flowers.
Wrapped up warm for a cold hike — I’m going off in search of a trail that I’m sure runs from where I’m camped near Little Paddy Creek to the North Loop. Then I plan to look for a better campsite at ‘Spring Hollow’.
Imagine a hammock between those two trees. Why? Because I forgot to take a picture before I took the Tarp and hammock down. Oh well, I wasn’t going to put it up again just for a picture.
Day Three — Slushy water bottle. It dropped to around 19°F overnight, and is currently 21°F. The forecast is for it to not go above 26°F.
There are a lot of trees down across the trail. One-minute read, +1
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.
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.
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.
Enjoying the view and some lunch.
Gary at the Big Paddy Creek Scenic Overlook.
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.
View from my hammock, with a hot drink in hand. And the water is boiling to heat up my Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast.
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.
More Frost Flowers. And it is now three PM. +1
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.
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
Sign by Jim. Another commission. +1
A change of plan — Here I am enjoying the sunset and beer on the deck at the cottage.
Trout Fishing on Spring Creek, Rockbridge. I took a break from looking at all the cool cars to watch some trout fishing below the mill pond. Ava Hometown Hotrods Festival — 100 Mile Cruise, stop at Rockbridge.
Ava Hometown Hotrods Festival — 100 Mile Cruise, stop at Rockbridge. +1