Four days by Table Rock Lake at Piney Creek Wilderness, July 2023. It’s time I took a short break, watched the lake for a while, did some navel-gazing, and maybe some journaling. Trip write-up: five-minute read, +15
July 9, 2023
Outdoor Activities
Time spent in the great outdoors hiking, backpacking, camping, fishing, paddling, and shooting. Anything well away from the madding crowd.
July 9, 2023
Trip over — Three nights and four days by the lake. I left a day early as I didn’t fancy hiking out in the 90°F+ temps forecast for Monday. +1
July 9, 2023
Just sitting and watching — That’s pretty much how I spent four days. The cup of tea was optional. +2
July 9, 2023
Noodles for lunch.
July 8, 2023
Campfire — It is very rare for me to have a campfire nowadays. But I’d collected the wood, so I might as well use it and keep the fire ring clean.
July 8, 2023
Sunset at Piney Creek Wilderness. My neighbors are fishing the small bluff opposite their camp.
July 7, 2023
Camped near Table Rock Lake at Piney Creek Wilderness. The forecast was for two to three days of rain, so I carried in a second tarp to have a dry area to sit and prepare meals. It sprinkled once for about half an hour. +1
July 7, 2023
Table Rock Lake at Piney Creek Wilderness — I never tire of this view or taking pictures of it. Look closely; you can see that I had neighbors on this visit. Two fishermen camped at the entrance to Piney Creek. +2
July 6, 2023
On the lake trail at Piney Creek Wilderness. It doesn’t look it, but that’s a 60-80 ft. climb.
July 6, 2023
Ready for the trail. Or, judging by the reflection in my sunglasses: “Car, dunny (a.k.a. vault toilet), arm and camera.” I’m planning on spending four nights and five days at my favorite camping spot by Table Rock Lake.
July 5, 2023
R&R by the lake — It’s time I took a short break, watched the lake for a while, did some navel-gazing, and maybe some journaling. The trouble is the weather has been beastly hot. It may be my imagination, but it certainly seems to be my experience that exercise combined with high temps triggers my AFIB. So, thoughts of taking a few days by the lake have been put on the back burner.
May 21, 2023
Journal: Three days hiking the Big Piney Trail, Paddy Creek Wilderness, May 2023. I plan on spending three days on a slow hike of the 16-mile loop of the Big Piney Trail in Paddy Creek Wilderness. Unlike previous trips, it is forecast to rain on the first day, not the last. Trip write-up: Ten-minute read, +43
May 21, 2023
New Parking Lot for the Big Piney Trail at Roby Lake. Big surprise, our car is the only one parked here. +1
May 21, 2023
Hike over, back at the new registration point. There’s a new parking lot, and they’ve moved the trailhead so it is on the parking lot. 18 miles hiked and 1500 ft of elevation climbed.
May 21, 2023
Black Snake by the Big Piney Trail — It got fed up with the attention it was getting from me and slithered off.
May 21, 2023
A quarter mile of sticky muddy mess. This is back near the point where the North Loop and South Loop join together.
May 21, 2023
Another drop-off.
May 21, 2023
Leaves, leaves, and more leaves. Gary takes a picture and then leaves too.
May 21, 2023
Up on the ridge.
May 21, 2023
Crossing Point — Little Paddy Creek.
May 21, 2023
Crossing Little Paddy Creek — I stopped for a brief lunch before making the final crossing.
+1
May 21, 2023
Well to the left and stock pond right in front. What an overgrown mess. This will be my last time on this trail until the winter. +1
May 21, 2023
Can’t see the bluff for the trees. The bluff’s some 50-60 ft. high. There might be a decent winter camping spot here too. +2
May 21, 2023
Tangled mess — view of a small hollow off the Big Piney Trail.
May 21, 2023
Day Three — Rocky Outcrop by the Big Piney Trail — South Loop.