How did we get here, and where are we headed? – In 2010 we went from car camping to hiking and backpacking in six months. I reflect on what instigated that change, and how we are going to keep on getting out. Five-minute read, 8 pictures
Camping
It was when we saw this view that we realized how far up the mountain we’d driven last night – Spring Break 2013 – Day 2 – The view from Cheaha Mountain State Park, Alabama. 3 pictures
Cheaha Mountain State Park, Alabama – Spring Break 2013 – Day 2 – Our camp for last night. Lanie couldn’t be bothered to pitch her tent and slept in the van.
Gary and Ginger’s Christmas present (356:360).
Gary with our Mutha Hubba tent, Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake – I thought I’d get my daily picture out of the way early in the day.
Weekend camping at Bucksaw.
Sunset at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri – Note the cool Crepuscular Rays.
It’s November 5th and this year we left the Guy at home (365:309) – Last year we were also at lake Truman for Guy Fawkes night, and we took the Guy along for company. This year we were expecting to be carrying up loads of kids’ luggage to Kansas City, so we left Guy behind. That’s three years now he’s avoided a fiery demise. 11 pictures
Campfire at Bucksaw, Harry S Truman Lake, Missouri (365:308)
Gary on Hawksbill Crag (Whittaker Point), Arkansas (365:287). One-minute read, 11 pictures
Gary and Ginger in the tent camped beside Loch Rannoch (365:186) – UK June 2011 – Day 21. The plan was to go backpacking in the Cairngorms. One-minute read
Enjoying the scenery by Loch Bad a’Ghaill – UK June 2011 – Day 20. Today I met an old friend, it was the first time we’d seen each other in nearly forty years. Russell and I had said our goodbyes back when we left school in July 1972, exchanged a couple of letters and then lost contact. Thanks to the joys of the Internet we’d got back in touch about a year or so ago; he and his wife Chris have a bed and breakfast in Scotland; our planned destination for the day. One-minute read, 3 pictures
Looking out over Gruinard Bay, Scotland (365:184) – UK June 2011 – Day 19. This might have been my favorite photo of the entire holiday,but the autofocus didn’t work properly so it’s a bit blurred. Two-minute read, 12 pictures
Hiding from the midges ( 365:183) – UK June 2011 – Day 18. Today I drove across Scotland, twice. Starting from our campsite in Glen Etive near the West coast we drove up the length of Loch Ness, stopping at Foyers to have a walk and take pictures of the falls, which at 165 feet high are the highest we’ve seen on this trip so far. We drove on to Inverness; on the way passing Easter Boleskine where I’d stayed for a summer holiday over twenty years ago. Once at Inverness (on the East coast) we stopped to shop for food. Then we drove all the way back almost to the West coast, finally stopping in a very rough and ready car park near Loch Maree. One-minute read, 4 pictures
At the end of the hike (365:182) – UK June 2011 – Day 17. It was a long hike. Two-minute read, +10
Today we drove to St Louis to drop the girls off with their father for a few weeks in Chicago while we cross the Atlantic and spend some time in the UK. Alek is staying at home to work and hopefully not burn the house down in our absence. I’m sure Getzger will keep him …
Waking up (365:150) – For once we didn’t hang around too long drinking coffee and eating breakfast, though it was still ten am before we were back on the trail. Two-minute read, 7 pictures
Just before I stuck my head in the falls behind me (365:148) – Invigorating was one word for it. Three-minute read, +9
More fun in the workshop (365:095) – Today we are building a “batch-loaded, inverted downdraft gasifier” wood stove out of old tin cans. Two-minute read, 4 pictures
Trying out my new sleeping bag (365:094) – Technically speaking its a quilt and not a sleeping bag, however, the the net result is the same. I found a nice summer weight bag at 40% off retail price, hopefully it should be good for temperatures from 40°F up. One-minute read, 2 pictures