Back Yard Bad Weather Hammock Testing
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When I last went backpacking I mentally earmarked three things to fix before my next trip. Here is what I’ve done.
More >Trip Report: Piney Creek, Three Days Solo Backpacking
Ninety-degree temps, and three days spent by Table Rock Lake at Piney Creek Wilderness. Some much needed rest & Recuperation time.
More >Thoughts on Hammock Camping
At some point I’ll write reviews on my hammock, underquilt, tarp and all the other paraphernalia involved in setting up for hammock camping. For now, I’ll share some of the things I’ve learned so far.
More >Trip Report: Another Two Days at Hercules Glades
A two-day hike at Hercules Glades to try out my new tarp and underquilt for my hammock. By taking a long route, I hiked 10 miles from the Coy Bald trailhead to Long Creek Falls and back.
More >Route 125 CLOSED at Swan Creek at Garrison from May 7 until Late August
If you are planning on going to Hercules Glades, Bar K Wrangler, or the Glade Top Trail from Springfield via HWY125, there is a 36-mile detour in place while the bridge at Swan Creek is replaced.
More >Trip Report: Pees Hollow (Counter-Clockwise)
The last time Ginger and I went backpacking together was in August 2017. Family events, work, and lethargy has gotten in the way. For this trip, Ginger chose the trail — Hercules Glades Wilderness, Pees Hollow trail, and I chose the route — Counter-clockwise.
More >Trip Report: Solo Backpacking at Piney Creek Wilderness
An unplanned two-day hike at Piney Creek Wilderness.
More >Trip Report: Backpacking on the Pees Hollow Trail at Hercules Glades Wilderness
Pees Hollow Backpacking Trip – My new Hammock arrived last week and I couldn’t wait any longer to try it out.
More >Dutchware Chameleon – New Hammock
I spent a lot of hours researching hammocks before deciding on the Chameleon. I’m not going to say much about it until I’ve spent a few nights out on the trail, but my first inspection and impressions confirm what I’d read in the reviews, It’s very well made.
More >Trip Report: Three Days Backpacking with a Hammock at Hercules Glades Wilderness
It was time to go out on my long awaited backpacking trip with a hammock. Plan ‘A’ was for us to go on a quick, one-night visit to Hercules Glades Wilderness. When Ginger decided she wasn’t going, I quickly came up with Plan ‘B’ which transformed the quick one-nighter into a solo three-day, Friday through Sunday trip.
More >Hammock Test Setup
I’ve been wanting to try hammock camping for quite a while. I’m reluctant to purchase all the necessary gear unless it’s something I’m sure I will be comfortable with — and in.
More >Coping with Bear Bags
I do not like bear bags. Well, that’s not strictly true. I’ve nothing against the bags or having to hoist all the camp food and ‘smellies’ up into the trees … What I don’t like is hanging them, nor do I like stumbling around the forest in the dark looking for a ‘misplaced’ bag.
More >Busiek Silver Trail – January 2018
We took advantage of some days with reasonable weather in January and went hiking in Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area. Busiek is just 20-minutes from Springfield, so for us, it’s a great place for a quick day hike.
More >Busiek Orange Trail
A warm break in the weather sent us scurrying out to get some miles on the trail, this time we opted for Busiek’s Orange Trail.
More >C’mon Baby Light My Fire (or, How Do You Light Yours?)
Just to manage expectations – if you want detailed instructions on how to make and light a campfire mosey on over to YouTube – there are hundreds of videos that’ll give you ideas. Here I’m just going to chat about fire lighters, share some fire making tips, and mention the tools we use when car […]
More >Gear Review: Leatherman Skeletool CX (Updated)
My new everyday carry knife / multi tool. It weighs less than my Milwaukee Fastback or Swiss Navy knife. It has a carabiner and pocket clip – which was a must-have for me. The tools include pliers, side cutters, screwdriver (Phillips and flat bits) and, of course, a bottle opener. The only tools I miss […]
More >Gear Review: Cooking System: 2016 – To date
In 2016 we took a serious look at why we weren’t getting out backpacking as much as we’d like. Work was one of the major obstacles, but we also identified several gear issues that caused problems. One of those ‘pinch points’ was our cooking system. We wanted something lighter, smaller and simpler. I love both […]
More >How did we get here, and where are we headed?
Back in 2010 our outdoor recreation goals very quickly evolved. Within three months of our first weekend camping trip we’d bought kayaks to get out on the lakes, and in less than six months we went from car camping to backpacking and hiking. From the start we had difficulty finding campgrounds and sites as they […]
More >Trip Report: 2017 Total Solar Eclipse Backpacking
We went eclipse backpacking on the Ozark Trail. The eclipse was more popular than I anticipated. My plan had been to wait until seven days before the event and pick a destination. I picked seven days because the weather forecast would be more reliable. Unfortunately, waiting that late meant that everything was already booked (and […]
More >Kayaking on the James River above Lake Springfield
July 21 I took Luke for an afternoon kayaking on the James River at Springfield, Missouri [12 pictures].
More >Great Egret
I’m used to herons who usually make a lot of fuss and then fly away. This Great Egret stood his ground, so I was able to get a decent picture. Great egret on Wikipedia
More >A short hike and some hammock gear testing
The weather this weekend has been wonderful (especially considering it is still February). However, we’ve not had a chance to get away backpacking as we had commitments in town on Saturday. Today we went on a short hike at Busiek, hiking a little over three miles with around 700ft of elevation climbed. Remaining true to our recent experiences, […]
More >Trip Report: Backpacking on the Hercules Glades Pees Hollow Trail
The next couple of months are going to be very busy for us, and opportunities for getting out hiking or backpacking will be limited. The prospect of a spell of warm Ozarks winter weather gave us a chance to squeeze in a midweek backpacking trip. We rearranged our work schedules and took off to Hercules […]
More >Pinch Points
When we stopped hiking / backpacking, we didn’t mean to. It started with a family wedding that coincided with our annual spring break trip, then work got busy, and all of a sudden years had passed. We tried to get out last year. We managed three short day hikes. In marketing you look to removing […]
More >Short Hike on the Yellow Trail at Busiek
We decided to fit in a quick hike at Busiek this weekend. We were originally planning on going backpacking at Hercules Glades, but life (this time in the form of pet-sitting for friends) threw a spanner into that plan. Not wanting to miss the opportunity to test some of the new backpacking gear we’ve bought, […]
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