They say that work grows to fill the time available, I wish the same could be said of my time in the wilderness. A more determined effort to get “out and about in the Ozarks” is needed.
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Back at the beginning of 2018 the majority of the trails at Hercules Glades were renamed. The more I think about it, the more I am coming to the conclusion that it wasn’t a good idea. There are lots of maps, videos, and references online that use the original names. Sooner or later some confusion is bound to arise.
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Hercules Glades Backpacking in November. Van problems forced me to select a nearby trail for a late fall break. Another visit to Hercules Glades was on the cards. [53 Pictures, lots of words and one short video]
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My cook pot, stove, and food (ready-made dehydrated meals) have been working well for both backpacking and camping. But the wind screen and pot stand are a little bulky and weighty – between a quarter and half a pound. So, in an idle moment, I thought I’d check and see what other options there might be. Read on to see what I found to replace them.
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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.
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Ninety-degree temps, and three days spent by Table Rock Lake at Piney Creek Wilderness. Some much needed rest & Recuperation time.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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An unplanned two-day hike at Piney Creek Wilderness.
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Pees Hollow Backpacking Trip – My new Hammock arrived last week and I couldn’t wait any longer to try it out.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 the cooking system we used when backpacking. We wanted something lighter, smaller and […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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July 21 I took Luke for an afternoon kayaking on the James River at Springfield, Missouri [12 pictures].
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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
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