After the side trip up Yale, the rest of the day was just about getting to a campsite. The constraint now was arriving at the Interlaken trailhead at about 9am on day 7. There did not seem to be good sites for a while beyond Harvard Lakes, so that was the target, but that wasContinue reading “Collegiate Loop Day 5 – Yale Saddle to Harvard Lakes”
Author Archives: Peter Ireland
Collegiate Loop Day 5 – Yale Side Trip
While not part of the loop, this side trip was a highlight. Yale was our first 14er, at 14,199ft, and the conditions were perfect, and emphasized by the previous evening’s weather. While it was less than 5 miles, it took nearly 7 hours. I found the boulder hopping particularly tiring, but otherwise this route wasContinue reading “Collegiate Loop Day 5 – Yale Side Trip”
Collegiate Loop Day 4 – Cottonwood Creek to Yale Saddle
We had agreed that the plan was Yale for day 5, so day 4 was short, but with a long climb with as much water as we could carry (7l total). So we could take it easy and enjoy the hike: Good nights sleep. P did not have to pee. Alarm at 6. P upContinue reading “Collegiate Loop Day 4 – Cottonwood Creek to Yale Saddle”
Collegiate Loop Day 3 – Browns Creek to Cottonwood Creek
Day 3 ended up being a key decision day for the Yale side trip on day 5. During the planning, I had gone back and forth. It had looked like a great trip, but the loop was our primary objective. I had been concerned about my calf injury, so had concluded before departure that weContinue reading “Collegiate Loop Day 3 – Browns Creek to Cottonwood Creek”
Collegiate Loop Day 2 – Fooses Creek to Browns Creek
Day 2 felt good. We’d approached the first day carefully, wanting to ensure we did not overdo it, and succeeded. Wanted to remain cautious for day 2. An early start provides greater flexibility later in the day. The plan had been a conservative 12-mile day, and we saw viable 15-mile and 18-mile camping options. SoContinue reading “Collegiate Loop Day 2 – Fooses Creek to Browns Creek”
Collegiate Loop Day 1 – Monarch Crest to Fooses Creek
This is the first of the daily journals from the Collegiate Loop which were written on the trail. I dictated to Samuel each night, who wrote it up on his phone which worked well. Well at least it did for me! Other than obvious typos, I have left the text as the original to preserveContinue reading “Collegiate Loop Day 1 – Monarch Crest to Fooses Creek”
The Chisos Mountains in June 2021
Samuel very much wanted to share his backpacking adventures with a couple of his buddies. Trying to squeeze a trip in after school and COVID and with summer coming was challenging but we decided early June would work. We were thinking that if we stayed in the mountains, it would be cool enough. Also, ifContinue reading “The Chisos Mountains in June 2021”
Diving Mexican Cenotes in May 2021
During a family trip to Cancun, Samuel and I very much wanted to dive cenotes. Cenotes are a form of cave in which you are always able to see some daylight so the qualification required is less than cave diving. We chose Wetset divers who were very responsible, and we had to do a dayContinue reading “Diving Mexican Cenotes in May 2021”
Reflections on an LSHT Thru-Hike
(Originally published on the Lone Star Hiking Trail Facebook page.) (Daily blogs from this hike at https://cajunlimeys.com/lone-star-hiking-trail/) WHAT I DID. I hiked the LSHT westbound in six days, from Tuesday 11th May to Monday 17th May. I hiked solo. I did not get resupplied mid-route, and I did not pre-stash any water. Forums like thisContinue reading “Reflections on an LSHT Thru-Hike”
Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 7 – Pond at MM2.5 to MM0!
I tried my breakfast with cold water rather than hot (TJ coffee, Hot Choc mix, instant oatmeal), and it was all pretty good so something to consider in the future. Walking out the final 2 miles is like a victory lap, and seeing the 1 mile marker has a completely different meaning! And just whenContinue reading “Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 7 – Pond at MM2.5 to MM0!”
Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 6 – MM16.5 Lake Conroe to MM2.5 pond
Had to take the obligatory morning photo over the lake, but this campsite wasn’t the best for it. The forecast was for major storms to start at 1pm (they didn’t…), so I started early and was hiking by 7:10 and was thinking less than 6 hours to cover 14 miles was doable. A pretty fastContinue reading “Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 6 – MM16.5 Lake Conroe to MM2.5 pond”
Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 5 – MM33 Pipeline ROW to Lake Conroe MM16.5
I realized I was using up way too much battery, so left the phone (and hence camera) off today, so very few photos which is a shame. After a good night on the edge of Huntsville State Park on the pipeline ROW, it was an easy walk down the hill to Camelia dam. What IContinue reading “Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 5 – MM33 Pipeline ROW to Lake Conroe MM16.5”
Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 4 – East 4 Notch Campsite MM51.5 to MM33 Pipeline ROW
Got an earlier start so was hiking by 7am. My main memory of four notch when I did it a couple of years ago was the spiderwebs… That time, I was heading East and started from the hunter camp when it was still dark. The web would be illuminated by my head torch about aContinue reading “Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 4 – East 4 Notch Campsite MM51.5 to MM33 Pipeline ROW”
Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 3 – Magnolia Campsite MM68.5 to East 4 Notch Campsite MM51.5
One mile hike to get out of the woods then the 2.4 mile hike on blacktop to Evergreen Baptist Church and their awesome water faucet! Still early so cool and I had a nice long rest with the water at Evergreen, that I paid for later. Evergreen to TH9 is dirt road. One dog afterContinue reading “Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 3 – Magnolia Campsite MM68.5 to East 4 Notch Campsite MM51.5”
Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 2 – Tarkington Campsite MM83.55 to Magnolia Campsite MM68.5
The previous evening’s storms passed. After a fine night at the primitive campsite at MM83.5, the trails had generally drained very well and I managed to keep my feet dry. Mozzies weren’t bad either until after Double Lake. A few downed trees across the path, just to remind you there was some recent wind! ThereContinue reading “Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 2 – Tarkington Campsite MM83.55 to Magnolia Campsite MM68.5”
Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 1 – TH15 to Tarkington Campsite MM83.55
This post and the associated series were first shared on the Lone Star Hiking Club Facebook Group page, directly from the trail. I had gained much useful information from this group, so I wanted to give back. This was my second attempt at thru-hiking, my first attempt being a couple of years earlier with SamuelContinue reading “Lone Star Hiking Trail Day 1 – TH15 to Tarkington Campsite MM83.55”
Thirty Years with Schlumberger
Why do I describe my career on an adventure blog. First, the job itself was quite the adventure, and it inspired many other adventures through the travel it led to and the people I met. In describing my adventurous pursuits on this site, omitting my thirty years with Schlumberger would be a big hole. Second,Continue reading “Thirty Years with Schlumberger”
Diving the Oriskany and Lionfish Hunting in July 2020
My research for diving adventures led me to Brady Hale’s Ocean Strike Team which organized lionfish hunting trips out of Pensacola Florida. The dives required the Deep Dive specialty, so we signed up to do that first with Michael Watkins from Dive Pros, and that took us to the amazing Oriskany wreck. This was aContinue reading “Diving the Oriskany and Lionfish Hunting in July 2020”
Motorhome Rental
On our journey to motorhome ownership, we have rented units three times: once in the UK and twice in the US. The UK rental was in 2008 when the kids were small. The US rentals were in 2017 for driving the west coast between Mexico and Canada, and in 2020 to visit North Carolina waterfallsContinue reading “Motorhome Rental”
Buffalo Bayou Paddling Trail: Briar Bend Park to Woodway Memorial Park
This is a “catch-up” post from May 2020 to describe our second outing on the Buffalo Bayou. Having successfully completed a solo outing the previous week, I persuaded Samuel to join me for the next leg. The days were getting hot, so a short trip was advised. Moving upstream from my previous outing, the nextContinue reading “Buffalo Bayou Paddling Trail: Briar Bend Park to Woodway Memorial Park”
The Adventures of the Cajunlimeys 