It had been just six months since my last hike on Sabine County’s Trail Between the Lakes, and nine months since my first thruhike of it in January. The milder temperatures meant that I did not wake up to frozen shoes, as I had in January, but I was amazed at how different the trailContinue reading “Revisiting the Trail Between The Lakes”
Category Archives: Backpacking
Refrigerator Gulch from Goose Creek Trailhead in Colorado’s Lost Creek Wilderness
There is always something special about heading into the wilderness. In the US, wilderness areas are public lands with special protections that prohibit motorized and mechanized equipment, helping ensure that visit are natural experiences. When I heard that Samuel was craving a good backpacking trip, I focused on the Lost Creek Wilderness as it wasContinue reading “Refrigerator Gulch from Goose Creek Trailhead in Colorado’s Lost Creek Wilderness”
Lessons Learned from Attempting a Ring (Anillo) of the Picos de Europa
In September 2025, my buddy James and I set off to hike independently the Anillo de Picos, aiming to hike the largest ring, also known as the Anillo de 3 Macizos (Ring of the 3 Massifs). Our goal was to camp, eat some meals in refuges, and resupply in a village. I had struggled toContinue reading “Lessons Learned from Attempting a Ring (Anillo) of the Picos de Europa”
Trekking Spain’s Picos de Europa
What an adventure! Spain’s Picos de Europa is relatively unknown outside of the country. It became Spain’s first national park in 1918. The rugged limestone mountains offer fantastic hiking and climbing opportunities against a backdrop of cowbells throughout the verdant valleys and the resulting local scrumptious cheeses and meats. Below is the story of ourContinue reading “Trekking Spain’s Picos de Europa”
A Prelude of September: The Thames Path and Los Picos de Europa
I usually write blogs during or after our adventures to share the experience with friends and family and to help preserve the memory. I’m using this prelude to help get multiple trips straight. We are undertaking two very different excursions with multiple travel companions with some underlying uncertainty. Here is what you can expect toContinue reading “A Prelude of September: The Thames Path and Los Picos de Europa”
Big Bend’s South Rim and Outer Mountain Loop
That was a lot of work. That’s what Vance said about getting water. We also hiked 43 miles and climbed 10,000 ft over four days. This trek was epic. YouTube Video This 83 minute video on YouTube presents the trek “in real time,” capturing our emotions and detailing the trek including gathering water in theContinue reading “Big Bend’s South Rim and Outer Mountain Loop”
The Gentleman in the Orange Cap
Some distant movement caught my eye. After a few moments, I recognized it as an orange cap. Meeting another thru-hiker would be fun. A recent thru-hike of the trail had inspired me to return and clear some of the obstacles, helping those completing the full twenty-eight miles. I asked him how far he was goingContinue reading “The Gentleman in the Orange Cap”
Hiking East Texas’s Trail Between the Lakes
(Check out the trail’s guide here.) Multi-day backpacking adventures are not normally associated with East Texas. The 96-mile Lone Star Hiking Trail (LSHT), north of Houston by Huntsville, might come to mind. But there is an often passed-over trail close to the Louisiana border that takes the explorer deep into wild pine forests. I wasContinue reading “Hiking East Texas’s Trail Between the Lakes”
Backpack Compromise: Weight vs Comfort
Or: Why I no longer aim for 10 lb. dry weight. Introduction Catchy headlines like 10 lb. Gear List for Hiking The Appalachian Trail suggest that 10 lbs. is the target ultralight dry weight for serious multi-day backpackers. After many years, I achieved that target, but now choose to carry more for comfort. Such additionsContinue reading “Backpack Compromise: Weight vs Comfort”
Three Nights in Colorado’s Gore Range
Samuel and I were hungry for an adventurous backpacking trip. It had been a couple of years since we had completed Arkansas’s Eagle Rock Loop and three years since the epic Collegiate Loop on the Colorado and Continental Divide Trails. Samuel had spent his first year in college living in Golden, on the Western outskirtsContinue reading “Three Nights in Colorado’s Gore Range”
The Eagle Rock Loop in November 2022
The 27-mile Eagle Rock Loop (ERL) in the Ouachita National Forest in southwest Arkansas has been on my “list” for several years. At nearly 400 miles from Houston, it is our closest multi-day trail in hills. I was thrilled in early November when I suggested to Samuel that we do it over the Thanksgiving breakContinue reading “The Eagle Rock Loop in November 2022”
Reflections on the Coast to Coast
After any significant adventure, I like to gather and publish my thoughts a few days after it is finished. Such a reflective post can help others plan something similar while also helping with my pondering of “what next?” In this reflection, Dean and Tracy also make insightful contributions! What? Wainwright’s 1973 publication described the walkContinue reading “Reflections on the Coast to Coast”
Highlights of our 2022 Coast to Coast Crossing
It is difficult to get one’s head around an adventure as large as hiking England’s Coast to Coast over 18 days. To help the reader appreciate the whole trip in one post, here are the highlights using one photo per day. Still to come is a reflection post, but that needs more reflection time :).Continue reading “Highlights of our 2022 Coast to Coast Crossing”
Coast to Coast Day 19: Robin Hood’s Bay to Heathrow
Team Sloth has made it to Heathrow, which is where the blog’s storytelling should end. Just like there was a “Day 0” before we started, I add one at the end. If there is any drama tomorrow with the flight home, I don’t want to write about it! The day started with a 4:15am alarmContinue reading “Coast to Coast Day 19: Robin Hood’s Bay to Heathrow”
Coast to Coast Day 18: Grosmont to Robin Hood’s Bay
This is what we set out for when we left St. Bees. With the finish this close, my family’s primary focus was finishing. With what looked like being the longest day with plenty of climbs, we decided to leave early at 6am. Of course, it was very light, but everything was very peaceful. The initialContinue reading “Coast to Coast Day 18: Grosmont to Robin Hood’s Bay”
Coast to Coast Day 17: Blakey Ridge to Grosmont
The day started similarly to yesterday with some fine easy moorland walking, and we covered the first 9 miles in 3 hours. Once again, the moorland cotton was special. A wildlife high point was watching a group of six baby grouse run to follow their mother. We also saw a small snake, which might beContinue reading “Coast to Coast Day 17: Blakey Ridge to Grosmont”
Coast to Coast Day 16+: Sunset Drone at the Lion Inn
I’d looked forward to capturing the sunset from the Lion Inn since before the trip started. I had done a recce flight with my DJI Mini 2 earlier which was part of the day’s post. This evening adventure deserves its own blog – not least because the day’s post was already published and I wantedContinue reading “Coast to Coast Day 16+: Sunset Drone at the Lion Inn”
Coast to Coast Day 16: Clay Bank Top to Blakey Ridge
While this has been the easiest day of the trip at 8.7 miles at just over 3 hours, it was not short of views and the weather was perfect. We got our lift from the hotel back to the lay-by, and were soon climbing up the major hill of the day. Unfortunately, the path didContinue reading “Coast to Coast Day 16: Clay Bank Top to Blakey Ridge”
Coast to Coast Day 15: Osmotherley to Clay Bank Top
We were back in the hills! While the hot temperatures made it uncomfortable and challenging, the clear skies opened up amazing views for all of our 11.3 miles which we completed in a little over 5 hours. Tracy and Dean had their own adventure in working out how to travel by bus to our destinationContinue reading “Coast to Coast Day 15: Osmotherley to Clay Bank Top”
Coast to Coast Day 14: Danby Wiske to Osmotherley
I was hopeful that today would bring us out of our funk, and it did in several ways! We hiked the 13 miles in under 6 hours. It was a fun day with a range of events/incidents that kept us amused. Once we crossed the A19, which was at about two-thirds of the hike, weContinue reading “Coast to Coast Day 14: Danby Wiske to Osmotherley”
The Adventures of the Cajunlimeys 