For several months, Samuel had been reflecting about where to propose to Kylie. Having been dating since high school, Samuel’s two and a half years at university in Colorado had cemented their love of mountains with Kylie’s visits to Samuel in Golden. Visiting Banff was already on our bucket lists, and a visit during Samuel’sContinue reading “The Ask”
Tag Archives: father and son
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”
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 Theatre Journey of a High School Graduate
Preparing to send one’s youngest child to college triggers an array of hopeful forward-looking expectations and pensive reflections. These converged when I wrote an introductory email about Samuel on the Class of 2027 Facebook page of the Colorado School of Mines where he will study Engineering. I proudly introduced Samuel, describing some of his hikingContinue reading “The Theatre Journey of a High School Graduate”
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”
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”
Grand Canyon Day 6 – The Hoover Dam
Samuel’s interest in the Glen Canyon Dam made me think of visiting Hoover. It looked like they had a cool tour inside the dam, with tickets only available in-person, on the day. With a 3:48pm flight out of Vegas, which was 30 mins away from Hoover, we had time. While it meant another 5:30am start,Continue reading “Grand Canyon Day 6 – The Hoover Dam”
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Grand Canyon Day 5 – The Epic Buckskin Gulch
It is wrong to group such a standalone classic with the Grand Canyon, but that was the name of our trip, so I’ll have to live with it. Buckskin Gulch is truly the classic slot canyon. I’ve had my eye on it for over a decade. It was extremely exciting to finally do it, andContinue reading “Grand Canyon Day 5 – The Epic Buckskin Gulch”
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Grand Canyon Day 4 – Rest Day at Lake Powell and Horseshoe Bend
After 3 days in the Grand Canyon, we knew a day off would be a good idea. Once we’d arrived in the area, we realized there was lots of easy stuff to do! Peek-a-boo canyon looked exciting, but one review indicated how easy it was to get stuck in the sand, even with an AWD.Continue reading “Grand Canyon Day 4 – Rest Day at Lake Powell and Horseshoe Bend”
Grand Canyon Day 3 – From the Esplanade to the North Rim
The overnight wind had amplified the chilliness of the ~50 degF overnight temps. We’d chosen down blankets over sleeping bags to save weight, and I’d got a bit chilled a couple of times, but Samuel had been fine. The “5.4 degF per 1000 ft” rule seemed to be applying well. The day was bringing aContinue reading “Grand Canyon Day 3 – From the Esplanade to the North Rim”
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Grand Canyon Day 2 – Deer Creek and Night Hiking
The night had been filled with thousands of stars. The temperature had dropped from 80 degF when we felt asleep to a refreshing 60 degF when we woke, but the ground was still warm! We had both slept well and felt surprisingly refreshed. Our plan was just a 4.5-mile hike along the Colorado to DeerContinue reading “Grand Canyon Day 2 – Deer Creek and Night Hiking”
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Grand Canyon Day 1 – Bill Hall to the Colorado
Hiking from the North Rim to the river in a remote corner of the Grand Canyon National Park was a daunting prospect. We were packed with the lightest and least equipment that we could, and a new approach to food that I hoped would work. I found the best overview of the route at AllTrails.com,Continue reading “Grand Canyon Day 1 – Bill Hall to the Colorado”
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Samuel’s Scouting Journey
This post is about Samuel’s 3-4 years spent in scouts. Hopefully you will like the photos and stories, and get an appreciation of what scouts is about and what it takes to advance. It all started in January 2016 with our first campout at Alligator Creek with Troop 13 which was affiliated with Samuel’s school.Continue reading “Samuel’s Scouting Journey”
Reflections on the Collegiate Loop
My 16-year-old son Samuel and I completed this loop over 11 nights/12 days in the summer of 2021. The daily adventures are captured in other blog posts on this site. This post aims to provide background in the hope that it might guide or even inspire others. It is a fantastic hike but is bestContinue reading “Reflections on the Collegiate Loop”
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”
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 Outer Mountain Loop and Guadalupe Peak in 2019
The fifth installment of my West Texas adventures takes Samuel and I back to Big Bend’s Outer Mountain Loop (OML) and to “The Top of Texas,” Guadalupe Peak. The primary goal of the trip was to be the highest person in Texas at the beginning of 2020. The rest was just for fun! You canContinue reading “The Outer Mountain Loop and Guadalupe Peak in 2019”
A Six-Day Tour of Lake District Peaks
This is a “catch-up” post, written in July 2022, of a fantastic loop trek that a 14-year-old Samuel and I completed in June 2019. When we had lived in Ulverston in 2010 and 2011, Samuel had been too young and I too inexperienced for extended wildcamping trips. Our 2018 trek in Colorado had given usContinue reading “A Six-Day Tour of Lake District Peaks”
Ten Days in Colorado
This is the last of my “catch-up” posts for now, and this adventure with Samuel from 2018 is perhaps the most memorable trip we have done. While we have done longer trips since, this adventure had a combination of challenge and remoteness that were a stretch for each of us. We avoided crowds and enjoyedContinue reading “Ten Days in Colorado”
The Adventures of the Cajunlimeys 