In 2011, a major wildfire consumed most of Bastrop State Park and Texas’s Lost Pines Forest. We checked out how it had recovered when staying there in our motorhome while visiting with our friend Doug. The trip also allowed me to check out a 150-600mm camera lens that I had rented to evaluate. It wasContinue reading “Risen from Its Ashes: Bastrop State Park”
Tag Archives: hiking
Revisiting the Trail Between The Lakes
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”
Four Days in Banff
This was the first time that scenery has overwhelmed me. The Rocky Mountains beckon as one drives along the Trans-Canada highway from Calgary towards Banff, but distance dulls the effect. I have been around higher mountains, but these slopes rose abruptly from the Bow Valley. Each morning, I renewed my awe, remarking that they wereContinue reading “Four Days in Banff”
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”
The Thames Path: Epilogue in London
We had two days in London to wrap up our nine-day adventure along the Thames. Walking nearly one hundred miles from Reading to Woolwich had given us a new perspective on London and it was fun to spend a couple of days in the capital doing more activities that we had not previously done. WeContinue reading “The Thames Path: Epilogue in London”
The Thames Path Day 9: Tower Bridge to Woolwich
Our final day’s walk was enhanced with a visit to the Crown Jewels and disrupted with a thunderstorm. We walked under the Thames from London’s new financial district to its historical naval centre: Greenwich. It was fun starting the day right next to Tower Bridge. We started by checking out the Crown Jewels in TheContinue reading “The Thames Path Day 9: Tower Bridge to Woolwich”
The Thames Path Day 8: Barnes to Tower Bridge
It was fascinating to walk this section of the river and see so many sights in one day. We were surprised by the number of open green spaces and how the character changed as we passed each bridge. The forecast had been rainy all day but we caught only a couple of showers that wereContinue reading “The Thames Path Day 8: Barnes to Tower Bridge”
The Thames Path Day 7: Kingston upon Thames to Barnes
I had expected this to be very similar to the previous day but it was surprisingly different. On the downside, a collapsed path by Kew Gardens forced a detour on the north bank which added a mile, making it about a 13-mile day. On the plus side, the impact of tides on the the ThamesContinue reading “The Thames Path Day 7: Kingston upon Thames to Barnes”
The Thames Path Day 6: Chertsey to Kingston upon Thames
A day without the big headlines was still a great day of enjoying the river and a detour. Most of the day was a gentle stroll alongside the peaceful river as it continued on its eastward journey. Some more deer sightings were a highlight, and we took the smallest ferry across the river. We hadContinue reading “The Thames Path Day 6: Chertsey to Kingston upon Thames”
The Thames Path Day 5: Windsor to Chertsey
What a full day this was! Our sixteen-mile walk started at Windsor Castle, and our stroll along the Long Walk through Windsor Great Park took us past many mature deer. We were reminded how small we are by the Air Force Memorial, the acre of land gifted to the US after JFK’s assassination, and theContinue reading “The Thames Path Day 5: Windsor to Chertsey”
The Thames Path Day 4: Cookham to Windsor
It was always going to be difficult for day 4 to beat day 3. The weather was fine but not quite as sunny. It was peaceful walking along the river, albeit in somewhat of a green tunnel at times. Then we popped out of the tunnel in Eton, and there was Windsor Castle right inContinue reading “The Thames Path Day 4: Cookham to Windsor”
The Thames Path Day 3: Aston to Cookham
Everything came together well to make this our best day on the Thames so far. The weather was great and the scenery was better. Highlights included a herd of hundreds of deer and fantastic reflections off the early-morning Thames. We were on the trail before 8am. The hotel’s breakfast was pricey and not available early,Continue reading “The Thames Path Day 3: Aston to Cookham”
The Thames Path Day 2: Reading to Aston
We enjoyed a fine day along the river, sampling the quaintness of Sonning and the history of Henley, with a few light rain showers separated by sunny spells. The Thames was cool, from a swan’s runway to the biggest weir I’ve ever seen. A couple of diversions contributed to the 14.3 mile day but addedContinue reading “The Thames Path Day 2: Reading to Aston”
The Thames Path Day 1: Pangbourne to Reading
Day 1 of our hike along the eastern half of The Thames Way from Pangbourne to Reading.
The Natchez Trace Parkway
Yay! This was the first extended trip in our camper and it exceeded our high expectations. The idea grew from the thought of visiting Jett during his internship in Nashville when Bailey was visiting. We wanted to slow down and driving the 444-mile parkway with a 50 mph speed limit was perfect, complementing a fineContinue reading “The Natchez Trace Parkway”
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 5
This was our final day of walking as we completed the final leg from Toghill House Farm to Bath. It was a fine day with many views in great weather. We watched Bath get bigger as we approached. As we entered the city, we felt the presence of more people as we had to navigateContinue reading “Southern Cotswold Way: Day 5”
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 4
Team Sloth was back to full strength for the hike from The Dog Inn in Old Sodbury to Toghill House Farm near Cold Ashton. Our motto, “we will get there when we get there,” rang true. Today’s highlights centered around rest stops and food which suggests there was some fatigue! The landscape changed from woodedContinue reading “Southern Cotswold Way: Day 4”
Southern Cotswold Way: Day 3
The previous day’s heat claimed one victim in our group and today was another hot one as we walked from The Swan in Wotton-under-Edge to The Dog in Old Sodbury. It wasn’t a day of dramatic landmarks, but I knew it was a good one when Texan Max described the day as “a lovely walkContinue reading “Southern Cotswold Way: Day 3”
The Adventures of the Cajunlimeys 