Outdoor Thread

[schlanky]

I would have never guessed that there's a backpacking network in Florida. Very cool.

Some winter hiking pics from this past winter. Various locations in the Iowa Driftless.

What's all that white stuff on the ground? Looks like a fun area with the rivers and ridges.

Yeah, Florida has some good hiking. I've not walked much of it, but Florida Trail is more than 1,000 miles long from Big Cypress north up the state, then it heads west over to Pensacola. I also have a couple of spots off the Florida Trail on the panhandle that I try to hit every year or two.

Most of my overnighters are in Tennessee these days. I do a trip or two every year on Alabama's Pinhoti Trail, but I've section hiked it three times and needed some new ground. Haven't done much this season anywhere though. Hopefully I'll get in better shape over the summer and get out more next fall through next spring.

[Iowan]

I would have never guessed that there's a backpacking network in Florida. Very cool.

Some winter hiking pics from this past winter. Various locations in the Iowa Driftless.

What's all that white stuff on the ground?

Yeah, Florida has some good hiking. I've not walked much of it, but Florida Trail is more than 1,000 miles long from Big Cypress north up the state, then it heads west over to Pensacola. I also have a couple of spots off the Florida Trail on the panhandle that I try to hit every year or two.

Most of my overnighters are in Tennessee these days. I do a trip or two every year on Alabama's Pinhoti Trail, but I've section hiked it three times and needed some new ground. Haven't done much this season anywhere though. Hopefully I'll get in better shape over the summer and get out more next fall through next spring.

All? That's pretty mild by our standards!

[schlanky]

All? That's pretty mild by our standards!

Hey, we shut down schools for far less than that in Alabama.

Looks like some fun, rugged terrain in your pics.

[Clams]

I would have never guessed that there's a backpacking network in Florida.

Let alone a prairie!

Great pics Schlanky and Iowan. I need to get myself into some nature.

[schlanky]

Just got back from an overnighter on Dog Hole/Fiery Gizzard loop in middle Tennessee. After an easy walk to camp, I took a side trip to 80-foot Anderson Falls. It's about five minutes from the designated camping area, but most folks have no idea it's there.



Then took a side trip out to Raven Point.





The next day's hike involved dropping down into the bottom of the gorge and following a creek. After a steep descent, the "trail" gets a little rocky for a bit….



Lots to see along the creek.





The trillium is out.



Most of the trip, I had a particular song stuck in my head. On the drive in, about a quarter mile before reaching the trailhead, I'd passed this:

[Iowan]

Had a nice day hike in the Yellow River State Forest, Harpery's Ferry IA this Saturday.

[Clams]

Good to see everyone's been getting out into nature lately. The Mrs and I took the kids up to the Hudson Valley during spring break last week. Did some hiking in the Catskills - the trails were still completely covered in snow and ice, but we managed to slog our way 4.5 miles out and back to Huckleberry Point. Did some fishing on the Esopus Creek too.

[schlanky]

Great pics, Iowan and Clams. Looks like y'all both hit some nice overlooks. Love the fishing picture---I did a lot of fishing growing up, but don't any more.

[Cotter]

schlanky, you ever come across one of them skunk apes down in FL?

How about boogers in TN?

[schlanky]

I'd probably quit hiking if I ever saw bigfoot, but a while back, there was a story about "young bigfoot" activity near the Alabama Pinhoti:

http://www.bfro.net/GDB/show_report.asp?id=273

[Beebs]

I did 12 miles on the treadmill and 3 hours on the bike trainer yesterday. Sunlight and fresh air played no part.

You hippies and your "nature".

[schlanky]

Just did a two-nighter at Frozen Head State Park in Wartburg, Tennessee. My first trip up there was several years ago during the Barkley Marathons---also known as "the race that eats its young."

Now I try to get up there each spring when the wildflowers are blooming. I was a little on the early side for blooms this year, but still had a great trip---did some reading, some ridge walking and hung out with the squirrels. Over a span of 46 hours, I saw more salamanders (1) than humans (0).

The links below about the Barkley are interesting reading for folks with a lot of time to kill:


The first Barkley was held in 1986, but its inspiration was the 1977 escape of James Earl Ray from the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. On June 10 of that year, Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassin broke out of the maximum-security prison in a remote valley and headed into the mountains. Ray was "out there" for 54 hours until he was found cold, hungry, and scratched to ribbons, hiding in a pile of leaves. His captors reported that he seemed genuinely relieved to have been found. In all, Ray's 54 hours of bushwhacking had netted him only a few miles of freedom.

http://www.runnersworld.com/trail-runni ... age=single

======

What makes it so bad? No trail, for one. A cumulative elevation gain that’s nearly twice the height of Everest. Native flora called saw briars that can turn a man’s legs to raw meat in meters.

http://www.believermag.com/issues/20110 ... le_jamison

========
It was a lovely, wooded residential neighborhood; although I had never seen it there before. Each house hidden nicely in the trees, and only the seldom car wheeling up the dirt road. How nice it must be living so high in the mountains. Large trees lined the old road with driveways peeling off toward each home. It was a sunny day. It was loop 5 of the Barkley Marathons. And I was losing my mind.

http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/2005/andrew.html

=======

And a summary page:

http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/

[Beebs]

Just did a two-nighter at Frozen Head State Park in Wartburg, Tennessee. My first trip up there was several years ago during the Barkley Marathons---also known as "the race that eats its young."

Now I try to get up there each spring when the wildflowers are blooming. I was a little on the early side for blooms this year, but still had a great trip---did some reading, some ridge walking and hung out with the squirrels. Over a span of 46 hours, I saw more salamanders (1) than humans (0).

The links below about the Barkley are interesting reading for folks with a lot of time to kill:


The first Barkley was held in 1986, but its inspiration was the 1977 escape of James Earl Ray from the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. On June 10 of that year, Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassin broke out of the maximum-security prison in a remote valley and headed into the mountains. Ray was "out there" for 54 hours until he was found cold, hungry, and scratched to ribbons, hiding in a pile of leaves. His captors reported that he seemed genuinely relieved to have been found. In all, Ray's 54 hours of bushwhacking had netted him only a few miles of freedom.

http://www.runnersworld.com/trail-runni ... age=single

======

What makes it so bad? No trail, for one. A cumulative elevation gain that’s nearly twice the height of Everest. Native flora called saw briars that can turn a man’s legs to raw meat in meters.

http://www.believermag.com/issues/20110 ... le_jamison

========
It was a lovely, wooded residential neighborhood; although I had never seen it there before. Each house hidden nicely in the trees, and only the seldom car wheeling up the dirt road. How nice it must be living so high in the mountains. Large trees lined the old road with driveways peeling off toward each home. It was a sunny day. It was loop 5 of the Barkley Marathons. And I was losing my mind.

http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/2005/andrew.html

=======

And a summary page:

http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/

That race sounds terrible/awesome.

[Iowan]

Just did a two-nighter at Frozen Head State Park in Wartburg, Tennessee. My first trip up there was several years ago during the Barkley Marathons---also known as "the race that eats its young."

Now I try to get up there each spring when the wildflowers are blooming. I was a little on the early side for blooms this year, but still had a great trip---did some reading, some ridge walking and hung out with the squirrels. Over a span of 46 hours, I saw more salamanders (1) than humans (0).

The links below about the Barkley are interesting reading for folks with a lot of time to kill:


The first Barkley was held in 1986, but its inspiration was the 1977 escape of James Earl Ray from the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. On June 10 of that year, Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassin broke out of the maximum-security prison in a remote valley and headed into the mountains. Ray was "out there" for 54 hours until he was found cold, hungry, and scratched to ribbons, hiding in a pile of leaves. His captors reported that he seemed genuinely relieved to have been found. In all, Ray's 54 hours of bushwhacking had netted him only a few miles of freedom.

http://www.runnersworld.com/trail-runni ... age=single

======

What makes it so bad? No trail, for one. A cumulative elevation gain that’s nearly twice the height of Everest. Native flora called saw briars that can turn a man’s legs to raw meat in meters.

http://www.believermag.com/issues/20110 ... le_jamison

========
It was a lovely, wooded residential neighborhood; although I had never seen it there before. Each house hidden nicely in the trees, and only the seldom car wheeling up the dirt road. How nice it must be living so high in the mountains. Large trees lined the old road with driveways peeling off toward each home. It was a sunny day. It was loop 5 of the Barkley Marathons. And I was losing my mind.

http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/2005/andrew.html

=======

And a summary page:

http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/

Well, this post lead to me spending an hour of my night Google earthing that area.

[schlanky]

That race sounds terrible/awesome.

That's what I've surmised as well. There were no finishers this year. I came out of the woods last weekend on the trail that the Barkley uses to enter/exit the park. Coming down, you descend so far that you feel like it isn't even mathematically possible to still be going downhill.

Just in case Iowan is looking for more time to burn tonight, here's a 20-ish minute documentary. The clearcut area with power lines is coming up the mountain to the observation tower--an easy access area for the camera crew.

https://vimeo.com/97270099

[bovine knievel]

That race sounds terrible/awesome.

That's what I've surmised as well. There were no finishers this year. I came out of the woods last weekend on the trail that the Barkley uses to enter/exit the park. Coming down, you descend so far that you feel like it isn't even mathematically possible to still be going downhill.

Just in case Iowan is looking for more time to burn tonight, here's a 20-ish minute documentary. The clearcut area with power lines is coming up the mountain to the observation tower--an easy access area for the camera crew.

https://vimeo.com/97270099

My coworker and her husband attempt the Barkley every year. They have never finished.

[schlanky]

My coworker and her husband attempt the Barkley every year. They have never finished.

I bet I have a good guess who they are. If I'm correct, he and another fellow ran through my campsite a couple of years ago at about 7 a.m. (don't know them---just got obsessed with reading race summaries over the years and know a lot of the names)

[grapico]

This is a good article on the Barkleys and I think the first thing I read about it a few years ago. I find ultra running and this race in particular fascinating.

http://www.runnersworld.com/trail-runni ... age=single

[DiamondDave]

Pretty happy....bought my nephew's hunting/fishing combo license for him this week.....his dad committed suicide by drinking antifreeze in January.
MY nephew just turned 16 and really wants to get involved in the outdoors that his dad loved.
It's bittersweet to be sure.....my brother-in-law had alienated his family and friends over the last couple of years.......we no longer talked.
Yet, he taught me so much about hunting and fishing......I would never have been so successful without his guidance.


Looking at a couple of summer boat/fishing/camping trips, Oklahoma youth hunts and especially deer season.
Hope to do half the job with my nephew that his dad would have done.

[schlanky]

Good job, DiamondDave. Your nephew will get to do some of the things his dad loved, and just being outside (whether it's hunting, fishing, hiking, camping or just sitting around and looking at trees) has a lot of healing power and will provide him a good outlet--particularly for someone who has been through something so bad and so close while he's still so young.

[bovine knievel]

Just picked up my first fly rod/reel setup. Looking forward to some new challenges and techniques.

[StormandStatic]

Climbed here yesterday: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwill ... einn.shtml

Took me about 11 hours, there was still snow in places, very high winds and rain. Probably the most dangerous hike I've ever done. There were sections along really thin ridges where it felt like the wind would blow me off. Got stuck up in the clouds at various points. Definitely the craziest, wildest place I've ever been. Ended the night by walking off the mountain, down to the pub and immediately devouring a whole pizza and a bowl of tomato soup.

[bovine knievel]

Had a great day on the lower McCloud River.

[schlanky]

Just picked up my first fly rod/reel setup. Looking forward to some new challenges and techniques.

Looks like you're off to a nice start with the new gear!

[Clams]

Just picked up my first fly rod/reel setup. Looking forward to some new challenges and techniques.

Looks like you're off to a nice start with the new gear!

Yeah, I'll say. Beautiful fish and great pics Bovine.

[Beebs]

Nice job fellas. Thanks for sharing the pics and letting us all get some vicarious fresh air.


I'll be racing this on Sunday down around where I grew up

http://www.farmersdaughtergravelgrinder.com/course/

They just released the queue sheet and GPS last night. I'm in for some serious hurt.

[Iowan]

That sounds like a blast Beebs. Using a cyclocross, I assume?

[UTHeathen]

Had a great day on the lower McCloud River.

Nice work BK.

[Beebs]

That sounds like a blast Beebs. Using a cyclocross, I assume?

I hope. I crashed hard this week and knocked a few things wonky. The minor repairs turned into a full re cabling and finally installing hydraulic brakes that have been sitting in a box. I blame the awesome camo bar tape I've been looking for an excuse to put on. It's currently hanging off my work stand right now with no cables or wheels on it. Got some work to do.



We probably need a bike thread.

[Iowan]

I could get behind a bike thread.