Tag: hiking

Solo Camping at Pedernales Falls State Park

, , , , , , Cycling, Slice of Life, TravelingLeave a Comment on Solo Camping at Pedernales Falls State Park
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/7.1, 1/125 sec, ISO250
 “Campsite” Johnson City, 2020

I’ve been wanting to go for a solo camping trip ever since I watched the shows Yurukyan and Hitori Kyanpu de Kutte Neru, which both feature a lot of solo camping. Since I had Friday off, I checked the campsite availability at Pedernales Falls State Park and saw that they had one site open for Friday evening, so I quickly grabbed it and decided to go for my first solo overnight trip!

I actually have a few new items of camping gear I wanted to try out before I head out to Big Bend National Park next month so this would be the perfect opportunity. My original plan was to hike to the campsite, set up camp, then hike some more trails before calling it a day. The following morning, I would break camp, return to the car and then bike around the park.

While I was checking out the cycling opportunities at Pedernales Falls State Park, I found a few videos on YouTube that showed people cycling on the trail that leads up to the primitive campsites where I’d be staying. So then I thought, hey, why don’t I try bikepacking, and load all of the gear onto the bike and ride to the campsite? Most of my camping gear is compact and light which make it easy to pack onto the bike. Even my relatively bulky Nemo Switchback sleeping pad was easily strapped to the handlebars.

Photo info: motorola moto g(6), 3.95mm, f/1.8, 1/1400 sec, ISO100
 “On the Trail” Johnson City, 2020

The campsite is actually only 2 miles or so from the parking lot which isn’t far at all, but I thought this was perfect, because if for some reason my bicycle broke or I got a flat, I could easily just push the bicycle to the campsite or back to the car. I haven’t ever fully loaded the panniers before, after all.

However, my worries were unfounded, because the bike performed great, even with road-oriented touring tires. I did have to push the bike once when I got off my line while going up a steep hill and lost forward momentum, but other than that, it was 30 minutes of non-stop fun, and so much easier than lugging a heavy backpack on my back.

Now that I know how my gear fits on the bike and how the bike performs, it opens up new possibilities for longer trips on the bicycle. Time to check the map!

Some of the new items of gear this trip are:

  • REI Quarter Dome SL1 Tent – Perfect size for me (I’m 5′ 6″). I can keep a good amount of gear inside the tent with me. At about 2.5 lbs including poles, stakes, and footprint, it’s half the weight of my 2-person Marmot Catalyst tent.
  • Soto Amicus Stove and Cookset – Boils water fast and it’s very compact. Even has a built-in igniter! The Soto pot and cup have a good width to match the flame size of the stove.
  • Aegismax Down Sleeping Bag – The temperature dropped to the low 50s (F), which I would say is the lower limit of this sleeping bag. Very small and light, so it would be great for warmer evenings.
  • REI Flexlite Air Camp Chair – At one pound, this is a really easy “luxury” item to bring along. After a long hike, a chair is so much better than sitting on the ground or a log.

All-in-all, everything worked out nicely, and I had a great time solo camping. It was a relaxing getaway, completely unplugged (no cell signal). Highly recommended!

Here are a few more photos from my solo camp excursion, including some from the hiking trail, an armadillo that I came across, and a few from the Bird Blind on the other side of the park. Enjoy!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/7.1, 1/400 sec, ISO200
 “Wolf Mountain Trail” Johnson City, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/7.1, 1/60 sec, ISO800
 “Armadillo” Johnson City, 2020

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hiking Inks Lake State Park, Texas

, , , , Slice of Life, Traveling1 Comment on Hiking Inks Lake State Park, Texas
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/7.1, 1/80 sec, ISO200
 “Trail Signs” Burnet, 2020

こんばんは。How’s it going?

This morning I did a bit of hiking at Inks Lake State Park, which is about an hour away from our house. There’s a nice group of trails that meander around the hills just south of the lake, and also several primitive campsites that I wanted to check out. I also wanted to try my hand at making a hiking video using my Fujifilm X100T and tripod. I think it turned out pretty good for a first attempt! Please check it out:

On a side note, I noticed that there was a nice representation of Subarus at the trail-head. In fact, the only other car when I arrived was this brand-new Forester. And when I left, a much older Forester was parked next to me. It’s fun to be part of the Subaru family!

Photo info: motorola moto g(6), 3.95mm, f/1.8, 1/470 sec, ISO100
 “Subarus” Burnet, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/13, 1/170 sec, ISO200
 “Subarus” Burnet, 2020

I hope you had a great day!

またね～

South Rim Views and Hiker Hunger

, , , , , Slice of Life, Traveling1 Comment on South Rim Views and Hiker Hunger
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/2, 1/1000 sec, ISO200
 “Sunrise” Big Bend National Park, 2020

This morning we woke up at 6:45 to catch the sunrise. It was cold and breezy at the North Rim so I prepared myself by basically putting on all of my clothes, including the rain jacket and pants which acted as wind protection. I certainly wasn’t going to win any fashion awards but I kept warm!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/2, 1/1000 sec, ISO200
 “Glowing Clouds” Big Bend National Park, 2020

After the photo session, we returned to camp for hot coffee before packing away the tents and hitting the trail. Our planned route took us to the South Rim where we were treated to more amazing vistas. I particularly enjoyed using my binoculars to view the trail down below in the distant desert. I’m pretty sure that our old campground from our previous trip to Big Bend was visible, but I couldn’t quite figure out where it was. However, Santa Elena Canyon was clearly visible in the distance. The canyon walls looked incredibly tall!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/680 sec, ISO200
 “Looking South” Big Bend National Park, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/8, 1/420 sec, ISO200
 “Santa Elena Canyon” Big Bend National Park, 2020

Another awesome sight we witnessed was a Peregrine Falcon high above, just riding the wind. It was almost stationary, like a kite on a string, and I was wishing I had a super-telephoto lens… but I had to settle with a photo from my X100T.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/8, 1/850 sec, ISO200
 “Peregrine Falcon” Big Bend National Park, 2020

The rest of the hike was mostly downhill so we made good time cruising on the trail past Laguna Meadows and back to the parking lot. It was an awesome finish to an epic hike!

After a short rest, we visited the store at Chisos Basin and then Panther Junction for some merch, then headed out of the park to find dinner in Fort Stockton.

We decided in Pepito’s Café which serves Mexican food as well as burgers. It turns out we both thought the Pepito’s Burger sounded the best so we ordered one each. I’m not sure how it happened, but when they brought out the food, one of the burgers was a double! There must have been a whole pound of beef in the burger! It was amazing. When I held up the burger for a photo, the man at the next table applauded and said, “hiker hunger!” So true! But we had a long drive ahead of us so I ate half and packed the rest to go.

"Pepito's Double-Burger" Fort Stockton, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/13 sec, ISO3200
 “Pepito’s Double-Burger” Fort Stockton, 2020

The drive went smoothly and I arrived home at about 11 pm, unpacked a bit, washed some supplies, took a shower, and crashed hard. A nice end to an amazing weekend backpacking adventure in Big Bend National Park.

Here are a few more photos from the day:

"Hiker Hunger" Fort Stockton, 2020
Photo info: Apple iPhone XS, 6mm, f/2.4, 1/30 sec, ISO500
 “Hiker Hunger” Fort Stockton, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/150 sec, ISO200
 “Icy” Big Bend National Park, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/2, 1/500 sec, ISO200
 “Looking North” Big Bend National Park, 2020

Emory Peak, Boot Canyon, and Northeast Rim

, , , , , , Slice of Life, Traveling1 Comment on Emory Peak, Boot Canyon, and Northeast Rim
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/3.6, 1/850 sec, ISO200
 “Sunrise from TM1” Big Bend National Park, 2020

I woke up this morning to a lightening sky, grabbed my BRS-3000T stove, Stanley cooking pot, some water, and instant coffee and found a nice location to enjoy the sunrise. From the Toll Mountain campsite, you have a nice view east through Boot Canyon, and also to the north-west where you can see the Chisos Mountain Lodge down below, and the mountains in the distance. Toll Mountain (TM1) is really a great campsite!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/3.6, 1/10 sec, ISO400
 “Stanley Adventure Cookpot” Big Bend National Park, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/11, 1/100 sec, ISO400
 “Chisos Mountain Lodge” Big Bend National Park, 2020

After the sun warmed us up a bit, we packed up our campsite, then headed down to the Emory Peak trail-head. There are bear-boxes there so you can stow your gear before heading up the trail to the peak, which is a great thing because lugging a 40-pound pack up there would not be fun!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/8, 1/100 sec, ISO640
 “Emory Peak Awaits” Big Bend National Park, 2020

The hike up Emory Peak Trail was easy and fun since I just had a liter of water, some trail-mix, and my jacket in my lightweight Gonex backpack. I also had my camera and binoculars around my neck, as well as my trekking pole.

We had watched a few YouTube videos about the Emory Peak summit, and they all mentioned the last 25-feet of the trail is a scramble up to the summit. There is a left route and a right route, with the left being easier. However, they don’t mention that they go to separate summits. The right side is the higher of the two, but you need to do a little scrambling up the rocks. Honestly, it was easier than I was expecting, and as long as you take it slow and keep three points of contact at all times, you’ll be fine.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/11, 1/100 sec, ISO640
 “Emory Peak Marker” Big Bend National Park, 2020

The view from the Emory Peak summit was literally awesome. The drop-off was intense and the view was amazing. It was so cool to be able to touch the geologist badge that is embedded in the rock up there — something that was on our bucket list! After spending about 15 minutes on the summit, enjoying some water and snacks, it was time to scramble down. If you can, try to remember the way up because it will help you choose the right way back down.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/11, 1/100 sec, ISO400
 “Distant Santa Elena Canyon” Big Bend National Park, 2020

The hike back to the trail-head was fast, with no water breaks needed. Ah, downhill hiking is great!

We retrieved our backpacks from the bear-boxes at the trail-head and then took Boot Canyon Trail towards Boot Spring. Again, the trail was mostly downhill and we enjoyed the views of the famous “boot” that gives the canyon its name and soon reached the spring without incident. Water was flowing from the pipe at Boot Spring, so we used our water filters to refill our water supply, then hit the trail again and made our way to our next campsite. By the way, the HydroBlu Versa Flow water filter is an awesome little device!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/11, 1/100 sec, ISO640
 “Boot at Boot Canyon” Big Bend National Park, 2020

From Boot Canyon Trail, we changed to East Rim Trail and slogged up until we reached our campsite, NE2/ER2. The site is nestled a short distance from the rim and has plenty of room for two tents, and possible three. Also, it’s sheltered a bit from the wind making it a great “base camp” for exploring the north rim.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO2000
 “ER2/NE2 Campsite” Big Bend National Park, 2020

We set up camp, then went farther up the trail to where it ends. Usually you can hike all the around to the south rim, but from February 1 – May 31, part of the trail is closed due to Peregrine Falcon nesting. However, there are some places along the north rim with some spectacular views. In fact, we decided to pack up our cooking sets and bring them to one of the north rim spots to eat dinner while enjoying the incredible vistas.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO1000
 “Closed Trail” Big Bend National Park, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO2000
 “Dinner Spot” Big Bend National Park, 2020

Not only could we see the north side of the park, but when we turned around, we could see the incredible sunset over the south rim. It was terrific!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/4, 1/25 sec, ISO6400
 “Sunset” Big Bend National Park, 2020

Tonight’s dinner from the rim was another Mountain House meal: Chicken Teriyaki with Rice and Vegetables. The hot food in the cold back-country was again satisfying, especially after a long hiking day. I’d say the Beef Stroganoff was a little more to my liking, but both are yummy. I capped off the evening with some whiskey and hot water (OMG so good!) before climbing into my tent and crashing.

Here are a few more photos from the day:

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO1000
 “Marmot Catalyst 2P” Big Bend National Park, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO2000
 “Woodpecker at Boot Spring” Big Bend National Park, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/11, 1/100 sec, ISO500
 “Boot Canyon” Big Bend National Park, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO640
 “North Rim Dinner View” Big Bend National Park, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/11, 1/100 sec, ISO2500
 “North Rim” Big Bend National Park, 2020
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/8, 1/50 sec, ISO200
 “Casa Grande from TM1” Big Bend National Park, 2020

Hiking Indiangrass Trail at Doeskin Ranch

, , , Slice of Life3 Comments on Hiking Indiangrass Trail at Doeskin Ranch
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/850 sec, ISO200
 “Indiangrass Trail” Marble Falls, 2020

Today I loaded up my backpack with 30 pounds (14 KG) of gear and went for another hike at Doeskin Ranch. This time, I added the one section of trail that I missed last time: Indiangrass Trail.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec, ISO200
 “Cairn” Marble Falls, 2020

The 1.5-mile trail splits off from the Shinoak section and heads down into a nice little valley and even through a little forest tunnel. It was really cool! In fact, I’d say that Indiangrass trail is my favorite section of the Doeskin Ranch trails.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO200
 “Cactus” Marble Falls, 2020

I mentioned that I had a heavily-loaded pack, and that is I will be carrying this amount of weight on our Big Bend trip. The only things I didn’t put in the pack were my external battery and cables, and extra underwear/socks/base layers.

When I first got on the trail, my hip started hurting a bit and I was thinking that maybe I should turn around and not stress it. After all, I did run 4 miles the day before. But I continued on a bit, and adjusted my shoulder straps to take more of the weight off of my hips. This was the trick, and my hip pain went away and I would go on to complete the hike without any discomfort. I felt great!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec, ISO250
 “Trail Light” Marble Falls, 2020

So now I know that 30+ pounds of gear on my back is do-able, and so my confidence is high. Knowing that we won’t be rushed during our Big Bend hike is good too – we can take plenty of rest breaks. As long as the weather is nice, we should have an excellent trip!