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Spur of the moment Big Bend trip for the long weekend has me pumped. I've been wanting to go hiking and camping with the girlfriend for a while now and it's going to be absolutely beautiful (high of 73) in west Texas before it gets miserably hot.
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Apr 2, 2015 04:21
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Hungryjack posted:Nice! Do you know where you'll be hiking? I think we are going to try some of the quicker Chisos Mountain day hikes and the Santa Elena Canyon trail. There's a couple of mountain bike trails I want to hit so it definitely is a lot of running around.
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Apr 2, 2015 17:35
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Big Bend was fun.     The weather was absolutely perfect for hiking with a high of low 70s and overcast. Sadly the clouds didn't clear up enough at night and a full moon kept us from some truly spectacular stargazing. 3 days is perfect if you want to day hike all the main attractions. (Santa Elena Canyon, Chisos Mountain Basin, and some of the other smallerish trails) Nothing felt better than taking a dip in the hot spring sunday morning after two days of not showering and being grimy. Go to Big Bend when it isn't miserably hot George H.W. Cunt fucked around with this message at 23:26 on Apr 6, 2015 |
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Apr 6, 2015 23:24
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The last picture is looking west towards the Chisos. We ended up doing backcountry camping and had to hike out to find a site in the dark so that was fun. Luckily we found a creek bed to walk along so we weren't trudging through the grass and cacti the entire time.
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Apr 7, 2015 00:32
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So the camping bug has definitely bitten the gf and I after going to Big Bend. First thing to upgrade is a sleeping bag that isnt as big or weigh as much as the regular pack I had. This is going to become an expensive hobby real quick isnt it
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Apr 7, 2015 20:42
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I'm in Houston as well. I'd like to hit up some of the state parks with some decent mountain bike trails near by and she wants to go to places with things to see. Probably check out Balcones, Big Thicket, and from a random clicked page on this thread it sounds like Ouachita National Forest is pretty baller and only 7 hours away.
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Apr 7, 2015 20:55
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Hungryjack posted:Yeah, Ouachita/Ozarks is a good option. Arkansas has some great state parks. I used to go there with my dad when I was a kid. A few thanksgivings ago, my wife and I drove up to Petit jean SP and camped in a cabin, but just the day hiking was great. Those are probably the closest legit (if small) mountains we have to Houston. My Big Bend group is probably going to road trip it up to somewhere in the Ozarks this winter. Since my wife works for Enterprise, we just rent a big 15-passenger fan and drive in shifts through the night so we don't lose a day to travel. This is great info thanks. I've only really just started riding the trails around Houston so I don't have much experience around. Same with camping. I look forward to really exploring the state in the next year.
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Apr 9, 2015 16:48
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Been needing a new sleeping bag for Texas camping. I see the Kelty Cosmic 41 on clearance at REI. Is that still the standard budget pick for a bag?
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Jan 15, 2016 18:27
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The SAS survival guide is pretty rad. It makes for a good bathroom reader
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Jan 19, 2016 05:53
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Houston REI doing a garage sale next weekend. I know there was a goon here that's been to them before. Whats generally the best time to show up for a decent spot?
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Mar 3, 2016 19:52
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I hiked up Yosemite when I was 4. Granted we had a short stop when I complained my heart hurt but whatever i was fine.
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Mar 17, 2016 17:26
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Yea up the falls. I really need to go again because I doubt 4 year old me really appreciated it enough
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Mar 17, 2016 18:06
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I've decided I want to do an Appalachian Trail thru hike next year because gently caress it why not? My 60 year old mom is totally on board and if I take her with me she will bankroll it. Well okay then... She use to be super outdoorsy when she was growing up and really wants to do this before she is too old and her knees give out. Really hope this goes through and I act as a good motivation for her to just do it. George H.W. Cunt fucked around with this message at 22:34 on Apr 20, 2016 |
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Apr 20, 2016 22:31
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I would say the best sunglasses lens I've seen are Bolle's. My buddy goes fishing regularly and swears by them. Absolutely crystal clear.
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May 8, 2016 17:40
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Picnic Princess posted:So apparently telling people I know about my crazy endeavours in the mountains is a mistake, because now a coworker of mine is convinced that he can climb a serious scramble overnight with zero experience just because I did. I've been arguing with him for days that he is not prepared for this because he hasn't even done a single summit during the daytime and the one he wants to do has major exposure, cliffbands, and downclimbs that most people need to be extremely careful of even during the day. I fear that he thinks it's easy because I'm a woman and since I did it twice, he can do it no problem. He said to me that getting lost was part of the adventure, and I told him the story of a guy who went missing on a hugely popular trail that I took part in searching for and he is still missing 5 years later, and that he needs to respect these mountains. I worry that this guy is going to ignore all my advice, mostly because he has two young kids and it's not unheard of of inexperienced people disappearing or dying here and if these kids end up fatherless because of my comments, I'd never be able to forgive myself. I told him that too. He keeps brushing off my concerns as emotional overreacting. I'm pretty sure this idiot is going to get killed because he thinks whatever I can do, he can do better. Pisses me off. I'm at a loss now. Hopefully he'll take my advice to start with an easy peak that has no chance of causing death with one misstep rather than what he thinks is going to be easy. Maybe if he tries that one, he'll get just far enough to realize "Hey, this is actually serious and I'm chickening out" and turn back without consequence. I look forward to the post death update
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May 12, 2016 12:48
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I have an Osprey day bag and a 3L bladder from Source's military line. Their wide, low profile bladders are great and fit perfectly http://sourcetacticalgear.com/10-tactical-hydration-systems Easy to fill since the entire top opens up too
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May 19, 2016 18:27
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Patrovsky posted:I have one of these that came with my Osprey pack, and I still haven't figured out how to actually get it open. I may need to go back to the store to actually check if it's just a manufacturing error because I can't figure out how the hell to get water into this bladder. It looks like the Source bladder I have and with that you just slide the top plastic piece off. It can be a little snug however
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May 21, 2016 15:57
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That Ken Burns National Parks documentary was pretty good and people have been poo poo to our parks since their very inception. Still glad we got 'em though even if they are getting crowded. Would have been dope to been around John Muir's time.
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May 28, 2016 05:22
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You one liter water carrier people. How much are you drinking in a day? Here in Texas during the summer it is suggested you carry 1 gallon of water per person per day but that seems like madness to hike with. I drink a ton of water so I could easily see myself going through 1L in a short amount of time.
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May 30, 2016 23:52
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marsisol posted:I'm going to be in Yosemite in early September (5-9) for 3 nights and 4 days. What are my odds of getting the Halfdome permit on Tuesday or Wednesday? If impossible, any recommendations for some other long, exposed hikes? About 1:1000 it looks like https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermitsapps.htm
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Jun 7, 2016 00:47
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Texas is oppressively hot in July, who knew? Still pretty though and luckily breezy. Couple of shots from Pedernales Falls and Enchanted Rock this weekend. Found the cave at Enchanted Rock but my headlamp was starting to die so I didn't get a chance to navigate through. Would have been fun though.    
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Jul 5, 2016 15:13
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quote:I knew How crowded was E-Rock? I love that place like crazy, but it's getting drat near impossible to find anything approaching solitude out there. Still, more people means more money for the park and they are trying very hard to find the balance between preservation and accessibility. Pedernales is pretty wonderful too. Nothing like a cool dip on a hot day. Have you been out to Colorado Bend state park? Miles and miles of trails, cave tours, a zipline, a cool river, a waterfall, and a cold spring. It's a great park for hot summer days. Yea there was a decent crowd but of course it was also the 4th so people were out. I think I had read that they'll close the park for a couple of hours once they hit capacity in order to keep the crowds down but it wasn't nearly at that point. Haven't been to Colorado Bend but after looking at it, it is definitely on the list. Cave tours sounds awesome.
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Jul 6, 2016 15:03
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Random fire question. Is there a good fire build for a bright, kinda inefficient fire you'd only use for light instead of heat and cooking? Pretty much that hanging around the campfire just to bullshit instead of warmth.
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Jul 17, 2016 03:26
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Good on ya for doing the hike even if you felt you weren't ready. Turns out you were and just needed to have the mental grit. Spectacular view as a reward
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Jul 19, 2016 02:55
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Mode 7 Samurai posted:I was talking with my mom over the weekend and she told me that her hairdresser is hiking the Appalachian Trail. I asked her how long the lady had been hiking, and welp apparently she has never hiked a day in her life. She saw that Reese Witherspoon movie and thought it would be a neat idea, so she has spent thousands of dollars gearing up and practiced by walking and getting up to 10 miles a day, but only in town and not even with a pack. She is also in her 60's. The trail is well marked and not overly technical. Numerous towns along the way and never more than a short hike from a water source. As long as they have food and a way to treat water the main thing stopping them from completing it will be mental or financial. Lol to walking to practice though thats like the lady who practiced Everest by doing the stair stepper
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Jul 26, 2016 03:08
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No hiking but did camp out on the beach and just happened to catch the meteor shower! Score! We then woke up early and watched some baby turtles claw their way to freedom. Nature is rad.   
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Jul 31, 2016 00:48
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Mode 7 Samurai posted:What's a good tent to take backpacking? I was looking at the REI Passage 2 which has plenty of interior space, but the bag itself seems kinda big. I like my Kelty Trailridge 2. If you have a partner you can split the load easy enough. It might be a wee bit too heavy for a single person though.
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Aug 20, 2016 20:22
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That looks fun as gently caress
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Aug 21, 2016 08:58
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I think I would get an Oru as I live in an apartment and drive a small 2 door coupe. It would be absolutely perfect for me. Hell I could drive up the Houston bayou, float down, and uber back to my car.
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Sep 27, 2016 22:09
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Maybe something with a toe guard to help against possible pedal strike? La Sportiva Raptor seemed like a solid trail runner with plenty of protection. A little narrow for my feet though
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Oct 10, 2016 23:13
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I'm not so sure on boots for mountain biking.
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Oct 11, 2016 18:38
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Is there a good guide on using trekking poles for the various situations you'd be in? I remember seeing some sort of cruise, brake, drive nonsense method a while ago
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Oct 18, 2016 03:41
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Yellowstone and Grand Tetons sounds like a fun time
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Nov 6, 2016 05:49
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The sawyer mini has a life of ~100,000 gallons. There's no need to replace it. Backflush every so often and you'll be fine. Also waddup AT thru hiker buddy. When you plan on heading out? My gf and I are NOBO early April
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Nov 15, 2016 18:05
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nvm misread
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Nov 23, 2016 21:06
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I feel like committing to hammocking a thru hike before trying it out regularly is a disaster in waiting. Are you sure it's right for you? I enjoy hammocking. I enjoy camping. I don't think I'd enjoy hammock camping.
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Dec 2, 2016 05:34
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Camping out for my first garage sale and I want to murder everyone around me. I was not built for this
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Dec 31, 2016 13:49
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Hurray my parents are going to be taking myself and my girlfriend on a short road trip from Texas and drop us off at the AT the first week of April. That makes life far easier and it'll be nice to have a send off. Seems crazy that after a year of saving that the start is only a short 6 weeks away.
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Feb 14, 2017 21:02
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Verman posted:My wife was at work nearby when they had the garage sale at the Seattle flagship store. She said the line wrapped around the block. I got my dividend the other day. I spent a fair amount this year gearing up for the AT but I guess since most of it was sale\clearance stuff I only ended up with $13. Balls.
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Mar 17, 2017 19:17
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| # ¿ Apr 26, 2024 10:42 |
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I vowed a complete disconnect of technology while on the AT. I wonder what I'll miss in the world. Only a week and a half left!
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Mar 23, 2017 03:23
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