Another Round of TGO Training

Trying to get in as many miles that work and family will allow before leaving for Scotland.  A few more miles today around Indian Camp Creek, which is just down the road from us. 

It was a great day, including a nice cool breeze. I can do this trail in my sleep, but I tried to loop around to wring as many miles out of this loop as I can.

This was 7.8 miles in about 2 hours and 44 minutes with a full pack minus what will be about 3 days of food, so not bad, just need to find time to go further.  

This field will be filled with Spring flowers soon

Indian Camp Creek 

It has rained the past couple of nights, so I wanted to get out when the trail was less than ideal. Parts of the trail today where just like a river and lots of mud.

More of Indian Camp Creek 

Spring daffodils coming up 

I scared four really large white tailed deer, this little guy was the only one that didn't bolt away and since he was curious, I took his picture. 

more very little spring flowers trying to come up

Trying to add some miles, I detoured by the old homestead exhibit

Dutchman's Breeches 

Daisies? 

Jack in the Pulpit sprouting ? 

On the western most section of trail, the recent wind had knocked a couple of trees down across the trail. The horses and bikes will find this obstacle tough until removed. 

This section also has some great pine groves to walk through

The large lake with the children's playsets 

The beavers have been hard at work 

Only a small bag of trash today, a good sign, but the big crowds will arrive with the warmer weather! 

Today's walk 

More Early Season RV'ing- Echo Bluff April 1-3 2022

We think of late March early April as early for RV trips as the weather can and often is below freezing. We like early season camping in the RV for the lack of crowds in the parks. This year both were wrong! We spent our first official RV weekend at Echo Bluff State Park. We were here last year a week or so earlier and it was colder but also practically vacant. This year the temperature was in the 60's all weekend the park was full! 

The state parks, especially the RV campsites are going through and explosion now. Missouri has opened reservations up 12 months in advance and according to the campground hosts at Echo Bluff the park is full to capacity every weekend for the remainder of the season. This is also true if you look at making a reservation at any of the larger more popular parks (they are all popular!) 

The people you meet at RV parks have always been great and friendly and this weekend was no exception, both are neighbors and everyone we met while walking around, were all friendly and ready with a few minutes to chat. Like us they were all ready to get out again and camp (glamp) 

All set up on Friday afternoon and relaxing 

Friday night, perfectly clear and beautiful sky. You can see the park filling up even on a Friday

Walking the trails around Echo Bluff on Saturday

Lovely view of the main lodge and the "condos" on the hill. 

Everything is starting to green up! 

Early season Periwinkle 

This trail has some nice mountain bike ramps, boardwalks, and obstacles to make it more exciting for the bikers. 

Sinking Creek runs through the park on the way to the Current River 

Lots of springs flowing early in the season along the trails 

Coming back from the trail and seeing the RV from the trailhead 

Saturday and the park is FULL ! Another beautiful day

We had a fantastic fire Saturday night, watched the sun set and the stars come out. 

TGO practice hike Cuivre River State Park 3.20.22

 A little longer walk today. I was back at Cuivre River State Park, where the trails were closed last week due to a prescribed burn, which didn't happen anywhere near this part of the park, but I guess they shut down the whole park just to be safe. Time to start paying attention to pack fit, weight, shoes, clothes and log some miles with an almost full pack. It was a fantastice weekend, weather wise in town, and I wanted to get out yesterday, but the day dawned rainy and blustery in the early morning and then changed to blue skies and sunshine. I was not feeling great, so I stayed inside and rested, but today I had to get out! 

I was at the trail head around 9:30 and was the only car, it was about 35F and sunny. It warmed up quick to end my hike around 65F. It is hard to predict what to wear in Scotland under Missouri conditions but it can be all four seasons in one day and has on previous trips. 

I put together some familiar loops with some connector trails that I have not used much to make a bigger loop. It could go bigger if I want to about 20 miles total and I will get up to that before May. 

Trail head empty but open. Kudos to the park for placing porta potties at some of the TH!

This is the Cuivre River North Trail (Red) along Lincoln Hills Rd. 

Most of Missouri woods look the same in the spring before the leaves return, but it really was a great morning to walk.

Most of the trails on this side of the Park are used extensively by horses riders and it shows in spots that can get really torn up if they use the trail just after a good rain. 

I took connector #5 and had my first crossing of Big Sugar Creek, but just a few steps up stream and I could cross without getting my feet wet. 

The connector was step leaving the creek, but really nice trail up to a ridge and then along the most north western part of the park 

Just as you are finished with connector #5, as it meets Cuivre River South Loop, you pass a private farm bordering the Park. What a fantastic location. I would love to have just a few acres like this bordering the park. In fact right in front of this tree would be fine! 

More views through the barren trees of the ridges around the park 

Just as I got to the very best spot on the cliff that runs down the western part of the park and I was going to sit for a bit and have a rest and a bar, two horse riders came at the same time and said they were stopping here as well.... guess I will move on a bit. 

I did find a nice shady spot just down the ridge to sit for a bit. Good drop off here.

The ubiquitous view out to the West. It is a fantastic view but spoiled a bit by hearing the highway near by.

The trail down the cliff edge 

My little spot 

I then veered off on Connector #3 and found a lovely pond tucked back in the trees just off the trail.

Historical Trash "can"

Lovely sunshine and more woods 

Connector #3 T's back into the South Loop and I then headed north on the South Loop to Connector #4

Before you climb back up to the ridge and connector #4 crosses the Big Sugar Creek again. 

Only one shoe got wet  

Connector #4 eventually T's back into the North Loop, 

I followed the South Loop till trail connector #4 and took it around to meet the North Loop again.

I also ran into the couple riding their horses again along this ridge when I reached the North Loop.

Looking North East along the North Loop and Connector #4

Where the North Loop and connector #4 meet there are two springs. The first below looks like it will last all year, 

This smaller spring might dry up in the heat of summer.

Back to the parking lot and a lot more cars and people, but I didn't see them.

Time and pace 

Why The Tent

 Some musings on the tent....

WARNING, could trigger ground dwellers. 😏

It is a mystery to me how the tent become the default method of sleeping outside while camping.

First off, you have to sleep on the ground. The ground! You come and go from it on your hands and knees like an animal from it's den. You can't stand up, you can't use it as a chair to sit. 

yes, that is a perfect pitch

The ground is cold, hard and uneven. Finding a location to erect your tent is always difficult. You have to inspect the ground and always remove any sharp objects, digging or moving rocks and roots. Not exactly "leave no trace." You get dirty just prepping the area! 

The ground is often uneven and always in the opposite direction you would want it to be.  Sometimes your head is up, sometimes down.

Cooking from it is dangerous. You have to crawl out to pee. 

No two nights in a tent are ever the same. How uncivilized.