Texasgirl

I've been watching this thread for awhile. I'm glad to see there's more interest and I'd be interested in meeting up with folks to talk all about backpacks, the weight of ultralight tents, and the best base layer for cold hiking (geeky outdoor hiking stuff basically!).

joglekbsi

Funny you should mention that. Some of us got together earlier this week and discussed all kinds of things "backpacking related" over lunch at C&J's BBQ. Now that the weather has turned nice and the trails are all open again, it is time to throw on the packs and head out into the middle of nowhere (at least what little there is in this part of Texas). Just post a message here on the board if you are interested because the best place to talk backapcking is walking down the trail or sitting around camp.

Texasgirl

I was told there was a meeting just recently. Glad to see more folks interested. Yeah, I need to get in some time on the trail before a big winter time trip. Fitting it in with a busy running schedule and football is always the fun shell-game of where's the free hours. Probably not heading anywhere overnight until after mid-November. Maybe we'll catch ya down the trail.

greggammon

Three of us got together for lunch....if its more than two, that makes a group right? So looks like we have a group forming finally.

Couple of us are going up to Ouchita mountains in Eastern Oklahoma (about 5 hour trip) on Thursday November 20 through Sunday November 23. Anyone interested in joining, please contact me.

joglekbsi

Crap. If it was ANY other weekend but that one, I would love to go back and hit the OT again. The wife said to go anyway, but I fear the trap I would be walking into by missing her 40th on 11/21/08. Maybe we can do another "big" trip like that this coming Spring, after a few warm-up trips down the 4C and LSHT?

Good luck on the OT!!!

Jason

P.S. - I am out for a hike this weekend. Shane and Chad jumped at my offer (suprisingly) to do a kayak / backpaking trip this coming weekend, probably around Lake Somerville or down the Brazos River starting from "Lake Brazos." So that means I will be available for whenever the next trip happens starting Thanksgiving weekend and beyond...

Texasgirl

Well, well, well. I heard through the grapevine that a lunch meeting among the boys of this here pseudo hiking group occured a few weeks back to plan future hiking trips. Sounds a bit like a Boy's Hiking Club gearing up (pun intended). Hrmph! What's with no invitation to any of the girls who are perfectly capable of carrying their own weight, know how to handle the outdoors, and want to go hiking with fellow hikers. I declare, it's like a glass wall at the trail head (instead of a glass ceiling... get it?).

Seriously, post the next informal meeting here and maybe more folks can come chat about tents, cook stoves, and ounces saved by trimming extra strap fabric off a backpack, and regal each other with stories about hiking the elevation gains or animal encounters.

Just sign me, "Left out of the club"
TexasGirl
hahahahaha

Texasgirl

Hey Greg,
How was the Ouchita mountains trip? Good weather? Good vistas? Water sources? Trail markings? Since you've hiked the LST, how does Ouchita compare to the trails near Huntsville, Texas?

greggammon

Hi there!
I was very pleased with the OT trip. John and I had a great time. The section of trail we hiked had good water sources, was well marked (most of the time...even when it wasn't, it wasn't very difficult following the trail). Since most of the deciduous trees had lost their leaves, we had some great vista views along the trail. Reminded me of parts of the AT as far as the views go. I think the most elevation gain we had was around 1100 feet, which was relatively easy (don't get me wrong there tho...we did manage to break a sweat and get the blood pumping) with switchbacks on most of the climbs, but there was one good stretch of continuous uphill...my kind of hiking!

As for weather, in my humble opinion we had perfect weather...23 degrees the first night (nice and warm in the sleeping bag, but really wished I had brought those gloves to keep my hands from freezing to the tent poles when I had to de-pup that sucker!)...but had good sunshine the first full day out, nice for a lunch relax by a gurgling stream....was overcast the rest of the time, and temps not much above 40, but really very comfortable to hike in.

The OT has alot of different topology and parts of it reminded me of the LSHT, some of it the Bastrop State Park trails, some of it like the Somerville trailway (flat), and some like the Applachian trail in North Carolina. Of all the trails I have done, ranking flat trails like Somerville a 1-2 (out of 10), the Long Trail in Vermont as a 7-8, I'd give the OT about a 3-4...the AT section I did about a 5-6....but all in all, you can't beat getting to mountains in about a 6 hour drive from here. Im hoping to make this a regular trek, and perhaps even plan a thru hike of it sometime...that would be about a 2 week deal Im sure. Hopefully more people can come on the next trip(s).

I would recommend that trail to anyone wanting a bit of different hiking than we can get here in Central Texas. Happy Hiking!

greggammon

The few of us who evidently got together in secret (hahahaha) are advocating for a January hike on the LHST....probably mid-late January. I will be out of town through January 2, so we will plan a PUBLIC lunch meeting for anyone interested on going for a two-nighter on the LHST. I'll query the group for a good time and then post it here.

I would expect we will try to get on the trail no later than 4 pm on a Friday and hike a few miles (bring the headlamps!)...do 10 or more miles on Saturday, and finish up with a few miles on Sunday. Just depends on what the group as a whole wishes to do. So watch here for more information.

As an aside for anyone interested, I am planning to do a thru hike of the LHST (98 miles) the week of April 19-26 to celebrate a special occasion in my life that I will not admit to here (haha). Im going for a land speed record on this hike tho...15 plus miles per day to finish it in 7 days (or less). Going ultralight and making the miles. Anyone interested in a little torturous adventure, let me know!

Greg

joglekbsi

Count me in for the 98 miles and the preparation hikes as well. It is time to start the training.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Jason

Shannon

Sounds awesome! I hope you log the adventure and preparation.

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dubbleb

Greg, is this group open only to those around BCS? I live on the edge of Houston and may be interested in joining up with you guys (and gals - don't want to exclude anyone).

greggammon

Our "group"...which isn't even really a group yet, is open to anyone interested. As we get some group activities going, I'll get them posted here and hope we can get as many people as possible interested in hiking/backpacking around the area. -- Greg

joglekbsi

How about a lunch? I know we have some planning to do for some short-term bacpacking and the thru-hike in April.

Happy New Year!

Jason

Stephen

Hi all,

My name is Stephen, I am new to this board but not to hiking. I live in the Houston area but am interested in joining y'all when you head out. Please post details here or email me at

stephen.johns@sulzer.com

I have an 11 year old son too and he likes to backpack when other kids are involved, he does not do well on long trips when it is just he and I though (boredom). So I am also interested in finding other hikers with kids.

Hope to hear from you all soon.
Stephen