WIRED - The Latest in Technology, Science, Culture and Business [Unofficial]The 37 Best Outdoor Deals From the REI 4th of July Sale
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/story/rei-4th-of-july-sale-2026/
El Perro NegroAlthough I've just got back from 3 weeks #hiking and #backpacking in the #Pyrenees I haven't had much chance to tell you about our trip. I was far too tired each night to put together coherent sentences ๐คฃ. This is the first of 3 blog posts and covers the 1st week of the trip (replicated on my GoToSocial site @richard )
https://elperronegro.com/2026/backpacking-pyrenees-june-2026/
Future writing will cover day hikes with our walking group and another about our stormy overnight adventure. Have a great weekend all!
Chris Istace@chris shared a news story on the great work Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery is doing and I then replied with a video of a cute juvenile I enjoyed coming across in the alpine. I figured I would share some more photos of the beautiful #karst terrain of Marble Meadows within #strathconaProvincialPark here on #Vancouverisland where that encounter was. The geological and biological diversity of nature found on the island is amazing. #getoutside #britishcolumbia #hiking #backpacking
George Steffanos๐งต1/6
June 26, 1983, 43 years ago today: By the time I finished nursing my shins down the long descent to Jennings Creek, Alan had been there for about an hour. The bank of Jennings Creek was a nice temporary haven from the rigors of late-June backpacking.
#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #virginia #mountains #nature #forest #AppalachianTrail
๐งต1/5
June 26, 1983, 43 years ago today: From Blackhorse Gap, where I first reached the crest of the Blue Ridge yesterday, the Appalachian Trail parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway and its extension, Skyline Drive, for the next 220 miles, all the way up to and through Shenandoah National Park.
#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #virginia #mountains #nature #forest
ElPerroNegro GoToSocialPyrenees Trekking - FINAL DAY: Descent & Return to Panticosa
As the first light filtered into the tent, I slipped outside. A few metres away lay a small lake. All was still; nearby mountains cast perfect reflections into the mirror-still water.
After coffee, we decided to make our way back down before the Saturday day-hikers started arriving at the refuge. It was a long trail downward, but compared to my uphill performance, Iโm still pretty nifty on the way down. After hardly meeting anyone over the previous three days, bumping into groups of hikers heading up for their own adventures was a bit of a sensory overload.
After the long descent, we arrived back at La Sarra. We enjoyed a cold beer at the adjoining refuge before heading back to Panticosa for the real rewards: hotel showers, clean sheets, and pizzas.
#Hiking #Backpacking #Walking #Mountains #Spain #Photography #Landscape #LandscapePhotography
As the first light filtered into the tent, I slipped outside. A few metres away lay a small lake. All was still; nearby mountains cast perfect reflections into the mirror-still water.
After coffee, we decided to make our way back down before the Saturday day-hikers started arriving at the refuge. It was a long trail downward, but compared to my uphill performance, Iโm still pretty nifty on the way down. After hardly meeting anyone over the previous three days, bumping into groups of hikers heading up for their own adventures was a bit of a sensory overload.
After the long descent, we arrived back at La Sarra. We enjoyed a cold beer at the adjoining refuge before heading back to Panticosa for the real rewards: hotel showers, clean sheets, and pizzas.
#Hiking #Backpacking #Walking #Mountains #Spain #Photography #Landscape #LandscapePhotography
Pyrenees Trekking Day 3: Refugio Respomuso & Lakeside Camp
We woke to a beautifully clear day. All the clouds had vanished. We sipped coffee and lingered until the morning sun had dried the tent, then set off. Both of us were feeling "leggy", that peculiar state of seemingly tired legs. Perhaps those first days' efforts had been too much, especially considering my age? Mentally, I still think I can do what I used to be able to do; the reality is perhaps somewhat different.
We decided to head for Refugio Respomuso and explore the country beyond. It was a glorious trail, traversing high above the river. And of course, because the refuges weren't officially open yet, there was nobody else around. Ahead rose the enticing peak of Garmo Negro and the Infiernos range; to the left stood Grand Fache, its pass forming the popular gateway into France.
We took plenty of breaks, mostly because @khusky would spot an orchid or an interesting flower to photograph, but also just to sit and quietly admire our surroundings. Many younger hikers, in their haste to achieve their performance statistics, bypass this very important part of a mountain day. I guess this is one of the benefits of becoming "older and wiser"?
We arrived at Refugio Respomuso and settled onto the grassy banks of the flowing river alongside the building. We watched two tired, elderly gentlemen make their way down the interminable rocky slopes of the mighty Balaitous peak (3144m). They must have started up in the early hours of the morning. I found myself wondering what stories they might have to tell of past adventures.
Moving on from the refuge, we headed into a peninsular area around the lake. Wow. This place was so beautiful we were instantly captivated. Small rocky hills interspersed with trees, dotted with grassy clearings overlooking the water. What a spot to set up camp! Even though it was only lunchtime, we knew we'd found our overnight location. Quiet, secluded, and even our bright pink tent could have some privacy here!
We thoroughly enjoyed exploring our little peninsula before settling on a small headland looking out onto the main expanse of the Embalse de Respomuso. We even had our own tiny stream nearby to refill our bottles. We whiled away the afternoon chatting, taking photos, drinking coffee, and soaking in the ambiance. All we needed was Enid Blyton, the Famous Five, and of course, lashings of ginger beer!
We ate our evening meals, watched the sun slowly dip below the mountain summits, and retired to the tent for a long night's rest.
#Hiking #Backpacking #Walking #Mountains #Spain #Photography #Landscape #LandscapePhotography
We woke to a beautifully clear day. All the clouds had vanished. We sipped coffee and lingered until the morning sun had dried the tent, then set off. Both of us were feeling "leggy", that peculiar state of seemingly tired legs. Perhaps those first days' efforts had been too much, especially considering my age? Mentally, I still think I can do what I used to be able to do; the reality is perhaps somewhat different.
We decided to head for Refugio Respomuso and explore the country beyond. It was a glorious trail, traversing high above the river. And of course, because the refuges weren't officially open yet, there was nobody else around. Ahead rose the enticing peak of Garmo Negro and the Infiernos range; to the left stood Grand Fache, its pass forming the popular gateway into France.
We took plenty of breaks, mostly because @khusky would spot an orchid or an interesting flower to photograph, but also just to sit and quietly admire our surroundings. Many younger hikers, in their haste to achieve their performance statistics, bypass this very important part of a mountain day. I guess this is one of the benefits of becoming "older and wiser"?
We arrived at Refugio Respomuso and settled onto the grassy banks of the flowing river alongside the building. We watched two tired, elderly gentlemen make their way down the interminable rocky slopes of the mighty Balaitous peak (3144m). They must have started up in the early hours of the morning. I found myself wondering what stories they might have to tell of past adventures.
Moving on from the refuge, we headed into a peninsular area around the lake. Wow. This place was so beautiful we were instantly captivated. Small rocky hills interspersed with trees, dotted with grassy clearings overlooking the water. What a spot to set up camp! Even though it was only lunchtime, we knew we'd found our overnight location. Quiet, secluded, and even our bright pink tent could have some privacy here!
We thoroughly enjoyed exploring our little peninsula before settling on a small headland looking out onto the main expanse of the Embalse de Respomuso. We even had our own tiny stream nearby to refill our bottles. We whiled away the afternoon chatting, taking photos, drinking coffee, and soaking in the ambiance. All we needed was Enid Blyton, the Famous Five, and of course, lashings of ginger beer!
We ate our evening meals, watched the sun slowly dip below the mountain summits, and retired to the tent for a long night's rest.
#Hiking #Backpacking #Walking #Mountains #Spain #Photography #Landscape #LandscapePhotography
๐งต1/3
June 25, 1983, 43 years ago today: Picking up the roadwalk under the I-81 overpass near the sprawling truck stops on US 220, I soon found myself drifting back into the #Virginia to which I had grown accustomed on this journey, following rural lanes past rolling pastures, barns, silos and a few small clusters of residences.
#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #virginia #mountains #nature #forest #AppalachianTrail
๐งต1/4
Pictured: northern Roanoke suburbs from Hay Rock.
June 25, 1983, 43 years ago today: First thing in the morning I was up and on my way to the Post Office. The walk was a fascinating journey through a microcosm of America in the late twentieth century. Cloverdale was a community in transition, slowly and awkwardly transforming from a rural backwater to a chunk of not-so-small-town suburbia.
#backpacking #hiking #outdoors #landscapephotography #virginia #mountains #nature #AppalachianTrail
Pyrenees Trekking Day 2 4/6/26: Ibon de Arriel Alto
We woke to cloudy, threatening skies, packed away our tent, and set off toward Ibon de Arriel Alto, just a little higher at 2250m. As the main lake at Ibon de Arriel Bajo came into view, it confirmed our suspicions: high-angled snow lined the banks.
This wasn't a problem in itself, we both had crampons and the experience needed to traverse such terrain safely. The real issue was the deteriorating weather. With those conditions and the incoming storm, we weren't going to get much further.
Our original plan had been to cross the border into France to the Lacs d'Arremoulit. But with the prevailing weather and snow conditions, that was no longer possible. There's an old saying I like to repeat often:
"There are old climbers and bold climbers, but no old, bold climbers."
It's very true. I didn't get where I am today by being brave or reckless... hahaha. We were more than happy to call it a day and retreat. As showers began arriving, we dropped back to our previous night's campsite.
Herein lies the problem with National Park rules. What do you do when you need afternoon shelter from a storm? I couldn't find any guidance. Do we play by the rules, or adopt what I call "stealth camping"? In my view, stealth camping means being out of sight, out of mind, and leaving no trace of your passage.
Now, stealth camping sounds simple in theory, but it's made rather difficult when you're carrying a bright pink tent! Yes, our Samaya 2 is pink. Green, brown, black, anything but pink, would have worked.
We spent an hour searching for a quiet, well-hidden spot to pitch before the predicted bad weather arrived in the afternoon. We eventually found ours on a flat area deep in the forest, far from the main trails.
To our credit, we didn't erect the tent until the main rains arrived. By that time we'd eaten and were ready for shelter. Temperatures dropped, and we spent a cold night huddled together, listening to steady rain dripping onto the fabric above us.
#Hiking #Backpacking #Walking #Mountains #Spain #Photography #Landscape #LandscapePhotography
We woke to cloudy, threatening skies, packed away our tent, and set off toward Ibon de Arriel Alto, just a little higher at 2250m. As the main lake at Ibon de Arriel Bajo came into view, it confirmed our suspicions: high-angled snow lined the banks.
This wasn't a problem in itself, we both had crampons and the experience needed to traverse such terrain safely. The real issue was the deteriorating weather. With those conditions and the incoming storm, we weren't going to get much further.
Our original plan had been to cross the border into France to the Lacs d'Arremoulit. But with the prevailing weather and snow conditions, that was no longer possible. There's an old saying I like to repeat often:
"There are old climbers and bold climbers, but no old, bold climbers."
It's very true. I didn't get where I am today by being brave or reckless... hahaha. We were more than happy to call it a day and retreat. As showers began arriving, we dropped back to our previous night's campsite.
Herein lies the problem with National Park rules. What do you do when you need afternoon shelter from a storm? I couldn't find any guidance. Do we play by the rules, or adopt what I call "stealth camping"? In my view, stealth camping means being out of sight, out of mind, and leaving no trace of your passage.
Now, stealth camping sounds simple in theory, but it's made rather difficult when you're carrying a bright pink tent! Yes, our Samaya 2 is pink. Green, brown, black, anything but pink, would have worked.
We spent an hour searching for a quiet, well-hidden spot to pitch before the predicted bad weather arrived in the afternoon. We eventually found ours on a flat area deep in the forest, far from the main trails.
To our credit, we didn't erect the tent until the main rains arrived. By that time we'd eaten and were ready for shelter. Temperatures dropped, and we spent a cold night huddled together, listening to steady rain dripping onto the fabric above us.
#Hiking #Backpacking #Walking #Mountains #Spain #Photography #Landscape #LandscapePhotography
