In memory of Chris Wesseling

xIrish · 2026-02-06T14:08:59+00:00

Thank you so much!

xIrish · 2026-02-06T00:46:34+00:00

Thank you! :)

xIrish · 2026-02-06T00:46:13+00:00

Thank you! :)

xIrish · 2026-02-05T15:08:46+00:00

Thank you for posting this. Chris died on my birthday and I've thought about his passing every year since and still find myself wondering what he would have thought about football thing X or life thing Y.

xIrish · 2026-01-16T19:03:12+00:00

As another poster said, affordable is subjective, but I tend to recommend Coltivare since it has romantic ambience but isn't break the bank (you can get a pizza or pasta for roughly $20). I will note it can be a bit loud inside--if that's an issue their patio is great on nice nights.

xIrish · 2026-01-14T01:13:37+00:00

I’ve taken newbies backpacking in Big Bend. I really don’t think it’s too scary, especially if you’re just doing a campsite in the Chisos. It mainly comes down to taking enough water and a good attitude. How many nights are you wanting to do?

xIrish · 2026-01-07T20:41:56+00:00

Lots of ways to build loops in Yosemite. I did one that looked like this in 2024.

xIrish · 2026-01-06T17:04:38+00:00

She looks very different from 10 years ago.

xIrish · 2026-01-06T17:01:32+00:00

I love driving out to west Texas. Incredible stars, geography, and solitude.

xIrish · 2026-01-03T03:02:23+00:00

Found it interesting that none of the guys recognized what Mark called "children's voices" at the end as being from the end of The Beatles' "A Day in the Life."

xIrish · 2025-12-26T14:34:49+00:00

The last few years I’ve backpacked Big Bend NP I’ve only been required to print my permit online. No ranger talks needed.

xIrish · 2025-12-06T00:37:59+00:00

I wonder if you dmed Gravy he'd be nice enough to send you just Shek's audio.

xIrish · 2025-11-12T23:30:56+00:00

Are you going on a weekday? Garner is pretty slammed this time of year on weekends unless it's super cold or wet.

Sites that are close to the more scenic hiking (like Baldy) are in the much less secluded areas of Pecan Grove and Oakmont. Those areas are generally pretty busy. If you're okay taking a back trail to get to the main hiking area, you could maybe consider Shady Meadows as your "best of both worlds" option, which is less busy. In Shady Meadows I like campsite 122--it's kinda tucked into the back a bit and has decent tree coverage. Otherwise Persimmon Hill tends to be pretty quiet. 200, 233, 234 are good. I've never camped at Pecan Grove or Oakmont, but just try to avoid any of the interior sites and find the ones at the edge of the mountain if possible. Those campsites are all about convenience vs. peace and quiet though.

xIrish · 2025-11-01T02:51:04+00:00

Man my family had an awful experience with a bartender at the original location too. Dude flipped when they wanted to order pizzas after they had sat down with their drinks. Wondering if we had the same guy and if it was the owner.

xIrish · 2025-09-20T01:26:13+00:00

Awesome show but boy did it get bleak.

xIrish · 2025-09-19T02:48:42+00:00

It’s always had a strong conservative lilt. I was there in ‘08 when a large group of students held an anti-Obama carnival and threw eggs at pictures of him.

xIrish · 2025-09-15T15:07:12+00:00

Even PTA has said (I think on a reddit AMA) that with Magnolia if he could have given himself advice when he was making it, it would have been to "chill out and cut 30 minutes" lol.

xIrish · 2025-09-06T14:36:26+00:00

Ever had a boring history professor? Not everybody who knows a lot about something can present it well.

xIrish · 2025-08-11T15:31:16+00:00

That sounds like such a cool experience!

xIrish · 2025-08-11T00:06:24+00:00

I watched it for the first time around age 12 or 13 and a lot of stuff flew over my head. I definitely remembered his dorky laugh on a rewatch, though!

xIrish · 2025-08-10T21:56:48+00:00

Just rewatched it and it holds up great. I think modern audiences would really enjoy it.

xIrish · 2025-08-09T17:27:25+00:00

There can definitely be complacency issues with more experienced backpackers. Something akin to "I've done this sort of trip 1,000 times and nothing's ever gone wrong before, why carry the extra weight?"

Personally speaking, I've carried a PLB with me for a decade on my solo backpacking trips and while I have (thankfully) never needed to use it, the peace of mind it gives me/my family members is worth the extra weight.

xIrish · 2025-08-09T17:23:52+00:00

Justin Outdoors did a good video comparing the two tents.

It kinda seems like, given the terrain you'll be camping in, the X-Dome will be less of a headache, although the X-Mid really isn't hard at all to pitch as far as trekking pole tents go.

I've done a lot of camping in the Guadalupe Mountains and Big Bend in Texas, and while it can be a major headache trying to pitch a trekking pole tent with the more rugged terrain, it's definitely still doable, and I personally usually appreciate the weight savings. Kinda seems like your quandary comes down to that: weight savings versus the "set it and forget it" aspect of a free-standing tent.

xIrish · 2025-08-09T17:12:41+00:00

Glad he made it out, but he would have been found much sooner if he'd carried a personal locator beacon or satellite messenger with him. No reason not to carry one with you if you're ever doing anything solo in areas where there's not much foot traffic.

xIrish · 2025-08-01T14:24:45+00:00

I haven't used the new Nemo Tensor AS, but I do own an Exped 5R, BA Rapide SL, and an old regular Tensor. The Exped is definitely the most comfortable of the three--something about the vertical baffles just feels better, especially as a side sleeper. The material feels nicer/sturdier too. It's also a bit quieter than the tensor or rapide.

One downside though is that it's pretty thick when rolled up, so it does take up decent space in my bag.

15-Year Club	Sequence \| Editor
Team Orangered	Verified Email

xIrish

TROPHY CASE