Paul "BigTex" Bunker

I am a late starter to long-distance hiking (50 years old) and my first introduction was a 5 1/2 month hike of the AT, with my son! Talk about hitting it hard. Trail folks call me "BigTex" which as I am neither big nor Texan confuses me, but I guess they just smoke too much green stuff. I miss the trail, I miss my trail family and I hope to be a part of your hiking success!

Posts

Springer – Neel Gap Revisited

Springer – Neel Gap Revisited

On 28 February 2014 my son and I were stood on Springer Mountain ready to start our Appalachian Trail thru-hike. On 4 August 2014 we summited

Apr 2, 2017 : Paul "BigTex" Bunker
A Message to Those Who Walk in the Woods

A Message to Those Who Walk in the Woods

After hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2014 I started to collect old AT guide books and maps. No reason, they were cheap and easily available. It

Aug 28, 2016 : Paul "BigTex" Bunker
Gear Review: Icebreaker MerinoLOFT Helix Zip

Gear Review: Icebreaker MerinoLOFT Helix Zip

Unfortunately, to me anyway, this winter has been especially mild. I like snow hiking more than any other form but the lack of snow days and

Apr 17, 2016 : Paul "BigTex" Bunker
Thru-Hiking With Your Dog: 3 Important Considerations

Thru-Hiking With Your Dog: 3 Important Considerations

Having served 22 years in the British Army as a canine trainer/instructor, I gained a lot of experienced in deploying to a variety of environments

Dec 18, 2015 : Paul "BigTex" Bunker
Water on the Trail

Water on the Trail

When you take life to the raw basic essence of survival the priorities of your day change completely from those you experience in the “real” world.

Sep 20, 2015 : Paul "BigTex" Bunker
A Year of Reflection

A Year of Reflection

On the 4th August 2014 my son and I stood on the summit of Katahdin having set off from Georgia 5 ½ months before. Setting off on 28th February 2014

Aug 22, 2015 : Paul "BigTex" Bunker
A Review of the Ventra Gear Mainframe

A Review of the Ventra Gear Mainframe

Having started my hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2014 with 55lb of pack weight, I decided to reduce all I could and make my adventure so much more

Jul 25, 2015 : Paul "BigTex" Bunker
Gear Review: Timex Ironman One GPS+ Watch

Gear Review: Timex Ironman One GPS+ Watch

The Timex One GPS watch is the company's most advanced multi-function watch, with its color touchscreen it certainly provides a level of usability

Jul 17, 2015 : Paul "BigTex" Bunker
Hiking the Pennine Way – England

Hiking the Pennine Way – England

The Pennine Way is a 268 mile starting in the middle of England and heading north, along the Pennines, to just inside the Scottish border. On 17th

Jul 3, 2015 : Paul "BigTex" Bunker
Why Are People Scared of Hikers?

Why Are People Scared of Hikers?

As I stood in line at a store checkout in Lincoln, New Hampshire, I caught from the side of my eye a woman staring at me. I looked at her and she was

Jun 23, 2015 : Paul "BigTex" Bunker