Cottonland Overland Opine Thread

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@pmccraney
A friend of mine's site for everything overland in GA. Some of the stuff I posted earlier overlaps what he has cartographed.
Georgia Overland - Georgia Overland
 
Godwin said:
Bankhead National Forest would be a better destination.
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I've spent a little time in the Bankhead NF and so here's a little background on it. It's the best chunk of forested land in NW AL and kinda unique that hemlock reaches it's southern range here. Forests look much like the southern Appalachians. Topographically it's not hilly but not quite mountainous. No really steep grades on the roads. Most of the roads are maintained dirt and gravel forest service roads. You could drive your grandma's Camry if you wanted, or yours if she wants to keep hers clean :lol:. Even you guys without a real Land Cruiser (100 and 200 series :lol::lol:) can negotiate the roads :steer:. There are a few old logging roads scattered about that would require 4WD and present the potential for some pin-striping but these tend to be tucked away and usually end in a dead end.

I'm only familiar with the Brushy Lake campground. It's not large, camping fee is $5, restroom, water, picnic table are available. It'll shut down in about a month but will still be open. All this means is that the FS locks the bathroom and turns off the water but the campground will remain available. There are other campgrounds in the forest but I have no experience with those. Since this is a national forest camping does not have to be confined to a FS campground.

Plenty of places for hiking. The Sipsey Wilderness is a popular destination. Trails run along Sipsey Fork and Brushy Creek, the two major streams in the forest. The geology is caprock of sandstone over limestone providing great conditions for the creation of small waterfalls.

Canoe floats can be done on both Sipsey Fork and Brushy Creek but only when water levels are up some. Both floats are ca. 10 miles total.

US Forest Service headquarters is in Double Springs, AL and that's the place to get a map. AL hwy 33 runs north from Double Springs to Moulton. Dropping off the plateau when nearing Moulton someone along the east side of the highway has an old FJ40.

An old cemetery tuck away in the forest.


_JCG2784C.webp
 
I wouldn't be able to make a weekend trip but I might be in the area that TH and FR. I'll try to toss out more suggestions of places and sites. I'll start with this one, an old jail in Houston which is a very small town within the proclamation boundary of the national forest.

DSCN5597A.webp
 
wngrog said:
Big Bend 2015 - See and Eat Mississippi

I'm ready to go back!

Andy
Grogan
Run PMc
Mardis

Who else???
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I have to be back for the 16th, but I might head over the Sunday or Monday before if anyone wants to go early. Thinking of New Mexico coming back through Big Bend. Work is typically nonexistent in Jan., so I've got time.
 
wngrog said:
Boo. Hiss.

@dnp can you do Nov 14 weekend in Alabama? I can leave Thursday from Tupelo.
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Sorry for the late reply. For some reason, since Woody changed over to the new software, it's hit or miss if the site notifies me of updates on the threads to which I'm subscribed.

Yes, Nov. 14th works for me. Leaves will likely already be changed and gone, but no big deal.

I've been working on route options, things available to see / do, suggestions on places to eat, etc. I hope to have some things to post / discuss shortly.

Lastly, Ron, good luck, my friend. I feel your "pain!" (assuming, of course, you're not meeting your goal.....if you are, I change my position and applaud you!)
 
Ron, 40th is the perfect excuse to do what you want... It's a "me" occasion, not a "we" occasion (assumes that you want to hang out with us, of course, which might be presumptuous).

Hell, I recycled my 40th like 3 different times (FJ60, fly fishing in Montana, etc..). It's the gift that keeps on giving.

Plus, I will be bringing my new "Skottle" that I ordered last night, so the food is going to be full-on Overlander certified:


Tembo Tusking Cooking Skottle

....oh, and we need you to take pictures, of course.
 
BMThiker said:
@pmccraney
A friend of mine's site for everything overland in GA. Some of the stuff I posted earlier overlaps what he has cartographed.
Georgia Overland - Georgia Overland
Click to expand...
Rick, what an AWESOME resource that is! Thanks very much! In fact, a lot of the traverse is in the area of where I envisioned going on our "overland" (with Highlands, NC being about as far north/east as I envisioned going)
 
Skottle explained:


Pizza (cam's blow torch technique would improve this cook):





Fish Tacos:






I'll let you know how it looks when it arrives. Of course, the guys from Mountain State probably get paid (or sponsored in kind) to tout it, but I thought it looked like a pretty simple way to get a large cooking surface (a breakfast scramble would be money in that thing).
 
dnp said:
Rick, what an AWESOME resource that is! Thanks very much! In fact, a lot of the traverse is in the area of where I envisioned going on our "overland" (with Highlands, NC being about as far north/east as I envisioned going)
Click to expand...
Planning PTO. When is the AL/GA trip?
 
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