HoWiEpAlOoZa X

[howiebilt]

The 10th Annual Howiepalooza will be held at Southern Missouri Off Road Ranch www.smorr.net on the last weekend of April 2009 .

I am inviting anyone and everyone to come join me in what I can only describe as the best kept secret in off roading . I have scouted the park and I can say that the facilities are perhaps the best I have encountered during my exploits in trail riding . I cannot say enough good things about the park and it's owners .

The event starts on Friday and the mandatory "Hog Roast/Bar-B-Que" will be on Saturday . I am told that the food will be prepared by a Bar-B-Que champion who doesn't cater but will do this event exclusively for us .

There are trails for anything from stock to wild and there are some trails that are still unconquered . Long hill climbs and boulder strewn valleys with waterfalls and excellent trails abound at this venue . There are 930 acres and several miles of trails .

I hope that you can make it to my tenth annual event and come celebrate my 50th birthday . I will have more information as the event gets closer and you can read some of the past history of Howiepalooza on my blog www.howiebilt.blogspot.com


Sincerely,

Merle "Howiebilt" Howard

 

[howiebilt]

I have updated my blog and made some changes . Check it out and let me know what you think . I hope we get abunch of toyotas this year .

Howiebilt



howiebilt

 

[bpassmore]

Howie, I dont know if you remember me, but I am bpassmore at classicbroncos.com too.

Good to see you posting here. (But no cruiser.. )

This isnt too far from me. I might try to come up. btw, your ride looks much different than it did 3 years ago...... take care!

 

[woody]

I hope to make it down Merle....er, Howie!

Cruise Moab is the week after, maybe Missouri will have to be on the way

 

[howiebilt]

Howie, I dont know if you remember me, but I am bpassmore at classicbroncos.com too.

Good to see you posting here. (But no cruiser.. )

This isnt too far from me. I might try to come up. btw, your ride looks much different than it did 3 years ago...... take care!

I have to say that I am terrible with names ... but I never forget a vehicle or a face If I have met you before , I'll recognize you again I just won't be able to call you by name .

I hope you can make it up for the event , you won't be dissapointed . It really is a great park

Was my rig painted and blinged out when you saw it last ? 3 years ago was a long time but I think it was primered and sporting some 35's .


howiebilt

 

[howiebilt]

I hope to make it down Merle....er, Howie!

Cruise Moab is the week after, maybe Missouri will have to be on the way

Hey Brian ,

I wondered if you would get a chance to post up on this one . I hope you can make it to the event , haven't seen you for a long time (dropped of some springs for Rob) .

Going through Missouri on your way to Utah is a little bit off the normal route but straying off of the beaten path is not unusual for you .

we'll talk before then , I'm sure


howiebilt

 

[SAS]

Was my rig painted and blinged out when you saw it last ? 3 years ago was a long time but I think it was primered and sporting some 35's .

howiebilt

(April 2006 at Rockport, IL) I think it got a custom pink paint job one night.

 

[Niner]

There will be discussion this weekend about the same group that came down in 2K7. attending again this year.

 

[howiebilt]

The "Infamous" Pink Paint Job ...
I remember that one . I was out on one of those FJ Cruiser Test Flights and came back to find my ride was missing . I looked and asked all over the place and nobody seemed to know anything about it until I spotted something all by itself , parked clear over at the other end of the property with a brand new rattle can pink paint job . It said PINK BANDIT on the hood and a whole bunch of signatures from a lot of friends . We had some good laughs about it at the time but that paint was very hard to get off


niner - I hope you folks can make it . They just put in 40+ electric hookups and they have a water and dump station for those who need it . Pre-registration will be up soon and will ensure a spot and t-shirts for those who want them .

I will add it to my blog when it is ready


howiebilt

 

[howiebilt]

Pre-registration is ready

Please go to my blog www.howiebilt.blogspot.com and click on the link in the last entry ( bottom of the page) . When you get to the link , there will be a Howiepalooza registration box to click on and everything is right there .

If there are any problems finding the box , it might be because you need to register on the site . If there are any problems , please let me know .


howiebilt

 

[howiebilt]

It won't be long now and everyone is doing some final wrenching and minor modifications . I am getting pretty anxious and wondering how many Toyotas will be invading SMORR for howiepalooza

I'll be leaving on thursday morning but I know that some folks will already be there when I arrive so travel safe everybody and I'll see you there



howiebilt

 

[woody]

on the road Thurs morning as well....cya there!

 

[woody]

good couple days of wheelin....Niner had his FJC down here, so he and I ran a variety of trails both days (and thanks to RECKUT for some morning guide work on Friday!)

Covered a lot of ground on Friday....we both did Yellow Jacked and Guard Rail to start, and I took a spin thru Cheese Grater....we then ran thru Snow Trail, Disturbed, Cold Mountain, and Cougar Crossing...I then dropped down Pucker Up and returned up Adventure Hill...at that point, RECKUT needed to return home, so back to camp for lunch.

Fri aft we started out on Bronco Buster and I took a run up and down V Notch...we then continued across all of Black Mamba, up Rocky Road, and returned down Log Jam. One final run up Rocker Knocker (and I took a spin up the waterfall entrance to Rattler). At this point, we were thirsty, so back to camp

Sat morning, planning a little easy stuff....Heather drove my FJ40 thru Peewee Crossing, Stocker Stopper, and Bull Run...we then spun down to High Mountain road and I had plans to run Cheap Trick but junked a rear drivers side axle shaft, so back to camp for repairs...by the time we were done, we were also 3 in, so no more driving

Good time, thanks to Howie for coordinating these every year, and thanks to Brandon and the rest of the park staff for a great venue and GREAT camping accommodations!

Pic 1 is the entrance to Rattler...no, Heather didn't run after this

Pic 2, Heather behind the wheel...she's a bit petrified, since this was her FIRST ever event with the Raisin

Pic 3, quality carnage...fortunate, I have two spares

Thanks to Niner for takin the photos!

 

[Clutchee]

Great pics.....

See ya tomorrow!!

 

[howiebilt]

Thanks for coming Heather , Woody and Chris !!!

It was great to see you and I hope you enjoyed everything

Safe journey to everyone


howiebilt

 

[Niner]

Great time Howie! awesome park! (Too bad all the great ones are so far from Wisconsin) Excellent Food. Amazing Accomodations.

It still amazes me the number of people that say "you ain't gonna take that down there are ya?"

BTW Someone owes me a

 

[REKCUT]

I new you could make it Chris. Hope you make it back in September to wheel some more. I'll have my truck out there then