Ozark Escape - 2020

[wngrog]

LarryB has been on my ass for a month or 10 to get off my ass and head to the mountains.

Red let me know that my presence and Will’s were not required the last weekend of September since she had friends coming through from Texas to hang out.

I told Will to invite a buddy and get off school and work on Friday.

I made it within 50 Miles of gravel before Ole Blue took a dump on me. Trying not to kill the buzz of the trip I quickly called it on trying to fix it and piled in with LarryB

We got sidetracked a second time when a coolant hose that’s unseen from anywhere let go on Welton’s 600,000 mile 1 owner FZJ80.

Welton would not quit and we finally got him repaired and back on the trail with his son Lance driving

The main camp I had in mind was full so we pressed on down Illinois Bayou.

There was just enough water on the crossings to get everyone fired up.

 

[wngrog]

The next two camps also had campers and I started to get a bit nervous. Finally we landed at one of the crossings and with the low water we had a great campsite along the bayou

Skottles came out and everyone cooked their own steaks as the moon broke out

 

[wngrog]

I had packed a spare eno so I ended up with Will in the trees. It’s been too long since I slept in one. Great night sleeping.

 

[wngrog]

The next morning was to play around in the area and meet Lou around noon then work our way west toward the Oark area.

Andy and Wes loaded us up with breakfast and we rolled out

Will’s truck is so low it hit rocks all the way across the last Illinois Bayou crossing

Jerry gave me a ride

 

[wngrog]

I wanted to go check out Long Pool Recreation Area for a possible Pig Party night so I found a good road off the main to get us there

 

[wngrog]

As we were pulling into the meet spot with Lou Andy started smelling coolant on his 200

Turns out his radiator had a crack and he had to bail to get it fixed.

When the meet time with Lou came and went Laird and I ran to get service and try to find Lou.

We found him soon enough and met up with him at Haw Creek Falls

I jumped in the Raptor with Lou and we headed up and around Car Wash Falls and over to the west. This area has a lot more traffic but we are good.

 

[wngrog]

It’s about 3 pm at this point and I was hoping we could sneak into a great spot over south of Ozone.

We had a nice photo op splash across the river

 

[wngrog]

This road kept getting smaller and muddier in the big ole Raptor.

Will was pretty stoked to smash through all this mud

 

[wngrog]

When we got to the camp it was empty save one RZR that was just passing through.

There are two ways out of the spot .... really 3 if you include backtracking

The locals said crossing the creek and going out was the best. I had been on both and I thought it was the opposite but they we here and would deal with that in the am.

Photo dump

 

[wngrog]

This site

Lou does not sit down often unless he’s driving

 

[Godwin]

SSS pre-run?

 

[wngrog]

SSS pre-run?

Pretty much.

Mo pics

Boys swam. Men lounged and cooked.

LarryB with his famous pork chops and his bum cook assistant

I made the dessert

 

[wngrog]

The next morning Gonzalez took off solo. I’m pretty sure he was regretting that quick. This trail was a hot mess at best. So far Will had not put his truck in 4Low and when he got to the first bad spot he just hammered up it in High with no traction control. That’s pretty much where the new slee sliders paid for themselves.

 

[wngrog]

 

[wngrog]

Mo

 

[fountainhead]

That creek campsite looks eerily familiar...is there an old church/schoolhouse not far from there?

@Bomar and @ntsaint...was this the extraction point one fateful Friday night?

 

[wngrog]

That creek campsite looks eerily familiar...is there an old church/schoolhouse not far from there?

@Bomar and @ntsaint...was this the extraction point one fateful Friday night?

One and the same. Welton was wearing Crocks. I was scared the whole time

 

[fountainhead]

One and the same. Welton was wearing Crocks. I was scared the whole time

Not smart...

 

[wngrog]

We made it out and took all the stuff Lou had in his garage to sniper up his 60 and started tossing it at my truck.

Too much to type here but it’s all typed up in my Ole Blue 60 build thread. Bottom like nothing electronic failed. The one year old OEM fuel pump did.

Home again.

LarryB got tagged with the Overland Badge. This is for outstanding service as a gopher and cook. He will have to sneak it back into someone else’s ride for the next trip

 

[ntsaint]

That creek campsite looks eerily familiar...is there an old church/schoolhouse not far from there?

@Bomar and @ntsaint...was this the extraction point one fateful Friday night?

Yup, that's where the slip n slide happened.