Ozarks ECT

“Is Steele Creek where everyone will be Friday nite? If so, then I won't have to take a full day off, I can leave a bit early and get there @ 7-8pm. I figure the drive time to be @ 5 hours, the party better still be going on cause I'm not gonna be able to just crawl into the tent and go to sleep, Khatru and I are gonna have to unwind from the drive.”

“It looks like everyone is going to start at Steel Creek Camp ground on the Buffalo River Trail. Sounds good, Jerbear and I will be there to see everyone Friday evening. Most likely, unless it is too late we will hike on up the trail and camp at the "Overlook" above the campground. (This is a strenuous 30-45 minute hike.) There isn't a camp site up there but places can be found to drop a few single person tents in the area. A great place to wake up in the morning!

Saturday's side trip to Hemmed In Hollow sounds like lots of fun for those who have never been there. I think you could see it and still hike to Kyles Landing in one day. If not you could camp out at Jim's Bluff Saturday night. There are so many options.....JGiles hiked this stretch a couple weeks ago in the rain so I'd use him for a up to the minute reference on the trails.

Saturday instead of visiting HIH, Jerbear and I are going to head out to Indian Creek (~2 miles from Slaty Place) . We will meet up with the rest of you Saturday night.

There is water within 1/4 mile of Slaty Place in small drainages this time of year which can be filtered. Depends on weather and we have had plenty of rain recently. I'd still carry in an extra liter "just in case".”

“Sounds good Mozark, I look forward to it. I'm gonna guess it might be cold. I was just out for an overnighter this past nye. 17 and warm inside the bag. had frost on the inside of the tent, forgot to leave an opening for moisture. something Im gonna have to figure out. I guess that the 7-8 arrival time should be ok...yes? I'd like to get away without using a vacation day.”

“Steel Creek Campground is easy to find. At the Ponca Buffalo River bridge take Hwy 74 East. Approx 2 miles from the BR bridge you will see a huge sign that says Steel Creek Campground. The camp ground is about a mile down 134 which is a gravel road. Follow the signs until you see the campground (turn left when you hit the valley if you turn right you will see the river landing and a bunch of horse camp sites).

Now all you have to do is find Ponca and the BR bridge over Hwy 74. See any Arkansas map.”

“Stikmon;

If you want to freeze your butt off join us these weekend on the Ozark Highlands trail. The weatherman promises to make it interesting. Maybe snow, ice or just miserable rain. GREAT WATERFALLS THOUGH!

email me at mconner@varco.com if you are interested and I'll send you details.

Moz”

“"Steel Creek campground is easy to find. ....Follow the signs til you see the campground." - or til you see the elk! I never saw people pile out of a car so fast to snap pics of the grazing elk!

Moz - I'll second that view from that bluff top as spectacular & I remember that climb in the 80* heat. Must be better in January!”

“Are you talking about the river overlook or the overlook where you can see the goat trail? The bluff overlook is better.”

“I can afford only so many weekends away from housely duties (is "housely" a word?). March Im gonna bug out to the LBL hike, so Feb I gotta stay home and do some home stuff, but I will get out for day hikes, or maybe I might just blow off house duties, Im not too terribly hard to talk out of work. but anyway, Will be at Steele Creek CG unless work prevents it, but screw work. I know where the CG is, I have maps of the park...”

“95% sure I will be down Thursday night, if not it will be Friday night. Is there anyone else planning on getting in on Thursday?”

“I will be on the OHT from Sunday to Thursday. I will be at Steele Creek on Thursday night.”

“Chilli Dog,
Would you like some company on the OHT? Jerbear will be here that week and might want to hike a bit with ya. I'll be working.

Moz”

“Moz,

Actually, our trip to the OHT is our semi-annual management retreat for my division. I will be with my boss and his boss (among others). Jerbear is more than welcome, but I have never hiked with these guys before and I am a little apprhensive about what to expect. My boss mentioned yesterday the he "might" need a new bag because his is a 35 deg bag. Hmmmm, this could be an interesting trip.”

“Mozarc,

Picked up your message off of the AL ECT thread. I will try to hook up with JerBear on Thursday and will look for you on Friday. Thanks.”

“WHATS THE long range forcast looking like, I'm too lazy to go to the weather cahnnel website.”

“ChilliDog it looks like a chance to earn points with the boss. Carry an extra blanket and a few hand warmers. He might need them! LOL

Let's coordinate the Thursday with Jerbear. Here's my email mconner@varco.com”

“Mozark, will do. We are hiking the Hurricane Creek Wildeness Area from south to north. Four days, five miles a day. (But hey, this is a management retreat and I am getting paid for it). Will be coming out a Big Piney Creek and shuttles have be arranged. I will send you an email.”

“Well, I ain't gonna make this one. I had to move my LBL trip to that weekend.
Yall have fun!”

“just wanted to get this one back up. it's only a couple weeks away.”

“After reading the posts regarding dogs on the trail, I would like to ask those going on this tripwhat their feelings are. I will be making my first trip with ya'll, I would love to bring my dog, but not at the risk of upsetting any of you. It is a breech of the rules of BNR NP also. I'll abide by any responses I get. Looking forward to a great trip and meeting some of you.”

“It's cool with me. We had a dog on our last trip up there. It didn't belong to any of us, but we had a dog.”

“I appreciate that JG. I will wait to make my final decision till I hear from others. Iwas just out that way this weekend. I went to Pea Ridge Military Park...cool place and I hiked in the Piney Creek Wilderness area...very nice, saw some bald eagles...blew me away”

“Dogs ok, stikmon are you on the email thread for this trip? e-mail me at tharrell@yahoo.com.

Where is Steve Hiker? This trip was his idea and he's MIA.

Chili36 and I was planning on group meal thing while we're at base camp looking like Thursday night dinner, Fri breakfast and dinner and Sat breakfast. Need to know what others think. Who's coming out to play, little over a week away and only a few has checked in.”

“no problem with me stikmon

stalker, just let me know what I need to contribute for the group meal(s), I leave Saturday for the OHT and will be at the base camp by mid afternoon Thursday.”

“Stikmon;

As long as your dawg sleeps in your tent and not mine! Bring em!

Good point Stalker, WHERE ARE YOU Steve Hiker? We need ya man!

I'm so tied up trying to get things together for the Linville Trip that I've been letting the Ozark trip simmer on the back burner. But, I am see planning on meeting you backpackers at Steel Creek.

Sound like you guys are going to feast Friday. Hmmm, maybe I should take a vacation day. Naw, I'll see you Friday night. Plus Chilli may put beans in his chilli.LOL”

“I will most likly be commin in with Moz!Lessen I meet you all at the TH? More to follow.”

“Don't know if I'll make it folks. Will fill you in as the time gets closer.”

“Where are all the chicks that signed up for this hike?”

“SteveHiker;

This was your trip man you can't drop out! You got to lead da troop!”

“BACPAC - Maybe you can come out and save the day! What do ya sa man. Being a Chick Magnet, you might be able to even pull in Texswoodswoman from WACO. LOL

Seriously, though why don't you come on out for a bit!”

“I'm still planning on it if the good weather holds.”

“Up to this moment, I have not been on any email for this trip, but I will do so now. thanks for the blessigns on Khatru. He is very excited and wants to go now...he went and got his bac pac and is in the process of backing it, he has a pet fish and he wants to bring it, but the bowl is too big. I told him no, he is so dissapointed, but he is still coming.”

“I emailed Steve HIker, but somehow didn't get on the email list. I have no trouble getting on email lists I don't want to be on?!?!

I decided to go on this trip, but later woke up in a cold sweat and realized it was just a bad dream. The thought of hiking with a bunch of strangers has no appeal.

I have a big weekend coming up so I haven't given this trip much consideration. I prefer floating the Buffalo to hiking it.

Stikmon has put everyone in a bad position by requesting they become accomplices to his K-9 crime or forcing someone to be the heavy. It appears that Stikmon has ignored my previous post and will bring his dog and fish on the trip. Be a good citizen and obey the law is my advice.

Is it mere coincidence or an omen that a good number of folks from the scout hike are not returning for a second helping?

Always the skeptic...

bp”

“Hey gang, I can't do all three hikes and one had to go, guess which one is was?

I have Linville (or the back-up plan) this weekend and then the Florida trip the end of the month.

Since I did the scouting trip in November, I am gonna have to pass.

Mo, I still want to do Lost Valley, Hidden Falls and the Crag. Now that I know how close you are, if we don't get there as a backup to Linville, we've got time!

Again, bacpac, you accuse other
TT-ers of not coming through, yet you backed out yourself.

Big talker you are behind your computer screen, dude! LOL

Tex”

“Stikmon,
Forget about the BIG DOG, or is he a chicken?, he only has a loud bark. That's it, bacpac the barking chicken. Bring your dog. If we were going to a heavy use area, during the busy season I would not bring along a dog and would discourage against doing so, rules are rules, but rules are to be bent sometimes. So don't listen to bacpac-the-barking-chicken, he chickened out on this trip and has no vote in the manner.”

“Mozark AR – YES
Jerbear OH - YES
Chili36 TN – YES
Stikmon – MO – YES
Stikmon’s Dog – YES
Stikmon’s Dog’s Fish - No
Stalker KS - YES
Trlhikr AR ?
Wjgiles AR ? (your going right?)
Bacpac AR Chicken
TXWoodswoman Out
Walkindude TN Out
Bpbaby KY Maybe
Steve Hiker LA Out (come on man)
Leatherneck MS ?
Grunt maybe"”

“I knew the dog was going to be a source of friction. You kids have fun.”

“Strangers, not many left on TT as far as I'm concerned.

I didn't see no stinking email list. Did I miss something?”

“Phil & Bonnie
TrlHiker & BetterHalf

are in if the weather is nice.

Moz”

“Keep me as a maybe..especially since I know bacpac won't be there..;-)

TexWW”

“I am a chicken. Txwoodswoman scares me.”

“bacpac,
Your letting me down, I expected much more from you, for the barking chicken comment.”

“Stalker, Being called a barking chicken is just a little odd, at least you didn't call me dickless.”

“This thread is a hoot! Should be an interesting trip.”

“I am not sure how the weather will hold up for next weekend, but the 5 day forecast looks good for this next week. Leaving Sunday for the OHT. Sure hope the forecast holds up.”

“I'm not out to piss anyone off on my first TT hike, if bringing my dog is gonna be a hassle to ANYONE, then i won't bring him. Its a simple matter to leave him home. bacpac, if you wanna come and won't cause of my dog, then the dog stays home, nuff said..balls in your court man. I'll just bring my teddy bear, if that's ok with you. The dog don;t bite, but I can't say the same for the bear...he's been known to grope people...men, women...it don;t matter to him...he's bi-polar bear...lol..hehehe”

“stikmon,

"... balls in your court man.", he has no balls. He's just being "bacpac", trying to jerk your chain. He had no intention on ever doing a group thing with us so don't worry about it.

You have to admit that it would be interesting to meet "The Legend Behind The Screen".”

“heads up on weather chili. SW Mo got couple inches snow last night, don't know about OHT but we are getting more now.”

“If no one has a problem, I would really like to bring him. I'll pay it by ear and let circumstances decide.”

“Bring your dog mon, it's no big deal.”

“Ok, no problem, Khatru is very excited, I told him that everyone wants to meet him, all except bacpac that is. He says that bacpac is probably a girl, but that he would still like to smell "her". I'm looking forward to getting out. Did you go this past weekend? Wish I had, but I'm still working on my project, its due tuesday, what a bugger. I am wondering when I became so "dedicated" and (I hate to say it, it hurts) "responsible" ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhgggggggggg...Im in pain...I sound like a grup. I'm gonna go and pout now, so excuse me for a bit.”