BuffaloPalooza II

“Here are a couple more "teaser" shots from the Buffalo.



”

“I don't think I'll bring the ole campfire guitar....I wish I could figure out a way to stash it in a car at one of the campgorunds and then I'd at least have it for one night.
We will probably drive over early Fri/ morning and meet yens(yes I said yens, and no I don't say that too often)) at the Cafe.”

“When is leaf turn?”

“it'll be close, chinny. I can't ever remember exactly though...”

“Chin
This trip may be a little early for full color. It has been so wet here late summer/fall though, so all bets are off on timing. Should be a pretty fall in the Ozarks.”

“As cool as it has been in August in Missippi, one can never tell.”

“I'm headed to northern Manitoba next week and should hit peak up there...usu late Sept.

”

“NICE!”

“ditto”

“Well... I guess it woulda happened sooner or later......

So no guitars???? I gotta old crappy Takamine, er sumpin like that. I could bring it if Chin and Athena will truck it down and back fer me, just fer the Thrusday night thing..I ain'i gonna carry it!!
See ya later.
Randall”

“Let's see, if we shuttle a couple cars over to Kyles, you could have it there too.”

“That's the ticket Chili! Heck, we could leave some of our food there and shave a little pack weight too. Randall, I doubt we're gonna come Thur night. We only live 1.25 hours away so we'll prolly just drive over Fri mornin early. But yeah, I have an old beater I can bring, no need to bring your t!ttykaka....”

“Nursegoodbody will be meeting us at Kyles so we have to go back there anyway for her vehicle.

We could leave your vehicle there Strat and shuttle you up to Ponca.”

“Chili,
Your not gonna do all the driving ya did at the LBL are ya??? LOL
See ya later.
Randall”

“ok chili but there may be a new development. It's possible that my lovely bride, Buffalobabe may not to be able to get Friday off so we may have to just hook up with the group at Kyles as well. She won't know for sure untill it gets closer but she has some sort of big ....thaang going on at work and the deadline is that Friday. We'll see, we're definately in either way though.”

“I am ready for the BRT and ole friends. Yo bear!”

“Randall, I hope not.

Strat, it will be easy enough to meet us at Kyles.

jerbear, Yo Bear!”

“Nothing ta say??
LOL
See ya later.
Randall”

“I bet the Buffalo is running wild about right now. As much rain as they got over there, I would think there is no shortage of water.”

“Chili, I live a mile from the Upper White River and it was out of it's banks this morning.”

“We live just south of the Coldwater River, but they must have opened the gates at Arkabutla Lake wide open, because it is not causing a serious problem yet.”

“Yep, the mighty Buffalo got a rained on pretty hard last night. Gauge links below.

Ponca:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=07055660

Hwy 65 near St. Joe
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/uv/?site_no=07056000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060

I'm also a whitewater kayaker so I keep close tabs on river levels after it rains.”

“I was thinkin about getting out the wetsuit too Owl.”

“Man!!
I hope it dries up some for we get there!!
I'd hate ta fly all the way down and have ta hike in the freakin mud!!!
Done it before though.
See ya later.
Randall”

“The BRT runs mostly up high so it's pretty well drained. Given that and the soil/rock type, you won't have to worry too much about mud.”

“Better bring good tent stakes.

I bent a truck load in the Ozarks.”

“should I order wiggies? J/K LOL I wear my briefs!”

“I'm a tighty whity man...since I've entered my chunky stage I have to avoid chafing...

I just hope we're not in for a 3 day gulley washer...”

“Two weeks away!!
So what this stuff about stashing some food someplace?? Can we all do that?
See ya later.
Randall”

“Well Randall, we were kicking around the idea of someone leaving a vehicle at Kyles and then we could leave some stuff(pack weight), maybe even my guitar there and pick it up after the first day of hiking.
Well then my wife realized that she's got some hi-phaloot'n deadline thing at work and MAY have to work on that Fri, in which case we won't be able to join the fun untill Fri night. BUt either way I think it's a good idea. It would take some vehicle jostling but I think it's be worth the trouble...”

“What is the elevation gain and difficulty rating of this trail?

I need to get a map.”

“well, according to my calculations...the 1st day-Ponka to Kyles- has some moderate up-and-downing and the other 2 days seem to be reasonably flat. I only have the topo however and may stand corrected. Tim Earnst' book gives the exact numbers but my old boss stole mine so....I think chili has a copy and will certainly chime in when he gets a moment.”

“Below is another feature on the BRT and my Buffalo River Haiku.



Morning mist subsides
Clear water, blue skies prevail
A Great Heron flies”

“SAWEET!

man, it sure is nice and cool this morning. I think it's gonna be great hikin weather for this trip.”

“My current plans are to take half a day off on Friday, meet NGB in or near Memphis and stay till Monday.”

“Stratdude nailed it.

We will have some gain and loss the first day. I think 800 feet is about max climb. I will look in the book and compute total gain and loss.”

“You don't have to do all that. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't uphill all the way.”

“It's up hill both ways....it's Arkansas”

“Ponca to Kyles: (Friday)

9.9 Miles

First mile gains about 250'.

Second mile loses all gain to a net 0.

Third mile gains 200 in the first quarter mile, loses it in the second quarter mile, and gains about 250 in the second half mile.

Fourth mile gains 250.

Fifth mile loses 250.

Sixth mile loses 250 in the first half, gains 250 in the second half.

Seventh mile gains 500.

Eighth mile gains 250 in the first half mile, loses about 100 in the second half mile.

Ninth mile loses 500.

Last .9 loses 400 feet in the first half mile, flat to finish.

Saturday (Kyle to Erbie 7.5 miles)

First mile gains 400.

Second mile loses 400.

Third mile gains and loses 200.

Fourth mile gains and loses 100.

Fifth mile loses about 50.

Sixth mile flat.

Seventh mile flat.

Last half mile gains 100, loses about 200.

Sunday (Erbie to Pruitt 8.7 miles)

First mile loses 150.

Second mile gains 150.

Third mile loses and gains 100.

Fourth mile gains and loses 100.

Fifth mile loses 200.

Sixth mile gains 100.

Seventh mile flat.

Eighth mile flat.

Last .7 gains 200 and loses 200.”

“Whew, I'm worn out just reading about all those hills....”

“Someone wanted detail....they got it.”

“Those details are gonna kick my fat a$$!”

“well, that's hilly all right!!
Nuthin I can't handle though.
See ya later.
Randall”

“Chili - seek counseling. I say this because I love you (not like a Clint Eastwood or Peyton Manning man-crush, but you know what I mean).”

“Yeah gojo, that was a bit granular in the detail.

Short version?


We start, we finish and there are some hills in between the two points.”

“Man it's cold! They're calling for a low of 39 tonight. Hopefully that will slow down the ticks and chiggars...”

“Nice. Maybe that will hold true for the next week.”

“Well it only made it down to 42 but Dear Lord it feels like 18....gett'n old sucks...”

“I'm lovin' the chill in the air. 49 down here in the Fort.”

“Hey all!!

I’m starting ta work on my food set up.

I wanna make sure I understand the whole thing correctly.

We’re gonna be able to stash some food at Kyles landing Friday night if we wanna right?

That would mean that we only would be carrying whatever we needed to eat for Friday’s portion and then would pick up our food fer the rest of the trip at Kyles Landing;

Here my breakdown for what I have ta carry.:

Friday; Just Lunch.
Saturday; Lunch and Dinner.
Sunday; Breakfast, Lunch.

Is that right?

All the rest we can leave in a car someplace?

See ya later.
Randall
last edited: 9/29/09 5:22:13 AM”