Arkansas Fall Foliage Frolicking

[Guambomb]

Bringing these photo's over here into the appropriate thread. We had a great time time meeting and wheeling with everyone. Some of the things I noticed on the trip: Mike Truong is a funny guy with great mechanical skills and was always the first to be elbows deep in someone's engine bay lending a hand to get us back on the trail. Ru55ell had the most Loud and Clear CB in the group no matter where we were and was great at pulling anyone out of a mud hole if need be (Thanks again! :sombrero . Mark, Daryl and Bomar are some great guys with awesome cruisers. Blacksheep is a cool cat with great fireside stories. Mike Leary's excellent all around Expo knowledge level, great attitude and willingness to lend a hand (or a tow strap :sombrero always turns any hairy situation into a fun learning experience. Wes, always the consummate host and trail leader. (Thanks again for staying a little late and showing us some secret trail areas!) Ryan, Dale, Austin, Jamal, Kim, Jacque, Scott, Stan, Sean, Memcruiser and everyone else, it was great meeting you. Cant wait for our next trip!

 

[Guambomb]

 

[Guambomb]

 

[jsmarine]

Looks like you guys had an awesome trip! Great photos so far!! Wish I could have been there!

 

[infidel]

i have been waiting for this thread all week! it looks like a great time was had by all, i hope to be able to make it on the next one!!! :smiley_drive:

 

[bomar]

Awesome!!!!!

 

[TheBlackSheep]

Not to sound like a broken record, but thanks to Wes, Leary, and everyone else for such a wonderful time. What impressed me the most was the fact that there was an overabundance of helping hands, which is much more desirable than not enough. I can't speak for anyone else, but knowing there are people in front and behind me who will there in a moments notice with everything from a snort of whiskey to a spare part makes me feel better, that's for sure.

To be honest, I've been second guessing myself about taking off all the rockcrawling gear off my Jeep, retiring from rockcrawling and starting over from scratch with more of an extreme expedition rebuild, but after this weekend, you guys helped make that retirement official. I look forward to my new "career" in ExPo. And living 5 blocks from Wes, he's pretty much made it clear that I really didn't have a choice anyway, haha.

Without further adieu, my iPhone picture dump with commentary:

Day 1

Ah, no more pavement! Er ...wait a minut- (cough, cough):

Trail 1

Trail 2

Up into the mountains we go. First Photo Op Stop:

View 1

Coming down the backside of the mountain (cough, cough):

Dust 1

Now we start really getting into the sticks:

Trail 3

Along the way, we come across a play area and of course Mr. Leary finds the largest rock in the place:

Leary Rock

There apparently is a large time disparity at this point where I did not take any pictures. But in that time, we got to our first camp and I got inebriated. Seems I remembered I could take pictures Saturday morning after I had packed up and consumed large quantities of coffee:

Day 2

Gearing up, setting out...

We meet up with Wes and crew, and now we're back in the woods:

Trail 4

An old bridge:

Bridge 1

Later in the afternoon, I hear some chatter on the CB about Wes getting stuck, and then Guam getting stuck. Shortly after the chatter, it was confirmed when we came to a stop in heavy foliage, and I could hear shouting up the trail off into the woods. As other pictures have shown, there was indeed some stuckage. I was used to a churned up trail at this point, but I didn't expect the Mother of All Mudholes. I snapped a shot after the carnage:

Mother of All Mudholes 1

For all intensive purposes, this was a swamp area, with 2 other bypasses, each one a little more difficult than the other, one them being a giant silt filled water hole which some of us decided to give a whirl (other pictures). Then there was a third mudhole between two trees on the way out. Scott decided to give this one a go, and didn't quite make it. Mike, who along with Russ, was the designated snatch strapper, and was able to jerk Scott free:

Mother of All Mudholes 2

Nothing like some river crossings to wash off your rig:

River 1

River 2

Yet again, another time disparity in photos. Camp #2 and booze, and onto day 3!

Day 3

This day had some pretty challenging trails, so I didn't get around to taking many pictures, except when Leary decided to go through 3 foot of quicksand. Funny thing, before his attempt, there was quite a bit of talk about using the bypasses.

"This is Leary to group 4. Right bypass. Take the right bypass!"
(3 minutes later)
"This is Leary, I'm going THROUGH the mudhole!"
(3 seconds later)
"This is Leary, I'm stuck in the mudhole..."

Leary Stuck

Mike yet again, comes through with a big snatch, and Leary was free and away we go. More pretty challenging stuff after that, but I did manage to grab a few "ExPo Poser" Pics towards the tail end before we hit pavement:

Irene 1

Irene Inside

Again, thanks for the marvelous time, and I WILL be seeing all of you again. Wes, let me know when you need another member of the scout team.

 

[Token]

Holy Crap that's a lotta folks on the trail.. Not sure even a triple pot of Gumbo woulda fed all yall folks..

 

[Mr. Leary]

Holy Crap that's a lotta folks on the trail.. Not sure even a triple pot of Gumbo woulda fed all yall folks..

This was the first time I have dealt with the issues inherent in moving so many rigs down the trail. Our subdivision into groups worked well, but unfortunately most of the breakdowns were in group 4, so everyone was always waiting on us. In the future, each team leader can have HAM, and we will be able to put more distance in between the groups without worrying about losing each other.

Felt like a zombie at work today.


































... and my truck is smelly.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

... and my truck is smelly.

It should smell like Royal Pine air freshener....

My truck smells of pine, mud and squished bananas.

 

[TheBlackSheep]

Ya, Group 4 was the "red-headed step children" of the expedition. I suppose it's because it had both Jeeps, right Leary?

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Ya, Group 4 was the "red-headed step children" of the expedition. I suppose it's because it had both Jeeps, right Leary?

Of course! :sombrero:

 

[COONASS]

Ya, Group 4 was the "red-headed step children" of the expedition. I suppose it's because it had both Jeeps, right Leary?

"Yeah Yeah" !:coffeedrink:

 

[TheBlackSheep]

Of course! :sombrero:

Hah! Short of scooping mud out of my airbox with my bare hands, I was pretty pleased with ole Irene. And thanks for the Pine Tree air freshner. That was the only thing that kept me from sticking my head out the window like a dog on the way home.

 

[Wes Craiglow]

Ya, Group 4 was the "red-headed step children" of the expedition. I suppose it's because it had both Jeeps, right Leary?

I suppose one could say y'all were "the black sheep" of the group.

Oh, I kill myself. :xxrotflma