ITTOG's Overlanding Trips

[ITTOG]

Another trip report in the mountains of SE Oklahoma/SW Arkansas. Not a lot of new stuff so I stripped out a lot of it so it wouldn't duplicate previous trips or bore you (well, hopefully not).

Camping and ATV Trails

Day 0: Wednesday, Sep 27
I left the house early to get more time in camp before it gets dark tonight.

First shot in the wild. The trail is definitely getting rougher. This hill ranges between 8% and 12% according to the inclinometer in the truck.


…and overgrown.




I made it to camp right at 3:15 PM and finished setting up about 4:15 PM. The camper sure sets up faster than the tent. Maybe just a little faster than moving into the shack. Most of the set up was getting my outdoor kitchen assembled on the trailer.


Deploying the pop top for the first time at Wendell's!!!!






Hard to see but there were Daddy Longlegs everywhere.


Once again, someone has made their home in the crapper. Crazy! Last time it was a bird.




Continued below...

 

[ITTOG]

It wouldn't be right if I didn't cut myself at camp. Just part of the experience. This one is from my hatchet I just sharpened. I was cutting some limbs off the camper and as I was climbing down off the truck I let the hatchet hit my arm. It was about a 1/4" long, deep, and bled a lot. Is beer a disinfectant like alcohol? I got it cleaned and bandaged with the safety kit I always have.




Getting my coals hot for one of two steaks I will have this trip. I usually only bring one but Sam's didn't have a package with just one this time. Unfortunately I got the coals started late and missed my preferred dinner time of 5 PM. Yeah, I am old.




Due to the heat I was sweating like crazy so a bath in the creek was in order. It was cold but not bad. I would guess in the high 40's or low 50's. But it sure felt great being clean, and for that matter the water felt good as well.


Day 1: Thursday, Sep 28
It was an early morning today. I was out of bed by 6 AM. I usually wake up around this time every day when in camp but I usually cat nap until about 7 AM which is when the sun is up enough that a flash light isn't required. I think I got out of bed early today just because of the camper and the weather. It was a very pleasant 58 oF.

The first night in the camper went well except for stuff falling out of the tree's onto the roof. Without any insulation it was very loud. I bet I will have the insulation installed before the next trip. Another thought is it could be the metal contracting as it cooled down during the night.

I had my Sons of Liberty Gun Works AR15 Pistol and a Tikka T3x Hunter. If anyone was close enough to hear a gunshot they probably thought a massacre was happening.

The humidity this morning has been very high. At 10 AM it was 88%. It wasn't hot but everything was damp or wet.

Due to the heat there was a lot more animals and insects out and I saw lots of spiders and a couple snakes. I was able to get a picture of one of them. I am not sure of what it is but I did see a picture online that made it look like a water moccasin due to some lighter colors on the belly. I really wanted to pick it up but decided that if I got bit it would take too long to get to a hospital that could get the anti-venom to save me. So I left him alone.


Around noon the other guests part of this trip arrived. Unfortunately there was no riding today and we just set around the fire pit talking.

I decided I needed to get some airflow through the camper before going to bed. So I opened part of the sunbrella . I have a zipper in the front so it is easy to open and let air flow through when I open the back door. I don't have a fan, yet.


I put up a LED strip light set in the camper so I can use red lights at night because they are easier on the eyes than white lite. You can see I framed the roof for a fan.


I think the high today was around 90 oF. I was in bed about 9 PM and read for the next day.

Day 2: Friday, Sep 29
I crawled out of bed a little before 7 AM and it was 63 oF and 88% humidity. I started boiling water for coffee. During Covid my daughter got me addicted to cold brew coffee. Before that I drank hot coffee about once a week. Now, coffee of any temperature is a daily habit.

While everybody was getting ready for the trail I walked over by the fire pit and scared this copperhead. I followed him over to the cabin and he decided it was time to attack and quit running from me. I guess that would be slithering from me. I got a quick picture and left him alone.


Continued below...

 

[ITTOG]

We got on the trail around 10:40 AM. I was the convoy leader all weekend and due to it being so warm there were tons of spiders with webs across the trail. So I was fighting them all day and every day. Maybe I am a little crazy but I would prefer the spider to be on me than the web.

This abandoned cabin looks like it was a very nice one back in the day. A lot of stone work. I wish I knew when it was built and abandoned.








Our trails often have water crossings. The area had been in a bit of drought so fording the rivers/creeks were easy.




I like pictures that show the mountain ridges in the distance. Too bad the view wasn't a bit wider.




There were a lot of tarantula's out. I picked this one up to show to the girls but I do not think they appreciated that.


We got into camp about 5:45 PM and everyone hit the creek to take baths. Once again it felt wonderful. I need to purchase biodegradable soap and shampoo to be a little bit more environmentally friendly.

After that it was dinner, which for me was the second steak and everyone else had hobo dinners.

Day 3: Saturday, Sep 30
It was 60°F this morning when I got out of bed at 6:45 AM. It was 88% humidity so it felt pretty thick. I noticed the sun wasn't hitting the top of the hill so I walked to the top so I could watch the sun come up and light up the ridges. It was definitely worth getting out of bed a few minutes early.

Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures today. We rode about eight hours and pretty much duplicated yesterday but on different trails.

Everyone went back down to the creek and took baths again and then had dinner.

It was 65°F when we went to bed around 9:30 PM. I spent an hour packing up inside the camper so I could get out of camp faster in the morning so I didn't get in bed until about 10:30 PM.

Day 4: Sunday, Oct 1
I woke up at 5:36 AM and decided to start packing. It was 58° at that time which was nice because it prevented me from getting too hot and sweaty. I left camp at 6:13 AM and arrived home a little after 1:30 PM.

Hopefully it was worth the time spent reading. Thanks for looking!

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Looks like a fun trip!

Also... I worry about you handling sharp objects....

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Looks like a fun trip!

Also... I worry about you handling sharp objects....

Maybe I should send you some cut resistant gloves... haha

Beer makes a bad disinfectant, the yeast will cause an infection, hard alcohol though…that’ll do it. Something between 60-90 proof. Which you know, but I enjoy the topic.

That is a whole lotta critters, I had forgotten how prevalent they are in that part of the States.

I have some LED strip lights in my Outfitter and really like them, for the same reason. The clinic on the ship had some, and I really learned to appreciate it.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[ITTOG]

Looks like a fun trip!

Also... I worry about you handling sharp objects....

It definitely is. Even though we go to the same place often.

You sound like my family: Wife, son, daughter, mom, dad, etc. Everyone was preaching to me. Especially given I am on blood thinners for three months.

 

[ITTOG]

Maybe I should send you some cut resistant gloves... haha

Beer makes a bad disinfectant, the yeast will cause an infection, hard alcohol though…that’ll do it. Something between 60-90 proof. Which you know, but I enjoy the topic.

That is a whole lotta critters, I had forgotten how prevalent they are in that part of the States.

I have some LED strip lights in my Outfitter and really like them, for the same reason. The clinic on the ship had some, and I really learned to appreciate it.

Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for the response. I will remember that now. Luckily I chose not to use the beer and my safety kit had a disinfectant in it. It is always good to know what else you can use.

To be honest, I need a cut resistant body suit.

Yeah you can get over run some times. Scorpions, bears, bobcats, and mountain lions are other pests we have to be prepared for. We have never seen a bear or mountain lion where we are but have seen footprints on our property. About 20 miles east of us two black bears were caught not long ago.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Thanks for the response. I will remember that now. Luckily I chose not to use the beer and my safety kit had a disinfectant in it. It is always good to know what else you can use.

To be honest, I need a cut resistant body suit.

Yeah you can get over run some times. Scorpions, bears, bobcats, and mountain lions are other pests we have to be prepared for. We have never seen a bear or mountain lion where we are but have seen footprints on our property. About 20 miles east of us two black bears were caught not long ago.

No worries. I like remote medicine. Just flushing it, washing it out. Is generally more important than the disinfectant.
Any water you can drink, is clean enough to flush a wound with. And copious amounts. Whatever you think is enough, double it.
Get everything out, that could cause infection. As disinfectant can do more harm than good, as it kills the good things as well.
In your setting though, you aren’t days away from definitive care. So Flushing, and keeping it clean will do wonders. Maybe get an updated tetanus. They used to say 10 years, however now I am seeing 5 years as a more common metric. If not more often based on, how often one may be exposed.

 

[ITTOG]

No worries. I like remote medicine. Just flushing it, washing it out. Is generally more important than the disinfectant.
Any water you can drink, is clean enough to flush a wound with. And copious amounts. Whatever you think is enough, double it.
Get everything out, that could cause infection. As disinfectant can do more harm than good, as it kills the good things as well.
In your setting though, you aren’t days away from definitive care. So Flushing, and keeping it clean will do wonders. Maybe get an updated tetanus. They used to say 10 years, however now I am seeing 5 years as a more common metric. If not more often based on, how often one may be exposed.

With my proclivity to cut my self I have a reminder on my calendar to get a new Tetanus shot every five years. Even though I wasn't due for a shot, the last one was May 2020 when I got that flesh wound on the inside of my leg. I am sure you remember that one.

 

[Mules]

Nice to see you putting the camper to good use!! Luckily up North I don't have to deal with Snakes, Tarantulas, or Scorpions this time of year. Have fun, but watch out for the critters.

 

[Mules]

Another trip report in the mountains of SE Oklahoma/SW Arkansas. Not a lot of new stuff so I stripped out a lot of it so it wouldn't duplicate previous trips or bore you (well, hopefully not).

Camping and ATV Trails

Day 0: Wednesday, Sep 27
I left the house early to get more time in camp before it gets dark tonight.

First shot in the wild. The trail is definitely getting rougher. This hill ranges between 8% and 12% according to the inclinometer in the truck.
View attachment 803279

…and overgrown.
View attachment 803280

View attachment 803281

I made it to camp right at 3:15 PM and finished setting up about 4:15 PM. The camper sure sets up faster than the tent. Maybe just a little faster than moving into the shack. Most of the set up was getting my outdoor kitchen assembled on the trailer.
View attachment 803282

Deploying the pop top for the first time at Wendell's!!!!
View attachment 803283

View attachment 803284

View attachment 803285

Hard to see but there were Daddy Longlegs everywhere.
View attachment 803286

Once again, someone has made their home in the crapper. Crazy! Last time it was a bird.
View attachment 803287

View attachment 803288

Continued below...

Looks like your trails are getting narrower. Where's the chainsaw

 

[ITTOG]

Looks like your trails are getting narrower. Where's the chainsaw

They are!!!!!

I keep telling the guys I will cut them but we have some that thinks it keeps the traffic down by our camp and others that don't want me to do it on property that is not ours. I may have to build some vertical knives on my front bumper about ten feet tall that cuts the trees while I drive through.

 

[Mules]

I can't go wheeling without my chainsaw close by. There's always some limbs or trees across the trails. I need to buy one of these chainsaw holders, since mine bangs around in the bed of my UTV. Either that or get one of those small electric chainsaws.

 

[ITTOG]

We definitely have no problem cutting down anything across the trail, regardless of the property we are on. It is rare we have to use it though. I would bet 75% of the time we can just plow through the tree and push it out of the way or use our winches. It just depends on our mood when we come across the obstacle. Our main obstacle is washouts though. Too bad a chainsaw can't easily fill them in.

Definitely get the chainsaw mount and avoid electric. Electric is for people that don't understand the power source for charging their batteries.

Not much better than looking over the handlebars out in the woods.


Or just off-roading in general.

 

[Mules]

I found something you need for those trail ditches