Team Trail Monster takes a hike.

With the weather breaking for the better we decided on a midday hike at Indian Camp Creek Park (ICCP). The plan...pack and be on the road by 10am. LOL...that never happens. We are never out before 11. So like normal we loaded Stella and hit the road by 11:30. The temp was in the upper 40's and made a climb all the way into the low 50's. Not bad by Missouri standards for January 31. Side note...Digital camera batteries Suck! Every trip I hear the dreaded beep and the flash of the title to my book "Battery Empty". So the Olympus is dead but the Sony Hcam is alive so we have some video...well at least until I dropped it into a small brook...You would think they could at least make these things splash resistant...Sure glad we bought the accident insurance, now if we can only get to Circuit City and learn about warranty procedures post store closure.

The hike started off with our lead trail monster pointing out the trail and pushing us to get moving. We actually started off in an off trail hike following a lone set of "Purple Brer Fox" tracks through the woods. At one point we heard the "Purple Brer Fox", however, he was very fast and we did not see him.

Can you name the tune in playing on the IPOD w/ speaker in the background of the video?

So on with the day and the melting woodlands along Big Creek. We saw lots of fat Robins bouncing from limb to limb along the creek edge. A big fat Red Squirrel briefly made an appearance. We made our way through the woods to the single-track and followed until we found a trail that was obviously blocked off, so we decided to keep with the theme and go off trail some more. Hopefully that trail is under construction and will open in the spring...great flowy flat sections with little dips in and around the creek bottoms. It will be fast that is for sure. The trail is less than a mile but will make a nice addition to the rest. We popped out of the woods and into a small field and followed and old double track to the blacktop and back to "Stella". We spent a about 15 minutes at the park and Sydney was sure to climb on the big concrete frog and turtle statues. Time flys when you're having fun, almost missed the departure time. We have to be in Louisiana MO at 3PM to watch Julie take the Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olypics. That video is up on my facebook along with a short video of the Trail Monster leading a short hike.

Closing skies over Annada, MO.

NEW LANDMARK Ozark Trail TH Hwy 8

...... and up on 3 uggh!!

Cap it.

An Eagle's crew.

Michael Bobb Eagle Scout Project 2009

Landscaped.

Hwy marked.

Ozark Trail Hwy 8 24-JAN-09 N

Garmin Waypoint 37.91739 W91.07559 676 ft

Hwy 8 Trail Head Marker

Job Well Done.

Congratulations on a job well done.

I took a little hike on this section of the OT...(Southern end of the Courtois section at Hwy 8. Dead fall cleared North from the highway to the climb up to the campground. Ready to ride.

I also took a hike on the Berryman Trail from BMan Campground Clockwise 2 miles in. Dead fall cleared. Wish I had more time, darkness was headed our way.

Jim and Dakota at Berryman

Dakota and I made it back home by 7PM.

Heard a great tune on the way home .....Chris Cook

Slicing peace

Could it be that 2009 will be the year of peace?

Sliced January 3, 2009

In other news: A short spin through testy water.

Will the rains continue in 09'?
Creek crossin' is gettin' tricky...

Brian with a handoff

Another look back coming soon.

Looking forward: Gotta keep em clean this year. And gotta keep eatin rite...

Smokin' Breasts - Goose Breast

Pictures from our fridge today.

This one I don't get. Freezing Cold and decided to slip outside to swing. Those toes didn't last 20 seconds...

Hot Laps with a new backpack and bike.

My Girls on christmas day...and all in pink....

Man it's hard to believe I wore this coat over 20 years ago...she was snoopin through the basement and found this.

End to a perfect day. Merry Christmas to all.

Christmas Wrenchin'

Wrenchin' on it, just like Dad!

Results up ------ NOW 3rd Place!!!! 2 Person COED

UPDATED...

OK, Sorry...Wendy made me edit the original post...so it's in a draft file(naa...I'll post it, somebody may wanta a read it...Title "Compatability Test".....). She said nobody wants the play by play of an adventure race....LOL..gotta love beer buzz ritin'
3rd Place Coed! #29/85 Overall! I will not Bonk next year. Must eat & drink more!!!! Broken chain twice at the beginning of the bike section...and then a little crash, faceplant...and 5 minutes later full on bonk, with cramps to follow. But we did it. Distance summary, I think about 6 mi in a canoe at 7am 30*F headwinds on the Meremac river, ~8 mi orienteering (running checkpoints), ~12 mi on mtn bike, and then finished off with 19 Checkpoint Rogaine...we managed 10 CP's before our time expired...we were cooked.! Great race! First Place and a top 10 Next Year!!!