Texas/Oklahoma/Arkansas GGG this fall?

Sorry for last minute notice but is there room for another this weekend. I can make it Fri.

Sure James you're welcome. Landon, Eric and Richard are car pooling in from Oklahoma City. I'll be driving up from Dallas after I finish work at noon so I should be there about 4:30 to 5 PM.

Just a quick question for those going. Do you guys like to cook breakfast or not? I normally just eat a couple bars and get on the trail but if other people want to cook breakfast anyway I figured I might as well toss some oatmeal packets in.

I eat a balance bar for breakfast, usually boil water for tea, but not necessary,since I'm joining you guys for just one morning meal, I can forgot the tea on Sun am. unless others are eating hot food.

I'm good either way.

Oh some good news. I don't have too rush off quit as fast as I though on Sunday.

I've done this trail multiple times, starting around 9 am, and finishing the following day between 1300-1500. There will be plenty of time for breakfast tea!

My vote is for oatmeal!

Okay I'll bring the oatmeal! Hey what time do you plan on getting there? Since its just two or three cars it should be pretty easy to link up. Here's what I look like (I'm on the left)

My car is a greenish Chevy Lumina with a big dent on the left side.

If you guys aren't going to start hiking til Sat am, there's no need for me to go all the way to the falls to park….just let me know what you decide. I'm flexible.

Err we might have miscommunicated Leigh. I was still thinking we'd hike a ways on Friday and camp, not start hiking on Saturday. I know we could probably race around the loop pretty fast but I don't see a reason to hurry.

That's what I thought too until I say Landon's post "solo night"…was a bit confused and thought you all had changed plans.Sorry I misinterpreted his post, and thanks for the clarification. I'm good with meeting up wherever and whenever.

Okay things seem to be a go from my end. I'll see the "three amigos" (Landon, Eric, and Richard) at FS 106/Winding Stair TH at about 4:30. Leigh will be joining us at some point from the LM trailhead. As far as I know these are the only people besides me coming. Love to have anyone else but you'd better let us know so we'll be looking for you there.
Can't wait too see you guys!

I didn't mean to confuse anyone. We're about to head out. I'll be on my cell in the car for the next 5 or 6 hours, so if anyone else plans to join us, or if Leigh has any updates, feel free to call. (four oh five nine 212477). See you on the TH at 4:30

Well the trip was amazing. We ended up having 6 people. Eric, Landon and Richard met me at the parking lot and we hiked out Friday night. Leigh met us at the parking lot for Little Missouri Falls the next day and James caught up to us after that.

It was a great trip and I'd be happy to hike with you folks again some day.

From left to right, Richard, Landon, Eric and me.

Eric (in front) and Richard.

Eric in his Six Moons Designs Scout.

Richard's MYOG tarptent. If I recall this is his first MYOG project like this. Very impressive.

I was a bit more creative in my meals on this trip. For dinner I ate a Mtn. House and apple slices dipped in Nutella. It doesn't get much better then that.

After dinner we hung around the fire till late in the evening.

That morning it was freezing cold. We'd expected a low of 40 but it felt a bit lower then that (it probably was and camping next to a river in the bottom of a valley didn't help).

Little Missouri Falls was nice. Leigh met us in the parking lot at the falls.

Shortly after Leigh joined us James caught up too us.

We stopped for lunch after hiking down a side trail to check out a vista. This time I had a granola bar with my Nutela. The rest of the group pitched in to lighten my load a bit by helping me eat my large bag of Peanut M&Ms.

It was great having guys along who knew the trail. If I'd been on my own I might have missed the side trail to all these great views.

The trail led over a series of ridges (6 if I recall). Leigh was having a knee issue so she camped early by FR 106 and hiked down the road to the trailhead the next day. We went on a bit farther (mostly because there were no good campsites for a group our size).

Landon's Hexamid.

James' Gatewood Cape.

Eric in his hammock.

We had another fire and I ate the last of my Nutela.

My alcohol stove worked very well on the trip. I didn't get a good picture of Eric's MYOG version of a Caldera Cone. He'd cut a pie pan up and wrapped it around a ebsit stove for greater efficiency.

I set my tarp up with two logs on either side. My plan was for them to block the wind although this was not really necessary.

The next day we woke up to a drizzle of rain(not in the weather forecast by the way).

James got a chance to use his cape.

The hike down the valley was cool

We stopped to take some pictures then Landon noticed a spider.

I think we spent about 30 minutes playing with various camera settings. It was tricky getting a picture because of the lighting and the clouds.

After the trip most of us met up at a Mexican restaurant for a post trip meal.

It was a pleasure to hike and visit with such a fine group of guys!

Heading back to the ortho tomorrow with the knee. I got complacent with my knee exercises after not having issues for over a year…switching shoes and orthotics probably didn't help either. Will keep trying til I find the right combo.

Thanks again Luke for putting it together, and thanks Landon for proposing the side trip. Can't believe I didn't explore that before, but won't pass it up again!

Luke,

Looks like an awesome trip and thanks for putting up a ton of photos with great captions to share with us what happened.

Small suggestion, which might help you attract more people to future GGGs that you might organize: edit your trip report and then copy it and then paste it into a new thread under the Post Trip Report section and/or into the photo gallery area.

You created an excellent trip report and burying it at the end of this thread may limit the number of people who will view it.

It deserves to shared with everyone.

Congrats on your trip and wishing you have many more GGGs in the future!

-tony

Leigh

Sorry your knee is still sore but I'm glad you bailed when you did so it wasn't worse. Hope it recovers soon.

Tony

Thanks for the idea. I'll probably add a few more pictures now that I have time and post it under trip reports.

Looks like you all had a great weekend. Wish work hadn't gotten in the way as I really wanted to be there.

Leigh. I wish you luck with your knee. I fought knee problems caused by poorly adjusted equipment when cycling — no fun. Hard to stay active and fit while rehabbing a knee.

Jim the old one.