{"id":1501,"date":"2013-12-25T23:56:16","date_gmt":"2013-12-25T23:56:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jeep1942.com\/?page_id=1501"},"modified":"2016-01-29T19:11:35","modified_gmt":"2016-01-29T19:11:35","slug":"big-flat-forest-part-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jeep1942.com\/?page_id=1501","title":{"rendered":"Big Flat Forest \/ Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Be sure to click on any image for a larger view!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0As a follow up to the very successful 2013 “Snowball Express”, we planned and carried out another enjoyable jeep trail ride. \u00a0This event took on the name of “Big Flat Forest Part 1” simply because we did not have enough day light to finish the route. \u00a0A late start due to some freezing rain and a minor mishap at the BarkShed creek crossing allowed nightfall to arrive sooner than we had hoped.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The date of the event was November 23, 2013. \u00a0Dave and I along with our boys arrived at BJ’s place near Marshall, Arkansas Friday afternoon. \u00a0 We managed to get in a good jeep ride on BJ’s land Friday evening as the sun went down. \u00a0 We rode through some rough country as we followed BJ. \u00a04 wheel drive in low range was required. \u00a0By the time we finished up, it was dark. \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Dave brought along his 1944 MB. \u00a0BJ’s MB was suffering from an unknown ailment so he was stuck in the 1976 CJ5 and I brought along a new trail ride, a 1946 CJ2A. \u00a0The soft top was a handy item on this event! \u00a0For the first time, we were not all in military jeeps. \u00a0That was OK. \u00a0The variety kind of added to the flavor.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday Night Trail Ride<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Back at BJ’s place a big pot of stew waited to warm our bones. \u00a0Sitting around BJ’s living room, polishing off the stew, and visiting with good friends was great. \u00a0We were excited about our trail ride the next day, but not too sure how the weather was going to treat us. \u00a0The forecast was for upper 20’s, sleet, and freezing rain. \u00a0By the time we bedded down, there was already something frozen falling. \u00a0Dave and Tom camped out in the pickup camper. \u00a0Nick, Luke, Nathan, Daniel and myself slept on cots in BJ’s shop. \u00a0It is kind of cool sleeping so close to vintage jeeps! \u00a0We were comfortable and warm.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Nick, Nathan, Daniel, and Luke camping in BJ’s shop! \u00a0Home sweet home!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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We awoke Saturday morning to a thick glaze of ice on everything. \u00a0Freezing rain had fallen all night. \u00a0We had to use salt to melt the ice off of my trailer so we could load the jeep up. \u00a0Breakfast was great and we did kind of poke along getting everything ready. \u00a0By the time we got the jeeps loaded up and arrived at the trail head, it was 10 AM.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday morning’s slow start and freezing rain<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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Our destination was the Ozark National Forest in the area near Big Flat, Arkansas. \u00a0We planned to visit the area between Big Flat and Blanchard Springs.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

We quickly unloaded the jeeps and after a short drive down the highway, we found our Forest Road. \u00a0Off we went exploring every road and trail. \u00a0We were careful to stick to marked roads. \u00a0Most of the trails that we followed led to wildlife feed plots and it was clear by dirt birms where we needed to turn around.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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As we were finding our way down one jeep road, Daniel called from the back seat of the jeep, “I see fire”. \u00a0What are you talking about I said. \u00a0Daniel replied, “I want out of here”. One of the other boys confirmed, I see fire too. \u00a0By now, I was concerned and noticed some very bright sparks visible through the floor by the transfer case shift levers. \u00a0We were not in a good spot to stop. \u00a0We were in thick forest on a very steep incline. \u00a0I let the jeep roll down a few feet so it would come to rest on a log and I shut the engine off.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dave and BJ walked up the hill to see why I was out with the hood up. \u00a0A bit of inspection revealed a metal rod from the battery hold down had slipped loose and fallen over against the positive terminal of the alternator. \u00a0It had been producing a very nice arc as it tried to weld itself together. \u00a0We patched it back up with a zip tie and all was OK. \u00a0I can still remember Daniel saying “I see fire, I wan’t out of here!”.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lunch time came quickly since we had gotten a late start. \u00a0I folded down the tailgate of the CJ2A and we had a true “tailgating” lunch. \u00a0Dave had hotdogs or some such lunch which he once again prepared on the manifold of the jeep as we had been driving along.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Before we knew it, we were at the Barkshed recreation area, deep in the National Forest. \u00a0There is a neat old bridge there. \u00a0This bridge and the road that crossed it have been closed to vehicles now, but we explored the area and enjoyed the Ozark Beauty. \u00a0The water there is crystal clear and just amazing. \u00a0We did our part to keep the area and the water pristine and clean.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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At this stop, Dave’s Willys MB experienced some mechanical problems. \u00a0I suspect it was flooded. \u00a0It was clear after about an hour that we were not going to be able to get the jeep started and it would be dark soon. \u00a0We decided that the best plan was for BJ to run Dave back to our starting point and pickup Dave’s truck. \u00a0By the time they returned it was nearly dark and our Big Flat Forest trail ride was over.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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We had not explored all that we planned to see. \u00a0There were lots of trails left to drive and more Ozark beauty to take in. \u00a0It was decided that we would have to save the rest of the trail for part 2 of the Big Flat Forest trail ride. \u00a0With any luck, we will be able to pull off part 2 sometime in late February or early March. \u00a0Maybe we can make it a dogwood blooming event as well.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

We got Dave’s wounded MB hooked up to his pickup and finished up the trail ride with a group picture. \u00a0Yes, it was a cold event, and yest we did have one mechanical breakdown, but it was an event we will talk about around campfires for a long time to come.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Thanks BJ and Lacy for allowing us to bunk at your place Friday night and thanks for the great stew that I can still taste! \u00a0There is nothing better than good friends, old jeeps, and a bit of winter weather. \u00a0I will think of this event quite often next summer when it is hot and humid.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Until next time…… \u00a0Come join us!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dan Sharon \u00a012\/25\/13<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Be sure to click on any image for a larger view!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Be sure to click on any image for a larger view! \u00a0As a follow up to the very successful 2013 “Snowball Express”, we planned and carried out another enjoyable jeep trail ride. \u00a0This event took on the name of “Big … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1162,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1501","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jeep1942.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jeep1942.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jeep1942.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jeep1942.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jeep1942.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1501"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/jeep1942.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1501\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3181,"href":"https:\/\/jeep1942.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1501\/revisions\/3181"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jeep1942.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jeep1942.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}