Well  we are getting closer. Got our vets ready to  go. Going down to  spend Labor Day Weekend trimming back  brushy areas with Ozark Trail Volunteers.  With any luck, I will  get to  ride all of the north loop and the 12 miles of the south loop we didn’t ride the last trip  there.

If you are wondering about the weather. The normal  high temperature for the ride days is 78 degrees with a normal  low of 54.. But by now , if you are an Endurance Rider, you should know that “We ain’t normal”

There are several people planning on bringing Endurance Prospects and Endurance horses  to  the ride that will  be for sale. If you know somebody looking for such an animal, let them know that their new ride may be there

T-shirts are ready, Belt buckles are in.

Paul

How could I have forgotten to  post this?

There will be t-shirts completion awards for LD, 50′s and 75′s. We are doing something a bit different in that we have ordered womens T-shirts as well as Mens  t-shirts.

100 mile completion award is a handsome pewter belt buckle. (oooohhh Pretty)

1st place, Top 10, BC Awards for all distances.

1st Junior LD, 50, 75, 100

Cavalry Award for 1st 100 Mile Cavalry Rider

Non-completion consolation things for all  distances.

Hope to  see you there,

Paul

Here is the Schedule for the Ozark Trail Endurance Ride. Of course it is subject to change.

You are welcome to  arrive ahead of time, but should contact Brushy Creek Lodge for reservations.

All events  take place at the Main Lodge unless otherwise noted.

Thursday September 16th:

Registration for the Ride 1:00 PM – Whenever

Vet in for Day #1:  4:00 pm to Dark

Ride meeting: 7:30 PM

Bonfire:  Bonding, Ride Stories, Singing, Snacking, and just visiting with each other: Near Main Lodge, 8:30 -10:30 PM

Friday September 17th:

Late Arrival Vet-Ins : 6:30-Ride Start

50 Mile Ride Start: 7:00 AM

25 Mile Ride Start: 8:00 AM

Day #1 Awards  and Ride Meeting for Day #2: 8:00 PM

Saturday September 18th:

Late Arrival Vet-In:  6:30- Ride Start

Start for 100  Mile and 75 Mile Riders: 7:00 AM

Start for 50 Mile Riders 8:00 Am

Start For 35 Mile Riders 9:00 AM

75 and 100 Mile Bonfire Watch Party: Near Lodge/Finish Line 8:30 PM until  the Last Rider finishes. Hot dogs, smore makings, cold drinks, snacks will be provided.

Sunday September 19th: Breakfast 9:00AM at Main Lodge.

Ride Awards: 10:00 AM.

There may be a Cowboy Church after ride meeting.

Post Ride: You are welcome to stay at Brushy Creek, as long as you make arrangements with the camps owners.  We will need help  bring in water troughs, and taking down ribbons and glow sticks.

This schedule is subject to  change as  Murphey’s Law affects it:-)

Hi,

We are still learning how to use this blog. I am trying to upload the entry form and other pdf files.

Brushy Creek Lodge told me today that all electric and water sites are taken with 3 on the waiting list. There is still plenty of room for primitive camping, and still  plenty of stalls available for those who  want them.  As for “primitive”, Brushy Creek Lodge has indoor  plumbing in several  areas, showers with lots of hot water, a meeting room with big screen satellite TV, and,…. hold on to  your helmets…..a hot tub…. This is primitive???  So  plan on coming, and don’t worry that there will not be room for you.

There will be no “official” potluck meals at this ride. There will be a free breakfast for everybody, at the awards meeting on Sunday morning. We will also have a Saturday late night bon-fire 100 mile rider watch party with hot dogs, cold beverages, smores makings and maybe some more stuff to eat.

We have had a good response for 100′s and only one that we know of committed so far for the 75.  We are wanting to get an idea of the numbers, so  if you are planning on coming, please let me know how many riders/horses/days distances you are looking at.  Please email  to  paul@ucozark.com.

We are still doing Trail work, cleaning out some brushy areas, and plan on going there this coming weekend. . Who  could have figured an area called Brushy Creek might have stuff growing on the trail?  Duh…:-)

We will have some International guests coming. There are 4 visitors from Australia , three of whom will be riding.  Be sure and talk Aussie to  them to  make them feel at home. Words like “crikey, g’day. barbie, etc”  will  help. I understand they love it when people yell ” Aussie Aussie! Aussie!!!”  Then they yell back “Oy! Oy! Oy!!!” It may seem strange to  us, but different cultures have different ways.

We also  have 2 people coming form Denmark who  will be riding. I have no idea how to  make them feel especially welcome except to  tell  them we like butter, and of course  Danish pastries.

If you have any other foreign visitors coming let us know.. ( and NO!, Texas does not count as foreign:-)

More to  follow

Paul N. Sidio

(417) 818-0210

We will be using Mile 63 to Mile 113 on these maps. Basecamp is at Mile 87.5 .  They have water locations information and interesting points about the Ozark Trail in the side notes.  These maps also have a really cool feature. Click on them twice to blow them up to a larger,  easier to see more detail size …Wooo hoooo !!!!

Vet Checks #1  and #2  for the 50  mile riders on Day #1 and Vet checks #4 and #5  for the 100 mile riders will be at Mile 70, (Brooks Creek) on County Road 73.

Vet Check For  25 mile riders on Day #1 ,  and 75 mile riders on Day #2 will be on County Road 79   at mile 70. This is Neals Creek

All Distances start and finish at Brushy Creek Lodge. (between Mile 87 and 88 on a Trail spur) There will be a trot by and possibly a gate and go, at Sutton Bluff , Mile 96 for Day #2 Riders

This section still has quite a bit of storm damage from the 2009 windstorm. We will by pass part of the Ozark Trail here and use County and Forest Service dirt roads. They are planning on working on this part of the Trail but are not sure how much will be completed by Ride Date. So  the exact amount of Trail we bypass is still not set.

Vet Check for 35 mile riders and Vet Checks #1 and #2 for 50/75 and 100 mile riders will be on County Road 861, between Mile 105 and 106

Turn around for Day #2 riders at 50/75 and 100 distances will be the Hwy 72/Hwy P Trailhead between Mile 113 and 114.

Here are the instructions to Brushy Creek Lodge near Black Missouri from different directions.

From the west: Come to Salem Missouri.  From Salem, go  east on State Highways 72/32 about 12 miles. When these highways split apart. continue east on Hwy 32 about another 12 miles. You will pass through the booming metropolis of Boss.  Do  not blink or you will miss it. Turn  right (south) on Hwy KK. Go  about 7 miles and turn left (east) on Highway J. Go  east on J for about 6 miles to the Brushy Creek Lodge sign on the right.Last chance for fuel, snacks, fast food etc will be in Salem.

From the East: I -44 to Cuba Missouri. South on State Highway 19 at Cuba for  about 18 miles to Cherryville. At Cherryville turn south on State Highway 49. Go south on Hwy 49 for about 20 miles and it hits State Hwy 32. Turn Right (west) on Hwy 32. Go  about 3 miles and turn right (south) on Highway KK.  Go  south on Hwy KK about 7 miles and turn left (east) on Hwy J. Go east on Hwy J about 6 miles to the Brushy Creek Lodge sign on your right. Last chance for fuel and snacks will be at Cuba.

From the South: From US Highway 60 about  4 miles east of  Van Buren Missouri go  north on State Highway 21 about  24 miles to the junction with State Highway 49. Turn left, west/north on Hwy 49. After about 5 miles, Hwy 49 will turn to  the right, while Highway J will proceed straight ahead. Go  3 miles west on Hwy J. Brushy Creek Lodge will be on your left.  You last chance for fuel and snacks will be at the junction of Hwy 21 and Hwy 72 about 4 miles south of Centerville.

Brushy Creek Lodge is located on Highway J about 3 miles east of Black Missouri.

See you there!!!

Here are some more!!

There will be views

More rootball holes

Why is this sign crooked?

They have the signs leaning to  one side or the other to  indicate a turn. They use these a lot on the switchbacks

Spring on Trail

There are numerous small  springs with clear cold water

More trail

Still more trail

We are using 50 miles of the Ozark Trail . Probably 40 miles or more of that will be in the woods.

Trail signs

Here are some more Ozark Trail photos to  look at. When crossing Forest Service roads you will see these signs

Signs on Trail

These are placed on trees . They are along the trail . A very few have faded so  all that is left is a grey diamond, but if something is nailed to  a tree you are on track

View above Sutton Bluff

Pretty… Isn’t it?

Ears Not Included:-)

The trail is  mostly single track and in the woods. Note the footing

Road bypasses

There is about 3/4 mile of the North Trail and about 6 miles of the South Trail  we will have to  bypass. As a very rural  county, the “gravel” roads are mostly dirt.

Rootball Holes

They had a serious wind storm in 2009. They call it an “Inland Hurricane”. It mostly affected a portion of the Trail south of Brushy Creek.  Tree falls along the trail left rootball holes. There is plenty of  room to  get by. We will do these parts during daylight hours.

Tree fall

As with any 50  mile piece of wooded trail, there is the occasionl tree fall.  We have opened up all  the big ones, but left a few for scenery:-)

More to Follow!!!

The Ozark Trail

We are finally on line with the new website!!!

The Trail has plenty of year round water.

We have lots of creeks and springs, but will  also have water troughs out in areas where needed.

One of the steeper hills

The trail has elevation changes but they have built switchbacks to  keep  the trail  less steep .

Where most of the rocks are.

This trail, as with any in the Ozarks has some rocks. Most of the worst rocky areas are at or near the creeks. Most of the trail is firm earth footing.

More to  follow!!!