The Intro – Man’s Best Friend, Missing in Action
Last time I signed off with “Until next time – a man and his dog.” But this time, it was just the man. Duke sat this one out, trading muddy trails for a warm bed and dry paws. The rain rolled in hard all week, and as much as I missed having my best pal with me, I knew he wouldn’t enjoy being soaked and cold. Sometimes, the best way to take care of your trail buddy is to let them stay home. Don’t worry, he will be back soon, ears perked and ready for the next camp.
Friday- Beating the Rain to Camp
It was finally Friday, I took off early, and it was time to head to camp. The destination for this adventure was in the Ozark Mountains just east of Cass, AR. With camp only two hours away, I couldn’t wait to get a head start to try and beat the rain. I wanted to make sure I arrived with plenty of time to get my tent setup without getting soaked from the storms. My plan worked, mostly – I had to sit in my truck for over an hour before the rain broke and was able to put up my tent while remaining dry. Now that I had shelter, it was time to nap while I waited for Jonny to arrive.
I woke up to Jonny calling me on the radio, so I knew he was only a few miles away. After about ten minutes he finally pulled into camp. We knew the rain was going to start up again soon so we were quick to get him set up and used a tarp he had to string from my truck to his so we could enjoy the fire underneath without getting rained on.
We relaxed for the rest of the night by the fire, comparing ourselves to the old west like we are modern day outlaws, and our rigs are our horses. As the night went by, storms started to roll in and we decided to head off to bed.
Saturday – Campfires, Rain Ponchos, and Muddy Trails
I woke up Saturday morning to a cool breeze and the sound of rain bouncing off my tent. If you’re looking for a tent to keep you dry and comfy, I highly recommend the Rev from C6 Outdoors. I slept like a baby thanks to the 4” mattress it comes with!
Anyways, I rolled out of my tent to the fire Jonny had going. We sat under the tarp we set up the night before, waiting for the rain to pass so we could break down camp. We had planned to meet our friend Corey at the Oark Café around noon for lunch and fuel, but with no cell service and the rain not letting up, we eventually decided to just start packing up.
I didn’t have a raincoat, but luckily, I keep a first aid and emergency kit in my truck, and they have ponchos in them! I was able to put on the poncho and stay somewhat dry while breaking down camp. Another win for the rev tent – it takes less than five minutes to pack up, so I wasn’t in the rain too long. Once we had everything loaded up, it was time to make our way down the trail.
Trail to the Oark Café
Jonny led us down a trail that took a little over an hour, I’m not sure the mileage, I was just there enjoying the journey. When we got to the trail, we pulled off to air down our tires. I used my AllTop deflators to drop to 20psi. The trails weren’t too rocky, so I didn’t need to go lower than that.
All was good to go after we aired down, the rain had slowed to just light misting and the breeze was cool and fresh. I had my windows down, music off, and no sound except for the tires in the mud and wind in the trees.
We reached an obstacle in the road that was caused from the storms the night before. A downed tree. It was either turn around and be late to meet Corey for lunch, or brainstorm how to get through. Neither Jonny nor I had a chainsaw. We decided to use a recovery strap and soft shackles to attach the tree to Jonny’s 4Runner and drag it out of the way as much as possible. After that, we used a hatchet Jonny kept in his vehicle to hack off the limbs that were sticking out. We finally had enough clearance to pull through.
It was mostly smooth sailing from there. I say “mostly” because we hit some parts that had deep mud or tight turns through trees, and to be honest, 4Runners and Canyons don’t have the best turning radius. But with a little spotting and patience, we made it.
The rest of the drive to Oark Café was all highway and lasted only about 20 minutes. When we arrived, I thought Jonny was pulling a prank. I didn’t see a restaurant, just a super old building with no windows. To my surprise, this was the Café…..and it was amazing.
Inside, everything looked original – like stepping back in time. There was even a wood stove heating the place. The atmosphere, the people, the history, the smell, the food – everything was perfect. I found out it’s the oldest running business in Arkansas, which just made it cooler. If you’re ever nearby, you need to check it out!
After lunch, we filled up on fuel and headed to our next camp.
Finding Camp – Water Crossings and Close Calls
We got back on the road and headed to the camp we found on OnX. The route was about 15-20 minutes of highway until we got to the start of a trail. As we headed down the trail, we cam across a few water crossings, the first one was easy, water only tire high, the next one……sketchy.
Jonny crossed first and we waited for his okay for Corey and me to cross in our vehicles. We didn’t get it. After we realized the next crossing was worse, Jonny decided to come back across, and we would find another route to camp. As Jonny is crossing back, the strong current started to get ahold of Jonny. It was pushing him down stream and we weren’t sure he would make it back across. Luckily, the 4Runner pulled through and got Jonny across without a scratch to him or the 4Runner. Although, Jonny might be considering adding a snorkel to his vehicle now.
After that close call, we turned around and found an easier route to camp. This trail was more of a dirt road and super easy to get down. We made it to camp, got a fire started, set up our tents, and relaxed while waiting for our buddy Seth to arrive.
Seth arrived around 6:00pm and we were able to talk him into driving through a deep mud hole the rest of us avoided. We had a good laugh and got back to relaxing around the fire. The temperature was dropping, and I set up my heater in my tent to prepare for the cold night ahead.
It was about 10:00 or 11:00 when we called it a night a went to bed. I crawled into my Rev tent, already preheated from the Buddy Heater, and fell asleep. I woke up briefly to crack the side doors for ventilation. That heater/tent combo is legit – I was getting too warm. With the windows open, it was perfect, and I was back asleep in no time.
Sunday – Warm tents and Waterfalls
I woke up at 7:00 to Seth asking if I was awake, I was very much not awake until that point. I was sleeping like a baby in my warm, cozy tent. It was in the 30s outside, but inside my tent? In the toasty 70s..I was able to sleep comfortably in shorts and a T-shirt. Honestly, this is the best setup I’ve ever had for cold camping.
Eventually, I crawled out of my tent and joined the boys by the fire. Seth was chopping firewood, Jonny and Corey were making breakfast, and I was getting a head start packing up.
Jonny finished making pancakes and eggs, Corey cooked up a tasty breakfast scrambled. I was grateful to have food other than the hotdogs I brought. We finished up our breakfast, packed up, cleaned up camp and headed to our last destination for the weekend. We wanted to check out a waterfall that was close by before we headed our separate ways.
The waterfall was only a quarter mile from the highway and did not have access for our rigs. We grabbed our cameras and walked down the trail. The trail itself was beautiful, but when we made it to the waterfall, we were speechless. After a week full of heavy rain, the waterfall was really flowing. The sound of the water crashing down on the rocks was peaceful – could’ve stayed there all day. But it was time to go home.
We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways until next time…
...which is only till next week at the Moore Expo!
The Wrap Up – Looking Ahead
This trip was one for the books – rain-soaked trails, good food, better company, and memories deep in the Ozarks. Even without Duke by my side, the adventure still held its magic. There’s something special about embracing the elements, laughing with friends under a tarp in pouring rain, and waking up to the smell of woodsmoke and coffee. But no camp feels complete without my trail buddy curled up nearby. No muddy paw prints this time, but saved a spot for him by the fire. Until next time – a man, and his dog.