Natural State Overland held an outstanding event this past weekend in the Ozark National Forest of northwest Arkansas amidst the stunning Boston Mountains. I was way overdue for some wilderness time, so my son and I packed up to check it out. Follow along with the photos and captions below for a brief overview of the trip. All in all, we’ll most certainly be coming back to next year’s event.
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Surviving Texas Heat
Living in North Texas can often be fairly torturous for anyone who is an explorer at heart. Private land everywhere! If you also don’t like the heat, sniveling comes easy every summer.
Don’t let the feelings take over though. Do something about it. Get outside. Try something new. My way? I bought an inflatable kayak and went to one of “my” spots generally reserved for cooler weather.
Geotagging Google Earth
Continuous improvement. The term is quite befitting of my route planning knowledge over the years. It doesn’t hurt that technology is progressing at a huge rate.
I’ve used Google Maps for custom maps and planning for years. In the past year or so, I’ve integrated Google Earth into my planning process as well. They both have their pros and cons, and they each are hugely beneficial.
The Time to Go is Now
Throughout life, experiences tend to spark a desire to visit a landmark, a country, or wherever. Often the busyness of life tends to prevent one from carrying though on these travels. Maybe it’s years of wishing to see the moving rocks in their undisturbed state at Racetrack Playa, only to find vandals have now driven onto the desert floor and and ruined the view and photo opportunities. Or maybe it’s years of putting off a visit to see the New York City skyline, but the Twin Towers are gone once the trip happens.
Here is one such landmark that I recently learned was still in existence (thanks Shane!). It is the only remaining international boundary marker WITHIN the United States. Not many countries even have such a thing.
Saying goodbye to magnet mounts
I finally got around to installing a proper antenna on Satori the Xterra.
- FireStik SS-204A Adjustable stainless steel vertical door jamb mount – Very adaptable for your choice of install locations
- FireStik FL3-B Three Foot FireFly Antenna With Tuneable Tip – I can install a two inch spring for extra flexibility on tight trails or leave it off for clearance in the office garage
- Midland 75-822 40 Channel CB Radio – Slide off the base with the antenna and power cords, pop on the included battery pack and antenna, and you’re ready to jump out of the truck and spot or do some recon