Ouachita Trail - Section 4 Flip Flop (2 of 2) Forest Service Road #48-Coachlight Road (off Highway 71) to Big Brushy Campground

   It took a few months to get back to finish Section 4 of the OT.  Last April, Rhonda and I were unable to finish it due to a weather change.  She didn't get to come back to finish it with me due an injury.  The above vista view was close to the end of the hike and we stopped to enjoy it.  This spot will be on my hodgepodge hiking list for the OT.  My hodgepodge list will include all my favorite spots.  There are several spots that would be a short hike in, hang my hammock for a while, and hike back out.  Next Fall, I will be revisiting my favorite parts.  

                                      

The drive to the OT offered this spectacular sunrise

Lori from Bluebell Cafe shuttled us from Big Brushy to FS 48 OT trailhead.  When we started our hike it was 22 degrees and this temperature had the frost flowers (photo above) in full bloom.

The sun warmed us up a little.  When we stopped for very long it didn't take long to feel the chill.  We just kept moving. 

Scotty noticed this tree that had recently been struck my lightening.  It was my first time to see this in the forest.  Hopefully, the tree will survive, but Scotty said it probably wouldn't make it.   

A couple of unusual trees.  The first one looks like a little girl with a big mouth and a ponytail. I asked my son and he said it looked like a hippy Homer Simpson.  The second one reminds me of  an antelope.  I wondered if  there would be a lot to learn about a person depending on what they see in oddly shaped trees.  Would it be similar to when psychologists use ink blots to gauge personality and measure emotional stability.  

Love how the faint rainbow photo bombed me. 

Big Brushy Campground bridge.  The day turned out to be beautiful. 

I really liked this shot.  

I wanted this shirt from Treats and Treasures in Talihina, but they didn't have my size so the photo will have to do. 

I will be seeing my friend, Ryan, at the Greenleaf Trail run in a few weeks and thought he needed this.  It is always fun to see Bigfoot at the trail run.  One of my favorite events.  

I have driven by this unique mailbox/yard ornament several times in the last month.  Since Scotty was driving on this trip, I finally got a photo of it.  It is located north of Oden, AR

Instead of having shrimp at The Barn in Pocola, we have fried catfish and peach cobbler at Bluebell Cafe in Story, AR.  We had a nice visit with some of the customers.  

Most of my trip to the OT include a drive through Lequire, OK.  This photo (taken from highway off Lequire Mountain) doesn't do the sight justice.  This is also one of our favorite spots to ride our bicycles in the spring.  My hope it to get the OT section hike completed by the of February, so I can start focusing on bicycle rides.