We just couldn’t wait any longer.  We were sitting packed and loaded on Wednesday night.  Just as soon as I could get away from work on Thursday late morning, we pointed the Toter east and headed toward Disney.  Nana and I landed in Disney about 3:00 pm and quickly set up the camp.  We expected several more of our group to arrive before the sun set in the Western Skies.  Brad, Sabrina, and Nic would arrive just before dark.  Bret Lau from Denton, TX, arrived shortly after us and got the camper set up and awaited the arrival of his brother BJ and his son (little BJ).  Nana’s brother Mike Mobley from Mt. Vernon, Mo, also arrived early in the evening.
 
With the sun still high in the sky we just could not wait any longer.  We had to head out and see what all the flooding had done down in the river bottom.  With Bret’s Jeep hitching a ride down with BJ later, Bret hopped into Big Yeller with me.  Judy and her brother Mike climbed into Judy’s loaner jeep (Urban Crawler) and away we went.  We found that everything had changed a lot down in the bottom.  The usually routes had all given way to large boulder fields and where you used to be able to drive across in a stock 2 wheel drive now took some wheelin.  As I eased Big Yeller off into a water crossing that used to be very shallow we watched the big 44” TSLs almost disappear.  We halted and then with all of my driving skills, I killed the engine.  As luck would have it, the starter decided that this would be a good time to retire.  With Big Yeller literally “Dead in the Water” we had to ask the Urban Crawler for assistance.  We pulled the winch cable and the winch chose today to take some time off (nothing!).  Next we hooked the cable onto the back of Yeller and the Crawler pulled back against the Big Yeller Jeep and eased it back onto the bank.  Then, finding a boulder with the right rear tire of Yeller, we came to a stop and we heard that sound that we all hate to hear. (POP)  We had busted the right front outer axle shaft on the Crawler.  We then unhooked and hitched a ride back into camp in the crawler and picked up another starter for Yeller.  Bret and myself returned to the scene and, as the sun disappeared for the day, we performed a starter transplant on Big Yeller.  Bret and myself then made it back into camp where we found that the BJs had arrived.  We all hooked it into town for a quick bite to eat and by the time we returned, Brad, Sabrina and Nic Kennedy were nearing camp.
 
As Brad hit the ground and set up his Toter, he was greeted with the news that we had already broken 2 Jeeps and the sun had just set on our arrival day.  He quickly jumped into gear and dug right into the Crawler and changed out the right axle shaft. We hoped that this was not an omen as to the way the weekend would go.
 
We awoke to a beautiful morning on Friday.  As with the start of the event, we would continue to have issues but nothing that was not repairable.  Brad would have starter and alternator problems throughout the weekend.  Nic would enjoy a course in front driveshaft rebuilding, the Crawler would from time to time decide to throw a hissy fit and refuse to run right and BJ’s YJ became very thirsty and went through almost a full tank of fuel on the first day while loading up the induction with fuel.  After chasing several possibilities with no luck, Bret and BJ decided to drop the fuel tank.  They found that sometime in the life of the YJ someone had miss routed the return fuel line and had plumbed it back into the tank through a vent fitting instead of the regular return fitting.  This did not allow enough fuel to return to the tank resulting in back pressure in the fuel system and flooding the induction.  This resulted in a lot of black smoke and excessive fuel consumption. Yes a simple fix, but hours of chasing rabbits until they found someone else’s error.  BJ would also suffer a brake cylinder leak and boogered up brake shoes on the left rear.
 
Well so much for the bad.  Now for all the good.  We had several other folks show up to enjoy the weekend with the Austin Clan.  Doyle and Mandy Watson and friend Chris showed up from Clarksville, Ark, and wheeled for a short time on Saturday before having to head out early to get back home that evening.  Mike’s wife Paulette, daughter Michelle, and her husband Kent and their kids Erin, Teddy, and their cousin showed up to play with their ATVs.  Kenneth (my dad) and Carol Austin also made a guest appearance for a few hours on Saturday for a quick tour.  On Saturday morning to our surprise and delight, Matt Austin and Jenny came walking down the hill into the Rock Garden and spent the rest of the weekend with us while swapping off driving duties in the Urban and Big Yeller.
 
Now on with the event!!!!!!  The camp grounds were nearly full as Friday evening rolled round.  There was 5 clubs holding events at Disney this weekend.  The largest being the Suzuki clubs.  There were Sammies everywhere.  Some were bone stock and some built to the max.  The buzzing of 4 bangers filled the air at every obstacle.  It was rumored to be around 50 Zuks in camp. 

 
As usual there was a good mix of rigs crawling around on the rocks.  Doyle’s newly upgraded TJ walked tall on everything that he attempted during his short stay on Saturday.  BJ’s stock wheel base, but well built YJ did a great job as he adjusted to the Oklahoma rocks.  Bret’s TJ worked like a champ all weekend.  With the Atlas transfer case tacked together with a Klune V and 5:38 gears it sported a crawl ratio that was off the chart.  We never figured up just how low it was geared, but I did see a slug pass him while he was crawling up the waterfall (just kidding).  Be watching for more on Bret’s TJ in the Reader’s Rides section in the near future.

 
As BJ and Bret begin to get comfortable on the big stuff their rigs really started to show their stuff.  Nic’s sharp red CJ/Wrangler put on a great showing all weekend as it always does, even with the patched up front driveshaft.  It was so impressive that it appears that it may find its way to a new home in Denton, Tx.  That CJ is going to look funny with a set of LONG HORNS on the hood.
 
Brad and the Blue Beast preformed to their regular high level.  With Brad stomping the fire out of the feared Viagra/Wall of Death hill of a regular basis all weekend along with the Crack above Little Blue and the rest of the big obstacles, the Beast also walked tall.  As far as Big Yeller, she was her regular steady self all weekend after we got past the starter issue on Thursday.

It was all in all a GREAT weekend.  We got to enjoy family that we don’t get to spend much time with, build Great new friendships and rest and relax in the Great outdoors that God has provided for us to enjoy.  Man it just doesn’t get any better that this.

As I wrap this up, I would like to make a special request:  Our Good friend and wheelin' buddy Nic Kennedy may soon be departing for his 2nd tour of duty in the Middle East (This is still up in the air as to when and if).  I want to thank Nic and all the others who choose to serve and protect our country.  Please remember Nic in your prayers and pray for his safe return to his wife Mandy and the rest of his family and friends.  May God be with you Nic and protect you while you are serving us.  God Bless. Pic of Nic below, gettin' it done.

 
Now an invite to the rest of you out there, come on out to Oklahoma and lets go wheelin' the OKIE way. 
 
God Bless You and Yours!!!!!
 
OKIE –OUT
Wheels UP