I did a most unusual bike camping trip on the Ozark Trail. Started on the Courtois Creek and rode to a section of land known as The Narrows. It's the divide between two clear water jewels, the Huzzah and the Courtois creeks. Camped on top of the divide and got caught in a nasty thunderstorm while hanging from two trees in my hammock. Homemade tarp kept me dry and lightning missed me. Next day rode a soggy, leaf covered trail to Bass Resort. This section of the Ozark Trail is incredible. Most of it is bench cut, nice and flowing but with some tough climbs. Views are fantastic. I rode a couple miles past Bass Resort, then doubled back and decided to complete my trip via the Courtois Creek. I rented a canoe, managed to wedge my bike in it with the front wheel off and set off on a 5 mile float. The creek is really shallow, so i had to hit every riffle perfectly to avoid having to get out--only one pair of socks, and I knew it would be cold. Spent the night on a gravel bar, listened to coyotes howl all night and deer crashing through the creek. Next day I floated the remaining 2.5 miles to my car. Good times! Planning a longer trip for a future date. I can extend this same trip to 20 miles, easily had enough provisions for this. There's a good 100 miles of biking on the OT.
This is the start with the Courtois in the background.
A look at the trail with rocky limestone bluff.
Feet to the fire!
Home sweet hammock. That's a Warbonnet Blackbird with Yeti under quilt and a homemade silnylon tarp. I use a down top quilt from Mid-Atlantic Mountain Works.
Coffee from a titanium cup.
Another look at the first night camp
On the trail. That's a Yeti ARC, I call her Joan of ARC.
Sweet single track
Selfie on the trail. If you look close, you can see blood running down my arm from a close encounter with a tree
Carpet of leaves after a major thunderstorm. A little slick, but not bad. Bike handled well considering the load.
View of a farm and the Huzzah Creek from The Narrows. Perfect camping spot here, I should have gone another quarter mile…
Joan of ARC with her burden. I'm using a Revelate Design handlebar harness with pocket. It's holding the under quilt and a small pillow. In the back is a FreeLoad rack. I packed everything into a dry sack and lashed that to the rack. Inside was a Jetboil stove, change of clothes, a pair of Brooks Pure Grit shoes and a Katidyn water purifier. It stayed in place well. Could have used more weight in the front. Besides this, I wore an Osprey pack with backpacking food and water inside.
Here's the Yeti loaded in the canoe. I didn't have any rope, so I lashed it down with the packs and my helmet.
Headed down the Courtois. Had to be super careful.
Selfie on the creek. I'm a long-time river rat but this was my first cold weather float.
Limestone bluffs on the Courtois.
A little fall color remained
Take out at Scotia
I put the bike back together. Left the packs a mile upstream. Still had a little ride on a gravel road back to my car. Great trip, can't wait to do it again.
