Ouachita Trail

This is my second trip bike packing, the first one was on the Kokopelli trail after my freshman year in college with a bob ibex trailer. That was a rough trip and I had carried way too much stuff. Fast forward 2 years and Im in Anchorage, Alaska for the summer and swing by a bike shop in town called speedway cycles that had these frame bags that some local was making. They gave me some contact info for Eric of Epic Designs and I was on my way to a lighter method for touring.

Currently in school in Louisiana (not all that void of mtn biking) I had done quite a few races in Arkansas and really liked what I had sampled of the Ouachita Trail and fell in love with the Womble trail. I decided before I left Louisiana that I would try a bike camping trip along the trail and maybe connect over to the Womble for one last hoorah before I graduated and moved on. I couldnt find anyone crazy enough to come with me or that had the vacation time, so I was left to go out solo.

I had a small window in January before my last semester started so I headed out hoping the weather would cooperate. I left initially with good weather but knew that some bad weather would be coming the next. That was fine as there was a lodge at Queen Wilhelmina State Park that I could seek refuge if it turned really bad.

The weather did turn for the worse with the temps dropping and the wind picking up. I made a call to my girlfriend and she said an ice storm was coming through. I setup camp and thought I would bunker down and ride it out in my hammock. After a few hours in the hammock I quickly realized that I wouldnt get much sleep through the night or even freeze. So I decided to truck it to the lodge about 6 hours away.

The rock gardens that were challenging before now became impossible for me with the thin layer of ice now covering them. Even the hiking became hard as my footing was never quite sure. I was also loosing daylight fast and the temps were dropping even more rapidly. I made it back to the lodge at 11 pm that night thankful to have a warm place to sleep and decided to cut my trip short there. I haven't given up though as I still have spring break that will hopefully bring warmer temperatures and a smarter approach.