Fourteen months ago Chief and I were contacted by JT, Jeep Thing Founder, to go with him to check out private land, at a location of ‘Sayersbrook Bison Ranch.  We had been looking for a large amount of land for quite a long time.

We met and picked up Merlin from Jeep Jamboree USA at the YMCA Trout Lodge, and headed toward the ranch.  We met the owner Skip Sayers.  After a view of his maps,  it was time for a ride.  It was as close to being perfect for grooming that we have seen.  Mr. Sayers, is a Humvee owner and is in a Humvee club.  He was not happy with the amount of difficult trails on his over 64,000 acres.  For one year, a dedicated group was busting trails.  Everything from 1 to 2 stocker trails, to Extreme 9.999 obstacles.  JJ would not let us call it a 10. It's was made without assistance just once. There were enough trails to handle 160 Jeeps with 37 Trail guides.

After Thursday night's registrations, JJ would register then point the driver to our trail selection tables.  Ranging from 1 to 9, drivers were to pick a combination of 2 trails before and 2 after lunch.  The wait for JJ’s registration was the only complaint I heard all week end.  Well, besides ?lunch?!  It was an early night for Friday’s mornings trail ride.

My Friday assignment was to Trail Guide 26 Jeeps locked at least on one end, down 2 pre-lunch 5-7’s and 2 post-lunch 7-9’s.  Yes, the opened at both ends Chili Pepper!

All participants, including Tony Twist the former St. Louis Blue, had a great time, with great challenges.  After lunch, I did a trash pick up, we hit the hard trails.  The bigger rigs wanted to play,  and sense we went a little quick pre-lunch, we had time to give everybody what they wanted.

There were quite a few locked and loaded rigs ready for a challenge.  None of them made it up the Wall.  My previous tries did not see my Chili Pepper any farther up the wall than a TJ with ARB air locker front, Ox Trax Superior D35C Axle rear, wearing 33 inch tires did.

After the Wall we headed to the run off creek bed.  This averages out at an 8 it took an hour to spot my 13 Jeeps through the multiple obstacles.  There was a very lucky juvenile Timber/Canebrake that sat right in the center of the trail for all 25 Jeeps to pass over then show itself to me when I was headed back to my Jeep.  After Letting it passes back to the woods, I caught up to the line and we finished an amazing day of trails.

Heading back to the pavilion, we waited for the dinner bell.  Fridays menu was a choice between Chicken or fresh Bison burger.  The Bison was the BEST after trail run dinner.  Maybe because I didn’t have to cook.  A short ride from Sayersbrook Bison ranch and we were back at the YMCA Trout Lodge, for a much needed nights sleep.
 

Saturdays assignment was an easier.  4-7 Before and after lunch.  Many stock vehicles did very well for first time on the terrain.  We went from a Eastside trail to a Westside trail, making lunch under the pavilion possible.  We heard quite a bit of breaking Jeeps of the radios.  One was a lost plug from the front D30 from a TJ.  Another was a smooth ring gear in an XJ with a D44 rear.  BradXJ (Trail Guide)  Sold the participant his D44 out of the back of the XJ he was wheeling.  BradXJ is a Master Mechanic living in St. Louis.  He returned home and missed the final night of celebration to remove the D44, put it into the back of his WJ.  He returned Sunday at noon and installed the axle for the participants XJ.

Waited for the dinner bell.  Saturdays menu was a choice between Bison Ribs or Bison Ribeye Steak.  They were both GREAT.

Not just former Blue Tony Twist, but many out of state participants were here for the First Annual Ozark Mountain Jeep Jamboree.  I met great Jeepers from Carolina to Oregon.  I loved talking to them  all.

I always wondered what the big deal was with the expensive Jeep Jamborees.  After my first attendance I know every reason to go.

I Can’t wait until the First Annual Ozark Mountain Camp Jeep this July.

Hope to see you there!!

If you would like to see the Mark Twain National Forrest from the inside out, just send me an email and we can work something out.

Until then….
Have a nice ride and keep the rubber side down,
The Chili Pepper