Lunch at Whole Hog Cafe on Sunshine and Campbell in Springfield Mo

Pit stop at Redmon’s in Phillipsburg Mo

Should have considered this before the hike!!!

The hike was worth this picture! Hemmed In Hollow, Compton Arkansas

Awesome eats outside Jasper Arkansas

Boating on Stockton Lake on a summer day! Paradise.

Hiking Pomme de Terre MO

Mountain biking trip at Fellows Lake Mo turned into a nice hike. Next time I’ll bring a helmet.

Seasonal Encounters Branson was fun for the whole family! Attentive staff and an excellent Santa

and Mrs. Claus.

As always, I have many plans but only so much time. The Etsy store is still in the works with items in production this month (January 2023). Darby and I are planning a podcast discussing some of the crazier aspects of our adventures and a trip to Oklahoma with Cole for a hiking/camping trip. I have already hiked this month on January 1 and am planning another short hike this week.

Check out htdto2020 on Instagram to follow other adventures that are too short to blog about or head over to my FB page How to do the Ozarks and check out other places I’ve been visiting in SW Missouri.

I’m still working on that Stockton Lake camping trip as well as visiting the RV show the first weekend in March at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds to dream about my new investment for the blog-a popup trailer. Stay tuned for more adventures, places to eat, shop and take the kids.

Ahh…dear reader, every January I sit at my desk to map out a plan for this blog and the vlog on YouTube and by December many of my plans have disintegrated.  Some of 2021’s mishaps were owed to vehicle trouble and the pandemic still raging across the country, even here in the middle of America.  Some of it was pure laziness.  This year I hope to be more like Turtle Quotes, a blog I follow who was prodigious this past year, apparently keeping their promise to themselves to really up their blog game and succeeded.

So, reader I will attempt several things with more verve this year such as posting every two weeks, upping my Instagram game and remembering to get my Small Business Saturday posts on Facebook actually posted on Saturday.  Kayaking Lake Springfield, a feature on Dickerson Park Zoo, Fritz’s Adventure and Discovery Center are all in the planning stages as well as that spread on camping at Stockton Lake which was cancelled last year due to my prodigal daughters visit.  That was definitely worth postponing.

I will also be stocking an Etsy store with Ozarks inspired items made on my new CNC router.  Plans are on the table for an Ozarks inspired Tic Tac Toe game, fishing rod holders, and picture frames for that outdoor lover in the family.  So watch out 2022, this girl is ready to get out there and cover the best of what the Ozarks has to offer!

Hello fellow travelers!!!  2020 is behind us, Covid 19 vaccines have been developed and a new year has begun.  2020 did not put too much of a damper on my travel, but it did make visiting restaurants, museums and entertainment venues harder.  My goals for this year include bringing you even more Facebook posts on my How to do the Ozarks FB page, Instagram photos on htdto2020, vlog posts on YouTube at How To Do The Ozarks, and visiting more fun places in this amazing geographical part of Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Be on the lookout for a spread about camping and boating at Stockton Lake, hiking in Arkansas at Hemmed In Hollow, kayaking with James River Outfitters and more.  I have been toying with the idea of allowing comments on the blog, vlog and other social media to drive where I may go from week to week and I will let you know soon enough if that is the direction I decide to go in this year. 

I will also be revisiting a few places that just didn’t get enough attention and blog space last year like Elephant Rocks, Johnson’s Shut In’s and Eureka Springs at Christmas time.  I did visit these places last year, but decided to hold back on writing about them as I wanted to see if I could gain a better experience especially at Elephant Rocks and the Shut In’s.  I was very tired from hiking when I visited these sites and not prepared to experience them in a positive way to give my readers a true look at these amazing sites.

So!  Get ready friends and prepare to get out there!     

This whole month I’ve been considering the troubles we avid adventurers can get into and how to minimize the risks when we camp, kayak, canoe and hike.  Sometimes you can do everything right and still end up in a bad situation, needing basic supplies.

With that in mind, I sent a text to my son, Cole, and asked him to take a picture of what he considers essential for his hikes-some of which are overnight hikes.  He takes an inner frame backpack on overnight hikes.  The bass doesn’t go with.  Here is what he sent me:

Essential gear for longer day and overnight hikes in the Ozarks

Due to his habit of sleeping out on his hikes, he always carries his hammock, 2 tarps, paracord, nylon braid cord, flint and a steel knife with fishing line and a hook stored in the handle.  He carries his kettle, sanitizer, extra wool socks, lighter fluid, gloves, tarp and axe.  He brings a dry sack when he kayaks, but it would come in handy for bear food storage as well.  Also included are sunglasses, headlamp, pocket solar panels to charge his phone, cup, fork and pan with a lid.  He carries a small towel,  Sawyer squeeze for water (available online at most outdoor gear retailers), sleeping pad and bag, along with the camera and tripod.  In the summer he rarely uses the sleeping bag and never carries a tent.  He also carries TP and electrical tape, which can function for him as a first aid kit in a pinch.  A lot of Cole’s gear is multi functional.  He can use the tarp for rain jacket in a pinch.  If he needs a quick shelter, stringing the rope and using the tarps will act as a tent.  The trick is to take what you need but not carry so much it takes away your energy and enjoyment of the hike.  Always wear a hat and take a bandana on hikes-they are very useful for everything to cooling down to first aid.

Of course, he will also take along MRE’s (Meal Ready to Eat) or other lightweight foods and water.  Some favorites are beef jerky, trail mix, dried fruit (don’t eat too much), peanut butter, ramen, bananas, and tuna fish with crackers.  I also like those cracker packs with either tuna salad or chicken salad that are available at Aldi for about a dollar.  When hiking it’s important to stay hydrated and have high energy foods available.

Of course, the location and duration of your hike will dictate your needs.  For a short hike in a well-traveled location it’s not as essential to have a big first aid kit or lots of food.  Water yes, food not so much.  On our recent hike to Ha Ha Tonka State Park, we took essentials only and kept our packs small and lightweight.  We traveled 1.75 miles in about 2 hours and had a good time.  I’ll post more about this trip in 2 weeks.

With my own backpack for day hikes-I never sleep rough-I usually carry a whistle and first aid kit along with water, bug spray, a decent flashlight, rope, sunscreen and a few snacks.  I also have mace, a small army knife, and Chapstick.  I have been lost before when hiking and been down to the last half hour before sunset wondering if I was going to make it back to the car before it got dark.  I’ve also had friends get caught out in weather, remember it is SWMO and weather here can be unpredictable especially in the spring.  I’ve also had friends get caught out overnight with essentially no gear and no food, because what started out as a well-marked trail got less so after a few miles-not fun.

Minimal supplies for a short day hike

Remember too, your cell phone may not work out in the back country.  You may get a spotty signal if you find a high enough hill, but nothing beats being prepared before you leave the house.  Also, it’s a good idea to always let someone know where you’re going to be hiking and a general time of when you will be back, especially if you are taking off for a few days.

The Ozarks region is filled with beautiful places to hike for a day or a week so get out there!

Check out the Facebook page How to do the Ozarks and Instagram htdto2020 for more pictures and places to visit!

The Ozarks is a great place for winter fun.  From hiking chilly trails, hunting back acres, kayaking quiet rivers, enjoying indoor sports like SkyZone, mini golf and antique shopping-there is plenty to do if you just look around.  This time of year Chili Cook offs for charities abound and the circus acts are in Springfield and other cities.

Today, I wanted to get out to Pomme de Terre (pronounced “Pumeley Tar”-yeah I don’t get it either) and hike, but a nagging pain in my lower back and high wind conditions changed my mind.  Instead I spent time with my youngest daughter, talking about college plans, driving back roads, and taking pictures of the Pomme de Terre State Park waiting for spring to bring it back to life.  I kept an eye out for bald eagles, a bird that moves through this part of Missouri during January and February but found only Canada Geese, perched precariously on thin ice on the windy lake.  Still, seeing the partially frozen water, trees completely bare of leaves, and the quiet that winter brings reminds me that we all need downtime, Sunday drive time, breathing room.

If bald eagles interest you, check out the Springfield Nature Center, Stockton Lake or Dora.  Eagles tend to visit the same areas every year and these spots have watch areas leading to some excellent photography opportunities.

So get out there, take a drive in the wind, roll through those empty back roads and wave to a farmer bringing hay out to his cattle.  Find some rural grocery store with a deli and stop in.  Say hi to the locals, they don’t care that your a home state or out of town tourist, they’re just happy to take your money this time of year. Remind yourself that there is more out there than 9 to 5, kids schedules, and payments to the bank.

I’ll be visiting Pomme De Terre for winter hiking, Stockton for spring kayaking, and Wonders Of Wildlife Aquarium during the first quarter of this year.  I will also be bringing you the very best local places to eat and where to take the kids.  Of course, I always have more plans than time, but I will do my best to continue to bring you information you can use on fun places to visit, great places to eat, and other things to do in our diverse area of the US!  Look for my Facebook page-How to do the Ozarks-for day to day photos and information on where I am and what I’m doing!