Bell Mountain

Another awesome backpacking trip before the dreaded ticks invade.  I was able to score a new backpack this winter for a great price, the Osprey Atmos 50. (which if you can find the 2011 verison, is a screaming deal).  The pack works great and I think it looks cool, but the coolest thing I bought was a GSI Outdoors mug and bowl combo.  The nesting concept is great and they worked so great after the hike I bought the micro dualist.

If you are in Missouri, Bell Moutain it is a great hike, the second highest peak in Missouri offers a fantastic view.  The peak has a couple great camp sites and Council Bluff Lakes has a couple.  I was actually surprised that the Ozark Trail has such an awesome website.  You can search different hikes and provides you with fantastic topo maps, Link Here.  If you can't read a map and go hiking without one, you are asking for a disaster or a spot on the 10 o'clock news.

If you make the peak before sunrise, it has a great place for some yoga.

One casualty on the trip was my ESEE Jungles, the duracoat came right off.  Oh well last time I duracoat a knife that I use.  Probably last time I waste time with an elaborate pattern

The KBAR survived a little better.

I love taking NOOBs camping and watching them cut down a tree with a knife for the first time.  What a feeling you get hacking down a tree and processing firewood, then building a fire without matches.  Reminds me when I was 16, after a date with Stephen S.  I pulled into her driveway, I turned to say thanks before going around and opening her car door.  The next thing I remembered was her porch lights flashing, apparently 15 minutes had elapsed during the first make out session of my young life.  I open my eyes still in a daze, my windows were fogged up, she said thanks and ran inside, what a feeling.