Muddin uddin’ by
Ray Dees
56
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
A
s Southerners, we grew up worshipping the God known as football. We endured the Saturday afternoons when she was not so good to us and held our heads a little higher on those glorious weekends when she chose to shine down on us in the form of touchdowns. The celebration begins with the fun of going out in the middle of a field, starting a bon fire, coolers full of your beverage choice, and always ends in a donut or two. The second most loved sport is Mud Ridin’. Surely all Southerners at one time or another have been Mud Ridin’. This is a right of passage for most, to show what your truck or Jeep can really accomplish in all terrains. For some this is just another day with friends doing something that comes natural. A lot of individuals take the off-roading very seriously, by jacking up their trucks, buying huge tires, and weld in a whole new roll cage. For these individuals, there are parks that can provide such courses for the intermediate to the most extreme off-roader. As I grew up in the South, I too loved to mud ride. It has been a passion of mine. As I traveled around, I went to some of these parks that have these courses. I started in Missouri, and found a place called Brick’s 4x4 Farm in Poplar Bluff. They accept all offroading vehicles. The trails here range from the green for the intermediate, to the blue for moderate, and to the crawlers (if you like to climb rocks). Their mud is soupy, and tough to get through. If you don’t have the right tires, you are stuck. They do have a recovery system there, just in case you need it. As for lodging you can camp there for $20 per night for up to eight people. Next we traveled to Oklahoma, where Hogan’s Off-road Park is located in Disney, Okla. They have campsites, full hook-ups for RVs and cabins for rent. This park is always open. They offer the mud from a lake bottom; we all know what that means, you will need something light, fast and a real good winch. Those heavy trucks might not cut this one, but it is always fun to try. After a night’s stay, we went next door to Arkansas, and Byrd’s Adventure Center of the Ozarks, where you can have a nice scenic ride or tear up a transmission on one of the most challenging obstacle courses in the nation. It’s $5 per person if camping, and $10 if not, but stay for a while. You will enjoy the great outdoors and have enough time to fix your vehicle. After a good breakfast, we traveled yet again for another adventure in the 4-wheeling life. We went Kentucky for the Black Mountain Off-road Adventure Park, located in Harlan County, Ky. They offer all types of trails for all types of 4-wheeling fun.
Each trail is labeled on the difficulty level. This place is great for certain types of vehicles; the big Dodges, Fords or Chevys can fit through these trails. You can really have great family fun here. There are also local 4-wheelin’ clubs that you can join. The next place we traveled to was the Volunteer State; here is a diamond in the rough – Wooly’s Off-road in Lynnville, Tenn., where there are miles and miles of every type of terrain that you can imagine. Through the woods, in an open field, and even through a creek, there is a drawback. Wooly’s is closed during the week, but that’s okay if you are coming with a group. You can go and camp for free with the price of admission. As we head where the wind blows, we stopped in Alabama at the Grey Rock Orv, in Mt. Olive, Ala. This place is not for the tame at heart. You will have to be a pro to drive these rockfilled trails. Before traveling here you will need to jack up your vehicle and make sure that your axels and springs can extend 100 percent before breaking. There are rocks here, rocks and rocks everywhere. You will see them in the road, in the trails and
even on your windshield if you’re not careful, as we did. If you can afford the damage, go here and spend a day traveling with friends through these trails. As we end our journey in Mississippi, we heard many rumors on a place called Red Creek Off-road, located in Perkinston. For only $30 you get a 4x4 all-day pass, and it’s only $5 per person a night. Here you’re in the woods, out of the woods, and if you are not careful you are in the bog mud. This place was a “hoot and a holler”. There was more mud that you can shake a stick at. If you get hungry after all that driving, there is a snack shop will all kinds of goodies. This was the place to be if you wanted good homegrown fun. After this Southern muddin’ adventure through seven states, I might need to recoup myself – and my funds – and set off on a new journey on the 4-wheelin’ circuit.
MARCH 2008 • Y’ALL
57