Photo of Nimblewill Nomad by Larry Duffy


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FINAL ENTRY - ODYSSEY 2011 - TRIPLE-O

Dreaming a dream is one thing, realizing that dream (quite often) can turn to be another thing entirely. You see folks, for the past number of years, while being asked repeatedly if he’d hiked any of the great trails in his own backyard, and after living the continual frustration of having to say no, in his mind, then, began forming the dream to do just that, to hike the great trails of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. And so, the passion, the quest to fulfill that dream was born, a dream to connect, by a thru-hike, the three major Midwestern trails, the Ozark, the Ozark Highlands, and the Ouachita.

And finally, on May 4th of this year, at Onondaga Cave State Park southwest of St. Louis, Nimblewill began Odyssey 2011. Early-on he’d been informed by an Ozark Highlands Trail volunteer that no one had yet thru-hiked the Ozark and the Ozark Highlands Trail(s), let alone all three. So for sure, throughout the journey, the excitement continually welled within him. It was a glorious beginning. However, as circumstances quite often turn, the journey proved unbelievably long and very bumpy. Things were progressing just fine, that is until May 22nd when Nomad suffered a major setback. After 18 days and a little over 300 miles on the Ozark Trail, and after days of dealing with excruciating knee pain, it became evident that he could no longer continue. It took 18 days and multiple visits to Dr. Tim, Nimblewill’s sports med doc, to finally get his knees working and his legs back under him again. Then, on June 21st, while trekking the Ozark Highlands Trail in the Sylamore Section, Arkansas, at that point, 33 days and 530 miles into the journey, another setback. He took a terrible fall, breaking his right leg in the process. More visits to Doc Tim (and 53 more days off-trail for that one) before finally being able to return.

However, propelled by will and determination, on September 9th, at Pinnacle Mountain State Park north of Little Rock, his dream became reality—a successful thru-hike o’er the Triple-O, a delightfully catchy name for the amalgam of these three trails—as coined by Nimblewill’s dear friend, Gordon.

Oh yes, and oh my goodness, was Odyssey 2011 a difficult and protracted journey, but did it not also turn to be amazingly charmed, the final day, just remarkable. All journal entries, photos, and videos are now posted for your enjoyment.

Thanks, all dear family, friends, and sponsors, for your prayers, encouragement, and support, true and absolute blessings to this old intrepid!

Nimblewill Nomad

 
 

 


A PATH BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

A special recitation by Nimblewill Nomad
Video by George Orozco of Seattle, Washington
 

George is an Ultra-Distance Runner, looking to soon thru-hike the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. A special thank you to George, for the time and effort taken to put together an image and music background for the Nomad's recitation of this poem/prayer.

 
 

 

The Nomad has completed the Triple-O
(Ozark Trial - Ozark Highlands Trail - Ouachita Trail)


 










 
 

September 9, the final day of this journey, Odyssey 2011. You may recall this Triple-O hike was supposed to be a warm-up, purpose being to whip me into shape for trekking the final two National Scenic Trail(s), the Ice Age and the New England. But rather than whipping me into shape, this Triple-O has just plain whipped me, pure and simple. I should have been in Little Rock no later than mid-June. It’s now going on mid-September!

I’ve been humbled before, but it’s been awhile since I’ve been as firmly slammed in place—like the whipping these three trails have laid on me. And as to the virtue of patience? Oh my, daily do I pray for patience in all ways. Sitting around 18 days, waiting while my knees came back, then sitting again for nearly two months, waiting for my broken leg to heal—all those days spent just sitting (and waiting)—thank you, Lord, for a new appreciation and understanding of patience—and for granting me the strength (and patience) to endure.

Please enjoy trekking along with the Nomad in this journey along the Triple-O, an amalgam of three National Recreation Trails, spanning Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
 


Of the 500 miles of proposed trail in Missouri, some 350 miles of the Ozark Trail have been completed.  Isolated sections are interconnected (for now) by somewhat lengthy roadwalks.  It’s a scenic-but-rugged trail, as it traverses the highest land between the Appalachians and the Rockies, the Ozark Mountains, as they’ve come to be known. And these Ozark Mountains?  Well, they could be more correctly categorized as highlands, since they sprawl across an elevated, deeply dissected plateau.  And for sure, the region is unique, certainly as to its culture, in both folklore and folksong.  The descriptive term Hillbilly, or Ozark Hillbilly; they’re pretty much synonymous (Yup, that’s Nimblewill!).  It’s a remarkably diverse region.  Here can be found mountainous terrain marked by deep valleys through which clear, meandering streams flow.  Caves are numerous.  Hillsides throughout are heavily forested in oak, hickory, and pine.  Minerals abound.  Agriculture, forestry, mining, tourism, they’re the mainstay.

As the Nomad left Missouri, he continued his trek along the Ozark Highlands Trail. This cross-country route in northwest Arkansas stretches 165 miles from Lake Fort Smith State Park, across the Ozark National Forest, to the Buffalo National River. The trail passes through some of the most remote and scenic portions of the Ozark Mountains, like the Hurricane Creek Wilderness Area. It also visits White Rock Mountain, Hare Mountain, the Marinoni Scenic Area, and countless other breathtaking spots, and crosses more than 60 named creeks, streams and rivers, passing hundreds of seasonal waterfalls, lots of sandstone bluffs, giant boulders and scenic vistas.

The Nomad completed his Triple-O odyssey on the Ouachita Trail, which stretches 223 miles through the beautiful Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma. The first 192 miles lie within the Ouachita National Forest; the remaining 31 miles, maintained by Pinnacle Mountain State Park, traverse lands owned by timber companies and Central Arkansas Water. However, to make his Amtrak connect in Little Rock (to head home at journey's end) the Nomad hiked this trail in reverse, picking it up at Talimena State Park, in Oklahoma, crossing into Arkansas, traveling through Queen Wilhelmina State Park, and ending the odyssey at Pinnacle Mountain State Park, near Little Rock. From there to the Amtrak and home.

 

 

Thumbnail image of Ten Million Steps book cover, paperback edition.  

Ten Million Steps: The Nimblewill Nomad's epic 10-month trek from the Florida Keys to Quebec

This is a second edition (528 page, paperback version) of this book. The first edition (Year 2000, hardback version) sold out very quickly and has only been occasionally available through the secondary market.

If you missed out the first time, don't miss your opportunity to own a copy of this one. The book is available at Menasha Ridge Press and Amazon.com

 

 


NATIONAL CURRENT

Planning a hike, or just a day outdoors?
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NATIONAL RADAR

 

Whether you're visiting the Nomad's site, or perhaps met up with him somewhere along the trail, why not take a moment to sign his guestbook and let him know!  For those of you who may have signed a guestbook previous to 2005, unfortunately those files cannot be revived for use on the current site so, please sign again. Although your e-mail address will be required to sign, it will not be publicly displayed on the Internet. To sign, please click on "Sign Guestbook" in the navigation bar on the left side of your screen or the Guestbook icon above.

 

 

"Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate,
And though I oft have passed them by,
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun."

 

 

[J.R.R. Tolkien]

 

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       M. J. Eberhart
 The Nimblewill Nomad




 

 


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