What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Petit Jean Arkansas Camping Friday November 6, 2009

Scorch

Active Member
We will be doing our fly-in camping trip to Petit Jean (MPJ) this year on Friday, November 6. Sorry about relatively short fused notification, I plead disorganized! All RVers are invited, bring your spam can friends along too if they want to come.

The Plan: Arrive whenever you want on Friday, I plan on getting there mid-afternoon-ish. Friday evening is The Banquet, our mass campfire cookout meal and socializing, followed by retiring to our tents and being serenaded to sleep by the geese that I guess are still there.

Saturday, for those who want to, we can eat all the leftover food and dessert for breakfast, and then the FBO can give us a ride over to the main park for a hike. Lunch at Mather Lodge if we want, and then return to airport camping. All this flexible with the only "real" event the Friday night "Banquet". Option to stay another night camping if desired.

What to bring: chocks, tie-downs, tent camping gear, food for yourselves and some extra to share with the "drop-ins," a dessert to share, and something to cook with - I'm bringing a couple of those "disposable" grills from WalMart, or you can bring some kind of grill to use over the campfire.

The Petit Jean camping area is very close to where we park the planes and has electricity, water, and an excellent bath house with showers. Cost is about $5 - $10 per person I think, I haven't figured out how we pay yet but we ARE booked for the 6th.

This trip has been a great time in the past, hope to see you there!
 
We've done this what - two or three times now? It gets better each year because of the people that show up! Outstanding aircraft camping location, pretty woods....if we're not careful, this could turn into the next "Big Event" in the RV world.

We've got schedule conflicts this year - will see if they work themselves out....

Paul
 
Tanya and I are actively working on making this trip. It's a pretty short trigger for "workin' folk", but we're hopeful that 22C will be in attendance Friday evening. We're even working on some spam can friends too (to carry the gear (kitchen sink and all) in the Piper Dakota :).
 
I'm in if I can get off work and the weather smiles on us. Things have been a bit ugly here (both at work and the weather). Got my glider commercial checkride out of the way, so soaring season is pretty much done for me except for ridge soaring and wave camps this winter.

TODR
 
JayBird's new title

JayBird you have done it before so now we're making it official: you are hereby designated Campfire Chairman. Your job is to delegate the firewood collecting chores to those who are physically strong but lack your executive skills. Danny comes to mind.

Scott and Tanya, yeah, the short notice was my bad, November sort of snuck up on me this year, and then we had to move the date up a little. You're gonna like Petit Jean - the park has a web site : http://www.petitjeanstatepark.com/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Campfire Chairman

Scorch,

OK!

I can handle that job,, being weak of mind, and strong of back,,,,, i,,,,,,will try to get others to do my work...or not..........

When i find a Skywagon I will bring the wood, and the chain saw.
 
Last edited:
Reservation

A couple of people have asked me if they need to reserve anything for our fly-in camping at Petit Jean. The short answer is no - our group has the entire fly-in camp site reserved for November 6th. All we need to do is show up.

Scorch
 
Ride?

Hi all, I live in the Fayetteville Arkansas area and I am planning on coming to the fly in. I will have to drive since I don't have an RV and the spam can I rent is booked for the weekend. If anyone is stopping by KFYV and has an extra seat I would chip in for some gas! If not, would there be a chance that I could get a demo ride at the Park? I have been lurking around here for a while and I am huge RV fan, but I am a college student so there is not a whole lot of room to build in the dorms!
 
Music Chairman

We are currently in the selection process for the position of Music Chairman at Petit Jean. This selection process will not be especially rigorous - pretty much if you want the job, it's yours.:p

Requirements For Music Chairman:

1. Bring a guitar.

2. Know how to play "Michael Row The Boat Ashore" and "Kumbaya."

3. That's about it.

Might also be good if someone could bring a kareoke machine.
 
Roughing It

We are currently in the selection process for the position of Music Chairman at Petit Jean. This selection process will not be especially rigorous - pretty much if you want the job, it's yours.:p

Requirements For Music Chairman:

1. Bring a guitar.

2. Know how to play "Michael Row The Boat Ashore" and "Kumbaya."

3. That's about it.

Might also be good if someone could bring a kareoke machine.


A kareoke machine??? I can see you guys & gals are going to be "really roughing it." Maybe you can get someone to bring a little monkey that turns a crank on a music box. Now that would make a good Music Chairman!
 
Actually I think there may be a music chairman that's local...remember Deliverance? It was filmed not to far from there (Buffalo River)...
:eek:

Bob
:D
 
Actually I think there may be a music chairman that's local...remember Deliverance? It was filmed not to far from there (Buffalo River)...

Trivia point - the moive Deliverance was filmed in Tallulah Gorge and on the Chattooga River, both of which are located in North Georgia. Back in the 70's I lived in Atlanta and along with a climbing buddy did a lot of climbing in the gorge, which had become rather famous due to the movie. One first ascent that we made, a route we called "Hemorrhoid Heaven" because it was a series of snug chimneys, became a well known climbing standard. Ahhh, to be young again...

Fortunately, we never encountered any locals that seemed "too friendly"! :eek:
 
Last edited:
Petit Jean

Tom & Bonnie are planning to attend for the first time. Our plan is to flyin on Friday afternoon and leave on Sat afternoon. While we did camp alot out of the RV this summer, we did not carry cooking stuff so we are trying to decide what to bring. Do most people cook the meat for Friday nights banquet over the fire?
 
Tanya and I are in as well with a Friday afternoon arrival and Sat. noon departure. We're planning on cooking our Brats on a stick on a community fire as well as beans warmed up in the can. Stick 'em in a bun and chow. Weather is looking good so far.
 
It looks like there is a very good chance that Louise and I will be there Friday through Saturday as well!
 
Cooking

Tom & Bonnie, glad you guys are going to make it, weather is looking good.

As far as cooking, we will have a large camp fire and some will just cook with that, dogs on a stick or one of those folding grill things for burgers if you want to bring one. I am bringing two of those WalMart one-use charcoal grills and all are welcome to share those if you're cooking steaks or chicken. I'm also bringing a bag of charcoal, I seem to remember the sites have built in grills.

Breakfast Saturday is anything from Doug Reeves cold PopTarts to leftover burgers and pie (me), some have cooked up a full breakfast in the past. I will make a few pots of coffee to share. We will have transport to Mather Lodge and the main park Saturday morning, the restaurant there is open all day.

Looks like a good group is shaping up, Iron you get to lead the expedition up the old beacon tower!
 
Trivia point - the moive Deliverance was filmed in Tallulah Gorge and on the Chattooga River, both of which are located in North Georgia. Back in the 70's I lived in Atlanta and along with a climbing buddy did a lot of climbing in the gorge, which had become rather famous due to the movie. One first ascent that we made, a route we called "Hemorrhoid Heaven" because it was a series of snug chimneys, became a well known climbing standard. Ahhh, to be young again...

Fortunately, we never encountered any locals that seemed "too friendly"! :eek:

You are so correct! I've actually canoned the Bufalo. Ark has some really beautiful spots and this location is one of them. I was stationed in Byltheville for about 4 years. Memphis or points east kept me sane (ok, I'm lying on that one...).

Thanks! And enjoy you all!

Bob
 
Looks like a good group is shaping up, Iron you get to lead the expedition up the old beacon tower!

If I recall correctly, that is a Navy job...sir!

Hey, I resemble that remark.:eek:
petitjean.jpg
 
Last edited:
Hope there is enough parking.......

I'm in. Looking forward to seeing everyone and grilling a big fat steak on the fire.
As far as the kareoke....wasn't it Wilbur Wright who said..."I know of only one bird, the parrot, who talks, and he can't fly that high"....well I'm sure the same thing applys to pilots who sing....or try to sing.....except for Jay of course...he can do anything.
I plan to come in Friday afternoon and leave about 3:00 on Saturday.
See you there!
 
So the family of three wants to go camping and the flying RV only holds two, the four seat RV isn't finished yet, and the Bonanza is good to go...what is one to do? :confused: Okay, all in fun...I think we'll be there. It might be a bit chilly...we'll bring some hot cider...the adult version :D and the child version. Sounds like a great time. -Jim, Trina and Nathan Update: I hate it when work gets in the way of airplane fun, but this is one of those cases--no go for us now. Have fun!
 
Last edited:
Scorch, judging by the responses so far, and the weather forecasts, I hope you have a deck boss to spot all the airplanes that are going to be there!

Paul
 
Sat Breakfast

RV6 Builder Don More called me tonight an invited us to an EAA Chapter Fly in Breakfast on Saturday at KHOT Hot Springs airport.....
So If you have no breakfast,,,, maby we can fly over and meet some new folks?
 
Camping Fees at Petit Jean

Just talked to Toni at the MPJ FBO. Cost for the entire fly-in camping area is a little over a hundred bucks. I will pay that for the group, and then I will collect five or ten bucks a head later, whatever you want to pay, and give 100% of what I collect to Doug Reeves for his charities.

Krash - consider this make-up for my not buying any raffle tickets at LOE!

So when you arrive, buy gas at the FBO if you want, don't pay for camping, I will hit you up for a modest donation.

I'm already scheming to get half of Andy's steak...
 
A-h-h-h Another day in paradise

Arkansas - the natural state - beautiful weather - you're welcome.

Bob Axsom
 
Checking in!

Fabulous weekend. Great group. Great weather. Nothing scary happened. Thanks very much to Scorch for gathering us together. I'm not sure anyone got an official count but something like 20 RVs, 1 Super Cub, 1 Maule, and 1 National Guard helicopter joined the fun for at least awhile. Longest distance attendee was Alex Peterson from the Twin Cities (only about 5 hours flight). I expect photos will come soon but, if others are like me, daylight is aburnin' and I headed back out to the hanger.
 
Cards are back. Simply awesome. 2+39. Only one minute difference from the Weathermeister route forecast on the iphone sitting at lunch.

Many kudos to Doug for the wisdom of ear plugs to combat the honking geese, Ross for all his organization of assembly and moving people around, Jay for bringing the "kitchen sink" in the super cub, and everybody else for the all around good times.
 
Last edited:
Petit Jean

Tom & Bonnie got home about 4pm this afternoon. Had a great time. Thanks to Ross for all his work and for picking the weekend with fabulous weather!! Thanks Jay for your fire building and cooking breakfast this morning. Took 100 pictures so tomorrow will sort through and post some.
 
Petit Jean

If you missed it, you missed a great time. Thanks to our fearless leader Scorch (Ross Burgess) for planning the whole thing. Thanks to Doug Reeves for his website that let so many good folks know about it, and thanks to Captain Jay and Carol for fire, food, and fun! And of course, thanks to the big guy for the beautiful weather and Petit Jean Arkansas.

This has become a great RV fly-in camp out. There is plenty more room, so those that haven't been there, plan for next year. Building the Doll has been such a blessing. I never would have imagined how it would change my life when I drove that first rivet. Builder Doll loves to fly and camp, so we will be there next year.
 
Dates for next year

Hey Scorch, got a target date for next year? I gotta try and make this one.

Did anyone stay over night Saturday night?
 
Shooter

'Shooter' the (food truck) made it home in 3.5 hours. Carol and I had sore bottoms. But this was the most funnest Petit Jean yet.

What's next? Gastons? Big Bend?
 
Last edited:
Pick Gastons, Pick Gastons, Pick Gastons.:)

I live close enough to help with supplies and would be glad to help.

I wanted to ride the motorcycle down to Petit Jean but had other commitments.
 
Back in MN

What a great weekend! About 4 hours total time with about a 10 knot headwind on the flight down, with one stop for $3.30 100LL in Warrensburg, MO. Great group, nice camping (pictures to come), then off to stay with some friends at Bondair airpark Saturday night about 40 n.m. NE of Petit Jean. Beautiful place. Left their place today for Ames IA, to see the oldest son and have lunch. Then on to the home base of Anoka County in the Twin Cities. Screaming ground speeds, between 190 and 205 knots the whole way back. 2:20 first leg, 1:10 the second leg.
 
Good time

Zack Spivey, Bradley Jones and myself flew up to Petit Jean Saturday morning from Farmerville, LA. It was a last minute decision that turned out to be a good one. We had a great time. 3 guys, 3 separate airplanes. It's just not as much fun to ride along!

We got to meet a lot of RV people, and see some very nice RV's.
It's really fun to meet people when you've been reading their posts here for years.

Here's a link to my photos.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Burnsm57/PetitJean110709#

Mark
 
WOW - that looked great! Thanks for sharing - I know, keep pounding those rivets. Scott I felt like I could feel the spray off of that water falls on my face just watching that video. Great pic's everyone!

Thanks!

Bob
 
Yep, the spray was real and a thing of beauty. So was the burn in the quads this morning when I woke up :).
 
RV8

Danny? anyone get a count of RV types?
Looked like the RV8s had it in type count, should of rode the 'Borrowed Horse'
 
Delightful place!

Here are a couple pictures from the past weekend. Many thanks to all those involved with making it happen!

PB061616.JPG


PB061617.JPG


This picture below needs some explaining! The picture is not upside down, I aimed the camera straight up - the rocks overhang where I was standing. If the camera is tilted level from this position, the waterfall in the next picture can be seen. To put some perspective in, the waterfall is probably 50 to 75 feet vertical.

PB071646.JPG


PB071647.JPG


Finally, when we scattered Saturday afternoon, I flew to some friends' house on an airpark called Bondair, about 40 n.m. NE of Petit Jean. A very pretty place, right on a large Army Corps of Engineers lake. Then 195+ knots gs on the way home to MN.

PB071651.JPG
 
Here are a couple pictures from the past weekend. Many thanks to all those involved with making it happen!

This picture below needs some explaining! The picture is not upside down, I aimed the camera straight up - the rocks overhang where I was standing. If the camera is tilted level from this position, the waterfall in the next picture can be seen. To put some perspective in, the waterfall is probably 50 to 75 feet vertical.

PB071646.JPG


When I first saw this picture I thought you were testing out your inverted oil system in the mountain ranges. :D
 
Back
Top