Mudfest or Bust.

This is a long story so I will try to be brief.

I have been to every mud event in south Florida so when Okeechobee Mudfest came back around I had to make the trip. I took Friday off so I could get there early and maximize my good time hanging with my great friend Bushwacker from Mudneck and a few other good friends from Florida Mud Riders.

So to sum up the weekend in one sentence; I left my house at 8am Friday and was home by 11 am Saturday. I had planned to stay until they kicked us out. One thing after another went wrong. I left my house for what was supposed to be a 90 minute trip, instead it took me over 3 hours to get there. Just as I got on the Bee Line a had to pull over because smoke was bellowing from one of my trailer bearings. So I pulled over and called my go to guy for Trailers, Bushwacker. He told me where to get the bearings and I could use his discount. I dropped my trailer, ( I was towing a blue 78 Bronco) and headed back down the road to the trailer supply store. Bought the bearing, four sets so I had the parts to do my other three bearings when I got home. I sat in the parking lot of the trailer store for almost and hour trying to get the new bearing seal on the hub. I brought the hub with me which turned out to be a great idea. The darn seal would not go on. It kept getting bent or pinched from me trying to get it on the hub. OH!..All I had for tools were a 21 piece Wal-mart tool set. I did not have a hammer, so I had to use my trailer hitch with the ball still on it for my hammer. After modifying the seal with a pair of channel locks I was able to get the seal on. Got back to the trailer and figured the hub would go right on..Well..it did NOT!! Another call to my my super great friend Bushwacker and he said the race from the old bearing might still be on the trailer axle. It was, so with the limited tools I had the race was proving to me all hell to get off. No leverage, no real pry bar, no hammer. I went to plan "B". I had a small hack saw in my tool bag and used that to cut the race and pop it off. So 3 hours later on the side of the road with the sun high in the sky and wearing a black t-shirt I was on the road. Pulled in at 12:30 to Mudfest. Woo Hoo..so I thought. Got the truck off the trailer and headed right for the mud. Played for about 15 minutes before getting stuck. I waited over 20 minutes in the middle of the big mud hole with the front of my truck under water and no one came by to help!!! NO ONE FOR 20 MINUTES!!! At least 8 trucks drove by and not the first person offered to help. Finally a truck and a buggy, (Jake) came and pulled my out. My truck died as I was being pulled out and would not restart. Got towed to my trailer and popped to hood to check things out. The alternator belt had come off, I was hoping the truck would not start because the battery went dead. No such luck. Starter was bad. (after sitting under water for 20 minutes why not). With limited tools I took the starter off. This took almost 2 hours. Don't ask why just let me say awkward location with a loose ratchet. Went into town and met Bill at Carquest auto parts and he hooked me up with a new starter. Thanks again Bill!! Bought the most important tool I would need to re-install the starter, a wobba joint. took me 10 minutes to re-install the starter. I would have done it faster but while climbing under the truck 74 ants attacked my legs. How do I know 74 you ask. My wife counted them as she put lotion on my legs when I got home. New starter and the truck fired right up Woo Hoo, so I thought. I still had a bad alternator belt that was now twisted from coming off. I decided to go back into town in the morning and get a new belt. For the night I was going to hit the showers and a few beers and hang the my friends from FMR. Mudneck played a great host to me. Did I say Thank you to Bushwacker yet??

So now I head off to find the showers, after getting the wrong directions from 4 different "Security" people a found the showers/water hose 30 minutes later. Got cleaned up and headed back to camp. Got back to camp and while making a burger and cooling off more ants attack..WTF!!! F' That I am going to sleep. Or so I though. No riding after dark means absolutely nothing to some of the AZZ Holes that were there that night. I did not sleep at all. NONE PERIOD. Sport bikes racing up and down behind vendor row all f'n night until 4 am. Then the morning crowd was up at 6.

I ate a bagel headed into town to buy an alternator belt. Got back to camp and went to tighten the new alternator belt and then broke the fastening hole for the alternator clean off the side of the engine block..

Was able to start the truck and load it up and be home by 11.

I will never go back to Okeechobee Mudfest. Security was horrible, directions inside the park were non-existent and the amenities were the worst I have ever seen.

Devils Garden is my new favorite place. I loved it there.