TRS Event TRS 25th Anniversary Fall Adventure - Land Between The Lakes - September 5th – 8th, 2024

[85_Ranger4x4]

The lead into this is chronicled in my Conestoga thread, the Vagabond trip.

1985 Conestoga + Vagabond Trip

For basically a prototype with no testing I was really pretty happy with it. I really liked the simplicity of it all. I wished I had a 6ft bed. I would do the same setup. Enjoyed the trip and look forward to our next adventure.

www.therangerstation.com

So anyway we rolled into LBL Thursday night, @Poppa_R, @TechMouse and @Mrs. Eighty Five already had camp set up which was super nice. Somehow we ended up with a big shin ding at our campsite that night.



















Found a turtle on our way to the Marina



We went to the planetarium for a neat display about light







There used to be a mechanic shop there, pure speculation but I am guessing the bus got parted out. Anyway between the bus and the foundation I think is for the shop we found some old parts.



PAT 1931





Stairs for a house maybe?



I think the foundation for the shop, it was a decent sized building whatever it was.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Working our way down our list:



We headed off to St Stephen Church





Then down to The Home Place... looked like there was a rough crowd there already.



Found some bison



We tired to find a new to us iron furnace up by the church and came up dry so we hit the one right off the trace.

[

Another nice sunset on the lake.



Then @Uncle Gump @Poppa_R @ericbphoto started their pizza operation while @sgtsandman splits firewood to keep the "ovens" going.







Awesome as always.











Finished off with smores and apple cobbler that I made and forgot to take a picture of.

 

[Curious Hound]

I’m ashamed to admit it, but not enough thanks has been thrown to @sgtsandman for bringing the wood splitter and using it. That was a huge help. That splitter works really well.

 

[sgtsandman]

I hate to admit it, but not enough thanks has been thrown to @sgtsandman for bringing the wood splitter and using it. That was a huge help. That splitter works really well.

For as little and cheap as that thing is, it's a work horse and was well worth the money they wanted for it. I've yet to regret spending the money on it. Not bad for an i-beam with a wedge welded to it on one end and a glorified bottle jack on the other.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Questions For Those That Attended:

1) What did you like about the event?

2) What did you not like about the event?

3) What would you have liked to see us do during the event?

4) What would you have liked to see us change or not do?

 

[Curious Hound]

Questions For Those That Attended:

1) What did you like about the event?

2) What did you not like about the event?

3) What would you have liked to see us do during the event?

4) What would you have liked to see us change or not do?

1. I enjoyed it as-is. Most of my current best friends are here on TRS. Seeing everyone in person and enjoying the camaraderie is my favorite part.

2. It always seems to end so fast, no matter how long it is.

3./4. It would be great to have more participation. Understandably, this is difficult due to geography. But this year's event, with its larger group seemed closer to what I think it should be.

It was nice to see groups talking and sharing around the campfire, building new friendships and strengthening pre-existing bonds. It was nice seeing people form up groups to do things during the day, instead of everyone going their separate ways. I was really glad to see more family participation. Not just a handful of guys out having fun without their wives, kids, girlfriends, etc.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

1. I enjoyed it as-is. Most of my current best friends are here on TRS. Seeing everyone in person and enjoying the camaraderie is my favorite part.

2. It always seems to end so fast, no matter how long it is.

3./4. It would be great to have more participation. Understandably, this is difficult due to geography. But this year's event, with its larger group seemed closer to what I think it should be.

It was nice to see groups talking and sharing around the campfire, building new friendships and strengthening pre-existing bonds. It was nice seeing people form up groups to do things during the day, instead of everyone going their separate ways. I was really glad to see more family participation. Not just a handful of guys out having fun without their wives, kids, girlfriends, etc.

That’s pretty much my answers too…

 

[sgtsandman]

1. I enjoyed it as-is. Most of my current best friends are here on TRS. Seeing everyone in person and enjoying the camaraderie is my favorite part.

2. It always seems to end so fast, no matter how long it is.

3./4. It would be great to have more participation. Understandably, this is difficult due to geography. But this year's event, with its larger group seemed closer to what I think it should be.

It was nice to see groups talking and sharing around the campfire, building new friendships and strengthening pre-existing bonds. It was nice seeing people form up groups to do things during the day, instead of everyone going their separate ways. I was really glad to see more family participation. Not just a handful of guys out having fun without their wives, kids, girlfriends, etc.

@Jim Oaks I can't add to this. While the meets are always enjoyable, this one was probably the best and I do agree they are never long enough.

 

[Rick W]

Questions For Those That Attended:

1) What did you like about the event?

2) What did you not like about the event?

3) What would you have liked to see us do during the event?

4) What would you have liked to see us change or not do?

I thought the whole thing was great, an out of the park home run, very well done. Let me offer up the background that I have been in charge of various groups and events almost all my life, at work, with car clubs, the church, etc. it takes a Herculean effort to herd cats and pull off any event. With that in mind, a few thoughts.

Let me also say, that everybody always has a bunch of ideas that we should do this or we should do that, and it is all hard work or costs money, and only a few step up. I have that in mind as well.

One thing I would have liked to see, as a newbie, was some kind of printed flyer a few weeks in advance and schedule, maybe with a point of contact for the different options. For example, Saturday afternoon you can go on an easy ride, a muddy ride, see that historic farmhouse, or just stay in camp and play monopoly. Joe is organizing the easy ride, Sallie is organizing the muddy ride, etc. I don’t think that would be very hard to produce with such a great team, and it would help newbies like me kind of slide into the flow of things.

Number two, people love prizes and recognition. No, don’t buy trophies and hand them out. This Mötley Crüe of weirdos could come up with some great things to do, to award, and some equally bizarre prizes to hand out. Muddiest truck. Highest lift. Best breakdown. Let your imagination run. The prize for the muddiest truck could be a bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels. Hand them out and take pictures during the awards banquet (pizza).

Similarly, some official recognition of the guys and gals who put in so much effort to make it a good event is justified. A little dollar store plastic truck glued to certificate for the “pizza chef” the “log splitter” the folks lead the rides, etc.

And finally, maybe a round Robin of introductions during the campfire. Hi, I’m Rick, this is Lincoln, and we’re from Atlanta. That sort of thing. I’ve been involved and I was paying attention, and I still have no clue who 3/4 of the people were.

Let me throw out another thought. For a few years, I was in charge of my college’s alumni association in the southeast. There were thousands of people. We were lucky to get 20 or 30 at any individual event. But we realized over the course of a year, we actually had two or 300, they just didn’t all come to the same event. So my thought goes to maybe having a few different events, boy I know that’s a lot of work, or maybe even zoom meetings or technical sessions, or smaller area events like our caffeine and octane in Atlanta.

In closing, I think I’ve told you a few times I think it’s a fantastic organization and you do a great job running it. I’ll keep my thinking cap on, and if there’s anything I can suggest that’s helpful without a ton of work, well, I’ve never been bashful…

oh, and if you can come up with three or four more @bobbywalter s, in different colored T-shirts, that would be a hoot!

 

[sgtsandman]

@Rick W on the multiple evdnt thing, that is why we try to encourage the members to setup their own for their region. Just because the country is so darn big.

Snoranger, Ryan, and I did AOAA last fall but scheduling to hold another never meshed for this year. I believe some in California did a meet as well.

The events don't even have to be big or fancy. It could be a meet at a local restaurant that has some kind of special appeal. We have Jerry's Curb Service, that brings back a bit of a nostalgia feeling because the waitresses come to your car to take orders and serve the food on a tray that hangs off the window for you to eat in the vehicle.

https://jerrys-curb-service.weeblyte.com

@lil_Blue_Ford , @JohnnyO , and I have met there in the past. We should probably do it again and see if we can get more to come.

That is part of why the regional forums are there. So people can see who is local to them, organize meets, and then post up things and pictures about the event(s) in the events section.

Eric and the others did a bang up job on the Anniversary Event and similar events in the past but that is a national event and, like you said, is a lot of work. The load needs to be spread out and made local in regions if we are going to have more. That is going to require the members to step up and set something up.

 

[Rick W]

@Rick W on the multiple evdnt thing, that is why we try to encourage the members to setup their own for their region. Just because the country is so darn big.

Snoranger, Ryan, and I did AOAA last fall but scheduling to hold another never meshed for this year. I believe some in California did a meet as well.

The events don't even have to be big or fancy. It could be a meet at a local restaurant that has some kind of special appeal. We have Jerry's Curb Service, that brings back a bit of a nostalgia feeling because the waitresses come to your car to take orders and serve the food on a tray that hangs off the window for you to eat in the vehicle.

https://jerrys-curb-service.weeblyte.com

@lil_Blue_Ford , @JohnnyO , and I have met there in the past. We should probably do it again and see if we can get more to come.

That is part of why the regional forums are there. So people can see who is local to them, organize meets, and then post up things and pictures about the event(s) in the events section.

Eric and the others did a bang up job on the Anniversary Event and similar events in the past but that is a national event and, like you said, is a lot of work. The load needs to be spread out and made local in regions if we are going to have more. That is going to require the members to step up and set something up.

understood, trust me, I know the drill. Does @Jim Oaks feel the same? He has a ton of work in this group, and it would only be natural to worry about someone trying to wiggle in.

My natural tendency all my life has been to step up and take charge. It’s all I can do to resist that urge, but with my health issues, I’m afraid to take charge of anything. However, I’ll still do the announcements I’ve been doing for things in the local area and maybe we can get some momentum.

I’ll look as soon as I post this, but is there a regional forum for my area? Should I be putting my caffeine and octane type things there or continue that thread I started?

I’m very happy to help, I just know because of my health that I’m not the most dependable person these days. Believe me it breaks my heart, but it’s the fact.

as always, advise me…

 

[sgtsandman]

understood, trust me, I know the drill. Does @Jim Oaks feel the same? He has a ton of work in this group, and it would only be natural to worry about someone trying to wiggle in.

My natural tendency all my life has been to step up and take charge. It’s all I can do to resist that urge, but with my health issues, I’m afraid to take charge of anything. However, I’ll still do the announcements I’ve been doing for things in the local area and maybe we can get some momentum.

I’ll look as soon as I post this, but is there a regional forum for my area? Should I be putting my caffeine and octane type things there or continue that thread I started?

I’m very happy to help, I just know because of my health that I’m not the most dependable person these days. Believe me it breaks my heart, but it’s the fact.

as always, advise me…

Not wanting to speak for Jim on your question but he has expressed a similiar opinion in the past. He wants the forum name to get out there as much as it can and will help where he can but the majority of the work and responsibility would be on the member to organize and run the event.

The Truck Nationals would be an example of this and this year was only the second year for it. Jim made it clear that the event is JohnnyO's baby and it would be up to him to make it work.

 

[Rick W]

Not wanting to speak for Jim on your question but he has expressed a similiar opinion in the past. He wants the forum name to get out there as much as it can and will help where he can but the majority of the work and responsibility would be on the member to organize and run the event.

The Truck Nationals would be an example of this and this year was only the second year for it. Jim made it clear that the event is JohnnyO's baby and it would be up to him to make it work.

if you guys can hook me up with a younger tiger, I kind of know what to do, just very hard for me to get it done these days. Also, it seems like the majority of you guys want to break your trucks running over rocks and into riverbeds. I don’t know much about that, so I teamed up with a mountain daredevil, it might make a good combination. Food for thought.

 

[JohnnyO]

The load needs to be spread out and made local in regions if we are going to have more. That is going to require the members to step up and set something up.

Not wanting to speak for Jim on your question but he has expressed a similiar opinion in the past. He wants the forum name to get out there as much as it can and will help where he can but the majority of the work and responsibility would be on the member to organize and run the event.

The Truck Nationals would be an example of this and this year was only the second year for it. Jim made it clear that the event is JohnnyO's baby and it would be up to him to make it work.

That's why I push the Ford Nationals and Truck Nationals at Carlisle. The logistics and organization are pretty much handled and all people have to do is show up.
Somehow there's a lot more Rangers at the Ford Nationals than the Truck Nationals though.

 

[Snoranger]

understood, trust me, I know the drill. Does @Jim Oaks feel the same? He has a ton of work in this group, and it would only be natural to worry about someone trying to wiggle in.

Do you see the TRS Event Staff under my screen name? That’s what you get for helping Plan, organize, and host a local event. Only Jim can put that title there.
If you want to host an event, come up with a plan and start a thread in the events section. See what kind of response you get from the other members.