2025 Moore Expo

[85_Ranger4x4]

 

[Jim Oaks]

It's hard with a family. If I got a tonneau cover my F-150 could do it though.

We took the just the Bronco last year, it was tight. Didn't have room for my little grill etc.

Initial plan was to take the Apache with the Bronco. Then they added the discovery route that amanda really wanted to do and I didn't really want to drag the camper thru rivers... so the packmule entered the chat. With the trail thing having a second vehicle is comforting too.

Truth be told I'd rather drive the Ranger anyway.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

We struck off Thursday after work with the plan to hit Lee's Summit (east of Kansas City) for the night. That would put us within 10mi of the starting point of the Midwest Discovery Route.





Ended up with a vibration in the front so we pulled over almost into Missouri and I rechecked the wheel torque. Then I remembered I added 5psi to all the tires... so I dropped the 5psi and it was much better.





Made it to the hotel for the night.



Gorgeous view from our room!





Little guy shifted to my truck after we got thru driving interstates in the dark in the rain in big cities.



Starting point was at The Battle of Lone Jack memorial.









Memorial for the Confederates on the right, Union on the left.



There was a small museum, it wasn't open yet when were there though.



This poor tree...



Kind of funny, these things are just catching on around home. They are called some variation of "Missouri Rock Crossing" depending on who you are talking to. And Missouri is actually full of them.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

There was a facebook group for the route, we happened to run into them along the way. Not sure if we could have came up with a more diverse group of trucks if we tried...







@Mrs. Eighty Five whipped up a delicious lunch of cheese and summer sausage on crackers.























Then we stopped for a break at a park.














We didn't quite finish the route, it was starting to get late and we had to go about an hour beyond the finish point to set up camp yet. It was a lot of fun though.

 

[ryan]

there's a dealership for the fake land rover things near me and they've become the hot new suburban rich guy that wants to feel butch SUV around here

 

[ryan]

Ineos or something like that? Because too many women drive rubicons

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That one is a Ineos Grenadier, the truck version is a Quartermaster.

I sure like the looks of them, he seemed like a cool guy.

Stupid expensive though, it would be a tough sell for me vs just importing a real defender.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Set up camp basically in the dark which is always fun.

One thing that is neat about SMORR, night rides are common. The camera did a nice job of making it look otherwise but it was almost dark when these guys were headed out behind our camp.



That next morning @Terrys87 swung by and hung out for awhile which was a lot of fun.

Then we did some rock crawling while waiting for breakfast burritos.











I need to do some googling on this... that is a winch mounted on the (un)capable bumper. I have never seen that before. Kind of weird had my wife's Cactus Gray Black Diamond Bronco ahead of me and a second Cactus Gray Black Diamond Bronco parked beside me.



And @sgtsandman's spriit animal beside me on the other side.



I didnt see anything close the age of my truck in the parking lot





New Land Cruisers







There was a lot more, thats all we walked by

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Not very overlandy but cool anyway.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Just in case anyone wants to surprise their favorite moderator...



That was a really cool idea...







@mc_raptor_820's machine













Just for @Jim Oaks

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Back to camp.







There was a Jeep club having a big shin ding, they had a big grill going and music. Looked like fun.









Steak sandwiches for supper



We had the stuff for smores... but no sticks. Life finds a way...



The ol' Coleman 228 didn't miss a beat.





It rained all night which you can't beat for sleeping in a tent. Tent did great for keeping the rain out... but somehow a pole broke while were there. It was raining off and on that morning. Rather than wait for it to end or carefully roll the tent up... just kinda loosely folded it and threw it on top the totes in the back of the Ranger and beat it out of there.





Landed at Waffle House for breakfast.



Then to Bass Pro because why not?















The NRA has a really cool firearm museum there. Lots of historical pieces. The movie gun section was really cool though.



















My dad's favorite movie when we were kids, I am pretty sure we watched it enough I could act the whole thing out.















After that it was time to get headed back north again. Swung into Sugerfoot BBQ for lunch, it was really good.



And then Mexican in St Jo.



After a certain point... this was a relief.



And finally... home.



It took about 12 hours but we didn't really stay on task super great. We blew a couple hours just on Bass Pro.

 

[ryan]

That one is a Ineos Grenadier, the truck version is a Quartermaster.

I sure like the looks of them, he seemed like a cool guy.

Stupid expensive though, it would be a tough sell for me vs just importing a real defender.

That was how I felt when I saw them - given the price I'd rather have a real defender.

edit - or even better for that price get a restored old school defender with a modern driveline

 

[Curious Hound]

We had the stuff for smores... but no sticks. Life finds a way...

I beg to differ.

Stick training image;

 

[sgtsandman]

And @sgtsandman's spriit animal beside me on the other side.

Rookie. Not enough antennas, even though they have that fancy Y thing in the back.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I finally got the video of the bridge crossing