Nothing Special's 2023 SMORR Trip

[Nothing Special]

Early this month I had the opportunity to go down to southern Missouri for the third time to meet up with people with even older 'wheeling rigs than Pluto, my '71 Bronco. Here's a link to the trip last year, and now that I have most of the video done I'm finally starting a thread on this year's trip. Lesley joined me again this year, and again we spent parts of three days at SMORR (Southern Missouri Off-Road Ranch), but this year we went down a day earlier to meet a smaller group at Rush Springs Ranch, another privately owned off-road park.

We got to Rush Springs Ranch around noon, and headed out on the trails for the afternoon. We started off meandering around on the access roads and in a "playground" before hitting our first trail, Hangover Hollow. This was a short trail with a dry waterfall as the main obstacle. This ended up being the place Pluto got his first significant body damage (I don't count the rockers I replaced or the rear quarters as significant). At 4:30 you can see a smooth fender, at 4:45 you see Pluto rock to the right, and at 4:53 you can see it's not so smooth (you get a good view of the dent at 5:30). It was still a fun trail. And I haven't decided what to do about the dent yet.

[Gary Lewis]

Yep, I see when it happened. But I am amazed at what you can go through or over. I guess dents are badges in that case? They are going to happen when you push it that much.

[Nothing Special]

Yep, I see when it happened. But I am amazed at what you can go through or over. I guess dents are badges in that case? They are going to happen when you push it that much.

Badges, yes. But of honor or shame? I guess that's in the eye of the beholder!

By the way, I forgot to mention that I'm using a new video editor now. I was using Adobe Premier Elements, now I'm using Movavi Video Editor. Both are relatively low-end applications (and priced accordingly, which is why I use them!). I couldn't get the audio and video to sync up on one clip in Adobe, even though it was fine in the original file. After a little internet searching on how to fix that, what seemed like the best option was to not use Adobe. I've been using Adobe for over 10 years, and now Movavi for about a week. I'm liking Movavi quite a bit better. It seems easier to use, it processes the clips faster and it keeps the audio and video in sync.

And I think it's giving higher quality video as well. It's not perfect, but I'm glad I switched to it!

[Nothing Special]

Badges, yes. But of honor or shame? I guess that's in the eye of the beholder!

By the way, I forgot to mention that I'm using a new video editor now. I was using Adobe Premier Elements, now I'm using Movavi Video Editor. Both are relatively low-end applications (and priced accordingly, which is why I use them!). I couldn't get the audio and video to sync up on one clip in Adobe, even though it was fine in the original file. After a little internet searching on how to fix that, what seemed like the best option was to not use Adobe. I've been using Adobe for over 10 years, and now Movavi for about a week. I'm liking Movavi quite a bit better. It seems easier to use, it processes the clips faster and it keeps the audio and video in sync.

And I think it's giving higher quality video as well. It's not perfect, but I'm glad I switched to it!

Our second trail on Thursday was called Boulderdash. After hiking up it just a little ways I decided to opt out. "Waterfalls" are bad enough obstacles when you like your sheetmetal. "Can openers" are out of bounds for Pluto! And Boulderdash had a couple. Alan and Kevin decided to give it a go, but after seeing Alan fight his way up Kevin decided to back out, literally.

Along with the trail Alan was fighting his battery which wouldn't hold a charge. That was giving him issues with his starter obviously, but also his electric front locker, the air compressor for his rear locker and his winch. We even needed to pull the battery from Kevin's Jeep and carry it up to jump Alan once!

After getting up the trail Alan drove down the bypass to rejoin the rest of us. Turns out the bypass was very washed out and pretty challenging, especially after his engine stalled and he couldn't get it restarted! After coasting into a pretty precarious position (11:07 n the video) we decided we had to hook to the back of his Jeep and pull it uphill. Not being able to get behind him, I pulled up as far as I could and ran my winch line to a snatch block and back to his Jeep. This ended up being a good time to have a wire rope rather than synthetic, as the tree we had to hook to was over a hill, so the rope was cutting into the gravel trail. Not too bad with wire, but pretty hard on synthetic!

I'm not actually publishing this video as I'm not really in it, but I did load it into YouTube so I can still share it. But you won't see it if you go to my channel.

[Gary Lewis]

Our second trail on Thursday was called Boulderdash. After hiking up it just a little ways I decided to opt out. "Waterfalls" are bad enough obstacles when you like your sheetmetal. "Can openers" are out of bounds for Pluto! And Boulderdash had a couple. Alan and Kevin decided to give it a go, but after seeing Alan fight his way up Kevin decided to back out, literally.

Along with the trail Alan was fighting his battery which wouldn't hold a charge. That was giving him issues with his starter obviously, but also his electric front locker, the air compressor for his rear locker and his winch. We even needed to pull the battery from Kevin's Jeep and carry it up to jump Alan once!

After getting up the trail Alan drove down the bypass to rejoin the rest of us. Turns out the bypass was very washed out and pretty challenging, especially after his engine stalled and he couldn't get it restarted! After coasting into a pretty precarious position (11:07 n the video) we decided we had to hook to the back of his Jeep and pull it uphill. Not being able to get behind him, I pulled up as far as I could and ran my winch line to a snatch block and back to his Jeep. This ended up being a good time to have a wire rope rather than synthetic, as the tree we had to hook to was over a hill, so the rope was cutting into the gravel trail. Not too bad with wire, but pretty hard on synthetic!

I'm not actually publishing this video as I'm not really in it, but I did load it into YouTube so I can still share it. But you won't see it if you go to my channel.

I think they can be either badges of honor or of shame. Big Blue sports one on his tailgate that is a shame since I backed into a tree just turning around on a dirt road. But Pluto's ding was gained while trying a very difficult section of trail. Big difference.

As for Boulderdash, we can't see it as we get Video unavailable, as shown below.

But on the synthetic vs wire, I carry a cover to put on the cable if it encounters something like that. And I've been known to use my floor mats as well.

[Nothing Special]

I think they can be either badges of honor or of shame. Big Blue sports one on his tailgate that is a shame since I backed into a tree just turning around on a dirt road. But Pluto's ding was gained while trying a very difficult section of trail. Big difference.

As for Boulderdash, we can't see it as we get Video unavailable, as shown below.

But on the synthetic vs wire, I carry a cover to put on the cable if it encounters something like that. And I've been known to use my floor mats as well.

Try the video now. I had it as "private", thinking I could share it, but apparently I have to list your e-mail and you have to go in through your Google account for that to work. Now I have it as "unlisted". It seems like that should make it viewable if you have the link, but still not show up on my channel.

As to protecting the winch rope, it was in the gravel for about 15' each way, so that would be a lot of floor mats!

[Gary Lewis]

Try the video now. I had it as "private", thinking I could share it, but apparently I have to list your e-mail and you have to go in through your Google account for that to work. Now I have it as "unlisted". It seems like that should make it viewable if you have the link, but still not show up on my channel.

As to protecting the winch rope, it was in the gravel for about 15' each way, so that would be a lot of floor mats!

Yep, that worked. Man, that had me cringing the whole way! But the bit about coming down was especially bad.

But I see what you mean about the cable and gravel/rocks. Yuk!

[Nothing Special]

Yep, that worked. Man, that had me cringing the whole way! But the bit about coming down was especially bad.

But I see what you mean about the cable and gravel/rocks. Yuk!

Our final trail on Thursday was called Slippery When Wet. And I'm told it's always wet. The main obstacle is a chute that looks like it should be easy to just drive up the middle. But it isn't. Alan (who's been on this trail many times) said the "right" line is to put your left tires in the center and run the right high up the side. But not so high that you flop onto your left side. Actually it's not as bad as than makes it sound. But it wasn't a "gimme" either.

[Gary Lewis]

Our final trail on Thursday was called Slippery When Wet. And I'm told it's always wet. The main obstacle is a chute that looks like it should be easy to just drive up the middle. But it isn't. Alan (who's been on this trail many times) said the "right" line is to put your left tires in the center and run the right high up the side. But not so high that you flop onto your left side. Actually it's not as bad as than makes it sound. But it wasn't a "gimme" either.

I didn't cringe quite as much on this one, but a bit early on when the Pluto script looked like it was endangered. And, at 2:00 your exhaust looked quite rich when you re-started.

But other than that, I was amazed at how y'all could go up that trail!

Oh yes, I forgot to say I caught that "I'll keep the camera rolling in case you do" in the previous video.

And, I like the sections that show up in the progress bar with this editor. I can go back to specific places easily.

[Nothing Special]

I didn't cringe quite as much on this one, but a bit early on when the Pluto script looked like it was endangered. And, at 2:00 your exhaust looked quite rich when you re-started.

But other than that, I was amazed at how y'all could go up that trail!

Oh yes, I forgot to say I caught that "I'll keep the camera rolling in case you do" in the previous video.

And, I like the sections that show up in the progress bar with this editor. I can go back to specific places easily.

The "chapters" is a YouTube thing. I've had that in videos before. At the end of the description you put times for the breaks and headings for the chapters. I like that it helps people skip what they don't want to see, or go back to what they do.

Pluto is carbed, and that definitely shows up in restarts at times! But he really does work well overall, so "improving" him with fuel injection isn't even on the wish list.