Friday, April 15: On Friday evening OzarkX, his friend Shane, Biohazard and I met up near Joplin to caravan to Kansas. On the way Biohazard got a call from Taz to say that he had arrived at the camping area and was setting up camp. Around 7:45 we made it to the camp site to find Papa John and KCX had also arrived. We set up camp by the light of our headlights and then began the process of getting food and beer into our systems. The camp site was in an open field area with full restrooms and showers, and a few dogs running around. After dinner we did the usual sit around the fire and share stories and what not till bedtime.

Saturday, April 16: The next morning everyone got up and ready to go. A couple of members ran errands to the closest gas station for some last minute items. While they were gone the owner or the campground began making his rounds from site to site carrying some hats. When he came to our site to collect our funds he asked how many were with us, so we told him. He gave us 6 hats and said he’d be back later with another one. All of us were thinking these hats would have something about the campsite or recreation area that we were about to visit on them, but oh, were we wrong. These fabulous treasures that he had bestowed upon us, were classic brown “trucker” hats with cream material on the front and a patch which stated “NATIONAL FINALS RODEO HESTON 1986” and had a horse bucking in the middle of it. The Xterra Club had arrived. We all tried on our new hats with an obvious sense of pride, and filled out our Kansas Rocks Permission Slip (a.k.a. Liability waivers).

	Around 9 am we took off on a dusty ride to Kansas Rocks. Some of the roads you couldn’t see the truck in front of you or behind you while driving, it was pretty wild. When we arrived to the gates of Kansas Rocks Recreation Area, there was a lot of commotion going on. (We found out later, that there was a special Hummer event happening there and that small area was off limits) We were told to pull on through to a check-in area. We turned in our slips, paid our fees, aired down our tires and were off. Biohazard took the map and the lead, trying to figure out what trails we wanted to take based on the shape on the sign. Shortly after we got going my Xterra started squealing like a pig, it was quite annoying so we tried hunting down some good old mud to grease her up. We came across a nice mud run so Biohazard took a stab at it. Sadly the mud won in this scenario, so he used his winch on a some what sturdy tree and got thru. Nimbus was next and used the plow thru method making it safely thru and setting the president for those following to get some momentum going.
After that we continued on doing a few trails and obstacles, stopping every so often to ensure everyone made it through. We ended up finding a nice open area to stop and set up for lunch. It ended up being a safe haven for ticks though so everyone was looking for ticks all over after that. Shane busted out his banjo and played a little for us. Matt even tried her out a bit. After that we took off on some more trails. At one point we came across a muddy ridge that you had to climb. As I was pulling up I saw Nimbus trying to maneuver around a tree on one side. By the time I got there he was well up the hill so I took a different angle using the locker for traction, it worked and I made my way to the top. Everyone else was catching up and getting ready to attempt the ridge so we stopped for a picture moment. Taz was working on his angle with Chris and Jeff giving directions. He was trying to get r done and make it up the ridge, but the angle sent him over in a big jump. Everyone was sure that he was going to tip. Biohazard had said that the same thing had happened to him. KCX was next to bat up against the ridge (which for the life of me I can’t remember what the name of that trail was) I think he was popped over slightly as he attempted to, but I could be wrong. Papa John was next to go he ended up getting up pretty close to the tree and had to take a different attempt, and then OzarkX went through pretty well, seems like he’d been studying all the trial and error pretty well.
	We found a few more rock climb areas to test out the different modifications and level of each Owners Xterra, and even came across a mud pit that caught our attention and concern as to whether or not there would be any alternator dramas this trip or not. A man with a Kansas Rock area told us that they were going to be bringing the Hummers through the pit and we would have to hurry if we wanted to go thru. Someone there had told Nimbus that the Dealership was sponsoring the event there for the Hummers. The people who owned the vehicles had paid $500 each to have the dealership provide a “professional” driver to drive them around in their vehicles to show them what it could do. The dealership would pay if anything was broken, but they couldn’t even drive their own rigs. Anyway, Taz went through first I believe and made it to the other side. Nimbus went next and was ok. Papa John went next, but alas, his brush guard didn’t like the rocks or the angle of the mud pit so KCX helped him out. After that the Hummers showed up and we watched about 10 – 15 of them go thru the pit. Of course the guy giving them direction had to say “we just pulled an Xterra out of here” or something like that, so once they were done KCX took the plunge and made it look easy. Then it was my turn. (OzarkX and Papa John drove around and met up with the group in a different area) I went slowly into the pit, felt the point to let at it with the gas, and caught the wrong rut sending me off a little. I backed up easily and gunned it up the hill. Once up the hill though I didn’t realize the mud was still so thick so I had to rock it back and forth a couple of times to make sure she kept going.
After we got done attacking the pit we went to go find Papa John and OzarkX who were on trail E, we were on trail A, so we had a little bit of difficulty finding them, but soon we found a good place to stop and they found us. OzarkX and Shane needed to get home so they took off. Papa John decided to do one more trail with us and take off. We got to a spot with and interesting hill climb down. There were some other wheelers sitting at the top and they decided to watch. Biohazard took the attempt first. He slowly approached the edge of the rock to ease over and it dropped so quickly his tail was immediately in the air. We all got out and scoped out the scene and he ended up finishing the decent down. His drivers slide rock slider had been pushed up at an angle where the rock had hit. KCX took the decent next. He did the same slow careful attempt and still quickly popped off the rock. His slider was also angled up slightly. I took the attempt next and tried to go over a little further to the side to avoid the sliders being pushed up. I tried the slow drop off of the edge and got the same quick reaction. I got down off the rock and went to park my truck when Taz came running up and said he was going to check out where the tree hit. I was confused as to what he was talking about, and went to look. Sure enough there was a dent in the back side of my truck. Not even Taz who was standing right at the tree realized it was happening till the people farther back saw the tree moving, I guess the angle I popped off shot my arse end over a little bit. After that Nimbus and Taz went on the other side of the path and avoided the drop off. Papa John declined going further since he was doing ok to only have minor boo-boos to his vehicle.

We drove along after that and found another area to attempt. Biohazard tried first. Then KCX went for a different route and after a run or two, we just said lets call it a day and head back to camp. Biohazard, Nimbus, Taz and I ran to the local gas station to air up and get gas, while KCX used money well spent and aired up in the parking lot of the park. Nimbus parted ways with the group and headed home to be close incase anything happened with the arrival of his new bundle of joy.

Once back at camp we all relaxed and chatted about the day. Slowly (well quickly for Biohazard =) and the slowly one by one for the rest of us afterwards) we went off to take showers and clean up. There were still reminders of our lunch under the trees with little baby ticks on our clothes and bodies. Once we were all cleaned up and comfortable KCX started up the grill for dinner. He created the beautiful creation on the grill with the hat, and we all enjoyed dinner.

Sunday, April 17: That night was an early night for me so I’m not sure when the others hit the sack, but we were up at about 8:30. Taz had left earlier to make it home because of his long drive, so the rest of us cleaned up our camps and got ready for the ride home. The campground dogs came up to tell us good bye, and we were off on our way.

Biohazard and I caravanned back together stopping at McDonalds on the way for some breakfast. The girl in the drive thru told Biohazard he “must have had some fun”, then when I pulled up she said “you must have followed him”. Obvious of course, but at least she was nice. Anyway Biohazard and I parted ways on I-44 to our different directions, and I switched my CB over to channel 19. Wouldn’t you know that shortly after I did they started talking about us, one said something about ‘this 4 wheeler east bound looks like it had some fun’ and another reported that he was on 71 S seeing one too, and discussed our sticker’. I kept listening all the way home and heard another comment about seeing one west of Springfield as I pulled in my driveway. It was all about the trucker hat that the campground owner gave us. The vibe carried on through out our trip. I would have called and told Bio to listen in on them too, but my cell phone battery was dying. Anyway I’m pretty sure all who made it enjoyed it. Would have loved to have had more there, but with the distance between our group, I know that will always be a factor, but it was still the shiznit to get out and enjoy some good old wheeling, camping, and friends. The beer wasn’t bad either.