Builds JEFFKISTHENAME Build and Journey Thread aka djthegeepx on IG

[r2m]

Passenger Rear brake hard line ruptured (previous damage was from Moab last year, finally ruptured). Luckily, NAPA was 4 blocks away from the Yellowstone West entrance. Was able to purchase new line, bend it and install. Good to go. Got all kinds of looks from traffic passerbyers .

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Nice having friends in the group to help with the wrenching!
If you don't already have one, you should get on of those folding foot stools: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYW5BFB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&th=1
It takes up almost no room at all. I used to use it to sit by my tires when airing up/down, but now I use my 4 wheel manifold. But it still gets used by my wife as a step up to the rear bumper when we have to tuck the RTT away. It's also really handy when you need to reach under the hood, either deep or towards the center. At 6 feet tall, I still like using it at times under the hood. A lot easier than tippy-toe standing on rims.

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

After Grand Teton, we headed to Mount Rushmore. We camped at Horsethief Lake Campground and was able to see Mt. Rushmore in the night and the morning. How amazing it was to finally see this monument in person. Felt super patriotic. We also got a chance to see the work in progress Crazy Horse Monument. When that thing is complete, it’ll be insanely amazing!

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

After Mt. Rushmore, we went through Minnesota where we stayed a night in Minneapolis and stopped by the Hmong Village. Then we stopped in Chicago where we visited “The Bean” and had Deep Dish Pizza at Pequod’s; which was amazing. Ultimately ending up in Indianapolis for the night.

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

I was definitely out of place in Chicago

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

Had breakfast in Indianapolis and then headed to Ohio, where we were visiting family for the weekend. We also had White Castle for the first time from the actual restaurant, versus the freezer aisle. We ordered two cases of 30 .

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

Next morning, we went to a Toyota/Lexus meet in Columbus, OH at D&R Motors . Met a lot of cool folks here. Pretty cool community.

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

The Yotas at the meet .

 

[mudwagon]

Putting down some miles! Highly recommend dream cruise in Detroit if you ever get the chance. This year is August 17th. Every single kind of vehicle you can imagine from hot rods to dragsters to trophy trucks to supercars, hypercars etc etc.

 

[r2m]

Seems you're always on the road with your family going to these awesome locations.
Soooo, this is just begging the question.... "Do you have a day job???"
Note: do you see a little "green with envy" on me??
Great pics!

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

Seems you're always on the road with your family going to these awesome locations.
Soooo, this is just begging the question.... "Do you have a day job???"
Note: do you see a little "green with envy" on me??
Great pics!

Yeah, I have a job lol. I just took 3 weeks off (first time ever doing that). Green is one of my favorite colors. OD green and Ranger green haha.

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

Alright, back to updating this thread. On the way out of Ohio, we met up with a fellow GXOR moderator. It’s great to meet fellow community members. Sunitsuga also treated my family and I to coffee and snacks before our venture out of Ohio. Thanks my friend. After we left Ohio, we traveled to the Bucees in Kentucky!!! Love Bucees!

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

Arrived in Nashville in time to check in to a hotel and grab dinner downtown at the Assembly Food Hall.

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

After Nashville, we went to Memphis. Did y’all know that Bass Pro Shop had a Hotel!?!?!?

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

The view from the Bass Pro Pyramid viewing deck.

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

So, we identified that my right axle seal was leaking. Took the GX to a local Memphis Land Cruiser shop called, “Mosley Motors”. Rob was kind enough to loan us his 100 series LC to go eat BBQ at Central BBQ. Thanks Rob! While Drew went to work on the GX.

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

Mosley Motors didn’t replace the axle seal. I think with their unfamiliarity with this platform, they were thinking it’ll be much more work? Not sure, but I was still leaking. So, I went around different dealers to get more parts just in case. Also, got more BBQ, but this time from Interstate BBQ because one of the employees at Bass Pro said this is the place to go for beef rib. I know, Memphis is not known for beef rib, but I wanted to see. So, we stayed in Memphis one more night to see what we were gonna do. Got a hold of two different shops in Missouri to see if they could take care of me. Went to bed with my fingers crossed.

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

So, bad news. Got a hold of both shops and none had the time to take me in. My buddy Chris Rosa was like, “Jeff, just do it yourself. It’ll be like 4 hours with no experience.” So, my brother and I deliberated and we decided to book an AirBnB with a usable driveway, went to HarborFreight for a tarp, wheel chocks and drain pan. Also hit up ACE Hardware for some stuff and then went to work .

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

With that fix, we were able to get back on the plan, which was go through the Ozarks! I did not want to go through the Ozarks with a leaky axle seal knowing how much water we’d be going through. The delays in repairs did end up eating like two days of the 5 days we planned for the Ozarks. More on that soon though…

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

 

[JEFFKISTHENAME]

Ozarks Lookout Point. Majestic. So dang beautiful. BUT dang it it’s so dang humid!!!