Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion: Good People, Great Jeeps & One Heck of a Week
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion, it’s that it never disappoints.
Once again, the RPM Steering & Suspension crew packed up and headed to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to be part of one of our favorite events of the year. We were back as a vendor, and honestly, we had an absolute blast.
For us, the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion is about a lot more than Jeeps sitting in a parking lot. It’s about the people.
We got to catch up with so many members of the RPM Family, reconnect with customers we don’t get to see nearly enough, and meet a ton of new faces. One of our favorite things about being on the East Coast for this show is getting to hear everyone’s trail stories. We love hearing where people have wheeled, what they’ve built, what they’ve broken, and, of course, what they’re planning to build next!
And if you’ve spent any time around RPM, you know we love to talk about upgrades.
We’re not just there to sell parts. We genuinely enjoy educating people and helping them understand why certain upgrades matter, especially when they’re planning to take their Jeep from the street to the rocks.
There’s a big difference between simply adding bigger tires or a lift and actually building a Jeep that is capable, reliable, and ready for the kind of wheeling you want to do. We love being able to sit down with someone, look at what they have, hear what they want to accomplish, and help point them in the right direction.
And, of course, we get to share a little bit of the RPM story along the way.
Where we started, how far we’ve come, the products we’ve developed, the testing we’ve done, and the wins we’ve had along the way. It’s pretty cool to stand there and realize how many people know the RPM name, trust our products, and have become part of our family.
The show itself was fantastic, as always. The energy, the builds, the vendors, the conversations and the overall Jeep community made it another great year in Pigeon Forge.
But we weren’t done yet.
From Pigeon Forge to Windrock
Once the show wrapped up, it was time to head over to the infamous Windrock Off-Road Park for a few days of wheeling with WARN and some of our friends.
We kicked things off with a HUGE group.
39 Jeeps hit Trail 30!
That made it the largest group to head out for Wheeling with WARN that day, and it was quite a sight seeing that many Jeeps lined up and ready to hit the trail.
Trail 30 was a perfect choice for a group that size. It’s a great trail with some tricky obstacles thrown in to keep everyone on their toes, but it also has enough trail length and flow to keep a large group moving. With 39 Jeeps, that’s no small task!
There were plenty of challenges, plenty of laughs, and definitely plenty of stories to tell afterward.
And we had a schedule to keep because once we finished wheeling, it was time to get everything ready for the 2nd Annual RPM BBQ.
The 2nd Annual RPM BBQ
And WOW.
What a turnout.
Last year was an incredible first year for the BBQ, but this year we saw roughly two-thirds more people than we did the first year. Watching that crowd grow was pretty dang awesome.
The BBQ has quickly become one of our favorite parts of the whole trip because it’s really just about bringing everyone together.
Customers. Friends. Family. Industry people. Trail buddies. New faces.
Everybody gets to kick back, grab some food, talk Jeeps, talk trails, talk about what’s coming next in the industry, and catch up with people they may only get to see once or twice a year.
And let’s be honest…
The burgers and hot dogs were a hit!
There’s just something about getting a bunch of Jeep people together after a day on the trail, throwing some food on the grill, and letting the conversations go wherever they go.
That’s what we love about this community.
But the wheeling wasn’t over yet.
Trail 15 & Little School Bus
Monday brought a smaller group, which meant we could hit some different trails and really focus on the experience.
We headed out to Trail 15 and Little School Bus, and once again, it turned into one heck of a day.
Of course, no Jeep trip would be complete without somebody breaking something!
We had a vehicle break down along the way, but that wasn’t going to stop us. There was no man left behind. We stuck together, helped get everyone taken care of, and kept the group moving.
Then came Little School Bus.
It may be a shorter trail, but don’t let that fool you.
Little School Bus has some monstrous obstacles that, honestly, no vehicle should probably be attempting to crawl over!
But with great spotting, a little patience, a whole lot of moral support, and the right attitude, we made it through.
That’s one of the things we love most about wheeling with this group. It isn’t about proving who has the biggest Jeep or who can do the obstacle the fastest. It’s about working together, spotting each other, cheering each other on, and figuring it out.
Once we finished up on the trail, we headed into town for a very much-needed pizza night and celebrated one of our good friend’s birthdays.
After a long day on the rocks, pizza and good friends were exactly what everyone needed.
Rattle Rock
For our final day of wheeling, we saved Rattle Rock.
And if you can tell anything from the name… you probably already have an idea of what kind of trail this is!
Rattle Rock was definitely a challenge, but once again, we had an incredible small group that showed up with exactly the right mentality and attitude.
Everyone was there to have fun, help each other, and take on the trail together.
And that made all the difference.
It was another fantastic day on the mountain, another day filled with obstacles, laughs, great spotting, and those moments that remind you exactly why you love wheeling in the first place.
Until Next Year…
When we look back at the whole trip, it’s hard to pick just one favorite part.
The Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion was incredible. Getting to spend time with our customers, meeting new people, catching up with the RPM Family and sharing our passion for steering, suspension and building Jeeps the right way is something we never take for granted.
The RPM BBQ was bigger and better than ever, and seeing so many people come together was pretty special.
And then there was Windrock.
Trail 30 with 39 Jeeps, Trail 15, Little School Bus, Rattle Rock, broken parts, great spotting, huge obstacles, pizza night, birthday celebrations and a whole lot of memories made along the way.
All in all, the entire trip was a HUGE success.
But honestly, the best part wasn’t the trails, the show, the BBQ or even the Jeeps.
It was the people.
The friends who continue to show up. The customers who have become family. The new people we met along the way. The industry friends who continue to support us. The people who believe in RPM and what we’re building.
That’s what makes these trips so special.
We’re already looking forward to next year.
Actually…
We can’t wait until next year!
Until then, keep building, keep wheeling, keep pushing your Jeep to the next level, and most importantly…
We’ll see you on the trails!
