The Road to the Philly Auto Show
Just outside of New Orleans, where the vibrant cityscape meets the historic charm, a journey of excitement and adventure began with Jeepin’ Terry and the Oracle Lighting Lighting Ford Bronco. The destination? The prestigious Philly Auto Show at the Philadelphia Convention Center. But this wasn't just any road trip – it was a 1,300-mile cross-country odyssey that included stops in Birmingham, Charlotte, Roanoke, and Maryland to showcase integrated and auxiliary LED lighting featured on our Bronco while connecting with Oracle Lighting Dealers and installers along the way.
My adventure kicked off with snow in the Northeast. An overnight snowstorm left my hometown of Allentown, Pennsylvania under six inches of heavy snow. The weather map showed clear skies in Philadelphia at the airport so I knew if I could dig out and get on the road, I would make it to the Oracle Lighting World Headquarters in Metairie, Louisiana, just outside of New Orleans.
With the snow removed from my Jeep and cleared from the driveway, I carefully navigated the snowy conditions on the roadway and PA Turnpike. The snow and ice decreased with every mile gained until there wasn’t even any moisture in the air or on the ground. I would indeed make my flight.
I arrived in New Orleans and made my way to the offices where the Oracle Lighting Bronco awaited. I was truly interested in how a lifted, two-door model sitting on 38” tires and heavily modified, would ride. And this would be the ultimate test. Pulling out under the Louisiana moon and stars, I hit the road. The city's vibrant energy was in the rear-view, setting the tone for an epic journey. The Bronco, with its rugged exterior and cutting-edge LED lighting from Oracle, was ready to conquer the highways that lay ahead.
Traveling in the evening allowed for me to stop and spend some time with dealers and installers during the day. The first stop brought me to Birmingham, where southern hospitality greeted me at every turn. The Oracle Lighting Dealers in Birmingham welcomed the Bronco and me with open arms, eager to witness the fusion of state-of-the-art lighting technology and off-road capability. I visited three H & H Truck and Outdoor locations, each offering almost every need imaginable for your truck/vehicle and the outdoors including lighting.
After hitting Atlanta during rush-hour or as I like to say, rush-hours (plural), I continued east to the greater-Charlotte area. Rain and storms were in the forecast. I didn’t realize just how ugly the overnight forecast and the actual weather into the next day would be. It was raining and raining hard, as I began to visit some of our North Carolina dealers including Carolina Custom, Total Offroad & More, and Alpha Tire. The rain didn’t dampen the spirits of each dealer and somehow, we managed to get a full walk-around on the Bronco and the integration of cutting-edge LED lighting solutions.
The early afternoon proved to be a little more problematic. In a nod toward safety, I almost cancelled the afternoon visits, but I am so glad I persevered. There was local flooding and high winds. But that was no match for the Oracle Lighting Bronco that handled the deep water on the backroads with ease. I got to meet the wonderful people at Alpha Tire. The unassuming brick exterior gives way to a warm and welcoming interior with two comfortable seating areas and smiles from Ana and Luis. With a large garage area, the team here offers tires, of course, but also everything from wheels, to detailing and LED automotive lighting. Rudy’s Performance Parts rounded out the rain-soaked day, as I had decided to get off the road and let the rain pass.
After the storms passed, I headed on to Virginia through what I knew was the picturesque landscapes toward Roanoke, but it was after sundown when the Oracle Lighting Bronco effortlessly navigated the winding roads. I had planned a couple of stops in the Roanoke area to visit Trail Forged and Powerhouse Auto. The weather had broken, and it was a beautiful, sunny drive up through the Shenandoah’s and a quick drive through the nation’s capital. My final pitstops before reaching the Philly Auto Show was in Maryland. Street Dreamz and Joe’s Jeep Jungle rounded out the visits on this trip. Joe’s Jeep Jungle won Oracle Lighting’s Installer of the Year award last year at SEMA. This huge facility is the perfect destination for all your Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator build needs in the mid-Atlantic region.
The Philly Auto Show provides the perfect stage for the Bronco to showcase the Oracle Lighting lineup of Bronco specific LED Lighting and universal auxiliary LED lighting available. The journey was filled with lots of miles in an incredibly capable off-road vehicle that performed extremely well on the highway.
Make sure to check out the Bronco collection here: https://www.oraclelights.com/collections/2021-2023-ford-bronco-products
Written By Terry Pritchard
Jeepin’ Terry is the Events & Offroad Guru for Oracle Lighting. In his spare time, he is the host of the Jeep Life Podcast and co-founder of the Jeep Enthusiasts of Eastern Pennsylvania, one of the largest Jeep clubs in the state. His obsession with Jeeps started in the 80s with his boss’s big bad blue CJ5. Growing up in the mountains of Tennessee, Terry spent plenty of time on the trails and in the outdoors. His 2017 Wrangler, named Kylo, has been to California and back and everywhere in between, finding trails and adventures everywhere… and constantly asks for more.