by Terry Pritchard
Torque Staff Writer
“At the end of the day, if I can say I had fun, it was a good day.”
—Simone Biles, seven-time Olympic Medalist
You have your Jeep. Perhaps it’s new to you or you have had it for years. You are always staring at it, dreaming about how to make it better. You are researching ways to make your Jeep standout.
You see advertisements or catalogues featuring new and exciting products. You can add new wheels, tires, winches, lift kits and more.
And, you should.
But, sometimes, you just want to enjoy your Jeep right now. Right now. Because you have the time. Right now. Because the sun is out. Right now. Because life has been way too busy to enjoy.
A good friend once told me to just return to the basics. And for Jeep owners, the basics are just getting in it and driving. So here are five simple things to do with your Jeep to return to the basics. And you can do these things today. You can do them by yourself or grab a friend or family member and let the fun begin.
Get Your Jeep Dirty
“Sometimes you just have to jump in a mud puddle because it’s there. Never get so old that you forget about having fun.”
—Tom Giaquinto.
Your drive to the grocery store or the soccer field doesn’t have to be the same boring route you always take. Throw your habits and routines out the window. You don’t even have to be an experienced off-roader to take the long way down that gravel road.
Almost every town will have unimproved roads that you’ve heard about. Or if you haven’t, a quick search on your favorite mapping app will show where to go. And without fail, there will be a mud puddle somewhere along that path. Don’t go around it. Go right through it. Put your tires right in the middle. Splash around. Make a mess. Laugh. Take a picture.
Do the Jeep Wave
“Take your life out of high gear and disengage the autopilot mode. Try living mindfully and avoid living in a reactive manner.”
– Nanette Mathews
One of the best things about being a Jeep owner is the community you automatically inherit upon ownership. It is truly amazing how you are instantly connected to other Jeep owners. And the first recognizable evidence of that connection is the Jeep wave.
There are wonderful anecdotes as to the origins of the Jeep wave. They almost always date back to World War Two where the Jeep was introduced and came to fame.
The Jeep wave is that greeting as two Jeeps are approaching each other on the road. It can be as simple as lifting your fingers off of the steering wheel as the most casual of signals that says, I see you, Jeep friend. Or it can be as energetic as my daughter waving enthusiastically, full handed, toward an oncoming Jeep. Most of the time, the first two fingers signify the wave, unless the doors are off. Then, it will be a full hand with two fingers raised outside of the Jeep.
While you are out today, raise that hand and give the wave. Hopefully, you get a wave in return.
Duck and Get Ducked
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing” ,
—George Bernard Shaw
In an effort to bring a little joy into people’s lives during the pandemic, a trend began with little rubber ducks being placed on people’s Jeeps. This trend up North in Canada with Allison Parliament, founder of #DuckDuckJeep. She wanted to turn a negative situation into a positive.
“Rather than focusing on the hate and stupid, we chose to focus on kindness,” Parliment said.
What started out as a way to thank a friend, leaving notes attached to little ducks spread around the house, has turned into a nationwide phenomenon.
You can purchase bags of inexpensive rubber ducks in all forms and shapes. You can opt to tie a ribbon and attach a little card with some message like; “Nice Jeep” or “I like your Jeep.” Or you can just simply place a duck on the door handle, cowl or bumper of a Jeep in a parking lot. Finding these little trinkets are sure to bring a smile to almost every Jeep owner.
Find a Jeep Club
“Fill your life with as many moments and experiences of joy and passion as you humanly can. Start with one experience and build on it.”
—Marcia Weider
You probably purchased your Jeep to have fun and feel freedom that only a Jeep can give. Maybe you wanted to modify your Jeep, have a weekend adventure or off-road your vehicle. You can certainly have a blast doing those activities, but sharing them with others will most certainly raise the level of having fun to new heights.
Joining a Jeep club is usually very simple and something you can research immediately. Most clubs have an official website or Facebook page dedicated to the members. These pages usually have membership information readily available.
There are many kinds of clubs. Some are more of a social club centered around the Jeep. Some are more of an off-road club. Some are a mix of the two. Many have regular events, like meet and greets. Most of these are open to attend and are a great way to find out if the club is the right fit for you.
Besides the social interaction, there are several benefits for joining a Jeep club. Being in a club is a great way to learn and grow skills. The almost hive-like mind will have answers to many questions you may have about Jeep ownership. The group will usually share new trails or places to ride in your area that you have never heard of before. And since you should never wheel alone, you should never have a problem finding someone to head out with on the trails.
Get Lost
“We’re so busy watching out for what’s just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are.”
—Bill Watterson
We all love to get in our Jeeps and drive. Most of the time, we are heading to a predetermined destination. We are driving to work. We are taking the kids to school. We are going to the grocery store. This is our normal routines and habits. Your Jeep was made for an adventure.
Have you ever just driven without a destination, without even a preconceived direction? If you have a free morning or afternoon, just start in a direction — any direction. The idea is to get lost and then find your way back again. Of course, make sure to have your GPS or maps application as a reference or for emergency. But, using only smaller backroads, just drive. At a crossroads or intersection, pick a direction arbitrarily. Continue this until you aren’t exactly sure where you are in the world.
What unusual sights did you see? Were there any surprises? Was there a beautiful covered bridge that you had no idea existed? Chances are you passed a landmark that you had no clue was there or maybe you heard of it but didn’t know where it was. Try to find a completely different way back or use your maps to return and “un-lose” yourself.
Take the time today to enjoy the little things and do something fun in your Jeep. It doesn’t have to be this huge life changing event. The extravagant trips and large expensive modifications, like a lift kit and big tires can wait. Enjoy the fun little things you can do today. Chances are, you’ll look back someday and realize these were actually the big things.
