[EasyE]

It was 1960 something, I was 8 years old when I got my first taste of the desert and offroading. We blasted along the desert in a fiberglass "manx" dune buggy. Our goggles, and the dust stuck to our faces, couldn't hide the smiles. We crossed desert washes and climbed rocky ledges, we spooked jack rabbits and drove through deep ravines where the walls rose a hundred feet above us. We found a graveyard from the 1800's, and several mines too. We got stuck a couple times, but we all got out and pushed.. the buggy moved forward.. it banged and shook over rocky piles and high centered on steep dropoffs. But we always got through.

I was hooked for life.

Over the years I have tried to maintain a sanity of sorts. A sanity of modification. We wheel out to favorite camp spots, and to fishing holes in the mountains, to hunt, to shoot, or to check out the mines we have found over the years. We rarely broke an axle, crushed a door, or tore off a bumper. The mindset was different. You see back in the 70's and even the early 80's.. things like lockers were rare. They were for the racers and the unskilled drivers. Johnny put a locker in grandmas Buick because she had to drive into town in the dead of winter... he just welded up the diff and made it a spool. Jeepers didnt run lockers. We had flat fenders and CJ's and just bounced through until we stopped for beer and set up camp. Someone always managed to get whiskey inspired bravery, and a wild hair, and tried to drive over the impossible. A few yeehaws, and spinning tires.. maybe a winch cable came out.. and he made it, or he didnt. So what, it was fun. But the campfire always drew us back, and in one piece. Picking the right line and drivers capability made the ride fun and challenging. But back then we had somewhere to go.. the fishing hole, the mine, the camp spot. Today, it seems that lockers are the norm, and getting over the next rock pile or getting through the hammers is the thrill. We have nowhere to go but are just driving over stuff because its scary and powerful.

I now have a TJ, which is set up for the way and reasons I wheel: Old School. Which is just like I did in the 70's. I have somewhere to go. A destination, a goal. Some 32s and a winch, and I'm good.
But last month I drove my friends 92 YJ. Its the new school style jeep... with electric lockers, 35's and the spring over axle setup. We had nowhere to go, just to see what it could do. For a moment, I lost my old shool ways.. I didnt pick the right line, because I didnt have to.. When the axles are locked, the beast just goes through anything. the challenge of driving was to keep it on its wheels.. and I found that easy. But the power rush was addictive. I found myself thinking of putting 37's on my TJ, ARB's and ... then I caught myself. Where was I going? When does it stop? Do I turn it into a rock buggy beast with no ID? I like the classic Jeep look of my TJ. I like my TJ just fine the way it is, and it will last as long as I will, if i keep it sane.
So I am gonna keep my old school TJ, old school. Someday I may get a locked up - trailer queen - beater jeep.
But my beloved TJ will remain.. Old School.

[JeepDoo]

Well all i can say is that was a nice story. I do have a locker in the back of my Jeep, and was planning on one for the front. I think i might hold off on it now though.

Very well written and i like the perspective you give to wheeling. I already think i went a little too far with my jeep, it can pretty much out wheel my abilities as a driver. I think we get all caught up in mods these days and forget what jeeping is all about. I need to stop buying and wrenching, and get out on some trails.

On that note, im going to go to bed. Thanks for putting me in a good mood.

[madmikey]

I fell all warm and fuzzy inside.......

Now with that said I do alot of camping and fishing and when you're hauling a trailer in the trails havin' the front locked up is way easier on the terrain and on the Jeep I'm not locked yet but.... when you have to back down a hill with your trailer just to give it another good go at the hill ,so the trailer is bouncing like hell cause of the speed you have to get to make it on top cause there is no way you're backing that god d**m hill up again cause I've seen someone jack knife in this here hill before.....I'll be glad when I get a locker

[grogie]

EasyE, I can relate to what you said about having a destination in mind rather then to just drive over things (which is fun I certainly agree ). I spent a lot of time as a youth in southern Wyoming where in the winter the snow in places was as high as the trucks, and in the Spring the joke was to pick your rut carefully as you'll be in it for the next mile. The trucks all had tall narrow tires and carried a hi-lift jack to help us make it to our destination (that I recall using more then once), either around a ranch, to go into the mountains to go camping, hunting, or to pull a horse trailer or snowmobiles.

Well that gave me what I suffer from now... dreaming of wanting to explore an old log road or forgotten trail out west. It drives me to think and plan about my next trip (now that I am in the Midwest).

In the photos below, here is a trail that I remember seeing when I was 15 and I was driving my granddad's old beat-up GMC pickup. At the time it was late Spring and the snow had just melted. The trail just above where I took these photos was knee-deep mud as it went through a grove of Aspen trees, and my dad warned me not to get the pickup stuck as we were miles away from anything. Well I always remembered this trail and I told myself that someday I would return to see where it went. Well three summers ago I returned and found out.

[LJameson]

^That is some beautiful scenery. Sometimes it's not about getting over a rock, it's about the scenery and just to get away from everyday life.

[Big_Fisch]

OP, I could not have said it better.
I'm actually still new to off-roading (4 yrs now) and I had the "new school" mentality with my TJ and ended up bringing it to a level that it was GREAT off-road (actually more than I needed in most terrain I found) but it lost it's grounding as a DD.
I ended up dumping it because, after careful consideration, decided that the 3-4 months out of the year that topless was great did not outweight the other 8-9 months when it was just a tease to have that ability.
I went with a WJ and now I catch myself looking at the 6" lifted, 33" tired beasts thinking "someday", but then I remember the TJ and realize that that BB+UC and 31's will most likely get me anywhere I actually want/need to go, realistically. Vari-lock doesn't hurt, either.

[IslandTJ]

Originally Posted by EasyE

Over the years I have tried to maintain a sanity of sorts. A sanity of modification. ...The mindset was different.

EasyE welcome to JF

I like your style and attitude

If you start a "sanity of modification" or "old school" club, I'd like to be a member.

Jeep hard, Jeep safe!
ken

[JeepDoo]

Originally Posted by jeepfreak4life7

Sometimes it's not about getting over a rock

Hey, Was that a stab at me

Well I understand

[LandRover]

OP, well said. It's pretty much all about being able to get somewhere for me also. Nothing like the most remote lake or peak that is only accessible by Jeep or motorcycle (except the ones that are only accessible by foot). I went from the YJ to the XJ so that I can bring the family to experience some of the stuff I've always experienced solo or with a buddy. I want to be able to turn off of the road on any old trail that looks interesting, and not be worried about whether or not I'll be able to make it. I am going to put a locker in the XJ, but not with the intent of conquoring individual obstacles...it's all about being able to get there when the trail is tough, when the snow is deep, when the rocks are wet and the mud is thick.

That said, what you and I enjoy is very different from the 'sport' of rock crawling. It's a whole different purpose, a whole different experience...and I have tremendous respect for what people have been able to get a vehicle to do. Nothing wrong with either branch of the Jeep tree, I just find myself identifying more with folks like you than the obstacle-conquoring rock buggy folks. I'd love to have one of those, but I couldn't give up my 'traditional' jeep in order to do it.

[EasyE]

Hey.. Thanks guys for the kind words and agreement.. And for the cool pics grogie!
In hindsight ... I didnt expect any responses.. I didnt expect anything.. but to have another beer..
I was just chilling out and remembering some good times in the desert, and appreciating the personal and historical impact of the epic American icon; the Jeep. And of course.. where its all going...
Dang thats deep... pathetic really.. I need another shot

[LJameson]

Originally Posted by JeepDoo

Hey, Was that a stab at me

Well I understand

I honestly never noticed your signature until you pointed that out.

[JeepDoo]

Originally Posted by jeepfreak4life7

I honestly never noticed your signature until you pointed that out.

Im actually going to take that sticker off my jeep, it was a high school stage when i felt like i had to prove to all the noobs in the parking lot that i wheel.

Now when people look at my Jeep, they dont need stickers

Sorry


That's the kind of ignorance that is a problem with truck/jeep enthusiasts today

[TedderX_]

bump up TTT

[_Kyle_]

Originally Posted by JeepDoo

I think we get all caught up in mods these days and forget what jeeping is all about. I need to stop buying and wrenching, and get out on some trails.

Hell, i'm only 19 and I say that! I'm gonna stop spending (as much) money on mods this Spring and get out and enjoy my Jeep. I have some sort of wheeling planned like 2-3 weeks out of the Month through mid-June then at least one a month after that.

Granted, my Jeep isn't "done" yet...still need some armor and to upgrade my axles and then I'm just gonna wheel it like I built it to do - hopefully by the end of next Winter it'll be done or really close to it.

[bigguido]

EasyE...I can really appreciate what you said...although I am only 25, I was raised by this type of mentality. We grew up riding dirtbikes, camping, shooting, and having a good time. We live in NJ, which is overpopulated and congested...We are in a CONSTANT state of stress when driving and conducting are day to day affairs in this state. When we took one of our trips to PA or upstate NY to ride our dirtbikes or get our trucks muddy...we were doing it for fun, to be together as a family, and to escape the stress of everyday life. We used to laugh that here were five italian guys from northern NJ acting like real good ol' boys. We were driving used two strokes, 125's and 250's...Old vans and 4x4's...Nothing was perfect and it didn't have to be. Now, as an adult I have carried on that tradition and as I sit here typing, my Jeep is in the driveway with a trailer and two dirtbikes waiting to leave for a trip tomorrow morning. I can't help but feel sorry for all the guys that spend, spend, spend and never go out and have a good time. For all the kids I knew that built a hot car and never burned rubber. To all the people whose 15,000 dollar jet skis never touched water. To my friends who put FMF pipes on their dirtbikes and couldn't get out of first gear without stalling. A toast to having fun old school.