My Dad passed away about 2 years ago- he had an old copy of a magazine in his stuff- an issue where I had written into them in a "letters to the editor" type deal. He had saved a copy of my letter. This was in March of 1997 in the “4XForum” of what was one of my favorite magazines for several years, covers usally falling off before I threw them away (4 wheeldrive and sport utility). The letter can be found on Page 82-83 of that issue (Volume 13- number 3). It starts at the right side of the page at the top with the title: IT’S A LEGACY
Here it is:
“Like many of you, I was introduced to four-wheel driving before I could walk. The remote places we explored in my Dad’s Renegade CJ-5 created the feeling of living in another time for my brother and me. I can still remember the sun beating down warm on us, cold creeks and the smell of pine. The ghostly “whining” of the Jeep in 4-low. Tires gripping and slipping. The sound and smell of the “peat bogs” as the tires broke through the grass to sludge in black mud. Sleeping bags tied to the roll bar. Hungry mosquitoes glad to see a soft top (the first prototype of meals-on-wheels). The alpine and sub-alpine areas that dazzled the senses with colorful wildflowers, short dark-green grass, pink snowbanks, turquoise lakes and water flowing everywhere. The old mine sites- piles of orange-red rock, an axe handle, rusted cans, blue glass, pyrite crystals. Who were the men who lived here, calling these dark shafts “home” day after day? And, of course fishing… golden trout, cutthroat, brookies, grayling, all for us… not another person to be seen. We have no videos of our trips, just the memories of being together in a strange place and the brown Jeep that took us there.
It was a legacy, a way of life, begun by my grandfather who initiated my Dad in an old Willys overland truck. When I was 13. I remember riding in his Jeep to get a deer I had shot back in the forest. There happened to be an old logging road going right past the place where the deer had fallen. The old Jeep (with no real paint left on it) crawled over dead trees, through brush, and back to the deer. Cracked windows, dented fenders, no interior, and holes in the floor… I can remember it better than any of the countless ”chromed Chevy trucks” seen in magazines year after year.
My Father has owned five different Jeeps, My brother owns a ’94 Wrangler with 31x10.50’s. My Grandfather passed away last year, leaving a Willys truck to my little sister who is just starting to drive...." (I then went on to talk about my 84 XJ- I had bought the engine from a 92 that they were selling in the magazine and transfered it into the 84, and gave an update on the build.) "My son and daughters’ Jeep has been featured in your magazine (a power wheels Jeep with the only upgrade being a 4-wheel Drive & Sport Utility sticker), so the legacy lives on! We explore caves in the Pryor Mountains. We poke around the old mines and fish the lakes of the Beartooth Mountains. We investigate old roads and enjoy the creation around us. The roads are the same as they were 100 years ago. Most often we are still the only ones at the lake, where the fish still bite like crazy, and the mud still stinks, the Jeep still whines, the snow is still pink, the grass green…where new memories are still being made.
Environmentalists are not out to steal our memories, they could never do that, but what about those who will drive the roads after us? Is It a sport we are defending, or a way of life? My love for the mountains began in a Jeep, and honestly it can for others too. Tread lightly and maybe we’ll see you at the lake next time? Or maybe I’ll send you some of our memories. I’ll see a Montana trail in your magazine yet! Thanks for a great magazine! There is no other that covers the backcountry and our “sport” as well as you do.”
I've had Jeeping in me now for over 50 years... it has been part of my life!
I think many of us have had similar introductions to Jeeping, and our attachments really do run deeper than just having "cool stuff and big tires".
This article -for me- has aged well, I have been able to pass it on to others. My Dad lived with me for the last 4 years of his life, going jeeping with me into his 80's, even when he could not drive himself any longer... I'd load him up and take him to the trails. A host of memories I am very thankful for. Our family reunions have often been around Jeep trails.... Moab serveral times, Colorado twice, Montana many times, Arizona... we had Jeeps at all of them- Brother, sister, kids, grandkids, Grandpa, inlaws -dogs and Jeeps! All of my children are well into adulthood now, mid twenties and up.... but I still get to work with them on their jeeps! My oldest son and I finished putting a EVO lift on his 23 rubicon gladiator last month, my youngest son- well, I helped him get a winch on his XJ last week. My oldest daughter- I changed the air filter in her 2022 rubicon gladiator this summer and then helped her get ready for the 35's that she just put on it. my youngest daughter married a Ford guy... so there is that.... (there is still time). Jeeping has been a part of our lives and I have 4 grandchildren who all love to go Jeeping too! It is just kind of a fun thing that we share, many of my freinds through the years became my freind on a Jeep trail! It has been a great part of my life. I hope I can make it to my 80's driving the trails!
I think that is why I have always loved your videos. You have always been a place to go to "watch" jeeping when I couldn't be Jeeping. I was introduced to your videos while my youngest daughter was fighting cancer in 2008. My brother sent me links t othe old forum and I joined! I was watching the early trail videos while I sat in the dark hospital room for weeks...She would spend about 5 months in the hospital. My wife and I took turns doing the night shift with her... your videos were a chance to get out of where I was and be on the trail with you and Cindy and your freinds, when all I had in the room was "beep". The videos with the groups of freinds and families ...and dogs... and the great days out on the dirt roads and trails, it was a bright spot at 3am. They still do a great job showing the bonds formed doing trails together, and I never thought I would enjoy watching jeep videos until I watched yours. I have never meet you in person, but feel like we have something we share in our love for the adventures we have in Jeeps. Your channel and forums have always been true to this way of life... you guys are still a pleasure to watch! I hope you know it is more than a channel. The people you guys have helped through the years "Happy Crumudgeon" comes to mind... and many others... you have been great leaders in the world of Jeep videos being about more than the views or likes! Thank you!
