What Can You Do In Your Off-road Vehicle, Today

“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 or Bronco or any other vehicle that you enjoy. 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 vehicle standout.

You see advertisements or catalogues featuring new and exciting products. You can add new lights, wheels, tires, winches, lift kits and more.

And, you should.

But, sometimes, you just want to enjoy your vehicle 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 car owners, the basics is just getting in it and driving. Here are some simple things to do with your vehicle 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 It 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 these. 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 that you automatically inherit upon ownership. It is truly amazing how you instantly are 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 2 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; or Bronc’d

“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. The trend began with Allison Parliament, the founder of #DuckDuckJeep. She wanted to turn a negative situation into a positive. Parliament said, “Rather than focusing on the hate and stupid, we chose to focus on kindness.”  

What started out as a way to thank a friend, leaving notes attached to little ducks spread around the house, has turned into a nation-wide phenomenon and it doesn’t seem to be limited to just Jeeps. Or ducks.

You can be purchase bags of inexpensive rubber ducks or other small trinkets in all forms and shapes. You can opt to tie a ribbon to attach a little card with a little message like, “Nice Jeep” or “I like your Bronco.” Or you can just simply place a duck on the door handle, cowl or bumper of a vehicle in a parking lot. Finding these little trinkets are sure to bring a smile to almost every car owner.

Find a 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 that freedom that you believe only a Jeep can give. Or you bought you Bronco to feel the nostalgia of a bygone time. Maybe you wanted to modify your vehicle, 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 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 your particular vehicle. 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 club. Being in a club is a great way to learn and grow skills. The almost hive-like mind will have answers to many of the questions you have. 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 to 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 vehicles 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. But you and your vehicle 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. Have your GPS or maps application as a reference or 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.

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 idea it was there or maybe you had 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 vehicle. It doesn’t have to be this huge life changing event; it can be simple. 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 the big things.  

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.