I must start by explaining that I am not a gearhead or a car lover. While I enjoy my vehicles and see them as a form of freedom and mobility, I am not mechanically minded in the least, nor can I build something easily. So, with that said, all projects have been completed with lots of youtube watching and consulting of friends who are.
When I think about it, everything all started with a crash. I purchased a 2010 Toyota Camry to replace the 1993 Camry that had gotten me through college. Sadly I did not have the 2010 Camry for very long. Within the first year of owning it, I had totaled it. Thankfully no one was hurt, but the accident was caused by a deer on a back road headed to visit family for a long weekend. The deer hit every part of the car’s passenger side, starting with the front bumper to the back, destroying the tail light. The damage was all cosmetic, but every panel down the right side of the car would have to be replaced. The vehicle survived and was driveable to get me to my family’s place and then back home to my place several days later. However, the insurance company determined that due to all the damage, it would cost much more to repair than to total it and pay it off.
With a sum of cash in my pocket, the search had begun to find my next rig. I did considerable research and lots of list-making to determine what I was looking for, and of course, there was the budget. I was looking for something off-road capable with much higher clearance than a Camry. The goal was to use this vehicle as a traveling base camp for hiking and backpacking. I was also looking for something used that needed a little TLC but did not need a ton of mechanical work. I settled on a 1997 Jeep Cherokee.
Lovingly named The Beast, it was temperamental, and getting it licensed was a bit of a journey. The short version of that story is that when I tried to get the new title, it came back saying that the vehicle still had a lean on it. The previous owners had paid it off, but the used car dealer they purchased it from had passed away, and the dealership had since been closed. They eventually got the paperwork they needed by contacting the widow of the gentleman who had sold the vehicle and owned the dealership. After months of back and forth, it was finally ready to hit the road. Little did I know the adventure was to come.
Life had a massive change, and I found myself loading up the Jeep with as much as possible and getting rid of or donating the rest. Lilly, my dog, and I hit the road. We were moving to Arizona. I had been let go from my job, and other life events caused a need for a change, and opportunities fell into place to make it all happen.
Many great trips and memories were made in the first couple of years living in Arizona and The Beast. That spring, I would drive to Utah for Outdoor Retailer, a massive media event put on by retailers who would be showing off their new gear for the season. Think of the big auto or home shows but a giant set of buildings full of all outdoor and adventure-related things. I had secured a media pass as a blogger and was even able to get my hands on some gear to test out for an upcoming trip.
Later that summer, I would drive right back through Utah and headed to Idaho for the first Hell Hike and Raft adventure. There I would meet some fantastic folks, and we would have an epic adventure backpacking In the Seven Devils Wilderness, leading us down into Hells Canyon to meet white water rafting boats at the river to then raft our way out of the canyon.
The Beast was a workhorse but sadly started to have some issues. This was most likely due to the fact that it was just old and would need to have lots of factory parts replaced and the lack of upkeep by the previous owner. I needed a more suitable and reliable vehicle, especially since it would also be my daily driver and adventure vehicle. I loved the Cherokee, but I need and wanted more!
Enter the Red Barron. A 2007 Jeep Wrangler. This truck had only one owner before purchase, a real estate agent in Tucson that had most likely never taken the soft top off, put it into 4-wheel drive, or had ever taken it on dirt. The interior and the engine looked like it had just rolled off the showroom floor.
Do not worry. The Beast was renamed Betty White and was still driving around Tucson by a friend who has put lots of time, effort, and love into keeping it going. While it does not look the same, the heart is still there.
The Red Baron and I would have many adventures. Many might think I drove it hard, but I was using it to its full potential. We took several cross-country road trips and many backroad adventures, and it was completely changed by the time I sold it. We camped and hiked all over the southwest, and in a blink of an eye, it looked like this….
By the time of the picture above, I had added a roof rack, an awning and replaced the suspension. I even had a sleeping system inside the Jeep that utilized a special air mattress designed for Jeep Camping.
Sadly my time in the southwest would end, and once again, I would load up the Jeep and drive across the country to a new home. Illinois is the new home base now, and since my arrival, the Jeep has continued to change with the removal of the rear seats, a platform was built, and a tent installed on the roof rack.
The photo you see above is the first and only camping trip I was able to take with the newly completed interior sleeping/working area and storage. Shortly after this Trip, I went to get my mail on a normal uneventful day, and the Jeep did not want to start or run. I had it towed into town. The mechanics looked it over there, and the diagnosis of the engine was not good.
Remember at the beginning of this email how I said I was not a mechanic? This is the time I had to make a choice. I did not have the skills, location, or tools to bring Red Baron back to life. The cost of repairs plus the high likelihood that other major parts would also start failing caused me to say goodbye and off he went to a nice couple of guys who worked for the state as mechanics a few hours away.
While e have made it to the last chapter of this story it, however, will have to wait.
until next time…. Stay adventurous and happy trails!
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