What started your passion for the off-road Jeep lifestyle?

[bigbootysuperduty]

I started in the dirt young. Dirt bikes, progressed to quads, then a sandrail. I got fed up of having to trailer everything out. My friends have jeeps, I finally got a JK. Natural progression I guess.

 

[Trail JK]

Wow, that's is WAY COOL!! I had no idea you had ever done this let alone that this is what got you hooked on Jeeps! I'm eager to read everyone's stories :thumb:

Yep, that was my first experience doing any type of off-roading. One heck of an amazing couple of weeks. Now hooked on Jeeps... that credit might go to you, this awesome community and the sickness. I've been fortunate enough to build on that first experience and add additional memory's through this family.

On a side note, I'm really enjoying all the stories posted and I hope that you are too. [emoji106]

 

[Lil Nasty]

My parents had a few jeeps growing a Levi edition CJ-7 and an old Willys. We would go down to river in Nebraska and camp on the sand bars. Years later my wife and I would always look at them when we were looking at a new vehicle, but never bought one. Then one trip we went to a remote cabin and were given directions and said do not take the GPS route it was not a well traveled road. Well the wife wanted to go that route so we did. As we thought we were closer to the cabin the road was getting narrower and the tree branches were scrapping on both sides of her Honda Civic it was also getting darker too. I was starting to get worried. It turned out to be one of those greenway roads that you are not allowed to get out of your car. No place to turn around so we moved forward. It got to the point she had to get out to "spot" me as I was trying to get around obstacles. A few times she was freaking out because she thought it was going to roll over. We finally made it to the end and sure as shit it came out to a paved road! Still had to go a few more miles on a better traveled road to get to it. After that we went out looking for a better vehicle for our travels and ended up with the jeep.

I also want to add I found this dude and his wife on the internet making cool videos and was hooked!

This sounds exactly like our trip to Arkansas last year.

 

[piginajeep]

Yep, that was my first experience doing any type of off-roading. One heck of an amazing couple of weeks. Now hooked on Jeeps... that credit might go to you, this awesome community and the sickness. I've been fortunate enough to build on that first experience and add additional memory's through this family.

On a side note, I'm really enjoying all the stories posted and I hope that you are too. [emoji106]

Did you meet Cecil ?

 

[Jtmw]

My parents got me a Jeep when I was 16. Just out of the blue for them, no one is automotive or Jeep inclined in my family or sphere of friends. I watched a couple of Wayalife and MadRam11 Vids, saw what i wanted my Jeep to be and ran from there :clap2: 5 years later still at it with a bigger and better Jeep

 

[hinrichs]

I cant remember how old I was, but while on a family vacation in Arizona, we booked a hummer tour. I got to sit in the front seat which was cool enough just being in an H1, then we hit the trails and I was just amazed. The wheeling wasnt much but being a kid from back east I was mesmerized. The tire inflation/deflation was amazing as well and that was the first time I ever saw a tire aired down.

Took a long break however and never did anything like that again, other than some atv trips when we were out west again.

Then my buddy got a wrangler 4 years ago, took me for a ride with no doors and I was sold on getting a jeep so we could go wheeling.....yet he then sold it shortly after and never went offroad lol. Regardless I am happy I stuck with it and especially after getting the 4 door. Everyone I have met has been awesome and become an instant friend.

 

[Bosunmate]

Back in 1977-80, I was stationed at the Coast Guard unit at Huntington, WV. I noticed that one of my shipmates never had any problems making it into work in his Jeep during the harsh winter conditions. So in keeping with the Coast Guard motto "Semper Paratus" (always ready), I bought my first brand new vehicle, a 1980 Jeep CJ5. I've been hooked ever since.

 

[Carrington]

Ever since I was born, my dad has owned a jeep. Once I was old enough(8 years old) he bought a jeep for me and him to work on together. Now that I'm 16 he has a Jk and I have an 83' cj7 and we off-road together as much as possible. If it wasn't for my dad trading his cobra mustang for a 77' jeep I don't know what I would be so passionate about but I'm glad he did!

 

[Trail JK]

Did you meet Cecil ?

Lol, no and thank goodness! I spent the time at Lion Sands River Lodge a private game reserve.

 

[frenchjk]

Safari's and a Jamboree

I grew up in RSA and Turkey, had LR's and RR's all around. Went to the States in '86 for the Jeepers Jamboree as a manufacturer invite, got lent a CJ7 and was hooked........it's been a jeep thing since! Wayalife seemed a natural thing.

 

[Slavens]

Some of you know it was my late brother who got me started off road with four wheels, we were best friends through life we did everything together, fishing, camping, dirt bikes so we ended up getting 4x4 trucks just to explore and get to more out of the way camp sites then when he bought a hummer h2 he joined a club/forum and got more and more serious I would ride with him on the more serious trails my truck wouldn't go, he ended up trading the h2 for an h1 and we had a blast in that thing he did a lot of Moab in it and even stuffed it through slick rock yup a 100k vehicle with full forest pin striping, he was planning to try the rubicon trail the year he passed 2011 my plan back then was to get a jeep to keep up with him on these trails but unfortunately I didn't get my jeep until after he passed but my mind always goes to him every time I complete an obstacle or trail

I would like to add I have a few new brothers now (you know who you are) thanks to wayalife [emoji209][emoji485]

This is awesome thank you for sharing!

I would have to say family is how I caught the Jeep bug myself. I was raised on wheeling my whole life but never in jeeps but when the time came to have a family of my own I wanted a new safe wheeler and found my JKUR. Sold my 87 Runner and found this site and so many great people I couldn't be happier with it all.

 

[vgullotta]

Mine's easy. I knew I wanted a Jeep real early on. As a kid, I'd see them around town, on M.A.S.H, Dukes of Hazard, lifted, stock, whatever, I loved them all. They were just so cool. You could take the top down, the doors off, go off road, drive through snow with ease, and look cool doing it all! How could life be any better? I had a paper route (remember those?) for many years, so I saved all my money. I got more and more paper routes every year. Just kept saving until I was 16. I got my Driver's License and found one in the classifieds in the newspaper (remember using those?) for $5000. I had about $4600 saved up, went with my Dad and offered them $4500 for it and they agreed! Red '87 YJ bone stock. Friggin loved it. My buddy's and I lived in it throughout highschool and some college. I drove it for many years. Now I'm on my third Jeep ('07 JK, Lift, 35's, bumpers, etc.). I miss that old Jeep. I used to know the people that owned it and tried to get it a few years ago, but they had sold it. I'm still looking for it though!

≈Vinny

 

[jeff_in_rc]

My story

Ever since I was 9 years old I have some sort of dirt bike and I have always loved the outdoors. First camping and riding with my mom, dad and family then onto my own family, riding and camping in the southern California desert. Went to Gorman, California City, Jawbone, Dove springs, etc., you get the idea.

Well a few years ago I decided to go to 4 wheels from 2 for health reasons due to the fact I can get a hernia at the drop of a hat. I look at it this way, if I crash my Jeep I don't have to pick it up! Anyway I started off with an 89 YJ, 2.4 5 speed with 31's and man I was hooked. Every one I knew could not believe I made the transition so easily and I have to say, I have not looked back.

About 3 years ago I got my current ride, an '04 TJ Rubicon and I am have the time of my life. I am absolutely amazed every time I take it out as to what it will do. I have even been able to get my wife to go with me a few times which is hard to do with a woman that suffers from anxiety and believe me, if you don't know what I mean you'll never know.

 

[Linebacker]

My father let me ride shotgun in a topless MB in post war Germany in 1952. There was no off road that day, but I was hooked. It's why I love the old flatties so much. Bought my first CJ in 1964. It wiped my savings but I didn't care. Now I'm in Colorado living the dream on the trail.

 

[mtt]

Growing up in Northern England, Jeeps were something we only got to see on TV shows like magnum PI or the A- Team. When I was 12, and on holiday with my family in the US, I saw a jeep for the first time and fell in love it, and the beautiful lady driving it. Fast forward 28 years and I now live in the USA with my beautiful wife and own my very own Jeep. Was worth the wait! !

 

[RjSkippy]

I went off-roading with some friends as a ride along in their jeep with other jeeps at AOAA in PA. Met a bunch of great people and was hooked. It only took my about 9 months for my life to change drastically and one of those changes was the purchase of my first jeep. Looking forward to actually getting it on the trail here in a few weeks.

 

[naysjp]

I didn't really like the desert. I had been to the Anza Borrego once in the early 90's and that was it. It's hot, it's dusty and my parents never took us to the desert when we were kids. Frankly, going to the desert for fun was something black folks just didn't do. Some friends were playing softball while I nursed a broken broken wrist and the following weekend were going offroading/camping and invited me. Since I liked camping and never been offloading, it sounded like fun. The first run was a night run. I had a blast! the day run was fun as hell. I was hooked by then. I drove a truck at the time and was wanting an F150 but by the end of that trip I knew I wanted a Jeep. A month later, I owned a new red TJ. Actually, three of us on that trip purchased new Jeeps. Owning a Jeep has taken me places I would have never visited had I not owned a Jeep. I would have ran the Rubicon Trail, I would have ran trails in Baja California Mexico and there are fellow Jeepers in my life whom I would have never met in real life and here on WOL. The Jeep frustrates me me at times, I wish I was better with tools, but I see myself owning a Jeep the rest of my life even if I own a second vehicle.

 

[BadBry]

Two stories: I started at age six (now 48). My Dad had a high school friend who rebuilt an old WWII military Jeep. It had tall skinny tires, no top or seat belts and was painted the worst color Baby Blue I had ever seen. The jeep had a license plate "El Yeep". Any way, we began to climb some gnarly hills. Next thing I know, we were nearly vertical as we climbed Borrego Mesa in Northern,NM. I can Two stories: I started at age six (now 48). My Dad had a high school friend who had rebuilt an old WWII military Jeep. It had tall skinny tires, no top or seat belts and was painted the worst color Baby Blue I had ever seen. The jeep gad a license plate "El Yeep".

Any way, we climbed some gnarly hills and we got nearly vertical as we climbed Borrego Mesa in Northern,NM. I can honestly say I craped my pants.

Second story around the same age. My best friends grandpa was a Ford salesman and he had a late sixties or ealy 70's Bronco, much like a Bronco II. Anyway, we were going to their ranch to brand cattle and the winter snow was melting. The Bronco was going down two two track sideways, tilted at a 60 degree angle and I could swear we were going backwards.

Today, I still Live those youthful memories through my second Jeep!

 

[WxNerd2015]

Mine started with my very first truck! A 2001 Dodge Dakota Regular Cab SLT 2WD, No ABS, bare minimum truck! I saved up and bought this as my first truck before I even had my license so I could work on it and have it ready for the moment I could drive. It had the cookie cutter wheels and all that stuff thats not so great for off-roading. I added on biggers wheels, all-terrian tires, and started having some fun! A buddy of mine had a 2001 XJ which was lifted all the other goodies, and he would take us out and we would have some fun in that and I started trying to take my truck out and doing some of that too! Well, let's just say, I am from Michigan, first driving experience started on backroads/dirt roads before my license, and got my license in the middle of winter, so I learned to drive in the worse possible conditions, and let me tell you, that truck was a ball! I would go drifting in the snow and the gravel roads and doing donuts in the snow covered..well anywhere that my truck would just fit for donuts...and all that and enjoyed the heck out of that truck, even took it on many storm chases (as I am a meteorologist and storm chaser) and that truck never let me down! Needless to say though, I got hooked on the off road life and just needed more than that truck was gonna be able to offer me. Then my nana got a, '11 JKU Sport S and let me take it out, and it didn't take long for me to get that thing dirty, and that was it! I was 100% hooked for a Jeep! 3 years later after she would let me borrow her jeep on and off, I finally got my dream vehicle and found an '11 of my own! a JK Sport S Sand in color with black everything else! I fell in love the second I saw it and knew it was the one for me! Now I am constantly searching for new mods and stuff to work on and great deals and cool ideas to customize and man...I got it baaaaaaad now! Jeep Wayalife has got me bad and I love it!

Here's a few pictures of my experiences (along with a few storm chasing shots too! The pano with my jeep in it was from May 6th, 2015 just SW of Norman, OK and actual dropped nearly a mile wide EF3/EF4! Jeep definitely came in handy on those muddy farm roads!):

 

[shipjim]

70.000 rental

We rented a Jeep in Lake City Co to cross over to Silverton on Engineer Pass and back on Cinnamon. My wife and dog loved the ride the scenery was beautiful. By the time we returned the jeep, we were hooked.


We immediatly came home and sold my 300C and bought a very used tj. Fixed it up, it got totaled and we without hesitation bought an 09 JKUR and got it road ready. We just concluded our 3rd season in the Rockies driving, climbing and enjoying the areas.
NO REGRETS:clap2: