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Wheeling.
Wheeling. What is it about wheeling?
I had no idea what wheeling is when I ambled on to the Jeep dealers lot.
Nope, not a clue! Now I had driven several 4X4's... Bronco's and a Samy, or
should I say a Geo Tracker. Same thing, different labbel. In fact it was the
Track with 150K miles on it that had me looking for a repacement. I kew it
needed some shop time if it was going to last much longer, but I still needed
something to get back and forth from work.
I looked first at the want adds for a Toyota FJ40. I've always wanted one
of those! I like the look, and the utility... nothing, not one was anywhere to
be found for sale. So I test drove a the new version at the Toyota Dealer. It
was sound and comfortable, but, I don't know, a bit too plastic, and had poor
visibility. I came away from the test drive rather un-impressed.
Then I wandered around the Jeep lot. The 07's were out, and I liked the
top.. two peace, hard top... great! But it just doesn't look like a Jeep. I'm
sick to death of "Bubble Cars" [anything that looks like a Ford Tarus from the
side] and do not want my Jeep to start taking that same shape. Then I saw them,
two classic Jeeps on the edge of the lot. One was all gloss black, the other
was black over white. The last of the 06 models.
I bought the white one. An 06 TJ Rubicon, and had no clue what I was realy
getting myself into. I did not then know about the low gearing, the
differential lockers, and heavy duty axles, or any of that, and why I'd want
them. I do now!
I have driven more places, and seen more of Idaho, in the last year than I
ever did in over 20 years of living here. I have braved trails that my other
rigs could not have crossed, and I have forged ahead without any carnage, dents
or troubles. Maybe some difficulty, but nothing that couldn't be handled. My
Jeep has opened up a whole new Idaho, I didn't even know thet it existed.
Now I love to go out wheeling. Near or far... in groups or alone... I take
the dog, and give her a walk. I take the camera and record the views. I take a
friend, and we actually have time to talk... now that's wheeling!
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