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My journey as a Jeep® girl begins with an epic fail. Nature photography gives me an excuse to spend the weekends exploring back roads and little-known places of New Mexico and beyond. When I first moved to Santa Fe, I scoured the internet looking for locations that would rival those of professional photographers. One such place is Valle Vidal (Valley of Life), known as the Yellowstone of the Southwest. I chose a weekend for my little adventure, and headed out in my two-wheel drive Ford Ranger. I was confident that AT tires alone would be enough to meander through this little hidden gem that is utterly remote and raw.
I mapped out a few locations where I wanted to photograph. The day went well, even when I stumbled upon animal vertebrae just inches from where I knelt down in a field of wildflowers. Raw and wild. Toward the end of the day, I tried to reach a location that promised a vast open grassland speckled with spring flowers. Unfortunately, the washboard road proved to be too much for my little Ranger, and I found myself going sideways. After several attempts, I could only sit and stare down the road wondering what lay just beyond the next hill.
The heartbreak and disappointment of that moment made me vow that I would never be limited by my vehicle again. Soon after that day, I bought my first Jeep® Wrangler, and the world was mine to explore and discover.
Finding my dream Jeep® took time and patience, though. My first was a 2008 JK – used and abused. I couldn’t even get out of town without a light illuminating on the dash. In 2014, I bought my first new JK, but even he had issues. To say that I reached out to Jeep® on several occasions is an understatement. I was sorely disappointed in my little Stryder because I know what the Jeep® brand stands for. I finally realized that Jeep® could do nothing for him, and one morning at 5:00 a.m., I found the love of my life – a new 2017 JK. From the first time I drove Jax, I knew that I was finally free to go wherever my curiosity took me.
Rigs are the core of the offroad lifestyle, and settling for less than what you need may cost you down the road. Whether you find yourself stuck in a hail storm on Black Bear Pass or simply needing to escape the world for awhile, your rig may be what saves your life one day,
