Episode 499 – The Jeep Talk Show – Double Trouble
This Week In Jeep
Young Jeeper Still Missing In Az.
Daniel Robinson went missing on June 23, leaving his job in a Jeep Renegade at Sun Valley Parkway and Cactus Road in Buckeye Arizona. According to reports, he left the job site, didn’t tell anyone why or where he was going, and headed West, further into the desert. Ok, seems pretty normal for a Jeep owner… there’s desert over there, I have a Jeep.. so why not, right? Location data was not available from Robinson’s phone, due to it being off or out of range. Investigators say they learned from family, friends, and co-workers that Daniel’s behavior in the days prior to his disappearance was “not like himself at times,” but there was no indication he wished to harm himself or leave the area. According to a statement released by Buckeye Police on July 21, a Jeep that belongs to Robinson was discovered by a rancher on his property. The vehicle was found about four miles southwest of the job site where Robinson was last seen and appears to have rolled and landed on its side. The airbags in the Jeep had been deployed and initial evidence indicates Daniel was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. In addition, Buckeye Police officials say they found “multiple personal effects” at the scene, including clothes, Robinson’s cell phone, wallet, and keys.
Detectives immediately began searching for Robinson in the area by ground and air and are analyzing the evidence left in the car. Officials said foul play is not suspected based on the condition of how the Jeep was left. If you have any information as to where this young man might be, please call the Buckeye Police Dept.
Odd Bragging Rights
Out of all the ads that have generated the highest number of impressions across national broadcast and cable TV airings, the latest Jeep ad ranks number one for the third straight week. I know right! I was just as surprised as you are…to find that there are companies out there actually ranking commercials. Yeesh… who signs up for this stuff?
Well iSpot.tv’s ranking of the most-watched automotive commercials has Jeep sitting at the top currently for the ad entitled, “Wildly Civilized.” This particular ad is promoting Jeep’s three-row, midsize SUV, the Grand Cherokee L. The ad also leads the pack in estimated money spent, at roughly $2.5 million. According to the experts that track this stuff, the commercial’s creative elements elevated viewer attention to 6.2% above the norm for auto ads in the last 90 days and proved 6.4% more likable.
Wow. Simply Captivating. The commercial isn’t bad, I’ve certainly seen worse, but I’m not sure what makes it so special. The voice-over as the commercial opens is talking about two Americas, as the screen is split down the middle, and showing scenes of things like Utah’s red rocks, or the Golden Gate Bridge. Clearly showing two very different parts of this great nation. If you haven’t put it together yet, Jeep explains it for you by telling you, that there are two Americas, one being of paved roads, and the other is forever wild as more scenes flash at you of endless skyscrapers then endless woods, more city streets, and then the open desert. And of course, as the patriotic horn-filled music plays in the background, we are reminded (once again by the voice-over) of the Freedom that we have, is twofold as well. The freedom we are born with, and the freedom that comes from owning a Jeep.
Newbie Nuggets with Wendy
Top 5 Newbie Nugget episodes
Seems like everyone these days has a top-five list for something or another. Tammy aka Jeep Momma has her lists of top 5 for all sorts of fun things and even Nicky G is getting in on it with his latest Top 3 guesses on our big 500th episode announcement.
Well, I’m jumping on the bandwagon too with my Top 5 Newbie nuggets from the last 62 episodes.
First, let’s start with the top 5 episodes I recommend for newbies. Whether you are new to driving or you have a brand new jeep and off-roading is new to you, these top episodes are a good start to gain some knowledge and get out there and enjoy the great outdoors.
Top 5 episodes for Newbies
#5 – What to carry in your jeep – Episode 426. When you first start out, you may not even realize these items will come in handy one day. Good list of items to get started out with. Better to be looking AT these items than be looking for them.
#4 – What to expect when you go on a trial run. In episode #436 I list what you need to know to prepare for that run with a new group or even a bunch of buddies. I have always said, “having knowledge is power”.
#3 – Where to find the Trails and how to read trail designations. Episode #427 has all the details on selecting a trail and choosing the trial that best fits your jeep set up. Do you know what the Green, Blue and Black trail markers indicate here in the west? Check out this episode to find out.
#2 – Airing down- all the ins and outs of why we air down. Besides smoothing out your ride, it’s also good for the environment. Check out episodes 431 & 452 for all the info.
#1 – The MOST important Episode for newbies is treading lightly and taking care of trails. I’m very passionate about trail care and I cover this topic a lot in episodes 430, 446 & 490. Pack it in, Pack it out. Taking care of the lands is all of our responsibilities. If you have to pick one episode to listen to, visit these three to help keep trails from getting shut down.
I did have an Honorable mention – episode 491 where I discuss trail safety when out wheeling. It’s not an episode for the faint of heart as I mention my friend’s ordeal, but it does give you some additional things to consider when wheeling and being safe.
Now I had to do My Top 5 funniest episodes. The show has me laughing each week as we record but these episodes stand out as being pretty funny, well, at least to me. So if you a need laugh, newbie or not, here you go;
#5 – 2020 Reflections. With all the “issues” we had last year I did a fun recap at the end of 2020 in episode 470 of what I learned the past year.
#4 – Ice Ice Baby – not completely funny but in episode 479 I share my first time jeeping on Ice and how the adrenaline dump of thinking I was going over the side completely out of control happened – well you have to listen to see how it worked out.
#3 – Hi-lift Jack – This was a good episode on how to use a jack and how to be safe. Turns out when I was sharing the info, I pretty much lost it – adding Josh and Tony to the mix and it, well, it got out of control with laughter… – check out episode 462 for a good belly laugh. Let’s just say I do keep my jack lubed…
#2 – Owning a jeep- I take a look back and share what owning a jeep is like, or what it looks like when a jeep “owns” you” Uh-Huh!! Out of this episode Josh revealed the now-famous” while you are in there” line that we all use when discussing our jeeps. Episode 437 gives you a good look into the fun you can have jeeping and adding modifications.
And #1 – This was by far the funniest episode- Running out of Gas. YES my husband, Bill, who has years of experience, ran out of gas going downhill! YEP. The golden rule of jeeping is NEVER go wheeling without a full tank of gas. Not sure he will EVER live this one down. Episode 451 has all the details.
I hope you visit Jeep Talk Show.com and look up all our show episodes for great information and laughter. We are turning 500 next week and looking forward to bringing you lots of good jeep content and some funnies along the way. Thanks for listening.
Jeep Talk Show Gladiator Update
Motobilt Crusher Series Front Bumper w/ Bull Bar
I ordered the bumper on Tuesday, and it was delivered to my door by a semi-angry UPS man at about 9 am on Thursday!
Ordered from northridge4x4.com FREE shipping, $50 off = Total $667.44!
Tech Talk with Jeep Talk
Metal Work Clean Up
If you find yourself with a metal mess after making some brackets or doing a welding job where you pulled out the grinder… save yourself from having to pull a metal sliver out of your flesh by using this trick to clean up.
Simply put a strong magnet in a plastic bowl or container, a gallon milk jug with a flat bottom would work great for this. With the magnet sitting in the bottom of the container, skim it along the floor to pick up the shavings. Once you’ve picked up all you can, move it over the trash can and pull up on the magnet, letting the shavings drop into the trash.
You’d be surprised to see how much metal your broom or vacuum will miss. And the last thing you want to be doing is scooting along under the Jeep and picking up a metal sliver or three. Look, if you’ve never had a sliver made of steel embed itself into your flesh, you haven’t really lived. They’re nearly impossible to see until they rust and turn darker in color unless you are in the perfect angle of light, and by then the tweezers are in the way, and DAMMIT where’d it go?! It’s loads of fun if you heal fast and you get a layer of skin to form OVER the sliver before it can be extracted, and continuously push it further into your body. Good times. So where do you get a nice big strong magnet? Pry one off the back of a blown speaker. Don’t have one laying around? Make a trip to the thrift store and buy a crappy old speaker to sacrifice. Or try going down to a couple of local stereo shops and asking the techs if they have any blown speakers laying around they pulled out of a vehicle recently. Don’t talk to the sales guys, they’ll just try and sell you one, but the techs will be more likely to dig one up or have one already laying around.
Another option would be to go to the junkyard and pull a junk speaker out of a car. Speaker magnets are strong and large and have the kind of magnetic force that will pull multiple layers of shavings from off the ground. Don’t try to use refrigerator magnets, they’re not strong enough, no matter how many you cram into that gallon jug. And if you want to repurpose that magnet, they work great, stuck on the side of your toolbox to hold various screws, bolts, or other hardware.
Jeep Talk Show Interview
Tim – Off-Road Enthusiast – Hidden Falls Adventure Park
Tim has been at Hidden Falls for the past 6 years. He has been in the industrial supply sales industry for the past 20 years and just recently made the move to work full-time at Hidden Falls. No, he doesn’t have a Jeep but does enjoy riding dirt bikes when he has the chance. He does appreciate the Jeep community as he sees that community at work every weekend at Hidden Falls.
Jeep Life – With Jeep Momma
Tony Josh and Wendy… This Jeep Life episode was going to be about how to keep campfire smoke from following you around… but I am going to push that back an episode or two. There is just too much to share with you from the past couple of days. First, The gang at True Patriot, we interviewed them several episodes back here on the Jeep Talk Show. They are the veteran charity group that helps disabled vets. They made the trek across the US to wheel in Colorado. They made a pit stop at our shop last week as they were headed back to the east coast. It was fun meeting them all and seeing all the cool rigs. They reached out to us before the trip to see if we would help support them in case of any breakdowns or needing help on the trails. Of course, we said yes! We helped patch up a few of the rigs and gave them use of our tools. We also put them up for a night at the campground we stay at. What a great group of folks and an amazing charity. The next day was our monthly Colorado 4×4 trail ride. One of our goals is to build a Jeep slash off-road community here in the valley. You would be surprised at the lack of a Jeep Community here in the valley. It’s like we are 20 years behind the times. There are tons and tons of all kinds of Jeeps, but everyone seems to do their own thing. We hope someone will step up to create a 4×4 group. This month’s trail ride we decided to make it a camping one. There are so many trails out here it is unbelievable. We took Stoney Pass and headed over to the Silverton / Ouray area. Stoney Pass was the original road/trail in 1872 that connected San Juan’s mining operations in Silverton to the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. There are amazing panoramic views of the continental divide and the headwaters of the Rio Grande River. The road was originally developed for pack animals; now it’s a mild 4×4 road. We hit the trail just outside Creede, Colorado near the Rio Grande Reservoir and headed towards Silverton. That is where all those famous trails are like Black Bear Pass. The views are spectacular and the trail is rich with mining history. We saw a mountain goat and a Moose, From a distance of course. We were up at 12 thousand 500 feet on Stoney Pass. Here in Colorado the treeline… is where trees stop growing. Being above the treeline is amazing. The wildflowers are everywhere. It is called the Alpine Tundra. Very delicate ecosystem. This is why it is so important to stay on the trail. Just stepping off the trail can do damage that will take hundreds of years to repair. This is also where the Continental Divide goes through. The Continental Divide separates the Atlantic and Pacific watersheds and it is also a very popular trail among hikers. Then we headed to the Alpine Loop, another trail that is full of mining history and a lot of old mining ghost towns. Then to Engineer Pass one of the most scenic trails in Colorado as well as a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail. It is at an elevation of 12 thousand 800 feet one of the highest roads of Colorado. All these trails have so much history In the late 1800s, miners started digging for gold, silver, lead, and other ore in the San Juan Mountains. They needed a way to get people and the ore out to the nearby towns. Those roads left by the long-abandoned mines are now some of the most famous off-road trails in the books. Engineer Pass is one of them and is part of a trail now known as the Alpine Loop. There are multiple mine ruins to view and explore. Some are marked clearly and some are not. Of course, you should never enter structures or disturb the area in any way. A lot of those structures are in shambles. Mile after mile of this trail provides amazing views. This trail intersects the Jeep Badge of Honor Trail Poughkeepsie Gulch which has a very difficult obstacle called the wall. Which for a lot of people requires to be winched up. At that intersection is the most amazing little camping spot along a creek with 2 waterfalls. It was awesome to be lulled to sleep by the rushing water and the deer running throughout camp. I hope it was a deer anyways. This camping spot is about 2 miles from the trailhead in the Ouray area. As you head east on Engineer pass the first several miles are rocky up switchbacks. A stock Gladiator made it thru fine on this part of the trail. They rate this trail as a 4 out of 10 in difficulty. A stock Jeep can make it on this trail. You just need to be able to pick good lines. This trail is 20.5 miles long and takes anywhere from 3 to 5 hours depending on the sightseeing you do with the amazing sweeping vistas and waterfalls you could spend all day taking in the spectacular views. Then there is how fast you run the shelf road.
This trail goes well above the tree line at 12,900 feet. With that elevation comes stunning views of the mountains to the north. The view is so expansive at the summit, that on a very clear day, you might be able to see all the way to Utah if you turn your eyes to the west. Now to get to that summit that shelf road will test your fortitude. If you know me it tested every fiber of my being. I am deathly afraid of heights. I have a hard time going on a ladder. I knew it would be tough. There was one point where the tears were rolling down my cheeks. I couldn’t even take my white-knuckled hands off the wheel. My right leg is still in pain and my knee is swollen. I was uber tense the whole ride of the shelf road. It was definitely worth it. The views alone and the fact I did it and overcame my fear and pushed through. Am I cured of fear of heights NO? But it’s getting easier each time. Plus my son Ben was with me and he saw me pushing through my fear. Once we reached the top and got out to take in the views he hugged me and said he was so proud of me. I was so relieved we made it alive I broke down in sobs. If you aren’t afraid of heights it is something you will never understand. It is an exhilarating trip for drivers of all experience levels. There are many mines and points of historical interest along the route plus if you finish this trail you can get a Jeep Badge of Honor for your Jeep plus knowing you conquered your fears. If you are afraid of heights like me. That shelf road is intense with the drop-offs and it is very busy as it’s a popular trail with dirt bikes, ATVs, and side-by-sides. I will be posting the highlights of the shelf road video. It’s what I saw out the window. If you only heard it would sound like a triple xxx movie. Lots of swearing for sure. Next week on Jeep Life I will give you some tips on keeping that campfire smoke from following you around the fire.
Must-Have Stuff Pick-of-the-Week for your Jeep!
Husky 3-Piece HD Pry-Bar Set – $39.97
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Pry-Bar-Set-3-Piece-H3PCPRYSET/311856651
You never know when a lost line can lead to some dented metal. Traction is not absolute, no matter how well your Jeep is built, and someday, you may find yourself a little deeper in the rocks than you had intended. And now there’s some metal in places it shouldn’t be. This could be a bent fender digging into the tire… (any more of that, and you’ll be pulling out the spare.) Or maybe it’s something preventing your fan from spinning. In any event, you may find yourself in need of a good pry bar. Prying on things is a part of wheeling when you get to a certain level. Carnage will happen, and you can’t always rely on self clearance. So when you need to bend something back, or out of the way, you need a good pry bar. And no, that one flat head screwdriver isn’t going to cut it. One long enough to provide serious leverage, but not so big it becomes cumbersome to use or a burden to keep in the Jeep. You also don’t want one that’s going to bend real easy, or will break because of shotty materials or manufacturing standards. A good pry bar set can run in excess of $200, but I’m here to tell you, you don’t need to spend that much. But I’m also not about to endorse the purchase of a pry bar from Harbor Freight either. That’s at the opposite end of the spectrum, and I can speak from experience, those break way too easily. A good, versatile 3 piece set that checks all the boxes can be had for around the $50 price point. One set that I have had good luck with comes in right under that and they’re available at any Home Depot. It’s the Husky brand Three-Piece Heavy Duty Pry-Bar Set. It comes with 12 in., 17 in. and 25 in. long Pry Bars. Black phosphate coating on the shaft provides corrosion resistance, so no worries keeping it in the Jeep.
The through-handle design and striking end cap provide superior strength over many of the competitors. These are also backed by a Lifetime Warranty with no questions, and no receipt required. That’s what I call standing behind a tool’s reputation.
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Campfire Side Chat
“Which is better? OLD Jeeps, or NEW Jeeps?
Jeeps are outfitted from the factory now in such a way that you can literally push a button on the dash to put the Jeep into an offroad mode complete with pre-set gear ratios and undercarriage camera views of the ground below you. And over here we have a YJ with leaf springs and a 350 V8.
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Links Mentioned in this Episode
NEXEN Tires USA https://www.nexentireusa.com/
Trails 411- POWERING Your Adventure https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver
The 4×4 Radio Network http://4x4radionetwork.com/
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