Jeep: Cruising over the bumpy roads of life

It is a rough road that leads to heights of greatness.
– Lucius Annaeus Seneca

For most of 10 years I drove a practical, economical and gas-efficient Toyota Prius. It had a wonderful turning radius, which helped to avoid curbs in tight spaces. However, pulling into parking spots with curbs would often result in hitting and scraping of the air-dam in the front. Pot holes and speed bumps meant slowing down to a snail’s pace to avoid damage to the low riding car. Off-roading was out of the question (I did that once at a construction site and it left a deep gash in the metal under the door). Making matters worse was the frequent tidal flooding in the low-lying coastal town in which I have lived, which meant that I often had to time my driving with the tides in bad weather.

The practical, economical and gas-efficient car was no longer working for me. In the last few months of owning it, my Toyota Prius started cramping my style. Literally. Driving for just 5 minutes meant that my non-driving left hip would hurt when I stood up and would continue hurting for 20-30 minutes later. This was preventing me from returning to running; my passion and my outlet for sanity. As you can probably imagine, longer distance drives meant even more and longer lasting discomfort. I tried different seat positions and resting positions for my left leg and foot to no avail.

A bumpy road is often worth its journey.

Susan Spira

It was then that I began to consider different car options. Soon thereafter, I received a windfall; a positive signal to me to check out one of my long-time dreams: owning a Jeep Wrangler and going off road.

With the clearance of the Jeep, I no longer need to worry about hitting curbs. The height of the seat is more like sitting in a chair so my legs are able to stretch out, especially at the hips.

Oh, and tidal flooding, well, that’s going to be laughable. Yes, I know I’ll still need to be careful about driving through it so I don’t float away. However, I can rest assured that I can drive through several feet of water without flooding my vehicle (and that’s without the snorkel).

The bumps, detours, and potholes on the road you travel aren’t bumps, detours and potholes. They’re the road themselves.

Unknown

Furthermore, speed bumps and potholes are no longer to be skirted or dreaded. Instead, they are embraced and sought out, as are mud, puddles and non-pavement. With a Jeep, it’s much easier to cruise through the water, dips and bumps. With a Jeep, I’m also able to stretch out and relax, too. My new ride is the key to many of my new found freedoms, as well as my new paradigm: moving through life instead of around life.

So my friends, if you are looking for me, don’t look for me on the road. You’ll find me where the road ends!

Namaste.

Photo Credit: © Krysek | Dreamstime.com – Off-road Photo