Every year Jeep owners from around the country gather for a weekend of off-road adventure in the backwoods of Maine. This year, Ruby Jean wanted to join them.
The night before we hit the first trails, more than 180 Jeeps took over the town common of Bethel, Maine. Some were stock, others heavily modified. Some were as old as 1947.
The next morning, everyone organized into groups and met their dedicated trail guides.
Instructions were given…
…and then we hit the trail! RJ wanted a challenge, so we let her try out the Stinger trail.
Everyone stays close. The trails can be very narrow, and natural obstacles are always waiting.
Here’s a short video of Ruby Jean navigating Stinger.
It didn’t take long before the winching began.
Of course, there’s no shame in getting strapped out of a sticky situation. Even so, we’re proud that RJ made it through all that Stinger had to offer without body damage or winching.
At noon, activity paused so we could grab some lunch and talk with our new Jeeper comrades.
One of our new friends took his lightly modified Grand Cherokee Trailhawk on the trail. The long wheelbase and computer-controlled quadra trac system made it tough, but throughout the day he learned to make it work for him.
Not many natural obstacles were off the list of possibilities. Including rocky creek beds.
Our trail guides were absolutely fantastic. Because we were a bit green, they stuck nearby and guided us whenever we had a question or doubt. Here’s RJ making a potentially hairy creek crossing…
And the views? Only in a Jeep.
After a long and satisfying day on the trails, we were treated to a Jeepers-only bonfire. And in true Jeep spirit, it was wonderful and slightly extreme!
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