Bumbling around in a '95 Jeep Wrangler

Beyond traveling by my own two feet, one of my favorite places to be is out on safari. There's nothing quite like bouncing along dirt roads far away from the hustle and bustle of cities, navigating over rocks and potholes in search for the next epic wildlife discovery.

This can involve clamoring into a variety of trucks and sport utility vehicles: a Toyota Land Cruiser or Suzuki Samurai in Kenya and Tanzania, Mahindra Scorpio in Nepal, Isuzu Hombre in South Africa, Land Cruiser Prado in Belize, and a Mitsubishi Pajero in Costa Rica.

By the time we're home it's back to the normal grind, which involves planning for the next trip. The in between can make that "next" - whether it's an adventure at home or abroad - can feel so far away in the more mundane moments.

At least that's what I thought.

With encouragement and support of my husband, we brought home a '57 Willys Jeep last fall to refurbish as the "home safari" vehicle. It had no brakes and a fatigued V8 Ford 302 engine that, for its vintage, is extremely straight with few dents or rust issues. In short - a great find with plenty of potential. My husband got the truck working as a Christmas surprise and it's an absolute blast to drive. It's inherently a little terrifying with still plenty of work to do, but that's exactly what makes it fun!

Earlier this month, my daily driver finally quit on me. The engine blew up after making it a staggering 300,000 miles (pretty good for a V6 5-speed 1998 Mustang I've had since I was 17). When it came to its end, the decision had to be made: get a new engine or an entirely new rig. As I weighed the options (cost, convenience, etc.), all I could think about was how much fun it was to drive my Willys. It's just not practical to have in its current state as the daily driver.

I decided to take a look at what's out there.

As if it was meant to be, the first listing I came across was an emerald green 1995 Jeep Wrangler with just the right amount of Arizona pin striping. The price? No more or less than it would cost for the intended engine swap. Favorite color, favorite make, and at a reasonable cost?

We picked it up Friday. All I could do was grin as every minor bump and pothole caused me to bounce off my seat. There's nothing practical, comfortable, or even speedy about it. In the long run I'm sure it will be the pricer option. Yet, from behind the wheel, even a trip to the grocery store can feel as though I'm getting ready to head out somewhere exciting.

I hadn't even owned it a day before we were out on its first real adventure to the foothills of the Olympic mountains. We weren't graced with the presence of any notable wildlife, but the views at the top of the trail were amazing. It was an unusually clear and warm January day for the Pacific Northwest, allowing us to see Mount Adams, Mount Rainier, and Mount Baker - as well as a line of Olympic peaks. Truly a rare site for this time of year.

If this is the results of the first outing, who knows what the next one will bring!