Jeep Momma's Top 10 Must See Towns Across America

Must Add to Your Bucket List

Saguache, Monte Vista, Del Norte [San Luis Valley, Colorado]

Saguache, Home of the Original Jeep Rescue League, in the heart of the Rockies, a must see! Several vintage and antique Jeeps on display along with some cool military vehicles. The headquarters is also home to several military exhibits.

Saving Jeeps one Jeep at a Time Blog Post 

Nearby this small mountain town is Elephant rocks, and Natural Arch just a short drive from Del Norte, Colorado. Del Norte is settled along the Rio Grande River which is a great place for some fishing. About an hour's drive is Great Sand Dunes National Park and Zapata Falls. There is a fun off-road trail in the Sand Dunes park up to Medano pass where you can see some amazing views. 

Nearby is Monte Vista home to the Crane Festival where you will find more 4x4 trails. Just a short drive from Monte Vista is the trail Bishop's Rock as well as trails that will lead you to Elwood Pass as well. The Gaia GPS app will help you find these trails. 

There is a Jeep adventure in all directions from the San Luis Valley. Check out the Chinaman's Gulch Trail & Carnage Canyon a trail for only series rock crawlers just over Poncha Springs Pass, near Buena Vista Colorado.  A mecca of fun for any overlander. See other my other Colorado towns for more great Jeep Trails.

Moab, Utah

A must stop for every off-roader! However, you don't need to be an off-roader to enjoy Moab. There is so much beauty to see. Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, The Colorado River, 3 Scenic By-ways - Utah 128 is absolutely breathtaking, Deadhorse state park and nearby ghost town Cisco. 

Jeep Momma Moab Adventure

Oatman, Arizona

A small village on old Route 66 in Mojave County, Arizona. Fun shops and "wild" Burros that wander the streets. The Burros are descendants of the burros brought to the area by the miners. In the early 1900's Oatman, a tent city, was a thriving gold mining center.  

Creede, Colorado

 A quaint small town nestled in the mountains of Colorado. Main Street shopping, nearby Stoney Creek Pass a 4x4 trail that takes you to the Alpine Loop Near Silverton, Colorado. There are other great scenic drives bachelor’s Loop Tour a 22-mile scenic off road drive up and around the historic mining district. The trail is rated moderate. Just down the road is Pool Table Road which takes you the Wheeler Geological Area https://www.southfork.org/wheeler-geological-area which has the most fantastic geological features in the San Juan Mountains. Another must see North Clear Creek Falls and South Clear Creek Fall Unexpected scenic waterfall just off the highway. 

Lake City, Colorado

Once you leave Creede, Colorado you just take scenic by-way Colorado 149 up to Lake City, Colorado. Another quaint little town nestled in the San Juan Mountain range. Rocky Canyons with high valley floors and crystalline flowing rivers with miles of outdoor beauty. A small town with big history, Lake San Cristobal with boating, fishing, and other water activities. Plenty of hiking opportunities and Ghost towns nearby.  Engineer Pass A Jeep Badge of Honor Tour, one of Colorado's highest roads takes you over to the Alpine Loop which is full of mining history and ghost towns.  

Silverton, Colorado

You can either take Stoney Pass from Creede, Colorado or Engineer Pass from Lake City to The Alpine Loop which takes you directly to this National Historic Landmark and former mining boomtown full of mining history. A cute little town with great shops and restaurants.  There are miles and miles of old mining roads winding in and around the mountains with amazing views.  An off-roaders dream come true. Nearby Engineer Pass, Poughkeepsie Gulch two Jeep Badge of Honor Trails. Corkscrew Pass and Cinnamon Pass are close by too.   

Winslow, Arizona

Another fun stop along old Route 66 with fun shops and a place where you can "Take it Easy".  The town has made a great effort to make this stop special.  A place made famous by the Eagles hit Take It Easy.  A must stop is the Standin' on the Corner Park from the lyrics of the Eagles hit! 

Standin' on the corner of Winslow, Arizona

Bar Harbor, Maine

Lots and lots of shopping and good food! Plus Acadia National Park nearby! 

Taos, New Mexico

One of the prettiest mountain towns in America with an amazing scenic location in the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Taos has a unique art community and known for its adobe building and historic architecture. There is a world class ski resort nearby along with the most photographed and iconic churches. Close by is a must see Rio Grande Gorge Bridge National Monument. The tenth highest bridge in America. I had no idea it was even there the time I drove to Texas from Colorado. You don’t even realize you are on the bridge until it is too late, and you look down and if you are afraid of heights you will scream like I did. There is a scenic drive that circles through the Carson National Forest. An 83-mile loop through the mountains, valleys, mesa, and national forestland peppered with small community destinations full of activities and annual events. This drive is centered around Wheeler Peak at 13,159 feet, the highest point in the state. There are several places in the area to take your Jeep Off Road.

Salem, Massachusetts

Step back in time the many ghost or witch tours, there are plenty to choose from when you visit this unusual ~cursed at one time~ town. I spent two days in Salem in 2016 an learned a lot about the Salem witches. It was extremely interesting to hear about all the curses and stories about the witch trials. A must stop is Murphys Bar, said to be haunted by the ghosts in the cemetery right next to the building. I couldn’t find much off roading near Salem but if you are into the water there are many maritime activities. The Misery Islands are nearby, as well. 

More Haunted Places in Salem

Top 10 Videos

As I am trying to get back my YouTube groove I have been checking out my analytics looking for ways to improve my watch time and subscribers. Here is an interesting tidbit. My Top 10 videos people are watching this month. 

1. How to Use the Other Buttons in Your Jeep Wrangler

2. How to Use the Axle Lock Button

3. How to Use the Swar Bar Button

4. Where are the Drain Plugs in the Jeep Wrangler

5. How to Use the Hill Descent Control Button

6. The Black Hole in the Jeep Wrangler

7. Too Much Snow for the Snowplow

8. Traction Control Vs. Axle Lock

9. Easter Eggs in the Jeep Wrangler

10. Top 5 Places to Look for Leaks in the Jeep Wrangler

Live in the Moment

Experiences not stuff... That is what life is all about. I have
been on a life changing journey the past eight years. I found my kids didn't need their mom like they used to need me. It is a whole new level of being of mom, which freed up my time and life.

My marriage was struggling then finally came to an end. Sometimes people decide to go down different paths in life. That's okay. You need to take the path that will make you happy. My kids helped me realize that. 

Letting go to enjoy living in the moment is hard. 

To live in the moment can be difficult. There is quite a bit of brain re-training that needs to be done which takes time. I didn't really start living in the moment until I did my first cross country adventure. I learned the gift of letting go. I still have a long ways to go, but I am getting there. 

When my youngest son came to visit me for a month, I knew I needed to let go and enjoy our time together.  Time with him is precious so I savored every moment.  

There are some things you think you need to get done right this minute, but you don't. Some things you don't even need to do at all. Just because you have a "to do" list doesn't mean you need to do it. Dishes can wait, laundry can wait, but time with your loved ones can't. Living in the moment means letting go of the past, and not waiting for the future. It is living your live consciously, aware that each moment you breathe is a gift, being in the present moment. You can still have a plan and goals, those are good but enjoy the present.

Top 5  Ways to Live in the Moment

Smile

Stop Worrying About Tomorrow

Always Move Forward

Pay Attention to the Small Things

Practice Gratitude

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How To Find Your Passion

Ten years ago, before Jeep, a real struggle in my life began. So much was changing for me. My two boys were getting older, not needing me like they used to. I was burned out from several years of volunteering with various groups my kids were involved in. I was exhausted from making sure my dyslexic son was getting what he needed in school. And... I was realizing I was getting older, my body was changing, which not only affected me physically, but mentally. I was going through a big life transition without realizing what was happening.

My life was all about my kids and family. I loved my kids. I gave them 150 percent. I will never ever regret a single moment. I have so many wonderful memories, and times shared with them.

[How To] Find Your Passion - A Jeep Momma Video

As they started wanting their own space and time, I had time to fill. During that time, I struggled for a direction, for a purpose. I had been a stay-at-home mom for twelve years.  I started paying attention to those needs I left on the back burner, I realized what I once enjoyed was no longer something I enjoyed. My career in television news wasn't an option, so what was next for me, what could I do?
I was depressed. Life was too quickly passing me by.

Then along came my Jeep. A spur of the moment impulse buy.
Some people call it a mid life crisis, but I call it a life transition. 
That impulse buy changed my whole life. I began to reflect on my life. I went in search of my passion & purpose cause I didn’t have one. I did find it after a lot of reflection. I found it buried deep inside of me.  

First – Find some quiet time to sit down and reflect. You will need to ask some hard questions.

Inventory your talents

What are you good at or have

 a natural aptitude for?

Forget about what you’re good at but don’t like doing. I’m talking about the things you have a knack for that you enjoy doing.  Are there things you like to do that you don’t think you’re that good at, that other people have complimented you on? Perhaps you even dismissed or rejected their enthusiasm. You don’t have to be good at something for it to qualify as a passion. You don't have to ever earn a penny of income from it either. When it comes to your passions, the only thing that matters is that you enjoy them.

Notice when you lose track of time, or what you hate to stop doing.

What would you love to spend hours doing, that you never get enough time to do? 

That’s a passion, and you probably need to do it more than you are.

Think of what you loved to do as a child

I looked far back into my childhood trying to remember what I enjoyed to do, what I wanted to be, and what I was curious about. 

Now, Make a List, of three to five things you enjoy -- really enjoy. Go experience these loves. You might even need to step out of your comfort zone and push past your fears. Try new experiences. Clearing out the things that hold you back and aren’t fulfilling. It won't happen over night, possibly not even in the next couple of months, just keep pushing forward and continue to reflect and ask yourself questions. It takes a lot of soul searching and serious thought to discover your purpose in life.

For some this is an easy answer, but others this could take months, even years of reflection and answering questions that require you into dig deep into your soul, uncovering what holds you back and what derails you from your happiness.    

Discovering and claiming something you love to do has an amazing effect on your entire life. Make time for these things, whatever you can manage, and watch your life start to change. It’s really magical.

Searching for my passion changed my life and helped me fill that empty hole.  It helped me to discover myself again and circle back around to my core passion. Sharing stories on my Jeep Momma blog, and now on my You Tube channel Jeep life withJeep Momma.  Combining my loves for the 3 O’s off roading, overlanding, and the outdoors along with my Jeep and a core need for sharing and inspiring has helped me finally find my passion and purpose.  

Now I don't look at life with the same fear of getting older. I just take it one story at a time, one day at a time and one new adventure at a time. 

Top 5 Must Do's When You Go Camping

Over time I have learned less is better when you go camping, as long as you are smart about what you pack. Everyone has different needs and wants, so it takes practice to figure out what works and what doesn’t for you. 

Must haves for me are a pillow, good sleeping bag, tent, camp chair, cast iron pan, and grate to cook on over the fire. Of course, food and water, but that is a given. What I have discovered is there is such a thing as bringing too much stuff. You don't want your adventure to be another chore. The less to set up or clean or pack up means more time relaxing and enjoying the moments. 

Top 5 "Must Do" Moments when Camping

Take in the Sunset  Get your camp chair and chill watching the sunse

Make a Campfire Camping is not the same without a campfire. Sit in your camp chair and watch the fire dance. 

Stargaze  Once the sun sets and the fire dies down look up at the sky and take in all those stars. It will blow your mind, out in the middle of nowhere in the dark, all those stars in the sky.

Campfire Breakfast  When you get up in the morning a breakfast cooked over the fire is a must. Bacon and eggs first thing in the morning out in the middle of nowhere is amazing.

Morning Chill In the morning before your amazing breakfast just lay there in your 
sleeping bag looking out your tent at the amazing beauty around you. Take it all in… deep breaths.

Camping and nature is so good for your soul. It takes away the stress if you do it right. I also helps you think more clearly. The best way to figure out what works for you to go out and do it. You will make mistakes and forget things. That’s how you learn what works for you. 

Top 5 Steps to Live Your Best Life

These past couple of days have been like stepping back in time. I am back out on the east coast visiting my kids. Hanging with them in my old house is very surreal, which has flooded my mind with a lot of old memories and feelings. Each time I come back this happens. However, this time it's different. This time, I am not overcome with emotions where I cry with shaking shoulders. This time something spiritual happened. All that emotion was taken away. Finally I can let it all go, so I can move on with my life. It has been a long process of healing. Not only that it has been even a longer process trying to live my best life. A journey of discovering myself again. 

When I became a mom 22 years ago I didn't realize I still needed to hang on to me. I still needed to have my own life. It is okay to hold onto that part of you, actually a necessary thing to do. I know a lot of stay-at-homes who neglect this part of their lives. The focus is all on being the best mom they can. In that process they lose a little of themselves each year. For me getting it back was almost a nine year process with a lot of tears and anger. 

Living your best life brings you happiness. Happiness isn't stuff or a full schedule or tons of friends. The media and corporate America have brainwashed us into believing tangible things will make us happy. Finding that true happiness is a process, a slow methodical process that worked for me. A burden was lifted each time and it felt good. 

Top 5 Steps to Live Your Best Life 

YouTube Video

Declutter your Stuff: 

Be purposeful about this. Go drawer by drawer, closet by closet. Then do it all again in a couple of months. Emotionally holding on to stuff bogs down your life. Stop using those excuses, "one day I will use it" or "I spent a lot of money on that I can't". That is living in the past or living in the future. Live in the here and now. 

Declutter Your Time:

Reduce your commitments like volunteering or events you attend. Re-evaluate your job. I started slowly with my volunteer commitments. I taught myself to say no. My job loss was not on purpose but being let go was a blessing in disguise. 

Declutter Your Electronic Life:

Reduce your time on social media, reduce the amount of social media you have, reduce your information overload, and most importantly disconnect from the world once in a while. Information overload can be debilitating. 

Information Overload Article

Declutter Your Relationships:

Cut out the negative people in your life. This is a hard one to do, but very necessary. Negative people are very draining emotionally.  

Declutter Your Past Emotions:

This was the hardest one for me to do. I was able to finally let go a couple of days ago. When I moved to Colorado in 2020 I knew I was on the road to my best life, but something was holding me back. My son Michael saw it. I was blinded by my own emotions. I was grieving a loss, so many losses, my home, my old life, my old friends, my marriage. There was a lot of unnecessary guilt I placed on myself and a lot of anger from wrongs done to me. I needed to forgive myself and let go of those wrongs before I could truly move on.  

Declutter & Simplify Links: Jeep Momma Blog Posts

Top 5 Group Wheeling Musts

"HOW TO" have a successful off-road trail ride. When you host a trail ride others look to you for guidance and leadership. Just because someone has a 4x4 vehicles doesn't necessarily mean they understand how a group trail ride needs to work to be successful and fun.

Top 5 Musts For a Successful Group Trail Ride

This is necessary anytime you wheel with new folks. Once you wheel with the same folks over and over, you most likely you won’t have to do this every time. But if you ever introduce someone new to your trail ride I suggest you go over these top 5 Must’s when group wheeling. 

First... A Trail Guide and Trail Gunner should be assigned. The Trail Guide should know the route and needs to always be the leader. The trail gunner is the last one in the group. Their responsible so no one gets left behind.  The folks in the middle have a group responsibility, as well. They must always make sure the Jeep or off road vehicle is behind them in the rear view mirror. 

Second... Trail meeting. Before you even hit the trail there should be a group meeting. This is a good time to go over some basic off road rules, like stay on the trail, don’t wander off by yourself, let them know the route, talk about how you will communicate on the trail whether with CB’s or horn honking, those kind of things.

Third... keep a decent distance between vehicles. Sometimes there is a lot of backing up and space may be needed on obstacles or going up an incline. There could be some wheel spin which means rocks could be flying. 

Fourth… If you are going up an incline or down one or going over a serious obstacle let the Jeep in front of you complete it before you begin your accent or decent. And 

Fifth… There are times on obstacles when after you have completed the obstacle you will need to stop and wait for the other vehicles to complete it. This is a good time to get out for videos and pictures plus, to see how someone else may wheel an obstacle. This is where you need to be very mindful of where you park. You will need to leave a lot of room for all the Jeeps to park after they have gone over the obstacle. Especially if on a hill. I have seen Jeepers not pull up far enough and some Jeepers can’t fully make it up or over the obstacle.  

After wheeling for seven years these simple but super important rules are second nature.  However, folks new to wheeling might not have a clue, so it’s good to educate them. 

#CamperLife Cold Weather Lessons Learned

Where I Live: The San Luis Valley in South Central Colorado near the New
Mexico border. The Rio Grande River runs through this valley. The Continental Divide and the San Juan Mountains are on the West and the Sangre De Cristo Mountains on the East. We are up at about 7900 feet above sea level, and the space between the mountains is a flat, dry desert of about 8000 square miles. We are surrounded by these majestic mountains. It’s very beautiful, and many days soul healing. Plus, the best part… there are hundreds of miles of trails from mild to wild within an hour’s drive with some even closer.  

There are so many to explore it is a little overwhelming. In the winter the temperatures drop and there typically is a lot of mountain snow. This year's snow has been mild, but the temperatures are bitterly cold. We have learned some tough lessons dealing with the cold and camping in our camper.

 Cold weather camper life tips from lessons learned.

There is a saying I learned while my kids were in Boy Scouts. It’s “Always be prepared”. Being prepared means to have a plan for every contingency you can think of, even if the possibility is low. Not only have a plan and a back up plan, but a back up plan to the back up plan. There are 4 major musts when living the #Camperlife in the cold temperatures: Good shelter, Water, Food and Heat. These are essential to basic survival in the cold weather. 

Good Shelter protects you from the elements. Most Campers and #VanLifers put a second layer of protection on their homes in the cold winter months. This would be a tarp over the top or some sort of “skirting” around the bottom of the RV or Camper. This helps keep the inside warm. 

I have used tarp around the bottom of our camper, but here in the valley it gets very windy, so this is not a good idea. The foam board is definitely the way to go. Just make sure it’s secured good. All the tarp does is blow off and makes scary noises at night while blowing. Sometimes I would wake up wondering if those mountain lions were trying to get into the camper. 

Investing in rugs and slippers is a good idea too. And plenty of blankets.  

Water Most campgrounds have water hook ups. In the winter these hook ups need to be insulated. Not just the hook ups, it’s a good idea to have a back up hose that you could plug in to keep it warm. A regular old hose will freeze up if the temps get low enough. You still need a back up plan to that back up hose. Not all campgrounds water hook ups are insulated well. Ours froze in the ground. So no water for us. That meant lots of water jugs. I am sure learning the art of perseverance living the camper life in the mountains of Colorado.

Food The good thing in the winter, if you lose power your cold food won’t go to waste as you can just store it outside. Just make sure it’s in an animal proof container. One day last year before we upgraded our camper with a bigger fridge, I needed extra space for cold food. I put it in a vinyl type cooler. One day when I got home, my roast, pack of chicken and pork chops were gone. The animal chewed right through the vinyl cooler. There are several containers on the market that are bear proof. 

Cooking the food is important too. Having several alternatives is a good idea from a
propane stove to a charcoal grill to a campfire which means you need some sort of cooking grill for over the fire. There are several varieties out there. We go with simple and easy and a grill that doesn’t take up a lot of space as we take ours tent camping.  You may even want to consider having your propane stove upgraded to be able to use a bigger propane tank.

Heat So important in the winter. We have many sources: propane, electric portable heaters, electric blanket that can plug into a battery and lots and lots of blankets and layers of sleeping clothes. Not only the propane heater in the camper, but a portable propane heater like the buddy heater. These are the kind that use the smaller green propane bottles. If you use these camping the little bottles, if using on high, only last about 4 hours. Another good idea is to have the capability to use a bigger propane bottle. That way at three in the morning you are not getting up in a cold tent or camper to change the bottle.

Deciding to leave your home and life a simpler life in a camper is not for everyone. If you like the creature comforts of a home you may want to rethink #camperlife. But if you don’t mind NOT having to spend a whole day cleaning your house or even ever vacuuming again and instead relaxing by a campfire or taking a leisurely walk through the mountain side you might want to consider #Camperlife. It has taught me so many lessons. It has taught me perseverance, and removed a lot of burdens from my shoulders.

TOP 5 Must Do with Your New Jeep

When I became a new Jeep owner, I had no idea what I was getting into. I didn’t know where to start and asked tons of questions. That was over seven years ago. I have learned a lot since then. 

My Top 5 "Must Do's" as a New Jeep Owner.

First - Get to know what your Jeep is capable of before you start making serious mods to your Jeep. Take your Jeep out for different rides on different terrains. That is if you plan on taking it off road. If you don’t plan on taking it off road, like I did at first, don’t be surprised when one day that bug hits you.

Second - Floor Mats A must! Especially if you have carpet.
You will want those rubberized floor mats. I like the ones that have the high perimeter walls to keep all the yuk contained. They are great for those snowy winter months when you track that snowy salty muddy mush into your Jeep. 

Third- Accessory Color

Pick your your accessory color because soon after you buy your Jeep you will be seeing all the other Jeeps and how unique they are. You will want to make your Jeep your own reflection of your personality.

The amount of Jeep accessories you can buy are vast. If they don’t come in the color you pick you can always use spray paint.  

Fourth - Decals A must do to your Jeep! A hand wave in your
accessory color looks awesome. You can also add the name of your Jeep on the side of the hood, that is if you are into naming your Jeep. There is the windshield decal too. Decals and stickers seem to be a Jeep thing for most. If you don't want decals on the outside of your Jeep, just add them under the hood of the Jeep. 

Fifth - Recovery Points  Even if you don’t go off road. You never know when your Jeep is going to be needed to pull out another vehicle.  If you decide to off-road good solid recovery points are a must. 

Obsessive Jeep Disorder

Hi, My name is Tammy and I have O – J – D.

When I first bought my Jeep, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn’t realize the addiction I was instore for. I knew nothing of Jeeps nor this whole new world I was entering. 

I kept hearing… It's a Jeep thing you wouldn't understand. Or Jeep equals Just Empty Every Pocket. Now seven years later I get it. I began to become addicted just a few months after I bought my Jeep. It grabs hold of you quickly and… It’s called Obsessive jeep Disorder.

All us Jeepers get that saying. We say it a lot to our non-Jeep friends and family. We love our Jeeps. Our Jeeps make us happy. Our Jeeps are like a part of the family. For some of us… our Jeep has changed our life. But how do you know if you have Obsessive Jeep Disorder? How do you know if Jeep is your obsession? 

 Top 10 Signs of Obsessive Jeep Disorder

• You see the UPS Driver more than you see your friends.
• You have a pile of worn Jeep catalogs in the bathroom for serious reading
• You think about your Jeep even when you are not driving it. 
• You park next to any Jeep you see no matter how far you need to walk to your destination. 
• You have more pictures of your Jeep on social media than of your kids or your pet.
• You are constantly opening the door to the garage  or looking out your window to make sure your Jeep is okay.
• You are constantly buying Jeep parts, whether they are serious mods or silly little accessories, just to get your Jeep Parts fix.
• You ask the hostess at a restaurant to seat you at a table by the window, so you can keep an eye on your Jeep.
• You get angry when your Jeep Wave doesn't get returned.
• You sell your kids Legos so you can buy more Jeep Parts.  

One or more of these signs and you have Obsessives Jeep Disorder. To non-Jeep friends and family, they might feel you need to be committed. However, they don’t understand because.. it’s a Jeep Thing. 

Remember you are not alone… you are part of a big, wonderful Jeep family! This family is there for you. To help encourage you through this amazing time of your life. They will encourage you to keep buying more Jeep Stuff. They will join in on your outrage for not getting that Jeep wave. They may even give you their old Jeep Parts for support. And… they may even encourage you… to buy another Jeep. 

Don’t be ashamed… own that Jeep Life and hold your head high. Walk into that family gathering with confidence knowing you are living the best life out there! Take that Jeep with you everywhere, go to the top of a mountain or through the desert. Don’t let those negative Nellies stop you from your happiness.