https://www.theultimatejeep.com/blog.php?8-The-Wild(Life)-Side-of-Jeeping en Wed, 05 Aug 2026 02:56:32 GMT vBulletin 60 https://www.theultimatejeep.com/images/misc/rss.jpg https://www.theultimatejeep.com/blog.php?8-The-Wild(Life)-Side-of-Jeeping https://www.theultimatejeep.com/entry.php?48-Where-do-you-escape Thu, 03 Feb 2011 05:30:10 GMT Sometimes work can be a great escape from home. The wife is cranky, the kids are cranky, relatives health is not what we would hope that it would... Sometimes work can be a great escape from home. The wife is cranky, the kids are cranky, relatives health is not what we would hope that it would be, many things can make work preferable.

Sometimes home can be a great escape from work. The boss is cranky, the "customers" are cranky, the processes are so impersonal and they roll you over without caring that you exist.

So when all of these things align into the perfect storm, where do you escape? What is there out there that can take away the life shortening stress that is always chomping at your heels?

Thank god for the outdoors. And thank god for inventing Jeeps to get us there.

With all the international news this week I was pondering what it means to have the freedoms and the great countryside we live in. In so many other parts of the world it requires permission to travel. Can you imagine how your life would be different if you had to ask to go wheel? Many has been the day when the summary of my life to that point in time has been, "Screw this, I am going to the mountains!"

Can you imagine living in a country where the only escape you have is sand? Somewhere you don't have the richness of escape within your grasp to go from glacier to desert in one day?

Jeep owners in particular have a distinct advantage, owning a tool that gives them the freedom to not only take advantage of those freedoms, but do so at a moments notice, and in areas where others could only dream. Many is the time I have happily passed on by those other vehicles parked at the trailhead, or at the wide spot in the road where everyone turns around before the rough spot. I continue on knowing I have full confidence in my rig, and that the stresses of home, work, and life are soon to be marooned on the side of the road with those other vehicles. Left at the trailhead. No Jeep for them. ]]> WanderingTs https://www.theultimatejeep.com/entry.php?48-Where-do-you-escape https://www.theultimatejeep.com/entry.php?35-Sometimes-when-life-speaks-you-should-listen Mon, 25 Oct 2010 03:44:04 GMT Recenty I had an occasion at work to deal with a man and woman who were in a relationship that was falling apart. That the relationship was falling... Recenty I had an occasion at work to deal with a man and woman who were in a relationship that was falling apart. That the relationship was falling apart was how it came to my attention. It had gotten so bad, the neighbors had called (most of the neighborhood had called) and hence, my arrival.

While dealing with this matter, (names and details deleted to protect the not so innocent) I found out that all parties involved were quite religious. I observed that the crux of the issue was, "I am not going to give in to that man (woman). I am right and they can go (bleep) themselves."

In a not so normal tact for me, I found myself giving a religious speech relative to pride and being humble. The speech worked, both sides realized they needed to put pride asside and find a better solution, and the problem went away, at least for the short term until tempers can cool.

What an irony that I should be giving such a speech. And more than that, what an irony that I should be giving such a speech when my own religious life is in such neglect, and when my own pride has been blinding me to many things in my personal life. As life/karma/god would have it, I did not learn my lesson from that encounter and proceeded to put myself first and be selfish and prideful only hours later. While I look back on what I did in my personal life, I wonder why I did not take that lesson I was trying to teach to heart. Maybe that whole thing was a lesson for me and I was just placed there to realize it.

My selfishnes and pride set into motion a set of circumstances where I am still not certain if, or how, severe the consequences may be. I probably deserve it; this is not the first time I have refused to learn this particular lesson. Just like a petulant child, sometimes a spanking is needed to get my attention.

So if you find things happening in your life, keep your eyes open. Be mindful of the lessons that are there for the taking. Do as I say, not as I do, for often my example does not live up to standards I preach. ]]> WanderingTs https://www.theultimatejeep.com/entry.php?35-Sometimes-when-life-speaks-you-should-listen https://www.theultimatejeep.com/entry.php?20-The-Wild(life)-Side-of-Jeeping-Episode-3 Sun, 08 Aug 2010 09:44:28 GMT You are bouncing down the road when you notice that someone has thrown a white rag into a bush near the trail. As you begin to get angry at the... You are bouncing down the road when you notice that someone has thrown a white rag into a bush near the trail. As you begin to get angry at the ignorant jackass that littered up you favorite trail, the rag suddenly is gone. You stop to look closer and upon stopping, a whitetail deer bolts from it's cover and makes for the next county.

Episode 3 - Colorblind

Many animals are naturally colored in ways to hide themselves from predators, inlcuding the two-legged kind of predators. Being hard to see can also be a disadvantage. It's hard to attract a mate and make more of yourself if the opposite sex can't find you. Sometimes some animals may also want to be visible to alert other animals to danger, as in the case of our whitetail deer.

Whitetails are often accused of "waving the flag" as they leave. This happens when they raise their tail show off a white patch on their rump and underside of the tail. This is thought by many people to be a warning to other deer in the area to flee from the perceived danger. Even without exposing this bright white area, most species of deer have coloring, that with a little training of your eye, can actually assist you in seeing them.

In my area we have primarily coastal blacktail deer, in some places mixed with muleys. These blacktail have a rounded, lighter colored area on their rump that is always exposed due to their tail being much smaller than whitetails. In the summer, their summer fur is a tan color that rarely matches the color of the surrounding dirt. In the spring, the tan makes a striking contrast to the green of the surrounding vegitation. As any interior designer will tell you, one brown is not the same as another. With a little pratice observing the wildlife in your area, you will find that most wildlife has a distinct shade of it's natural color which can be unique in a landscape. Once your eye gets practiced finding this color, you might be suprised how little of an animal you have to be able to see in order to find them. For example our deer may have a bush it is hiding behind, but if only one bush in the meadow has a spot of brown behind it, that bush deserves a second look.

In other species, opposite sexes may be colored completely different. It is next to impossible to see a female pheasant laying down in grass that is as tall as the bird or taller. They are drab and have stripes mimicing the pattern of growing grass, one of pheasants favorite cover. This gives them great protection from predators while sitting on a nest of eggs trying to make more pheasants. This doesn't mean you have to give up on seeing pheasants while driving. Males sacrifice their safety in order to impress the females (sounds familiar?). Practicing finding the brightly colored males in a field can help you recognize other cues that can assist you in finding hens. Things your eye will learn to recognize in males, such as shape, will work with both sexes.

Since very few animals are as talented as chameleons, you might be suprised how often the one size fits all camoflague most animals are given does not quite blend in to the surrounding world. So take a little extra time, drive a little slower, and look out those side windows as you crawl up the trail. You might be suprised how adding a little color to your life might help you find another reason to get the family together and go Jeeping! ]]> WanderingTs https://www.theultimatejeep.com/entry.php?20-The-Wild(life)-Side-of-Jeeping-Episode-3 https://www.theultimatejeep.com/entry.php?19-The-Wild(life)-Side-of-Jeeping-Episode-2 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 01:10:22 GMT So while out wheeling in your XK you are thinking, "How am I going to keep an eye on the road, run the wipers to take the mud on the windshield, keep my passengers happy, and still see the wildlife that is all around me?" What you need are simple things to look for that will help you spot a wide variety of whatever wildlife happens to be around.

Episode 2 - Pick out the parts

Most wildlife likes to hide. In my personal experience, the more challenging it is to find the wildlife, the more rewarding the experience of observing it is. While I love to sit on my front porch and watch the wild turkeys stroll by as if they own they place (how do they know when turkey season is over??), I get much more personal satisfaction out of going into the wilds and finding wildlife in it's wildest forms.

One of the most common things people do wrong when attempting to view wildife is envisioning that they are going to see the entire animal. While that is not unheard of, if those are the only animals you see, you will most likely be missing the majority of what was there for your viewing pleasure.

Deer, to use an example most of us have nearby, have many "parts" which commonly lead to their discovery. Ears are one of the main giveaways leading to detection. A common tactic for deer to use to elude detection is to freeze, especially if their body is hidden. Unlike many other animals who operate under the "If I can't see you, you can't see me" premise, most deer have a naturally curious streak. While they want to hide, they also want to see you and what you are doing. The most common example of this combination is a deer hiding it's body behind a bush or tree, and sticking it's neck out above or beside the bush to peer at you. Deer, like horses, cows and other large animals, are plagued by flies and flying insects. A deer may be hiding it's body, holding its head perfectly still in the manner of a world-record holding staring contest winner, but a deer rarely goes more than 10-15 seconds without twitching its ears. That small movement can really stand out if there isn't much wind blowing the bruch or trees.

Using that same example, the "rabbit ears" shape of a deer's ears can be very distinctive also. Two large "V" shaped objects sticking out of the top of a bush definitely should be examined a little closer. This is a shape that rarely occurs in nature and so training you eye to look for these "parts" can make spotting easier.

There are many keys to finding "parts", such as color, contrast, movement, or even shade suddenly blocking sunlight. This is but a brief list that can change from area to area and animal to animal. In the wilds, anything that seems slightly out of place may be, and maybe what you are seeing is just "part" of all that is actually out there.

Some of the best things in life are not not found on a map; they can only be found while Wandering. ]]> WanderingTs https://www.theultimatejeep.com/entry.php?19-The-Wild(life)-Side-of-Jeeping-Episode-2 https://www.theultimatejeep.com/entry.php?17-The-Wild(life)-Side-of-Jeeping Sun, 25 Jul 2010 01:25:50 GMT Well after returning from West Coast Camp Commander I have been inspired to start my first ever blog. I want to share my love of wildlife and make it... Well after returning from West Coast Camp Commander I have been inspired to start my first ever blog. I want to share my love of wildlife and make it easier for others to share it with me.

I love the outdoors and have found every reason I could afford (hobbies are expensive!!!) to be outside. For a short list, I have done SCUBA, skiing, hiking, 4X4, and currently live on and own 22 acres in the gorgeous Northern California Gold Country.

My main love of the outdoors is hunting and fishing. For most of my life 4X4 has been a means to this end, and not a goal unto itself. That is changing with the addition of my first Jeep, the XK. I have been hunting in CA for about 20 years. I have hunted and do hunt deer, turkeys, quail, pheasants, grouse, antelope, pigs, bear, coyotes, and squirrels. I have also hunted rocky mountain elk and mule deer in southwestern Colorado for several years.

I hunt not only with a firearm, but often with a camera, or even just binoculars as I enjoy seeing wildlife and observing them going about their daily lives. There is just something tranquil and settling about watching a hawk soar high above the world's cares, or a golf ball sized poof-ball (baby quail) trying to run as fast as it can on 1 inch tall legs. Even animals as common as chipmunks, or insects as common as bees can be a source of great enjoyment. Different times of the year offer different suprises in the wilds; different areas and landscapes offer different varieties of wildlife to marvel over.

I had the advantage of being brought up in an outdoor family. This trained my eye over many years to find those hiddens gems in the neverending forests and wildlands of our great nation. I am constantly suprised at the amount of unnoticed beauty that is right under our noses, if only people would take the time to see it.

In this and future blogs, I hope to share my love of wildlife with the members of the best XK forum on the net. I hope to inspire some of you to go out and find new reasons to drive your XKs. I hope some of you who already drive the heck out of our XKs will find your 4X4 experience enhanced by some tips, tricks, or information that I am able to share which helps you find some of that endless beauty our country is so rich with.

Some of the best things in life are not not found on a map; they can only be found while Wandering. ]]> WanderingTs https://www.theultimatejeep.com/entry.php?17-The-Wild(life)-Side-of-Jeeping