Long story short, I had kind of forgotten about keeping tabs on the jeep count. However, yesterday I remembered that the jeep was bearing down on 10,000 views. And it certainly was, sitting at 9,994 as of yesterday afternoon. And when I checked this morning, the count was at 10,036! Congratulations to the Warner Jeep...you're a star!
Here is my idea to celebrate. Everyone should share their favorite jeep memories, stories, pictures, etc. Either do it in the comments to this post, or make a post of your own. I know that the jeep holds a special place in the hearts of a lot of people (as is demonstrated here), so let it be known across the web! I'll start with a story.
I made the cross-county trip with Pa Warner to pick the jeep up. I was probably a terrible traveling companion, in possession of only a learner's permit and thus unable to do my share of driving. There were two things about that trip that I really remember. The first was the fight between Grandpa Warner and the U-Haul people about what type of trailer we could get for the jeep. He wasn't too happy when we took off with 2 jeep tires still on the ground. But we were off nonetheless. The second thing that really stood out was all the attention the jeep got at various gas stations. People really responded to the jeep. I don't think we made a stop without someone asking a few questions or just generally complimenting on how great the jeep looked. Those moments really laid the foundation for the way I feel about the jeep today.
This is one of my favorite jeep pictures:
I took this on a trip up to Kirwin shortly before I moved east. There is just something about the mountains and the jeep that just go so well together. It just seems to belong up there...its hard to explain.
Anyways, share something about...and someone in Meeteetse go let the jeep know that the internet loves it!
5 comments:
This may surprise some people, but my favorite memory with the jeep was the week we (the jeep and i) spent getting personal. When I realized the paint wasn't fading like we all thought, but just needed to be scrubbed to death to gleam, I felt like it was Christmas. It was a long project, my fingers hurt a lot after, but I've never loved the jeep so much. And I was so proud when everybody drove or walked by and saw the shine!
Another thing I love about the jeep is showing it to kids who have never seen it. They just go bonkers! It always reminds me of how lucky we are to have something so unique.
I also love looking through the album of the pictures from when the Jeep was getting all fixed up for Grandpa, and the pictures of when he got it at his party. I don't think he could've left us anything better to remember him by.
I could go on forever... but one of my big faves is the helmet. It really completes the ensemble.
The Jeep.
I remember the jeep in it's early Warner days before it was restored for Dad's retirement. It looked like a real used Army vehicle back then.
We had a hard time trying to get it started, but with Pete Quinn's help, I found out that the starter was rusted and just needed a little oil. It started and the saga began.
Dad was rather unhappy the two times that I got it stuck in the woods behind the house where the newer part of the development was going in. Once it was up to the body in mud. He was rather angry, to put it mildly.
The thing I will never forget happened on graduation day 1969. Dick Beers and I were in the jeep following Mom to the school. At the Exeter Inn there was a policeman directing traffic. I wasn't paying attention and at the last second saw that Mom had stopped. I hit her car and the fender skirt (a 70's thing - I think that was what it was called) popped off, so I jumped out of the jeep and picked it up. Mom drove off and the policeman said, "Where is that lady going." I promptly said, "That's not a lady, that's my mother." Unfortunately for me, Dick heard this and couldn't wait to tell Mom.
I still hear about it from time to time.
my favorite Jeep story goes back to 1975. I was a senior in high school. I was down at my girlfriend's house in Exeter. It was evening and as I recall we were having a bit of a party at her house. She lived in a large neighborhood with lots of my classmates around. I drove the Jeep from her house to another classmates. It was just getting dark. As I was leaving my friend's house I saw blue lights behind me. Of course I pulled over. You know the routine. License and registration please. I asked why I had been pulled over. The officer told me there had been a complaint from one of the neighbors that someone had been laying rubber and they thought it was me!!! Well I just about laughed in the cop's face. I was shocked. Laying rubber with the Jeep. Give me a break. Maybe a little squeak here and there but laying rubber....
He didn't give me a ticket just a warning but told me he was going to call my parents. So I headed home to tell Mom and Dad what had happened. They were over at a neighbor's house. I can't say I remember what their reaction was. I do recall there was no action taken against me.
I'm really glad I was able to get the helmet from Dad's condo.
I think all of our classmates were very envious of us having the Jeep to ride to school in. Except maybe for Lynn. I think she had a, how can I say this, hate/hate relationship with the Jeep. Especially after she would go to the dump with Dad on Saturday morning......
i guess gary knows who to blame if the transmission suddenly drops out of the jeep.
i have so many great memories of the jeep...
starting back in high school, when it acquired the nickname 'the bog hog' and was an absolute favorite of all my friends...the first night i drove it, i got pulled over by the cops because i did not have any tail lights--no ticket!--and then dad had a good chuckle because he forgot to tell me there are two switches for the lights!
i remember one of our warner driving school tests involved going to a hill near the golf course in exeter, stopping, turning off the engine and then starting again without rolling backwards. it's kind of hard with no e-brake!
the things the rest of you talked about all are good memories for me, too.
seeing the jeep the night that dad got it at the retirement party, in all it's restored glory, and then having maggie shine it up again, have made me realize it's importance. this spring it is going into the shop for brake work, some wiring fixes and a general tune-up.
and then it will be back up the wood river!
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