Updated to add this video by Mojave Jeep tour by Rob Painless.

It has taken me a while to write this one and determine if I was going to tell mostly all. I decided to do so, but not in chronological order. So the end of the story is actually how the trip started out. We did have a blast and I loved every minute of it but at the end I will explain what happened that could have ruined everything. Thankfully I was able to grow through this.
When you rent a jeep, apparently it is common for 4wd low to be disabled. I find out in the middle of the Mojave desert and then decide 4wd high is good enough.

It is the last day in July, 2020. And hot is the key word. We brought plenty of water in a cooler. We had a dear friend also ride his dirt bike for part of the time along side us and when the temps were approaching the 114 degree high even he needed the a/c of the jeep.

The scenery was breathtaking. I am not sure if the rest of the group had as much fun as I did, but I had an amazing time. The travel issues during 2020 were challenging at best, and this was the back up plan. Getting to this point wasn't an easy task in the planning stages but this day was finally here and it was amazing for me. I had been talking to High Desert Jeep Tours for months and had booked an entire day for the group. They would send me photos of the area and we were all excited. And it was peace of mind to have someone who knew the area well.

We saw a statue of liberty. And a volcano house that was previously Lucy and Desi's party house. I did not know we would find random shoe trees, toy areas, and statues in the desert. It is a thing for that area. I love finding out the unusual in areas I visit.

We went through a protected area that had driving trails and places where "just around the next bend" took hours to get to. We drove in the Mojave River bed, which of course was dry. We approached the sand dunes and my heart starts racing. Sand dunes were not on my bucket list until the option presented itself. So many of my adventures go this way. I was on stock tires, in a stock jeep, not aired down, and only had 4wd high available. So, finesse was the name of the game. Also, if I got stuck, just back down and make another go of it. I am sure many life lessons can be taken from all if this. I would have loved to have had my Muddy Dog I to experience that but at least I was in a jeep in the desert and on sand dunes. It always looks steeper inside the Jeep than the photos show. We travel up and down the dunes several times and had to try again on some. It was a great learning experience.

To say I was having fun is a major understatement. Along the rest of the route we had some areas that pitched the jeep in weird angles and some spots were it was tight. I hear in the back seat later in the day, "hey, did you know I can touch this wall?" We all laugh and I say, "keep all hands and feet inside the ride until we come to a complete stop." More laughter. We kept the freedom panels off the jeep as long as we could. We finally needed the a/c to not escape through the roof around 2pm. The temps were around 111 at that point. We had stopped for lunch at Eddie's World. It was a very large candy store but also had a diner.

I think the photos will speak volumes but the places we went and the scenery were just breathtaking.

Driving through tunnels in the rock was a fabulous experience too. This was near a ghost town.

We drove a short way on Route 66.

We stopped and explored some old mining shafts. The temperature difference was incredible.

The scenery, friendships, and the overall driving on so many different textures made for a very memorable time for me. I am truly blessed for having such an experience with great friends.

So now for the rest of the story which happened the previous day.

Two of us flew into LAX and rented a jeep, which was reserved for months in advance. We picked it up and drove to where we were staying an hour away. It was a little too early to check into the AirBnb so we stopped at a Michael's to spend some time and a few dollars. When we came out the alarm was going off on the Jeep. I clicked the button to unlock the jeep and the alarm kept going off. I jumped in the jeep and started it and the alarm finally was quiet. We drove to the AirBnb house and checked in. We had a nice 2 car garage to park the jeep in, all to ourselves. We needed to pick up 3 more from our party at a different airport around 5pm so all is well, plenty of time. Then the jeep alarm sounded again. Oh No! This can't be happening. It keeps sounding every few minutes. We can't disturb the entire neighborhood all night. The big desert tour is tomorrow, we have to have a jeep.

I call the rental company and after a few calls back and forth they found one more and if I could come back to them they can have the other jeep delivered to that location at 4:45 pm and they close at 5pm. I am an hour away, if I do not hit traffic in a town I do not know and it is 3:35 pm. Remember, I am also supposed to be in the opposite direction to pick up the other 3 people in our party at 5pm. This is the point where I could easily panic. And I was reminded by a calmer much needed friend to just breathe and it will be fine. Not perfect but fine.

I rush to swap the jeep out and send a message that I will be late picking the 3 up from the airport, and explained briefly what had happened. The best I could do under the circumstances. Praying that I do not get lost and get to the rental place on time and feeling frantic is my next hours reality. I get to the rental place at 4:45pm and swap the jeep out. The first jeep was full of fuel. The newer jeep was at a quarter of a tank. Time to try to rush to the other airport. And it is rush hour and traffic is bad. The GPS took me around some of the traffic and it took me an 1.5 hours to go about 42 miles, which isn't too bad, but that meant they had to wait on me that long. We stopped on the way back to the house to get fuel and some water for the next day. Once we get to the house I then realized the garage door opener was left in the other jeep. This is the point that could have pushed me over the edge. The rental place is closed. The jeep tour is the next day. We just used the keypad on the wall of the garage and I Let It Go. Yep me. I Let It Go. And the next day too, our jeep desert tour day. (Day 2) And the next day too, our Huntington Beach day and tour of Lilla Rose HQ, I Let It Go. (Day 3) This is not my normal. Far from it.

On day 4 we decided to go to Malibu Beach. When I looked at the map, we would be driving within 10 minutes from the Jeep rental office. So Now is my chance to possibly get the garage door opener without disturbing much of our vacation. No one answered the phone so a chance drive by is what needed to happen. The original jeep was parked half a level up in the parking garage and hadn't gone to be fixed yet. The attendant said he was aware of the jeep alarm issue and was able to let us get the garage door opener from the front seat. He even laughed and said he had heard an alarm go off during his shift, also knew about the jeep but didn't put the 2 together. We all laughed. We continued on our vacation. I didn't allow that circumstance to ruin my trip. And I was proud of myself because it could have been much different.

So many things had happened before we even left for the trip that made the trip nothing like the original plans. The conference cancelled, the hotel closed 4 weeks before we were to be there and didn't refund the money for 7 weeks (yes, after we were already back home), and our flights were changed 3 times. But overall it was a great trip. One that will be among the favorites in my life. Flexibility was the name of that trip.

More photos below of the entire trip. 3 beaches, 1 desert, sunset over the pacific ocean, Route 66, driving through mountains, driving on the pacific coastal highway, the friendships, the laughter, the wrong turns, the dinners around the kitchen table, and so many more memories.

A trip of a lifetime all because of a Hair Clip, the wonderful people met because of a Hair Clip, and a love for Jeeps. The Hair Clips can be found at www.LillaRose.biz/Gatewood

or for Jeep jewelry and Jeep related Hair Clips visit www.GatewoodsJubilee.biz

I am extremely grateful for the ones in my life who have taught me how to grow, stretch my comfort zone, laugh, and give me support. I am also thankful for a hair clip side gig that allows for many jeep trips, and it is the perfect way to contain the crazy jeep hair into beautiful hair. Here are the links if you are interested in the Jeep Jewelry www.gatewoodsjubilee.biz. or you can go to www.LillaRose.biz/Gatewood for that amazing hair Flexiclip.

The jeep hairclips are available with this Google form or at a show. To get a free video of 9 easy hairstyles and a chance to win a free Flexi Sport, register here: MuddyDogJeepBlog . For more styling videos you can check out my YouTube channel Gatewood's Jubilee .

Jeep Tour thru the Mojave desert (previously on another blog site)