Please give a warm welcome to Christina Brown. I met this sweet lady in my local, Stones River Jeep club. She was so friendly and she is a super nice person. She is someone I look up to and she won’t know that until she reads this. This lady gives back as much as she possibly can and she doesn’t even want to be noticed about those things. She also does the Mudder Runs, doesn’t let anyone tell her she can’t do something and encourages others to join her. She inspires me.

What is your Jeep Name and why?

My Jeeps name is Monkee. I love monkeys and I really want a real one. I also love the Monkees show and Band.

Who or what was an influence or impact on you wanting a Jeep? I have wanted a jeep since I was 18 years old. The assistant Manager at where I worked then gave me a ride home in a Jeep and I thought it was really cool. Also my Dad built a rock crawler and it really sounded like fun but I was never allowed to go with him because I was a girl. In 2018, my husband, David and I found out that we couldn’t have children. He said for me to get a Jeep if I wanted to because we are going to enjoy life. We were going to stop rearranging life. (My note: anyone who has gone through any years of infertility and or treatment, understands the “rearranging life” very well.)

How many Jeeps have your owned and what makes and models?

Monkee is my first jeep and is a 2016 JKU.

What are your favorite Modifications?

I am so excited about the lift because it was my first big modification and did it myself. All mods were done myself. I have built this Jeep with the help of David and Kris Grisham. Kris was a huge part of this build.

What do you like best about Jeeps and the Jeep community?

I love the family aspect. No matter where you are at and how much money you have put into it, they are family. I am not close to family. To have a close Jeep family means so much to me.

What is your favorite Jeep Story?

When I went to Adventure Off Road Park (AOP) the first time it was for the Crawling for Reed charity event. It was my first time off road and I joined the Ladies ride. Julie Smith was leading the ride and David was my passenger. I maneuvered the entire trail. The jeep ladies and Julie were so encouraging. It was empowering and gave me a sense of confidence. I drove up on one area that was pitched to the side without panicking. Even a guy on the trail complimented on how I handled that section of trail without panicking.

What is your favorite trail and why?

My favorite trail system is at Coppinger Cove (The Cove) in Tennessee. The best way to be in nature - no phone service. It is just beautiful with waterfalls, caves, and I can play in the water. Some trails make me nervous because so many Jeeps are there. It helps to spread out and enjoy the moment.

Do you have any Jeep Pets?

Initially it was our chachaua, Luke, but he got so sick that we couldn’t take him. David wanted a German Shepherd. We met Jessica Nelson through the Jeep club and she had a litter of German Shephard pups. We got Onyx. She claimed the Jeep, it is hers, she owns it. I am now just the chauffer for Onyx. She marks the windows and dashboard every time she is in the Jeep.

Do you have any favorite groups you want to give a shout out to?

Not any groups specifically but to the lasting friendships built through the different groups of Stones River Jeep Club and Jeeps and Wrenches. The new friendships of Julie and Brian Smith and Kevin Woods, who are a few of the great friends that didn’t look down on me, didn’t bash while giving advice, and treated me as an equal.

What other activities do you do that aren’t Jeep related?

I love helping others and volunteering my time. The more I can help the happier I am. One of my favorites is to volunteer at the St. Jude Marathon finish line. I also love to help / volunteer with these groups:

A Soldier’s Child

Second Harvest Food Bank

Domestic Violence Groups, and

Suicide Prevention Groups

How did you get into running Mudder races? It is all Julie Smith’s and Kris Grishams’s fault. (kidding, sort of) When I first met Julie and Kris, they invited me to kick boxing class. It built a confidence in me. I was also meeting new people who encouraged me. From there it was “try this run” and the rest is history. I have completed 20 Mudder runs so far.

I hope you enjoyed meeting this fabulous lady. Christina, thank you for the inspiration. If you see Christina and Monkee, let her know you met her here.

Muddy Dog Jeep Tales Blog — Lisa Gatewood

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 .

Muddy Dog Jeep Tales with Christina Brown