In the last 7 days we were all hit by “Snowmageddon”, “Snowmergerd!”, “Storm of the Century”, “Storm My Name is Jonas”, and we were all stuck for days without a way to get out (except Mark who apparently lives next to some very important people so a bubble was placed over his neighborhood preventing him from seeing any snow). Although I am sure many of you (including me) attempted to get out when the snow slowed a bit, we were all stuck and helpless to the whims of Mother Nature, that b!tch!
Well, my attempt happened on Saturday morning. I woke up, shoveled around the cars, and started the Jeep to let it warm up. I gave it about 5 minutes and then hopped in. “I got this” was the phrase I muttered confidently and arrogantly as I put the Jeep in snow mode and activated 4-LOW. I took a breath and pressed the accelerator.
5 feet. 5 feet was the total distance the Jeep moved into the 3 foot pile of fresh unplowed snow in front of my driveway before I got stuck. Stuck as in all 4 tires were spinning and not touching the ground. Stuck as in the snow had lifted my Jeep off the ground like you would a dog or cat watching it move its legs in mid air as it tried to get away. I spent the next 20 minutes rocking the jeep back and forth, spinning the steering wheel trying to get any little bit of movement. Nothing happened. It wasn’t until my girlfriend came out with a shovel that I was able to get the Jeep moving again. Once she stopped laughing and taking pictures, and once we finally cleared the snow from under the Jeep I tucked my tail between my legs and backed it back into the driveway where it sat for the next 48 hours until a plow came and saved the day.
It is this point that inspired me to write this next installment in our little blog series, In The Rear View. Because after going through the ordeal and wasting an hour of my life in the bitter cold and soaking wet snow I came inside and sat down in front of the TV. However, I wasn’t actually watching TV because in my minds eye I was shopping. For those of you that know me you know that when I say shopping I mean I was thinking about all the other vehicles I would rather have than my Jeep because hell, if it can’t get out and drive in this snow then what is the point of having it? I started thinking about WRXs, S4s, the new Ford Focus RS, anything that would be decent in a regular non-historic snow storm and yet a million times more fun to drive on a normal day. Of course, I ignored the fact that the whole reason I bought the Jeep was to have a nice daily driver and tow vehicle for my real toy, Eddie (pictured above and below). This line of thinking brought me to a realization…
Why must being an adult and being responsible be so hard? If it was 10 years ago I wouldn’t have even thought twice, I would be driving a new WRX or used S4 right this second while my former Jeep tow vehicle would be sitting on a used car lot or auction block waiting for its next owner. But now, the adult me, can’t make such a stupid decision. See I only owe a small amount on the Jeep compared to what it would cost to go buy something else right now. Why would I want to double or even triple my outstanding debt just for a car? The Jeep is very comfortable, it has plenty of power to be fun in a straight line from light to light (thank you Hemi!), and it can tow anything I want and haul any people I want. Its actually the smartest vehicle for me to own right now. But still, my inner child wants to upgrade, call it the 6 month or 1 year itch.
I have spent the last few days at work reading car websites and visiting cars.com searching for things that could possibly replace the Jeep. But none of my options would be able to do everything that the Jeep does for me now. But today, Friday, I have been able to find a cure for what ails me. That cure was simple and easy and it was right beneath my nose the whole time. And that cure was to open, start, and just sit in the GTI. It was perfect really. Once I opened the door and sat down, put my foot on the clutch, put the key in the ignition and turned it, Eddie came to life. And suddenly I remembered why I had the Jeep. I remembered that no matter what else I could buy as a daily driver it wouldn’t be as fun to drive as Eddie is on the track at speed. Finally I realized that everything I really wanted was already within my possession. I had the best of both worlds, a nice comfortable safe daily driver and an awesome track car (that is still street legal for romps through the countryside and mountains on the right day).
So for those of you that have those winter-time blues, and your mind starts to wander and you wonder what-if this and what-if that, just sit in the your track car and turn the key. the sweet sweet rumble of the exhaust note will set your mind back on track.
