What I Saw

It’s official: hubby and I are honest-to-goodness Jeepers now that we’ve taken Betty on her first adventure. (Okay … maybe not yet. But we’re not Jeep virgins anymore, are we?).

Neighbor Mark, as you know, can find his way around the local mountains with his eyes pretty much closed and his arms tied behind his back. So we asked him if he wouldn’t mind playing tour guide during our inaugural trial run. Handyman husband wanted to be sure that Betty was fit enough for wear and tear (and that we weren’t huffing it back home, some 15 miles into the remote desert.) Plus, we both needed to get some driving experience.

So without further ado, welcome to Betty’s first romp in the Sonoran desert.

First stop: a wonderful old corral estimated to be at least 100 years old. I love this photo so much, I think it could be the cover of my first novel. Don't ask me why, but click to enlarge so you can tell me if you are as captivated by it as I.

Second stop: View of the snow-capped Santa Catalinas from within our perch among the Galiuro mountains (and my favorite – a saguaro cactus). Click to enlarge.

And there’s my girl, Betty. She looks quite ‘in her element’ here, don’t you think? (Love the removable top half of the doors and the zip-out windows!) Click to enlarge.

Boys will be boys. Neighbor Mark shows off his Ranger’s rock-crawling versatility at our lunch spot while Betty takes it easy on a less threatening boulder. Click to enlarge.

Mark and Roxanne’s pup, Pearl (our adopted niece) surveys the area. All of those little squiggles are roads that lead to lots of (current) mining exploration in the area. We found some wonderful quartz crystals with great six-sided prisms at this very spot. Click to enlarge.

Heading back toward home, we stopped at Copper Creek so that Betty could enjoy the shade and the sound of trickling water. Click to enlarge.

This lone, spotless ladybug rests on the only non-submerged part of a rock in the creek bed. Love the strands of slippery algae. Click to enlarge.

Miss Pearl – a.k.a. “Fuzzy Butt” – really enjoyed getting her feet wet (and lapping up the green stuff). Click to enlarge.

Yep. And there’s me driving Miss Betty and smiling from ear to ear with a saguaro-studded hill in the background. Totally smitten. Click to enlarge.

I can’t tell you how much fun I had on this first excursion. Betty performed just the way I expected. First, just like her badass namesake Betty White, she conquered some tough, slippery shale (um… yes, very thankful hubby was driving up that steep hill. That task was a bit too adventurous for my novice skills).

And secondly – Betty gave me what I longed for during just one trip: she inspired me. It felt great to have the camera clicking again and to be a part of the natural landscape, hubby by my side and friends willing to share in the wonder with us.

My mom is beginning a two-week visit from Pennsylvania beginning Friday. I cannot wait to take her for a spin (or two … or three), which makes me wonder: will Betty be more inspiration or more distractor?

For Readers, Writers: What is your Betty? Your inspiration? You can see below that she now officially embodies all of my passions. The special conservation plate even includes a mountain lion in the design!

I really am a simple gal. I don’t need or want much. Shoes, purses, jewelry, “things” … Meh. I’m okay with the essentials (which includes a stack of books, of course). Except there is this one thing that I’ve been coveting for more than a decade …

I confess to an obsession with Jeep Wranglers. Not just any Wrangler, though. I’ve always dreamed of a Jeep with personality, with scars, with stories. I never wanted a shiny new Jeep, because I hoped to run this dream vehicle through the desert landscape without worrying about scratching it. You know … if I happened to scrape it across the wall of a canyon or pin-stripe it with the thorns of a palo verde tree, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

Well, meet my dream come true. Her name’s Betty. She’s an old girl. With some scars. Some faded paint. A cracked windshield. Crazy camo interior. Probably the keeper of lots of stories. (And let’s just say Betty – born in 1992 – sports a more attractive price than her shiny new cousin).

When Betty arrived and made her way up through the desert wash on our property, you can imagine the schoolgirl smile on my face. Click to enlarge.

Why Betty, you wonder (and who names her vehicles anyway)? She’s named after Betty White, that spunky, now-90-but-looks-70-years-old comedian. Betty White’s a tough old gal. She has scars, stories, spirit. I love her. Her last name is White. My ‘new’ Jeep is white. Need I say more?

Hubby and previous Betty owner, Karl, taking her for a spin when she first arrives at the ranch on Jan. 20. Lovely sunset behind train trestle in the background. Click to enlarge.

My dear husband spent the weekend ‘accessorizing’ Betty, ironically – with the things I don’t generally give two hoots about, myself: hats, shoes. Okay, not really. She did get a new soft top and door kit, though, since Betty was doorless and back-windowless upon arrival (see first photo).

Before the new top was installed, hubby gutted the inside of the Jeep for cleaning and an electrical tune-up (plus new speakers). He discovered some fun things: like a melted fuse panel and leaking rear output seal that he repaired. I love my handy man! Click to enlarge.

And Betty did get new ‘shoes’ – pedal covers for the clutch and brakes.

Slippery, uncovered, mismatched foot pedals. Click to enlarge.

Betty's boots: New, fancy non-slip shoes. Click to enlarge.

I am chomping at the bit to travel with Betty to places that have never before been accessible to me. So if you sense any badass bravado on my part – you know, tough girl venturing out on her own under the harsh desert sun in her lifted, four-wheel-drive Jeep that also sports a monster winch – well, that may come later … after I get some miles under my belt and some offroad experience. (I’m not sure my childhood tractor training and quad driving days count.)

I hope you’ll join me on my upcoming desert adventures with Betty. I’m sure the places she takes me will inspire not only my creative muse and offer up writing lessons, but also re-awaken my wonder of nature. We’d love to have you along for the ride.

Betty's Bonnet: now decked out in her new attire -- including vinyl doors with zippered windows. We’re ready for our first adventure. Stay tuned! Click to enlarge.

For Writers, Readers: What awakens your creative muse? Writers, how do you accessorize your plot to reap the greatest rewards?