I'm a registered nurse recently retired due to an annoying disability. I currently belong to 4 4wd clubs in South Western Ontario and am the Vice President of Ontario's 4wd Association. My husband and I have owned Jeeps since 1985 but it has only been in the last 10 years that we have seriously taken up 4wd trailriding. We do almost all of our own repairs, mods and upgrades. We have been Trail Leaders for two Canadian Jeep Jamborees and have been asked to lend a hand with an upcoming Nissan Jamboree as well. While I prefer good gooey sloppy muddy trails my husband prefers rock crawling, maintaining that the clean up is faster. I have no choice but to agree having just spent the better part of two days cleaning the mud out of our Jeep. We do everything together; we split the driving and share in the repairs and cleaning as well as basic and routine maintenance. Through it all we have accumulated a vast amount of knowledge regarding both our 1990 YJ and our 1948 Willys and have a whole new respect for our 4wd vehicles. We take the team approach to 4 wheeling and vehicle repair, modifications and maintenance.

Outdoor/Off-Road Experience:
I have been 4 wheeling for about 10 years and have been an avid camper for as long as I can remember. Although I have been finding the harsh winters a little too cold for my aging bones! I've attended a number of Jeep Jamborees and club trail rides and actively particpate in events both on and off pavement with our clubs. I have assisted with bridge and boardwalk repairs both for Jeep Jamboree Canada and Tread Lightly Canada. Both myself and my husband volunteered as drivers for the off road 4x4 test track at the Toronto AutoShow last year and hope to do it again next year. We have both taught in 4wd Seminars and enjoy helping people realize the full potential of their 4wd. I recently attended the Smoky Mountain Venture in North Carolina and can honestly say it is the first time I've ever been 4 wheeling with my seat belt holding me in, nothing but air between me and the seat and both feet firmly planted on the firewall. I am thankful for the opportunities I've had to experience some awesome 4 wheeling.

Vehicles Owned:
I own a restored 1948 Willys CJ2A that is not allowed out of the garage until no salt can be tasted on the roads in the spring. We also own a 1993 Grand Cherokee that we use as a daily driver and occasional tow vehicle. We recently bought and sold a 1968 Jeepster Commando (I may regret selling that one, it was sweet and had screaming potential). Our 1990 YJ Wrangler Islander crossed over the invisible line between daily driver and trail beast sometime in the last two years when we upgraded the axles, geared up and added Detroit Lockers to the front and rear. We seldom take it out in the ice and snow… unless it's to play and it gets heavy use during the summer on the trails. This is the one vehicle that we consider amply modified to hand the worst that mud, rock and highway can throw at us.