Fred & Trent’s Really Bad Idea Road Trip

Idiots On Parade Jeep Front Three Quarter

“You boys are either really tough or mentally retarded,” said the man at the gas station as we rolled up into Nowheresville, Idaho. “A little of both,” we replied.

Trail rides are fun. Lock the hubs, drop it in low, and get creepy crawling or mud whompin’. But as the sport progresses the vehicles get more dedicated and less roadworthy. We do the annual Ultimate Adventure trip, where we show you trail rigs running down the highway in the summer, but what if we did the same type of trip in the winter? We recently did, and it was kind of dumb.

Last fall I was talking to Trent Mcgee, head of marketing for Daystar Products, makers of all great things polyurethane from mud flaps and dash panels to bushings, bumpstops and body or transmission mounts, and I mentioned I needed to get up to Montana to retrieve the diesel Jeep JK Rubiwagon project. He said he needed to get his rock buggy up there for some upgrades as well, and the gears started spinning. My boss, having seen my previous escapades with the company gas card, said, ”No way,” but Trent’s boss at Daystar agreed to foot the bill on two conditions: we drive our rigs rather than tow, and we go in January.

With not much for doors, insulation, or heat between the two rigs, we grinned like idiots and agreed wholeheartedly.

This is Project White Truck, our ’10 Ram 3500. It’s a great tow rig, and we should have taken it, but that wouldn’t have made a good story. So we parked it, trailer at the ready, just in case disaster struck. FYI, it has Daystar Bump Stops.
This is Project White Truck, our ’10 Ram 3500. It’s a great tow rig, and we should have ta
Trent and I met in Las Vegas to start our trip. The northbound ride would have me riding shotgun with Trent driving his buggy built out of the remains of a Jeep TJ Wrangler. But first, did you ever notice how a Daystar shock boot looks very similar to a gas pump vent hose thing?
Trent and I met in Las Vegas to start our trip. The northbound ride would have me riding s
Ah yes, cruising down the highway in eastern Nevada, laptop out so I can blog on our website, and it’s sunny. Boy, do we look happy. Ignorance is bliss.
Ah yes, cruising down the highway in eastern Nevada, laptop out so I can blog on our websi

We had a really neat plan where we used this little Spot GPS Tracker to send out a signal every hour to show where we were driving on a website that everyone could log into and watch. We didn’t get that site info out to everyone in time, so only Trent’s mom really followed the trip. But it’s the thought that counts.
We had a really neat plan where we used this little Spot GPS Tracker to send out a signal
Somewhere in northern Nevada it started to get pretty cold, and then we saw our first snow. We pulled over to get a photo and proceeded to get stuck on the side of the road. Lock the hubs, you numbskulls!
Somewhere in northern Nevada it started to get pretty cold, and then we saw our first snow
We were pretty sure the local authorities were going to shut down our adventure eventually, but it was either the semi-legal tire coverings or the fear that guys driving open rigs in the winter must be really tough that scared them away.
We were pretty sure the local authorities were going to shut down our adventure eventually

Even though we were willing to drive in the cold, our southern-state blood had us finding hotels (or casinos) to stay in at night. Finding ice on the windshield the next morning, Trent demonstrated that the Daystar mud scraper also works great as an ice scraper.
Even though we were willing to drive in the cold, our southern-state blood had us finding
Trent’s rock buggy has no doors, which isn’t great at highway speed across Idaho in January. What’s worse are the holes in the firewall that funnel cold air right up your pants. We covered them with Daystar mud flaps.
Trent’s rock buggy has no doors, which isn’t great at highway speed across Idaho in Januar
We may look funny, but we were actually pretty warm. Before we left on the trip I contacted Columbia Sportswear about some jackets, and they mentioned their new Omni-heat line of clothing. This stuff is pretty cool. The inside of the jackets, gloves, and hats all have little silver foil dots that reflect heat back at you, plus they are very wind-resistant. The boots have electric heaters in them to keep your feet warm. My jacket is black; Trent’s Columbia parka has some version of green and outer-space camo.
We may look funny, but we were actually pretty warm. Before we left on the trip I contacte

We hit quite a few high mountain passes (over 7,000 feet) on the drive along Route 93 from Vegas to Missoula. We didn’t get in nearly enough off-roading, but since we were sliding around on snow we can still say we weren’t on asphalt.
We hit quite a few high mountain passes (over 7,000 feet) on the drive along Route 93 from
One lesson from the trip: Always be the driver. As a passenger in an open rig, you get pretty bored just riding along. You can look around or sing songs, but eventually you’ll remember that you’re freezing and should have brought a tow rig.
One lesson from the trip: Always be the driver. As a passenger in an open rig, you get pre
In Missoula we picked up the diesel JK we had built at American Expedition Vehicles back in 2007. It was only slightly better equipped for winter travel, as it had no heater and just as many cracks for wind to enter through its nice canvas top from the local feed store. Next we dropped Trent’s buggy off at Prindle Manufacturing and Products in Billings for some suspension work and headed south ASAP.
In Missoula we picked up the diesel JK we had built at American Expedition Vehicles back i

We crossed the Bitterroot Mountains, where back in 1805 explorers Lewis and Clark were on their own ultimate road trip.
We crossed the Bitterroot Mountains, where back in 1805 explorers Lewis and Clark were on
If you’re ever in Ely, Nevada, stop in at the Hotel Nevada. It’s a great place with lots of neat trinkets and wall art to check out, and when you’re frozen stiff and tired from winter road tripping they have great food.
If you’re ever in Ely, Nevada, stop in at the Hotel Nevada. It’s a great place with lots o
Coming into the Grand View Canyons in Idaho, I realized just how great the Cummins-powered JK is as a road trip machine. It’s comfortable, rides like a new truck, has plenty of power, and could really use a heater when the outside temperature gauge reads 21 degrees.
Coming into the Grand View Canyons in Idaho, I realized just how great the Cummins-powered

Trent’s boss sent him along with a bunch of stuff to showcase on the trip. Just in case you missed it, Daystar makes everything from firewall grommets and mudflaps to suspension bushings and bumpstops. Thanks, Daystar, for sending us on a cold miserable trip we’ll never forget.
Trent’s boss sent him along with a bunch of stuff to showcase on the trip. Just in case yo
One last thing, when traveling through eastern Nevada, watch out for giants, they like Jeeps.
One last thing, when traveling through eastern Nevada, watch out for giants, they like Jee