This past Saturday October 12, Evelyn and I hosted our Second Annual Zuni Mt./Mt. Taylor Willys Jeep Roundup. Since last year I had crafted new inside-door panels on the old 1960 Willys wagon as well as new alternator brackets. It seemed to be in fair shape and as I had started it at least weekly for the past 12 months I was comfortable it would make the cruise. I moved the Willys wagon to the front drive way the Friday before to get ready to start packing goodies in it when I noticed a trail of antifreeze under the engine heading down the driveway. No way! I thought…. yup a leak. I went to the local O’Reilly’s and purchased cooling system stop–leak, installed it, warmed the engine and…whew, leak stopped. I think I’m ready …. but wait… I need to take the small crucifix I normally place on the dashboard of our old cars on adventures we do, but the Willys has practically no dashboard. I searched for a string or clip I could modify or something to use to mount it. Evelyn asked me what I was looking for and I told her. She promptly blurted out “DUCT TAPE”, “heaven knows you use it all the time”. Problem solved!
Saturday morning we met Jeff and Liz along with their son at the Fire and Ice drive thru, as well as John and Susan, Andy and Charlene in their Jeeps. We started our games here as cards were drawn for a high card poker hand and we passed out three” crafted foam rubber dice with “I did it…in my ...J..E..E..P” lettered on the faces were rolled, in hopes of completing the phrase by the cruise end would win a prize as well as high poker hand. We then took pictures and headed down Zuni Canyon road past the old KMIN radio station building to Forest Road 50 where Randy, L.J., their daughter and husband, and their grand-sons waited for us in vintage Willys Jeeps along with friends Joe and Sally in their YJ Jeep. Larry and Candy were their again this year as well.
We caught up the dice roll and poker card draw, and discussed the trail we would take this year. We would go east of FR 50 and northward, occasionally crossing old railroad beds that were used by steam trains years and years ago when timber was harvested in these mountains. As we cruised the narrow 2 track road, we were treated on occasion to the bright yellow and orange fall colors on trees readying themselves for the on-coming winter. We cruised through beautiful meadows and tall timbered tree stands, and past the Rivera Canyon rail bed. We stopped in a beautiful aspen grove ablaze in fall colors for lunch, where we shared stories and talked of the beautiful fall day we were enjoying. Jeff brought horseshoes along for a toss game for guys and gals “closest to the post wins” awarding Jeep ball caps from Larry Miller Jeep, we then drew a card and toss the dice again.
Down the trail a couple of miles and nearing Forest Road 50 we stopped in a small clearing for the final dice roll and card draw. Prizes were awarded including Jeep items from Kaiser Willys auto supply. The final game was to unscramble JACEPEAS. And we had a winner. We then lined up the Willys and Jeeps for group pictures and final good-byes… then homeward. After unpacking everything I then removed the cross from the dash and was thankful for a safe and wonderful day!