The people we meet during the Moab Easter Jeep_® Safari tend to be experienced off-roaders. Sure, you get plenty of folks who are visiting Moab or taking part in the event for the first time, but they regularly take their Jeep vehicles off-road back home – be that British Columbia or Birmingham, AL. This year, we flipped the script.

 

We brought Tony Pimpo, writer for Automoblog, and his dad to the Moab Easter Jeep Safari. Not only was this their first time visiting the area, but it was their first time off-roading … period. As an auto enthusiast, Tony is all about performance on the track. So what was it like for him to see how Jeep vehicles perform on the trail? And what about the Jeep brand enthusiast community as a whole?

 

We took Tony out on Hell’s Revenge for his first experience. The next day, he tackled Poison Spider – from behind the wheel. It was a day of riding and a day of navigating some of the toughest terrain in Moab. You can read Tony’s own Moab write-up over at Automoblog. He was kind enough to share a few words with us afterward.

 

Of the capability of the Jeep vehicles on the trails:

I was impressed by the ability of the stock JK Wranglers to tackle these obstacles without any modifications. With the modified ones, you could really see how the changes enhanced their ability even further – primarily in making getting over something a bit easier or faster.

On his perception of the Jeep brand enthusiast community before and after the event:

As an observer, I had never taken part in the culture of off-roading before. And it really is just that: a culture built around iconic vehicles. Being out there in Moab, you see the way the community interacts with each other and the sense of camaraderie that is on display. The way it brings people together is something. There were families out there on the trail – I think it’s great that the Jeep brand and the off-roading experience were able to bring them together to share in something like this.

On comparing driving a performance car on a test track to rock crawling in a Jeep Wrangler:

The key there is native environment. There are cars that just beg to be taken on the track, and in the Wrangler’s case, it begs to be taken off-road. That is the Wrangler’s native environment. So it was great experiencing it the way it was meant to be. Track driving is about speed, and the goals out on the trail are a lot different. It takes different skills and decision-making abilities to navigate over these kinds of objects. You have to approach obstacles the right way, and position the vehicle properly to avoid damage. The interesting thing is that skill in high-speed driving doesn’t translate over to off-roading whatsoever – it’s a different ball game.

On the Hell’s Revenge and Poison Spider trails:

Both trails have a lot to offer, and I enjoyed each one of them. I would have to say Poison Spider was my favorite, though; it had a lot of varying terrain as well as some incredible views of Moab that I really enjoyed. Plus, I drove – so I’m sure that figures into it.

On his favorite part of being out on the trails:

I love hiking and taking in different scenery, so probably my favorite part was doing that from a vehicle. I rode, drove and hopped out of the Wrangler to walk alongside, and there was a different perspective to be gained from each.

On his all-around experience:

The thrill of off-roading and taking part in this experience with Jeep enthusiasts from around the country made the Moab Easter Jeep Safari an adventure I definitely won’t forget. It was my first Moab experience, but I’m sure it won’t be my last!

On advice he would give to other Moab first-timers:

For first-timers, I would have to echo some of the advice I heard the first day: place yourself somewhere in the middle of the line and behind a vehicle similar to yours. That way you can take advantage of seeing what to (and not to) do, as well as evaluating what you can tackle. Other than that, go all in and enjoy yourself!