Go, Go, Gladiator!

[Andy29847]

My wife and I bought a Gladiator. The Gladiator is our second Jeep, the other being a 2004 Wrangler Rubicon. We are retired and have been RV'ing since 2014. The first few years we RV'd with dirt bikes. As age and medical problems snuck up on us, we switched to a Jeep (2016). The problem with our Wrangler was it was too small inside. We wanted to carry snacks, drinks, and dogs on some of our rides. Enter the Gladiator in November 2020. This thread will be photo heavy, go back to our first trip with the Gladiator, and continue until we run out of steam. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Rootie the Rubicon.

The new Gladiator, AKA Imogene!

Here is how we roll.

More to come.

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[Andy29847]

Our first trip with the Gladiator was in March 2021. We went to South Parde Island, TX.

Here is Imogene at the Texas/Mexico border. This photo looks over the Rio Grande River. Driving on the beach at South Padre Island is a blast.

This was out first time in South Texas. I was surprised to find a Starlink base nearby. They even launched a rocket while we were there. Launching a rocket and landing it intact is the best tech of my lifetime. Wow! Even more amazing to me is I could walk up to the gate for photos. The gate was open and the rocket was ~100 yards away. I guess they are not worried about illegal immigrants at the base.

More Starlink

The required gladiator photo.

Photos from the South Padre Island neighborhood.

A man and his dog.

More to come.

 

[coalcracker]

These are awesome photos! And I hear you, enjoy the Gladiator while you can. Definitely feel you on the 2-door Jeep; I’ve got one of those too and while I generally love it, it’s hard to take snacks, dogs, etc.

 

[ShrimpHappens]

My wife and I decided we couldn't take the money with us, so we bought a Gladiator.

You're gosh darn right! You worked for decades to get to this point; enjoy it!

 

[Andy29847]

Thanks for the encouragement. We left South Padre Island and headed to Big Bend to Wheel with some friends. I've been to Big Bend several times and love it. It is an excellent winter adventure destination. Big Bend is different.

A fine group of experienced travelers

The author in Mexico, near Santa Elana Canyon.,

Gladiators lead the way!

The ride up Christmas Mountain is my fav thing to do in Big Bend.

Looking over Big Bend National Park from Christmas Mountain.

Mr. Barebones is the gate guard.

We be Wheeling!

Everything stings, sticks, or bites out in the bush.

Climbing the ledge on Black Gap Rd.

A fixer upper.

We even went for a night ride.

More to come.

 

[Andy29847]

On the way home from Big Bend, we stopped in Alpine, TX for a couple of days. I went looking for a Terlingua Racing Team sticker for the Gladiator and found The Stable for Performance Cars, owner Dave Durant. Dave had my sticker and some other neat stuff.

thestablealpine.com | World Class Automobiles Made to be Driven

Dave gave us the cooks tour. He is a nice guy and tells some good stories. He had the Terlingua Racing Team stickers too.

 

[Andy29847]

My wife and I live in South Carolina. We like to go on 2 or 3 "big" camping trips a year, and then a few week long or weekender trips in between the big ones. We had a big plan for a summer trip in 2021. We wanted to travel to the west coast and back, wheeling along the way. Another couple David and Val from Florida, were going to join us for the fun. The plan was to meet in South Fork, CO, then travel to Moab, UT, Gold Beach, OR, Pollack, ID, Chalis, ID, and then home. Oh yeah, we planned a lot of off the paved road activity for every stop except Oregon. Oregon was the week at the beach for the girls. . Let the fun begin!

We stayed at the Chinook Cabins and RV park, a neat little Mom and Pop place in a great setting in south fork, CO.

Route 66 Cabin Rental South Fork CO Chinook Rental Cabins RV Park (chinooklodge.net)

We have a lot in common with David and Valerie.

We traveled the Alpine Loop one day. Jason and Debbie in the Sarge colored Jeep joined us.

Gladiators lead the way!

For rent near the top of Engineer Pass

We visited Clear Creek Falls on the way back from Lake City.

Valerie rode the campground float in the 4th of July Parade. Just her face and her waving hand is showing.

We had fireworks that night.

My wheeling pals.

This is from Rat Creek Road out of Creede, CO, going up to the Continental Divide.

On the top near Creede.

More to come.

 

[Andy29847]

One of the things I wanted to do while in South Fork was ride across Stony Pass. Stony is my favorite San Juan Pass, but it is looonnnggg. We left early and drove all day to get to Silverton and back (back by the paved roads). You should have been there.

Dog days along the shores of the Rio Grande Reservoir.

In the Aspens

Bever apartment.

Climbing up Timber Hill

Wildflowers

Pole Creek

Let us climb.

It rained going down from Stony Pass. It doesn't matter, the road is good.

La vista!

Silverton

More to come.

 

[Alans17]

Our first trip with the Gladiator was in March 2021. We went to South Parde Island, TX.

My backyard growing up!

 

[be77solo]

Hey, fantastic pics and story! Living the good life!

 

[Elff]

Life Goals!!!!

Man, I am jealous of all the above people who contributed pictures.
This is how you live life!!

 

[BUZZHEAD]

Great pictures and adventure thank you for sharing

 

[ezekio3160]

Thanks for sharing and motivating me to do the same with my wife and 2 daughters once they are a little older. America is such a beautiful and geographically diverse place!

 

[Andy29847]

Thanks for sharing and motivating me to do the same with my wife and 2 daughters once they are a little older. America is such a beautiful and geographically diverse place!

Both my wife and I had demanding jobs, i.e., it was hard to get more than one week off at a time. That limited our trips to nearby stuff for years. It has been eye opening to see the country. It's all beautiful. Well, except for Midlands/Odessa, TX. Midlands. That area is ugly, but they don't feel bad about it. They are pumping money (oil) out of the ground there.

 

[DailyMoparGuy]

Wow those trips look awesome. I had no idea you could get that close to Starlink either…I may need to do a trip down there.

Congrats on the Gladiator and continuing a great retirement. Safe travels!

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