To check shipping cost or purchase, please visit the 1995-2001 XJ Cherokee Roof Rack Platform shopping cart page.

If you're considering purchasing a XJ Cherokee Roof Rack, but are concerned about the increased height that a typical roof rack requires, we have just the solution for you: Our new Hard-KOR Roof Rack Platform gives you a flat platform that mounts securely to your factory roof rails, and adds only 1.5 inches of increased height, allowing you to park in your garage, or in parking structures, with no problem at all. Here's some of the many benefits to the Hard-KOR Roof Rack Platform:

To check shipping cost or purchase, please visit the 1999-2004 WJ Grand Cherokee Roof Rack Platform shopping cart page.

To check shipping cost or purchase, please visit the 1999-2004 WJ Grand Cherokee Roof Rack Platform shopping cart page.

KevinsOffRoad.com - XJ Cherokee Roof Rack Platform System

To check shipping cost or purchase, please visit the 1999-2004 WJ Grand Cherokee Roof Rack Platform shopping cart page.

If you're considering a Roof Rack for your WJ Jeep Grand Cherokee, but are concerned about the increased height that a typical roof rack requires, we have just the solution for you: Our new Hard-KOR Roof Rack Platform gives you a flat platform that mounts securely to your factory roof rails, and adds only 1.5 inches of increased height, allowing you to park in your garage, or in parking structures, with no problem at all. Here's some of the many benefits to the Hard-KOR Roof Rack Platform:

To check shipping cost or purchase, please visit the 1999-2004 WJ Grand Cherokee Roof Rack Platform shopping cart page.

To check shipping cost or purchase, please visit the 1999-2004 WJ Grand Cherokee Roof Rack Platform shopping cart page.

KevinsOffRoad.com - WJ Grand Cherokee Roof Rack Platform System

Kevin’s Cherokee Roof Rack for ’95-’01 XJ Cherokee (with partial mesh floor to enjoy your moonroof, or full mesh floor for maximum capacity)

 

Are you looking for a roof rack for your Jeep that looks great and works even better?  I've just released my brand-newly designed, round tube version of the old-fashioned roof utility rack that every Jeep owner needs at one point in time or another.  This this thing is built like no other…sturdy, solid, and lightweight (59 – 68 lbs depending on version).  I've over-built it so that you'll have room for suitcases, Rubbermaid containers, your Hi-Lift jack, spare tire, and whatever else you need to fit up there.  It also offers many exclusive features that no other roof rack does; one being the steel mesh flooring is either left open above the moonroof area to let the sunshine stream in, or a fully-welded mesh floor version is available for those without moonroofs.

This is the ONLY roof rack on the market built *SPECIFICALLY* to mount on the roof of Jeep Cherokees!  The rest are just generic roof racks, with bolt-on mounts that happen to fit also…they are not racks designed with our fully-welded and integrated Cherokee roof mounts!

 

See our
Check out our
For our

 

This rack is EXTREMELY labor intensive to build with it's numerous compound bends and fish-mouthed tube angles, and would run you well over a thousand bucks to replicate it at a local tubing-fab shop IF you already had the mechanical drawings complete (which would cost you several hundred bucks also).  To keep the cost down, I'm running these in batches, so chances are I'll have them in stock when you're ready to order. 

 

 

 Our price INCLUDES mounting hardware to attach it to your factory roof rails at NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE, while some of the other guys charge upwards of $75 for roof mounts (SURE, like you could somehow use the rack WITHOUT mounting it, LOL).  If you compare apples to apples with other racks, I KNOW you'll find that this is an EXTREMELY fair price, carries Kevin's typical reputation for overbuilding, and looks cool and unique enough to get your rig noticed on the trail AND around town.  It's a KevinsOffroad.com exclusive…no one else has anything that looks like this or offers these features, especially at this price.  Dimensions are approximately 73" x 40" x 7" at it's tallest and widest.  It will extend upward about 7" taller than the top of your factory roof rail (without a spare tire mounted on top), and 1" MORE than the WIDTH of the tire (laying down) at the center of the rack, if you want to measure it out for your garage.

 

See our
Check out our
For our

KevinsOffRoad.com - Cherokee Roof Rack – XJ Jeep

Kevin’s Grand Cherokee Roof Racks for ’99-’04 WJ Grand Cherokee and ’93 – ’98 ZJ Grand Cherokee (with partial mesh floor to enjoy your moonroof, or full mesh floor for maximum capacity)

 

Are you looking for a roof rack for your Jeep that looks great and works even better?  I've just released my brand-newly designed, round tube version of the old-fashioned roof utility rack that every Jeep owner needs at one point in time or another.  This this thing is built like no other…sturdy, solid, and lightweight (59 – 68 lbs depending on version).  I've over-built it so that you'll have room for suitcases, Rubbermaid containers, your Hi-Lift jack, spare tire, and whatever else you need to fit up there.  It also offers many exclusive features that no other roof rack does; one being the steel mesh flooring is either left open above the moonroof area to let the sunshine stream in, or a fully-welded mesh floor version is available for those without moonroofs.

This is the ONLY roof rack on the market built *SPECIFICALLY* to mount on the roof of Jeep Grand Cherokees!  The rest are just generic roof racks, with bolt-on mounts that happen to fit also…they are not racks designed with our fully-welded and integrated Grand Cherokee roof mounts!

 

See our
Check out our
For our

 

This rack is EXTREMELY labor intensive to build with it's numerous compound bends and fish-mouthed tube angles, and would run you well over a thousand bucks to replicate it at a local tubing-fab shop IF you already had the mechanical drawings complete (which would cost you several hundred bucks also).  To keep the cost down, I'm running these in batches, so chances are I'll have them in stock when you're ready to order. 

 

 

 Our price INCLUDES mounting hardware to attach it to your factory roof rails at NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE, while some of the other guys charge upwards of $75 for roof mounts (SURE, like you could somehow use the rack WITHOUT mounting it, LOL).  If you compare apples to apples with other racks, I KNOW you'll find that this is an EXTREMELY fair price, carries Kevin's typical reputation for overbuilding, and looks cool and unique enough to get your rig noticed on the trail AND around town.  It's a KevinsOffroad.com exclusive…no one else has anything that looks like this or offers these features, especially at this price.  Dimensions are approximately 73" x 40" x 7" at it's tallest and widest.  It will extend upward about 7" taller than the top of your factory roof rail (without a spare tire mounted on top), and 1" MORE than the WIDTH of the tire (laying down) at the center of the rack, if you want to measure it out for your garage.

 

See our
Check out our
For our

KevinsOffRoad.com - Grand Cherokee Roof Racks – ZJ & WJ

Sway Bar Measuring Tape – How To Measure a Sway Bar

Various Jeeps come with different sized anti-sway bars from the factory, based on whether or not it came with a Tow Package, UpCountry or OffRoad Package, or if the previous owner upgraded or changed something before you purchased it.

I found a handy measuring tape on Energy Suspension’s website, which will help you figure out what size bars you have front and rear, and I wanted to make available to you here so that you know what bushings to purchase. We carry quite a few Energy Suspension Greaseable sway bar bushings, so if you can’t find what you’re looking for, let us know, and we’ll see if we can get a hold of it for you.

Simply print out the Sway Bar Measuring Tape PDF Sway Bar Measuring Tape, cut it out, and wrap it around your anti-sway bar to see what it measures out at. If the metric scale doesn’t perfectly line up, try the standard scale, and see which one is closer. You’re going to want to err on the side of a bushings that’s too small by half a millimeter, than too large by half a millimeter, because sometimes it’s not 100% obvious how big it is, as it’ll sit between the hash marks.

Do your best work, check both tape measures, and let us know what size you need!

QUESTIONS? POST THEM HERE:

KevinsOffRoad.com - How To Measure a Sway Bar for New Bushings

Thought I’d share a story with you…

The other day, I was in the checkout line at Sprouts, buying some groceries, and wine, and as I was loading the cart onto the counter, I dropped one of the bottles of wine, shattering it all over the floor. The clerk behind the counter puts me at ease, saying, “Don’t worry about it…happens all the time!”. He calls over help to mop it up, has one of his co-workers open another register, and diverts other customers around my mess, and I go back to the rack to get another bottle. When I get back to the register, I tell him that I want to have him charge me for two of the bottle that I just handed him…once for the one I broke, and once for the one that I’m buying. He tells me that it’s not their policy (to charge the customer for broken product), and again, assures me it’s OK. I insist, telling him, “Well, it’s my policy to be responsible for my actions at every moment…it was totally my doing, and I’d feel better if you’d charge me for the broken one too.” He agrees to do so, rather than arguing with me about it, scans the bottle a second time, and then laughs. I look at him, and he said, since you ended up purchasing a 6th bottle of wine, our normal 10% 6-bottle discount automatically kicks in, and it covered all but $1.50 of the cost of the broken bottle!”

Awesome!

I’ve found whether you throw out a positive or you throw out a negative, you get one back! I had no idea it would be so instantaneously, though!!

Anyway, thought you’d enjoy my cool story. I walked away with a smile on my face, knowing I did the right thing (in my mind, anyway), and a new loyalty for Sprouts !

KevinsOffRoad.com - What comes around, goes around…

How cool is this? If you haven’t seen the Swiss Room Box, you’ve got to check this out…

Swiss Room Box Video

http://www.swissroombox.com/swissRoomBox-home.html

Not at all inexpensive, however, SUPER cool!!!!

How would you “sell yourself” on spending $4300+ USD on something like this?? If it came with the Swiss girl in the video to operate it for me…mmmmmm…where’s my credit card??!!

KevinsOffRoad.com - Ultimate Expedition Tool…”Swiss Room Box”

Driveline Vibration and How To Cure It on Lifted Jeeps

This is a copy of an e-mail that I just sent to a good customer of ours, that I thought might benefit someone else, looking to eliminate driveline vibes from their lifted Jeep. Feel free to comment below for clarification, and I’ll answer your questions/comments as quickly as I can.

====================
Here’s his original e-mails, compiled, which may sound similar to the problem you’re currently having too:

-I’ve had a Clayton kit and about 7″s of lift on my WJ for quite a few years and finally decided that I’ve had enough with the vibration from what I believe was the front drive shaft. The rear was replaced prior with a Tom Woods and both were looked at by ADS in Mesa yesterday. They informed me that I’m basically screwed with the front angle off the t-case and the vibration will never go away. What have you done in the past or seen to help remedy this issue? I have a factory double-cardan on the front. ADS said it’s short, but not causing the issue in their opinion, simply the angle off the yoke. I’ve got to start using this as my daily driver again and want to make it sound. My current front drive shaft is a stock double-cardan style with fixed yokes at the t-case and axle, then the shaft is a splined slip to accommodate movement.

Please show me the light. Thanks in advance.

====================
And, here’s my response:
Ok, so the FIRST thing, IMHO, that absolutely HAS to be done, is remove the front shaft, and drive around for a few days, during your normal schedule, and see if indeed ADS is correct, and the vibes are eliminated completely, or not. (I’m guessing not!) You could have TWO different shaft vibe problems, so removing the front shaft, and dialing in the rear to the best you can get FIRST, is the way to cure that “knowledge deficiency”. If you still have a stock set of tires, consider swaping them on, to reduce mud-terrain noise/vibes from the equation.

Once the rear gets dialed in as good as it can possibly be, consider removing it, replacing the front, and driving around testing it in ONLY Front Wheel Drive. This *SHOULDN’T* have any short-term ill-effects on your NP247 case…it *SHOULD* just lock into it’s 50/50 mode, and that’s that. I’d suggest not doing any “long-term” testing on my theory/belief, though, unless you already have an NP242 or 231 ready to bolt in, and just want to find out if I was right, for sure, lol, but short-term (a day or two), it should be fine.

And, that’s the process to eliminate the vibes, my friend…like it or not, lol. It ain’t easy, but after fine-tuning my WJ, I’m able to do 80mph with VERY little driveline vibe (tire vibe is another thing, completely, lol). However, I’m also running a high pinion rear axle, and the front pinion yoke has been “re-indexed” upwards, via separating the tubes from the diff, twisting it upwards, and re-welding it, to the tune of around $1k. At the time, it was the quickest solution, but longer-term thinking would have netted me a replacement front diff with a high-pinion, of the D44 variety, instead.

Ultimately, you have Physics working against you, pure and simple. Irrespective of the driveline setup, having the pinion yokes of the t-case and the axle being separated vertically by several/many inches, you’re inherently going to have vibrations…and the more separation, the more vibration. Period. Less lift = less inherent vibes…end of story. High pinion axles are one Physics-related vibration solution, and lowering the t-case is the other one. Driveshaft configuration merely makes the best of the problem you already have…vertical separation of yokes.

Do let me know what you end up finding out after removing the front shaft. I’d be pretty surprised if the front shaft is your MAIN source of vibes, frankly, based on my experience.

KevinsOffRoad.com - Driveline Vibration and How To Cure It on Lifted Jeeps

From Alaska Expedition 2011

I read a really interesting article posted on Overland News, which I wanted to get some feedback on from you guys.

Until recently, I was running 35″x12.5″ ProComp Xtreme mud terrain tires, and recently swapped to 32″x11.5″ MT/Rs. Keeping the same 4.56 ratio in the axles, I’ve noticed an increase of around 1.5 mpg in my normal mixed highway/city driving, with limited time testing (only about a week, and 200 miles, and yes, I already adjusted the speedometer to my GPS, and it’s only off 1/2 a MPH.)

Now, I’m getting 14.5 mpg in my normal mixed highway/city driving…which is not horrible, but it sure ain’t GREAT! By the way, one of the reasons why I selected that size tire, is because that’s the size that came on the factory Wrangler Rubicon, and you can pick up new/nearly new/barely used tires in that size on CraigsList for next to nothing.

Anyway, the next step is to reduce the amount of lift I have from around 8″ to around 6″…which is the OTHER reason why I went with the slightly smaller tires this go-round. I’ve been doing so much Expedition wheeling recently, which requires a fair amount of highway driving to get to the trails, that I’m wanting to maximize my fuel economy in order to increase range between fill-ups, as well as shave off some fuel cost on long trips. I spent $2,500 in fuel on my summer 2011 trip to Alaska, and increasing my fuel economy by only 1 mpg, would have saved me around $250-$300 on that trip…which is not a giant savings, but if I increase by 2, or 3mpg, it adds up. And, that $300 savings is only ONE trip over ONE 32-day period of time. It doesn’t account for my yearly “daily-driving” around town and on weekend trails and road trips.

From Alaska Expedition 2011

Here’s the article, cross-posted from http://www.overlandexpo.com/overland-tech-travel/2012/3/2/speed-vs-economy-or-fd-12pvsquared-x-cda.html

Speed vs. economy, or Fd = 1/2pv(squared) x CdA

Friday, March 2, 2012 At 4:16PM

Fuel economy is a funny subject. Very, very few people want to admit their vehicles get poor mileage. The overwhelming tendency is to fudge the other way when the subject comes up. I know for a fact there are guys who get 25 miles per gallon at 75 miles per hour in their one-ton diesel pickups while towing their 30-foot Airstream trailers, because I hear it with astonishing frequency.

I also know they don’t.

I never say as much when presented with these or similar absurd boasts, because there’s simply no profit in doing so. All I do is raise my eyebrows and say, subtly, “Wow. That would be impressive.” To show skepticism, much less outright derision, provokes the same peculiar outrage one receives doubting someone who claims to have been abducted and studied by aliens. There’s just no point in arguing.

There’s also no point in arguing with the laws of physics—especially those relating to speed. Note that formula in the headline. In plain English it states that the drag (Fd) on a solid object moving through a fluid medium (which in physics includes air) is a function of one-half the density (p) of the medium times the speed (v) of the object, squared, times the drag coefficient (Cd) of the object times its cross sectional area (A).

Note in particular the reference to the square of speed. That means that as speed goes up, the drag that results rises on a logarithmic curve. If speed doubles, drag quadruples.

Here’s an example using an algorithm I found recently, calculated around a theoretical but representative vehicle with a drag coefficient of .30 (very low), and a frontal area of 30 square feet, on a paved road. Our vehicle requires just 2.6 horsepower to move at 20 mph. To reach 40 mph it needs 8.2 horsepower, and to reach 60 it needs 19.6. To cruise at 80 would require 39.9 horsepower—twice that needed to maintain 60. (To give you an idea of the drag acting on very high-performance sports cars, our vehicle would need 521 horsepower to hit 200 miles per hour.) The unassailable fact of highway driving is that beyond about 40 miles per hour aerodynamic drag overtakes powertrain friction and rolling resistance as the chief factor in fuel consumption—and from there on up it wages a rapidly escalating war on the level in your tank.

Another . . . interesting . . . claim I’ve heard is from guys (mileage fudging seems to be strictly a male pastime) who say something like, “I get better mileage at 80 than at 60 because my engine is in its power band there.” Sorry, but nonsense. There might be situations in which, say, shifting from fourth gear at 55 mph into an overdrive fifth gear and adding a few miles per hour will do no harm to or perhaps even slightly improve economy, but for a given gear, adding speed will increase fuel consumption, plain and simple. No one is going to get better gas mileage at 80 than at 60.

Algorithms are all well and good, but accurate real-world figures are more difficult to locate. Fortunately one of my best friends, Michael Cox, is diligent about recording the mileage he achieves with his 2006 4WD Dodge 2500 pickup, which has the Cummins turbodiesel, a six-speed manual transmission, and BFG All-Terrain tires. He can just break 21 mpg at 55 miles per hour. At 60 it drops to 19.5, at 65 it’s down to 18, and 70 mph knocks off another mile per gallon. He recorded similar changes with his Four Wheel Camper on the truck: 18.5 mpg at 60 mph, 16.5 at 65, and 15.5 or less at 70.

The immediate lesson from all this is so obvious I won’t bother to state it. But more subtle contributors to drag are worth investigating. Cleaning up the aerodynamics of a vehicle can have a significant effect on fuel economy, even on one with the base Cd of an apartment building. Removing the tall porthole ConFerr roof rack on my FJ40 increased my highway (i.e. 60 mph) fuel economy by a full one mile per gallon—and going from 16 mpg to 17 in an FJ40 is a blessing. Suspension lifts and wider tires increase drag, the former hugely. So, somewhat surprisingly, do such add-ons as bull bars and driving lights, which create a dirty front of turbulence before the air even hits the vehicle proper. Extreme example: When my nephew Jake exploited his newfound skills at welding and fabricated an exoskeleton roll cage for his V6 Tacoma, his mileage plummeted from 18 to 13 mpg. So, do you really need a fat grille bar to fend off stray kangaroos, or would you be served with a simple winch bumper? Do you need that Paris/Dakar-esque bank of driving lights, or would a headlamp upgrade provide all the safe illumination necessary? With gasoline poised to top $4.00 per gallon and diesel above that as I write this, every bit will help on a long highway trip.

Although rolling resistance becomes less important than aerodynamic drag at high speeds, it’s still worth considering. That one mile per gallon I gained on my FJ40 made up for the exact same amount I lost when I switched from BFG All-Terrains to BFG Mud-Terrains on that vehicle. Long experience with various tread types has led me to the conclusion that there’s not a big mileage difference between street/trail tread patterns such as BFG’s Rugged Terrain and the slightly more aggressive All-Terrain—but jumping to a Mud-Terrain you’ll take a quantifiable hit. So if you put mud-pattern tires on your vehicle just because you like the look, think again. You’ll get better mileage, better handling, a better ride, and longer tread life with an all-terrain pattern, probably equivalent traction in most circumstances, and better in some.

What about tire width? Wider tires certainly increase frontal area and drag, but I’ve never seen an authoritative study to determine if a wide but short contact patch produces more rolling resistance than a longer, narrower one. You’d need to determine loading per square inch, hysteresis of the carcass, heat buildup, and other factors to make a solid judgement. With that said, I believe narrower tires offer advantages in so many other areas that I invariably stick with unfashionably skinny sizes. I just spent two weeks in Egypt’s sand seas in gargantuan Land Cruiser Troopies riding on pizza-cutter 235/85×16 All-Terrains, and we were never more than nominally stuck despite running near-street pressure in areas mined with the razor-sharp limestone outcroppings called kharafish.

The unique characteristics of individual vehicles can make a difference in fuel economy as well. For example, my mechanic friend Bill Lee had a customer who drove an FJ60 with a five-speed conversion, who complained of wildly varying mileage on the highway in the 60-65 mph range. Bill figured out that the secondary venturi on the 2F engine’s two-barrel carburetor started opening at around 63 miles per hour. If the driver kept the speed just below that, mileage was a full two or three miles per gallon better than just above it.

Modern fuel-injected engines are unlikely to have such a sharp break in efficiency. Nevertheless, it’s worth experimenting with varying speeds—especially if you have a mileage function on your vehicle’s computer—to see if it has a “sweet spot” above which consumption spikes.

In general though, you can expect your computer to tell you, “Yep—when you drive faster you use more fuel, stupid.”

=====================

So, what fuel economy are YOU guys getting, and what are you doing to increase it? Or, is this not something you care a lot about, and want your Jeep as trail-worthy as possible, irrespective of the costs?

KevinsOffRoad.com - Fuel-Economy and my Jeep Grand Cherokee

This is pretty amazing. Camera-work is not what I could call “Hollywood-quality”, lol, but a really amazing downhill course these guys are going down, over LITERALLY THOUSANDS of stairs, around corners, and through houses.

Fun stuff. No guts, no glory, eh? Would you ever do this?? Post your thoughts below.

Legendary mountain biker brothers Dan and Gee Atherton go for a ride through Dona Marta slum in Brazil. The course was designed and built for the unprecedented Red Bull Desafio no Morro race.

KevinsOffRoad.com - Absolutely CRAZY downhill mountain bike course – Brazil

There has been a US-available diesel engine rumored to be planted in both the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee for many years. In 2007, Daimler/Chrysler released a 6-cylinder diesel () in the WK Grand Cherokee, which got killed off in 2009 due to tighter US emissions restrictions…so it’s been a LONG time coming that we actually have some sort of Diesel offerings in the Grand Cherokee. My suspicion is that they are going to test the marketability of the Diesel in the Grand, and then offer up one for the Wrangler after they see that they sell to expectation. Jeep Wrangler guys have been SCREAMING for Diesel offerings for a million years (almost).

Anyway, here’s the article that got me all excited about the “verification” that all this was not still just “talk” from Chrysler…

Chrysler to add workers for 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel production
Jan 5, 2012 by Steve Tarlow

JEEP WILL PRODUCE A DIESEL GRAND CHEROKEE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2008. (PHOTO CREDIT: CC BY-SA/AMMAR SHAKER/WIKIPEDIA)

Good hiring news is on tap for the Chrysler Group, reports Automotive News. In preparation for production of the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee clean diesel, Chrysler will add a third shift at a Detroit SUV plant. This will mark the diesel Grand Cherokee’s first appearance on the North American market since 2008, said company spokesman Todd Goyer.

Yay! Finally a Diesel

Chrysler to hire 1,100 workers

According to reports, the Chrysler Group will add 1,100 workers as part of a new third shift at the Jefferson North assembly plant. The bolstered workforce should enable the automaker to reach its production goals with the new Jeep Grand Cherokee and keep the Chrysler name on top of the heap when it comes to innovation, noted Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne.
“Detroit long has been home to renowned innovators and craftsmen,” Marchionne said. “So it is in the Motor City, home of our industrial heritage and a resilient people, that we are entrusting the manufacture not only of the ultimate American sports car, the SRT Viper, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee – the most awarded SUV ever – but also a diesel version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee for North American markets.”
Grand Cherokee sales were up 51 percent in the U.S. last year to 127,744 units, while the Durango tallied a respectable 51,697 units sold in its first full year back on the U.S. auto market. The upcoming diesel version of the Grand Cherokee will reportedly deliver both greater torque and increased fuel efficiency in a clean-burning diesel engine. It will produce 241 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque in the base model, a V6 turbo diesel. While fuel economy isn’t known yet, a lower-powered European version achieved the equivalent of 28.3 mpg U.S.
Jefferson North adds Maserati to the mix

Previously known as a facility where the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango are assembled, the Jefferson North plant will soon also be responsible for portions of the 2013 Maserati Kubang. This SUV will be making its North American debut for Fiat S.p.A., the company that controls Chrysler.
Leaked photo of the 2013 Maserati Kubang concept

Automotive News
Green Car Reports
USA Today

KevinsOffRoad.com - Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel for 2013 – Looks like a “for sure” deal!!

SRT8 Grand Cherokee Company Vehicles for Ferrari Race Drivers

RED RACERS: Ferrari F1 stars Fernando Alonso (left) and Felipe Massa (right) with one of the pair’s new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8s.

Motoring European and US ‘Triumph’ over Japanese Ferrari racers get company Jeeps Given time, this Citroen is an absolute charmer Leaked: Infiniti Emerg-E hybrid supercar Group riding: be aware of the road rules Blue skies smiling at Mazda 3 Mazda’s BT-50 is a beaut ute Son smashes dad’s loaned classic car into sea Police U-turn on speeding tolerance Red Edition a special Lexus
While they drive Ferraris for work and have their own personal Fiat Abarth 695 Tributos to run around in when they’re not on the track, the prancing horse brand’s F1 drivers Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso now have company cars supplied by Jeep.

The concept is not such a stretch when you realise that Fiat owns Ferrari and Alfa Romeo and more recently Chrysler, which owns Jeep, so a pair of Grand Cherokees in the Maranello carpark isn’t that surprising.

They are no ordinary Jeeps, being specially prepared versions of the new Grand Cherokee SRT8, each with a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 offering up to 465kW and 630Nm of torque, enough to deliver a zero-to-100kmh time of 4.8 seconds and a potential top speed of 257kmh.

Most SRT8 Grand Cherokees delivered in their native United States are black, but for Massa and Alonso, the Jeeps are executed in Ferrari’s signature “rosso corsa” (racing red) contrasted with matte black roofs and grilles, gloss black and silver racing stripes, black alloy wheels with red brake calipers and red accents on the front grille.

The interior is clad in red leather, with the leather-rimmed steering wheel in black leather.

“We are excited and proud to be able to hand over the exclusively personalised ‘Ferrari- style’ versions of the most powerful and fastest Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 of all time to two of the most talented drivers in the world,” said Beth Peretta, marketing director of the SRT Brand.

“We are sure Fernando and Felipe will feel perfectly at home at the wheel of these cars that take styling cues from Ferrari with rosso corsa bodywork and that represent the pinnacle in terms of performance for the Jeep brand.”

We’ll make one prediction. Next year, the Ferrari Jeeps will go on eBay as the F1 drivers will inevitably get their own Maserati Kubangs, which will keep their SUV aspirations a little closer to the Ferrari brand. The Kubang will have underpinnings based on the Grand Cherokee’s but will use a V8 engine put together for Maserati by Ferrari and clad in a body by car design genius Giugiaro.

Ferrari racers get company Jeeps: http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/motoring/6414130/Ferrari-racers-get-company-Jeeps

KevinsOffRoad.com - SRT8 Grand Cherokee Company Vehicles for Ferrari Race Drivers

Keeping trails open is something we all care about…some of us to a greater extent than others. (not saying it’s right or wrong…it just “is what it is”.) For those of you like me and my family, we work extra hard being involved, in order to make up for the folks who may think it’s a good cause, but for whatever reason, not take action. I’d love to get you involved too, to help us pick up the slack.

RTP Remains in Jeopardy!

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP), arguably the most important government program ever created to benefit motorized recreation (as well as non-motorized recreation) faces a big hurdle in transportation reauthorization legislation. As you may or may not yet know, the RTP funds the development and maintenance of thousands of miles of motorized and non-motorized trails, but without our help and support, the RTP may be eliminated.

Please click the link below to send a pre-written email to your own Senators, encouraging them to act. It literally takes 3 seconds, if you have auto-populate turned on, or 15 seconds if not.

https://secure3.convio.net/arra/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=341&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr004=tgdewf64p8.app334a

Transportation reauthorization legislation, known as MAP-21, that passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee late last year is being brought up for a vote soon, possibly as early as this week.

MAP-21 threatens the very existence of RTP by eliminating the program’s dedicated funding. I would ask you take action with me, to make sure that YOUR Senators understand how important RTP is to you and to urge them to amend the bill to protect the Recreational Trails Program.

Please click the link below to send a pre-written email to your own Senators, encouraging them to act. It literally takes 3 seconds, if you have auto-populate turned on, or 15 seconds if not.

https://secure3.convio.net/arra/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=341&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr004=tgdewf64p8.app334a

This is an old Press Release, but I am going to start following their posts, and keep you guys up to date as well, by reading the info, and disseminating it for you. Keep subscribed to this post, and/or join their website directly at http://www.arra-access.com/site/PageServer?pagename=arra_about . Also, please click the Social Media Facebook/Twitter “Share” button below if you’d like to post this on your wall or page, to get YOUR friends involved.Here’s the ARRA Press Release, to bring you up to date about the Recreational Trails Program:

Contact: Larry Smith, 202-336-5116
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
National Motorized Recreation Groups to Convene in Washington, D.C. in Support of Recreational Trails Program

Americans for Responsible Recreational Access Schedules Key Hill Visits

Washington, D.C. – Americans for Responsible Recreational Access (ARRA) will host key leaders from the motorized recreation community January 31 through February 1 in Washington, D.C. A crucial purpose of the gathering is to show continued support for the Recreational Trails Program.

In advance of the meeting, 12 motorized recreation organizations sent a letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica last week urging him to “…retain the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) with dedicated funding in transportation reauthorization legislation.”

ARRA’s Executive Director, Larry Smith said, “The RTP is vitally important to the entire recreation community and is the most important government program ever enacted for motorized recreationists. As such, we thought it important to make sure Chairman Mica and other key transportation leaders continue to hear from the national OHV groups on this issue. We will have a great group in town and we are all pulling in the same direction.”

Smith continued, “Millions of motorized recreation enthusiasts and a billion dollar industry will be represented at our Hill visits at the end of the month.” Representatives from American Council of Snowmobile Associations, American Motorcyclist Association, BlueRibbon Coalition, Motorcycle Industry Council, National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, Off-Road Business Association, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, Specialty Equipment Market Association, Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, Tread Lightly!, and the United Four Wheel Drive Associations have been invited to attend.

“In the grand scheme of things the RTP is a very inexpensive program that all trail users, motorized or non-motorized, benefit from, and that provides real, positive economic impact in many rural communities. Further, the program is based on the user-pay user-benefit philosophy as funding is derived from the taxes motorized recreationists pay at the pump when they fuel up their off-highway vehicles. We hope Congress chooses to continue to provide dedicated funding for RTP. We are certainly going to do all we can to let Members know how important RTP is to the motorized community.”
Based in Washington, D.C., Americans for Responsible Recreational Access represents the interests of millions of Americans who enjoy the great outdoors and who believe public lands and waterways should remain open for recreational pursuits.

Check out its web site at www.arra-access.com.

KevinsOffRoad.com - Recreational Trails Program ( RTP ) – How We Can Help Keep Trails Open

A local 4×4 shop here in Phoenix www.cop4x4.com built an absolutely bad ass Wrangler JK with a 5.7L Hemi Swap and 54″ tires on it, and took it out to the wrecking yard to drive over some wrecked cars, 80′s Bigfoot-style. (They did this as eco-friendly as possible, making sure to drain all the fluids first.)

KOR’s own Rob P. was out there getting footage, and witnessed the silliness first hand. Thank you, YouTube!!

Here’s some pictures…

KevinsOffRoad.com - Kraken Monster Hemi Jeep JK Wrangler Crushing Cars – Redneck Games

To check shipping cost or purchase, please visit the ZJ Grand Cherokee Roof Rack Platform shopping cart page.

If you're considering a Roof Rack for your ZJ Jeep Grand Cherokee, but are concerned about the increased height that a typical roof rack requires, we have just the solution for you: Our new Hard-KOR Roof Rack Platform gives you a flat platform that mounts securely to your factory roof rails, and adds only 1.5 inches of increased height, allowing you to park in your garage, or in parking structures, with no problem at all. Here's some of the many benefits to the Hard-KOR Roof Rack Platform:

To check shipping cost or purchase, please visit the ZJ Grand Cherokee Roof Rack Platform shopping cart page.

To check shipping cost or purchase, please visit the ZJ Grand Cherokee Roof Rack Platform shopping cart page.

KevinsOffRoad.com - ZJ Grand Cherokee Roof Rack Platform System

For those of you with a ZJ Grand Cherokee, an XJ Cherokee, or a TJ or YJ Wrangler, you may have tire rubbing issues when you turn full-lock, due to taller or wider tires. Wheel spacers, like THESE, sometimes help if your tires are set too far in, but if your tires are set too far out, due to aftermarket wheel backspacing, steering stops are your friends.

Mid 80's to early 2000's Dana 30 Steering Stop adjustment

There is a well-written article with step by step instructions on adjusting your steering stops, located over at 4x4xplor.com that you should check out, if this is a problem for you. Literally 5 minutes and a few 5-cent flat washers can fix this really annoying problem!! Here’s the link: http://www.4x4xplor.com/steerstop.html

For you JK Wrangler and WJ Grand Cherokee guys with tire-rubbing problems, the concept is the same, but will require a bit more work. You can have someone tack-weld a flat-washer into position (same place, just no bolt pre-existing from the factory), or I supposed you could also drill, tap, and find a bolt that works, too. (then again, I have a welder handy, so for me, 2 minutes tacking in a washer is a LOT easier than drilling and tapping, lol.)

KevinsOffRoad.com - Adjusting Your Steering Stops for ZJ, XJ, TJ, and YJ

This was a news story that ran on ABC News, that drives home the point, quite effectively, on how much difference buying US-made products makes to our Country, our cities, and our neighbors as a whole. Their point is simple: if only 5% more US-made goods were purchased by home builders, we’d create close to a quarter-million new US jobs. Check out this video:

Here is a printable vendor list of US-made products, for when you’re in the market for something: http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/PDF-Made-in-America-Vendor-List.pdf

Here is an interactive map that ABC News did, so that you can find suppliers in your state, or surrounding areas:
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/MadeInAmerica/page/map-find-made-america-goods-13917383

Meanwhile, we’re doing our parts, and keeping a bunch of Americans working, here at KOR. We *NEVER* purchase something foreign if we can get around doing so. Every single one of our KOR-branded products are Made in the USA, with the exception of our steering stabilizers and offroad lights. As soon as we find a suitable US-manufacturer for them, we’ll swap over too. Every one of our laser-cut parts, every CNC bend, every weld, every powdercoated finish, and every hardware package is created by US-labor, and will continue to do so. Our goal for 2012 is to grow by 50%, so there will be 50% more US-Dollars being spent, from our company account, on US-manufacturers. Unfortunately, the trend in our industry is to outsource as much product as possible to China, and other off-shore sources, sending the profits directly out of our country, and benefiting not our neighbors, not our friends, but to people in foreign lands. The biggest names in our industry are doing this, day in and out, and are slowly eroding America’s manufacturing industry, putting your neighbors, friends, and loved ones out of work as their industries slowly close down.

We challenge you to print out a copy of the US-vendors, and share it with the people you work with, and the people you hang out with. Many people would be HAPPY to purchase a new US-made product, if they only knew where to get one…and even if the cost is a few bucks more. if by spending an extra buck or two, we’re keeping 50% of the cost of the product right here, keeping US-workers working; damn it…that’s a good investment, so far as I can tell. Join the Made In America Challenge today, and share this post on your Facebook accounts. Together we can make MASSIVE changes in our economy, re-establishing America as an economic strength once again, and ourselves (and loved ones) benefiting directly from the movements we make.

VERY Passionately,
Kevin, the KOR krew and our Families

KevinsOffRoad.com - This Is Why It’s Important To “Buy American”…

HOUSTON, Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ —

The Jeep® brand has introduced a new, production-intent concept version of its award-winning Grand Cherokee, a unique model with distinctive yet stealthy exterior cues designed to attract new Jeep Grand Cherokee enthusiasts and customers.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120125/DE38761 )
Showing the vehicle publicly for the first time this morning at the Houston Auto Show, Jeep also announced that it has created an online contest for consumers to name the new production-intent Grand Cherokee concept. The person who chooses the winning name will have an opportunity to win a new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
“Highlighted by a unique platinum-chrome front-end appearance and distinctive black-gloss 20-inch wheels and exterior treatments, our new Grand Cherokee concept provides a completely new look – one that is edgy and aggressive, and certainly different than any Grand Cherokee on the road today,” said Mike Manley, President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “Jeep enthusiasts have always appreciated limited-edition models and the ability to customize their vehicles. This new Grand Cherokee comes with a unique, ‘factory-customized’ stealth appearance directly from Jeep, and is certain to attract interest from an array of potential customers.
“We plan to garner feedback from consumers at the Houston Auto Show, and via our online Jeep ‘Name My Ride’ contest,” Manley added. “If the level of excitement is what we anticipate, this new Grand Cherokee will be in Jeep showrooms this spring.”
In the U.S., Grand Cherokee sales increased 51 percent in 2011 vs. 2010. In Texas, sales increased 226 percent. The Jeep Grand Cherokee was named “SUV of Texas” the past two years by the Texas Auto Writers Association.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Production-intent Concept

With the Laredo X package as its starting point, the new production-intent concept Jeep Grand Cherokee combines a variety of exterior design changes to create a unique model with an aggressive, chrome and “blacked-out” look.
The vehicle’s grille surround appears in Black, and mesh grille texture in Platinum Chrome. A Platinum Chrome lower fascia applique completes the unique front-end appearance. Black headlamp bezels and a Black liftgate light-bar continues the “blacked-out” theme throughout the vehicle’s exterior.
The production-intent concept rides on 20-inch tires that surround one-of-a-kind Black-gloss aluminum wheels for Jeep.
Based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo X package, the production-intent concept model includes standard leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, a 9-speaker 506 watt amp sound system with subwoofer, iPod/MP3 connectivity, Parkview™ rear back-up camera, ParkSense® rear-park assist system, Keyless Enter-N-Go, Chrysler Group’s Uconnect hands-free communications system, and more than 50 advanced safety and security features.
Shown in Houston as a Brilliant Black 4×4 model, a Deep Cherry Red 4×4 version will be on display tomorrow at the Washington (D.C.) Auto Show.

Jeep “Name My Ride” Contest
Also announced at the Houston Auto Show, consumers now have the opportunity to name the Jeep Grand Cherokee concept vehicle, via Jeep.com/namemyride or m.jeep.com/namemyride (mobile site). The Jeep “Name My Ride” contest begins today. The Jeep brand will compile entries and narrow them down to three favored choices. Consumers will then have the opportunity to vote online for the winning name, to be announced in May. The person who submits the chosen, official vehicle name will have a chance to win a new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Customers can visit Jeep.com/namemyride to submit a name for consideration, and for more information and complete contest rules.

2011 Jeep sales highlights
In 2011, Jeep brand sales increased 44 percent in the U.S. – with each Jeep model up more than 30 percent – while industry sales rose 11 percent. Globally, Jeep sales increased 41 percent in 2011. December marked the best Jeep sales month since 2007. Jeep Grand Cherokee sales were up 51 percent in 2011 in the U.S., with more than 127,000 units sold.

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Grand Cherokee delivers premium on-road performance while maintaining the Jeep brand’s legendary four-wheel-drive, torque-on-demand two-speed transfer case and towing capability. It offers improved fuel economy (up to 23 miles per gallon), a driving range of more than 550 miles, superb on-road ride and handling, a world-class interior cabin, more than 50 safety and security features, and a variety of advanced technology features.
Contributing to Grand Cherokee’s class-leading capability is the combination of Jeep’s Quadra-Lift™ air suspension system and the Jeep Selec-Terrain™ traction control system that lets customers choose the 4×4 setting for the optimum driving experience on all terrains.

The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee is available with three 4×4 systems, and with either V-6 or V-8 powertrains.

Jeep Brand
Built on more than 70 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV brand with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.

The Jeep vehicle lineup includes Compass, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Patriot, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. To meet consumer demand around the world, all Jeep models are sold outside North America – and all are available in right-hand drive versions and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Chrysler Group LLC sells and services vehicles in approximately 120 countries around the world.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC

KevinsOffRoad.com - Jeep® Introduces New Production-Intent Concept Grand Cherokee at Houston Auto Show 1/25/2012

For those of you who don’t already know, I went along with a local Jeep club to Alaska (July 2011), and saw some BEAUTIFUL views and places.

Anyway, our trip was covered in this month’s JPFreak magazine, which is a great mag, and you can check out online here: JPFreak January 2012

Also, one of our WJ customers is an AMAZING photographer, and he’s taken some really cool pix of his WJ Build he did on his 2001. Pix are right here: http://goo.gl/3tY6I

Here’s a whole bunch of Alaska trip pix that I took, after I got separated from the group due to a bent axle shaft in Montana delayed me 4 days. http://goo.gl/xhFYk

That’s all I’ve got for you today!!

KevinsOffRoad.com - Alaska Excursion Coverage, and AWESOME WJ pictures!

The Duke did it…and so will I!!

I’m on my way to Alaska on July 1st, 2011…all the way to Ivvavik National Park and back, touching the Arctic Circle and hitting every National Park (well, most of them) on the way up and back before our return to Phoenix, AZ on August 1st, 2011

I’ll be posting updates along the way…photography, video, and comments. As you could imagine, I’m REALLY looking forward to this!!

Photos are on our Picasa Account HERE :

Video updates are on our YouTube account HERE

====================

June 30, 2011 -

====================

July 1st, 2011 – Flagstaff, AZ > Fillmore, UT – Uneventful drive. Took some pretty pix of the trip.

From Alaska Expedition 2011

ALL PHOTOS ARE LOCATED HERE

====================

July 2nd, 2011 – Fillmore, UT > Dillon, MT – Again, uneventful driving…but pretty!

====================

July 3rd, 2011 – Dillon, MT > Glacier, MT

On the way from Dillon to Glacier National Park in Montana, I heard a noise coming from the rear end, getting louder. After a quick inspection, found differential oil smoking out of the driver’s side tube. Not good. I checked the fluid level, and it was good. I decided to drive BACK to Missoula for a new bearing, but when I saw my rear tire wobbling left/right, I decided not to risk driving, so I was towed in to O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Missoula (the guys there were EXTREMELY helpful and friendly! If only we got this sort of service from EVERY auto parts store, lol) in town, and tore it apart.

Turns out the driver’s side bearing was in the process of eating the bearing race on the shaft as it was seizing, and there was not much left of the bearing itself. It must have been close to red-hot inside, because, to make matters worse, the 5 minutes I spent on the side of the road was enough to bend the shaft with the weight of the Jeep on it while it was “malleable”. Tomorrow’s the Fourth…everyone is closed. So, I got a hotel room downtown, and did a little bar-hopping (which was GREAT fun…what a great town and people!) instead of sitting in the room, lamenting being “temporarily disabled” for a few days.

Not exactly what I had in mind

====================

July 4th, 2011 – Had a very timely run-in with a local at the grocery store, who knew of a guy in town who could help with my plight. I left him a voice mail, but don’t expect to hear from him until Tuesday, due to the holiday. Looks like I’ll be enjoying a Fourth of July celebration along with 100k Missoulans!

====================

July 5th, 2011 – If the people could be any nicer in this town, I’m not sure how. I have gotten nothing but outstanding service, friendly, patient people, and extremely knowledgible people at the three parts counters I’ve been to, and the machine shop as well. I think the great Missoula secret is that they kill all the rude people, such that they don’t breed. It’s unreal…seriously. I’ve never been to a Checker/O’Reilly’s Auto Parts where EVERY counter guy not only knows his stuff, but is full of suggestions, and genuinely interested in helping me out of a spot. I love this town.

And, another “shout-out” goes to Dutchman Motorsports out of Portland, OR, who went out of their way to accommodate me, and get a shaft out the door at 3pm, via Priority Overnight, after calling in the specs at 11am. In other words, they had the shaft ready to ship in less than 4 hours, built to spec, totally custom, and for a VERY reasonable expedite fee! These guys have saved my bacon, and I’m truly appreciative. If you’re looking for custom axle shafts for your project…give Derek a shout at Dutchman Motorsports …I think you’ll be glad you did. Parts are on their way, and I’ll have the Jeep back on the road by tomorrow.

PS: By the way, make certain that your differential cover’s fill plug BOTTOM is approximately 1″ below the centerline of the axle tube. My hybrid D60 with 9″ outers has an OX locker in it, and the level of the OX cover’s fill plug is about an inch or so too low to get the correct amount of fluid into it due to the pinion angle pointing upwards, at the differential. I don’t think this is a flaw of OX…I think it’s just my pinion angle not allowing me to get the right amount of fluid into the diff, which means that the axle tubes don’t have any fluid in them, aside from the fluid that’s carried down the axle shaft from the carrier. I am going to park the Jeep nose-down into a ditch to fill the oil up to the proper fluid level, and hopefully that’ll be the LAST time I burn up a bearing.

PPS: If you’re swapping to beefier axles, I HIGHLY recommend considering full-floating axle shafts. The issue of burning up a bearing and damaging my axle shaft would not be a problem at all with a full-float setup.

PPPS: Missoula is outstanding. What a great vibe, beautiful women with dresses and long hair, friendly people, good food, and relatively cheap. Hell…I might come back to the downtown area on vacation sometime…this is outstanding! Hit the Rhino, Red’s and Iron Horse on the first night, and then Tamarack Ale House Brewery and Top Hat tonight. I freakin’ love it here!!

Missoula, MT – Voted best place to break down and have to stay for a few days.

====================

July 6th, 2011 – Got the axle shaft in at the hotel, which was overnighted in from Dutchman, per their promise, and got the axle shaft installed. I decided to inspect the passenger side also, just to make CERTAIN that there were no problems with the bearing on that side. That side was leaking a bit, so it had dirt and grime all over the place. Even being careful, when I went to remove the retaining plate, I dropped a bit of dirt down, into the bearing. CRRAAAAAAPPPP!! Decided to tear it all down, and put a new bearing on that shaft as well, because who knows if it was damaged from lack of fluid…better to be safe, especially since I already had all the tools out, and knew the people would could help with pressing on the bearing. Buttoned it all back up, parked the nose of the Jeep downhill, and filled the diff fluid as much as I could. I also parked it with the passenger axle tube lower than the driver, so that the fluid would fill the passenger side tube up before it spilled out the fill hole.

From Alaska Expedition 2011

From Alaska Expedition 2011

So, around 6pm, I got on the road to Glacier, finally, and enjoyed the late afternoon and evening there. Took a short 3 mile hike around the falls, took lots of pictures, and was TRULY grateful for being back on the road again. My buddies were already in Alaska by this time, I was only 4 days behind, and with a lot of driving, I think I can catch them on their way back from the Dempster Highway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

====================

July 7th, 2011 – Big Arm, MT to West Glacier, then to Lake McDonald and East Glacier to camp

====================

July 8th, 2011 -

Left my campsite in Glacier and headed over to Elk Summit trail head,

From Alaska Expedition 2011

where I hiked an approximate 8-mile round trip before I headed out of town for Banff. The first two miles of this trail were mostly flat, the second two miles included a 2,500 foot elevation gain, peaking out at 7,600 ft. elevation. I gave in at 7,000 ft…that was MORE than enough for me. What an unbeleviably beautiful, but STEEP, trail.

From Alaska Expedition 2011

From Alaska Expedition 2011

Was going to try to make Banff, AB tonight, but stopped in Calgary to figure out exactly what I was going to do about my schedule being all goofed up. Decided that driving to Alaska was out, but that a ferry, a cruise, or a flight would still work out for me. I spent a few hours online, researching my options, and soaking my poor legs and knees from the hike yesterday, in the hot tub at the hotel. Just because I’m behind on the itinerary, doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy myself on my OWN trip…one with no deadlines…just making it up as I go! True choice, and free spirit…I can live with that!!

As a result, I also wound up seeing BC-DC , who is an AC-DC cover band, playing at a local bar just outside of Calgary in High River, AB. In one word: Outstanding! These guys did an AMAZING job of both old and newish AC-DC songs, of which I’m a huge fan of. Check out this quick video I took:

====================

July 9th, 2011 -

Drove from Calgary to Banff National Park after spending a half-day in the AM at the library and the travel agency, attempting to figure out exactly what to do about Alaska…boat, fly, or what… Beautiful place! I’m going to list Banff on my list of places to come back to.

From Alaska Expedition 2011

From Alaska Expedition 2011

Since I’m off schedule anyway, I figured I might as well spend some time checking out the town. What a great place…VERY pretty. I really like it here!

From Alaska Expedition 2011

====================

July 10th, 2011 – I woke up today to the chirping birds of the Johnston Campground, just outside of Banff. Got a little rain last night, but the tent kept me nice and dry. Oddly, the staff here in Banff National Park is super-nice…but the tourists almost couldn’t be bothered to say “hi” to me…even after I initiated. Odd. You leave the place you’re at…you’re in beautiful areas…enjoying scenery…and don’t want to have a thing to do with other humans? Humans are strange. Why not stay inside your house, just like every other week, if you’re that anti-social?

Enjoyed Banff for the AM, and then headed off to Lake Louise, AB to enjoy the sights there. Wow…how pretty is THIS place!!

From Alaska Expedition 2011

From Alaska Expedition 2011

From Alaska Expedition 2011

From Alaska Expedition 2011

From Alaska Expedition 2011

====================

July 11th, 2011 – Stayed the night at Canyon Hot Springs last night and tonight. Needed a day to do a little organization, catch up on e-mails, and figure out the rest of my newly-found flexible itinerary. I realized two days previous that the ONLY way to catch the rest of the group is to drive right by all of the sights that they stopped at on the way up, and basically drive like a Over-The-Road trucker in order to catch them. Well, that ain’t my cup of tea, so I weighed my options, and decided that I’d instead, fly out of Seattle into Anchorage, and either rent a car, or hop on a tour and spend 5 or so days doing that. I set out on this trip to see Alaska, and though it’s not exactly the way I had planned…I can still both enjoy my trip AND the sights, AND get to the end point…Alaska…by doing it this way. I heard a quote, paraphrased, which went, “The measure of a man is how solid and sturdy he can build a house with the bricks thrown at him by others”. In this case, I was dealt a hand, in which I needed to learn a lesson on how to repair my Jeep’s bent axle shaft and bearing in an Auto Parts store parking lot, AND, how to make the best of being 4 days behind. Well, this is how it’s going to be done…flexibility…the mark of a great trip, lol.

From Alaska Expedition 2011

From Alaska Expedition 2011

====================

July 12th, 2011 –

From Alaska Expedition 2011

Menandered my way South and West from Lake Louise / Banff, through Revelstoke, Shuswap Lake, Kamloops, and Chilliwack (all in BC), and turned south at Point Sumas, WA before I got to Vancouver, BC.

From Alaska Expedition 2011

From Alaska Expedition 2011

From Alaska Expedition 2011

I drove through the border crossing, and was IMMEDIATELY rewarded with $1.00 off per gallon of gas, compared to Canada. Wow…there is a HUGE difference, just crossing the border…and we complain about OUR taxes. Craziness!! The highest I saw fuel today was at Salmon Arm (Shuswap Lake area) at $1.35/L, which translates to $5.13 CAD per gallon, which is around $5.50/gal USD after all the exchange rates and fees and such. At those rates, can you imagine that a head of lettuce or fresh fruit or beef is more expensive too, due to the increased cost of transport? Hell, even the bags of ice were $3.00 each…more than double what we pay in the States…and this is ICE for God’s sake…not like Canadians don’t have and abundance of water or freezers. Bear in mind that we’re not any more than a few hours north of the CAN/USA border here. I hope they like their socialized health care…cause hell…that’s a lot of extra $ flying out of Canadians’ pockets on a monthly basis.

Enough with the politics…saw some really amazing stuff today…glad I took the path of least resistance, lol.

====================

July 13th, 2011 -
Woke up in Mt. Vernon, WA this AM, back in the good ‘ol US of A, and spent the morning getting ready for my flight tomorrow: non-stop from Seattle to Anchorage. It wasn’t what I had planned originally, obviously, but it’ll get me into the heart of Alaska, from which I can venture out on a tour or with a rental car, to see the area sights. We’re working with what we’ve got, here…but I’m thoroughly enjoying the idea of sitting on a plane for 6 hours round trip, versus driving 8 days straight up and back…which allows me to see more of Alaska. Again, not ideal, but what we’re looking at, due to my delay in Montana repairing the Jeep.

====================

July 14th, 2011 -
Seattle, WA to Anchorage, AK via Alaska Airlines, then drove to Seward, AK via Seward Highway

====================

July 15th, 2011 -
Kenai Fjords Glacier Tour on tour boat, then drove Seward, AK to Soldotna, AK via the Old Seward Highway through Kenai National Wildlife Preserve

This is Northwest Glacier, just after a chunk broke off at the top of the glacier. I didn’t get the original “calving”, but I got the “ice-fall” coming off the top…absolutely amazing!

More of Northwest Glacier…Video 2/4

Video 3/4

Video 4/4

====================

July 16th, 2011 -
Soldotna, AK to Homer, AK

====================

July 17th, 2011 -
All day in Homer, AK on a Sea Kayak tour (True North Tours), plus dinner with Russ and Ralph at Fresh Sourdough Express (amazing organic and locally grown restaurant/bakery

====================

July 18th, 2011 -
Homer, AK to Denali NP, AK

Meanwhile, back in Phoenix, my neighbors were having a HUGE dust storm…check out the time lapse video on this…too cool!!

July 19th, 2011 – Denali National Park

KevinsOffRoad.com - North, to Alaska…go North…the rush is ON!!