The Mojave (Easy Mode Edition)

I’m closing in on a year of Jeep Wrangler ownership, and I continue to discover new little lesson that reminds me I’m still a newbie. These last two Mojave Desert trips were perfect examples. Nothing dramatic, nothing scary, just easy runs that are a lot of fun, and build a little confidence with a couple items that tell me I am still early in my journey.

Both trips were quick detours on two different Vegas runs. Both reminded me why having a Jeep makes even a simple stretch of desert feel like a tiny adventure waiting to happen.

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October: Primm to Jean (A.K.A. Fallout NV: Real World Version)

The first run was in October 2025 with just me and Lynn. We were between Primm and Jean, an area that always triggers my inner Fallout NV fan. The sandy tracks, the towering power lines, the dry lakebed… the whole place looks like it’s waiting for a wasteland wandering NPC to hand you a side quest.

This was also the first time Lynn ever drove the Jeep, which required immediate photographic documentation. When your wife, who has endured your entire Jeep obsession with grace, hops behind the wheel out in the desert, you pull out the camera.

The trail itself was easy: wide sandy sections, a dry lakebed that looked like shattered pottery, and a few rocky patches that the Jeep treated like speed bumps. We aired down using my new Over-Sand tire deflators, which were worth every penny. Dial the PSI, pop them on, walk away, and they stop right where you want them. Super precise. Super simple.

I also brought my Rhino USA traction boards, even though this route didn’t require anything close to recovery gear. When you are on your own, you need to think ahead. I don’t have a winch (yet), but I want to be able to handle anything unexpected. These are sturdy, the reviews were solid, and they were priced to prevent overthinking. They stayed stowed in the back for both trips, but it was nice knowing they were there.

We used onX Off Road to plan both trips in advance, which starts the fun days (a week) before you even start. The anticipation of scrolling around satellite trails, mapping your own routes? That’s part of Jeep life I didn’t expect to enjoy so much.  Well, maybe I could have expected that. This is a great app for doing this. I have a few suggestions for them (lmk if you are from onX), but on the whole way worth the subscription.

If anything, I undershot the route on this first trip. We were off-road for maybe 45 minutes. Lesson learned: plan longer.

November: Cima Road Toward Baker (Now With More Caution Tape)

The second trip was just a few days ago, on our way home from Vegas. This time Lynn and I had Clare with us. This was her first time off-road since the infamous “nearly fell off the mountain” incident. So, her enthusiasm level was, let’s call it, measured.

She’s an F1 fan. We came to town early the day of the Vegas Grand Prix festivities, and got to participate in the pop-ups.  Jake at Vdara also set us up with a room that had a view of the Belagio fountains, and glimpse of the cars on the final corner and stretch toward the line. Her preferred motorsport leans more “precision engineering at 200 mph” and less bouncing off-road. I am glad she is willing to indulge us the way we indulge her.

The original plan was to run the same Primm/Jean route, but a wet week turned the dry lake into an actual lake. Not something I wanted to test.

Instead, on the way home (after a few dry days), we hopped off at Cima Road and followed a different desert track toward Baker. Easy terrain (at first) flat dirt roads with long stretches near the power lines. It was nice. Eventually we hit a couple hills that would’ve required scouting.

Clare wasn’t feeling it, and honestly, I wasn’t either. New trail, unfamiliar hills, and no need to pretend I’m braver than I am. We turned back and just enjoyed the easy section.

Oh yeah, we started without airing down, but within three minutes we stopped and dropped the pressure. The difference was immediate, like switching from wooden wagon wheels to actual tires. I keep trying to skip this, but it never works right. I don’t think I’ll skip this step again.

What I Took From Both Trips

These weren’t big adventures. They weren’t meant to be. They were fun little Mojave side quests that fit neatly into the drive to and from Vegas.

But they gave me a few quiet lessons:

• Solo is fine on genuinely easy trails once you know the basics.
• Airing down early makes the whole ride smoother. DO NOT SKIP>
• Good tools matter: the Over-Sand deflators are effortless, the Rhino boards are cheap insurance, and onX keeps the excitement going long before the trail begins.
• Turning back is smart, not failure. Especially when you’ve got a cautious teenager in the back seat who’s just survived Vegas traffic and F1 crowds. Not every adventure has to be ambitious.
• And most importantly: the Mojave is full of endless little side trails I’ve driven past for decades without exploring. Now I’m finally starting to check them out. I love it.

These trips were “easy mode,” and that’s exactly what I needed. A couple more reps, a couple more lessons, and plenty more still ahead. More adventures coming soon.