It was 1997, and Ben was just 16, but had years of driving experience under his belt. Ben and my dad had recently bought a Jeepster, it was in amazingly good condition and a rare find. It was a true gem.
I found myself as Ben's trusty co-pilot on one of many vacations exploring the beautiful landscape and scenery of Moab. Moab was our second home, we knew the ins and outs and had locals that we were friends with. We knew where to eat, what time of year to go, what trails to go on and the best camping spots.
Riding the familiar trails with Ben, I had complete confidence in his ability to maneuver the vehicle around difficult terrain, and knew that I was safe there in the passenger seat.
The warm sun ducked behind the clouds, and the rain began to come down leaving a muddy mess. I started to worry about the mud and possibly getting stuck, but I looked over at my brother and saw that to him, this was just a sweet adventure. He zipped around in the mud, slipping and sliding with that infamous Ben smirk on his face.
He was in Heaven.
Continuing our co-pilot status, I was asked to ride along with Ben as he drove home to keep him awake. I tried my best to make small talk and keep my eyes open. I had promised my parents that I was not tired and would keep Ben company. But the hum of the Jeepster quickly lulled me to sleep.
To this day I can't ride in a Jeep without getting sleepy.
I woke up a short while later as we exited the freeway for a pit stop. Sheepishly I looked over at Ben, expecting him to be annoyed that I hadn't stayed awake to keep him company. But instead, he flashed a smile at me and joked, "Some co-pilot you are."
And even though I felt bad I had fallen asleep, I knew I was safe in that passenger seat and that he wouldn't ever let anything bad happen to me.
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