Words of wisdom by Rubicon Mechanic Cowboy, aka Michael Lera.

I met Micheal and his brother Angelo 22 years ago. It was my second time on the Rubicon Trail and my first time with my beloved 1972 CJ5.

As I drove by Mike and Angelo, they yelled at me to slow down. I thought who the hell are they.

About 200 yards past them my jeep stopped and would not start .

That's when I learned who they where. They rewired my ignition switch and off we went.

Teach me to keep my mouth shut.

I experienced one electrical problem after another. The Lera Brothers keep patching me up so I could keep rolling.

About 10:30 p. m.  In pitch black of night my cj stopped again.

I was exhausted, physically and emotionally.

Cowboy opened my hood and explained. Eric we will start with the battery, than the coil and than the distributor.

Using his tester he said battery is good. Here u go, whose got a coil to sell Eric? From some where in the dark Matt, said I do, how much Cowboy ask, from the dark Matt yelled $12.00. He could of said $112.00.

Cowboy never showed how tired he was, or feed up nursing someone else's jeep. He'd been up since 4:00 a.m.

He is a example of the mechanics you will meet on the Rubicon Trail during Jeepers Jamboree. These are all outstanding individuals.

Well, twenty two years latter we are best of friends.

The other night I had the pleasure of speaking to Michael.

He is not one to take 100%  claim for what he does in helping fellow Jeepers. He clearly states its not me its a collaboration of our crew.

Now this what I want to share with you that I learned from Cowboy.

When many of the guys who have literally over thirty years experience on the trail started getting involved in Jeeping they didn't have funds for toys. They where raising families.

So how do you learn to fix your jeep and afford parts.

Mike explained he went to pick a part. Not just to save on used parts. He went to learn how things where put together, by taking them apart. He'd fine a vehicle with the part he wanted to learn how to fix and took the part off the vehicle, then took it apart. Maybe on three vehicles. Untill he knew what he needed to do for his jeep.

If you ask me, this is genius. The definition of genius is exceeding in the environment you are placed.

So if your broke and can't afford to have it fix but are not afraid to get dirty and learn, go to the dismantle yard aka Auto Recycler that let's you take stuff apart and learn baby learn.

When Cowboy was ask, what's the most important thing to have in your jeep on the Rubicon, he said hotdogs. Sounds funny, it's not. He went onto say when your tired and hungry you make mistakes. Hotdogs are pre-cooked, you can eat them cold or hot. I for one will be added hotdogs to my gear box.

And on your next run on the Rubicon Trail during the Jeepers Jamboree, stop by the Mechanicsville and thank Mike Lera, his preference is Coors Lite.