Teresa Lummus – Ladies Offroad Challenge Featured Entry

Teresa Lummus
Naples, ID

"Teresa has been a mud bogger and rock crawler for about 10 years now.  She goes to many events every year and loves racing! She is the Promotion/Event coordinator for the Moyie Mudbog. Among her friends, she is well known as the very outgoing person that has little fear. She can find her way around a garage and can weld, but admits is in no means a pro. Her toughest challenge recently was participating in the History Channel show ‘Truck Night in America’ where she learned to be calm and patient. Yes, that was her in the orange 1976 Scout 2!"
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Tell us about yourself:

I have been a mud bogger, rock crawler for about 10 years now. I go to many events every year. I am also the Promotion/Event coordinator for the Moyie Mudbog. I am well known as the very outgoing person that has little fear. As you will see from the commercial I'm on.

How long have you been offroading? 

I have been off roading as long as I have been driving. I used to take my dad's truck out and go 4 wheeling. I'm not sure he knew that - haha.  All during high school my friends and I would spend a lot of time in the woods pushing it to the limits.

How did you get into offroading?

I grew up in the middle of nowhere in North Idaho. I spent almost all of my free time outside messing around either on a motorcycle or with friends out 4 wheeling. If you didn't know how to off road, you didn't do much where I'm from. I bought a completely stock Jeep when I was in my 20's and took it to Moab. After that I couldn't get enough.

Tell us about your vehicle:

I have several vehicles I off road in. My main off roading vehicle is my orange 1976 International Scout 2. I call it The Scout, very original I know! It still has the original 345 engine, 12 inch lift, 39 inch Super Swampers tires, and beadlock wheels. I just installed a new transmission and winch.

I also have a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee I use for mud bogging, I call it The Batmobile. It has a 6 inch lift and bigger tires. I just bought a 2001 Jeep Wrangler. The previous owner was building it for rock crawling and off roading. It has a 10 inch lift, a winch, LED lights, and rock sliders.

What has been your favorite offroad experience?

I absolutely love mud bogging, as well as Moab. I was recently on Truck Night in America. It wasn't so much the competition as it was being on set and meeting all the incredible people who made the show happen. People I still talk to everyday including the other drivers.

What was your most exciting offroad achievement?

I would have to say it was be being on the show Truck Night in America. If it wasn't that, it would have to be going to Moab and being able to keep up in a stock Jeep with people who had built Jeeps.

What excites you about offroading?

Every time I start up Scout and head out up a trail or even just driving around on my property I love just being out there and seeing what my truck can do. How far I can push myself, taking it a little further each time, or going a little more out of my comfort zone. It doesn't get much better than a day of offroading!

What do you think is the most challenging aspect of offroading?

Keeping three vehicles running can be difficult. There's always something that needs fixed. Although I can fix some things, I am not a mechanic. Having good people in my corner when I don't know how to fix something has always been awesome. Everyday I learn more, someday I'll be an expert.

Which aspect of offroading do you think is the most fun?

Top down, doors off, and just getting out there with friends. I wheel alone now and then, but the best times are when we get a group together and go out for a weekend. I absolutely love camping and off roading.

What does prepping for an adventure look like in your world?

This all depends on the adventure. I am always a very prepared person when it comes to going off roading. I love camping and being out in the woods, I have a lot of camping gear. Everything from tents all the way up to a 25 foot camper. It all depends on what the situation is.

What is on your offroading bucket list?

My bucket list is two parts:

The first part are races I want to go watch. I have always wanted to watch the Baja 1000 or Baja 500. I would absolutely love to race in this type of racing, I don't have the vehicle or training for it unfortunately. I will be attending King of The Hammers next year.

Second, is racing in off road competitions. There are several things I would like to do to my Scout, so I can compete this summer. Including a 3 or 4 link suspension, coil overs and possibly a more powerful, lighter engine.

Tell us about who you go offroading with:

It seems like it is always someone different. I have met a lot more people that off road over the last few years. Who I go with is constantly changing. I have a lot of friends at the mudbogs. We are usually going through the pit or up the rock crawl.

What is a piece of advice you have been given that you instill in your offroading adventures?

Go easy! If I go all out and don't keep it under control I will be broke down or worse right off the start. This has been a very big challenge for me over the years. Although I'm getting better, it's still a struggle at times. I always hear in my mind my brother saying, "just baby it and you won't brake it every time". Sometimes I listen, sometimes I don't.

Do you have anything else you would like to add?

My Scout was manufactured on the day I was born. So I knew it was meant for me.

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