Jennifer Chapin
Forum User Name: Jen Chapin
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"I have a great passion for 4-wheeling and since I have been involved I am always one to help or lead recovery efforts. I lead 25+ trails a year and participate in many off-road activities. I teach recovery classes usually once a year but am always leading and teaching out on the trails. I have been 4-wheeling in Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, California, and Los Cabos, Mexico. I have been out in every type of terrain and weather which has kept me interested and wanting to still learn and explore more.
I am currently the President of New Mexico 4-Wheelers and a member of the following organizations: New Mexico Jeep Group, New Mexico Jeep Group Ladies Chapter, Mile-Hi Jeep Club, Los Cruces 4-Wheel Drive Club, Red Rock 4-Wheelers, United Four Wheel Drive Association, Tread Lightly, Share the Trails, Ladies Off-Road Network (I am Local Leader), as well as many other Social Media groups all over the United States. I often get calls for 4x4 recovery around New Mexico and go when I can. I also provide 4-wheel drive support for the film industry in New Mexico as needed. In the last year, I speak about some of my marketing partner’s recovery gear wherever I can or when asked about the products. My goal is to use the safest gear and show others how to be safe with it.
I also occasionally drive for Santa Fe Jeep Tours, taking clients on Jeep adventures. This is always a great way to share the sport with others. It is important to provide a safe trip for all the clients while ensuring they have fun. When not on the trail, I am in the gym MMA training or self-defense training."
Occupation: System Analyst
Birthday: August 29, 1967
Read Jennifer's Articles
Questions & Answers
About Jennifer:
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: "Fuchsia and Black"
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: "Pizza."
Q: Do you have kids?
A: "No."
Q: Do you have any pets?
A: "Not now, but I will get another Siberian Husky when I am able to."
Q: Do you take your pets off-roading?
A: "I certainly will."
Jennifer's Off-Road Facts:
Q: How old were you when you first started wheeling?
A: "Around 13 years old."
Q: Is your whole family into off-roading?
A: "No, just me."
Q: Are you usually the driver or the co-driver?
A: "Driver, but sometimes I invite friends to join me and let them drive."
Q: Do you have any off-road traditions or rituals?
A: "Make sure I am packed and ready to go. When I get there, I make sure everyone that is new is ready and there to have fun. My focus is new ladies, I want them to have fun and feel comfortable asking for help if they need it. We are there together."
Q: How often do you get to go off-roading?
A: "Every weekend unless there is some other off road event I am involved with."
Q: How did you get started in the off-road world?
A: "When I was 13 I started off by riding a dirt bike, snow machines, then moved up to ATV’s, and 4x4 trucks, and a Hummer H2 and Hummer H3, a Ford Raptor, then a Jeep"
Q: Where is your favorite place to wheel?
A: "Silverton, Colorado but there are many other places to see. Watch Here."
Q: Do you belong to an off-road club? Which one? What is their motto/mission?
A: "Yes – Many. I belong to: New Mexico 4-Wheelers, New Mexico Jeep Group Ladies, Las Cruces 4 Wheel Drive Club, Mile-Hi Jeep Club, Red Rock 4-Wheelers, United 4 Wheel Drive Association, and Tread Lightly. Every group’s mission is to help keep our trails open which is the reason why I decided to join them."
Q: What is on your off-roading bucket-list?
A: "My first goal is get a sponsor that will pay me to drive my Jeep from the Arctic Circle to the tip of South America. It sure would be an adventure of a lifetime. My next goal is to start competing in some off road races."
Q: How are you active in the off-road world?
A: "Most of my free time has something to do with the off-road community, either out on the trail, recovery, trail cleaning and Jeep tours. It’s part of my daily life. See Here."
Jennifer's Off-Road Stories:
Q: What is your most memorable offroad moment?
A: "My first trip to Silverton, Colorado Day 1, taking my Hummer on Black Bear Pass! I had such a great time and when I was back at camp, all these people were asking if I was the girl that drove the Hummer on Black Bear Pass? It sure was."
Q: What was your first wheeling trip?
A: "My first trip with a group was driving a 2-door Jeep with a manual transmission in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico."
Q: What was your longest wheeling trip?
A: "It was just this year, left my home at 4 am and returned the next day at 5 am. I spent 14 hours on the trail, 10+ of it doing recovery to lead our group of 3 out of the back country. We all made it out safe. My quote of the day was 'I stopped counting at 25 winch pulls, so thanks Warn!'"
Q: What was your favorite wheeling trip?
A: "2016 Thanksgiving, driving out to Arizona and California. The plan was to go to the Desert Bar in Parker, Arizona. However, the drive out was great fun, stopping along the way. Fun pictures standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona just as the Eagles song says. Of course picture of the Jeep there. Next stop Hackberry General Store, in Hackberry, Arizona. Fun stop license plates adorn the walls and ceiling from all over the world. Took a New Mexico 4-Wheelers plate off my friends Jeep for them to put up. First trail, the only legal road to drive into The Grand Canyon. This should be on your list. Next trail Chloride, Arizona, fun loop around the mountain and back out. Next trail Thanksgiving Day what we came for the Desert Bar in Parker, Arizona. Next Trail, one of our friends told us of some Lake Havsu cave, we found the trail across the dam and in California. This was an ultimate find. Some fun challenges, and a great spot for lunch overlooking the lake, then finding the cave to crawl the Jeep into and a 6 point turn around to slide down the slope back out of the cave."
All About the Ladies:
Q: Who do you look up to in the industry? Why?
A: "Jessi Combs, I really enjoy the variety of things she has done and she is an inspiration to all the ladies in the automotive industry. Charlene Bower, with the start of the Ladies Off Road Network and her passion for promoting women in the off road industry."
Q: How do you feel as a woman in the off-road industry?
A: "It is great to see more women in the industry and building their Jeeps, trucks and buggies. I have been excited to welcome more ladies on the trail."
Q: Give us a story, any story, about educating, guiding, empowering ladies in the off-road, past or future:
A: "My most recent and fun story was that we hosted a Ladies Pizza and Parts night at the 4-Wheel Parts store in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a chance to the ladies to come ask any and all the questions they had. We had two specific topics, one was lifts and the other recovery. It was a couple of hours of questions and answers, then we had trivia questions from the various topics that we covered for some great prizes. We also had some fun trophies, for things such as “Lights before Lockers” ect. We had welded up broken and used ring and pinon gears and other various parts that made some awesome trophies."
Q: What advice do you have for ladies who want to get started off-roading?
A: "Find other ladies that you can either ride with and/or let you drive their rigs or you can always bring your own out and ask all the questions you want. Attend any club meetings, or meet and greets, to get to know the other ladies and see their rigs up close. It’s a great opportunity to ask why they chose a certain modification and if they did it themselves. Even if there are not many ladies in your area or a club you find there are gentleman that will support you too."
Jennifer's Vehicle:
About Jennifer's Jeep:
"Jeep JKU"
Q: Does your vehicle also serve as a daily driver?
A: "No"
Q:What is the best modification you have done to your vehicle?
A: "I think the lift, since it helps me do the kinds of trails I enjoy most. The winch is at the top of the list too since I love doing recovery."
Vehicle Type: Jeep JKU
Year: 2017
Builder: Jen Chapin
Tire Make/Size: Pro Comp MTR 35in
Wheel Make/Size: Pro Comp 16in.
Front Suspension: Rubicon Express
Front Sway Bar: Rubicon Express
Front Shocks: Bilstein
Front Bump Stops: Rubicon Express
Rear Suspension: Rubicon Express
Rear Sway Bar: Rubicon Express
Rear Shocks: Bilstein
Rear Bump Stops: Rubicon Express
Front Axle Housing: OEM
Front Differential/Locker: N/A
Front Axle Shafts: OEM
Front U-Joints: OEM
Front Drive Flanges/Hubs: N/A
Front Brakes: OEM
Front Steering Components: Rubicon Express
Rear Axle Housing: OEM
Rear Differential/Locker: OEM
Rear Axle Shafts: OEM
Rear U-Joints: OEM
Rear Drive Flanges: OEM
Rear Brakes: OEM
Rear Steering Setup: N/A
Ring & Pinion Manufacturer & Gear Ratio(s): N/A
Engine Manufacturer: OEM
Engine Horsepower: N/A
Engine Torque: N/A
Battery: Yellowtop
Radiator/Fans: OEM
Air Intake: Airraid
Exhaust: MBRP Cat back
Transmission Make & Type: OEM
Transmission Adapter: OEM
Transmission Cooling System: OEM
Torque Converter: OEM
Transmission Shifter: OEM
Transfer Case(s): OEM
Front Driveshaft: OEM
Rear Driveshaft: OEM
Fuel Cell or Tank: N/A
Fuel System Pumps & Filters: N/A
Body/Interior: OEM and custom
Body/Body Panels: OEM
Body Modifications: Cut OEM Fenders for now
Skid plate/Material: Aluminum
Painter Name: N/A
Hood/Grille: OEM, Pink Rubicon Lettering
Floors/Firewalls: OEM
Dash/Gauges/Switches: in Process of Pink LED lighting
Steering Column/Wheel: OEM Leather
Pedal Assembly/Cutting Brakes: Race Pedals
Seats/Harnesses: OEM
Lights Interior/Exterior: OEM, in Process of LED lighting, and LED Whip
Winches - Front/Rear Brand & Capacity: Front Winch Warn ZeonS 10,000lb Front
