THE MEN RIDE SHOTGUN

ON a Sunday morning last month, women from the midwest got behind the wheel of their Jeeps, some for the first time. The location was Robbers Cave State Park in Southeast Oklahoma as part of the Jeep Invasion, an organized event to support local fire and law enforcement departments, organized by Lori Spiva Long.

- Angela Greenroy

Some of the women were nervous, while others simply took the opportunity to hit the trails again before heading home after a funfilled weekend. Covid-19 forced the park to cancel the event in April, but Long rescheduled for August, and this year, she planned something a little different.

At most Jeep events, very few women are at the wheel. We’re all used to the derogatory remarks about how women can’t drive. It’s an ongoing joke. You are more likely to find men behind the wheel at Jeep events, especially where lots of men are gathered. But this year, a few women approached Long and said they would like to wheel without feeling intimidated and uncomfortable, so Long scheduled an event for women. Men could ride along, but they had to ride shotgun.

One man in the Robbers Cave Family Jeep Invasion Facebook group commented that women would get sidetracked and would need men to backtrack (there’s always one in the group). This was an event to empower women. (Long’s Jeep is named Sidetrack and those who knew that, knew the comment wasn’t personal.) Men jokes aside, the women showed up Sunday morning of the event to show their stuff.