I work in a "white collar" position, I don't wear a suit, but button down shirts.

When I first meet my boss we talked about the condo he was "building", I thought cool this guy knows how to swing a hammer. Then when he showed up to work in $100 blue jeans, I realized what he meant by "building" a condo.

Most of the people I work with know I enjoy the outdoors, but I leave out the part of how we get to the camp site :p

I think they would all be horrified if they knew of my secret life of sawzalls, melting metal and crushing sheet metal.

Who else keeps their passion in check around the office. I doubt I'll ever drive the rig to the office. I could see the looks on their faces.

Originally posted by jdjanda

Who else keeps their passion in check around the office. I doubt I'll ever drive the rig to the office. I could see the looks on their faces.

I did... the look was suprising to say the least.

They couldn't believe that "Travis" would do that, let alone some of the pictures I would bring back.

I get some of the same thing... working with computers and medical billing all day, people that know me from *that* arena of my life would be like "you do WHAT in your spare time"? - lol

Then peoplesee me home & casual, working in the shop, building stuff, selling parts, say "you do WHAT for work?" ;)

I had a neighbor (weekend walks in button Polo's type) he asked me twice if I was a mechanic. Just couldn't believe I had a non-blue collar job.

And I am by no means knocking real work, I personally miss it. You actually felt like you did something at the end of the day.

"Why do you own 4 wheel drive vehicles" they say.

lol..

:D

not here...when i come back in on a Monday I get asked multiple times what i "broke" this time (had a bad month where i broke both an elbow and a wrist in 2 separate occasions)...whether it be on a mtb or a motorcycle...this time i answered "a motor mount and my exo"

IN fact this last monday i had both a VP and a director in my cube watching wheeling vids (tank trap runs) from the weekend prior. They love it. Told the VP id trade him my trail rig for his wide body porsche LoL..

But ive also got 4wheelin mags and biking mags littering my cube.

Originally posted by jdjanda
And I am by no means knocking real work, I personally miss it. You actually felt like you did something at the end of the day.

no shit.

1 year... and I haven't accomplished a thing, but I do alot! :rolleyes:

I'm lucky. People only look at me funny when I use the excavator to do body work. But when I'm in side doing phone tech support, I don't get messed with. Maybe cause I clean guns at my desk :flipoff2:

Oh yeah, and there are only 2 of us, so that makes a difference. :p

I work in a financial research company... Read porsche cayenne's nissan murano's and exploders lined up next to 7 series bimmers etc. I drive my junk every day and I'm in early so "they" always have to walk by my junk. :evil: I have arrived to work with several greasy engine blocks in the back, and most recently a cad 472 with tranny still attached. The oil pump was in the cab on the floor and leaked all out the pass door like it was bleeding. I'm a computer guy and it baffles everyone including most of the other techs. I wouldn't have it any other way. The sales people all have pix of cars they'll probably never own on their computers while I switch between wheelin pix and shots of my '79 malibu project (gettin a 472 soon)

They sent me to AZ for training just in time for AZ Rocks last year and when I showed them the pix they were quite surprised. (still trying to get them to send me back)

I work for local government, but the people here are used to me now.

In my office there are numerous Jeep toys. My walls have Jeep posters on them. My PC has some sort of off-road wallpaper and my screensaver is comprised of various shots of my or my wifes Jeep.

Oh, and when I interviewed for this job, I asked if there was any policy against muddy vehicles in the parking lot. The interviewer looked at me :confused: until I pointed out my TJ in the lot. He said he wasn't aware of any policy prohibiting it. :D

Funnay subject.

Being in marketing and advertising, the expected vehicle to be driving is a new Porche, BMW, etc., especially if your the head of the department.

Imagine when I showed up for my first day of work in my Rubicon-rashed 1976 FJ-55.

They got used to it though and last year as a bonus, they rented me a Lexus 4x4 for 3 weeks when I went to Vegas for a trade show. Wheeled it all the way down and back (search posts for Rental Car for report and how to clean 'em up after)

I almost got 'em talked into doing a 4x4 event during our tradeshow in Vegas this April to show off our really cool high-definition cameras.

My parents and sisters and work know I go "4 wheeling" but I don't think they really have the 1st clue what we're doing out there :)

I have towed my ranger to the "office" a few times now... the WTF look is the most entertaining thing i've ever seen :flipoff2:

The president loves my truck and is over asking me every monday morning what i broke or how many times i rolled this weekend :laughing:

hmmm now if i could just get him to sponsor me... :idea:

I just keep threatening to bring the zuk in and plant a tire on the hoods of the ricers in the parking lot myself..

The F250 Superduty gives it away; they ask why such a big truck, I say "tow vehicle". They ask "tow what?"; I say, "samuari". Show them some pics, dead silence. Some love it, some think I am killing the world. But hey, that's life in Berzekeley.

Now some keep asking me for videos to show..

I teach at a college; needless to say, most people don't know what I'm into, though some have a vague idea that I'm "handy" with things. I don't even try to get much beyond that; after all, some of my colleagues don't even know how to drive.

i am in the same boat as alot your guys. i work for budweiser and am finishing college. and no one, but the owner at work, who is a good personal friend outside of the office, thinks i wear any thing beides dress pants and collared shirts. and they all think i drive a honda cause i am cheap! hahaha little do they know my truck is sucking my dry! but all my friends at school with me know me as the wheelin red neck. funny how some times people have 2 seperate lives...

It's hard not to know what I'm into with a Sidekick calendar on my wall, and sometimes driving the Zuk to work. Besides, most everything I buy gets shipped to the office.

I had a club member that wore a suit to work. It was always funny on meeting nights to see him get out of his muddy Jeep in a full suit. He seemed to have the art of getting in and out of the Jeep without getting the dirt on the threads.

-Wayne

Yeah boss has no idea what i'm doing:D

If the boss ever figured out what I do when I'm at work, I'd be in real trouble;)

Originally posted by BobBarry
I teach at a college; needless to say, most people don't know what I'm into, though some have a vague idea that I'm "handy" with things. I don't even try to get much beyond that; after all, some of my colleagues don't even know how to drive.

What are you talking about? Didn't you know that all teachers are supposed to do is teaching and nothing else :flipoff2:

people looked at me nuts when during my job interview i asked about surface parking. i was worried i woulnd't fit in the parking garage. i found out i do fit, but i have to remove my cb antenna

My background at work: http://chixjeff.dnsalias.net/XJ-moab.jpg. My g/f's as well. BTW, that's my DD.

The crowd I work with is pretty regularly amazed at what I do for fun.

The family finally saw it in October, when I brought up NAXJA's Fall Fling 2002 DVD set. Now they KNOW I'm out of my mind.

ChiXJeff

A few of the guys at work know what's up but I don't really mention it because then they will all want me to work on their cars. One day I drove the truck in and I heard a few people asking, "who's big fawking truck is that in the parking lot". Then I rode the motorcycle into work and every other person in the office had to come talk to me about it. I don't really know what the other people in the office do in their spare time so I guess it's about the same.

My rig was my daily driver for the first 4 years I owned it, so its hard to keep that a secret... There is a guy that I work with, who is a courier for fed ex (Im just a lowly package fondler) who drives a bone stock TJ, and I make it a habit of parking next to him.. He loves the jeep, but says he'd never take his offroad, because he might dent it :rolleyes: I can't give him too much crap though, because when its not bad weather out, he drives his Harley fatboy into work :cool: I don't keep it a secret, but then again, Ive never really had a white collar job..
Scott

All the people I work with know I'm nuts about 4wheeling. I ship all my parts there, best one was my 36x14.50x15 Swampers! Boss about freaked out! It's funny when we hire someone new on, and they hear me talking about my truck, and they are like, "oh wow, thats YOUR truck parked outside?"

when i was working in Denver, there was this guy with a Nissan Xterra on 33s. He was the almighty wheeler of the office :p.

Too bad i couldnt park my 'little' toy next to his.:(

Most folks I work with that "know me" would know what I do. Screen background is usually a wheeling picture.

A few months ago, our sales guy invited a hot prospect from a bank (we're in the software game) to a game of Golf, and during that conversation discovered the guy loved cars so he got me involved. I ended up bringing the R&D director from IT in a major bank wheeling for a day :-) He was never off road before and loved it. Instead of the bmw, he's now talking of a 4x4 for his nect company car.

We closed the deal :-)

My office parking lot is half full of BMW's and Mercedes, and the other half is the usual honda or Toyota. But there is one Bronco who I see parked there every so often. Fully equiped with Roof rack mounted hi-lift, shovel, and full cage inside the cab. So I suppose it's not too odd to drive to work in a polo shirt and muddy tires. I keep getting flak about buying a "reasonable car" though.

I work for a BIG American bank...in the United Kingdom office...in Finance....it's a bit embarrassing after a weekends work on the Suzuki to have to go to meetings with grime still under my fingernails and cuts all over my hands and mud in my ear....spend most of the time in the meeting with my hands under the table....now everyone thinks that I play with myself in meetings....

I try to explain it, but it's really pointless. They get the glazed over look in their eyes...

Being the engineer nerd at a DOT Maintenance office pretty much puts me at the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm out-rednecked by most of the people that work here.

In the PBB realm, a TJ on 35's is nothing, but in the sea of minivans, Taurus' and Altimas at work, it sticks out like a sore thumb. The receptionist once told me I look ridiculous in it, and should settle down and buy a nice sedan like hers... I cringed and laughed at the same time. She's a bubblehead.

I like Jeeps, obnoxious cars and bikes. You don't??

F**k you, yuppie :flipoff2:

Originally posted by jdjanda
I think they would all be horrified if they knew of my secret life of sawzalls, melting metal and crushing sheet metal.

Who else keeps their passion in check around the office. I doubt I'll ever drive the rig to the office. I could see the looks on their faces.

I work in a professional office. I drive my junk to work every day. Even did the other week with a busted back window when I slid off the trail into a tree. Just about everyone knows that I weld/cut/etc on a regular basis. Some are even looking to me to do some things for them for $$$.

:D :D

Yea, what Welby said!

My old Ranger on 35's was almost (OK it WAS!) looked down on on someplace like P4x4. In the REALLY world tho, people are all WOW! That's a huge truck!

Now I drive a blingin mall crawlin Taco. Least the rock sliders work and are welded to the frame. :D

The people at work know what I do fot fun on the weekends. I've even showed
some of the pics. Most think I'm certifiable. :D

I have always driven “beat up trucks with mud tires”. They saw the zuk when I bought it stock and watched it slowly get bigger and uglier. They see the pics around my cube and on screensaver.

They have used me as a company vehicle recovery service on several occasions, and also asked me to drive my Suzuki on some job sites in remote areas because the company trucks couldn’t make it. Getting paid to wheel, plus mileage – Yeah, that’s the ticket.

About 4:00 one winter day, the boss said “Hey, the surveyors are stuck. Would you mind going and pulling them out?”

No problem, I get there and there is no way to winch, do to a switch back. He was sideways on an icy hill. I hopped in the truck, hammered on it and backed it off the hill. All they needed was a driver.

What’s sad, is most of the time they say they can’t get a company truck there – when we get there I see that I have taken company trucks far worse places.

I drive my tow rig as a daily driver, its a big red Ferd that already sticks out like a sore thumb in a sea of BMW's, MB', Lexus..blah blah....everyone thinks I am a wierdo because I drive anything other than a luxury sedan.

Anyway one day I was going wheeling right after work this summer and I had my rig on the trailer behing my Ferd in the back parking lot and the VP calls me and says "whats wrong with the truck on the trailer behing your big red thing". I say "Huh? what do you mean?" He says "its all dented, did you roll it over?" "I said ya a few times....why?" he says "Oh..um ok...bye"

Then when all my friends started showing up about 4:30 with their rigs on trailers ready to go wheeling the whispering started...and hasn't stopped yet




:flipoff2:

Originally posted by tdavis
I just keep threatening to bring the zuk in and plant a tire on the hoods of the ricers in the parking lot myself..

The F250 Superduty gives it away; they ask why such a big truck, I say "tow vehicle". They ask "tow what?"; I say, "samuari". Show them some pics, dead silence.

Now some keep asking me for videos to show..



Exact same scenario for me = ricers, F250, Zuki :D
Hell, most folks here at the office can't even comprehend that I don't live downtown, much less that I have horses too :shaking:

It's funny, I occasionally show them pictures of our 'wheelin trips, and somebody always asks : "Did you win?" LOL

It's getting hard for me to hide it. My arms have so many welder burns I look like a heroine addict, my hands are getting crippled up pretty good from dislocated fingers, and I have so many scars on my knuckles my hands are 3 shades lighter than my wrists. I ride a desk all day and my fingers don't move to type as well anymore...
but these guys here recognize that when I drive the truck, the jeep is broke..

:D No one even has a clue. I should bring my um whats left of a toyota and park it next to the presidents mercedes. That might shock them a bit too much though:D

I have pics of my rig in my cube. Occasionally, I drive the trail rig to work. People just get that "deer in the headlights" look, when they think that their only Oracle CODASYL DBMS database administrator is risking certain death on a weekly basis.

I was talking to another guy in the IT department, who wheels his Runner, and we were talking about wheeling straight up a part of the trail over Rollins Pass...

Him: "I took the straight-up route."
Me: "I tried it, but I powered out - gotta get those lower tcase gears."
Him: "So, you had to back down it?"
Me: "Hell no, I turned it around, and drove down."
Him: "You didn't roll it???" :eek: :eek: :eek:
Me: "Nope, but I did have my passenger get out first! I was pretty sure I MIGHT roll it!"

I spent eight years with Wal-Mart, wheeled with several people I worked with, fished with the rest of them. After I finally finished college I went to work for Johnson and Johnson, lets just say I did not fit in. Now I work for Shell Oil, no one else wheels but there are a crap load of crew cab trucks in the parking lot. The first time I came to work with my trail rig people looked at me strange. I had to hold a small demonstration in the drainage ditch behind the office. I still have trouble explaining to them that I do not like mud and that I actually drive around it rather than through it.

The marketing guys are always asking me questions about products now. It is amusing but I like to play along. They don't understand that a pretty box on a peice of crap is still a peice of crap in a pretty box. Bring me more synthetic rotella and I will give you a better answer.

Thats one thing that is very obvious...its the hand that is 10 shades whiter than the rest of the arm or if it gets really bad, it starts to peel....it scares people....

I work in a office in a small town. Everybody here knows what I do. I do drive it to work sometimes if the weather is nice enough to have the top off. Aint a strait pannel on the truck.

Now I had a training class at our Headquarters one time on the nort end of Atlanta (Read yuppieville, Lexus, BMW MB types). It was a monday class. I had put the truck up wet after a hard run the day before and didn't make it home till after dark. I had nailed a rear quarter and blew out a tail light on the ride. Just the bulbs hanging or partly suported by the broken reflector.

The truck is a 75Jimmy that I paid $1 for. Its rattle can painted desert tan. It's on 35 with black rock crawlers and 4x4 Rockers and bumpers. I washed it once last year so you can get an idea of what this pig looks like.

Decided to drive it down to this class because it was parked behind my DD. Mud had dried nicely on the way home and over night. It's a pig and I don't even slow down for speed bumps. Several speed bump in Corp'cs parking lot. After I came through there was a nice dirt spot at all the said speed bumps from mud falling off. LOL

Then I parked it right by the enterence to the building in the under gorund parking. One of the prized parking spots right at the door. Had to take the CB mast down and still felt like I needed to duck because I was about to get my head popped off. Parked it right next to a BMW SUV. It dwarfed it. I'm sure it was talked about often.

It wasn't far from Smokers alley (I smoked at the time). So I'm down there every break to chain smoke. I was watching people walk by it and they would about wrench their necks looking at it with a WTF happend to that truck look.


One of my club members is a real strait laced button up shirt type that works in Atlanta. Looking at him you would guess he drives a Corolla or a Saturn. Nope he drive his 710 Pinzgaur (sp) to work every day.

I work in the Environmental department... I'm surrounded by tree huggers :eek:

However they know my take on wheeling. Tread lightly and return the trail or campsite better than new condition. Most are very curious and can't believe some of the pictures that are on the screen saver. I am who I am, no way am I hiding that :D

I also have had a newspaper article on my part art with several of them on display here in the cube.

link to story (http://www.dcmilitary.com/navy/tester/8_08/features/21775-1.html)

When I worked downtown, it was my dd amd I would give my boss a lift in. Some days it was muddy and he would just laugh as he struggled not to get dirty. He is all of 5 '7" and had trouble climbing in to the Jeep with 4" and 33's. Not very co- ordinated...:rolleyes:

The owner of the company I work for has a 400+ acre "farm" with wheeling trails all over the place. They have a barn full of quads in case you show up with nothing or you break. That way you can still have fun and fix your junk on another day.

all this talk of backgrounds and screensavers is making me jealous.

i have this new computar here and nothing on it.

lets see some links to some sweet hi-res 1024x768+ images.




i'm lazy and don't feel like searching the intarweb :flipoff2:

considering half the office comes to me when they need something welded up or for some initial diagnosis advice when their vehicle isn't working right, I'd say they all know. Hell, the VP's get a kick out my stories and photos from trips...and I'm trying to talk the Pres into letting me SOA his YJ... ;)

I always get questions on why I have mud tires on my rover, they can't understand that it goes off-road!

This pic is fitting for this thread, not my truck.

Monday morning blues:

ROFL!

I was just paid a visit by someone who'd never been in my cube before. I hit Window-D......... and she said "OH MY! WHAT IS THAT?!!!" when my backdrop popped up (http://chixjeff.dnsalias.net/XJ-moab.jpg)

She wasn't quite willing to believe that it was A: me, B: voluntary, C: made it to the top, and D: without breaking me or my Jeep.

ChiXJeff

I worked in an office full of geeks, but my truck wasn't the biggest. The biggest was an '85 K5 Blazer on 35 BFT A/Ts, with brake lines so short the guy wouldn't go wheeling with me. Looked good though.

I got yelled at for leaving mud in the parking lot. In the winter, I'd park on the snow pile in the 'good' parking space no one else could use, but my boss let me do it cause it looked cool.

Everyone is saying their 35 tired Jeep is for making excuses about on PBB, so I won't mention my 3" lifted, 31 inch ATd Tacoma. :rolleyes: But with the winch bumper, lift and wide rims, it was all badass compared to those pavement pounding Expeditions, LRs and LandCruisers.

Originally posted by rusted
I worked in an office full of geeks, but my truck wasn't the biggest. The biggest was an '85 K5 Blazer on 35 BFT A/Ts, with brake lines so short the guy wouldn't go wheeling with me. Looked good though.

I got yelled at for leaving mud in the parking lot. In the winter, I'd park on the snow pile in the 'good' parking space no one else could use, but my boss let me do it cause it looked cool.

Everyone is saying their 35 tired Jeep is for making excuses about on PBB, so I won't mention my 3" lifted, 31 inch ATd Tacoma. :rolleyes: But with the winch bumper, lift and wide rims, it was all badass compared to those pavement pounding Expeditions, LRs and LandCruisers.

AT least the Land Cruisers still have a solid axle up front :flipoff2:

i get the same crap here. all the guys here drive cars or 2wd truck and what not. they dont understand why i build the stuff then go beat it up on the trail. then when i get boxes of stuff in they make smart ass comments...oh more truck parts? yep only spent $$$ this time . they just dont get it most of them are golfers. at least i have one good thing. i work for my dad and he is in to all the same stuff as me:D we get parts here atleast once a week. and he will be sitting across the room at his desk looking at a 4wd mag and say hey have you seen such and such i think we need to order this. everyone just rolls there eyes. im glad my dad is the boss:p

I work in MICROSOFT country, Redmond, WA. When we moved here and I finally got my Scout out of the garage, boy were people confused.:rolleyes:

It is funnay when you pull up to a 8series and the driver is stairing at racing buckets, door bars covered in tree bark, Herculiner, and busted fender flares. They give birth, wide that is.

The people at work think that "4x4'ing" is this mundane thing that involves fire roads with your mountain bike or kayak on top. All involving your Subaru Forester or your Yukon or Suburban...with the DVD's playing of course.

When I drove to work for our annual MEMORIAL DAY trip...hahahaha...They thought that I was f**king crazy.

The funnay thing is that my rig isn't even really bad ass...and I surely don't fully GET IT like others either.

Perceptions can be decieving...;)

Originally posted by GreenWeeny78


AT least the Land Cruisers still have a solid axle up front :flipoff2:

And both lockers. And the driver had no idea what the switches did, even when I explained it. We left with "I won't ever, EVER use them". Ok, good enough. :)

Originally posted by rusted


And both lockers. And the driver had no idea what the switches did, even when I explained it. We left with "I won't ever, EVER use them". Ok, good enough. :)

If one of them is a 94 model you should should try to snatch that up. Still has the bigger trans and the old toyota symbol on the grill. And they can wheel just as good or even better than a stock FJ40.

pic says it all...http://www.d-90.com/bio/john_putnins_7.jpg

-John

Hey Rover Your missing your windshield shade ask the guy in the bmw if you can borrow his you dont want the seats hot when you come out do you?

Besides my passion for Jeeps, I also have a customized 1997 Harley Fat Boy. Some of the people here at work know I ride, but I could be sitting next to them in traffic and they would not recognize me. Not that I dress as some baddass biker, but just with a helmet, dark glasses and leather jacket they are totally oblivious.

I have worked in the tech field ever since I graduated from college. Everyone in the office knows about my hobby and knows that I do my own vehicle work, fabrication, and design. The president of the company stops by my desk every now and then and asks if I have access to a press or where is a good shop for getting sandblasting done. He is working on restoring an MGA and shares my love of automotive work.

I have shown people videos and they think I am crazy. They also think I am crazy for the things I am planning for the XJ (cutting the top off).

My relatives occassionally tell me about seeing a show truck or a vehicle that is built but obviously never wheeled and I just smile. They really have no idea about the wheeling that I do (rockcrawling). Most of them would ruin a pair of underwear if they spent the day in the passenger seat.

- Eliot -

Originally posted by jdjanda

Who else keeps their passion in check around the office. I doubt I'll ever drive the rig to the office. I could see the looks on their faces.

:eek: used to shock the hell outta ppl I worked with when I'd show up with the CJ covered with and dripping mud in the parking lot lol.... I would have to bring my work clothes in plastic and change my muddy drove the CJ work clothes once I got there lmao. Had over 6in of water and mud in there so i'd get splashed while turning. ..... I didn't hide my 'real' life tho. Had pics of our desert truck at my desk so ppl knew.

My wife snapped pics last night of the Scout going on the car hauler. Hmm let's see, wet metal ramps, welded rear, and about 2" of clearance. She was laughing here ass off. Scared the crap out of the driver.

First thing he did when he arrived was walk around the Scout trying to document all the dents :rolleyes:

She told him as long as it runs when it gets there and the winch is still attached it'll be fine.

Originally posted by jdjanda
My wife snapped pics last night of the Scout going on the car hauler. Hmm let's see, wet metal ramps, welded rear, and about 2" of clearance. She was laughing here ass off. Scared the crap out of the driver.

First thing he did when he arrived was walk around the Scout trying to document all the dents :rolleyes:

She told him as long as it runs when it gets there and the winch is still attached it'll be fine.


HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA that is totally International...



:D :D