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If you've never tried off-roading before, you're missing out. It's without a doubt one of the best ways to go off the beaten path and appreciate what Mother Nature and your vehicle can do. It's also really fun. Before you take off on your first off-roading adventure, keep these three tips in mind. Understand the Terrain Knowing what kind of terrain you're going over while off-roading is important because you'll need different tools and a different driving approach. The best way to get to know your terrain is to go over it just like professional race drivers do. Pay attention to the changes in the trail. This allows you to anticipate what's coming and adjust accordingly. On the horizon, you might see a trail go to one side or drop off completely. This might mean going down a hill or over an awkward patch of road. So, you have to find your line and figure out which rocks to put your tires on. more Bring the Right Gear Always be prepared by bringing the appropriate recovery gear for your off-roading adventure. What are you going to do if your tires get stuck in the mud and you can't get them out? You can try small fixes like putting rugged floor mats underneath the tires. If those don't do the trick, then you might need a 2-inch wide recovery strap to attach to the frame of the vehicle or a frame-mounted tow hook. In the event that you're by yourself and have no one to pull you, consider bringing an electric winch with you that's rated for your vehicle. To cover all of your recovery needs, look into getting a recovery kit that has everything you require to get you home safely before it gets dark. Pay Attention to Tire Pressure Lowering your tire pressure actually helps you gain more traction in almost any terrain. Once you lower the pressure, the tire tread and the wall mold around trail obstacles, and your vehicle has more grip in its tread while going over larger rocks. If you are riding over sand or snow, lower tire pressure allows the tire to expand so that you can ride over the terrain. This prevents the tires from sinking into sand or snow and getting stuck. Higher tire pressure also helps in certain situations. It keeps tires from puncturing, failing because of heat, or having sidewall damage like when you go through a rocky desert. Use caution, though. The lower the tire pressure is, the more you risk popping off a tire bead and getting a flat tire or having little to no ground clearance. If you need higher pressure, have an onboard air compressor and an accurate gauge ready in case the trail doesn't have the right equipment on-site. Going on your first off-roading adventure is thrilling. As long as you prepare beforehand and stay aware of your surroundings, you and your vehicle will have many trails to climb together. Visit Bill Snethkamp CDJR's service department to get it in peak condition before hitting the trail. https://www.flickr.com/photos/artvlive/38888064852/sizes/l Image via Flickr by Bruno Battistini

One of the best things about the U.S. being a blend of many cultures is the way we all share each other's cooking traditions. On any night you can take a culinary trip almost everywhere in the world, and most of the time you don't even need to leave your town. Poland is a country with many amazingly delicious foods — here are the best places in and around Highland Park where you can experience that. Polish Village Café Opened in 1976 and initially named Yemans Bar and Grill, the Wietrzykowski family business was taken over by the daughter, Carolyn, back in 2000 and renamed Polish Village Café. The change brought an upgrade in style and a rise in popularity, keeping old traditions intact while adding a youthful touch. Its specialties are traditional central European dishes, such as pierogies, dill pickle soup, or a smoked Polish sausage called Kielbasa. Its commitment to authenticity makes it very popular in the area, but also with visitors from all around the country. Polonia Restaurant Having been a part of the Detroit metropolitan area's dining scene for over four decades, this authentic Polish restaurant offers a large variety of Polish food, plus other traditional dishes from central and eastern Europe. The entire place is decorated with paintings and artifacts by Polish artists, creating an intimate and hospitable atmosphere for every guest. Polonia Restaurant celebrates the dishes of its owners' homeland, combining old peasant culinary traditions with those of the Polish nobility. All the classic dishes, like golabki, kielbasa, or the house specialty, nalesniki, are a throwback to their childhood for many ethnic Poles and simply a delicious meal for anyone else. Wawel Royal Castle Polish Bar & Restaurant Wawel Restaurant is a part of The American Polish Cultural Center, so a trip there will reveal a lot more Polish traditions than just the cuisine. The Center hosts events of different types and sizes and the restaurant is a central part in that, but that doesn't mean you and your friends or family can't pop in for a taste of authentic Polish cuisine. Open every day of the week, except when an event is taking place on a Saturday, Wawel welcomes its guests in a relaxing atmosphere and offers a delicious blend of old and new Polish cuisine. Its specialty is the handmade Pierogi. Jim's Place Although the name couldn't be more American, Jim's Place is a traditional Polish restaurant, serving the people of Michigan for almost half a century. Its homemade food is a hit with anyone passing through the doors, but the dish that makes it famous is the Polish Combo, consisting of three pierogies, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, a cabbage roll, and either kielbasa or meatballs, as well as a bowl of soup. Other popular traditional dishes found here are the barley soup and the kielbasa omelet. In this traditionally Polish region, an authentic Polish meal is never far away. A visit to any of these restaurants is sure to be a hit! https://www.flickr.com/photos/limaoscarjuliet/13234636375/sizes/l Image via Flickr by limaoscarjuliet used under CC By 2.0

The holiday season is almost here and it's the time of year when families reunite with members gathered from all over the country. However, in many areas, that also means bad weather is here again and won't leave until spring of next year. If you need to take long drives in the next few months, it's essential that you prepare for all the rain, snow, wind, sleet, or hail that Mother Nature may throw at you. Here are some tips on how to do that as safely as possible. Inspect your Car It's not exactly a driving technique, but it is the essential first step before going on a drive in bad weather. Ideally, the car should be inspected at a garage, but if your time is limited you can do that yourself. Lights and tires are the first items that need to be inspected, so make sure all tires are inflated and all the car's lights work. Also, if the weather is cold, snow tires are essential. Even on a dry road, once the temperature drops below 45, snow tires do a better job than regular tires because they stay soft. Other things you need to check are fluid levels, like gas, antifreeze, and oil. If you don't remember the last time you had your oil changed, it would be a good idea to do that before the trip, just to be sure you won't have any bad surprises along the way. Plan your Drive A good way to increase your chances of a safe journey is planning your drive beforehand. Often around Thanksgiving or Christmas, the roads are filled with people driving to get home to their families, so checking a GPS app for the best time of day to take the drive is a useful first step. Less traffic usually means fewer things that can go wrong, not to mention a faster trip. Keep an Appropriate Distance from Other Cars Bad weather conditions can sneak up on inexperienced drivers who don't change the way they drive based on the road conditions. The first thing any driver must remember when driving through bad weather is that braking distances are longer than on a dry road. Also, it's not enough to keep a safe distance from the car in front; a driver must constantly be aware of cars behind to make sure they keep a safe distance. Don't Drive Through Intense Storms If rain, snow, sleet, or hail starts to fall up to a point where visibility is gravely affected, it's best to park your car and wait for it to mellow down. Avoid parking next to trees or any other kind of tall object, like billboards or telephone poles, as strong winds can topple them. Unless you can quickly get inside a building, staying in your car during lightning storms is crucial, because the car's metal body protects passengers from being hit by lightning. Once the storm mellows out a bit and you have decent visibility, you can get back on the move. Keep these tips in mind when you're on the road over the holidays, or anytime stormy weather strikes. And whenever a storm seems like more than you can handle, remember - it's always better to be safe than sorry. Image via Flickr by theogeo Used under CC BY 2.0

The Jeep made its transition from military vehicle to civilian favorite over seven decades ago. In that time, not only did the common name for any all-terrain vehicle become simply “a Jeep,” but its iconic shape has been seen in hundreds of movies and TV shows, truly making it a part of American folklore. Here are some of the Jeep's most famous TV appearances. M.A.S.H. The first on our list is a throwback from the days where Jeep was primarily a vehicle used by the military. Set in the Korean War in the early 50s, M.A.S.H. is the story of a medical army unit and its adventures, ranging from hilarious to tragic. The most-used Jeep throughout the show was the M38, a model actually used during the war in Korea. As opposed to Jeeps used in World War II, the M38 was actually a military version of a civilian model, the Jeep CJ-3A. However, the classic Willis MB used by the American forces in World War II was also used throughout the show. more Cars Even now, over 70 years after the war, the first image popping into many people's heads when hearing Jeep is a military vehicle. The producers of the classic 2006 movie Cars, now commonly featured on the small screen through DVD or streaming services, also made the association. “Sarge” is based on the Willis MB Army Jeep and actually served in World War II, his bravery during the Battle of the Bulge earning him the “Grille Badge of True Mettle.” While a Jeep earning a medal may sound like something that can only happen in a cartoon, a fun fact is that a Jeep that survived two different beach landings during World War II was actually awarded a Purple Heart by the U.S. Army, a clear testament of how valued the vehicles were. Jurassic Park Moving away from army-themed Jeeps, Jurassic Park features the car as a staff vehicle in the famous dinosaur-filled park. Considering the movie's premise and how access to the park is described, it makes perfect sense that the main vehicle featured in the movie is a Jeep—a 1992 Wrangler Sahara, to be exact. Dukes of Hazzard The famous show from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s featured many iconic cars, but one of the easiest to remember was the white CJ-7 Jeep driven by the gorgeous Daisy Duke. Known as Dixie, the car's appearance on the show improved upon the car's already growing reputation. The 2005 movie remake also featured Daisy driving a Jeep; however, this time it was a Wrangler Rubicon. History Channel's “How you get There” Last on the list is a TV show actually starring the Jeep. Two Jeeps, to be precise, owned by Jeep enthusiast Jenn Barlow, are used in the attempt to conquer two extremely difficult off-road paths in Utah. Equipped with Dana aftermarket axles on both the front and the rear, the two Jeep Wrangler Rubicons go on a daring adventure and help each other pass the difficult challenges they're faced with. Image via Flickr by andreboeni used under CC BY 2.0

Highland Park is technically an independent town, but as a first-circle suburb of Detroit, Michigan, there's not much to the city beyond the urban sprawl of the Detroit metro area. Once upon a time, Highland Park was a farming community, but those days are long since passed. Still, if Highland Park residents want to get a feel for that old farming life, there are organizations and destinations in the Detroit area that let people experience life in the open fields. "You Pick" Farms Visit any grocery store and you'll see crates and shelves full of produce. However, fruits and vegetables have to survive several days or weeks on conveyor belts, sitting in warehouses and big trucks, and then sitting some more in a grocery store.  To make it through that long journey, farmers often harvest unripe crops that then ripen during the journey. However, there's a way to get the freshest, ripest fruits and vegetables available in your area. They're called "You Pick" farms, or else "U Pick" or "U Pick 'Em." At places like the Long Family Orchard northwest of Detroit, the owners let visitors pick their own apples, strawberries, or pumpkins. Other area farms have berry patches for visitors to gather blueberries, raspberries, cherries, and more. In fact, Destiny Farm has plots for well over a dozen kinds of plants. more Heritage Park Petting Farm Down in Taylor, they have the Heritage Park Petting Farm, and it sits right next to the Taylor Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. By visiting the petting farm, you and the kids can practice being comfortable around bigger and heavier animals. You can also meet smaller farm animals in the Big Red Barn. The petting farm is a year-round attraction, and thanks to its heated barn, it can keep its livestock and its visitors warm during the cold months. Buckets of Rain Buckets of Rain is a nonprofit project aimed at replacing decaying houses and other signs of urban blight with vegetable gardens that can feed the surrounding communities. This is particularly important because the people who still live in decaying neighborhoods will often lack basic utilities like garbage pickup, electricity, and even water pressure.  All that makes it harder for residents to keep fresh produce for very long, so converting old backyards and fallen logs into vegetable gardens is more important now than ever. Plus if you volunteer to tend the garden, you'll get a very farm-like experience. With the city limits far past the borders of Highland Park, Michigan, the residents here and in other parts of the Detroit metro don't know what it's like to work on a small farm. That's why they often seek out opportunities that include picking fresh produce right off the vines and the branches, interacting with the barnyard animals at a petting zoo, or creating practical vegetable gardens in areas affected by urban blight. Between all these different opportunities, a person who lives in Highland Park can pick up plenty of farm experiences even if they work in an office building. Image via Flickr by Ula Gillion used under CC By 2.0

Highland Park is a suburb located just outside of Chicago. It is a popular spot for location shots for movies and television shows and a favorite for director John Hughes and his famous '80s movies. One of the reasons Highland Park is such a great spot is because it has the feel of a gated community without having the actual gates. If you want to check out some of the places you can see up on the big screen, here is a film buff's guide to Highland Park. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is a fun '80s movie starring Matthew Broderick that showcased many different areas of Chicago. One of the most memorable locations in the movie is the glass garage where his friend Cameron's father kept his prized Ferrari. You can catch a glimpse of the glass building at its 370 Beech St. location, and it is much more than just a garage. This glass building has a pavilion with a bedroom and a kitchen that are separate from the main house. The design of the house uses a simple, minimalist design to help emphasize its beautiful surroundings. more "Risky Business" Take a drive by 1258 Linden St. to see the house featured in the movie "Risky Business." This movie, starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay, came out in 1983 used several locations in Highland Park. His high school was Highland Park High School, and just south of Highland Park, the film featured Shelton's Diner in Ravinia. The home, made most famous during the last scenes of the movie when Tom Cruise's character races around trying to refill it with the stolen furniture, is still a private residence owned by a local family. "Weird Science" "Weird Science" is another '80s John Hughes movie that took place in the Chicago area and used a Highland Park home. Unfortunately, the home used as Wyatt's house in the movie was torn down and replaced with another house, but you can still drive by its 280 Cedar Ave. location to see where it once stood. This movie also features several other locations during the car chase with Gary and Deb. The cars traveled down Saint Johns Avenue when they pass the cop, and then they drive past Mulberry Place. Scenes were also shot on Central Avenue, where you can see Country Kitchen and the railroad tracks on Lincoln Avenue West. "Ordinary People" The 1979 film "Ordinary People" starring Robert Redford also used a Highland Park home. This was one of the first films to use a Chicago suburb as its backdrop. The home sits at 1199 Lincoln Ave. South in Highland Park and is not the only local location used in the movie. The scene showing the outside of Dr. Berger's office is 1866 Sheridan Road is also in Highland Park. If you want to see Highland Park in the movies, chances are you'll get a glimpse if you watch an '80s John Hughes film. He liked the location, along with several other directors who featured homes for their suburban settings. https://www.flickr.com/photos/roadgeek/21942761099/sizes/l Image via Flickr by Roadgeek Adam used Under CC BY-SA 2.0