Shay Densley
I never thought that a vehicle could change my life.
The Bronco I Never Wanted
After having our third child, we made the decision that we should get a new vehicle that had cargo space inside the vehicle instead of the F-150 truck bed. When we were looking at vehicles, my husband said he really wanted a Bronco. I immediately told my husband I did not want one. I didn’t like the way they looked, didn’t like losing all the space, and I did not want to spend that much for something that I didn’t want. We decided that if the right deal came around, we would think about it.
About a week later, my husband showed me a blue Bronco that was a great deal. He finally convinced me that we should go “just look at it.”
As we drove the Bronco home, I was regretting everything. I was very upset about how squishy the back seats looked and felt, how our kids were going to hate sitting back there, the car seats wouldn’t fit, long drives would be very uncomfortable, etc. Another thing that I hated was the color. I did not want a loud-colored vehicle, and this was a very distinct blue.
Those worries did not hold up once we started using her every day. The kids fit fine in the back, car seats and all. The space we thought we would lose has never been a problem on our trips.
However, on the way home I looked over at my husband and said “since our kids love Bluey and we relate to the show so much, guess we will name her Bluey.”
If your own Bronco is still waiting for its first upgrade, Bronco Forge is a great place to start looking.
The Day Everything Changed
I still remember the day that all of that regret and dislike had changed. It was Labor Day weekend 2025 when we loaded up the kids for one of our first off-roading trips with kids, headed out to the reservoir to go see what Bluey could do! The giggles, the smiles, and the “let’s do that again,” made me start to see that they didn’t care about all those things I thought I would hate about the Bronco.
More Than Just a Vehicle
Additionally, life with a new baby had changed the way we did things. Since I run a horse business, it was hard for me to just go out and ride our horses or teach lessons with all the baby’s needs. I had to rely a lot on my husband’s schedule, which made it difficult to plan anything in advance. The biggest problem? Horses have always helped me stay sane, recharge, and process my emotions. When that gets harder to do, it’s tough to feel like myself.
Bluey soon became the reason. The reason to get outside, find new Bronco trail rides, and most importantly, a reason for our family to spend more time together. We have explored trails, found places we didn’t even know existed, watched sunsets from the middle of nowhere, gotten a little too muddy, laughed when things didn’t go as planned, and built the kind of Ford Bronco family adventures we probably wouldn’t have had otherwise. For me, Bluey has not only helped me find myself, but also given me freedom.
Thinking about your next trip? Get outfitted before you go.
Life on Dirt Roads
Some of our favorite memories now happen on dirt roads instead of highways. I quickly learned that there’s something about being out on a trail together that feels different. Maybe it’s that there are no screens competing for our attention, no rushing from one thing to the next. Or just us, the road ahead, and whatever adventure we decide to find.
It Was Never Really About the Bronco
Whatever ideas or decisions you are faced with today, even if it’s something not wanted, try to look at the other “what ifs.” Because at the end of the day, it was never really about the Bronco.
We would love to hear and see your own Bronco owner story, “not wanted to love it” moments and all.
Ready to start building yours?
To follow along with more of our Bluey Adventures, follow us on Instagram @bronco.named.bluey or TikTok @bluey.bronco.