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Linda Iverson of Luverne says she wasn’t looking to buying a Mini Geep three years ago — the Geep found her.
Her husband, David, entered a moped raffle sponsored by the Masonic Lodge. He had the winning ticket.
When the Iversons stopped at Manley Motorsports, they asked owner Jim Vandenberg what other recreation vehicles were available. Linda, who was undergoing cancer treatments at the time, didn’t feel strong enough to balance a moped.
Vanderberg showed them a powder blue Mini Geep he recently picked up. The vehicle is designed for children.
“They were very popular three or four years ago,” Vandenberg said.
Due to the coronavirus, production of the utility terrain vehicle was stopped and just recently began gearing back up.
The four-wheeled, four-stroke engine vehicle was perfect for Linda.
“I always wanted a convertible and I always wanted a Geep,” she said. “Dave gave me both.”
Linda instantly took to the manual transmission, having learned to operate a stick years ago.
“It’s kind of fun driving the little thing,” she said.
Linda uses the two-person UTV to run errands and to take joy rides around town. The vehicle is licensed and has a horn, seatbelts, blinkers and is equipped with a slow-moving vehicle sign.
While the speedometer indicates an 80-mph capability, Linda keeps to in-town driving speeds only.
“I haven’t been picked up yet,” she joked.
However, Linda tends to turn heads when she’s driving the Mini Geep in Luverne.
“They take a second look,” she said. “And they are looking at the Geep and not whose driving it.”