New gear sets MUST be broken in correctly to prevent damage. Not following proper break-in procedures will lead to overloading and overheating the ring and pinion as well as breaking down and ruining the gear oil. Not following proper break-in procedures can be determined during inspection and will void the warranty.
Leave a CommentTrip Date: 2018
Finding our way into the unknown.
Having never visited the Mojave National Preserve, and being down in the area already to do some work on the Tacoma, the Mojave Road seemed like the perfect place to test out the recent modifications (to the suspension) while seeing some new terrain at the same time. It was quickly apparent that the suspension modifications weren't going to work out, but the new terrain was just the opposite - not only did it work out, but it opened up a whole new world that I knew I'd need to return to explore in more depth. Our trip along the Mojave…
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"Let's go somewhere." said @mrs.turbodb after I'd been home just a short time from my previous trip. That was of course fine with me, and so we set about finding a place to go. It was going to be cold and rainy on the Washington coast, so we set out looking for somewhere warm. Now, we only had a few days, so that limited our options - essentially to adjacent states. Oregon was our best bet for warmth, so we started looking for options there - and it didn't take long to fill out the itinerary. Ever since visiting the…
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Our plan was simple, if long. Start in St. George, Utah, and work our way east - first along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, then through Glen Canyon National Monument (Lake Powell), and then through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to Bears Ears National Monument and Natural Bridges National Monuments. Then, finally, we'd work our way back north through Capitol Reef National Park, having seen the plethora of sights and plenty of dirt roads along the way. It was, to be sure, the most ambitious trip to date! We'd been planning our trip south to Arizona and Utah for…
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How does that saying go? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, ..." If you've been a reader of previous trip reports, you may recall one of the craziest trips to date - The De-Tour - which occurred almost exactly one year ago. That trip was a great one for many reasons, but it had gone nothing like we'd expected - snowing or raining every day - eventually forcing us to abandon our Tour of Montana and Wyoming for what we hoped were clearer skies, in Utah. ...where it also rained on us. Even so, upon our return, we almost immediately…
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...this wasn't just any trip - this was a trip to Pop's favorite, secret camp spot - a place that he and his buddies have been going for more than 25 years, and which has remained largely unchanged in that time. This year, it'd be only him and one of his friends (the "old fogies"), and me; sworn to secrecy for all time...
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As June turned to July, we were headed east. Our destination - Idaho - and a trip to some of the favorite spots of a fellow adventurer. In two-and-a-half days, we'd explore only a small slice of what central Idaho has to offer, but in the process we'd experience some amazing highs - not to mention the highest road in the state - and some crazy places. Through the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, we'd find ourselves at Feltham Point and Pinyon Peak Lookout before being turned around by snow drifts and backtracking a bit to Seafoam Lake.…
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It's not often that we end up on a trip in our own backyard. There are many reasons for that - there are amazing sights far and wide, adventurous friends are located states away, and of course the weather in Washington makes snow-free exploration tough much of the year. But when Joe got a 4Runner and mentioned that he and his wife (Daisy) wanted us to get them (and their 16-month old) out on their first trip, it seemed like a great opportunity to do something a bit easier and a bit more local. The WABDR (Washington Backcountry Discovery Route) fit that…
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...We headed back to the fire to read our books and enjoy what turned out to be a beautiful sunset, helped by the remaining clouds in the sky from the sprinkles earlier in the day. The colors were amazing - deep deep pinks and purples; the sound of the river in the background; mosquitoes held (mostly) at bay by the fire.
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As part of a Memorial Day trip where we'd meet up with Mike and Monte, @mrs.turbodb and I headed to Montana for a few days of solo exploring before a weekend of group adventure. With great weather, it was big sky and green hills as we explored the Lewis and Clark National Forest, as well as nestle ourselves into the base of The Crazies for one night of camping. Then, it was north to the Great Falls before turning west through the Boulder Range of the Rocky Mountains, eventually finding ourselves near Philipsburg where we enjoyed one of the longest,…
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"You should get a 4Runner." is what I tell just about anyone with kids who asks what kind of car they should get. Of course, nothing generally comes of that - people opt for something more racy - a Tesla, or an Audi, those kinds of things. So, you can imagine my surprise when Dave and Joe - a couple guys I worked with - each came home with a 4Runner and reached out to go "offroading"! Now that's cool.
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If our first trip to Death Valley taught us anything, it was that our adventures there were far from complete. The three days of exploration had just scratched the surface of the vast wilderness before us. So, when I found out that @mrs.turbodb was headed out of town for a week, I was quick to make plans for a return trip. Going solo, my route did include a few of our favorite spots (Butte Valley and Goler Wash), but focused on several new areas as well - most outside of Death Valley proper (West Side Road, Charcoal Kilns, Saline Valley + Warm Springs, Steel…
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This was our first trip to Canyonlands, and as such, our first to The Maze District as well. With three days to explore, we made the most of our time - entering the park from Poison Springs Canyon Road, and making our way out to the Doll House. A night there is like no other, and I highly recommend it if your vehicle is capable of the arduous journey. From there, we headed up the Flint Trail switchbacks to Panorama Point - a view unlike any other we'd seen to date. Of course, the view was a little different when…
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Death Valley always seemed so far away. Nearly 20 hours by truck, that's what kept us from visiting to this point. That, and the fact that I always thought there wasn't much there. Boy, was I wrong. Looking back now (in 2020), this trip really kicked off a new love of an awesome place for both @mrs.turbodb and me. Our first journey took us to some amazing places - Titus Canyon, Obehebe Crater, The Racetrack, Goler Wash and Butte Valley (not to mention the tourist destinations we hit as well) - but little did we know that there was so…
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