Topic: 2003 Tacoma Crawler

[camhays556]

Nope... it looks like he is a REALLY bad driver!! 

Gnarls.

That's called bonus lines only

[rapier46 [OP]]

Nope... it looks like he is a REALLY bad driver!! 

Gnarls.

Does your MIT degree suggest that?

[rapier46 [OP]]

That's called bonus lines only

Absolutely…hitting the dirtiest possible lines I can.   

[Gnarly4X]

Does your MIT degree suggest that?

Nope.... that's my Mensa I.Q. 

52 years of experience off-roading. 

22 years of hard core highly active rockcrawling with some the best drivers on the planet.

With that said.... the sport is for fun.

Fun means different things for different folks.

I've seen it too many times..... 

A newbie comes to a club meeting.

He goes out on his first trail run.  It's more fun that he expected.

He chats with the guys and gets excited about the experiences they talk about.

By his 2nd trail run, he gets a little shot of the addictive drug and the adrenalin rush.

2 or 3 years later his once beautiful $30K, $40K, $50K 4x4 is thrashed beyond recognition.

He dumps $5K, $10K, $20K into making it a "THAT is what an offroad truck should look like!"

I might have been that guy.  I experienced two Toyota pickups being totaled.

My first 1986 wasn't my fault - it was bad driver.

My 1985 shortbed was my fault - I was a bad driver.  After that, I decided that maybe that was a sign.

I was tempted to build buggy, but I invested in real estate instead.

Now, I 4-wheel vicariously without that fun.... I miss the comradery, all the club activities, and nearly every weekend of locking in the hubs and airing down the tires.

The reality of the carnage and destruction to a vehicle, new or a classic, always hurt my eyes.

There's no such thing as too much ammo, too much money, or too much FUN!

Gnarls.

[rapier46 [OP]]

When the trails look like this, the rig is probably gonna look like mine.   

[Gnarly4X]

rapier46,

What your vehicle looks like is relative.

You are a wheel’inator and fabrinator! 

You are probably having too much fun! 

You are wheeling more than most. 

Getting out into the wilderness on 4 big tires and experiencing Mother Earth is awesome. 

Sharing your experiences with great photos is very enjoyable.

I’m a little envious that you get to do what you do.

I miss the whole thing…  One adventure at a time.....

Prepping my truck on Friday night before the Saturday morning run.

Waking up early to pack the ice chest.

It was often still dark when we headed out to the rendezvous place.

Turning on the CB to listen for anyone as we got closer to the meeting spot.

We were often the first vehicle to arrive.

After everyone arrives, we shoot the poop for about 2 more minutes and head for the trailhead.

At the trailhead we air down, lock the hubs, a few more minutes of trail-talk and hit the trail.

And then….. Wang’n ‘n  bang’n, spin ‘n grin’n, thrash’n ‘n bash’n, rock’n ‘n roll’n, spot’n ‘n hopp’n, point’n ‘n laugh’n.

Then we stop for luncho.  Inspect for damage, trail repairs, shoot the poop.

I often brought pickles and big pretzels to share.

Downtime is over! We’re burn’n daylight!!… Engines fired up.

More of page 1.

A bit gritty and thirsty, at the end of the trail, we air’d up, loaded up, and scoped out any damage.

There was usually sporadic comments about “I need bigger tires!”.  “I can’t wait to get my lower gears!”, “When’s the next run?", “Who’s stopping for dinner?”

We hung round to make sure everyone was prepped for the highway home.

Then the ride home, shoot’n the poop on the CB.

Home sweet home, a shower and a cold drink.  Dang!!! That was WAY too much FUN!! 

Gnarls.

[rapier46 [OP]]

This truck was in desperate need of some attention so I got a whole bunch of things done on it in preparation for my next wheeling trip.  Hopefully lasts long enough to still make it to mcr

[rapier46 [OP]]

Some July wheeling






Been giving the truck some love last few days after a good wheeling beatdown  in July

[Gnarly4X]

Hey r....

I love your photos!!  Some of the very best posted.

That trail is some serious rock crawling!

You remind me a lot of Gnarls in my early years of wheeling.

I was into it up to my eyeballs.  I made love to my truck several times a day! 

I could not sleep well the night before the morning of the next trail run.

For me, many times the prep and the trip to the trail was like opening gifts on Christmas morning as a kid... the anticipation was heart-pounding.

I hope you make it to MCR this year... it will go down in your memories books and be talked about around every campfire in the future. 

Gnarls.

[Wainiha]

Yeah, those trails are no joke.  Looks like fun.

[rapier46 [OP]]

Rig is still ticking along

[rapier46 [OP]]

Of course broke the RLB whip first time on local trails.

[rapier46 [OP]]

[camhays556]

Patiently waiting for new double cab build

[toyodaaddict]

Patiently waiting for new double cab build

The way he tears em up I want to see a jeep build  .


I really liked this one, such a good looking trail rig.

[rapier46 [OP]]

Patiently waiting for new double cab build

The one I sold?

The way he tears em up I want to see a jeep build  .


I really liked this one, such a good looking trail rig.

I truly regret cutting it up.  What an idiot move. 

[camhays556]

You sold the red double cab already?

[lone walker]

I thought it was silver

[rapier46 [OP]]

You sold the red double cab already?

Yup

I thought it was silver

The silver one was silver

The red one was red

[camhays556]

Well , I check insta every day hoping to see you cutting up another taco lol

[rapier46 [OP]]

Well , I check insta every day hoping to see you cutting up another taco lol

I try not to make the same mistake twice.   I’d love to build another though.  Truly wish I had that truck back every day.