Off Roading

[vintage AE]

Yesterday I was looking for something to do. I was in Calgary, Alberta with a 2011 Tacoma with a lift and big wheels so I got to thinking...there is a OHV recreation area less than a hour away, should I go? I tried getting Rod to go with me, but he was already busy, so I went by myself.

I end up hitting some big mud puddles and deep ruts (lost my hitch cover scraping over some ruts coming out of a river) then just as I was headed out of the park I decided to go into one more pit. I get in there and there is a bunch of other toyota 4x4s. They were from the Canada Toyota 4WD Association, I introduced myself and they invited me along on an easy trail before they were done for the day. Of course I said yes, come on, dumb question. I had a blast, and I'm glad it was an easy trail. I don't want to mess up my new ride before it's first oil change.

I hope there are more trail rides with them to come. Here are some photos I snapped as we went

And Rod, don't tell me you would take your pink Toyota Crayola through the same trail!

[Charlie don't surf]

Awesome Anthony!!! Enjoy what you can...........winter isn't far. Get up with me about that package you sent too-

[vintage AE]

did you get it?

It has all the parts I was given, so everything should be there.

[Charlie don't surf]

Yeah it came, but why is it the entire TCS? I thought you needed the shaft, or did you want me to make sure what I have works on it?

[vintage AE]

Yeah it came, but why is it the entire TCS? I thought you needed the shaft, or did you want me to make sure what I have works on it?

Oh sh!t, I don't know Reg! I thought that you had a TCS that is all ready to set in place and that mine needed something. Yokomos are new to me. Maybe it needs something like knowledge, because I couldn't get the flipping thing to piece together properly. Do you mind taking a look at it? Make it work and send it back Just pretend I have a learning disability and take lots of photos. How I became a geologist I have no idea, lets hope I get that truck paid off before anyone notices. I'm "just a laborer and that all I will ever be" to quote my father in law I guess I'm at least good at proving people wrong.

[Charlie don't surf]

blue noser , I'll get it all fixed up for ya yokie noob-

[vintage AE]

you're awesome Reggie!

[Charlie don't surf]

Hey, how do you like the snorkle and the cap on that truck?

[vintage AE]

From personal experience, I don't like the cap. My wife has the exact truck, but only with the cap. The blind spots are big and I find it frustrating to check my shoulders when turning.

AND, I really want a snorkel. I haven't seen one on a Tacoma that has the filter on the top though. I think it's ugly, but probably functional. If it came down to it, I would have to do some research before I get one myself. I have a K&N intake system already and I think from when I seen on-line, that I would have to take that out and put the factory intake back in to allow the air flow to get to the right spot. I didn't look under his hood, but I would figure he could have straight tubing coming from the throttle body to the filter sitting on top of the snorkel. If so, that would be the way which would be better, but again I would have to ask around.

[Charlie don't surf]

I thisnk pickups look so much better.with a uncovered bed.

[vintage AE]

me too, but I need to carry gear over night at hotels, so I reluctantly have a tonneau cover

[Charlie don't surf]

I just meant cap vs cover, my dad had a cap on his Yota it was great when we went riding off road for storing our gear etc....I just hated how it looked.......and it was a really nice cap!

[vintage AE]

for off roading, the tonneau cover is never seen. It's either a topper to store gear in, so you can get a lot of stuff in there without it being seen; or open box, so you can fit a tailgate tent for those multi-day trips. If I had to choose, it would be an open box, so I could use one of those tailgate tents so I could do multi-day off-road excursions and not have to worry about sleeping on wet, uneven ground.

[vintage AE]

here is the front bumper I plan on getting. They have a group order option, so I can get a bit of a break on the price. The one on the right is the newer version

[Charlie don't surf]

Not a big fan of that style personally ( they are still big in the diesel scene ) but they are really functional in the woods . From the looks of the truck.on the right Toyota has made some changes in the suspension