Well, I'm certainly not shy about posting on MUD! Sooooo, here goes!
FJCTT at GGG
Having just returned from the Southern Nevada Landcruiser's 30th annual Glitter Gulch Gambol, one of the things that struck me as being particularly noteworthy about this event was how well the new FJ Cruiser's fit in. It has been several months now since I last wheeled with the Trail Team at the Rubicon, and the time in between has brought quite a bit of change to the 'feel' and the 'fit of the newest FJ, at least in my mind.
In the months leading up to this year's Rubithon, speculation abounded about how the FJ Cruiser would do on a real 'hardcore' trail, in a 'real' world setting, as opposed to when they ran the trail 'secretly' last year. Several of the team members, though they were cordial enough, seemed to me to have a little chip on their shoulder about being there. They had heard the rumours of resentment that had been floating around the Internet and the campfires: Toyota had financially muscled it's way into our community with a vehicle that really wasn't quite worthy of being there, and that somehow we were all being taken advantage of to help promote it.
On the trail, the vehicle struggled, some temperatures flared, and the smiles became a little strained. Comments were misinterpreted; the Trail Team perservered, eventually managing a 'draw'. But the ice had been broken. The new kid on the block, the one that nobody wanted to be behind, made it to Rubicon Springs and earned his place at the campfire. And, once out of their vehicles, we were able to remember that the occupants weren't just Toyota reps; they were PEOPLE, and they were our friends.
By the time I ran into Ron Q. and Gustav again, this time at the Cruiser Rally in August, you could tell that the mood had changed dramatically, and for the better. Having earned their stripes [and dings] on the Rubithon, the pressure was finally off, and the business of promoting the FJ was no longer just about talking the talk. They had walked the walk. Now people were listening differently. The message was the same, but there was a new air of confidence in the speech that was catching more people's attention. At the 45 Run in September, we were one big family, the jokes were comfortable and familiar. If this was Toyota's objective, they had succeeded.
The thing that struck me differently about Glitter Gulch was the idea that Trail Team had turned another corner, one that Toyota may not have anticipated when they started this program. In the same way that a fraction of the whole FJ40 population uses their vehicles the way we do, the same being said for the FJ80 crowd, there was now a small but definite segment of FJ Cruiser owners that were making their way to these events, intending to wheel their rigs as part of the Cruiser community. For those new faces, the Trail Team had a different role, the role of liason.
Their continued presence at our events not only continues to draw the interest of prospective buyers, but helps the new owners who are coming out for their first events, and whose vehicles are all still pretty much set up the same, feel more comfortable taking them out, using them, chatting it up with other cruiserheads on the trail, and slowly integrating into the community.
For those new wheelers, they have the reassuring feeling the rest of us take for granted that there are others on the trail driving the same types of rigs they do that they can relate to. The presence of the Trail Team helps them feel like they don't stand out in the crowd quite so much [except for the fact that their rigs are still shiny!]and can become part of the cruiser community if they want to. Of course, as they become more comfortable, and they are seen by others, packed up and heading off for the great outdoors, Toyota reaps the PR, whether or not is a windfall or a calculated investment.
I hope that Toyota has the wisdom to appreciate this unique PR opportunity and continue to support the Trail Team in its efforts to not only promote the FJ Cruiser, but help integrate a new segment of outdoor enthusiasts into the TLCA community.
