Builds GCRad1's 1992 ADV80 LAND CRUISER (2 Viewers)

[GCRad1]

KING OF THE HAMMERS 2017 (continued) The SUNDAY AFTER


I've been on the desert floor for a week straight, what is one more day? Especially when spending
it with friends and doing what we love!

KOH2017 was extra cool in the fact that I got to meet up and hang out with The Jeep Called Yeti &
The Wild Yolo of whom I met previously at the GooseGear Open House a couple of months earlier.

Who is Yeti & Yolo?
Two Full Time Adventurists Living Out Of Our Two Jeeps And
Adventure Trailers With No Destination In Mind... Just A Life Of
Adventure, On The Road, In Our Adventure Machines!
More Info: http://yeti-built.com/

Follow Them:
https://www.instagram.com/thejeepcalledyeti/
https://www.instagram.com/thewildyolo/

So when we saw their social post that they would be attending KOH2017, I was excited.
When they posted they would be in a booth right behind ours, EVEN BETTER! A few days before
the end of KOH2017 a few of us planned on running Rattlesnake Canyon Trail on Sunday.
We asked Yeti & Yolo if they would like to add some new coordinates to their trail collection and
they said they were game!


The Sunday after KOH2017 we wanted to drive all dirt from HAMMERTOWN to to the gas station
at $5 Pizza/Mojave Liquors. Nothing major, we've just been in the dirt all week, so it was just
principle of staying in the dirt.

L2R: TRAILTROOPER4WD • YETI & YOLO • RCJRM • JSHIZZLEXJ • ADV80
We make our way to the gas station, which is on the other side of the Old Woman Spring Road,
also on the same side as Rattlesnake Canyon Trail so we attempt to traverse our way to the trail
head, but too much development made it a little uncomfortable going through washes that are
marked as trails on the map but clearly going through people's residencies. We went as far as we
could, popped back out onto the tarmac for just a bit, and dropped back to the first available
dirt road.

We make our way to the Rattlesnake Canyon Trail entry from the wash of which I've never been
through so something new for myself! Navigating exactly to the trail head via digital maps on the
fly is simply cool!

The Rattlesnake Canyon Trail has it all! Here is our last look onto the Johnson Valley side. Over
the rise we will drop into the wash, hang a hard left [L1] and head up the wash into the spectacular
of the canyon!

In the wash and to the canyon.

The Jeep called Yeti & The Wild Yolo getting their first exposure to Rattlesnake Canyon Trail.
Them seeing "it all" of the coolest of locations, I asked how they liked this trail so far? They
approved!

As we travel further into the canyon we come upon a stranger:

Homesteading moonshiner? No, its just my buddy Shawn Barton from South Carolina as he came
out for KOH2017 and getting a little extra desert treat before he heads home.

Yeti getting a birds eye view of the surroundings from across the stone wall structure.

Good times with friends!
Without fail, cellphone is now overloaded and I went total amateur-spec with my DSLR as I forgot that my brother-in-law used my camera the day before, removing my card to install his and I did not put my card back in as I was busy with our Saturday event. SO, this is the end of my photos of the day! hehehe I was shooting like it was going out of style, with no "film!" SORRY FOLKS! We will just have to go do it again!

GO READ ABOUT RATTLESNAKE CANYON TRAIL: http://www.rattlesnakecanyontrail.com/

 

[GCRad1]

2017 JANUARY 7th BACK & FORTH OVER CLEGHORN TRAIL - ADV80

I had to go to Apple Valley from Orange County to simply driving pavement is just boring!
From the Cajon Pass / 15-FWY is the Cleghorn Trail exit that will take you all the way over to
Silverwood Lake - ALL DIRT.

And yes, it's raining lightly.

This happens to be a buddy I know going by in his rig.

I start making my way up the Cleghorn Trail and you can see the Cajon Pass/15FWY in the background.

How someone lost these on the trail is beyond me!

The ol'1992 80-Series Toyota Land Cruiser aka: ADV80 has served me well as both a daily driver
and weekend adventure machine!

Chasing rainbows leads to GOLD Land Cruisers!

The decent down the other side revels Silverwood Lake. For the simple trail Cleghorn is, there
are soom great views to been seen. Especially in the inclement weather we've had in Sounthern
California this winter!

Arrive at my destination - do my job - pack up and head out.

Heading back:

The ADV80 traversing back across the Cleghorn Trail.

A little bit of light is creeping from under the clouds and lighting up the mountain range.

Last light as the sun falls behind Wrightwood.

Between me and the snow-covered Wrightwood lies the Cajon Pass down in the valley.

Check out CLEGHORN TRAIL via Dirtopia.

The ol' ADV80 is clocking some miles! Stock 3FE engine. Stock head gasket.

 

[GCRad1]

2017 MARCH 15 - BB500 PREPARATION
It's that time again for our annual fun trip! Time to make sure the ADV80
is sorted for such a trip. With as many miles on the clock as the ADV80 has,
these inspections are important!

The basics.

The aftermaths siting on Eric's desk at Yotamasters.

The ADV80 on the rack ready for inspection.

Front differential seal is leaking so that gets replaced.

Front right wheel bearing gets a little snugged up.

Chris Besason of Yotamasters detailing the hub cover gasket.

The ADV80 is thirsty! Ice Tea with extra sugar please!

The doctor diagnoses that we will be replacing the power steering tensioner & a/c bearing sooner
than later. But after the BB500.

The ADV80 is now prepped and ready to go!

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 16th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-1)

IT'S GO TIME!!!!

The ADV80 is running up the clock, but is getting it's dosage of YOTAMASTERS Preventative Maintenance!

March 16th, 2017 - It's Thursday night and my daughter and I are attempting to get out to Johnson
Valley for the Friday morning start of our little fun trip. Not fully aware of what is happening, our 2-hour trip
would take us 4+ hours as the massive amount of freeway construction happening in Southern California
would have us sitting in the worlds largest parking lot tonight! Both Corona and Cajon Pass had
massive night-crews working during the evening hours to prevent massive traffic during peak hours.
We would later rule it would have been better to have left in the morning time.... All part of the
adventure.... moving sub 10MPH on the FREEWAY!

Others left earlier, right after work and made it out in normal time, some showed up after us...

Next morning, I found a ATV flag in the dirt on my buddies new property and fixed it to my rig
with some zip ties. I'm official now, lets do this!!!

Here is our CLASS of 2017 BB500 Graduates

Add off we go!

And this is just the driveway off the property!

Our fearless leader:

Dan "The Man" Cerchio has spend so much of his life in the desert, he has route plans for days!
We just need more weekends so, I personally cherish these trips big time!!!

While Dan may have spent most of his desert dirt life on two wheels...

It's this WOMAN here (driver seat) who converted Dan from two wheels to four! She too grew up in the desert,
on a motorcycle in fact, and was wheeling Toyota's before Dan added two more wheels. This is
Monica Cerchio, Dan's wife and desert partner.

It's a full family affair...

This is Mr. Cerchio, Dan's father! We are in good hands!

Can't leave out...

Eric of Yotamasters and Tom (local land owner friend) riding shotty... Through Yotamasters, all
these people have cross paths and come together! See the Class of 2017 BB500 above.

Aired down and ready to eat dirt!

So EXCITED about these new FALKEN WILD PEAKS!!! I will really know after 500-miles of dirt
in 3-days!

 

[pengfinn]

1977 in Alabama?

Wouldn't have be Bankhead National Forrest, would it?

 

[GCRad1]

Hello PENGFINN,

1977 I was 11, running around in the Talladega National Forrest on a Yamaha DT175 and coon hunting with my uncle.

But all that changed that year when I discovered a skateboard and Skateboarding magazine.
Blame it on Tony Alva of DogTown as portrayed by Craig Stecyk III.
I saw things in that magazine that I had never seen in my neck of the woods! I knew I had to
find my way to California!


I've never actually been into the Bankhead Nat Forrest.

1977 in Alabama?

Wouldn't have be Bankhead National Forrest, would it?

 

[Marine7]

ADV80 Travelogue: HWY 395 to Cisco Grove Campground

As some of you know I work in the R/C Hobby industry and with Axial who makes great rock crawlers and overland adventure type rigs. We host an event for the past five years up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This past couple of years it has been at Cisco Grove Campground located just over the Donner Pass Ridge towards Sacramento. This is my first year as I started with Axial in December 2010. The event is called the Axial West Coast Championships and people make a whole vacation of it and we all camp out there.

With a few weeks of fever-pitch AWCC pre-event preparation behind us, we were excited to get out of the office! There is just something about traveling and getting out to see new landscapes that is exciting. We have our GPS coordinates set for Cisco Grove Campground located just below Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. With this being a road trip with opportunity to see old friends, make new ones, camp out in tents, drive R/C vehicles in the name of competition and get our G6 challenge on, all makes for a fun trip in store!

June 21, 2011, It was the Tuesday prior to the AWCC Finals weekend. Brad "Bender" Dumont and myself are loaded into the ADV80 like well rehearsed Mt Everest sherpa's with a military CH-47 Chinook!

It's just the two of us traveling in my rig, but we are loaded to the roof! I was avoiding the wind drag as I have a fully capable roof rack. But we are liable to pick up something on the way back and may need valuable cargo space!

Our route starts with the 91-FWY that sends the largest portion of Orange County residents from the O.C. Eastwardly. Our road-trip should be approximately a twelve hour seated endevor as we are choosing to drive up the more scenic HWY 395 to the Sierra’s.
Now you know why I am eager to for solutions of the cheap nature for keeping the intorior as cool as possible and hopefully that sheet of plywood on the roof will aid in the matter. I spent my money on getting the tie-rods replaced, the front end alligned and wheels balanced and rotated. Plus new front brake shoes. So there went the A/C monies. Plywood was free as I found it in the trash as someone had used it as a pallot with "feet" on it so I knocked the feet off, and slapped it on my roof!

No trip is without the potential for drama and or accidentals. Brad and I are just in morning motion as we drive along, the morning sun is starting to creep over the mountains. Everything is just clicking along serene and smooth as we making our way from the 91FWY and onto the 15FWY. The 15FWY has this section before the Cajon Pass that is rough due to the amount of heavy loaded trucks getting out of "Dodge" but more known more for 18-wheelers getting knocking over due to high winds, and while it may have had the smallest of breezes we witnessed this horrific accident first hand!

But wind did not strike this rider down as we where traveling east. He was struck by a tire that came from a vehicle traveling in the west bound lane. The tire struck the motorcycle diagonally on his front wheel at such speed that it knocked the motorcycle over and out of control. Look at the image above and note how the front fender is bent inward as this was the impact point of the car tire that flew from the other side of the freeway. We never saw the wheel coming from the other lane as the bike blocked our vision of the flying tire! I had to change lanes quick to avoid running over the motorcycle and rider as they slid from two lanes left of me. It was a horrific moment! The rider was coherent, but suffered a broken left arm from our observation. Police and peramedics where quick onto the scene. Another driver stopped along with a few others, but this particular driver was behind us and saw the tire come from the other lane. Brad and I looked at each other with grief and disbelief and we both knew at that moment, if it was not for the biker, that tire would have hit my rig for sure! Talk about early wake up!!! Once CHP & paramedics arrived and we update them of the situation I chose to continue on and chose to do so as I have seen and been involved in my fair share of motorcycle accidents. I can handle all of my own pain but get the "heebeegeebee's" with other's pain. All this gives me the flashbacks for which I have to count my blessings and I now always ride with the "jewelry" Leatt Brace!

OK, let's get back to calm and serene:

AND SCENIC! Cool old ghost town in-them-there-hills!

In "desert season" you will see hundreds of off roaders from from all vehicular aspects hanging round the ghost town of Randsburg. Especially the General Store and they serve food and AWESOME MILK SHAKES!

Jeff and Brent are traveling in the AXL Motorhome as we meet up along the freeway.

It's June and still signs of snow on the mountains as we skirt the Sequoia National Forest.

Refuel time:

Brent's girlfriend hooked him/us up with some cupcakes!!! WOW! Talk about refueling!

Back on the road and next stop is Bishop with a purpose!

The main purpose to stop in Bishop is for the Meadow Farms Country Smoke House!

The door at Meadow Farms Country Smoke House...

All kinds come through here!
And all kinds of cool vehicles come through the parking lot too:

My ADV80 will get the overland expedition treatment one day! Things to add and check off the list:
__ Snorkel
__ Winch
__ Suspension
__ Rear Mounted Spare
__ Gas / Water Can
__ GET A/C FIXED FIRST!!!

Ok, why isn't there a mud sticker on that door?! Lol

 

[Marine7]

Guess who is driving again today?!

Today I have a suprise in store for her. She gets to drive solo-solo. So, I tell here that I need to get out of the truck and take photos of here driving the rig by. I show her where she is going to drive down and turn around and then come back.

She looks at me and said, "by myself?!" I said, "no, Kona will be riding with you."

There goes my baby with my baby and my dawg!

We stop a little later for some more fun:

Axial SCX10's are a perfect driving technique tools.

She wanted to drive over some rocks.

She is covering alot of ground today. From Means Dry Lake to the intersection of Firethorn Rd & Squaw Bush Rd.

One of those weekends I will remember for a lifetime!

Awesome time! Making memories both of you will always remember!..... on a "me be a downer" note though..... you should teach her correct driving techniques, number 1 being "always wear you seatbelt, escpecially off-road". If she had it on, I apologize. Glad you both had a good time.

 

[GCRad1]

ALL IN TIME! Things move slow in the corporate world - even on toys and I don't always get what I want. But 'MUD sticker is on the bonus sheet in the box for the Honcho's. If you are referring to my ADV80 rig, I have one on each side on the back windows.

Ok, why isn't there a mud sticker on that door?! Lol

 

[GCRad1]

Marine7 - True, but I think in that image she was about 12 or so and moving low-low approximately 5mph and just cruising around our camp. We do plenty of high-speed stuff and yea, she is good about the seatbelt. thanks for reading this thread!

Awesome time! Making memories both of you will always remember!..... on a "me be a downer" note though..... you should teach her correct driving techniques, number 1 being "always wear you seatbelt, escpecially off-road". If she had it on, I apologize. Glad you both had a good time.

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 16th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-1)

We finally get rolling!

I didn't seem like much time passed before we stopped... I heard something on the radio about
a couple of flat tires on two different vehicles and a little jacking situation.

This is not a situation you wish on your friends at all! But if it's going to be someone
may as well be the Ford guy on a Toyota run.

All heckling aside...

everyone is eager to get him back up on all fours and get rolling!

OUCH! One rock, the same rock took out two tires on two different rigs.

And not too long, we are rolling again!

It's just epic view, after epic view out here!

The third generation of Falken Wild Peak is proving that refinements have been achieved!

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 16th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-1)

photojournal of our trip in, around, through and across the Mojave Desert:

Our second stop for the day would be:

Would come right about here...

Look dude, I love you and all, but I can't just bring myself to trow my
brand new strap in the water! SORRY!

Meanwhile... notice the guy in the water already. It was a warm day...
Sometimes a little elbow grease and muscle strength help!

And that is how its done!

And now for the tech inspection. We have several over qualified mechanics
on hand!

soon enough, we are back up and running!

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 16th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-1)
if you want to see it in action.
There is the Pipeline, Supertubes, Puerto and then there is the ADV80 Wave Machine - grand opening this past weekend at Mojave Beach Break Safari Camp! Video curtesy of @toyotamudmom during our #BB5002017

The view from my side was rather uneventful.

But I could see what was happening when I looked out on the side of the rig. By adding
a little throttle, I could build the wave.

Not even on trail again 5-minutes and another call out on the radio:

Someone said flat tire.

RAIL ROAD SPIKE! SERIOUSLY!!! WOW! Never seen a tire pick up a RR-spike
like this before!

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 16th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-1)

Somewhere outside of the Mojave river crossing and carrying on..

We have passed through this area once before on a previous trip, but this time we took
a little side-cut road that lead us through this old mine. We were less that a half-mile off
the previous route and you would never know... So much to see out it the desert, right in our
backyards!

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 16th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-1)

I've been across this salt encrusted lake bed a few times... but never really knew where I was..

But this time I finally figured out where I was! We are just across from from Zzyzx, California.
You know, on the 15FWY, that funky little exit a little ways before the Nevada state line. (if headed that direction),
yea, that place! In this photo we are on Government Road on Soda Lake.

I would not want to get stuck out here during a rain storm! There are pockets of "mush" and you
can feel it sucking your rig as if it wants to pull you under the mud!

We re-group the troops again on the other side:

The sun is setting fast and we have one more push to make it to our desired camp!

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 16th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-1)

During another re-group - re-group...

I re-fuel! Watcha'watcha'know about a jiggler hose?! Best way to take liquids from one place to
another without the heavy lifting! Look up Super Jiggler - made in USA.
I originally learned about this little simple tip last year on our BB500 2016!

I'm waiting at the turn off so the next person behind me will see where exactly to make the turn.

We've arrived to our destination: Some red rock mine in the middle of somewhere within
Mojave National Preserve, but is a location on my Google Maps Stars!

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 17th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-2)

Next morning...

I scout around to get a better sense of what we drove into last night.

Upon looking at the landscape, it accord to me that I had been through here before! Back in
2010 my buddy and I had ridden our moto's through here!

In the right light, any ol' junky rig looks good! Even this old crusty dawg!

These Helinox Chairs are AWESOME! Lightweight and fit the bill for my missions!

Breaking in the Falken Wild Peak A/T3's the right way! IN THE DIRT!

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 17th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-2)

We made breakfast, broke camp and we are off!

Desert terrain changes more than one expects!

Love these little traveled or long forgotten trails - two track trails.

Hard life in hopes of big rewards!

Gates open to areas yet seen for myself! This was a super cool area!

Onward we travel!

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 17th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-2 CONTINUED)

As we cross this terrain that is new for me, from the earlier photo you can see the peaks of the Sierra's.
I think...

I as I go back and look at my GPS data, I can only assume this is the Nopah Wilderness Area that
I am looking out onto. Regardless, this is some spectacular landscape!

Its so spectacular, everyone has their phones out!

All the beauty but same time, the desert is a beast! And sometimes the beast bites back!

Repairs are performed on-site.

What I love about rolling with this crew is they are prepared for just about anything...

And we are off and rolling again!

It's an awesome site to see both no one for miles in you photos and then too, it's awesome site to
see your friends in your photos.

 

[GCRad1]

2017 - MARCH 17th - THE ANNUAL BB500 INVITATIONAL (DAY-2 CONTINUED)

Again, the captivating beauty of the desert would allure one of our adventurers to mis-judge the
terrain and slip into a recent water-cut crevasse.

We start the recovery process. We take two rigs to secure the forward pulling:

A third rig on the side to make sure it doesn't roll over on its side in the crevasse.

We get into a little "micro-mental" process of up and forward.

We discover more issues below. Notice the balljoint and the marks its made on the tire already...

A little more process... of forward motion... We jack it up and pull it forward. We just need to
get it up enough...

Enough to get the wheel off. Not far enough to get it on flat ground or even out of the trench,
but good enough... Then the crew gets to sorting the full issue.

Day light is falling and the crew has realized this is not a quick fix thus everyone is being patent
and just making sure no effort is being wasted, same time not rushing to make a mistake.

At lest our spectating cheering squad is being cheerful about the process. later food comes out
for a roadside dinner.

Yep! It's all got to come off!

We are full on "mechanicing" now!

One more time with the welder today as a couple of bolts need some extra holding power help.

Now we can start buttoning it all back up so we can completely extract the vehicle on its all fours.

This afternoon evening, we are actually very close to the 15FWY as we parallel the freeway around
Jean, Nevada, but on the Goodsprings side up in the hills. Our refuel point is at Primm. Doing 500
dirt miles puts a lot of hard miles on a rig. We have one more issue up reaching Primm.

In the parking lot, it's work time again.

Chris of Yotamasters bust out a quick Birfield change. Nothing major for someone who does it
everyday.

Everyone is tired.
We hop back across the freeway & state-line making camp in what is roughly Calada, California.
It was dark, everyone is tired. No more photos tonight.

Today we have seen more little issues than we ever have. I personally attribute it to all the recent rain
making all surface conditions rougher. to small square edges making for severe harmonic vibration to
major water cuts, regardless of technical detail, its been a rough one. But we love it!