Builds GCRad1's 1992 ADV80 LAND CRUISER

[retrofive]

The dunes! We love to go play there. Usual camp @ spinreel (VERY primitive sites. Like a marker in the sand with a number back in little sand coves. 4wd almost required a must to get to your site) Google Maps

 

[GCRad1]

Hey RETROFIVE!

Noted and added to my Google Maps Stars with your name attached! If ever I make it back that way, we will have to link up!

The dunes! We love to go play there. Usual camp @ spinreel (VERY primitive sites. Like a marker in the sand with a number back in little sand coves. 4wd almost required a must to get to your site) Google Maps

 

[GCRad1]

DAY - 8: ADV80 SOCAL2OLYMPIA [continued]

Somewhere along Brookings, Oregon.

Why yes, yes we are roadside tourist!

We kinda'wasn't ready...

My wife has childhood memories of this place. For my daughter and I,
it's our first time passing through Trees Of Mystery with Mr. PAUL BUNYAN
& BABE THE BLUE OX.

 

[GCRad1]

DAY - 8: ADV80 SOCAL2OLYMPIA [continued]

As we traveled down the coast the itinerary was not in stone and choices
abundant! Too many in fact! So, we predicated on the fact that we may
be doing this trip again, not exactly as such, but roughly... thus, we can
pick a location-destination to spend the day on verses trying to see "it all"
in one trip (IMPOSSIBLE!) We wanted to do the Lost Coast & the
Avenue of the Giants. With a little research, I know I want more than
just a single day for the Lost Coast, so we chose the Avenue of the Giants.

TOUR THRU TREE Klamath, California

WOW! The fat pig fit through the squeeze!

When you get among the giants, time slows down... your wonderment
goes into overload!

Traveling on down HWY-101, Fern Canyon is our next mission with the
hopeful potential we can camp at the Gold Bluffs Beach Campground.

Guess we will NOT be staying here tonight! Something to work on for the future as I can
already tell I want to stay here in the future! Good ol' ReserveAmerica has their hands
on everything place! http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/prairie-creek-redwoods-sp-gold-bluffs-beach-campground/r/facilityDetails.do?contractCode=CA&parkId=124700

We cruz around the campground, determine that we have run out of time to see Fern Gully
as we will not be able to camp here to see it in the morning... We did see a day use area
just before the campground so we head back over there.

The bluffs are tall and steep with trees atop them, giving you the sense that you are very remote
and in rugged terrain!

From the bluffs to the water is a sizable span with "clump-grass" protecting a large portion
of the beach. Plus the overcasting fog is rolling in. The whole setting was "magically" impressionable!

So what do we do?

Break out the cook gear and set up for dinner! May as well enjoy the moment - RIGHT?!

Why yes, yes that is an OG Coleman stove! I've had it for close to 30+/- years! But this whole setup; the wifey in
awesome light, awesome location, awesome *food... It was a short moment, but we will forever remember this one!

*any food is way awesome when you are outdoors!!!

Time to pack up and head out... Not the most desirable outcome, but it's all apart of the adventure...
Who am I to complain?

 

[GCRad1]

DAY - 9: ADV80 SOCAL2OLYMPIA

Last night was some hotel somewhere... don't even remember where...
But next morning, back at it!

Today is all about the Avenue of the Giants! We started at the top or NORTH Entrance as
we are making our way back home in a leisurely forward progression fashion.

Can't help it! As soon as we are in the park, pull over and check it out - not even in a little
tourist area!

Humbolt Junkies, Vintage Clothing Store - yea its a place. We didn't stop... maybe next time...

Somehow we fell off the Avenue of Giants and fell onto the creek bed along side the Giants! hehehe

Two-track within the rocks - the sound it made!!!! SWEEET! /\__/--------\__/\

Driving out to Albee Creek Campground to check it out for future
potential trips to Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

Next stop; Tall Tree, Big Tree and Giant Tree.

OK so TALL TREE is 13.4-ft wide @ 359-ft tall (measured in 1957)!
For reference, the ADV80 is 7ft wide at the widest point and 16ft long.

So that would be also two rigs wide and 22+ rigs long!

This is one heck-of-a-tree!

 

[GCRad1]

DAY - 9: ADV80 SOCAL2OLYMPIA {continued}

It's one thing to see all the photos in magazines, on-line and talking with friends about them, but
until you go touring through the Avenue of the Giants do you truly grasp how magnificently
large these trees are! You know how large an 80-Series is! This thing looks like one of our
1/10th scale R/C rigs next to these massive trees!

The day through the Avenue of Giants was well spent and I can honestly say
it is very worth the trip! But we are running out of day light and is time to
keep making our way home. We continue south on HWY101 into the town
of Willits. Construction had our lane shut down and diverted into the actual
town of Willits.

We stop for gas and food and continue on down the road.

We ran out the night before...
Driving down the road we saw a logo from the distance, we
recognized it and made the U-TURN to get back to the side road to the
location!

Francis Ford Coppola Winery - STOP THE VEHICLE!
Go ahead and put a gold star on your Goolge Maps as you may never know
when you are passing through and you will have the location marked!
Google Maps to Francis Ford Coppola Winery (pink indicates link)

The ADV80 is rather high class enough for front row parking!

Aside from the fact this is the winery, the facility is spectacular and chocked full of movie memorabilia!

Yep! The Godfather's desk!

I'm not going to ruin it all by showing you everything...

Purchases made, sight seeing done... had we made it here a bit earlier, we would have had dinner
here. Well worth the stop and worth another visit if/when we come through here again!

Next stop will be our last overnight for the trip as we just kind of winged it... We stopped into the
San Francisco North / Petaluma KOA, but we did call in advance to see if they had any availability.
Just no tent camping, but...

They do have these little cabins.

Chilled please. No problem!

It was a celebrated night!

 

[GCRad1]

DAY - 10: ADV80 SOCAL2OLYMPIA

Dropping into a familiar town of San Francisco.

I actually lived here for a couple of years in the '80's for my last two years of College attending
California College of the Arts, with campuses in both Oakland and the city.

Overland City-Spec.

It never gets old dropping into Lombard Street. I put it in 4LOW and crept down in style!
Even got a few snaps from the international tourist!

We do a couple of quick sight seeing spots to show our youngest daughter around the city, right
before I drop them off for an appointment they have.

So I make some quick rounds of my own in the area:

I spent a many of days in this parking lot. It's not the same any more...
Don't even know if people still refer to it as "Psycho City" or not...

Exploring back ally textures...

My favorite of the day, that I found.

Bounce to Berkeley:

WOW! This bridge has been upgraded since the last time I've been here!

Quick bite to eat..

Quick tour of BERZERKLEY and spot-check of one of my old favorite skate spots!

Cool VW Dasher Wagon spotted on the way out! The Diesel was out and side-drafts in!
Sounded SO GOOD!!!

NEXT STOP:

HOME IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA after this little stretch of tarmac!

This concludes the ADV80 Wills Family Trip 10-Day 2,929-mile round trip from Southern
California to Olympia, WA and back.

ADV80 ODOMETER READING:
THE START: 275,497 miles
THE FINISH: 278,426 miles
TOTAL TRIP: 2,929 Miles

 

[GCRad1]

ICON SHOCK RE-TUNE / SERVICE - October 4, 2016

A little back history first:

August 5, 2011: The ADV80 received the HD 2.5 V.S. Series Piggy-Back Shocks,
the first of ICON's suspension upgrades options for the 80-Series (as seen in post #136).
The ADV80 was roughly at 175,000-miles on the odometer at that time.

August 3, 2013 The ADV80 came back to ICON for inspection and re-tune.
Also, Dylan of ICON (White 80-Series) had acquired his own 80-Series
to test and tune with much quicker and further products developed such as V2.0's
and his next iteration of prototypes.

October 4, 2016 Some 5-years and 3-months later and after the ADV80 received the 3" ICON
progressive springs and the SLEE Offroad rear bumper, it was time for some re-valving and long-term inspection.
Note the ICON 80-Series. Yes, that was originally the white 80-Series in the previous photo.

Onward:

Rear lower eyelet "shot peening" the dirt road way 105,000-Miles later..
(From time of install in Aug 2011 to October 2016)

I start pulling off the shocks and cleaning them as Dylan starts the technical service.

Just for kicks:

Here is Dylan working on my rally car suspension he hand-built before
there was an ICON Vehicle Dynamics and even so, nothing was
available for a Ford Escort suspension-wise! This was shot
back somewhere between 2000-2003. I think these were some
Intrax springs on hand-made cans with lord knows
what stuffed inside (Koni or GAB gas struts?), Oh wait, we scrapped that
after the first season in 1999 or the 2000 season.
These were fluid-dampened units that Dylan made.

OK, back on track here:

Dylan gives them the full service, a little TLC for the TLC floatin' on ICON!
Nothing to see here but some shimmidy-flim-flam-flapper-stackage.

Fill'er up please!

Meanwhile...

I'm whistling away and trying to stuff these trippple-bypass wazoo's up the ADV80's
you know where!!! Yes, I did say "triPPPLe" as in triple exterior PIPES! OK, tubes...
Just work with me and laugh at my humor for the good of the children!

As I'm lying under my rig in my own dream, Dylan walks over and kicks my foot:

Shocks are done...

I scotch brite the shock mount up as its a little crusty.

Lube the mount up with a little anti-seize please.

Suitable for framing? I would say... !!!

Should I?

Anyone seen these ICON Wheels? Check'em: http://iconvehicledynamics.com/shop/685-iconalloys-wheels

Thank you to all who read my silly build-life thread!

Yep! I'm lucky! I grew up racing flat-track motorcycles and woods riding in my front yard of the National Forest, shot guns for fun, a little farming, some coon hunting. Basic country life. Then a skateboard and a magazine came into my life...
That was 1977, in Alabama! It only took me 17-years to get to California...

 

[GCRad1]

November 21, 2016 - QUICK TRIP TO THE DESERT

Making way to the desert:

Everything from my house requires some freeway time, if you are trying to cut time, make time
not spend half-a-day just getting any distance away!

But I have my little side-cuts I take to avoid such roads and Bear Valley Road off the 15FWY!

Because when this guy calls and says he has an open passenger seat...

You can't get there fast enough! I get to ride shoty with Cody Waggoner of LaserNut Racing.
Be a fan and give him a like! https://www.facebook.com/LasernutRacing/

His ARMADA designed ULTRA4 chassis is one of the rare few that is fully independent on all four corners!

Then we hope over to another chassis, more of the old school rock crawler.

I call them moon buggies, but it is a straight up, straight axle rock crawler. Well, it's not straight
as the cage is all kinds of asymmetrical angles and designs going on, but is very purpose built!

While we get passenger seat rides in his ULTRA4 race rig, we get to actually drive the moon buggy!
Dangit! I left my NASA suit home!

The ADV80 was getting very jealous watching:

So it was off for some tame adventuring around in the desert to the next stop as I have a buddy
meeting up as we are going to be plotting our event course for an upcoming event as well as
shooting some collateral marketing material.

The 2001 Isuzu Trooper behind the ADV80 is my buddy TrailTrooper4WD over on Instagram:
Link to TrailTrooper4WD He's a BIG DUDE around these parts and he makes the ADV80 and
anything that gets in front of his lens look AWESOME over on his IG account!!!

I like to make his rig as well as my own look good for my social properties. It's what friends are
for! Helping each other out!

I then take him over to introduce him to my buddies who have a spot out in the desert! And
we crash there for the night in a nice enclose area with a wood burning stove!

Next morning we high-tail out of there and back over to the King of the Hammers area to
do our course plotting for the Axial Altra Ultra 5K Enduro to be held on the Saturday after KOH.

I've made prior arrangements to store my 22RET powered Toyota trail rig at Cody's the night
before as I am going to challenge Randy Slawson of Bomber Fabrications in a little game of Follow-The-Leader.

Told you he was a big dude! hehehe I love my JTOOBYSWPOLRAYK • PLAYTOYSWORKJOB


Yep! I'm lucky! I grew up racing flat-track motorcycles and woods riding in my front yard of the National Forest,
shot guns for fun, a little farming, some coon hunting. Basic country life. Then a skateboard and a magazine
came into my life... That was 1977, in Alabama! It only took me 17-years to get to California...

 

[GCRad1]

December 17, 2016 - A slightly different ADV-trip..

The ADV80 is NOT a "drawered-out" dedicated Overland-SPEC machine... It still gets used like
a pickup truck... with a camper shell, only I can't take the shell off. However, I stuff whatever
I can in, when needed! I've recently purchased a KONA UNIT hardtail MTB that I will be specifically
using it as my "bike packing" bike! This bike was built with Pedals Bike Shop in Riverside, California
and the owner of the shop and share more than just bikes as common interest; R/C trucks, full-size
trucks, motorcycles, hiking, backpacking, pew-pew's and all... It's the full dude'fest when we get
together!

The R1KONAUNIT version is already not stock. You can see my build-list if interested.
With it's 27.5+ WTB tires and rigid reliable frame, this is the ADV80 of bikes!


But today/tonights mission is to finish the build and do a quick overnight from the bikes at a very
nearby campground! Just need to make sure we are all sorted with bigger trip plans on the horizon!

Here is the "R1KONAUNIT" completely kitted out and ready for a little shakedown overnighter!

Two old crusty's acting like kids!

Earlier in the day, we popped over to the campground and stashed some firewood. Did you
notice the date at the beginning of this post? December 17, 2016

It's a little chilly. A good sleeping bag is simply one of the best investments
you can make! But first you have to get into it and we were too busy hanging
out by the fire and catching up on all things...

We awake to frosty-frost on the ground so it must have been a little chilly! Right here in
Southern California!

And morning fires are the best!

As the morning warms:

I don't care who you are or what you drive, ride, walk... If it's in you, your eye is always drawn
towards it..

Then you climb it!

Mt. Rubidoux Memorial Park is SUPER COOL! I've driven past Riverside a gazillion times and
never knew such was right here!

Rumor has it...

Monks would come from the mission in town, underground and up into these towers atop Mt. Rubidoux.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rubidoux

You owe it to yourself to drop a little "gold star" on your Google Maps! You never know when you
may be in the vicinity and you will have the location right there on your map!

When you are in Google Maps and find a location, if you click the start (left under the blue box) the star turns to gold
and also shows up on your map when you are using Google Maps. Link to Mt. Rubidoux Park

This is how your map will look when you populate your location research and
mark it with a Google Map Gold Star!

Two very different machines, both are adventure ready!
Sorry for the side-distraction but at least its adventure action!

 

[f18wrangler]

Thats awesome. Great thread! I grew up in Riverside. It is a tradition that fireworks set Mt. Rubidoux ablaze lol

 

[GCRad1]

JANUARY 2, 2017 ADV80 First Snow Day Cajon Pass Area

The family and I packed up for a quick-day trip. For you southern Californian's that know the Cajon Pass / Cleghorn area, these will ring a bell as we ticked these off; Bailey Canyon Trail, Cleghorn Trail, Swarthout Canyon Rd, Purcell Rd, Applewhite Rd and Forest Rte 3N31.
Nice collection of dirt roads in and around the Cajon Pass.

This image is from Bailey Canyon Trail looking back out onto the 215/15-Cajon Intersection.
And yes, the heavy fog is rolling thick!

The ADV80 is going up and the fog is settling down!

Aired down to make it a nice ride and yes, getting EVERY OUNCE of use out of these 1-Gen. Falken Wild Peaks!
They have been absolutely AWESOME!

Still on the Bailey Canyon Trail:

And into the abyss of fog with the wind picking up speed from the cliff's edge!

Bailey Canyon Trail turns into the 2N49:

As we crest the mountain we encounter a little snow coverage. We slip and slide our way to
Cleghorn Pass.

Once on the easterly side of the mountain, the fog starts to thin and the wind makes
for a dramatic scene.

We felt accomplished for making it through. Had we had to go back up and over, I doubt
we would have been able to make it!

We can see Silverwood Lake peeking under the blanket of fog:

Halfway down from Cleghorn Pass, the 2N49 turns into Cleghorn Rd. the rest of the way down
to the Mesa Campground. This is where our dirt road meets up with HWY138. We will hang an
left, head up the hill and hang another left at our next dirt road.

As we approach the trail:

We meet these guys who came up from Cajon Pass from the Cleghorn Exit. There are two Cleghorn Roads,
but this will take us up on Cleghorn Ridge (yes, different than Cleghorn Pass) and drop us back
down to the Cajon Pass / Interstate 15.

A little shower passed through... weather is clearing or not... wind is whipping the clouds around
so much its hard to tell. No worries, we carry on!

can't miss a good opportunity to snap an image of the Falken's floating!

Enter: GAP BAND "YOU DROP THE FOG ON ME BABY!"

And it clears again. This time we've worked our way around to see the Wrightwood side and
check out that snow! Hey, this is southern California, we get excited over the little flurries..

As the sun was going down, a moment of dramatic lighting!

And gone...

Ah... the dreaded freeway! That's Sunday night traffic for you! This is where we got a little daring
and opted to not join everyone on the freeway just yet and hoped across the freeway and
followed little tiny lines on the iPad/Nav to traverse our way further down the freeway via
Swarthout Canyon Rd, Purcell Rd, Applewhite Rd and Forest Rte 3N31 and come out at Nealeys Corner.
Nice little day trip!

 

[GCRad1]

January 12, 2017 - FALKEN TIRE Wild Peak A/T Gen1's In for an update

The original Gen1 Falken Wild Peaks in size 315/75R16 went onto the ADV80 back in Sept 2012.

Milage Start: 211,817 miles
Milage Finished: 284,139 miles
Total Milage: 72,322 miles!

What tire will be going onto the ADV80 next as a replacement?

With the great experience I've had with the tires, it only made sense to move into the Gen3 version
of the Falken Wild Peak!

But before they get mounted up:

I needed to pick up another hoop that is straight as I bent one a while back
during one of our BB500 desert trips. After getting that picked up, I'm itchy
ready to get the new tires mounted up!

These guys, Allen Tires is close to the house and I continue to use them.

Plus, this is where I bought the Land Cruiser from and the guy still works here! I think he gets
a kick out of seeing rig keep going. Not the owner, one of the employee's. He actually works on
the ADV80.

Choose one. I asked this question about which one on the ADV80 IG account: "Question to all
you 4X4 aficionado's, what valve stems do you use and why? Soft, semi-rigid or all metal.
Explain why?"

I chose the full rubber and has been a great debate in the office!

I really like the looks of these! Now I can't wait to get them in the dirt and test them!
First impression just on the road Q-U-I-E-T! And smooth!

Read more about them: http://www.falkentire.com/tires/light-truck-suv-cuv-tires/wildpeak/t3w-tire#iPrpxI0vyH300Mov.97
And more: http://www.falkentire.com/community/blog/2015/09/all-new-falken-wildpeak/t3w-engineered-adventure-anytime-0#UUSyExzt6DlYwuXe.97

FALKEN WILD PEAK A/T3W MOUNTED: January 13, 2017
Milage START: 284,139 miles

 

[GCRad1]

KING OF THE HAMMERS 2017

Axial R/C Inc., my place of employment, is the official R/C of and sponsor of ULTRA4 / KING OF THE HAMMERS.
Each year we go out to Johnson Valley to what has become known as HAMMERTOWN and set up
our booth and display our goodness for the goodness of children and adults alike! Aren't we all
just big kids?! I know I am!

FEB 4th - I have loaded the ADV80 up for the week long event and heading out. Living in OC,
I make the trek through SoCal via the 91FWY and the Santa Ana Mountains are looking spectacular
this morning! Once past Corona I will hit the 15FWY toward the Cajon Pass.

I leave a little extra early to allow from some extra sight seeing while still in forward progression.
by doing so, once on the Cajon Pass I exit at Cleghorn Rd. to run this across the mountain and bypass
all of Bear Valley Road to Johnson Valley.

On site and ready to get to work!

After the work is done, we get to have our own fun time! We go out wheeling all around seeing as
much as we can and looking for every little off-shoot and trail we can take that is not too difficult
It's work all day, and play as much as you can into the later hours; with dinner on trail. This method
of work/play for a whole week is a little tiring but isn't this what everyone is doing? We can sleep
when we are dead! Or next week, after event.

It's Saturday, the week of KOH2017 and HAMMERTOWN is already growing!

 

[GCRad1]

KING OF THE HAMMERS 2017 (continued)

With Saturday and Sunday under our belts, with more work on the booth Monday was greeted with
MONDAY NIGHT! The BACKDOOR SHOOTOUT IS BACK AT BACKDOOR where is should be! Last
year the Shootout went over to Chocolate Thunder and everyone was happy to see it back in
its original location - BACKDOOR!

We make our way over to the festivities! YES, THIS IS MONDAY NIGHT IN THE DESERT!

OK, enough of watching these guys!

We've got our own wheels to go wheeling on!

We have more guys rolling with us each night, so we cruz around to all of our little spots.

On of these is the real ADV80. We have an eclectic Axial crew of rigs!

 

[dcx13]

HOLY AWESOMENESS!!

Your ADV80 will have some company at Cisco Grove this year... provided my truck survives the SF-NV-ID-WY-CO-UT-NV-SF trip in June.

 

[GCRad1]

KING OF THE HAMMERS 2017 (continued)

Tuesday, Vendor row is officially opened and it's always cool to see what shows up! Me being
more of an "adventure-minded" wheeler, I'm always on radar for the oddities of adventure.

Saw this 80-Series every day and never met the owner.

Bonus points if you know the guy standing there looking at his phone wondering why internet
connectivity is weaksauce in the middle of the desert! He's probably purchasing some exotic 70-series
from overseas. Naa, he's probably trolling the 'Mud forum... hehehe

I called and tried to get a pickup in Hammertown...
No comprede' cell-phone-bush! The cell-phone-bush!

At the WARN camp/booth, I spied the swag bag! "Just why do they call it a swag bag," I asked
the American representative. He not knowing the answer, but from the "back of the bush" the
Australian made testament to the song Waltzing Matilda.

Here is some more fun reading! http://pathofthepaddle.co.uk/history-romance-of-the-australian-swag/

The Australian representative on hand at KOH happened to be one of the engineers! He helped
my air-hose quick-disconnect actually work! I had a "mystery hose" that allowed me to have a
fun conversation with them. I came over with my never-used signature orange ARB hose and asked
them to show me how to use it and please show me how to make air go through the hose.
They looked at me extremely funny! I was like - RIGHT! Yea, laugh it up while you can, but that
compressor on the wall is about to be put to the test! He quickly chuckled while chucking up his
air-nozzle to my air hose to the working compressor on the wall of the trailer.

Squirt-squirt his hand physically pressed on his air-nozzle with not one once of air coming out of the hose.
He disassembled the quick-release to find it not correctly assembled at the factory and he
quickly diagnosed the situation and now I am a "complete" ARB happy customer as my on-board
compressor airs up my locks AND now accepts the air hose to air up my tires!

TEPUI was on site at KOH2017

RTT's are on the rise in popularity!

Another 80-Series spotting at KOH2017.

Find my way over to the Marlin Crawler booth and talk shop about 80-Series gear reduction!
Read up: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/marlin-crawler-80-100-series-low-range-gear-kit-install.578210/
Read on: https://www.marlincrawler.com/transfer-case/line-ups/single/land-cruiser-crawler-gears

Fast forward to evening.

Night falls on HAMMERTOWN and that means...

Its AXIAL OUTLAW R/C ROCK RACING TIME!!!

After the work is all done...

More late night wheeling with co-workers, friends and guest!

 

[GCRad1]

HOLY AWESOMENESS!!

Your ADV80 will have some company at Cisco Grove this year... provided my truck survives the SF-NV-ID-WY-CO-UT-NV-SF trip in June.

HECK YEA!!! Lets make sure we get a photo of them together! Baby it on the SF-NV-ID-WY-CO-UT-NV-SF trip! It will make it!

 

[GCRad1]

KING OF THE HAMMERS 2017 (continued)

The week of KOH is a long week, with long days and long nights!

We take this "playing with toys" thing seriously!

More RTT's on display with this one from Tuff Stuff 4X4. Their DELTA edition might just be the
most economical way to get into one of these RTT's:
http://tuffstuff4x4.com/products/tuff-stuff-delta-overland-rooftop-tent/

You know this 80-Series is my all time favorite! This is where all my suspension technology comes
from! It sports a hand-made aluminum tube roof rack and aluminum plate rear bumper!
And those TRD wheels with custom beadlocks are trick too! Here you go '91-'97 80-Series owners:
http://iconvehicledynamics.com/shop/634-1991-1997-land-cruiser-80-series

It's not an 80-Series..

But I can't leave out SPOD! http://www.4x4spod.com/category_s/76.htm

This is TEXAS JESUS's 80-Series on 37"ers! Note the slightly trimmed wheel arches! hehehe
WHO THE HECK IS TEXAS JESUS???????????????????????????????????????????????????????

I know him through attending KOH every year. I also follow him socially. There is a small
mention of TEXAS JESUS in this story:
http://offroadtheplanet.com/home/king-of-the-hammers-behind-the-scenes-simon-saines-1117.html
And a small bio on TEXAS JESUS here:
http://offroadtheplanet.com/home/king-of-the-hammers-behind-the-scenes-matt-fallis-1123.html

Our booth is packed nightly during the KOH R/C OUTLAW ROCK RACING events!

After the R/C session is over...

Time to head over to BACKDOOR for more action. It's Thursday night when most people are
settling into bed with their late night show. We are perched precariously on the rocks for some
live (no pre-recorded or simulcast with delay) LIVE LATE NIGHT ACTION!!!

Midnight Yard Sales are always fun. As long as no one gets hurt!

And its time to go wheeling on our own!

Propped the camera up on a chassis car and did a looooooong exposure to capture this image.

 

[GCRad1]

KING OF THE HAMMERS 2017 (continued)

This 80-Series is seriously CLEAN! But when the owner is Nick of Falken Tires, everything he
touches turns to CLEAN!

Tom Wayes + ICON = OH HECK YEA!!!

Look closely!

That is one massive roll of white duct tape holding up the front end of this rig! hehehe

For the love of scale realism and R/C! #SCX10LIFE !!!

This ULTRA4 Rock Racing is serious business! These guys get Kings Crowns!

Seriously! I could live-work-play from here!

Assorted images of the ADV80 during KOH2017:

We found this little section of little sand hills with all kinds of various departures and approaches,
so it was fun to see what our rigs would do without getting stuck too bad.

Occasionally we would stick it good, but having our crew with us allowed for quick extraction and continued fun!


My two favorite shots from the mini-sand dune sessions:

My buddy has this Isuzu Trail Trooper. I like this shot as he is traversing up the hill, rear tire is
tucked and slightly drifting sideways! SO FUN!

I like this one also of his rig, as he puts it up this sand embankment. Heavy vehicles like mine and his,
with little power, pushing the limits to see what they will do is always fun in the right setting and
environment. We know these rigs are capable more than we know or actually experiences, so its
more about us learning to drive them and finding what that limit is. Sand is always a scary thing,
so to be able to play in sand without much consequence is always good-fun-learning!

Good night from HAMMERTOWN we stay one more night (Saturday night) as we are going wheeling
the next day into Rattlesnake Canyon.