Two months in a uzj100 (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jan 16, 2014
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14
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Location
grass valley ca
For the past couple years I've been wanting to do a road/overland trip, and the time finally came early November. Taking two months off work is not very easy to do plus had to find a vehicle and build it before then. Coming from a mini truck background i knew that the current tacoma i had would be a bit cramped so i started in on search for a 100 series LC.
I found a OG owner selling her 2000 LC so i purchased it early February this year and started in (i apologize for the quality of the photos)


Now it was time to start modding! Ill just run through briefly on what i added as this isn't a build thread, these mods were done to make the truck more dependable and have the ability to be self sufficient. I added a safari snorkel, f/r bumpers, dual swing outs, sliders, winch, led lights, dual batteries (group 34) with national luna isolator kit. Installed an 53 qrt ARB fridge, blue sea fuse block, two 12v outlets, aux fan, and a drawer style tool boxes that double as a sleeping platform and storage. I wanted to keep the lift modest so i installed a OME 1.5" and a set of 285/75 r16 goodyear kevlar mt/r's. Last but not least i outfitted the truck with a CVT Mt. Jefferson rtt and awning, btw Bobby the owner is a great guy to work with!

It took a few days to get on the road as i was still finishing up some final touches so i packed up, loaded the dogs and off i go. I left northern CA and started heading south to big bear early November.

Ive camped here before and this area is still one of my favorites places, the views are incredible, hopefully next trip i can afford a nice camera.






Several of the trails i went on were the black rated trails which are the hardest ones but luckily i knew the ones to stay away from and didn't run into trouble, you guys know these trucks are not rock buggies.. since i was the only one taking pictures i didn't get any of the hard wheeling as it was unsafe to get out









Found a good vista point to take a break, this road was very loose and steep







I carry 11g of water, one of the containers is for the dogs and the other is drinking water for me. Well it was very hot out and the dogs drank 6 gallons in a few days and i was several hours away from a store so i was on the hunt for some creek water to fill up and cool off.
On the map it showed a creek about 5 miles away so we headed that way to find some. Upon arrival it was apparent that this was a seasonal creek and it was dry as a bone



At this point i was ready to drive back to town but on the way there came across a nice flowing creek so we stopped and took a dip to wash off the dry california dust



the road there



This was one of the black rated trails, they can get very nasty... with 6k mile of road ahead of me i wasn't about to try it in this rig!



That night i set up camp and enjoyed a cold one while watching the sun set



 
This trip has been great so far, a lot of it has been highway time a touristy attractions but i try to squeeze in as much wheeling as i can.

After big bear i headed east towards flagstaff AZ, many of you have been here for the overland events i hope to make it next year. But before i went there i decided to go to the Grand Canyon it was only 80 miles off the 40.











Flagstaff had a cool place called the cinders, this was a large ohv area that was made up of volcanic rock. It was like driving on fruity pebbles, i could literally watch the gas gauge go down driving around out here





Next i was off to Albuqurque NM, this was the first night i would have to stay in the city with no camping. I didn't feel real safe here so i headed back west about half an hour to casino 66, i have found casinos to be pretty safe with the constant security and lights on all night. Remember i have 2 pit bulls so getting a hotel room is out of the question.
Im not a gambler but i went in for a bit, i won't indulge you too much in the events of that night but needless to say it was fun! met some awesome people and somehow got a ride in a porsche haha

NM



Beautiful Oklahoma morning



I met another mud member when i stopped to have lunch in oklahoma city and he recommended a spot about two hours east called lake Eaufaula, this was a great spot. I didn't camp here where the pic was taken because i didn't bring a banjo or a bottle of vaseline, camped about 30 mins away in a camp ground at the lake.







The mud out here was very slimy, not many rocks to get traction on



After a few days out here i headed into Little Rock Arkansas to do some laundry before i would go back out into the Ozark Forest.
This is Lake Sylvia, met some awesome locals there and hung out for a few hours



This was turkey hunting season so i saw a lot of hunters, this is Lake Ouchita



Next i was off to Hot Springs AR where i would spend the next few days at the Superlift ORV park. When i set up camp Thursday night to my dismay i found out there was a jeepers jamboree that weekend... uhhggg this should be good ill be heckled the whole time since i was the only toyota out there.
My first thoughts on this place were not the greatest because how good could the wheeling be out here? Well let me tell you this place has some serious courses, my butt not only ate my pants but the leather seats! The courses were rated on a 5 star scale, 1 being ok for lowered hondas and 5 you better have 37's and balls of steel! I met a local wheeler (corky) and he took me on a 3 star course called rubicon something in his jeep rubicon on 35's. The 3 star runs were harder than i expected, the hills were very steep and loose, i drug the sliders, ripped off hub caps, and at one point had my front tire 3' off the ground. Corky had warned me of a trail that i think was called brandons trail because of the off camber and the possibilities of tipping into a tree with the rtt, well somehow i ended up on it and lets just say i wouldn't do it again (my palms are sweating just writing this), the atrac was kicking in almost the whole time and after almost rolling the truck i was done and ready to camp. Again no good pics of me in action









 
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Next i was off to Tennessee, I've always wanted to go to Nashville and to see the Grand Ole Opry. Drove through memphis and thought i would go see Graceland but decided not to, i was unimpressed with this area and it was pretty ghetto. If you have ever wanted to go its not worth it imho, so off to the Natchez Trace National Forest!
This place was very nice, lush green forest with ivy growing all over the trees. I ended up down a logging road and set up camp for the night in a clearing, this is what i woke up to



It was 85 degrees that day with some serious humidity,, the warmth won't last long ill be heading north soon!

Dogwood Lake



Made it into nashville a few days later and wanted to stay the night in the city but i was 4" too high to fit in the parking garages, and i wasn't about to park on the street over night so i went and seen this, its been my grandmothers dream to come here one day



My plans are to head north to Madison Wisconsin where my uncle and family live on a farm. But before that i needed some more camping under my belt so i headed into Kentucky to a place called Between The Lakes. This is located on the Tennessee/kentucky border between Lake Barley and Kentucky Lake. If any of you are ever in this area i highly recommend going here, i spent several day driving around on dirt roads well let me refries that they were muddy roads. It rained for about 36 hours when i was out at the lake and when i decided to leave i thought i was going to have to pull the winch line out after sinking into what felt like quick sand up to my rockers. 40 minutes later i made it to solid ground





Had a chance to explore some old grave yards and a furnace that the slaves had build











Then it was time to head north. I didn't spend much time in Illinois as there wasn't muh to see, but i did stay one night just outside of Rockford and woke up to the first snow of the year, and first freeze it was 24 degrees



Im now in madison and will be here for a few more days working around the farm. My next plans are to head north a bit more to see lake superior, then head back down towards Colorado where my friend from california will be meeting me to do more camping and wheeling. Should be there for about two weeks before i head back home... stay tuned
 
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