Congrats Bluemeanie!!!

Hey all, I have a great news here.
We have been working closely with Toyota and they have offered up something pretty cool. As a token of our appreciation we ran a little contest of sort in the Mod section and Bluemeanie won the battle to get an all expense paid trip testing an FJ Cruiser on a wilderness trail in Birmingham, AL October 13 - 15, which includes lodging and meals compliments of Toyota. Im sure you will all agree that Eric is a good person to be representing toyotanation and we all appreciate his hard work and dedication over the years. Congrats Eric and Thanks

Eric said that he will bring his camera along and and keep you all posted on how the event goes. Im not sure of all the details myself so Ill let Eric post in here up to date info and hopefully he will provide us with some good pics of his trip.

Thanks again Steve.

Since its conception, I have been a major presence on ToyotaNation - as it has been a major presence in my daily life. I have dedicated five + years on this site (plus a decade to the general online Toyota community) to the style, mechanics and essence that is Toyota. The first cars that I ever knew were Toyotas, and Toyotas will be among the last cars I will ever own. To me, Toyota is not just a 'brand', but a lifestyle.
I will do my best to represent toyotanation and our amazingly diverse community.

I'll keep you all updated as everything progresses.

As of now I've spoken with Toyota's rep and I will be leaving on the red-eye from St.L International Airport on the October 13th ... uh ... I just realized thats Friday the 13th ... :eek: :lol:

Once I get my finalized info I'll post more!


Thanks again to everyone. We make TN the place it is and thats why Toyota came to us. :)




click me --> FJ article posted. Enjoy. ...lotsa pics too! (http://toyotanation.com/forum/t161150.html) <-- click me
(http://toyotanation.com/forum/t161150.html)

Congrats Eric! Well deservent of the prize.

Hope you have heaps of fun, and take heaps of photos for us :)

Congrats indeed:clap:, bring back spy pics too :rolleyes:

I just got my itinerary and this is where we're headed - www.grayrockorv.com/Home.htm (http://www.grayrockorv.com/Home.htm) ... check out the pictures section.

Looks like this is gonna be one sweet ride through the country! :cool: :clap:



http://grayrockorv.com/PeakEmpire/dsc02679.jpg





TLCA Southern Cruiser Crawl

Birmingham, Alabama

October 13 – 15, 2006



Friday, October 13
6:25 p.m. Arrive in Birmingham, AL and ask courtesy desk representative at airport baggage claim to call for Tutwiler Hotel shuttle

8:00 p.m. Dinner at Tutwiler Hotel with Toyota representative, Chad Harp


Saturday, October 14
6:30 – 7:45 a.m. Breakfast available at Tutwiler Hotel

7:45 a.m. Meet in hotel lobby to depart for Gray Rock OHV Park

8:30 a.m. Arrive at Gray Rock OHV Park

9:00 a.m. Begin Trail Ride

Afternoon Boxed lunches while on trail

6:00 p.m. Jambalaya Dinner at Base Camp with FJ Cruiser Trail Team

8:00 p.m. Depart for hotel


Sunday, October 15
8:00 a.m. Breakfast available at Tutwiler Hotel

9:00 a.m. Depart hotel for airport

I just got my itinerary

TLCA Southern Cruiser Crawl

Birmingham, Alabama

October 13 – 15, 2006



Friday, October 13
6:25 p.m. Arrive in Birmingham, AL and ask courtesy desk representative at airport baggage claim to call for Tutwiler Hotel shuttle

8:00 p.m. Dinner at Tutwiler Hotel with Toyota representative, Chad Harp


Saturday, October 14
6:30 – 7:45 a.m. Breakfast available at Tutwiler Hotel

7:45 a.m. Meet in hotel lobby to depart for Gray Rock OHV Park

8:30 a.m. Arrive at Gray Rock OHV Park

9:00 a.m. Begin Trail Ride

Afternoon Boxed lunches while on trail

6:00 p.m. Jambalaya Dinner at Base Camp with FJ Cruiser Trail Team

8:00 p.m. Depart for hotel


Sunday, October 15
8:00 a.m. Breakfast available at Tutwiler Hotel

9:00 a.m. Depart hotel for airport

like we care ;)


sounds nice have a good trip, hope you break some thing.. on the car i mean:lol:

grats man!

Great part of Alabama you're going to... I spent some time in Auburn earlier this year. Loved it.

Have fun :D

dude that's awesome! You're going to have a blast! make us proud!

GRO is 5 miles from my house.
My words of stuff to know:

Toyota may have rented OGR just for yall. If it's a open day; BE WEARY of the tons of hot chicks that'll be offroading there. I'd say 3/4 of them are in high school. And yes... They go out in full force & tend to be :smokin: .
Don't stray far outside the hotel at night. You're in downtown b'ham which is *not* a safe place to be. You're not staying too far from some of the club district tho, so... It won't be bad. There's nothing really to see, so... Don't worry about sight-seeing. Get a ride, or a taxi if you wanna have fun. Don't chance walking afew blocks. Alabama is very low crime, Especially in the outlieing Birmingham area. But for reasons, the actual city of Birmingham has insanely high homicide rates.
Eat at Milo's. (You want a #2 no onions, sweet tea. It's obligitory.), and a real BBQ place. Dreamland. :thumbup: :thumbup: Costa's. :thumbup:

WTF We don't eat Jambalaya here... That's 800 miles away in Lousiana. Bring pocket money! I can't name a single good cajin/creole restraunt in the greater b'ham area. The ONE we had closed downy ears ago & I've been to the bayou, it wasn't nearly as good as that.


There's afew parties if you wanna skip whatever dull stuff they have planned at night. Sounds like they're just ditching you at the hotel LMAO!


I'm taking my little cuz to T-town sat for a bama game. He's wanting to hang out down there & then party most of the night. Might be able to gank a third ticket if you don't have anything to do that afternoon / evening. Or maybe we can drive back & forth. The time on the game is TBA tho. Generally afternoon - evening for SEC games. Lemmie know on that.





You'll like the airport tho. It's tiny & clean LoL! No hassles.

I just got my itinerary and this is where we're headed - www.grayrockorv.com/Home.htm (http://www.grayrockorv.com/Home.htm) ... check out the pictures section.

Looks like this is gonna be one sweet ride through the country! :cool: :clap:



Holly Crap !!!!

Kool !!!!

Taking any "partners" with you??? :lol:
Need a dude that can tend to the FJ's needs?? ... i.e... oil change/maintenance/cleaning,.. get coffee for you????.... :lol:

Nice!!! ENjoy it dude and bring back lotsa pics!

^ Will do!


These are pics from a past TLCA event ... just a tease for you guys :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/ericshaw/RdhYj11153065690.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/ericshaw/normal_DSC00062.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/ericshaw/RevtekFJ.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/ericshaw/XcdSVf1153065546.jpg

well, everything is packed, I'm uploading one final movie to my iPod (Top Gun) and I'm waiting for my ride to the airport. If I have a sec to get on line at the hotel I'll post some pics ... otherwise you all will have to wait til I'm home.

FJ article posted. Enjoy. http://toyotanation.com/forum/t161150.html ...lotsa pics too!