Where did your love for wheeling come from?
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As a kid growing up I was pretty much on my own. Had to figure out how to entertain myself. Living out in the country meant more or less nothing but fields and trees for miles. Sure, I went hiking and walking through them, even ran a few times for cross-country practice. But I always though "yanno, this would be a hell of a lot easier with an ATV!" :lol: It took a good part of the day just reaching the middle of one of the forrests behind my house, so the day was more or less over just with the trip out and back. No time for exploring. Also, with the wild dogs we could hear at night it was a questionable pass time to do on foot! An ATV or dirt bike would've been ideal to make the trip faster, and get out if I ran into something. Also, it was on a local farmer's land (and he could be an ass) so if we couldn't get in and out fast, my neighbor and I didn't go. Friends in school all had sleds and quads so I told myself one day I'd finally be able to do that. :lol: Still don't have those, but at least I can have some fun with the truck. I finally have a tow vehicle now so hopefully the games will begin in a few years.
:clap: My neighbor (and only friend within miles) and I got so desperate to do some wheeling with ATV's that we each took old riding tractor-type lawnmowers out in the woods! :lol: We took off the mowing decks, tied strings to the governer to yank on when we needed more power, and put chains on the tires. I remember taking the solid rubber tires off the front of mine and taking some pnuematic ones my grandfather had. I bent the steering bar a few times so we found some 1/4" x 2" steel bar that we cut to replace the cross bar on my tractor. 1 liter "big slam" soda bottles became gas cans, and a rechargable flashlight became a headlight when I took my cousins for a wagon ride through the woods one night. :naughty:
We'd go out and do donuts in the fields that no one ever mowed, build bridges across streams, and do wheelies by holding back the governor and popping the clutch/brake. My buddy rolled his on a hill one day and something shorted out. We saw smoke and flames, and freaked out cuz we thought the gas tank would blow!
It didn't, but the tractor was more or less toast as all the wiring was fried and we couldn't fix it. That was basically the last time we did anything like that.
Since then I've been trying to build a dune-buggy/go cart like thing to ride around on trails, but right now the truck is the only way I can satisfy that craving for now. :disappoin
:clap: My neighbor (and only friend within miles) and I got so desperate to do some wheeling with ATV's that we each took old riding tractor-type lawnmowers out in the woods! :lol: We took off the mowing decks, tied strings to the governer to yank on when we needed more power, and put chains on the tires. I remember taking the solid rubber tires off the front of mine and taking some pnuematic ones my grandfather had. I bent the steering bar a few times so we found some 1/4" x 2" steel bar that we cut to replace the cross bar on my tractor. 1 liter "big slam" soda bottles became gas cans, and a rechargable flashlight became a headlight when I took my cousins for a wagon ride through the woods one night. :naughty:
We'd go out and do donuts in the fields that no one ever mowed, build bridges across streams, and do wheelies by holding back the governor and popping the clutch/brake. My buddy rolled his on a hill one day and something shorted out. We saw smoke and flames, and freaked out cuz we thought the gas tank would blow!
It didn't, but the tractor was more or less toast as all the wiring was fried and we couldn't fix it. That was basically the last time we did anything like that.Since then I've been trying to build a dune-buggy/go cart like thing to ride around on trails, but right now the truck is the only way I can satisfy that craving for now. :disappoin
My older brother taking me hunting and skiing, I grew up in Idaho so there was always a uphill climb to get somewhere.
I didn't have much experience wheeling or off-roading at all until I started working as a power lineman a few years back. We were setting poles and stringing wire through some pretty rough terrain and had several vehicles with us along the way. The crew trucks were F-350's and we had a blast ripping through the country terrain around Alberta. Even though I don't do that type of work anymore, I still imagine my Tacoma travelling the same paths. Might have to go back out to those lines and give it a test
Curiosity, wanderlust, and the desire to see what's over the next hill. I grew up in a family that loved to travel; both domestically and internationally. We traveled across country by car a couple of times when I was young and we always consulted maps to find interesting places to visit. As I grew older I began to look farther off the beaten path for the opportunity to experience nature and places less traveled.
I love my Tacoma because now I rarely have to pass up interesting roads that lead to nowhere and everywhere.
I love my Tacoma because now I rarely have to pass up interesting roads that lead to nowhere and everywhere.
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I went "jeep ridin'" (their words) with some old boys from Alabama just for the hell of it one day. I was pretty much hooked.
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Mines not so much a love for typical 4-wheeling as it is more of a love of adventure and the outdoors. Don't get me wrong I love to get out with the friends from time to time and test out the truck to see how it handles certain off-road situations, but the real passion inside me is more about going on a journey and seeking out interesting and remote places. Obviously the truck provides the means to many journeys, and if I want to get to some of these places it will require some or a lot of off-road driving. I see the truck as my ship and my main piece of kit if you will. Because of that I'm interested in all things having to do with it's function and performance, which of course includes a significant amount of consideration and attention to off-road driving and performance.
My love for adventure travel though stems directly from childhood. I was fortunate enough to have two loving parents who exposed my brother, two sisters and myself to a lot of different cultural experiances. My mom was more about the interpersonal cultural experiances, my dad more about the big "wow" of everything different when travelling. Either way though I liked it.
I also read a lot of books growing up and for what ever reason I naturally gravitated towards books which dealt with travel and adventure. Of course I read The Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings books, but I also loved non-fiction books like Out of Africa, Gipsy Moth Circles the World, The Long Walk etc. The big ones though that really opened my eyes and got me excited to the possibilities of travelling around the globe in or on a vehicle were Jupiters Travels, and Who Needs a Road, the latter of which tells about the journey of two guys who circled the globe in their Toyota FJ-40. I suppose that's kinda how this little story comes full circle for me, and answers the "why" with regards to my affection of "off-roading" and "Toyota's."
My love for adventure travel though stems directly from childhood. I was fortunate enough to have two loving parents who exposed my brother, two sisters and myself to a lot of different cultural experiances. My mom was more about the interpersonal cultural experiances, my dad more about the big "wow" of everything different when travelling. Either way though I liked it.
I also read a lot of books growing up and for what ever reason I naturally gravitated towards books which dealt with travel and adventure. Of course I read The Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings books, but I also loved non-fiction books like Out of Africa, Gipsy Moth Circles the World, The Long Walk etc. The big ones though that really opened my eyes and got me excited to the possibilities of travelling around the globe in or on a vehicle were Jupiters Travels, and Who Needs a Road, the latter of which tells about the journey of two guys who circled the globe in their Toyota FJ-40. I suppose that's kinda how this little story comes full circle for me, and answers the "why" with regards to my affection of "off-roading" and "Toyota's."
Same as Bill Brasky.......JEEPS! Love 'em! Just sold my '82 CJ-7 with a .060 over balanced and blueprinted, Crane cam & valvetrain equipped 360 in it. Talk about pulling power! Still have my '84 CJ-8 Scrambler. The funds from the CJ-7 are going toward a Tacoma!
I have a 73 CJ5 I wheel, pics in my link.happypappy said:
The Deep sand around the west end of Galveston Island at San Luis Pass.
Once I jerked out a stuck F-350 DC dually. What was funny and gave me huge satisfaction was when I first pulled up in my 03 TRD OR 4X4 the stuckees where almost laughfing at me because they didn't think a mini truck could do it but once I engaged the locker and shifted into low gear there eyes got real big.:lol:
Once I jerked out a stuck F-350 DC dually. What was funny and gave me huge satisfaction was when I first pulled up in my 03 TRD OR 4X4 the stuckees where almost laughfing at me because they didn't think a mini truck could do it but once I engaged the locker and shifted into low gear there eyes got real big.:lol:
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Growing up in Northern VA (close to DC for those who dont know) doesnt offer that much offroading... but since the extended family is located in Western PA the summers were a blast! 4x4s/4wheelers/dirt bikes galore... taking the old coal/loggin roads up through a pass to get to a natural spring for a cool swim an a few beers or do some summer night fishing that also included beers!:chug:
PA is also where i was exposed to hunting (Without beer of course!)... where "Opening Day" will close schools for the day so families can get out and enjoy the great outdoors with each other! PA gave me the itch and I will hopefully be able to pass that itch along to my kids when they are old enough to enjoy and respect it.
PA is also where i was exposed to hunting (Without beer of course!)... where "Opening Day" will close schools for the day so families can get out and enjoy the great outdoors with each other! PA gave me the itch and I will hopefully be able to pass that itch along to my kids when they are old enough to enjoy and respect it.
My father used to take us ( me and my brother) camping every other weekend for visitation. We went all spring,summer, and fall. He'd take his 2 week vacation and we would camp the whole time. That started my love of the outdoors.
Eventually when we were old enough he bought us 3 wheelers. We used to ride at Sterling Forest ski resort property over the summer, untill every one ruined for them selves. At seven years old I was doing stuff on a Honda 70 I'm not sure I'd do now, no fear at that age. I quess thats what started it. Then came my love for Jeeps. One trip out in my friends well built TJ and that sealed the deal I was hooked on wheeling.
Now that I'm a dad I'm starting to take my son wheeling and camping and he's hooked allready. He's 6 and I plan on buying him a TJ when he's 10 and slowly build it up with him over time. Then when he's 16 he will have one bad ass Jeep and I'll have the memories of time well spent with my son. Just like my father has of me when I was growing up.
Eventually when we were old enough he bought us 3 wheelers. We used to ride at Sterling Forest ski resort property over the summer, untill every one ruined for them selves. At seven years old I was doing stuff on a Honda 70 I'm not sure I'd do now, no fear at that age. I quess thats what started it. Then came my love for Jeeps. One trip out in my friends well built TJ and that sealed the deal I was hooked on wheeling.
Now that I'm a dad I'm starting to take my son wheeling and camping and he's hooked allready. He's 6 and I plan on buying him a TJ when he's 10 and slowly build it up with him over time. Then when he's 16 he will have one bad ass Jeep and I'll have the memories of time well spent with my son. Just like my father has of me when I was growing up.
It's the same thing that brought me to Colorado... Wheelin isn't so much a sport to me as it is a means to get to "the road less traveled." For me, it's all about going places hardly anyone else goes, and getting high up into the mountains to see life above treeline. It's been a progression for me:
- summer job in Rocky Mtn National park when I was 19. Hooked on Colorado
- moved out here soon after college
- tons of hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, camping, backcountry skiing etc.
- mountain biking
- dirt biking and trail-running
I can't even describe to you all the amazing things I've seen on my dirt bike (or my feet or in my truck) at 12000+ feet. But since it can't always be an adventure, I'm happy just to get out and play in the dirt and see what I can do.
- summer job in Rocky Mtn National park when I was 19. Hooked on Colorado
- moved out here soon after college
- tons of hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, camping, backcountry skiing etc.
- mountain biking
- dirt biking and trail-running
I can't even describe to you all the amazing things I've seen on my dirt bike (or my feet or in my truck) at 12000+ feet. But since it can't always be an adventure, I'm happy just to get out and play in the dirt and see what I can do.
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I grew up in the sticks and never gave 4 wheelin' a second thought. We would take trucks up and down logging/coal mines to cut firewood etc.
A few years I went to Trinidad to build a couple of petrochem plants. During the excavation stage, the local guys were scared $hitless to take these 4x4 rigs up what I considered small inclines. The foreign contractors weren't in yet so we were being held up. It wasn't our job but I spent the good part of a week building confinence in these guys that equipment wouldn't flip over if you kept on the right approach.
I took a 50 ton Kamatsu dump truck down a 50 deg incline at about 90-100' off the ground level (doesn't sound that bad but it pretty intimidating when your at top looking down). At the end of the day, it just took a few runs to get the Trini's acclamated and they were hooked (so was I). We were pretty much on site 24/7 so we would take anything 4x4 and trek through the jungle (now all syngas plants).
A few years I went to Trinidad to build a couple of petrochem plants. During the excavation stage, the local guys were scared $hitless to take these 4x4 rigs up what I considered small inclines. The foreign contractors weren't in yet so we were being held up. It wasn't our job but I spent the good part of a week building confinence in these guys that equipment wouldn't flip over if you kept on the right approach.
I took a 50 ton Kamatsu dump truck down a 50 deg incline at about 90-100' off the ground level (doesn't sound that bad but it pretty intimidating when your at top looking down). At the end of the day, it just took a few runs to get the Trini's acclamated and they were hooked (so was I). We were pretty much on site 24/7 so we would take anything 4x4 and trek through the jungle (now all syngas plants).
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