In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Options
Went to an Overland Rally in Arkansas - did some off roading.
drobs
Member Posts: 22,533 ✭✭✭✭
Went to the Rendevouz in the Ozarks located at the Byrds Off Road Park in the Ozark National Forest, near Ozark Arkansas. 1st day I was there I tried some of the park's Blue "Easy" trails by myself. Made it 1/10 of the way up one of trails and turned back. Figure I'd rather go in group of people with more experience.
The next day made friends with a guy name Jeff from Iowa driving a 2019 Tacoma OR. We decided we try to see one of the waterfalls in the area. Having both checked out the Off Road Park trails and finding them a little rough. Agreed we'd just stick to the "easy" National Forest trails. Holly crap - bad idea!
2 hours filled with Rocks, Mud Holes, Off Camber, Multiple Water Crossings, Steep Hill Climbs, Stair Steps, Descents on loose rocks / boulders, rubbing my slider on rock / mud wall, on and on. Used the rear locker multiple times. Pure insanity. About an hour into the trail we realized there was no turning back, only way to go was forward.
This was one of those trails you read about in 4WD magazines. We met some Atv riders 1/3 of the way through - they said - unless you want to break CV joints, take the short cuts around the mud holes. I powered through one of the mud holes and avoided the next 4.
I might've been internally freeking out at times but the 4Runner handled it just perfectly. Towards the end - I thought to myself, I'd take some serious pinstriping just to get off this F'n trail.
The last bit out was a serious muddy rocky long steep hill climb. Near the top of the hill was a boulder sticking out into the trail at door handle level with a mud rock wall on the left. The trail leaned towards the wall on the left. Jeff, in the lead, tried going over the top of the boulder twice, stopped and we took another at look at it.
Decided it would be best to stack rocks on left of that boulder. Jeff jumped in the Taco and gunned it to the top, going to the left of the boulder. I did the same and found myself with my rock slider riding the wall on the left.
Came down hard on some rocks / boulders. No body damage but got some pinstriping...
I figure - this is what I bought this vehicle for. On parts of this trail, I joked to Jeff, maybe I should just trade this thing in on a Prius and join the Hyper Miler Club...
Naw - that would suck!
Marked Safe @ The Ozark Inn Motel ($50 per night)
Couple pics from when we though we were on an easy trail:
Jeff in his Taco doing some easy water crossings we found some bigger ones further down but didn't take pics:
The next day made friends with a guy name Jeff from Iowa driving a 2019 Tacoma OR. We decided we try to see one of the waterfalls in the area. Having both checked out the Off Road Park trails and finding them a little rough. Agreed we'd just stick to the "easy" National Forest trails. Holly crap - bad idea!
2 hours filled with Rocks, Mud Holes, Off Camber, Multiple Water Crossings, Steep Hill Climbs, Stair Steps, Descents on loose rocks / boulders, rubbing my slider on rock / mud wall, on and on. Used the rear locker multiple times. Pure insanity. About an hour into the trail we realized there was no turning back, only way to go was forward.
This was one of those trails you read about in 4WD magazines. We met some Atv riders 1/3 of the way through - they said - unless you want to break CV joints, take the short cuts around the mud holes. I powered through one of the mud holes and avoided the next 4.
I might've been internally freeking out at times but the 4Runner handled it just perfectly. Towards the end - I thought to myself, I'd take some serious pinstriping just to get off this F'n trail.
The last bit out was a serious muddy rocky long steep hill climb. Near the top of the hill was a boulder sticking out into the trail at door handle level with a mud rock wall on the left. The trail leaned towards the wall on the left. Jeff, in the lead, tried going over the top of the boulder twice, stopped and we took another at look at it.
Decided it would be best to stack rocks on left of that boulder. Jeff jumped in the Taco and gunned it to the top, going to the left of the boulder. I did the same and found myself with my rock slider riding the wall on the left.
Came down hard on some rocks / boulders. No body damage but got some pinstriping...
I figure - this is what I bought this vehicle for. On parts of this trail, I joked to Jeff, maybe I should just trade this thing in on a Prius and join the Hyper Miler Club...
Naw - that would suck!
Marked Safe @ The Ozark Inn Motel ($50 per night)
Couple pics from when we though we were on an easy trail:
Jeff in his Taco doing some easy water crossings we found some bigger ones further down but didn't take pics:
Comments
Yeah it really hurts when you hear scraping on your new ride. I hated that on my Jeep Wrangler. (When it was newish.)
There is an off road/ATV (8000 acres) Doe Mountain Recreational area, I can access less than 2/10ths of a mile continuing down my gravel private road, until it branches off in to multiple trails.
My Modified Wrangler is much more capable now, and I'm over the newness. Just say "Screw it," and drive on. :?
It don't get much Mo Betta than blowing through some mud holes.
1st scratch on my Nissan Frontier back in 2007 happened a couple months after buying it in a Walmart parking lot from a grocery cart. Promised myself I'd put the rest of the scratches on the vehicle off road after that.
I need some more skid plates and taller tires for future trail exploring. I'll wait on the tires but skid plates will be in the near future.
2.5 inch front / 1 inch rear Eibach Pro Truck Lift (heavier springs & shocks) to support the Warn 10K steel winch and bumper. Stock size 265/70R17 Falken Wildpeak AT3 tires. Cali Raised (out of Texas) Light bar & Shrockworks Rock Sliders (also from Texas).
The Falken tires being in the stock size and real close to the stock weight are giving me fantastic mileage (18-20mpg) even with all the other weight. Only issue with them is they are P-Rated = + a thinner sidewall near the rim. Reading it's best to not air down with these tires. I have the air compressor but stayed aired up on this trip.
At one point I put LT 10ply BFG AT KO1's on the Frontier. Those things were heavy and knocked a good 3 mpg off the truck. Have a set of Falken Wildpeaks on the Frontier now and have been real happy with them.
The Falkens on the 4Runner proved themselves to me on this trail full of shark rocks, mud, and stair step type boulders. Plenty of traction and no issues at all.
BTW I miss my 4Runner TRD pro when I see pictures like yours.
Sorry for the slow reply, internet has been down at the house since Sunday. Finally got a tech to come just now.
I ate the Mexican restaurant in Ozark, across from the Pizza Hut. Food was decent. Ordered a Margarita and the short Mexican bartender asked me if wanted a small or a large. Got the large, it was the size of a fish bowl! Had a couple people comment on the size of my drink! Good thing the motel was just down the street.
Saw at least 3 Pro's like yours in Desert Tan. I really like that color. Doesn't exist anymore on new models. Now they have Voodoo Blue for 2019 and Army Green for 2020.
There were 440 vehicles at this gathering. I'd say it was 50/50 split of Jeep Wranglers and Toyota 4Runers & Tacos for being the most prolific. There were 2 Chevy ZR2 Colorado's and a few Nissan Frontiers in the mix. One Ural with side car running around, 1 Unimog, and 2 Mercedes high top van's tricked out with off road tires and bumpers.
I wonder why that is.
Most of them seemed to be running as well...
I like your front bumper, from what I can see of it.
Here's some folks that were there.
Might have to get a gopro. This vid loaded pretty fast on youtube.
That's just a typical north MO county road. Last week, I was hauling grain on roads far worse than that(and the mud's still on the pickups to prove it).
I bet you are real fun at parties.
A real one upper.
A real one upper."
Just stating facts. Chitty folks come to the country to do what we do every day.