My first day offroad (FJ SE)

quinxy · 12-09-2006, 10:50 PM

Today I went offroading for the first time, and in my new FJ Special Edition. I'd done mild fire roads a few times, but nothing like real off roading (not that what I'm doing is that real yet). I am taking a basic 4x4 course (Badlands Off-Road Adventures Basic 4 Wheel Drive (4WD) Training School) so I don't do anything too stupid.

Don't know why this would interest anyone but I'll post it anyway...

Me crossing one of my first ditches.

Me, an SE, a very tolerable trail, and rain approaching.

Learning to go over obstacles and up a 20-something degree slope.

A fellow FJ (and forum member, who posted here about the course, letting me find out about it) climbing out of a wash. I followed and got my first pin striping. Damn! Worse is to come tomorrow, need to come to terms with scratched paint.

The other FJ going up, with me about to follow.

Another hill, same FJ.

And down another hill, same FJ ahead.

Anyway... Another day of the basic course tomorrow, having fun... I recommend the course to anyone who doesn't know people who go off roading and want to know where to begin, I've done more today than I expected or even really believed possible.

Quincy

Tranman · 12-09-2006, 10:54 PM

Welcome. good job with the wheelin pics. That last one looks slippery with all that loose dirt.

Blackened Voodoo · 12-09-2006, 10:59 PM

If you're not careful, it can be addicting.

Looks like you had fun. Oh and I had my trail pin striping done when I still had temp tags. Some of it polished out. The rest are for bragging rights.

Angry Andy · 12-09-2006, 11:14 PM

Welcome!

Good to see you have gotten the FJ offroad.

Doesn't look like you aired down though, that will help a lot. Drop your tire pressure down to 15-20 psi....you will get more traction.

ancient1 · 12-09-2006, 11:35 PM

Wish I had those hills in my back yard...looks like a lot of fun.

Arturus · 12-09-2006, 11:36 PM

Quinxy! Was that fun or what? I didn't know you got pics of me (the silver FJ)...my pinstriping seems superficial, but the dings on either end below my bumpers are there for real (one courtesy of my friend) on the practice track going up the rocks. I was blown away too by what we did today, especially since it was a "basic" clinic...that last run with the jeep was a bit close, he would have rolled for sure if he hadn't gunned it...apparently his diff was messed up and he was stuck in 2wd...problem was he found out when he did the 90 degree turn on that steep descent! Have fun tomorrow...I'm signing up for the second day but in January and then off to Death Valley with Tom in April...maybe we can schedule it so we can put them both FJs through their paces...btw...sweet ride, first SE I'd seen in person!

Art

quinxy · 12-09-2006, 11:40 PM

Thanks for the welcome to the world of offroading. It's funny, until you actually do it, it's really hard to have a reasonable picture of it. And by that I mostly mean, I've seen lots of photos of people offroading, so I clearly had an understanding about what the machines could in theory do, but my personal experience of my FJ in the weeks before this, and a Nissan 4x4 I had years ago, was so 2 dimensional. Oooh, I'd go over a curb in my neighborhood, wasn't that exciting (well, sadly, it sort of would be)! I never entirely believed that I (without a special engine, special transmission, years of training, etc.) could do what was in those pictures, and here I was on the first day, stunned by how easily the FJ crawled up things, crawled over things, went down steep grades. The FJ was totally unfazed by anything I did today. I was going up and down inclines that I just never really thought I'd be able to do. So, it was a good first day. Not sure yet whether it will become something I do much more of... I suppose it will depend on if I find or fall into a group or not.

Oh, and Angry Andy asked about airing down, not that you can see it in those photos, but it actually was, down to 18 psi.

Thanks for the advice on the pin striping, I feel like a sissy for mentioning it, but after years and years of trying to keep your new or classic sports cars' paint pristine, now suddenly being supposed to put it out there to get bad scratches on a 2 week old vehicle... It just ain't easy to do!

Tomorrow should be interesting. It's been raining most of the evening, I was just getting to like dry trails.

Quincy

quinxy · 12-09-2006, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Arturus previously said:

Quinxy! Was that fun or what? I didn't know you got pics of me (the silver FJ)...

I've got a few more of you/your vehicle (maybe 3-4), I'll send you those when I get back home.

Quote:

Arturus previously said:

...my pinstriping seems superficial, but the dings on either end below my bumpers are there for real (one courtesy of my friend) on the practice track going up the rocks.

yeah, I took a few hits underneath the rear bumper leaving some dents, and some serious scratches to the hitch receiver (or whatever it's called). my pinstriping today weren't that bad, but I know tomorrow is supposed to be much more numerous, and worse. the ones today i'm sure would buff out fairly ok, but trying to prepare myself for tomorrow

Quote:

Arturus previously said:

I was blown away too by what we did today, especially since it was a "basic" clinic...that last run with the jeep was a bit close, he would have rolled for sure if he hadn't gunned it...apparently his diff was messed up and he was stuck in 2wd...problem was he found out when he did the 90 degree turn on that steep descent!

Yeah, Jeff did have some trouble. Nobody else but me saw it, but when he was trying to get up that hill that he eventually had a lot of trouble coming down off of he couldn't make it up the first section and had to roll back. maybe it was ok, but it looked like no fun. so i think he had a clue that something was wrong.

Quote:

Arturus previously said:

Have fun tomorrow...I'm signing up for the second day but in January and then off to Death Valley with Tom in April...maybe we can schedule it so we can put them both FJs through their paces...btw...sweet ride, first SE I'd seen in person!

As I just said in the other post, it's been raining since it got dark, so it should make for a very different experience tomorrow.

I too was thinking about doing some other trips with Tom (or other groups). I like the idea of having other FJs on trips, it helps me understand what I should do. It was very helpful watching you today, you did great!

Quincy

Arturus · 12-10-2006, 01:52 AM

Quinxy...have fun tomorrow...can't wait to see more pics...your rig is sure to get nice n' muddy...lemme know how she handles in the mud. One thing I took away from the training was to keep my eyes on the spotter and follow their lead (assuming he/she is skilled) as opposed to my knee-jerk reactions or instincts developed through on-road driving guiding my moves. You did great too...calm, collected and a smooth operator...and mas grande cajones for taking out the brand spanking new FJ (san plates even) out this weekend.

Feel free to PM me and I'll give you my contact info, maybe we can go out on some trails again soon.

Art

AF Chief · 12-10-2006, 03:44 AM

Nice pics, and kudos for taking a course. Look forward to your next update.