Picked up a Treeline Tamarack RTT. My old roommate is upgrading to something fancy.

My son is pretty excited to sleep on top of the Bull Moose.

After a year of documenting the work I've done to my FJ40 on here I finally put it to use. Last night, I got back from Colorado in time to enjoy the last 3:00 of the Aggie game, but not even that could take away from the great experience I had.

tl;dr - I hauled my FJ40 to Durango, fished a couple days then wheeled a couple days. I took about 875 pictures, but here are 20ish that tell the story.

Upon arrival in Durango I unloaded the 40 at a mini-storage where I had arranged to leave my pickup and trailer. After provisioning at the supermarket Quaid94 and I started up toward Purgatory resort where we were going to camp the first night. As we started up the mountain we met this guy headed down.



This was our first, and as it turned out, only camping spot. Our trip was in two phases: fishing then wheeling, so we had to be mobile and make big moves at times. Long story short rain and logistics caused us to alter some plans so we did less camping than originally intended. Quaid94's diesel Rubicon is a beast, that didn't change for the duration of the trip.



The first day we fished Hermosa Creek in the San Juan NF above this campsite. The next day we were in NM, over an hour south of Durango fishing the San Juan River below Navajo Dam. It was incredible and for those who care to do this fishing with LRHF from the Outdoor Board is THE way! I'll be posting a review of the fishing trip on the OB later. Great guy, great Ag, great guide. 10/10, I will be fishing with him again next time.

We got in from our drift boat trip down the San Juan late Monday evening and had plans to meet up with cstav86 in Silverton the next morning to strike out for the Alpine Loop. Since it was dark by the time we left Durango we snagged an Airbnb in Silverton at the last minute and I peddled up the first part of the Million Dollar highway in the pitch black of night. Seeing it on Friday in the daylight had me wondering if I was just dumb, lucky, or good that I survived. Tuesday's sunrise greeted with the beautiful colors we would be treated to for the next couple days. We stayed across from the Pvblic Library.



We met cstav86 for breakfast to plan our trip around the Alpine Loop.



Going up toward Engineer Pass we stopped often for pictures then pushed up to the top. This was a first for me. I've been to Colorado to ski, and a couple times to hunt, but never to do this; so stopping for pictures was a regular occurrence.



I took no responsibility for navigating, so I could snap pics, videos, and enjoy the views when I wasn't zeroed in on choosing a line. This let me get some good shots of cstav86 when he was in the lead. We chose our trip date on several factors totally unrelated to what conditions we expected to encounter and backed our way into some of the most incredible views and colors imaginable on the mountain.



The trails weren't crowded, but when we did meet groups it was very common for folks to stop and comment on our Land Cruisers. It became a running joke before the trip was over; if one of us lagged it must have been because someone wanted to 'talk Land Cruiser'. This doe showed up at our lunch break and gave a little deer thumbs up for the 40s.



Have I mentioned the colors?



It is nice to enjoy my truck from the driver's seat after working in, on, and under it for a couple years. Like a typical first timer though, I brought entirely too much crap and did this trip way too fat. I'll know next time and be MUCH lighter and nimbler (truck and driver ).



After passing through Lake City we continued with the Loop and crossed Cinnamon Pass.



I took this picture of cstav86 coming down Cinnamon toward Animas Forks.





I don't know what it is about that picture that sets the hook in me, but it reminds me of this scene from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I told cstav86 to blow it up and hang it on the wall of his garage, because it's a keeper.

The next morning, we all got up and went over Ophir.




After a walking tour and hanging out in Telluride, Quaid94 and I struck out on our own over Imogene while cstav86 headed back over Ophir toward Silverton to continue his trip.

Climbing out of Telluride, the views did NOT disappoint.




Shortly after lunch we made it to the top.



After enjoying an afternoon in Ouray, we partook of the night life and one more picture before making our way back to the motel. This reminds me of a picture reddog90 took of a random blue 40 several years ago, sitting on this same street, that cost both of us a lot of $. hahahaha.



Friday morning, the Million Dollar Highway led us back to Durango where I loaded back up and we headed home.

I had a great time. Enjoying all of this in a 1978 rig is, well, like doing in 1978. There aren't all the modern comforts of a new ride: it's slow, and it's lumbering, but it is capable. After the spinal fluid in my vertebrae settles back in place I am sure I will able to walk straight again! I know, we did the easy stuff, but this was always intended to be an introductory tour. The harder stuff is for another trip and I definitely learned some lessons I can put to use when that time comes.

It was a real blessing to have a patient travelling partner as backup in case anything went wrong but fortunately I got through it without any real wrenching. One day a small vacuum line came off the carb and I lost idle, but eventually found the culprit and everything was back to normal. I also diagnosed a weak clutch master cylinder on the first day, but a quick double pump of the clutch got me through the trip. With every boulder I climbed and every shelf road I drove, I second-guessed every nut and bolt that I had turned over the last year or so… but nothing disappointed. I can't wait to go back.

*many thanks to reddog90 for his offline help and encouragement getting through this project/trip

Had a great time wheeling with you guys! All that hard work sure paid off.

Wow 3 posts in 10 years!

That trip looked awesome and I'm a little jealous. I'm in for the LC meetup during Aggie baseball season. Please, can baseball hurry up?

I uploaded one of my GoPro clips climbing out of Telluride to Youtube (like there isn't already 10k of them on there). I don't know wtf happened to the sound, for some reason it's the only one I have that is silent. It starts where a fella in a Power Wagon with his two sons passed and wanted to 'talk Land Cruiser' on the trail.

Ironically, the portion from about 3:50-4:20 gave me anxiety before we set out because I'd seen it so much on social media; but when I actually did the trail - I didn't even recognize it. I was so focused on the bit of trail right ahead of me I didn't see it all comprehensively until I watched the video. The image stabilization conveys the rocking and rolling...

Again, what great fall color. I had great wildflowers when I was there in August but I am jealous of those aspens.

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/rEl6PQab/1990-toyota-land-cruiser

It looks like a banana, but…I think I might put a bid on it.

EDIT: Well, I got the high bid on it.

Well, my bid didn't meet reserve, but the seller accepted it this morning. Looks like I just joined the club. That color though.

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/rEl6PQab/1990-toyota-land-cruiser

Congratulations?

Kidding. You can always repaint or be a local landmark wherever you live. "Just look for the banana cruiser. You know it when you see it. "

Probably use it to push my kids in one direction or the other. I'll just tell them, "Don't make me pick you up in the Landcruiser in front of all your friends."

vmiaptetr said:

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Probably use it to push my kids in one direction or the other. I'll just tell them, "Don't make me pick you up in the Landcruiser in front of all your friends."

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I bet it looks better in person. Beige photographs strangely in bright sunshine which is what you have here. Invite us over when you get it and we can decide if we want to make fun of it or not! Welcome to the club!

Perfect example are the inside photos

Didn't realize that it was RHD. That will be interesting to get used to.

I approve of this behavior.

morning: "anyone know where to buy one of those land cruisers?"

lunch: "we're done here."

Congrats vmiaptetr! Can't wait to follow along with your new ride.

I have no idea what the reserve was. They don't list it on Cars and Bids. I just got contacted after the action to see if I still wanted it, and he let me get it at my bid price.

I was looking back through my pictures and found something else to share. The night we moved back to Durango before our second day fishing we stopped for dinner at a cantina on 550 and I pulled up to park next to this monster. My brush with greatness, an EarthRoamer.





https://earthroamer.com/new-lti/explore/

Thought y'all would appreciate. It's as big and impressive as it's price tag! ($750k+/-)

Camping this weekend at Bovoy Scout Ranch in Navasota.

The new (to us) RTT worked out great.

Full moon and could see it through the skylights.