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10/25/200508/23/2015

Badlands Off Road Adventure’s Basic Off-Road Clinic 2 Day Version in Anza Borrego – Day 1

There are a lot of people going Off-road, many people learned by experience, some by trial & error, and some are learned by wheeling with experienced driver. For me, since I like drive off-road and do go off-road once in a while. But frankly, I am a really bad driver, on road and off road, and I figure maybe take a class will be beneficial for me and my vehicle.

After in depth research on the web and forums, many hour of comparison and carefully compared. Few are available in southern California, especially with time & budget constrict. There are two that are standout :

Badlands Off Road Adventure – Find that from fellow TundraSolutions member

Bill Burke’s 4-Wheeling America– Read from 4WD Toyota owner magazine which he was the editor

The Badlands Off Road Adventure by Tom Severin was chosen due to budget, location, and availability.

I registered the Basic Clinic for Sept. 20th, which he contacted me to notify me about equipment, and some safety information, Release of waiver of liability, survey of vehicle form, and some other forms. Few days before the event, there are some fire near hungry valley CA, so he had to move the class to Anza Borrego with brand new schedule, and since I am going to stay there, I signed up for second day too. I arrived on Friday night atPalm Canyon Inn at Borrego Spring at 9 Friday morning, because the lecture class was hosting there Saturday morning at 7:30.

I drove there after work on Friday the 29th, which it’s excellent drive. There is not too much traffic for Friday afternoon at 5 south (in California), get on 76 on Oceanside, 70, S2, and than S22. On the way down S22 which was a stretch of road coming down to Borrego Spring (next to Anza Borrego), there are no one on the road, so I was driving very slowly with window down. It’s not too warm, and the weather is just lightly warm with distant light around the Borrego Spring, and it’s great with light dry wind in the cabin. The Palm Canyon Inn are just at exit of the S22, which I checked in and to the room and get to sleep for early day tomorrow.

Waked up a little early, but since I was new at location, so I didn’t get the breakfast, but it’s okay, I usually don’t do breakfast. Walked around a little, took some picture near the Inn and find Mr. Serverin’s vehicle and chat a little before we start the class. We check my vehicle out to make sure it’s safe. we follow the Badland’s own check list, but the check list works basic check list for most standard check list for most of the clubs. Then we started the class, and first few Hours are the lectures and afternoon will be off-road driving.

There are three vehicles besides instructor’s highly modified vehicle:

Jeep wrangler – large tires, raised, suspended, changed axels.

2006 Toyota FJ cruiser 4×4- from what I know it’s pretty stock but with a little option

2005 Toyota Tundra 4×4 limit access cab – Just in case you don’t know… that’s mine

Caution:

This class was usually held at Hungry Valley, but due to fire hazzard around the area, Tom hosted at Anza Borrego, also there will be body damage on the vehicles

Links to other useful sites:

Anza-Borrego state park website

Badlands Off Road Adventure

Tundra Solutions

4WD Toyota owner magazine

Bill Burke’s 4-Wheeling America

Palm Canyon Inn

Hi-Lift Jack

Here it goes:

This is the Palm Canyon Inn's main office building right next to S22 and Palm Canyon Road, the building has few meeting rooms, bar and lounge, and a small store. — This is the Palm Canyon Inn’s main office building right next to S22 and Palm Canyon Road, the building has few meeting rooms, bar and lounge, and a small store.

View from main office to Palm canyon roadSign of the Inn

one of the Inn's building and the vehicle in the front is own by Badlands — one of the Inn’s building and the vehicle in the front is own by Badlands

Palm Canyon Inn's Swimming Pool — Palm Canyon Inn’s Swimming Pool

The Inn also have RV park with picnic table

While we took a break we did the bubble test, which it demonstrate how far we can see the ground from inside the cab. The view of the field are pretty bad, we can't see nothing around passenger side, but right side is pretty good if we took a look with our head out of the window. — While we took a break we did the bubble test, which it demonstrate how far we can see the ground from inside the cab. The view of the field are pretty bad, we can’t see nothing around passenger side, but right side is pretty good if we took a look with our head out of the window.

The Driver's View on the front — The Driver’s View on the front

We drove for half an hour to get to the road that leads "land fill" — We drove for half an hour to get to the road that leads “land fill”

we find a place to get off the paved road to get to off road location

There are few ATV, utility vehicles around.

Stopped and lower the tires, and take a break

Drift on the side — A quick Lecture before going up the proper and safe way.

Flat area — Take in the detail and lesson.

since it's first day, we just slowing drive around — Got up easily and safe

drive side steep — Instruction on how to spot the unknown and lower gear

getting around other vehicle — getting around

filling up air in the — filling up sand in the engine cover, which means it’s too steep. Lucky it’s just soft sand, so it won’t hurt the vehicle. Just in case you don’t know, mine got sand in there too

it's actually very steep — it’s actually very steep, with rocky, dry rot in between. But with all the vehicles ability, it’s easily done.

fast driving in the sand, through the canyon

drift a little — getting a little narrow

Since we are near dark, so we go for the wash, sands, and easier stuff, but still give some demonstration and different terrains.

Around 7, we finish up and get back to the Inn. We had an excellent rib dinner at Inn, we chatted a little and that’s it for the first day.

Day 2 next.

10/06/200508/23/2015

Joshua Tree national Park

went to Mojave National preserve for a couple days to go camping, which is great. It’s not quit desert season yet, so I was all alone in the Granite Mountain. No one bother me, and I enjoyed a good while. Also I went to Hole in the wall visitor center which I didn’t take any picture. Since I was there, I went down to the Joshua Tree for a nice short drive,

Map

Since it’s just a short drive there, I went through it pretty quick, so I didn’t take too much pictures

JOTRmap

This is actually Picture on the sign post

05/16/200508/22/2015

Toyota Hood Protector for 2005 Toyota Tundra Access cab Black.

There are just too many bugs flying around, so after driving in the road, kill hundreds of bugs with hood, and there are lots color on the hood. A decision has been made, which is get the hood protector, so the hood won’t get scratch and kill bugs.

The Toyota Hood Protector made by Toyota guarantees the fit, and cost about $ 150 from dealers directly. Which there are other manufacture like LUND offers form fit, and they are directly exactly fit the hood, but they requires drill to the hood, which most owners afraid of, and will have permanently damage on the hood. The Toyota hood protector comes with giant boxes, and holds items pretty well, there are a manual, bags of parts, hood protector covered by thin white foam, and a bag. The manual explained the hood protector for Access cab is also use for Sequoia. The entire procedure of installing the hood takes about ten to fifteen minutes. There is a lot missing on the explaining which screw and parts is to what, but once actually started, everything went well. The unit is very sturdy and won’t have any problem in 100 miles per hour speed, but do need to afraid on some automatic car wash place that will destroy the hood.

It pops out a little, and from the center of drivers window, there is only a little will be seen, and most will be under the hood.

This is the hood protector is formed like the shape of the hood, but Smokey plastic and strong. There are 2 types of clips included; first type of clips, which clips near the center of the hood, the second type of clips, which clips near the end of hood. The center hood have two clips, which have a thick foam thing between clip and hood to protect hood, near the center is the two clips that snap to the Toyota grill and no drill is needed, right side of the u shape hook to hold shield on. There is another one on the left side, they are all the way to the ends of the hood, holding by none drilling screws, and there is plastic sheet to protect the paint.

Excellent:

No drill

Direct fit

Protect hood

easy installation

strong enough in the high speed

good color for black truck

function as advertised

exact fit

Not so Excellent:

Expensive

seems weak

can break if hit large rock

need to retorque after few thousand mile

get dirty easy

could be more close to the hood

Links to other useful sites:

toyota

05/16/200508/22/2015

Undercover Lid for 2005 Toyota Tundra Access Cab lids

I want something to cover my truck bed, lockable, so it can stores massive amount of stuff in the truck bed. There are lots of options: hard, soft, roll, camper, fiberglass, and lots others. I did decide to be hard cover, also in some kind of lid form due to following reasons: Campers are just way out of price range, also it’s too heavy to be everyday drive, and it will not handle too well under Off-Road condition. The Soft top are just not so secure, and roll up takes too much space (hard roll version). The lid kind basically are Snugtop, A.R.E, Gaylord, and some other smaller brand. I choose Undercover simply because Bedliners Plus‘s owner Steve recommends that due to lower price than other full complete hard top because it’s not fiberglass like other company. Also it is tailor fit to the vehicle.

Got this for my truck for keeping my truck bed clean and stuff safe, and I found the Undercover.

Here is some info:

The Feature :

Lightweight 58lb for full size trucks

Durability / Toughness and Impact Resistance

Standard No Drill Concealed clamp installation system

Easy On/Easy Off Designed for your truck

Garage Wall Storage system

Heavy Duty Steel Powder coated frame rails

Sleek contour custom fit for each truck

Hydraulically actuated struts for ease of opening and closing

Dual lock point wrap-over tailgate locking design