5th gen 4Runners in scenic locations

Day trip to Sedona, AZ.

 

Shafer trail on the way to White Rim Canyonlands NP

 

Merry Christmas to all from my northern California driveway.

 

Exploring the Bemis Hill Trails of the Beltrami Island State Forest in Northern MN.

 

Last minute trail ride with the Mark Twain Mafia Sunday.
Hit a trail I hadn't been on before.

And a little peanut butter mud - 20 sec video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLoDmmBCplU

 

God Wranglers all pimped out are fugly

Who looks at that white and blue POS and thinks "perfect"?

 

I was thinking I wanted pick up a yellow 4 door Jeep and put "Short Bus" on the hood.
But then I saw 3 yellow Jeeps with the that same thing on them.

 

That Jeep will go places a 4R can't. Yeah, i agree, it is ugly. Function before fashion.

 

They are more capable, but slow as crap and reliability isn't their thing. I bought my runner for reliability and then discovered how much easier it drives over most terrain

 

I don't know. Between that and the Runner next to it.... no winch, wider stance, possibly no lockers (can't tell if it's a Boobicon or not?)... I suspect there's no place one can go that the other can't also. But one does it with fucking class!

 

I led the trail ride with my 4Runner again, yesterday. He just had to photo bomb the group pic.
He did ask me, with all the wheeling I do, why did I buy a Toyota instead of Jeep? I told him road trip comfort + reliability.

The Rubicon is on the far left.

 

Coming up Snoqualmie Pass today, heading home from Seattle. Roads were icy, but I had to try to get the new tires to break traction.

 

Out on some forest roads yesterday in the Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest (just east of Greenwater).

 

During the day (yesterday) of traveling forest roads and back roads, I had to "recover" from a scenic location.

The story: A tree had fallen across the road and I had parked just to side of the crown in the road, as to not block the main path. I was planning to check out the tree and then turn around and hook up and pull the it to the side, to get the tree out of the way of the main path. I soon as I stepped out of the truck I realized how slick the road surface was! Once back in the truck any wheel movement then made the 4Runner slide directly towards the guard rail... ugghhh. I started digging to get clear pavement and a clear dirt shoulder and few minutes later two different groups showed up, on both sides of the tree . Thankfully I was able to recover without any contact with the rail. A Tacoma pulled up behind me and with a quick pick I was back at the top of the road.

 

Ice fishing yesterday on Lake of the Woods, MN.

 

Thought that was Snoqualmie. Where's home? I'm in Wenatchee.

 

On the Idaho border by Pullman.

 

Oh hell no.

 

The driving on ice part or the cold part?

I love that ice shanty. Nice touch. Needs a polar bear.

 

The cold part. I ain’t about that life.

 

Me neither. Driving home to Dallas now. Took us 8 hrs to drive 200 miles through that MN storm today. Halfway through SD and can’t get back to 80 degrees fast enough.

 

Headed up (elevation) to Crown King, AZ and arrived alive.

 

And that's why I moved to the metroplex after 15 years in KC and 6 in Ohio.

The only thing that sucks is the toll roads sucking me bone dry, killing me softly....

 

Last week @ Palo Duro Canyon,

 

I was just looking at that same cell booster on line how is it working for you ?

 

A little wheeling today. Explored another new area. Found an old falling down farm house.




A couple creek crossings


Fun times.

 

Wrote up the following related to this trip.

"Another note, the phone did NOT have a cell signal, even with the weBoost, but the 4Runner’s WiFi was strong augmented by the weBoost. Unfortunately, the WiFi might NOT be available in the morning after shutting down the 4Runner for the night. NOT a deal-breaker but a note, as we are out here to leave home [and phone] behind. [The following morning,] as expected, after starting the vehicle in the morning there were NO cell/WiFi signals. Likely, as is common, the WiFi was dragged along and held until shutting down last night. This morning, had to drive about 4-5 miles before the weBoost picked up both signals."


Note: Back to your question. It's a booster of an EXISTING signal and does NOT create a signal. The latter is a common misconception. Thus, without an existing signal there is none. That said, by dragging I mean the booster grabs, drags, and holds a signal from outside an area and brings it into an area where there is NO signal. However, when the booster or signal is turned off that dragged and held signal is lost and to NOT be found when the booster and signal are turned on again. To avoid losing the signal I hardwired the booster to the house battery so that the booster is always on, which will hold the phone signal if captured (as long as the phone is on) but NOT the 4Runner's WiFi as that connection is an accessory connection and when the vehicle is turned off that connection is lost (unless you leave the vehicle accessory on). Because of the latter, I am considering a mobile hotspot that I can hardwire to the house battery as well.

All that said, I primarily use all the above gadgetry for work, which is mostly rural, but have use of it when away from work as well. And finally, to your question, it works well, most of the time, ~80%, when I am working. Because, during my work I have the redundace of three different cell/WiFi providers, and dispite that the other ~20% I have NO signal. Thus, if NOT primarily for work I would NOT (again, would NOT) have gotten it and that experience is of over a year now. (1) For the cost (which I write off my taxes) I would want it more reliable with a single signal, NOT three. (2) For work, I have 3 signals and it's NOT even 90%. Outside of work, I have 2 signal and when outside developed areas it's maybe 75% reliable (and I might be exaggerating--but definately better than 50%). With a single signal, as most folks have with their phone, the availability and reliability must drop. (3) Lastly, humbug answer, do we really need a signal when trying to get away from it all? Hope that helps.

 

The only reason a signal matters for me is weather-related. Gaia GPS takes care of navigation so yeah, I am with you there. I recently purchased the Garmin emergency beacon and with an elevated monthly membership it can provide weather reports, so hopefully, I can get off the grid in peace.