Austin Area TW Chapter (all gens welcome, even T4Rs; heck, just make it a Toyota and we're good)

I'm jealous of the folks that were boarding down Tumbleweed hill on 2222. That looked like a blast.

 

What's up Austin!
Hope everyone is doing well and staying warm and safe!

 

Holy hell, the lines at Sam’s and H‑E‑B to get in have been long everywhere I’ve been. If you absolutely have to go get bottled water (if they have it) dress warm and wear all your socks.

#savethetoes

 

Yes, I've had a few friends make it in and report that the shelves are very bare. That being said I have every confidence that H-E-B / Central Market will be restocked as fast as humanly possible.

 

@ChadsPride - how’s the carport? I’ve heard stories brother. Hope you can save it.

 

Found a DCLB Off-Road in Colorado, so last week was a quick road trip.

As soon as it thaws out around here, time to go hunting for a Shell. Still debating on the style, cab roofline, or a bumped-up (more room, but not as sleek looking).

Shell, air mattress, a sleeping bag. Simple camping rig.

 

Bumped up will add 10-20 years. Not to the truck, but to how old people think you are. Venture carefully.

 

https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/ad...s-to-transport-emergency-workers-and-supplies

 

I love the Alu-Cab I picked up, the RLD and RSI caps look nice too.

 

If I could do it over again I would probably go Alu-cab as well! Or GFC but they are pricey!

 

If you are buying a new Leer or similar once you add windoors, roof tracks, and reinforcement it gets pretty close to the Alu-Cab pricing. I can't wait to start mounting stuff to the roof with the M8 nut tracks.

 

Ok.. so Tacomas on ice is officially canceled...

Last day of the hitch, Finally made it home worse driving 0f the week due to the number of people on the road.

Conservative ice road milage logged is 500. Couple days the roads where just icy.. but several days was a solid sheet of ice for nearly the whole drive. Today seen ambulances, semi.trucks, wreckers, and of course go fast sports cars. And pickup trucks in The ditch and many more spinning wheels and sliding down hills sideways.

Time to turn the backup heat on get the chill out of the house fire up the camp stove and cook.some dinner and pour a nice stiff drink.

4 days no power and counting.. the irony is thick

 

Yeah maybe on my next truck I'll go with one! I got a great deal on a used topper a couple years ago. Carpet, leds, roof tracks, locks & keys for around $500.

 

Also, in all honesty:
My first gen had a mismatched fiberglass topper of unknown manufacture. I added roof tracks and load bars to mount the RTT and never worried about it because it was effectively free. I think I used wire nuts when I had to patch a new interior light in. "Temporary" but never went back to fix it.

All that the Alu-Cab has enabled me to do that I couldn't do before is access through the side via the doors, spend money on Alu-Cab accessories, and use a bunch of leftover electrical stuff (Deutsch DTM, DR25, ATUM glue lined, Raychem splices) to wire it to the truck in an overkill manner.

 

Yeah, I have no intention of going anywhere until early next week.

On the plus side, my driveway is ice free. The wife is in San Fran, and coming home tomorrow. I sent her this pic, and she asked if I used a flamethrower. I replied, “Sorta, a 60 year old bad !”...

 

That driveway looks nice! I have a 200' crushed limestone driveway; I wish I had bought two sets of chains in Colorado! We make it above freezing today, yipee. The pool is still solid ice and probably another week for running water (melting snow to flush toilets).

 

That sucks about the pool. Fortunately, we had power all week, so ours hasn't had any issues. At first, I thought that was due to it being salt water, but that's only a slight improvement.

 

I have running water at my place if you need to fill any jugs up!

 

Appreciate it.

My kids are in the area; one has running water. So we'll head over tomorrow for showers and to fill up water jugs.

We did make it to HEB. A little hectic, out of bottled water, but had Milk and Eggs. Yogurt and cereal, so I'm good for the rest of the week.

My wife will have her second eye done this week, critical she has eye drops before surgery. My insurance didn't cover it, as it can not be refilled before 28 days, but surgery is a different eye—$ 417. Ouch, submitting that to them with a tersely worded letter.

 

Shoveled mine as well, people were looking at me like 'wtf are you doing, just wait for the sun to..' UUH NO BITCH. I WANT MY SHIT NICE AND DRY.