Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

McSpazatron · Apr 9, 2024

CygnusX191 said: ↑

WIG craft are wild

It's only like 4 inches longer than the 5th gen.
Click to expand...

Plenty of spots where 4inches makes the difference between squeezing through without fanfare, and a 21 point turn lol. Also, haunches. As good as it looks, she got wide hips now!

Pixeltim · Apr 9, 2024

McSpazatron said: ↑

I was so close to going for the 2017 eclipse but the trip felt too long to the closest spot (near carbondale Illinois) and then there were the weather uncertanties that made it hard to plan this as a set in stone trip. That and my laziness overwhelmed my interest.

This time around, I didn’t want to let it go by, so I was kinda planning on trying a little harder to go. Weather was the only thing that made me hedge my bets. But Sunday night, weather looked good, so I decided on going. I’ve been seeing some awesome dslr pics from the last eclipse, and decided to dig out my old camera and zoom lens in case l lucked out.

I got lucky with traffic too. I was planning on going to Albion IL for max totality, but an eclipse app I found showed marginally better chances for clear skies in Palestine, IL. It was a few seconds less of totality, but good enough. I decided to take county highways and farm roads once south of champaigne/urbana. I ended up diverting around some small towns due to 20 min to pass each stop sign. One of those bypasses ended up being a really narrow gravel road that, come to find out, looked dry but was completely saturated by floods rains on Sunday. I floated over mud (with a thin gravel topping for at least 2 miles), hoping to God I didn’t have to stop or end slipping off the road. Made it through with some nice mud spray to mark the day as an adventure.

Apple maps was really pretty good with finding shorter routes around slow traffic as I moved south. I took any that apple showed me, and I made a few reroute calls on my own. Got to palestine just as the eclipse was starting, with enough time to have a snack and set up the camera.

Wow, was it worth it!!! Just absolutely jaw dropping. The difference between 99 percent eclipsed and totality was HUGE! They say a full eclipse usually makes people feel some odd primal “lizard brain” feelings for a split second once the shock of totality hits. I didn’t get fear, or fling poop like a monkey, but it still hit me for a split second. It was like a second of disbelief and sadness that the light went away. Really very weird unexpected feeling.

After the initial awe I got to taking pictures. Earlier, I set up my phone to video that last few minutes. I locked the exposure setting so the camera would not auto adjust light levels, hoping it would show the amount of light drop. Well, it showed it!!! This series of screen shots starts a couple of minutes before totality, with the sun probably 98 percent eclipsed

I also took some screen grabs with the auto exposure set to on. The phone even tried to add some fill light with the light.

Last ones are my grail shots. Being a space geek, I never imagined I would have pictures like these. There was some blurriness because I was fumbling like a neurotic monkey, I was shooting braced against the car door, and I haven’t used the camera for a while, but they’re salvageable. These are right off the back of the camera until I get time to process these:

It’s only through dumb luck I’m not blind from being lasered in the eyeball with a zoom lens. I had a timer set to warn of totality ending but it either didn't go off or I didn’t hear it. Sun poked through as I bumbled through settings.

Once the light came back, it took me a good half hour to recombobulate lol. I was expecting that it wouldn’t be that much of a emotional experience because I had been reading up and knew what to expect. But after word, I was bordering on the edge of calm and the double rainbow guy.

The next 2.5 or 3 hours were spent picking my way through some very nice farm roads (by nice I mean pitchy, rolling, and full of satisfying smooth bumps and dips). The 4runner felt like a very entertaining handful the whole time. God I love how this thing feels on roads like this! Had a lot of smooth farmland county highway all the way to Kankakee, with one stretch being flat and dead straight as an arrow for 30 miles. Despite that, it was still entertaining with my 4runner because I drove in “covered porch” mode (all windows and rear hatch window fully open) until I got on the interstate in Kankakee. Glorious drive… Didn’t want it to end…besides the cramping in my legs lol.
Click to expand...

Very nice!

CygnusX191 · Apr 9, 2024

McSpazatron said: ↑

Plenty of spots where 4inches makes the difference between squeezing through without fanfare, and a 21 point turn lol. Also, haunches. As good as it looks, she got wide hips now!
Click to expand...

Still smaller than a Taco.

Come to Windrock for ATR 2024 and see some 4Runners get into (and out of) places you never thought you'd see a 4Runner

Taco-Grinder · Apr 9, 2024

I think this pretty well sums it up for this crew.

pearing · Apr 9, 2024

Taco-Grinder said: ↑

I think this pretty well sums it up for this crew.

Click to expand...

Trees...

CygnusX191 · Apr 9, 2024

pearing said: ↑

Trees...
Click to expand...

When the trees speak Japanese....

"..... Toyota....."

"...... Toyota......"

.
"......Dihatsu......."

bkhlrTaco's · Apr 9, 2024

CygnusX191 said: ↑

When the trees speak Japanese....

"..... Toyota....."

"...... Toyota......"

.
"......Dihatsu......."

Click to expand...

nihongo ga hanasemasen

Taco-Grinder · Apr 9, 2024

pearing said: ↑

Trees...
Click to expand...

@Supr4Lo

Shellshock · Apr 9, 2024

LarryDangerfield said: ↑

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/trailhunter-release-tomorrow.829670/page-2#post-29741425
Click to expand...

https://youtu.be/ymm4Ej0ocBw?si=OV4w-4m9Wk__m-Hb

Stoney Ranger · Apr 9, 2024

Taco-Grinder said: ↑

I think this pretty well sums it up for this crew.

Click to expand...

pearing said: ↑

Trees...
Click to expand...

Yeah...trees.

pearing · Apr 10, 2024

I put this up on the other page, but wanted to get coverage:
Okay-I know I cannot wait until August to go play at Tigerton. My schedule is a mess until then; except for, Sunday JUNE 9th!! I am working the 8th in the Minocqua area, so drop trailer and go. Will stay over that night at Tigerton. Need play mates... Dan @Taco-Grinder is in for the day. Others??? I am going to reserve a a site today.

bkhlrTaco's · Apr 10, 2024

pearing said: ↑

I put this up on the other page, but wanted to get coverage:
Okay-I know I cannot wait until August to go play at Tigerton. My schedule is a mess until then; except for, Sunday JUNE 9th!! I am working the 8th in the Minocqua area, so drop trailer and go. Will stay over that night at Tigerton. Need play mates... Dan @Taco-Grinder is in for the day. Others??? I am going to reserve a a site today.
Click to expand...

My thoughts were similar and was considering checking with @McSpazatron to see if there were any times he was going, before fall.

I'm interested.
Status- pending (gotta check my calendar)

Pixeltim · Apr 10, 2024

Stoney Ranger said: ↑

Yeah...trees.

Click to expand...

Ents

bkhlrTaco's · Apr 10, 2024

pearing said: ↑

I put this up on the other page, but wanted to get coverage:
Okay-I know I cannot wait until August to go play at Tigerton. My schedule is a mess until then; except for, Sunday JUNE 9th!! I am working the 8th in the Minocqua area, so drop trailer and go. Will stay over that night at Tigerton. Need play mates... Dan @Taco-Grinder is in for the day. Others??? I am going to reserve a a site today.
Click to expand...

Status Update: I'm in!

My calendar (wife) said "Have Fun".

rubbersidedown · Apr 10, 2024

McSpazatron said: ↑

Plenty of spots where 4inches makes the difference between squeezing through without fanfare, and a 21 point turn lol. Also, haunches. As good as it looks, she got wide hips now!
Click to expand...

Long boi Trail limo
It's all part of the adventure. Ask @Stoney Ranger about the long boi challenge roads in Arkansas.

Stoney Ranger · Apr 10, 2024

rubbersidedown said: ↑

Long boi Trail limo
It's all part of the adventure. Ask @Stoney Ranger about the long boi challenge roads in Arkansas.
Click to expand...

He looked like he was doing a slalom course on downhill skis. Was very impressive to watch.

CygnusX191 · Apr 10, 2024

Stoney Ranger said: ↑

He looked like he was doing a slalom course on downhill skis. Was very impressive to watch.
Click to expand...

That is literally the technique for trail limos

Peeing on jeeps · Apr 10, 2024

pearing said: ↑

I put this up on the other page, but wanted to get coverage:
Okay-I know I cannot wait until August to go play at Tigerton. My schedule is a mess until then; except for, Sunday JUNE 9th!! I am working the 8th in the Minocqua area, so drop trailer and go. Will stay over that night at Tigerton. Need play mates... Dan @Taco-Grinder is in for the day. Others??? I am going to reserve a a site today.
Click to expand...

June 9th ? Don't think I could do that. Got all the Grand baby's coming from Colorado & Alaska, just not sure what two weeks they'll be here . I'll be up around Hayward when they come. But there are so many places closer w/ disburse camping allowed. Maybe next time..

wi_taco · Apr 10, 2024

McSpazatron said: ↑

I was so close to going for the 2017 eclipse but the trip felt too long to the closest spot (near carbondale Illinois) and then there were the weather uncertanties that made it hard to plan this as a set in stone trip. That and my laziness overwhelmed my interest.

This time around, I didn’t want to let it go by, so I was kinda planning on trying a little harder to go. Weather was the only thing that made me hedge my bets. But Sunday night, weather looked good, so I decided on going. I’ve been seeing some awesome dslr pics from the last eclipse, and decided to dig out my old camera and zoom lens in case l lucked out.

I got lucky with traffic too. I was planning on going to Albion IL for max totality, but an eclipse app I found showed marginally better chances for clear skies in Palestine, IL. It was a few seconds less of totality, but good enough. I decided to take county highways and farm roads once south of champaigne/urbana. I ended up diverting around some small towns due to 20 min to pass each stop sign. One of those bypasses ended up being a really narrow gravel road that, come to find out, looked dry but was completely saturated by floods rains on Sunday. I floated over mud (with a thin gravel topping for at least 2 miles), hoping to God I didn’t have to stop or end slipping off the road. Made it through with some nice mud spray to mark the day as an adventure.

Apple maps was really pretty good with finding shorter routes around slow traffic as I moved south. I took any that apple showed me, and I made a few reroute calls on my own. Got to palestine just as the eclipse was starting, with enough time to have a snack and set up the camera.

Wow, was it worth it!!! Just absolutely jaw dropping. The difference between 99 percent eclipsed and totality was HUGE! They say a full eclipse usually makes people feel some odd primal “lizard brain” feelings for a split second once the shock of totality hits. I didn’t get fear, or fling poop like a monkey, but it still hit me for a split second. It was like a second of disbelief and sadness that the light went away. Really very weird unexpected feeling.

After the initial awe I got to taking pictures. Earlier, I set up my phone to video that last few minutes. I locked the exposure setting so the camera would not auto adjust light levels, hoping it would show the amount of light drop. Well, it showed it!!! This series of screen shots starts a couple of minutes before totality, with the sun probably 98 percent eclipsed

I also took some screen grabs with the auto exposure set to on. The phone even tried to add some fill light with the light.

Last ones are my grail shots. Being a space geek, I never imagined I would have pictures like these. There was some blurriness because I was fumbling like a neurotic monkey, I was shooting braced against the car door, and I haven’t used the camera for a while, but they’re salvageable. These are right off the back of the camera until I get time to process these:

It’s only through dumb luck I’m not blind from being lasered in the eyeball with a zoom lens. I had a timer set to warn of totality ending but it either didn't go off or I didn’t hear it. Sun poked through as I bumbled through settings.

Once the light came back, it took me a good half hour to recombobulate lol. I was expecting that it wouldn’t be that much of a emotional experience because I had been reading up and knew what to expect. But after word, I was bordering on the edge of calm and the double rainbow guy.

The next 2.5 or 3 hours were spent picking my way through some very nice farm roads (by nice I mean pitchy, rolling, and full of satisfying smooth bumps and dips). The 4runner felt like a very entertaining handful the whole time. God I love how this thing feels on roads like this! Had a lot of smooth farmland county highway all the way to Kankakee, with one stretch being flat and dead straight as an arrow for 30 miles. Despite that, it was still entertaining with my 4runner because I drove in “covered porch” mode (all windows and rear hatch window fully open) until I got on the interstate in Kankakee. Glorious drive… Didn’t want it to end…besides the cramping in my legs lol.
Click to expand...

Wow that's awesome, nice work Carlos! Even got the coronal mass ejections in the totality shot that's sick!!

LarryDangerfield · Apr 10, 2024

Finally got the Old Man Emu mt64s put on today. I wish I could be one of those guys that's like, "Only took me 30 minutes to do both sides and that included a beer break." But I'm not, so it took me a while and I'm tired. Working on things reminds you how out of shape you are and makes you really appreciate mechanics who do that stuff for a living. Not the hardest to install, but these things have so much pressure that it took all of my strength to push the shock down so that I could get the top through the hole in the frame. I will take them to the usual testing grounds but first I think I need a nap lol. Also my bilsteins are for sale. Like new, barely used, great shape, no lowballers, I know what I got.

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Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

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CygnusX191 Gangster of Boats

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Taco-Grinder It's all part of the adventure.

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pearing Well-Known Member

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CygnusX191 Gangster of Boats

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bkhlrTaco's “expletive deleted”

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Taco-Grinder It's all part of the adventure.

#34349
Shellshock King Shit of Turd Island

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Stoney Ranger Pizza Cutters, Baby... and Lockers? Pffft

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pearing Well-Known Member

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bkhlrTaco's “expletive deleted”

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Pixeltim Misunderstood member

#34354
bkhlrTaco's “expletive deleted”

#34355
rubbersidedown Well known voider of warranties

#34356
Stoney Ranger Pizza Cutters, Baby... and Lockers? Pffft

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CygnusX191 Gangster of Boats

#34358
Peeing on jeeps That Yankee Rebel

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wi_taco My skid plates give rocks taco flavored kisses

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Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

#34341 McSpazatron Well-Known Member

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#34343 CygnusX191 Gangster of Boats

#34344 Taco-Grinder It's all part of the adventure.

#34345 pearing Well-Known Member

#34346 CygnusX191 Gangster of Boats

#34347 bkhlrTaco's “expletive deleted”

#34348 Taco-Grinder It's all part of the adventure.

#34349 Shellshock King Shit of Turd Island

#34350 Stoney Ranger Pizza Cutters, Baby... and Lockers? Pffft

#34351 pearing Well-Known Member

#34352 bkhlrTaco's “expletive deleted”

#34353 Pixeltim Misunderstood member

#34354 bkhlrTaco's “expletive deleted”

#34355 rubbersidedown Well known voider of warranties

#34356 Stoney Ranger Pizza Cutters, Baby... and Lockers? Pffft

#34357 CygnusX191 Gangster of Boats

#34358 Peeing on jeeps That Yankee Rebel

#34359 wi_taco My skid plates give rocks taco flavored kisses

#34360 LarryDangerfield One Larry a day keeps the money away ™ Moderator

Products Discussed in Entire Site Forum: Mid West Thread: Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

#34341
McSpazatron Well-Known Member

#34342
Pixeltim Misunderstood member

#34343
CygnusX191 Gangster of Boats

#34344
Taco-Grinder It's all part of the adventure.

#34345
pearing Well-Known Member

#34346
CygnusX191 Gangster of Boats

#34347
bkhlrTaco's “expletive deleted”

#34348
Taco-Grinder It's all part of the adventure.

#34349
Shellshock King Shit of Turd Island

#34350
Stoney Ranger Pizza Cutters, Baby... and Lockers? Pffft

#34351
pearing Well-Known Member

#34352
bkhlrTaco's “expletive deleted”

#34353
Pixeltim Misunderstood member

#34354
bkhlrTaco's “expletive deleted”

#34355
rubbersidedown Well known voider of warranties

#34356
Stoney Ranger Pizza Cutters, Baby... and Lockers? Pffft

#34357
CygnusX191 Gangster of Boats

#34358
Peeing on jeeps That Yankee Rebel

#34359
wi_taco My skid plates give rocks taco flavored kisses

#34360
LarryDangerfield One Larry a day keeps the money away ™ Moderator

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