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

I reported this post for the excessive amount of porn.

 

Ok locals, I'd like some real world opinions and feedback please:

1. What's your cost of living like? I'm not looking for exact numbers, but rough cost of rent or utilities would be appreciated.
2. What's the housing market like? I see they're building literally everywhere, but there's still tons of open space within a short drive of Austin.
3. Where is there to go off roading around these parts? I've got a long traveled truck. It'll have 4x4 working soon but kind of a moot point if there's nowhere to go
4. How bad is traffic, realistically?

 

Long story short, since I'm on my phone - Austin itself is a more expensive than normal city to live in. It's a lot of fun, but pricey. Housing market -if it's for sale and you like it, don't wait. Bid immediately. If you don't want to chance losing it - bid over asking price.

Traffic... Sucks. Not LA, or Atlanta, but close.

Off road is slim. There's the beach in corpus, dirt roads out west, some trails here and there... But almost no public land within 4-7 hours. Couple decent off-road parks. There's a lot of get togethers and exploration meets starting up, which are fun, though not particularly challenging for a LT truck.

The state is gorgeous, and worth traveling through. Big Bend and west Texas especially.

 

1. Can't say exactly, i'm self supporting but in Lubbock, I just stay with my parents now during breaks to spend time with family. I do know they're jacking up appraisals to property tax people out of our neighborhood. I've probably said that now 5 times on this thread, hahaha, oh well
2. Apartment or house? I can speak for the north side that appts are going up EVERYWHERE. My parents are considering moving there is are so many going up. The houses are beautiful, at least in my neighborhood. Large limestone not too rustic but definitely Texan. We bought my grandmother a cheaper house in Leander, red brick and a lot nicer on the inside than on the outside, though the outside isn't bad by any means.
3. If ya want to really off road in Texas, you'll want 4WD. Sorry to the 2WD guys but it's true. Texas is regarded as the third best wheeling state in the country, behind Utah and Colorado, in front of California, I think I read that out of 4WP's home brand magazine. Wolf Caves is becoming nationally aclaimed and is in the top 5 places to wheel in most magazines published in 2017, and was featured on the front of Crawler magazine. Hidden Falls is a huge staple as well, 2800 acres. The others are Barnwell Mountain, K2 and Big Bend. The rest are smaller names, and honestly most that we've (@Toyboata) and I have visited sucked to be blunt. It should be noted the only one that is state/national land is Big Bend, and the national park is super easy wheeling that honestly could be done in 2WD. I got around in my old open 2WD Tundra without breaking a sweat. Besides Big Bend, the rest cost money to get into and they're not cheap.
4. Stay away from I35, Mopac and FM620 and you'll be fine. Expect some traffic from 7:3-am to 6:30pm though.

 

sorry, should have clarified. Austin seems like LA in that it's a few cities in the general area that's referred to as Austin. I drive in the worst of the LA traffic for work, so I will be overjoyed with anything besides that. I sat on 35 yesterday for 10 minutes while they had the whole freeway closed for construction and it was still better than anything in socal.

I was curious about the cities south of the city: Kyle, Buda, or Hays county in general. Ideally I'd like to get some god damn space because I'm fucking tired of looking out my windows directly into my neighbor's house.

 

The farther out of the city you go the easier that will be to find.

 

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Morning.

 

How you liking the High life? ​

 

Love it went to fort hood last night an hauled butt in the tank trails an a couple river crossing performed great.

 

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Tore threw the golf course by Chris's house like cake but I was driving super slow

 

Love hitting that trail​

 

Guessing the alignment went well and truck drives like a dream.

 

Yes sir took them a while to get it right but worth the wait.

 

So... This was in Cedar Park yesterday, the Crystal Falls area. I think 5 houses got hit by the lightning.

 

I'm jealous. It finally occurred to me that I need to plan an annual camping trip to the rockies in the summer. Take the kiddo while he's on break and escape the heat. Get back to my roots once in a while.

 

Craziness hope on one was hurt.

 

Morning all