15th Annual Toyota Takeover

I Googled it immediately after my post.

Stauns are dumb.

Or, were you asking what Google is? Grandpa Mitchy.

 

Had a great time though camping is really not for me. Lol

 

Dick

 

Guys, I had a great time at the takeover this year as usual. I want to 1st thank everybody that helped me when I broke especially @NwiTACO and @loosnut . At one point and time I couldn't even get in to work on my truck because so many others were in there trying to get it done! That is so awesome guys!



Today was a long day for me, as a lot of you know I was in PA for the whole week with my family camping. By the time we were all packed up it was noon time. Needed to eat before hitting the road. Travel, traffic near NYC, bathroom break, gas. Drop trailer off, drop MIL off. I finally get home around 10:30pm. Yee-haw. Lol

@dziner sorry to hear that you had that experience. Honesty that's on us. Next time please let someone know right away. Nobody wants to see someone not have a good time while were out there to have fun. Glad to hear your going forward with it. Like many others have said get with the right group and it will be a whole different experience!

 

You sir are awesome. To drive all night, then spend all day on the trail was an awesome feat!

 

You guys are correct on the spotting. I thought I did a good job for what it was. I did miscalculate @dziner steps on the hill climb. And for that I'm willing to pay for that. It will never happen again. I'm just a camera man. But all in all it was a good time. Nice to meet everyone.

 

Speaking of which, I didn't get to say bye to you Ryan @getz411. As always had a very enjoyable takeover, from running bucket list lines to adding new ones to my post Moab list, as well as @ToyRyd04 and I going undefeated in leaf blower beer pong. Big thank you to OCK for the food, @ToyRyd04 for tacking my diff plug in place, and everyone we ran with for spotting etc.

Photo dump:

 

His steps are fucked, he ripped them the rest of the way off Sunday. Going to fab us both sliders.

 

Rob, it was good to meet you Saturday night.
Having an excess of help has been my experience as well on every TacomaWorld outing so far, in groups from two to twelve.
I can truly appreciate the camping with the family and wheeling plus travel home, my hat's off to you, I feel a little tired just thinking about it.
I've seen a few negative posts about the weekend, and my perspective is that it takes two to tango. These large events are not necessarily the best time for people fresh to RC to wade through the morning chaos without having a plan in place, or arrangements to ride with others made in advance. It's also not the best opportunity for people fresh to wheeling, as ending up in the middle of a large group can make you feel isolated when the people in front or behind do not know if you need help.
NTC does a great job of setting up the event every year, and every year is different.
Yes more can be done to improve the experience for those fresh to the environment, but those people also need to speak up in advance as there are a great many willing to help.

 

Some photos from Saturday.

DSC_3085 by Jonathan Smith, on Flickr

DSC_3105 by Jonathan Smith, on Flickr

DSC_3130 by Jonathan Smith, on Flickr

DSC_3147 by Jonathan Smith, on Flickr

DSC_3163 by Jonathan Smith, on Flickr

DSC_3179 by Jonathan Smith, on Flickr

 

Wait a minute. When did you run topless for tatas Rod?!?

 

that is a good ass idea haha

 

I'm in as long as i get my sliders done in time.

This was Myself and Power Wagon, we took things painfully slow, as first time 4x4'ers and first time to Rausch. We hit every green trail there even going slow!

What do you guys with stock rigs deflate your tires to? I went down to 25. Out on sand I go WAY lower, down to 8 but i'm not crawling over rocks and such, worried about damaging a rim.

 

Seriously though, Mike you did a great job leading our group in the morning: from the prep talk in the beginning, to putting a good order together with John (@Explor ) as tailgunne, to checking on the group and their comfort level as we went. I agree the afternoon group was a little more discombobulated and I also didn't know Jonathan had joined until I heard him on the CB. Once he caught up, I think we stayed together pretty well. I think we had a great group that did look out for each other. Only would have been better if mike's comms hadn't failed him in the afternoon

 

We went out a 3rd time around 6pm. Mike, Craig on the JK and myself.

 

Thursday morning is the plan!

 

Wow! So the that drive out and back, going on no sleep with only those 4 Red Bull's to pace yourself, three runs including T4T in a relatively lower riding truck with no sliders DOES give you official Badass status in my book. Oh yeah, and let's not forget your wife riding shotgun the whole way. You'll need to share that title with her!

 

OK. I'll pm my info to u.

 

I had a really great time this weekend. Takeover is the event that I look forward to every year, and usually the only one that I put on my calendar well in advance.
I appreciate NTC for putting it on year after year - it's great to see the Toyotas literally taking over at RC.
But, I also agree that the trail runs could be more organized. I think for next year, Tacomaworld should sponsor the trail runs, and coordinate several 5-8 vehicle groups based on trail rating.
We would obviously need volunteers to lead/tail. Also, separate threads for each group could be created, so the members of the group can communicate in advance.
I also think that a separate picture thread would be nice to have after the event, so they don't get lost in all of these pages.
Having said all that, I am volunteering to lead a blue group next year. I'll see about upgrading my comms.

 

I've got all kinds of pics and vids just need a lazy point in my day to get em all.