Lurker making first post

I came here last summer as I prepared to take a uhaul trailer to California. I found sound advice, sensible warnings, and fortunately I found the "If you are going to do this stupid thing anyway then at least do it this way."

I have a base reg cab Tacoma 4 cyl, and towed a jam packed 6 x 12 uHaul trailer plus a bed full of animal cages and bicycles to Northern California from Florida on 75 then 10 then 5.

I was IMPRESSED by what that little truck did. I was even more IMPRESSED by the fact that I didn't damage it in the process. The truck started the trip with 25,000 miles and end it with over 31,000 miles 12 days later.

I drove 55 most of the time when I had the trailer. I was comfortable at 55. The truck liked 55. The trailer liked 55. I scared myself a couple of times by going too fast. PS- the roads in Florida and Texas are great, everywhere else sucks.

I thought I had really done something when I crossed from AZ into California. I had no idea the terror that was ahead of me. Steep climbs at 20 MPH with the engine screaming in 2nd gear. Scary downhills snuggled behind a big truck so I would know when to brake and how much to brake. Mountain turns that were banked the wrong way and country roads through mountains at night where it looked like cars were flying through the air, and everyone was pissed off at the guy from Florida who was pulling the muscles in his neck gripping the steering wheel on a landscape that was completely out of his frame of reference.

But that little truck did it. I had a Toyota dealer service it in California before coming home and everything was peachy.

 

glad you made it safe and sound! Gotta love the taco!

 

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