Newbie saying hello.....

[Box Rocket]

i've been hearing about this site for a while but haven't found the time to check it out until now. I've been a long time participant in pirate4x4 and ih8mud boards as well as my local board.

glad to be here.

I live in Utah and try to get out wheeling as often as I can with an awesome group of local friends (many of whom are on here). I've been into cruisers/toyotas for about 10 years. I owned, daily drove and wheeled an FJ40 for about 8 years. For about the last 5 years I've also owned a '93 FZJ80. Within the same time period I've had a couple of toyota minitrucks too. Now I just have the 80 and my new daily driver, a Mitsubishi Evo VIII. I suppose it's ok to mention the evo since its 4wd.

My wife and kids and I have done lots of wheeling and with the 40 and the minitrucks a lot of it was on tougher trails. We still do some tough trails but it seems we're slowly transitioning toward more expedition style trips. Part of that is partially due to the group we go out with since that's a style of wheeling they all enjoy.

The 80 is pretty mild currently with about 5" of lift and some 35's. Has an ARB bumper and I have a set of rock sliders waiting to go on as well as a custom rear bumper/tire carrier that I'm just waiting to get the metal back from being bent. The truck has been working great for us, and we like it a lot.

I work as a Sr. Artist at a Disney game studio. I also have my own photography business and do a lot of freelance graphic design and illustration on the side too. Lots to keep me busy. My wife and I have two boys, Bjornn who is almost 6, and Liam who just turned 4. They've been wheeling with us from the very beginning. Both of them were hitting the trails with us in the FJ40 when they were just a couple months old. They love it.

Anyway, I'm excited to gather more information here and hopefully I can contribute some of the same.

[photoleif]

not that i'm an emissary of the board, but it's nice to have you here. sounds like you have quite a varied set of activities you enjoy. post up an avatar and some pix of your rig and where you like to go. you say you have a photo biz? cool!... got a URL? cheers

edit: ps you've gotten us one member closer to 500!

[upcruiser]

Welcome and cool stable of vehicles!

[ChuckB]

Welcome! I like the 80 and the Evo, now where are the picts!!!

[Scott Brady]

Now I just have the 80 and my new daily driver, a Mitsubishi Evo VIII. I suppose it's ok to mention the evo since its 4wd.

You bet its ok! There are many rally fans on this site...

Great to have you here. The 80 series is an incredible machine.

[datrupr]

WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME!!!!!!

[dmc]

i've been hearing about this site for a while but haven't found the time to check it out until now. I've been a long time participant in pirate4x4 and ih8mud boards as well as my local board.

glad to be here.

I live in Utah and try to get out wheeling as often as I can with an awesome group of local friends (many of whom are on here). I've been into cruisers/toyotas for about 10 years. I owned, daily drove and wheeled an FJ40 for about 8 years. For about the last 5 years I've also owned a '93 FZJ80. Within the same time period I've had a couple of toyota minitrucks too. Now I just have the 80 and my new daily driver, a Mitsubishi Evo VIII. I suppose it's ok to mention the evo since its 4wd.

My wife and kids and I have done lots of wheeling and with the 40 and the minitrucks a lot of it was on tougher trails. We still do some tough trails but it seems we're slowly transitioning toward more expedition style trips. Part of that is partially due to the group we go out with since that's a style of wheeling they all enjoy.

The 80 is pretty mild currently with about 5" of lift and some 35's. Has an ARB bumper and I have a set of rock sliders waiting to go on as well as a custom rear bumper/tire carrier that I'm just waiting to get the metal back from being bent. The truck has been working great for us, and we like it a lot.

I work as a Sr. Artist at a Disney game studio. I also have my own photography business and do a lot of freelance graphic design and illustration on the side too. Lots to keep me busy. My wife and I have two boys, Bjornn who is almost 6, and Liam who just turned 4. They've been wheeling with us from the very beginning. Both of them were hitting the trails with us in the FJ40 when they were just a couple months old. They love it.

Anyway, I'm excited to gather more information here and hopefully I can contribute some of the same.

not you again. i'm been doing my best to find a board you're not on. or i should just say that now you're here i hope you're going to commit to baja next spring.
dmc

[Box Rocket]

Well thanks for the welcome except for dmc, ya dick, I can't seem to get away from you either.

Like I said, I'm looking forward to gleaning some new info here since I've tired of "other" boards.

As for the photo biz, it's just getting underway officially. I've been doing photography for work for a few years, but just starting to do it on my own. I'm in the process of building a site now, and it will be located at http://www.bluegatestudio.com Just registered the domain and trying to get the site underway. If any of you get Toyota Trails magazine or the Land Cruiser calendar from Get Lost Productions you may have seen a few shots of mine. Taking wheeling pictures is purely for enjoyment and not for work. The money making side of it for me is with portraits, weddings, etc. I also do freelance graphic design/illustration as part of the Bluegate business.

As for vehicles, I'll attach a pic of each one listed in my original post but currently I just have the 80 and the evo. The 80 just turned 200K miles and seems to be doing just fine. (knock on wood).

First one is my old FJ40 which now resides in SoCal somewhere.

[Box Rocket]

next pic is my old '85 minitruck. Which I believe is for sale again here in Utah.

[Box Rocket]

this one is my '93 minitruck I just sold. now resides in Louisanna.