[fiveo]

Here is my story. I started riding about 5 years ago after my divorce. My roommate (never had a roommate till I was 32) leant my his old Proflex. You know the ones with the rubber gommet suspension. Anyway, I cut my teeth on Ventura Co. trails. Mainly Sycamore Canyon just north of Malibu. Not a bad palce to learn to ride.

Soon I bought my own bike, A Gaint VT1. Gaint is based in Ventura Co Ca. and you can getting smoking deals on closeouts at Wheel World. I quicky began to do yearly trips to Moab and have ridden Tahoe, Brain head, Sedona, National, Flag (I moved to Az two years ago) and many other locs. The VT has also morphed to a custom Reign. I used to patrol around Rocky Point in Simi Valley. near the LA county line. (For those of you who don't know where that is, just look at any MTB Action mag. They do all there test and photo shots there. I met some Zoch reps and got a great deal on a ALL MT fork. I also added a TCR to my stable and the new wiffy has joined the game and has her own Reign and TCR.

I had found my passion!! I had the bikes, tons of gear now, clothing, tools etc.. I made weekly stops at new Preformance Bike by my house on way way home for work. (Just for gear!! no wrenching.) It would get harder and harder to find things I needed.

Then it happened! I didn't see it coming at first. Last year I fullfilled a life long dream. I bought an old Toyota Land Crusier. (Dont worry I'm still green. I drive a 35mpg car 95% of the time. I was going to just get an Outback, but wiffy forbade me driving a wagon.) Growing up in So Cal. I had always wanted one the iconic Land Cruiser. And its the type of truck that the older it is, the cooler it is. And weither brand new or all beat up, it's still classy.

So I bought a 92 with almost 200,000 miles. My orginal goal was for a truck I can do my Mt biking trips in and not worry about getting it dirty, or full of dog hair, and it would take me anywhere.

I found a Land Crusier web site. Same format as this one. Forums. blogs, pics, videos, mods, upgrades, stories, etc. I was suddenly spending more time searching Land Cruisier stuff then I was MTB stuff. The truck had some things break, so I orginally started to search for tech help. Then I wanted to add this, and do that, etc. All the time not paying any attention to my bike.

Part of the problem was I was fullfilling another life long goal. After almost 14 years of Law Enforcement I was finally able to start working on my dream of also becoming a Paramedic. I was so busy with school and work, I wasn't able to since Sept.

But this week I finally got the Crusier running. And I did used it for what I bought it for. I loaded up the bike and the dog. Took the tag off the new Camel Back M.U.L.E I got for Christmas. (I finally got one!!!) How do you ride for five years and not have a M.U.L.E?

I hit the trail for the first time in months. The bike was recently tuned and riding perfect. I hit Trail 100 ,for you AZ guys. I wanted something mostly flat. I soon as I started to pedal it came back to me. This is my real passion!!! The sun was shinny. I passed about 10 hikers. "Hello there, great day isn't it? Enjoy your hike." "You too, enjoy your ride." was the reply.

The dog was happy, (One year old Assuie, perfect trail dog) I was happy. The bike was happy. All was good. I was back! Never to stray again. Do I love my cruiser? You bet. But, I know its place. To get my to my ride destinations.

 

[pop_martian]

Dude, you dodged a bullet! Just kidding since I have always wanted a '76 landcruiser. One of these days! I do have 2 Australian Shepherds that I take with me sometimes, so I can see where a car that you don't care about getting hair in would be nice.

 

[fiveo]

Turns out I ended up caring alot about the truck. But not that much. Dog roams free in the truck. Can't wait to take it to Baja on surf and kayack trips. Just need to get the baord adn Kayak first.

 

[Frozenspokes]

I dodged a similar bullet last year. I got a Chevy HHR, and during the research process, I came across a site similar to this dedicated to the car. They have lot's of cool stuff for the car and I started looking at ways to personalize mine. I even entered it into a car show:eekster: . Every time I would drive out to any trails around here, I would rush to wash all the dust off the car from the dirt roads as soon as I got back.

Fortunately, by late September, I started coming to my senses and remembered why I got the car. So that I could haul my bikes INSIDE. I still like to keep the car looking nice, but I refuse to obsess over it:nono:

 

[rockman]

Nice story. I feel your pain. Er, passion. I've got two 1989 Landcruisers. One mint and one with 175,000 miles. Two 1978 Subaru wagons as well. I can't seem to get rid of any of them, despite my wife's nagging.

The 4wd subie beater was spotted in the AZ Snowbowl pking lot by a "talent scout" and subsequently used in an LL Bean commercial. I dove it to Sedona for the shoot w/ a Moots YBB on top and went mtn biking all day. Easiest $500 I have ever earned.

 

[ban'd4life]

No reason why you can't enjoy both passions fiveo. I have had similar situations over the years. I currently work on my Blazer as time allows in the winter and do more riding, camping, 4wheeling in the summer. I find that if you follow one passion incessantly you usually get burned out on it. I hear ya on the cruiser thing, I am currently looking for a FJ55. This is a great Land Cruiser site http://www.ih8mud.com/linking.php

 

[fiveo]

WOW! Rockman I'm showning your reply to my wife who forbids the Outback. We live right next to Sun City and teases me every time we pass one on the street. She says, I bet he driver is over sixty!" maybe this will be the change her mind.

 

[Lumbee1]

I was the opposite. My passion was modifying my car. After purchasing lowering springs and high performance shocks for $700, I could rail the turns with ease but the ride was rough. I was dropping a LOT of money and time into a car that was a daily driver and would rarely be pushed to its full potential. I remembered biking in college and how much fun it was so I started shopping around.

Three years later, my car is still a rough ride, it hasn't been washed in a year, and has scratches all over it. I constantly forget to change the oil and the tranny is long overdue for a flush. My bike on the other hand, although dirty, has been meticulously maintained and numerous upgrades installed. I love riding and get quite cranky when I go a full week without some singletrack.

 

[fiveo]

I think that so true about mods to vehs. We do so much to them and often ever, or neveruse the car to its potential. On the other hand, on a bike you almost always use what ever (mod) or in bike talk, upgrade...everytime you ride your bike.

 

[trekbuddy]

I hear you cluckin chicken! Jeeps are a lot like Land Cruisers in that they get into your blood and you can't quite get them out! I am on my third one and all have gone over 100,000 miles easily!

I used to post and talk on Jeepforum all of the time and just lurked around here. Then I started to realize that I was never going to dump 10 grand in lifting my daily driver to wheel probably twice a year. It is so much easier (not to mention ultimately cheaper) to shift gears and focus on MTB more.

Don't get me wrong I still have buddies on the Jeep site that I ask if I need a tech tip while wrenching but now I am on here and just lurk over there!

By the way you really should post some pix of the Land Cruiser! They are such great 4X4's!! Later!

 

[petercarm]

I had a '76 FJ40 when I lived in Australia back in 2000. What a beast! I wrenched my shoulder the first time I drove it (no power steering).