Driver-Navigator
Explorer
Another good report, as always. Thanks for sharing. I need to start planning another trip... Hoping to drive Bradshaw in March if we ame it to Desert Rendezvous.
Mauka2Makai - Our Quest Begins...An 80 Series Adventure
- Thread starter Mauka2Makai
- Start date
Mauka2Makai
Explorer
Thanks Dave... March will have way better temps. than June for traveling the Bradshaw.
Mauka2Makai
Explorer
After two days on the Bradshaw in 100+* heat where else would our family spend our last vacation days in California? But of course... Blythe. We found a nice Inn with a pool for just over $50 and spent the day cooling off, splashing around, and doing many cannon balls. Sure my wife would rather have been at the Marriott in Palm Springs, but who cares where the locations at or name of the hotel... just as long as everyone is having fun is what matters. (If money was not a factor we probably would have gone there instead though, hehe) We were checked in and pool side by 9am and didn't leave pool side till 4pm or so. What made it extra nice was that we had the pool to ourselves the whole day. Oh yeah!!!
With just about a full work day spent pool side, my wife did a search for one last hoorah before dinner. It was a great find and just out of Blythe. The Blythe Intaglios are located just outside city limits and were a great way to drain that last bit of energy out of the boys before going out to dinner.
It was easier to explain to the boys how and or why the Salton Sea and Salvation Mountain were made or how God made the beauty we see in the little or big things we see everyday rather than who, why, and when the Intaglios were made. It left for a lot of creative interpretations made by all of us that night. We left Blythe the next morning with a mutual decision to head home rather than spend the next three days at Joshua Tree as originally planned. I would have loved to have gone, but as a family we came to a conclusion... That it was just way to dang Hot. There is always next time. On our drive out, I remembered seeing some really big dinosaurs on the other side of the I-10 so we kept a keen eye out till we came upon them.
Forget the lions, giraffes, and zebras...How many Land Cruisers have been photographed with a Brontosaurus or Tyrannosaurs Rex? If you are a dino buff and or with kids especially boys that like dinosaurs this is a a great place to stop.
Half tourist trap, gift shop, museum, and a bunch of spots that were just plain kooky.
Even an area to pan for gold. Yay... we all struck it rich that day.
Does that cat seem out of place?
A path with many photo ops with a magnitude of dinosaurs ultimately ended in the mouth of T-Rex. How funny.
This was are last family adventure in California that our trusty LC brought us safely back home. As I look back to the past four years while in California to the times spent while behind the wheel with the LC and the places its brought myself and family... I honestly could not have asked for a better vehicle. Sure most of our trips probably could have been done in a Subaru or even better a brand new 4Runner which my wife is eyeing... Our 80 series LC has literally become an extension of our family. It sounds crazy I know. Something to be said about a vehicle that you have made so many good and lasting memories with the ones you love.
With just about a full work day spent pool side, my wife did a search for one last hoorah before dinner. It was a great find and just out of Blythe. The Blythe Intaglios are located just outside city limits and were a great way to drain that last bit of energy out of the boys before going out to dinner.
It was easier to explain to the boys how and or why the Salton Sea and Salvation Mountain were made or how God made the beauty we see in the little or big things we see everyday rather than who, why, and when the Intaglios were made. It left for a lot of creative interpretations made by all of us that night. We left Blythe the next morning with a mutual decision to head home rather than spend the next three days at Joshua Tree as originally planned. I would have loved to have gone, but as a family we came to a conclusion... That it was just way to dang Hot. There is always next time. On our drive out, I remembered seeing some really big dinosaurs on the other side of the I-10 so we kept a keen eye out till we came upon them.
Forget the lions, giraffes, and zebras...How many Land Cruisers have been photographed with a Brontosaurus or Tyrannosaurs Rex? If you are a dino buff and or with kids especially boys that like dinosaurs this is a a great place to stop.
Half tourist trap, gift shop, museum, and a bunch of spots that were just plain kooky.
Even an area to pan for gold. Yay... we all struck it rich that day.
Does that cat seem out of place?
A path with many photo ops with a magnitude of dinosaurs ultimately ended in the mouth of T-Rex. How funny.
This was are last family adventure in California that our trusty LC brought us safely back home. As I look back to the past four years while in California to the times spent while behind the wheel with the LC and the places its brought myself and family... I honestly could not have asked for a better vehicle. Sure most of our trips probably could have been done in a Subaru or even better a brand new 4Runner which my wife is eyeing... Our 80 series LC has literally become an extension of our family. It sounds crazy I know. Something to be said about a vehicle that you have made so many good and lasting memories with the ones you love.
Driver-Navigator
Explorer
What a hoot... Looks like good times! Love all the smiles. You're doing it right...
Mauka2Makai
Explorer
Thanks B... The south east has definitely been a transition from SoCal. We are slowly finding our spots out at the beaches... one of our favorite thus far is Little Talbot Island and for surfing we go to Mayport, just doing single day outings . We got rid of our tent and are exploring new tent options... so it'll probably be early summer once we start getting back into the swing of things.
Mauka2Makai
Explorer
Thanks Dave... A pool is always a win for my boys, especially after that heat. When you go on the Bradshaw let me know where those bomb duds are.
NM-Frontier
Explorer
Man I think I'm gonna have to stop in Blythe next time I go through and check out the Intaglios, those are neat!
Mauka2Makai
Explorer
What I liked best about the Intaglios was pondering the thought of who, when, and why they were made. Definitely worth the stop just to check them out.
NM-Frontier
Explorer
Yea I love stuff like that, trying to figure out what it all means.
Mauka2Makai
Explorer
Last of the Mods
Rewind to the end of June and the last of the mods before heading out east. With the LC in its current configuration not much was really needed for our upcoming cross country trek.
yodaTEQ Antenna Mounts v2.1 used to mount the Hustler antenna and Front Runner 3" LED light.
Drilled a hole on both sides to allow a feed through for the cables/wires.
Antenna cable run on the inside of cabin interior panels up to driver side passenger factory wire bundle race to a Yaesu FT-2900R mounted on the back side of the center console. At first I was a bit hesitant in mounting the radio in this location out of fear the boys would accidentally step on it when climbing forward, but they've been careful and give it space.
Front Runner lights worked great as camp/manually switched reverse lights.
Wolf boxes and ARB 50qt. fridge.
I'll need to make/mount a deck with aircraft tracks and a slide for the boxes and fridge... hopefully get around to this soon.
Rewind to the end of June and the last of the mods before heading out east. With the LC in its current configuration not much was really needed for our upcoming cross country trek.
yodaTEQ Antenna Mounts v2.1 used to mount the Hustler antenna and Front Runner 3" LED light.
Drilled a hole on both sides to allow a feed through for the cables/wires.
Antenna cable run on the inside of cabin interior panels up to driver side passenger factory wire bundle race to a Yaesu FT-2900R mounted on the back side of the center console. At first I was a bit hesitant in mounting the radio in this location out of fear the boys would accidentally step on it when climbing forward, but they've been careful and give it space.
Front Runner lights worked great as camp/manually switched reverse lights.
Wolf boxes and ARB 50qt. fridge.
I'll need to make/mount a deck with aircraft tracks and a slide for the boxes and fridge... hopefully get around to this soon.
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stioc
Expedition Leader
Awesome upgrades, great to see the updates. I really like that rear light's location. BTW, have you weighed the truck empty vs. loaded? My Pathfinder loaded for a typical camping trip weighs approx 5800lbs, GVWR is 5300lbs and curb weight is approx 4300lbs. The LC80 probably has a much higher GVWR even in its stock form but the weight adds up pretty quickly with the whole family in tow.
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Mauka2Makai
Explorer
Funny that you asked Russel...Planned on posting the weights here shortly. The LCs "stock" Curb weight is 4751 lbs. and the Gross weight is 6470 lbs. Had the LC weighed the day before leaving California at a CAT Scale and here are the weights... With a dang near empty fuel tank and everything that could be conveniently removed and/or unbolted was removed, the LC came in at 5160 lbs.. That's 409 lbs. over curb weight, not bad. The following day the LC was weighed once again this time with the four of us in the vehicle, a full tank of fuel, everything reinstalled, over 20 gals of water, 10 gallons of extra fuel, all our camping gear, tools, recovery gear, 4 bundles of fire wood, a full fridge of beer and food, a wolf box that was dedicated to books and manuals, work gear, and what seemed like just a ton of extra stuff that normally would not have been brought camping, but was brought with us cause we were moving... The LC fully loaded weight as currently configured came in at 7040 ibs., thats only 570 lbs. over gross. Not that bad for where the LC is sitting. I'd say around 200-300lbs. extra was brought with us due to moving.
At some point I would like to upgrade to 864s, especially if a rear bumper is planned for the future.
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RMP&O
Expedition Leader
I think a good point here is that the 80-series (and most LC) can handle the weight better than most trucks. I think exceeding GVW is a bad thing and I have my reasons but 500lbs over GVW is a doable number. 1,000-1500 over GVW is another story. What is great about an 80 is the truck for the most part is built to take this weight. The frame is really well built and very stout. The rear axle is a full float, the trans from a bus. So in a lot of ways it can take it. The engine is going to struggle more being that heavy and the brakes won't like it but in another truck and at 500lbs over GVW it would be much more of a concern. A Jeep, a 4-Runner, an X-terra or any number of different trucks are going to suffer much more than an 80 at 500lbs over GVW. This is one of the big reasons why an 80 makes such a good overland truck.
Cheers