(FJ) Sunflower Mine and Tonto Nat'l Forest, Central AZ

[BigJ]

Great pics and thanks for posting! I'm off Jomax and the 17 so I'm right down the way from Cave Creek, love it there.

Do I hear a "Raptor Run AZ style", in the making?

 

[Junior]

Do I hear a "Raptor Run AZ style", in the making?

You could even bring your guns. :banana:

 

[Junior]

Actually, speaking of AZ and guns and whatever else. I got my first speeding ticket in the FJ, on the way home. Tires down to 27 psi, Scepters and a Hi-Lift strapped to the top, and the rear all full of gear and coolers... doing 90 down the State Highway cool as can be.

Trooper was cool and said he had me at 88 when I told him 90, so I spotted him a couple. In return he spotted me 14 more, writing it for 74. But the reason I bring it up is to illustrate the point: guns just aren't a big deal here like they are elsewhere. I handed the Trooper my license, registration, and handgun. He said, don't let me forget to give this back to you when we're done.

I was reading another thread here about Arizona and guns and figured I'd throw this in there. Even though I did it over here.

 

[SVTRay]

Actually, speaking of AZ and guns and whatever else. I got my first speeding ticket in the FJ, on the way home. Tires down to 27 psi, Scepters and a Hi-Lift strapped to the top, and the rear all full of gear and coolers... doing 90 down the State Highway cool as can be.

Trooper was cool and said he had me at 88 when I told him 90, so I spotted him a couple. In return he spotted me 14 more, writing it for 74. But the reason I bring it up is to illustrate the point: guns just aren't a big deal here like they are elsewhere. I handed the Trooper my license, registration, and handgun. He said, don't let me forget to give this back to you when we're done.

I was reading another thread here about Arizona and guns and figured I'd throw this in there. Even though I did it over here.

Someone said Arizona and guns...I have guns and will travel :mrgreen:

 

[MarkT]

Thanks! Great post!

(and I can verify that the FJ Cruiser is literally a mountain goat right off the showroom floor... I had one for two years and did a lot of tough trails with it.)

 

[frogslinger]

give me enough notice and I am there...-*

 

[FSM06]

Hey Junior, you mentioned Cave Creek........as in home of the Cave Creek Brewery and the infamous chile beer? LOVE to cook my brats in a chile beer "hot tub"!! YUMMMM!!

FSM

 

[Junior]

Hey Junior, you mentioned Cave Creek........as in home of the Cave Creek Brewery and the infamous chile beer? LOVE to cook my brats in a chile beer "hot tub"!! YUMMMM!!

FSM

That's the place!

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Well Hi folks - it was suggested that you guys might enjoy seeing some of the weekend trips I've been taking, and that I enjoy documenting.

Alright Junior! You're very welcome to continue posting and contributing here. Seeing as how we're all four wheelers why the heck not. I've been known to associate with FJ Cruiser owners before and I'm still as "normal" as ever. And Jeepers, Nissan owners, Benz-ers, Unimog-ers, you name it - I've been offroad with them.

You've done a great job posting your trip tale and I appreciate it. The only concern I have with the trip you did would be the width - it's normally the one concern I have on trips since we run a lot of Jeep trails that are Jeep width (of course). And the width is only an issue if it's really a tight trail with immovable objects like canyon walls, rocks or trees. We've encountered some very tight and narrow gullies that were very challenging. Other than having to back out (not something an offroader ever wants to do) scraping the sides of the Raptor is the major concern on width-challenging trails.

By the way, I hate to correct you but I must do so in order to help you understand a key point:

And a quick little ford:

THAT IS NOT A "QUICK LITTLE FORD"! It's not so quick. it's not big but it's not little either and it's certainly not a Ford :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I'd be happy to connect with you and others in Arizona when it's not scorching hot on trails we can run. While our vehicles are designed primarily for different offroading, we can happily share trips and trails. Please do join us on one of our Raptor Runs to the desert especially Anza-Borrego and Ocotillo Wells (have you been there?).

The FJ Cruiser is obviously very capable offroad. It's about the size of a Jeep and it's much happier rock crawling than our Raptors primarily because of our front and rear overhangs (and our long wheelbase).

Thanks again Junior. Let's get together soon.

 

[Junior]

Ahahaha, "That's not a Ford. That's a Ford."

Yeah, the width probably would be a problem, on some parts of that particular trail. There were a couple spots that even the FJ was pushing it. Where it's washed out through a turn, and the inside just drops away.

But there was a spot the first day, on Bloody Basin Road that I was thinking to myself, "I bet a Raptor would just eat this up!" and I got a little carried away - a little washout, bigger than I expected, and BAM! I hit it hard. Had to fight a bit to calm it back down, and I bet you guys would have floated over it.

Here's Bloody Basin Road: