Reno snow Trip 3/22/09 Pictures

[Ruffian]

Well by reading the General Discussions page I see I'm not the only Nor Cal 4Runner owner to take a drive up the mountain in the snow storm! I wish I knew to look for you guys! (Kenny et al.) I found a couple other nice looking 4Runners along the way. Shout out if I caught yours!

Snow at 3,000 ft elevation & shortly later Ruffian I and passed a twin sister of hers.

The usual lots of truckers and people from out of the state. This trip normally takes me maybe an hour and a half, it's only 99 miles for me. Took me 4 hours on Sunday, all due to traffic.

Yawn! C'mon people make way for my 4x4! Pavement crawling, at 2 to 10 mph. Bored, watching the icicles form on Ruffian's mirror.

Sitting in traffic. Ooooh! Ruffians Utah twin sister!

 

[Ruffian]

Ok, that's it. I need to play. Take the Eagle Lakes Road exit and played in the snow. Turned off VSC and enjoyed some power take offs and slides. Oh, and admired my girl in a gorgeous element....snow!!!!

 

[Ruffian]

And just beyond the CA/NV border, I played with 3 other 4Runners. A new Urban Runner, and a white & grey Runners. Outskirts of Reno, had to wait for them to pass me!! Because only if I let you will you get in front of me....ha!

Don't believe me? Here is Ruffian showing you her icicle teeth! And yup, she's a dirty girl. I hate that sand they put down.

Reno is small, but you can find the fun in the casinos. I stayed at Circus Circus. Had a great view from the room on the 16th floor looking back at the Sierras!

Messed up this panorama pic but you get the idea.

 

[Ruffian]

Next morning, and I promise the last 2 pics.

I'm very happy to report that all the work I've done to Ruffian in the last 3 weeks has finally paid off. I know, I know I had to do several tanks of gas for the computer to reset itself. (New NGK Iridium Sparks, diff's & engine oil change with Royal Purple synthetic, Engine flush prior to oil change, can of SeaFoam in gas tank, AFE dry filter, cleaned out intake box and it's MAF & TB, rotated & balanced tires, & new muffler. Proud to say only the muffler & tires I paid to have done.) Drive up I burned just under half a tank. Darn sitting in traffic & of course the climbing the mtn. But on the way home, 99 miles...wait for it...half of quarter of a tank!!!! Filled up in Boomtown and she only burned half of a quarter! Avg mpg according to compter showed anywhere from 22 up to 28 coming down the mtn. Back on the driveway, still showed 21 mpg. I'm VERY happy!

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Great pics, looks like fun! :bigok:

It's good to hear all the little stuff has Ruffian running like a champ. It's amazing what a good tune-up and fresh fluids can do That MPG sounds great considering tires, lift etc... And yes, I understand, that's displayed MPG.

:cheers:

 

[Falls]

Excellent pic's ..... thanks for sharing.

 

[alaskaman]

thanks for the pics and narrative. Ruffian twin and all.

 

[K.C.]

Pictures are incredible!!

Trust me...if I saw you on the road, I'll be blasting my horn haha

 

[Ruffian]

Pictures are incredible!!

Trust me...if I saw you on the road, I'll be blasting my horn haha

Thank you everyone, I don't mean to be a pic whore, but I really just love the natural beauty that I get to experience via my 4Runner windshield.

Kenny, you'd better do more than blast your horn! That way I can tell the difference btwn some other 4Runner owner checking out my rig, to a friend from t4r that I need to stop and have a cup of coffee with! lol

Guess I should go take a video of Ruffians new "sound" and post for you guys. I HIGHLY reccomend all of you do this mod! It increases the grin width on your face when you can really hear your V8 sing!

Chris, yes all that maintenace is well worth it. Of course wouldn't you know that I complete all that only to come out the other day and wonder why the weather strip that is on the bottom part of the windshield is popped out so that now I can see under the glass. Taking a trip in for warranty work I suppose...

 

[HB 4X4]

Great pics, how did the Nitto's handle?

 

[K.C.]

Ruffian,

One day...we will meet!!

Are you coming to this Sunday's outing?

Bay Area Meet
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=48053

Pritchnakoff

 

[Ruffian]

Great pics, how did the Nitto's handle?

Nitto's are very good. I'm not sure I'd lable them great, but really they've held their own. In the snow on pavement (just starting to stick up to 2 ft), no issues. In the deeper snow there on Eagle Lakes & El Dorado Forest trails, I aired down and allowed those lightening bolt like pattern on the side do their job. Then they handled REALLY good! However, in all fairness, I did get hopelessly stuck on Eagle Lakes trail in about 3 feet deep of slushy snow. I'd think it was more of a height issue rather than the tires, but I had to get yanked out...by a ....jeep. I've had them down to 15 lbs of pressure on the class 4 Barney Riley trail and they took on quite a lot of cuts. Not too bad, but I wouldn't want to do that to them every weekend unless I had a free tire supply. But in all honestly, that whole trip I did carnage to the 4Runner everywhere. Minor, but still carnage. I'm going to get another set of rims and put a tougher set of tires (more than likely BFG's) on them and use them only for when I do the rock crawling. Then when these set of Nitto's are done, I'll replace them with another set of Nitto's.

Their description of the trail is not very accurate. I wouldn't take a stock rig down it unless you WERE ready to accept some damage. Some of those boulders are huge and I had to drag some of Ruffians parts over them. Carage= Bent passenger side running board, gouged 2 rims, deep pinstriping from trees & brush, bent rear shock connector, many hits to the stock skid plate & I know coming off one boulder I heard the spare tire take a hit. Thank God I didn't do the river crossing!

http://www.norcalttora.com/trails/barney_riley.php

Josh, Your rig would do just fine on this trail! It's an awesome trip and the views are amazing!

Are you coming to this Sunday's outing?

No, I wish. I work 2 to 10 pm shift. And I'm going out tonight partying after work so my sleep tmrw will be limited as it is before going back into work!! My weekend is Tues/Wed. and this Reno trip was for a funeral, so that was from my sick time. Don't forget that we are organizing a trip of sorts for the Bay Area guys to come up here!

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=48282

 

[Fo_SheeZy]

Amazing pictures!

 

[MikesToy]

Ruffyan had too much fun and Ruffyan needs a bath. lol Nice pics!