I have a confession: I’m one of those people that enjoys trip planning almost as much as the trip itself. Similarly, it seems that I also get a kick out of plotting scheming planning a vehicle build. I hadn’t done one for several years, since I bought the Jeep a decade ago, but now I […]

Once I had made the decision to go with a series 80 Toyota Land Cruiser, the next challenge was to find the right one. There was the matter of the model year. I wanted a later model with the updated, more powerful engine and other updates, so my preference was for a 1995 to 1997 […]

I previously noted that the decision to “upgrade” from the TJ to a series 80 Toyota Land Cruiser was primarily driven by space issues. That was certainly true, and the Land Cruiser was certainly much more spacious. For one thing, it had a pair of removable third-row seats, meaning that it could seat seven, and […]

Knowing that the Mallard Slough trail and Don Edwards National Wildlife Reserve would be closed soon for duck hunting season, I planned for a Hillside Stragglers hike for the last weekend in September. We had some scheduling conflicts arise, so the hike was rescheduled to the following Saturday, which was literally the last possible day […]