For nearly a decade now, Toyota owners from up and down the West Coast have been gathering once a year in Southern California for a little jamboree action of their own. They've 'wheeled in places such as Lockwood Creek, Stoddard Valley, and various spots in the San Bernardino Mountain range, and every year more Toyota owners have shown up to join the fun.
This year, All Pro Off Road and X Toys lead dozens of Toyotas off the hardpan of Meanes dry lakebed in Johnson Valley and up the notorious Hammer trails. As the rigs lined up early on Saturday morning, it was obvious that the organizers had gone out of their way to make sure that everyone was welcome regardless of how tricked out their rigs were. Everything from extreme, custom 'crawlers to mildly built 4Runners were on hand, along with just about everything in between. Seeing them all lined up was like watching evolution in action.
During the course of the day, we looked in on a couple of different trails to check out the slew of vehicles, and, of course, the gnarly rock courses were exacting their usual toll. Many of the drivers were locals who knew what they were getting into, but for a number of owners, this was their first time on the Hammers. And no matter what you've heard, that first trip through is always an education. White knuckles, thin lips, and a lot of sweat are par for the course.
Of the half-dozen trails run on the first day, Claw Hammer and Sledge Hammer exacted some damage that slowed down the rest of the field. For some of the drivers, the BBQ dinner simmering back down on the dry lakebed had to wait until after dark. But it made for some great stories and put those trail repair skills to the test.
If you'd like join your fellow Toyota enthusiasts at next year's 10th annual 4Runner Jamboree, contact: All Pro Off Road, Dept. 4WDSU, 581 N. Palm Ave., Ste. B3, Hemet, CA 92543, (909) 658-7077, www.allprooffroad.com.