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Toyota FJ Cruiser Road Trip - An FJ in Four CornersDual-Sport Adventure From the May, 2008 issue of 4 Wheel Drive By Kevin Blumer Photography by Collette Blumer, Kevin Blumer
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If the proof is in the pudding after an afternoon in the kitchen, then the proof is in the driving after spending time building a vehicle. This Smurf-blue FJ Cruiser has been accessorized using simple bolt-on items that add to its off-pavement worthiness. All-Pro suspension, rock sliders, and bumpers provide a smooth ride and protect the sheetmetal. All-Pro-installed 4.56 differential gears compensate for the 33-inch Nitto Dune Grappler tires mounted to Walker Evans Beadlock wheels. A Warn 9.5 XP winch spooled with a Master-Pull line makes self-recovery simple and safe, if needed. Except for the differential gears and alignment (after installing the suspension), all of these upgrades can be installed at home in a driveway. It was time to get out of town. This same 'Cruiser had already survived the 2007 Moab Easter Jeep Safari in fine style, including runs on Hell's Revenge and Fins 'n' Things. While pointing the grille at another series of pucker-inducing trails was tempting, the call for a road trip screamed louder. Instead of sticking strictly to one theme or the other, we combined the two into a dual-sport experience. Pavement and dirt combined with scenery added up to a great adventure.  This chapel in downtown Flagstaff...  This chapel in downtown Flagstaff seemed plucked from medieval Europe but was in fact built on-site in 1929. It comes complete with gargoyles and marble statues.  There's a Toyota pickup chassis...  There's a Toyota pickup chassis under there somewhere. This served to quell the rumors that Toyota's earlier pickups were powered by hamsters. It's evident they're actually powered by chipmunks.  Flagstaff, Arizona, is a great...  Flagstaff, Arizona, is a great destination in itself. Mention "Arizona" and dry desert immediately comes to mind. Flagstaff and the surrounding countryside fly directly in the face of that perception. Flagstaff's alpine setting at 7,000 feet above sea level and matching climate make for a great respite from the heat of summer. Railroads were economically important in Flagstaff's early days, and the city continues to be a significant railroad hub for northern Arizona. This monument is a tribute to the crews who laid the first rails in the area.  We were anxious to visit the...  We were anxious to visit the actual Four Corners monument and stand on the confluence of four state lines - Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. We rolled up to the gate a few minutes after 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time. As luck would have it, the Four Corners monument is open until 8:00 p.m. Mountain Time. We missed our chance by a few minutes but still got to snap a photo proving we'd showed up.  We're calling this a dual-sport...  We're calling this a dual-sport trip because some of our destinations only required pavement driving. Mesa Verde National Park was the first major destination. Cliff dwellings are not endemic to Mesa Verde National Park or to the American Southwest, but Mesa Verde is nevertheless home to the largest and best preserved cliff dwellings in the USA. Cliff Palace, the largest of the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, was first spotted by white settlers in 1888 when two cowboys, Richard Wetherill and Charlie Mason, happened across it while searching for lost cattle. Mesa Verde National Park was designated as such in 1906, thereby preserving the cliff dwellings from vandalism and misuse.  Touring almost any cliff dwelling...  Touring almost any cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde requires some hiking. A few tours also require climbing ladders and scrambling through narrow passages. The people who built and lived in Cliff Palace and the other nearby cliff dwellings have commonly been referred to as Anasazi. The Anasazi inhabited Cliff Palace from the late 1100s through the mid 1200s. By the year 1300, Cliff Palace was abandoned for unknown reasons. The people did not disappear, however. They moved elsewhere and founded other communities. Since the people of Cliff Palace are the ancestors of the modern-day Native American tribes of the Southwest, they are today referred to as the Ancestral Puebloans.  Here's the tallest ladder...  Here's the tallest ladder in the park. This 30-foot climb is part of the Balcony House tour. While modern visitors to the park use well-established trails and ladders to access the dwellings, the original residents climbed on hand-and-foot holds hewn into the sandstone. Our tour guides pointed out a couple of these hand-and-foot-hold paths: very steep and precarious!  Sharp eyes and a zoom lens...  Sharp eyes and a zoom lens will spot other cliff dwellings in the area. There are approximately 600 cliff dwellings in and around Mesa Verde National Park.  The ladders look like leftover...  The ladders look like leftover artifacts from the Ancestral Puebloans, but they're modern items placed by the National Park Service. The circular pit to the right of the ladders is a ceremonial room called a kiva. Cliff Palace houses 23 such rooms. A functional kiva has a roof on top of the pit with a circular opening for access. Ladders were used for entry and exit.  I drove all night with dawn...  I drove all night with dawn breaking as we crossed the border from Arizona back into California. In the Mojave, when it rains, it really pours. This puddle next to an isolated off-ramp was the size of a small lake. I strayed from Interstate 40 onto the backroads for a couple of reasons. First, Sunday traffic returning to SoCal is hellacious, and I wanted to get away from the major highway artery we were on. Second, and most importantly, key sections of historic Route 66 were within easy reach. What choice did I have?  If this doesn't scream "Classic...  If this doesn't scream "Classic Americana," I don't know what does. This forlorn caf in the barely existing town of Essex once hummed with traffic and business.  This roadside marker tells...  This roadside marker tells the tale of Route 66, giving snippets of information about the highway itself as well as information about local geology, plant life, Native American history, and modern human history. My favorite line: "Right here, you would have seen the massive armada of Patton's tanks rumbling their way through the desert - and probably been delayed by passing troop movements."  Route 66 is a landscape showcase...  Route 66 is a landscape showcase too. Amboy Crater is easily visible from the road and can be hiked to and from in a few hours. The Crater is a classic cinder cone which erupted about 6,000 years ago: practically yesterday in geologic terms.  After Mesa Verde, we were...  After Mesa Verde, we were gunning for a run over Black Bear Pass into Telluride, Colorado. Bad weather forced us to modify our destination. Plan B turned out to be a good one. A series of mild access roads gave us a tour of the ghost town of Alta. Alta was a mining camp from the late 1800s through the 1940s. Crushing winter snow loads and vandalism have combined to thrash many of the remaining buildings. At the same time, a few of the buildings are in decent shape, and the scenery is postcard-quality in every direction. A trip to Alta is worth the drive.  This unmarked Mojave road...  This unmarked Mojave road beckoned, but low on sleep and gasoline, we headed back to the highway for the rest of the drive home. Next time ...  The old boarding house is...  The old boarding house is on the right, protected with a fence and a sign. We took a left here and headed toward Alta Lakes. The FJ's protected interior was a welcome place to be in the inclement weather.  This cascade overlooks what...  This cascade overlooks what I assume are the remains of the mill in Alta. Alta bears the distinction of being one of the first towns in Colorado where alternating current was used for power. Alta is on the National Register of Historic Places.  Have postcard-perfect views...  Have postcard-perfect views been mentioned yet? From a SoCal point of view, the lakes' biggest surprise was that they were created by nature instead of concrete-and-steel dams.  We were hoping to enter Telluride...  We were hoping to enter Telluride via Black Bear Pass, but it didn't happen. After checking out Alta and its lakes, we meandered into Telluride via the pavement. I spotted a bad omen at the edge of town. A big, fat sign declared, "Speed Limit 15 mph All Roads." I shuddered to think what a speeding ticket would cost in a place like this and decided our tour of Telluride would best be a short one.  A refugee from Junkyard Wars?...  A refugee from Junkyard Wars? Nope, just proof that today's world does not have a monopoly on mechanical ingenuity or resourcefulness. Pieced together from a bus and a railcar, the Galloping Goose was powered by an automobile gasoline engine instead of a traditional railroad steam engine. The Rio Grande Southern Railroad built a total of seven Geese during the 1930s. All but one of the Geese still exist today, and several are operational. Goose No. 4 is on permanent static display in Telluride.  We headed straight home after...  We headed straight home after departing Telluride. Hunger often strikes at inconvenient times and places: gotta pull over. The FJ's cargo area doubled as a cooking vestibule. Since melted rubber floor mats didn't seem like a good idea, I perched the backpacking stove on top of a steel ammo can. I left the door open for proper ventilation.
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