Seattle Area Tercel 4WD Meet

[Klacko]

Count me out, turns out I get to work. So I can't get shirts Petros, sorry.

[Petros]

Too bad, I stopped by the Pull-A-Part yesterday on my way home, the one where we are meeting, and they now have FIVE Tercel4wd in stock!!! Count them, FIVE!!!

Four of them are SR5 models, there are 2 '84s, 2 '85s and an '87. One is pretty well picked over, but the two new ones are perfect! I already snagged the composite headlights and matching grill and marker lights for mine (only about $25!) So now I will have the more modern headlight arrangement (do not know if I will have them on in time for the meet).

I might scout the Mountain loop drive today and post a few pic to wet your appetite. The loop is mostly paved, and there are some side trips to take up remote gravel roads that lead to old mines and other interesting places. We can decided than if we want do the side trips, or stay on the better roads.

[4wdchico]

That is a good question. I live east of Arlington, just off the Cascade loop hwy (between Arlington and Darrington off hwy 530), if we end our trip there we can have a pot luck BBQ at our house. We can even have loud music, a bon fire and a bubba shoot (we live on 5 acres) if you want to bring your guns . (this ain't Seattle!). We can park about 6 or 7 extra cars without too much trouble in our driveway, 10 or more if some do not mind being blocked in during the event.

Otherwise someone will have to pack a BBQ, or we pay for day use in a campground or public picnic area someplace, and we would have to behave. No loud music, no shooting, no adult beverages.

Who is in charge of bringing the Bubba?

[SynthDesign]

Count me out, turns out I get to work. So I can't get shirts Petros, sorry.

No worries I should have some printed before the meet and listed on the forum as well.

Stickers are in and will be debuted at the meet.


And don't forget to bring your cameras! This is lookin like it should be a great time.

[SynthDesign]

Just realized that if I plan it right, I will hit the 250,000 miles mark during the forum meet. 45,000 miles in three years for a $100 car plus regular maintenance is pretty damn good in my book.

Just put on freshly painted used wheels and tires for the meet. No flats for me this road trip!

[danzo]

If I make the 2103 mile drive from Dallas do I get a free T shirt? Otherwise how much are you selling them for?

Man I wish I could be there, sounds like it's going to be fun. When I read about the Seattle/PNW peeps actually seeing other T4wd's on the road I have to laugh. My car is the only T4wd I've encountered down here in years. I've come across exactly one in the local junkyards I visit regularly. Even the blasted Toyota dealer barely knows what it is. Makes it nice for me though, I've always enjoyed owning unique cars.

[Petros]

I drove the loop this last Sat, we had a visitor from out of state and I thought it would be good scenic drive and a chance to double check the route. It is about 100 miles and 3 hours of driving, some paved, some good gravel roads, with a number of short side trips we can take on unimproved roads. So there should be plenty of time if we leave Pull-A-Part by noon. Bring good walking shoes and rain gear, though we should have good weather by Saturday.


Big Four mountain glacier that has about six big ices caves. Picture is from the parking area.


One of many ice caves on the Big Four glacier only 20 min walk from the parking area just off the hwy (note; there is a $5 day use fee per car, so bring cash). That is a family friend, 17 year old Eddy from Los Angles in the pic.



Sign at the top of Barlow pass, where the pavement ends. The high point of the loop.



The sign at the beginning of the 4 mile road to the old mining town of Monte Cristo. This kind of sign make me want to take the road even more, anyone game for a side trip to the ghost town of Monte Cristo? It says "Road Closed: Extreme Danger, Proceed at your own risk! Sounds like fun.



North fork falls just off a steep but good gravel road only a mile off the main loop road. One of my planned stops.


I think this will be a lot of fun.

[Neu]

Looks pretty.

[Petros]

If I make the 2103 mile drive from Dallas do I get a free T shirt? Otherwise how much are you selling them for?

Danzo,

If you drive from Texas I will buy you a T-shirt. You can also stay with us, we would love to have you come. But you better get started now, it is about four days drive to get here from Texas (or three if you drive non-stop for 12-13 hours a day). and about $200 for gas each way.

See you at my place late Friday night.

[Neu]

staying awake while driving is easy. EASY.


Also while I'm up there we should adjust the valves on my tercel..it's ticking a tiny bit.

Either that or it's wrist pin...

[SynthDesign]

Petros.....I'm awh struck.. That's beautiful. Breathtaking.

I'm starting to get excited!

Danzo,
If you drove from Texas to here and back, I got way more than a T-shirt for you. That's an amazing road trip. Seriously. More than I'm willing to take right now.


Petros,

Ghost town of Monte Cristo.....
Do we need a park key for the gate or do you hike it?
I'm game!!
I bet Neu's down too.

[ARCHINSTL]

Petros -
Thanks for the photos - pictures of places like you and tercel4wdrules (and several others) are always revelations to flatlanders like moi. Even the icefishing photos of splatterdog are interesting to those of us who live in the "temperate" part of the Midwest.
Mind, I've never regretted living my life in St. Louis - but boy, there are sure some other interesting places.

And - thanks for the mention of Monte Cristo - I spent about a half-hour reading Google-info about it. If you guys make it up there, check to see if the turntable still turns, as is mentioned in a number of places. Fascinating!
One of my (never-realized) ambitions when I was a kid was to explore the ghost towns of the West. There are a number of vanished hamlets in the Midwest - but not many have buildings which have survived.
Tom M.

[toughtercel]

I'M sure going miss all the exploring which you guys going, tomorrow 5 am I have to drive our family to Alberta for wedding . "PETROS" mention there are 4 SR5 , could you do me a favor, I am looking for SR5 driver seat (color BLUE on both side and center where sit and back are mixture blue/gray) it most common color on SR5 , it has to be NO RIPS ,let me know if avaible, thanks also please read my memo at GENERAL under "Sechelt August 7/8" thanks again

[Neu]

I'm shaking in my space boots.

[danzo]

Man those pics are Spec-tiddly-acular (to quote Ned Flanders)! What are those green things? Oh, trees, my bad. Ice in August?!? I'm lucky to get ice in my damn Super Big Gulp! Makes me wonder what cool pics I could post from where I live. Maybe I'll drive out to the middle of west Texas and snap a few shots of the "No Gas/Beer next 100 miles" signs.

I wasn't entirely seriously planning on making the drive, and since my brother's family will be in town to visit I have to stick here. Stupid blood relatives! But thanks Petros for the hospitality, it would have been a great time especially for me. But since my car is getting 34mpg in normal driving it would cost me a bit less than $200 each way. Hmmmm....if I drink 4 of those 6 hour energy drinks that adds up to 24 hours of consciousness!

Funny thing is that about 10 years ago myself and a few high school buddies were going to take what would have been an awesome road trip, dubbed "Fandango 2000". We were to go from Dallas to Los Angeles, up the coast (I now know the PCH to be breathtaking, esp in NorCal), all the way to Alaska and presumably back, documenting everything on a website the whole time. But of course plans changed, commitments popped up, etc, and it never happened. Originally we wanted to do it in an old air cooled VW Bus, but maybe a T4wd would be a better choice. Never Say Never!

At any rate I wish you guys the best time, be safe, and do be sure to post plenty o' photos.

- Danny