4 Wheel Fun: You Always Remember Your First Time

• January 15, 2014
• / Story By
  Albert Roxas

Disclaimer: Despite all my cars being 4Wheel drive (this may be a surprise for those who are familiar with my writing) – this is the first time I’ve taken one off road! Just over a year ago I needed a new daily driver to transition to – we were about to have our first child and I wanted something safer than the Prius I was currently driving. As luck would have it, the 2013 Trail Teams FJ Cruiser version had just been released (a truck that I've honestly wanted for quite some time) and the signature color was awesome – Cement Grey. Out went the MPG-mobile and in came the mini-tank. Having driven lowered cars for the majority of my life (sans a sport SUV here and there) , I figured the FJ would be a refreshing change of pace.

Jokes from my friends started as soon as I bought it:

“Oh man, you’ll get rid of that within a year.” “You bought a Trail Teams? When have you even gotten a car dirty?” “First dibs when you get tired of it, I know the 4WD will never be used.” “Cleanest Trail Teams EVER”

They were all wrong!!!

You always know who your true friends are because they’re always making fun of you! I've had the FJ TT for just over a year now and I took it off-road for the first time this month. I figured I'd start small, so the destination was a very basic trail for beginners – Trabuco Creek Road in South Orange County. I picked this trail because #1, I’ve never been off-road and #2, I’m still anal about my cars, I didn’t want to beat up my truck too much! I know some off-roaders think honorary battle scars are a testament to how tough their truck is but I’m simply not that guy.  I treat this car just like any of my other cars, I park it far out in parking lots and always keep it clean. Anal retentive, yes  - but always honest. Everything I read about the trail mentioned how it was great for first timers. Composed entirely of fire-road, there isn't a whole lot of brush (which kills the sides of trucks) and is overall a very basic course. Before making the trek, some fundamentals for a newbie like me (or you perhaps):

• GAS. Make sure you have a full tank of gas. In all honestly – if I got lost on this trail I’m sure I could walk my way to my brothers house in Coto De Caza, but you can never be too safe.

• RTFM. Google this. I’ve never actually engaged 4WD, crawl control or the other crazy Trail Teams goodies (What is RSCA anyways?!?) so I broke out the manual and made sure I could actually do this PRIOR to being stuck in the dirt.

• Buddy up. Use the buddy system, aka don’t ride alone. It's always handy to have a navigator or someone else to assist just in case. On more difficult trails, the buddy system upgrades to not just having another person with you, but having another car with you.

As we made our way to the entrance, I recognized the paved portion – it’s a nice windy, back road running through Santiago Canyon, I had actually driven this with the Lamborghini Club a few years back. Interesting that you take one turn and be off-road into the hills of the Cleveland National Forest.

Trabuco Creek Road Trail Review

The first portion leading up to the RC airport (empty on this day) was basically just a bumpy dirt road. I had read about “normal” cars trying to make their way on this road and bottoming out – I definitely wouldn’t suggest taking any non-suv on this road unless you’re planning to take a trip to your alignment shop or looking for an excuse to buy a new set of wheels! About 2 miles in we found some side trails to mess around on, no crazy articulation needed but enough to try out the 4WD and see how much travel is available on the stock Trail Teams. I didn’t get a chance, or need, to use the crawl control... maybe at Azusa Canyon for the next feature! One thing to keep in mind, is that it gets quite cold on the mountainside and it’s VERY dusty. Be sure to close your vents and dress appropriately. It’s not like we were deep in the mountains but clearly conditions change quickly when you head out of civilization... it was crazy to think that just 10 minutes ago we'd passed a shopping center! As an Orange County resident all my life, it’s easy to forget how near and majestic some locations are. All thru the trail, the Bilstein suspension and OEM tires were more than enough to handle this basic course. Potholes and huge dips were taken at speed with little discomfort – driving the speed limit of 25mph or slower at times. All in all, as an admitted “road” guy as opposed to “off-road” guy it was a great first time experience. Rather than “carving” the canyon, this time I was running through it. 100% different, but just as fun – if not a little more as I was laughing a good portion of the time! There is some type of enjoyment about just being able to RUN OVER obstacles without worrying about it hurting the vehicle! After the trip, I posted a few pics and the comments started again: “Albert took his car offroad...looks like it might be for sale soon...swoop those wheels hahaha” “Oh man, car is sold by NOON” “Must be already sold…” These guys know me pretty well - but I may just keep this one... assuming I can get it cleaned up of course!

If you're considering getting a little more serious about off-roading, check out these Beginner Basics articles here on Driving Line. What was your first off-road experience like?