A Little About Myself

Me twenty years ago, second from the right with the skinned knee

I am a California native and a geophysicist by trade, currently working in Reno, Nevada. My career has taken me to Colorado, Texas, Venezuela, and New Jersey in the past five years and I still enjoy visiting new locations whenever possible. I am an Eagle Scout and avid outdoorsman and have been involved with four-wheeling since a young age. My parents and grandparents are still active recreationalists, spending as much time in the Sierra Nevadas and at the California coastline as possible.

I am an advocate of responsible outdoor recreation and support the Fremont F-Troop, Blue Ribbon Coalition, Tread Lightly, United Four Wheel Drive Association, and the California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs. With the help of these organizations I hope to preserve four-wheeling environments for future generations.

My truck on the trail early in the building process.

My first vehicle was a Jeep CJ-7 and it served me well for years. I was forced to sell it a few years ago when I moved overseas. Upon returning I gave a lot of thought to what vehicle platform I wanted to use for recreational purposes and decided on a Toyota pickup based on the wheelbase, strength, reliability, price, and aftermarket support these vehicles offer.

My particular truck is a 1986 shortbed equipped with the fairly rare 22RE-T turbo motor. Standard rockcrawling modifications include a solid front axle, dual transfer cases, and lockers front and rear. Less common are the warmed up turbo motor and Xtra Cab grafted onto the short wheelbase frame. I enjoy the creativity of the mechanical aspect of four wheeling almost as much as the access to remote wilderness.

More information about my truck and trip experiences can be found on my home page.