Newbie Undergrounder here

[RockRacer]

My name is Tobin Gardner and am addicted to the great outdoors. Mines, caves, ghost towns, dirt biking, wheeling, hiking, Lake Powell, snowmobiling, etc. My family and I have been doing all the above ever since we were real young. I grew up in Taylorsville, UT and recently moved with my wife and 2 kids to Eagle Mountain. (An hour closer to Moab and real close to many ghost towns and mines) Like I said earlier, my family have explored many mines and ghost towns since I was little most of which I don't remember. But this last one, Lucky Strike Mine, that my little bro Colton Gardner brought up in his intro really jump started our interest since this has to be the deepest mine we have been in. We decided to stop banking on luck and start doing some research and get some equipment. Here are a couple poser shots of my rig that helps us get to some of sites. These shots were taken at the Lucky Strike Mine here in Southern Utah.

[ExpUt]

Welcome Tobin, long time no chat! How have you been?

You still working for Toyota?

[Derek]

Welcome! Glad to see that you finally made it over here.

[RedRockXJ]

Welcome!

[RockRacer]

Thanks for the warm welcomes! It's good to see you Kurt and Derek, nice to meet you Josh.

I don't know why it took me so long to sign up here, I didn't originally realize how sweet of a site this was and how obsessed I am with this stuff.

Kurt, I decided to go a different direction in my career and have now been with Fidelity Investments just over a year now. Pay is better and more consistant and it will be a better long term career, I think. I didn't want to STILL be dropping engines and trannies when I am 50 years old. (unless it's on my own rig or a buddies rig) Still wheeling Toyotas though, in fact, just signed up over at Wasatch Crusiers. How is your company doing?

[Stuart]

Welcome!

Love the Toyota! What year? I have a 91 pickup with a 93 4 Runner engine.

We decided to stop banking on luck and start doing some research and get some equipment.

All of us reach this stage eventually, after enough close calls and nasty bumps on the head we decide to get the proper gear. I can honestly admit that it takes a little of the adventure out, but I think its a much more enjoyable experience exploring a mine when the risks of an accident are very small.

[ExpUt]

...Kurt, I decided to go a different direction in my career and have now been with Fidelity Investments just over a year now. Pay is better and more consistant and it will be a better long term career, I think. I didn't want to STILL be dropping engines and trannies when I am 50 years old. (unless it's on my own rig or a buddies rig) Still wheeling Toyotas though, in fact, just signed up over at Wasatch Crusiers. How is your company doing?

Cool, good for you!

Company is doing great, still growing yet manageable for me, working on some new side projects, if/when I ever get time to do something with them. Hope to see you out on one of the next runs!

[RockRacer]

I am glad to hear that your company is doing well Kurt. As soon as I get my turbo trans back from my buddy at LHM Toyota, I hope to be joining the Wasatch Cruisers on some runs.

My rig is a 1987 first generation 4Runner with a 1988 third generation Supra turbo motor. I saw some pics with a Toyota Pickup in them. I assume it's yours, that is cool. Did you go with the stock motor during your engine swap? 2.4 or 3.0? I think I will copy and paste a signature from one of the other forums for now.

BTW, Stuart it looks like I can't be your bud on (I think it was myspace, but maybe facebook also) unless I know your email or last name...

[Stuart]

Yep, that's my Toyota pickup, technically Crystal's. It has the 3.0 in it, I actually just bought it last year with all the work already done on it. I got a killer deal on it considering pretty much everything on it had recently been replaced. Only real work we have done on it is installing a lock box, doing some interior work, and putting on 31'' BigO XT tires. Soon I plan on getting the suspension realigned so I doesn't completely trash all the new tires.

BTW, Stuart it looks like I can't be your bud on (I think it was myspace, but maybe facebook also) unless I know your email or last name...

I fixed it, now you can add me. I had trouble with lots of spammers and crazy fans.

[RockRacer]

31" tires will be nice! Except up hills. Not sure about the BIG O tires though, unless you are getting a hook up or have had good experience with them. Every time I had a customer come into the dealership with a vibration, we would first look at the tread wear and then we started looking at the brand name. Every time it was a BIG O tire. They seem to have a problem wearing incorrectly. (Even with a good alignment) Just an FYI.

So you have a lot of fans huh? Maybe I am one too! You and Mike were in FORBES after all! (Still wondering how you guys pulled that off! ) Very awesome and thanks for being able to get the word out on that scale!