"LET'S GO PLACES" - My photography improved because of this one thing... (17pics)

I was never a truck guy ... until I was. And now I'm really a truck guy and my pictures have thanked me immensely.
I've been able to drive to spots like this for sunset and then just jump in the nice bed in the back and stay for sunrise.

It's been a whole new world of photography opening up to me for the last 2 years. I've seen lots of new places and great experiences and even had a cool thing to take pictures of on the side.

THE HISTORY

Late in 2015 my Toyota Venza died (not unexpectedly) after several years, 160k miles and 1-2 really intense years of towing an overweight airstream to 48 states, way farther than it should have been able to... and so i needed something more capable of towing but also something that could get me more interesting places... and something I could camp in. (Bed in back sorta thing) So just days after the Venza transmission died I went from never once considering a truck. To owning one.

Since I had to tow an airstream anyway might as well get something that could tow and also make my photography better.

THE GOAL:

When i got the Tacoma I decided I'd give myself a fun little goal... since I had enjoyed taking pictures of the Venza and the Aristream I'd give myself a similar goal but then up the anty.

GOAL: To have the best pictures of a 3rd Gen Tacoma on the internet
_Can't say for certain if I have "the very very best" as of yet but I'm certainly up there... there are quite a few of adventurous photographers who have tacomas and I still need to go and do more pictures... but I certainly have some contender images. Plus the truck keeps on getting better looking.

The places I've gone

"Let's go places" is the motto for Toyota and it certainly has come true.
There are a ton of places that I've only been able to go to because I had a very capable offroad truck.

I've been able to go to places like the Valley of the Gods and just take the airstream and work out there during the day and take pictures at sunset.

I really was up in the mountains a ton this last summer/fall hanging out at scenes like this.

Look the truth is some of these places I could have reached with the ol' venza or someone with an SUV or even Suburu could make it to.
I can just make it there really a TON faster now. Because of the build of the tacoma and the upgrades I can make it there easily twice as fast as when I had my venza... if not faster. And the possibility of tire or car issues because of that journey are way way way lower with the tacoma.

This is actually one of my most recent offroad trips... got to see a ton of cool new places.

Like this location! Which actually i wouldn't have been able to make it to until I also got bigger tires and a lift... just to be able to make it down into the needles district.

One of my first trips was to a place called "The Dollhouse" in the maze distrcit of canyonlands national park. There's no way I'd ever even hike there and driving there was barely even doable in my long bed tacoma.

Such a nice spot that we actually went back the next year

Last summer I got to spend over a week up in the uintas away from everything, including the heat and even cell phone coverage.

This is a throwback to a few days after I bought the truck and took it up a mountain around me. I've since been up much tougher routes but this is a wonderful classic.

MORE TACOMA

I camped in some pretty amazing places last year. I'm looking forward to some nice camping spots this year.

And sometimes the road is a little tough and sometimes dangerous. So usually bringing backup and being really prepared is a must.

And it's not just the places... it's the fun I get to have along the way!!

GOING IN STYLE

And it's not just about how easy it is to get there now... I love that when I get there I have everything I need stored in nice locations.
And a nice comfy place to sleep built in if it's high up in the mountains and I didn't bring the airstream.

thanks to @themonkeyzuelans for challenging me to write about my "favorite adventure item" over on the @photogames

Anyway thanks for listening to me ramble on about my dirty/muddy/awesome new adventure buddy... I call him "Champ" Because not long after I got the truck and took it on local dirt road and got done I said... "What a champ" and that was the name that stuck!

In any case Toyota USA follows me on instagram but I don't even post there ... so i'm looking forward to the day Toyota is here on STEEM