- Joined
- Jul 27, 2024
- Threads
- 3
- Messages
- 24
- Reaction score
- 6
- Location
- Austin Texas
- Vehicle(s)
- 2010 Tacoma ordered a 2024 Tacoma
- Thread starter
- #1
This was the first road trip in my 2024 Tacoma TRD OR hybrid.I went from Austin to Big Bend, around 500 miles one way. The first 150 miles are on secondary roads with speed limits of 60 to 75 mph. The truck was a ton of fun to drive through the rolling Texas Hill Country. The next 200 or so miles are on I 10, speed limit 80 mph with lots of hills. On this day there was a strong headwind of 20 to 30 mph. Around Fort Stockton I ran into a sand storm, you could see the road fine. The distance was a brownish, yellow color, drove through it for about an hour. I don't really care about mileage, but the information is right there on the dash. Going across I 10 I got 14 mpg, not surprising considering the conditions.
The seating position is much better than my second Gen, way more comfortable. I did not feel uncomfortable after driving eight hours. That is a big change from the second Gen. I would limp for a few steps after getting out of the second Gen.
We stayed in Study Butte at a fairly central location , right off 118 and close to 170.
The first morning we got up and took 170 over to the state park. 170 is rated the seventh most beautiful road in America. The road winds along the Rio Grande and has blind dips, sharp turns and big hills. The truck was a joy to drive, tons of low end torque smoothly delivered made that windy ,hilly road a ton of fun. We hiked six miles up Tapedo Canyon , to where the trail goes up and out of the canyon. Great hike! You park along 170 and up a volcanic canyon. Texas Parks and Wildlife has formalized the trail by adding cairns, and blocking off a wrong turn. The canyon was as dry as I have ever seen with just one small spring barely flowing. The hike back down canyon is just as pretty as the way up ,but easier as you lose a thousand feet of elevation.
Next morning, up early and on our way to Terlingua Ranch Lodge to get the keys to the mountain! We drove up Christmas Mountain and there is a gate that gets locked behind you. You have the entire space to yourself. Good thing because there is no room for two vehicles side by side on this road. There are some pull outs but they are few and far between. I would describe the road as rough, rocky, slow, narrow and sometimes steep. It was a blast! I've driven this once in my 2010 Tacoma and most recently in my 2024. The suspension in the 2024 is far superior to the 2010. I was thrown around much less and maybe went slightly faster, although the conditions kept the speed down. The shelf driving gets the adrenaline pumping, you know mountain on one side and nothing on the other. We took about an hour to get to the end of the road and one of the best views in the region. We enjoyed the view, and admired our trucks, they looked good at the top of a mountain. The trip down has all the same road conditions with the added concern of over using your brakes. As my son said about going down the mountain, You don't want to build momentum! Lower gears and very little throttle are the way to go. I found the trip up and down exhilarating!
I'd heard that at the end of Boquillas Overlook road the people of Boquillas have some of their crafts for sale. Sure enough there are various goods, needle point, pottery, hats, walking sticks, and my favorite the copper wire scorpions. I got a couple of scorpions, two dragonflies, and a roadrunner. There was one vendor who did amazing beadwork, mostly animals. I bought four bead hummingbirds!
On our final day in the park I wanted tamales. Back to the Boquillas Overlook road. I spent more time shopping, enjoying the view and watching the ducks on the river. Then the tamale man came on horseback to the rivers edge and offered up his tortillas and tamales. I purchased six of the best tamales I ever had! Ate three right in the parking lot.
Now with a nice warm belly I drove some of the dirt roads in BBNP. First, Maverick road, dirt, dusty, and washboard. An hour of washboard, miserable in the second Gen. At the speed limit of 25 in the 2024 I was feeling the washboard , only slightly though. On a couple of the slower roads I was blown away by this truck. I drive by feel out there, in the second Gen 5 to 10 mph felt right. In the new truck 10 to 15 felt right. I was very impressed and enjoyed driving the dirt roads like never before. Running around the park with the hills and low speed limits I got 28 mpg!
It was a great trip. I made it to the end of Tapedo Canyon, a bucket list hike for me! I drove up an iconic Texas mountain in my new truck, doing stuff like this is why I buy the trucks I do. An outstanding experience! The truck was tested under various conditions and came out of it without any rattles or squeaks. New wire animals were added to the collection and some outstanding bead work was purchased. Best of all I did most of that with members of my famil
The seating position is much better than my second Gen, way more comfortable. I did not feel uncomfortable after driving eight hours. That is a big change from the second Gen. I would limp for a few steps after getting out of the second Gen.
We stayed in Study Butte at a fairly central location , right off 118 and close to 170.
The first morning we got up and took 170 over to the state park. 170 is rated the seventh most beautiful road in America. The road winds along the Rio Grande and has blind dips, sharp turns and big hills. The truck was a joy to drive, tons of low end torque smoothly delivered made that windy ,hilly road a ton of fun. We hiked six miles up Tapedo Canyon , to where the trail goes up and out of the canyon. Great hike! You park along 170 and up a volcanic canyon. Texas Parks and Wildlife has formalized the trail by adding cairns, and blocking off a wrong turn. The canyon was as dry as I have ever seen with just one small spring barely flowing. The hike back down canyon is just as pretty as the way up ,but easier as you lose a thousand feet of elevation.
Next morning, up early and on our way to Terlingua Ranch Lodge to get the keys to the mountain! We drove up Christmas Mountain and there is a gate that gets locked behind you. You have the entire space to yourself. Good thing because there is no room for two vehicles side by side on this road. There are some pull outs but they are few and far between. I would describe the road as rough, rocky, slow, narrow and sometimes steep. It was a blast! I've driven this once in my 2010 Tacoma and most recently in my 2024. The suspension in the 2024 is far superior to the 2010. I was thrown around much less and maybe went slightly faster, although the conditions kept the speed down. The shelf driving gets the adrenaline pumping, you know mountain on one side and nothing on the other. We took about an hour to get to the end of the road and one of the best views in the region. We enjoyed the view, and admired our trucks, they looked good at the top of a mountain. The trip down has all the same road conditions with the added concern of over using your brakes. As my son said about going down the mountain, You don't want to build momentum! Lower gears and very little throttle are the way to go. I found the trip up and down exhilarating!
I'd heard that at the end of Boquillas Overlook road the people of Boquillas have some of their crafts for sale. Sure enough there are various goods, needle point, pottery, hats, walking sticks, and my favorite the copper wire scorpions. I got a couple of scorpions, two dragonflies, and a roadrunner. There was one vendor who did amazing beadwork, mostly animals. I bought four bead hummingbirds!
On our final day in the park I wanted tamales. Back to the Boquillas Overlook road. I spent more time shopping, enjoying the view and watching the ducks on the river. Then the tamale man came on horseback to the rivers edge and offered up his tortillas and tamales. I purchased six of the best tamales I ever had! Ate three right in the parking lot.
Now with a nice warm belly I drove some of the dirt roads in BBNP. First, Maverick road, dirt, dusty, and washboard. An hour of washboard, miserable in the second Gen. At the speed limit of 25 in the 2024 I was feeling the washboard , only slightly though. On a couple of the slower roads I was blown away by this truck. I drive by feel out there, in the second Gen 5 to 10 mph felt right. In the new truck 10 to 15 felt right. I was very impressed and enjoyed driving the dirt roads like never before. Running around the park with the hills and low speed limits I got 28 mpg!
It was a great trip. I made it to the end of Tapedo Canyon, a bucket list hike for me! I drove up an iconic Texas mountain in my new truck, doing stuff like this is why I buy the trucks I do. An outstanding experience! The truck was tested under various conditions and came out of it without any rattles or squeaks. New wire animals were added to the collection and some outstanding bead work was purchased. Best of all I did most of that with members of my famil
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