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The event started on a cool, crisp Saturday morning at a gas station in Hampden, Maine where we meet up with Matt and Brian from MINI's of Maine. The temperature hovered around 37° for the majority of the day with continuous drizzle. The roads also had residual sand and gravel from the winter months. We were warned to be careful of these conditions, as well as 16 pound wild turkeys that have a tendency to play chicken in hairpin turns.  We swung through a Dunkin' Donuts for some tasty treats, then we were on our way. We knew we would have an hour and a half trip to Wiscasset, Maine to meet up with several other MINI's and their owners, but were unprepared for what Matt and Brian had in store for us. What started as a sedate drive through the country quickly turned into a backwoods rally. Tightly tucked between a 2012 Hardtop S (R56) and a 2014 Countryman S (R60) we raced through the hills, our little JCW's Bluetooth exhaust popping and growling in the silence. Matt made us work for it. His tailpipe exhaled white smoke as he gassed it while downshifting out of a sharp corner. Brian's Countryman was no slouch either. Clifford, "The Big Red Bus" had no trouble keeping pace. Huge grins were plastered to our faces, except for Ashlie's... her's was kinda green.  We met up with the rest of the crew at an Irving gas station in Wiscasset, ME. Our group was very diverse with people attending from Massachusetts, Canada, Maine, and Louisiana. We all became close friends within minutes. Ashlie keeps telling me that just because I speak to someone, it doesn't mean they are my friend, but there isn't a person alive who would say otherwise....  Soon we were away. Our group of eight kept a tight formation. Even with the poor road conditions, we were still able to dip in and out of turns at 60 - 80 mph. Zipping through the steep, winding turns allowed us to become more intimate with the heart of Maine. Ashlie had never visited Maine before, and my experience had been limited to the coastal regions. Our journey was broken up into three legs. The first took us from Harris to Wiscasset, which was approximately 100 miles. The second and third legs were more of a coastal route and totaled approximately 160 miles. Some of the inland towns were nestled in the hills and gave it old time feel. Brightly colored houses and big red barns littered the countryside. As we cruised through some of the small towns we encountered people outside who would give us a friendly wave and a smile. The weather worn roads kept us on our toes and allowed us to test the agility of the MINI. Having the automatic gearbox in manual mode and using the paddle shifters made it easy to deploy quick, decisive countermeasures while avoiding potholes and bumps, this also allowed for more controlled braking and better management of RPM's. The combination of power, weight, and torque showcased the MINI's intuitive handling.  We stopped off at New Castle Publick House for lunch. It was a restaurant in a very old building in New Castle, ME, which isn't saying much. Most of their buildings seem old. We sat around laughing and sharing stories like we had known each other for years. The food was the expected local fare: crab cakes, seafood chowder, and local brews. After filling our bellies, we hopped in the MINI's and drove off into the New England mist.  The last leg of our adventure would take us down a peninsula which provided exceptional views of Muscongus and Johns Bay. Initially, the sights were similar to others we had experienced, but as we came out of a sweeping turn, the tree line faded giving us a breathtaking view of the coast. The overcast sky melded into the misty waters. The waves crashed into the rocky coast with old picturesque houses on hills. Seagulls cried overhead as we rounded the bend and lost sight of this mesmerizing view. We both were slack-jawed and were stumbling over words that failed to come close to describing its beauty. We were trying to find a way to duck out of the line of MINI's to go back to take pictures when the tree line started to fade again, allowing the coast to peek through. We both started scrambling for GoPros and cameras. I am sure the MINI's behind us were wondering what we were doing. We were swerving all over the road trying to find our equipment to get the shot while trying to keep up with the group. Thankfully they pulled over at a viewpoint shortly afterward. The tide was out and revealed many rocks of all sizes. We walked down a short way and enjoyed an uninterrupted view of the coast. Some of the group said we needed to come back one day when the tide is in to hear the many small rocks tumbling with the tide, reminiscent of a giant rain stick. After everyone had their fill of the view we headed out for our final destination.  We ended the trip at King Eider's Pub. A bar in the heart of Damariscotta, ME with loads of local flair. We had one last beer before hitting the road. With much sadness, we parted ways with promises to visit soon. As the last MINI drove away, we took a breath and smiled. Now that was an adventure! To learn more about MINI's of Maine, visit their Facebook page here: MINI's of Maine  Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below! The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone. -Bourn Adventure Authors: Baker and Ashlie Gallery
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Without a doubt, modifying any vehicle is expensive, especially when replacing large ticket items like bumpers. Before making this purchase, I researched several manufactures to insure I would be satisfied with my decision. After reading posts on forums and other social media sites and speaking with people running aftermarket bumpers from various manufacturers, I narrowed it down to one company. Metal Tech 4x4 was the victor! I was already familiar with their product reliability and durability since using their sliders on the FJ. I figured that same craftsmanship would transfer into their bumpers as well. I also liked the deign and look of their tube bumpers. Now lets review each product a little more in-depth. SlidersIn my opinion, these sliders are terrific. They bolt to the frame of the vehicle and the mounts are incredibly solid. The sliders themselves are very strong, look great, and do a fantastic job protecting the FJ. There were multiple times while wheeling I came down on the sliders incredibly hard. I also used them to get over obstacles and even used them to slide around large rocks, trees, and tree roots all without any damage to the FJ. They held up every time I needed them. Of course, blemishes would happen after heavy use, but cleaning up any "trail rash" was simple. Using sand paper and black spray paint gave them that new look again. Just like most sliders, you can lift the entire side of the vehicle up using a Hi-Lift jack. Something to consider before hand though: If you do this and you have the ability, I would suggest opening the door on the side you're lifting from. In the event the jack fails, it won't slam into the closed door and damage it. You'll notice in the pictures below, my door is closed. I was given that advice after the pictures were taken. Another thing I like about these sliders is the protection they offer in parking lots. The Metal Tech 4x4 slider with 2 stage rub rail has a "kick out" welded to them which causes them to stick out even further. I cannot tell you how many times I walked out to my FJ after eating, watching a movie or whatever else (NOT AT THE MALL) and seen a paint mark on the slider. I know that's from some jerk who threw his door open without a care in the world and nailed my sliders. No damage to the FJ, but I am sure that donkey had a nice ding in his door. Every time I saw this, it brought a smile to my face. Front BumperI used the front bumper with winch mount, along with the built-in recovery points to recover stuck vehicles, myself, and move downed trees on the trails without any failures. In my opinion it is one of the better looking tube bumpers on the market for the Toyota FJ Cruiser. Aside from looks, the bumper design is strong and well built, allowing for more confidence on and off road. It is a two piece design which makes installation and possible future maintenance easier, not to mention better strength. The winch mount/plate (referred to as "plate" from this point forward) and the bumper both mount independently to the frame of the FJ. Once the winch plate is bolted on and installed, then you can install the winch. From there, slide the front tube bump on, bolt it up and you are good to go! Installation is rather simple. Now getting back to the strength part. I like the fact that the winch plate bolts to the frame independently and not to the bumper itself. While winching, most of the torque is applied to the frame of the vehicle verses the bumper. In my opinion, some bumpers that have built in winch plates could possibly fail sooner than those where the winch plate mounts to the frame. Another thing I like about it mounting to the frame is it seems to put the winch lower on the vehicle. I feel this helps reduce the center of gravity slightly (winching at odd angles) and helps to reduce the amount of pressure on the front suspension, bumper, and other parts. It also puts most of the energy and torque low on the frame of the vehicle. Having said all that, I have not seen a failure in other bumpers or winch plates in person. The newer Metal Tech 4x4 front tube bumper with winch mount has two recovery points welded onto the winch plate. I like where they put the recovery points. They are lower on the on the vehicle and welded directly to the winch plate. My reasons for liking the location of the recovery points are the same as the winch plate. I have not seen a recovery point welded to a bumper fail in person, but I have heard and read about it several times. The Metal Tech 4x4 front tube bumper with winch mount has several light tab mounts welded on to it. It has a total of four light tabs (two on each side) mounted lower on the bumper and two light tab mounts on the top center of the bumper. For me, the most time-consuming part of installation was spent running wire and mounting all of my lights (I like lights). It has a good approach angle, easy to keep clean, light weight, looks great, and does a good job protecting the FJ. I have hit several trees (smaller trees) without damaging the bumper or FJ. On one of my wheeling trips, I made contact with a rocky, dirt wall and the bumper did it's job. It took the impact, protecting the front drivers side fender. It was a small hit, but a hit none the less. I am positive if I did not have the bumper, I would have broken the front turn signal housing and damaged the front drivers side fender.
Once I came off the trail and changed my pants, I inspected the rig. To my surprise, the front bumper was just fine. There were no visible signs of damage. Once again the bumper did its job and protected the FJ. Just like the sliders, I cleaned up any "trail rash" the same way using sand paper and black spray paint. *Note: If you do decide to go with a Metal Tech 4x4 or other bumper, be cautious how much He-Man strength you give on the front frame bolts. To no fault of Metal Tech 4x4 or Toyota, I over tightened the bolt and broke the frame stud off. Even though I did seven push ups that morning, it was not my muscles that broke it, it was the impact I was using. Lessons learned. Rear BumperJust like the rest of their products, this rear bumper is very well built. In my opinion, there are better looking options on the market for a Toyota FJ Cruiser, but those are typically "plate style" bumpers. In terms of tube bumpers, I believe Metal Tech 4x4 has the best looking one. I also believe theirs offers the most strength and protection, especial the side wings. This one piece bumper makes installation and possible maintenance in the future easier. It has a built in, low profile receiver for towing, which is nice. It allows for installation of the factory back up sensors on the rear cover plate. It also has two recovery points welded onto it. Installation was very simple and straight forward. The longest part of installation was removing the factory bumper. The Metal Tech 4x4 rear tube bumper is amazingly strong and can take a beating. I have come down extremely hard onto rocks while on trails and the bumper took the hits. It did not dent or bend the tubing at all. Although it is designed to flex, it does not flex into the body. Another thing I like about the rear bumper is the side protection it offers. I have damaged the "wings" on the side of the bumper by sliding into trees, rocks, and other obstacles. Again, the bumper took all of the force and held strong without flexing into the body. I can't tell you how many trees (smaller trees) I have backed into without damaging the bumper or FJ. The bumper does not have any light mounts, but I did add a pair of Rigid SR-M's by bolting them to the bumper and wiring them into the reverse lights. The lights are tucked up high enough that they are protected by the bumper, but still maintain a good angle for light output. There is no telling how many times it saved the FJ from damage. The only issue I had with the rear bumper is when I upgraded to a larger tire size (Nitto Trail Grappler 295/70/17). The spare tire would not fit on the back door mount because it made contact with the bumper. In order to mount the larger tire, I added a 2" wheel spacer on the mount itself. I then used washers on the two bottom bolts of the mount. I placed them between the mount and rear door to create a slight angle up. After doing this, the spare tire fit on the mount without contacting the bumper. Down side, it pushed the weight of the spare tire further out, but I never noticed damage to the door, hinges or mount. ConclusionOverall, I was more than happy with my Metal Tech 4x4 sliders and bumpers. They were functional pieces of equipment that offered great protection and looked good. I had no desire to change the sliders or the front bumper. I was contemplating upgrading the rear bumper though. If I had done that, I would have opted with the Metal Tech 4x4 Red Eye with swing out and optional fuel can rack. Before I could make the switch, we rolled the FJ Cruiser while on a road trip from Washington state to Colorado in January of 2017. The FJ was totaled following the accident, but the bumpers and sliders made it out undamaged. To read that article, please click here: Roll Over The front bumper and sliders were later removed and sold. Unfortunately, due to insurance reasons, the rear bumper stayed on the FJ. Plus side, the FJ was later purchased through an auction and shipped overseas where it was rebuilt and currently in use, with the Metal Tech 4x4 rear bumper still on! Worked out well for the new owner. To read that article, please click here: The FJ Lives! We now have a 2005 Lexus GX470 that we will build and turn into our next adventure vehicle. We plan on doing even larger trips in GX then we did in the FJ Cruiser. As such, we will be searching for the best equipment to outfit that rig. To read about our Lexus, please click here: Lexus GX470 Due to my personal experience with Metal Tech 4x4, I will trust their products to protect the GX just like I did with the FJ. To learn more about Metal Tech 4x4 or view their large selection of Toyota specific products, please visit their website by clicking here: Metal Tech 4x4 Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below! The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone. -Bourn Adventure Author: Baker Since our humble beginnings, Bourn Adventure has developed relationships with companies all over the United States. Wether it was us buying their products to use on our adventures or to display in the Bourn Adventure Gear HQ or as a source of entertainment / information; they supported us and in turn, we support them. Down below you will find a list our affiliates. It should be noted. They are here because we trust them, their products, and their services and we consider them friends. Bourn Adventure Gear does not get paid to list them. Metal Tech 4x4Metal Tech 4x4 is a company based in Oregon that specializes in building components for Toyota off road vehicles. We ran their bumpers and sliders on our 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser. Once we start our 2005 Lexus GX470 build, we plan using their parts agin. If you have a Toyota truck or SUV and want to add some good modifications, check out Metal Tech 4x4.  Toyota Trucks & Trails PodcastToyota Trucks and Trails Podcast focuses on all things Toyota! Now you can get that off road Toyota talk while you are on the road, sitting in the office, or working on your rig. They are a great resource to learn more about your Toyota and the community. You can listen for free on their website so let the journey begin!  GXORGXOR (GX Off Road) is an online group of Lexus GX enthusiast. GXOR, and the community is a valuable recourse for vehicle owners and/or those looking to purchase and later modify their Lexus GX. The have members all over the world and do organized meet ups and off road events within GXOR, the Toyota community or other off road groups. The also have a retail site where you can purchase GXOR merchandise.  Whiskey Rocs Kitchen
They also design and sell stickers, hats, t-shirts, puzzles, coffee mugs and more on their Whiskey Rocks Kitchen website and Etsy page. Bourn Adventure Gear is proud to host and sell the Love What You Drive sticker and patch, which is designed by Whiskey Rocks Kitchen as a collaboration between the our two businesses.
The cat is out of the bag. We bought a 2017 John Cooper Works MINI, in Moonwalk grey! Before we go any further with this article, let me clarify. The MINI is not the direct replacement for the FJ. We have no intentions of leaving the Toyota community. We are still getting something within the Toyota family to use as our off-road adventure vehicle. We hope to decide on a vehicle soon. In the meantime, we plan on doing some fun adventures in the Cooper, and we hope you will continue to follow along.  As I have stated in previous articles, the FJ gave us a sense of adventure and freedom that we had not experienced before. It allowed us to become part of an amazing community of Toyota owners and off-road enthusiasts. The long road trips we took in the FJ across this beautiful and amazing country of ours led us to discover our desire to Explore America. As much as Ashlie and I loved driving the FJ all over the country, our bank account felt differently. The FJ averaged about 12 MPG (miles per gallon). On average, we would make three long road trips a year, and sometimes they would go over 10,000 miles. Fuel easily became one of our biggest expenses on those trips, especially during the summer months when gas prices typically went up.  Our new MINI Cooper started as an idea in December of 2015. Ashlie and I were talking about getting a second vehicle that is more fuel efficient to use on summer road trips. The thought behind this was, the FJ would remain our winter road trip/off road event vehicle and the new one for longer road trips. As she and I shared car ideas, I brought up a MINI Cooper. She gave me a confused look at first, but then I reminded her I used to own a one many years ago and I loved it!  Excuse me while I travel down memory lane for a few seconds. At the time (2006/2007), I lived in Atlanta and then moved up to St. Louis. The MINI and I traveled all over the southern part of the United Sates together and then when I moved up north, all over the Midwest. All those miles and I probably only put five dollars worth of gas in her. She was a fuel efficient, eye-catching, street legal go-kart. Those of you that knew me then, or rode with me, can tell you I drove that car hard. I was much younger at the time and did not do a good job taking care of the MINI (or anything else for that matter), but she took care of me. I had an 18 wheeler blow a tire right next to me that caused body damage when the tread flew off and slammed into the front end. Another time, a deer decided to hit me on the passenger side of the MINI while I was driving on the highway. Yes, you read that right the deer hit me, not the other way around. It apparently chose the MINI because of how small it was and decided it could win. It darted out from behind a sign and ran into the side of the car causing more body damage and my passenger (6'4", 230ish man) to scream like a little girl. The deer stood up, ran off and I'm sure, became a legend among his friends for his actions that day. I would often drive it in places or across terrain where I'm sure the MINI engineers did not intend for it to go. I did not do proper maintenance on it, and at on point, I'm sure I missed an oil change or three by several thousand miles. I even lost first gear (manual). It's a long story, but just know, I never found it again. All that wear and tear and constant abuse I put the MINI through, and she never gave me any issues, except for that time I got it stuck on a small tree. That's another story. My point is, she was a reliable vehicle, and one that I could count on to get me from point A to B. Any issues I had were caused by yours truly and were not noticeable when I turned the music louder. Let's get back to discussing how Ashlie and I decided on the MINI Cooper as our next road trip vehicle. As I said, better fuel efficiency was important to us. The MINI gets about 25 MPG city and 32 MPG highway. In theory, this will reduce our fuel expense by two-thirds on road trips, giving us more money for Slurpees, candy, and other snacks. The MINI is also a head turner, similar to how the FJ was. By no means is she modest looking. Her flashy colors and curvy body lines make her stand out in a crowd. Its unique, compact design allows it to be very nimble and carve up turns like a hot knife through butter.  The original MINI was meant to have a simple, ordinary life as a cheap economy car. She was born out of necessity for a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle that was within the financial grasp of just about everyone at the time and still capable of transporting a family. To meet these strict demands engineers had to get creative. Due to their "outside the box" thinking, they achieved their goal and gave the world the MINI in 1959. Soon after its release, it captured the minds and imaginations of many people. From then till now, she has continued to entertain the masses. Her iconic history has become embedded in the motoring world. MINI has done a fantastic job at paying attention to the small details to make this car even more distinctive and fun to drive. Much like the Toyota community, MINI owners are very passionate about their hobby. To some, the MINI is not a vehicle, it's a way of life, and that lifestyle is about adventure. Several MINI sponsored/organized events across the country bring owners together. Some of these events draw owners, passengers, and spectators in by the thousands. You'll see base model stock MINI's to modified, track style MINI's and everything in between. I even accidently stumbled across one of these events in August of 2015 while up in Michigan. It was called "MINI On The Mac" where more than 1,300 MINIs were in attendance to attempt a new world record of Largest-ever MINI Cooper Parade, which is currently held by the English. Unfortunately, they missed their goal that day, but I'm sure the comradery and friendships made there far surpass any record. If you're interested in reading more about this, please click the link: MINI On The Mac  Although different, the Toyota and MINI communities are very similar. They both care deeply about their vehicles and share the desire for adventure, togetherness and telling their story. The most notable difference is, one group loves the off-road while the other loves the road. Both roads lead to freedom, adventure and the outdoors. In the end, they find themselves at the same destination. As fate would have it, I totaled the FJ in January 2017 after putting her belly up in Oregon. We did not want to rush the selection process of the replacement rig, but we needed a second vehicle. We decided to move on the MINI idea now. By doing this, it allowed more time to find the off-road rig that is right for us. We also figured, if we get the MINI now, we can start taking road trips and attending events in it. Initially, our plan was to keep Ashlie's 2014 Cadillac CTS-V (her dream car) and get the MINI as a second vehicle for me. Once we decided on the replacement rig and were ready to buy it, we would sell her CTS-V, and the MINI would become her daily driver. The more we thought it about it, the more it made sense to sell her CTS-V now and only have one vehicle. There are advantages and disadvantages to only having one car, but for us, the pros outweigh the cons. Sure, we could have waited on the MINI and taken the CTS-V on the road for now, but we would be in a similar fuel predicament what we were in with the FJ. The CTS-V is a high-horsepower beast who's Super Charged engine guzzles fuel at a rate of "oh damn!" On paper, the CTS-V gets 14 MPG city and 19 MPG highway. In reality, the fuel economy is more like Scotty from Star Trek, "I'm givin' her all she's got, Captain!" which equates to an average of 15 MPG. In February 2017 we ordered our MINI, and on March 15, 2017, it arrived at the dealership. March 24, 2017, Ashlie took her final drive in the CTS-V as she made her way to the Brian Harris MINI dealership in Baton Rouge, LA. It was a day of mixed emotions. We said good-bye to the V and hello to the MINI.  Although our new MINI does not have the blood pumping power plant the CTS-V did, she still has a healthy heart beat. With 228 horsepower flowing from her turbocharged engine and the Dynamic Damper Controlled suspension, she zips around the city and winding mountain roads without effort. Combined with the John Cooper Works Pro Bluetooth Exhaust, she goes from quiet, innocent Sunday morning to loud, rowdy Friday night. With a push of a button, the exhaust re-routes, bypassing the restrictive catalytic converter and unleashes a growl that commands attention and respect.  Her name says it all, MINI. She is used to being the underdog and picked on by the larger motors, but if given a chance, she will surprise even the strongest competitor. What she lacks in raw power she makes up for in stamina and agility. The Cooper might be MINI, but she packs a punch! Like boxing, the motorsports world is full of eager fighters in all shapes and sizes. The MINI might not be in the main event, but she is still a competitor none the less. "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." is a quote by boxing legend Muhammad Ali which I feel best describes the MINI attitude. Fuel efficiency is what lead us to look for a second vehicle, but the community and MINI heritage is what made us decide on which vehicle that would be. We are proud to be part of this new family and look forward to experiencing everything it has to offer. Here's to the MINI!  Thank you for reading this article. We hope you found it entertaining. If so, please share it with others and don't forget to leave a comment down below! The world is a large place, and life is short. Together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could alone. -Bourn Adventure Author: Baker Gallery |
AuthorsBaker and Ashlie are the owners of Bourn Adventure and together they author the majority of the articles and content found here. Guest AuthorsCheyenne Izaguirre Categories
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