stories
I tell stories. No, really—ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you I take great pleasure in retelling funny stories from my childhood, anecdotes from trips I’ve just returned from, or interesting facts about obscure things I’ve read about. I love infusing my personality, my sense of humor, and my voice into everything I write.
To the End of the Road: My 8,000-Mile Alaskan Adventure in a 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser
After years of dreaming about this adventure, I have never felt less accomplished than I did standing in front of the rusted “Welcome to Deadhorse, Alaska” sign. It was well after 9 p.m., and the warm, still air smelled heavily of diesel exhaust fumes. The sun was still well above the horizon in the northern sky, casting long shadows from the surrounding buildings. It had taken me nine long days to accomplish something I’ve long dreamed about, driving MotorTrend’s long-term 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser the 4,231 miles from Los Angeles to the end of the road—and the most northernly point you can drive to in North America—Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.
Our Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Was Shot At by Smooth-Brain Morons
It might be your cousin, co-worker, or neighbor. They daily-drive a brodozer—a lifted pickup with oversized tires, fiberglass flares, and a suspension worth more than a small house. Like gazelles to a watering hole, they are drawn to the deserted areas of this country with their side-by-sides, dirt bikes, and ATVs in tow, Monster energy drink in hand. A great weekend migration of the like-minded. They are bros, and they’re having more fun than you are.
In our yearlong review fleet, perhaps no vehicle is bro-ier than our 2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. You don’t have to be the brightest light bar on the roof rack to recognize a bro truck when you see one. Whether it’s the eye-popping Solar Octane orange paint, the digital camouflage wheel arches and seat trim, or the gaping black grill with a built-in light bar, our Tundra TRD Pro’s styling is aimed squarely at the Brosephs among us. Throughout my time with our long-term Tundra, I’ve often been on the receiving end of a complimentary, “Nice truck, bro!”
This Electric BMW Restomod Loses Its Engine But Not Its Soul
I couldn't tell you the exact date when my infatuation with vintage BMWs began. What I can tell you is sometime between the ages of 13 and 16, my love affair with muscle cars and hot rods began to wane.Hot Rod andCar Craft magazines were replaced by Eurotuner, and I found myself daydreaming about modified BMW 3 Series.
It was during this time of transitioning tastes I stumbled across a photo of a white BMW 2002 Turbo cresting a hill, afloat with all four wheels off the ground. It was small and boxy, with a low front spoiler and fender flares. It was unlike anything that showed up to the annual car show in my small Washington town. It was love at first sight, or in this case, flight.
The Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Goes on the Ultimate Road Trip
I love road trips. So much so that the first thing I do when I get assigned a new yearlong test vehicle is to start thinking of what grand adventure to take it on. Our 2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro was no different. From the day this big orange beast arrived, my mind was awash with possibilities and ideas of where to go. My first thought was obvious and predictable, considering my affinity for wordplay: Take the Tundra to a tundra. Ever since my wife, automotive photographer Jessica Walker, joined MotorTrend on a journey to the Arctic Ocean up the Dalton Highway in Alaska, a return trip up the famous route has been on our road trip bucket list. Unfortunately, life got in the way and the nearly 8,000-mile round-trip journey from Los Angeles will have to wait. So where then?
2025 Subaru Forester Sport: What Do Dogs Think?
I’ll be honest, I don’t really like cars. I like going places. I love going to the park, the beach, daycare, Petco, new places, places I’ve been before, and the other park. I just wish I didn’t have to ride in the car to get there. Trust me, I’ve ridden in a lot of different cars over the last 11 years. The first one was a Jeep, but that was a stressful day, and I slept most of the way home. The boy brings home different cars all the time, and I can never tell if it’s him or some stranger, so I do my best growl and bark until he gets out. The cushy gray Range Rover was OK, and so was the Jeep they drove me to the dog park near the Grand Canyon in. Most of the time, though, it seems like the boy and girl are having more fun in the front seat than I ever do.
Mileage Run! Our 2023 Toyota Tundra Has 750 Miles of Range*
I have a confession to make: I haven't been driving our 2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro yearlong test truck efficiently. I wish I could blame the V-8 noises that get pumped through the speakers, or the 580 lb-ft of torque that make the Tundra fun to launch off the line. Maybe it's California's fault? I hear a lot is. People in Los Angeles drive with a level of aggression that rests somewhere between "qualifying for the Indy 500," and "Black Friday sales mob." It's like automotive Darwinism: Either adapt or get left behind. I suppose at the end of the day, the buck stops with my heavy right foot and my enjoyment of driving in air-conditioned, seat-cooled bliss.