TOYOTA TRAILS CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS Karie Farr Most of you know Karie Farr as the Member Services Director for TLCA. She loves the TLCA community and especially enjoys conversations with long-time members who call and share their wonderful stories. Karie lives in Colorado with her husband Matt and their two amazing children. She enjoys skiing, running, hiking, classical music, camping, and exploring the backroads of Colorado in their 1996 FZJ80 Land Cruiser. She spent the last decade as a leader and volunteer for both Girl Scouts and Boys Scouts. She is also an accomplished classical musician and holds a degree in French Horn performance. When not working and exploring Colorado, you will most often find Karie volunteering with the local high school music program advocating for music education in schools. Rob Tygart Rob Tygart has been a TLCA member since 2006, He is currently the TLCA's Western Regional Reprehensive. Rob and his wife Wendy have made the journey to many TLCA Events across the Country making new friends and family. Located in Southern California they have an open door policy for any Toyota Enthusiast or TLCA member needing help or a place to stay. There is always a hot meal, clean bed and tools for those passing through. Chris Mueller Chris “Hugh” Mueller has been in the Land Cruiser community since 2006 when, after returning from a posting in Puerto Rico, he bought his first FJ40 in Northwest Georgia. Since then he has built an FJ40 from spare parts, owned an FJ60 and currently owns an FJ40, a BJ73 and wheels a UZJ-100; a truck he boasts to have wheeled on Mount Pinatubo during his last overseas posting in the Philippines. Chris is married and currently resides in Lindale, Georgia. He is an active member of the Southeast Toyota Land Cruiser Association. Ron Baldwin Ron Baldwin is a Utah native who grew up exploring local mountains and deserts. He got into the off-road scene as a starving college student who borrowed his brother’s CJ5 for a romantic date that didn’t happen due to rolling the Jeep. He realized at that point that Jeeps weren’t for him and purchased a four year old FJ40 from a 1970’s stoner – it took months to get rid of the marijuana smell. Ron still drives that same FJ40 despite rolling it as well. Ron thanks his wife and adventure companion Nancy, who was too often a Toyota widow, for her patience as he repaired and modified the FJ40. They used the Toyota to take their sons, Kory and Jacob, camping and later both boys learned to drive behind the wheel of the FJ40. 8 Steve Helmreich Steve has been fixing cars since age 12, and is a technical writer working in the Space domain. He bought his 1978 FJ40 in 1990, and has restored it along many other Land Cruisers and other Toyotas. Living in Colorado affords many chances to explore gold mines, historic plane crash sites, high mountain passes, and big game hunting areas, all using a Land Cruiser. Steve attends various Rising Sun club gatherings and appreciates all the passion within the TLCA and the Land Cruiser community. Kelly Holloway Kelly is the caretaker of a small fleet of Toyota 4wd machines including his son’s 80 series UTE and daughter’s 4Runner, FJ40, FJ45, BJ73, FZJ75, FToy, and a few 80s. His story is everyone’s story. Boy meets Land Cruiser, boy loses Land Cruiser, boy goes to college, develops strong case of ADD, and focuses this to create a stable full of interesting Land Cruisers.