Rubithon 2025: Breaking in a New Engine on the World’s Most Iconic Trail
They say the Rubicon Trail is the ultimate litmus test for a rig. Usually, you’d want a few thousand easy miles on a fresh engine before bouncing it off rev-limiters in a rock garden, but we don’t really do "easy" Montana miles. We bombed down from Big Sky country, stayed at the Circus Circus Casino in Reno (which was an "experience" in itself), and rolled up to the trailhead with less than 100 miles on my new engine.
When I voiced a slight concern about the break-in period, Johnny just looked at me and said, “It’s either gonna work or it’s not, lets just send it.” So, we sent it.
The Convoy: Cruisers and Company
I was honored to be part of the Cruisers and Company run this year. We had a heavy-hitting Lexus lineup: three LX450s and one LX570. There’s something special about seeing luxury-badged beasts covered in Sierra dust and crawling over granite that would swallow a stock truck whole.
A massive shoutout to Cruisers and Company for not only sponsoring the event but for keeping the vibes high when the trail got technical. Also, a huge tip of the hat to Ryan for taking some absolutely dope photos of the group—it's rare I get to be on the other side of the lens!
12 Miles of Absolute Carnage
It took us three days to travel just 12 miles. That should tell you everything you need to know about the 2025 conditions. The "Trail Gods" demanded their tribute this year, and our group paid up:
Two 80-series axle shafts snapped.
One 80-series steering box gave up the ghost.
One 200-series CV joint exploded (I actually kept one of the CV bearings and it’s sitting in my glovebox right now as a permanent souvenir).
Luckily, between the four of us, we had spares for almost everything. We turned the trail into a mobile workshop more than once.
The LX450 Performance
Somehow, I managed to emerge with all my fender flares intact. I didn't have to winch myself a single time, though my winch cable got plenty of exercise. I spent half the trip acting as an anchor point or pulling others through the V-notches. The only real battle scar? A badly bent driveshaft. It’s wobbling, but it didn't break, which is a win in my book.
The Reality: Dust, Exhaustion, and 10/10 Difficulty
I really want to highlight the sheer difficulty of what you're seeing in these photos. Trying to shoot professional-grade motorsports photography while piloting a rig through a 10/10 difficulty trail for 10 hours straight is a special kind of hell.
The pure exhaustion is real. By the time you reach camp, you are covered in a thick layer of dust. All the dust. It’s in your gear, your lungs, and your camera sensors. But when you look at the shots of these Cruisers articulated on the rocks, every bit of grit was worth it.
Rubicon Springs: Lexus Style
Reaching Rubicon Springs was next level. After three days of mechanical stress and dirt, relaxing by the water was the reset we needed. And of course, we had to do it in Lexus Style—check out the photos of the Champagne bottles popping in the woods.
Final Thanks
A huge thanks to my brother for stacking rocks and spotting me through the tightest lines, and to every single person in the convoy who helped wrench, pull cable, or just share a laugh. This was a Rubithon for the history books.
