Toyotas, however, dominate the landscape. At one point, no fewer than four identical white crew-cab Toyota Racing Development (TRD) pickups are parked in a line. “I guess this is the white Tacoma parking section,” one owner jokes as he rides out to the trailhead.
The mid-size Toyota pickup truck, known as the Hilux in overseas markets and the Tacoma in North America since 1995, is something of a cultural icon for outdoor enthusiasts. A black, pre-Tacoma-nameplate example appeared in the 1985 blockbuster film Back to the Future, stirring palpable desire in Michael J Fox’s Marty McFly – and in countless viewers. This was a vehicle built for fun; it could work, too, but the Toyota was a born sport truck, ideal for surfers, skiers, snowmobilers and cyclists.