2026 CHAOS GAMES - Trip 1
Friends, family, fun and exploring points of interest were the plan for this complete spontaneous road trip to start off 2026. Pounding storms hit southern California back-to-back over the holiday break. But there was a one-day window after the new year to squeeze in a loop and not swim in the mud. We chose to stick to mainly pavement on this adventure and enjoy the vast south west desert in its unseasonably “wet” conditions.
We took advantage of a road trip through every kind of weather to put the new Pirelli Scorpion XTM (Load E) ICE tires to the test on our Lexus GX 460—and they delivered.
Pirelli has truly bridged the gap between a rugged off-road tire and a refined, high-performance street tire.
Initial Impressions:
“These are the best all-conditions tires I’ve used on our GX 460. Traction is incredible in the dirt, and they remain predictable at high speeds. We hit a storm on the highway, and the on-road grip in pouring rain through the mountains was extremely impressive. I had complete confidence in the corners on soaked pavement. When we reached the mud, there was zero loss of traction. The ride quality—both on- and off-road—makes a bold statement that Pirelli is here for the off-road community.”
— Nicole Pitell, Owner, TOTAL CHAOS Fabrication
In order to keep the kids entertained we hiked and explored old mud caves from the 1920’s, sledded down hard packed rain-soaked dunes and strolled a historic mining town to get a feel for the wild-wild west. There are remnants of a bank, a mercantile, a train station that transformed into a casino, a Union Pacific wooden train car, a jail and a cemetery.
We ended the tour at a monument dedicated to one of the heroes of the X-15 flight program. After hitting the 2nd round of rain pounding so cal and driving through flash flood zones, we completed a huge loop through one of of America’s most majestic and unforgiving deserts. It was a great way to celebrate an 18th birthday, a fresh start to a New Year, and to hang out with great friends. Smiles to per mile were at a premium. Cheers to 2026!
📸🎥: TIM SUTTON
https://www.timsuttonphoto.com/