Archive for July, 2011

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Pacific to Atlantic

Posted in California, Legend, NALM, Road Trip on July 18, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer:  481,466

Yesterday afternoon I was cruising along southbound Interstate 5 in southern California enjoying oceanside views and within a few days, I’ll be just as close to the ocean on the complete opposite side of the country.  The trusty old Legend once again endured a trip across the barren desert of western Arizona to sunny SoCal.  I picked up my roommate Rustin at a hotel he’d been staying at in Newport Beach, but not without first fighting some of Los Angeles’ classic gridlock.  It’s always amazing how a six or seven lane freeway can be stop and go on a weekend for no apparent reason.  That’s what I encountered on the 91 and 55.  Things finally opened up a bit along the 5.  There’s the Pacific to the right.

From Newport, it was southbound to America’s Finest City (and my favorite, if you haven’t noticed, to visit): San Diego.  It was a great night of cooler temps and some quality time with friends.  I’m loving my new Garmin Nuvi and I’m not quite sure how I ever lived without it.  The trip meter was reset upon departure from southern California this morning and now reads 460 miles.  I consider my trip to the east coast as already begun.  Tonight is just a pit stop at home before a quick shift at work tomorrow and a departure in the afternoon.

My already-bullseyed windshield sustained a crack at some point today on Interstate 10 eastbound that seems to be spreading pretty quickly.  Before I know it, my line of sight may be obstructed.  I’ll wait until after this trip to have a new windshield put in.  At least for right now the crack is hidden behind the rearview mirror.

First fuel stop – Beaumont, CA.  $4.05 for 91 octane.

I consider the car ready to go – it’s myself that I’m most worried about preparing.  It’s been a long time since I had to pack 10 days worth of apparel for a trip.  Along with the standard items that always roll around in my trunk (extra gallon of Honda-spec “Type 2” coolant, spare quart of oil) I’ll be taking not one but TWO full size spare tires.  The Michelins on the coupe now have probably already seen 50-55,000 miles of use.  They’re great tires and have plenty of tread left, but for peace of mind I’ll pack the spares.  Of all the mechanical parts on the car I’d be most worried about my original clutch having another 5,000 left in it.  Nice thing is – this trip is a TON of freeway driving.  I probably caused more wear & tear on the clutch in yesterday’s LA traffic than I will between here and the east coast.

I’ll make every effort to post nightly updates as to my whereabouts and happenings.  Here’s a last shot of the coupe with its twin brother as I get started loading up.

Bon voyage!

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Epic Roadtrip Planning

Posted in Legend, NALM, Road Trip on July 13, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer:  480,380

I know!  I’ve been slacking on the mileage accumulation.  Truth is, I’ve been sick for the last week and that’s kept me from getting out & about.

I can’t believe I’m a week away from taking my east coast roadtrip already.  Since February, I’ve been planning to make the voyage to Morristown, New Jersey for this year’s National Acura Legend Meet.  Each year for the last 7 years, I’ve had the chance to rendezvous with other Acura-crazy enthusiasts for a multiple day event that’s held in a different part of the country.  My Legend coupe is the only one to have driven to every single NALM since the event was launched in 2005.  I’ve been to meets in Dallas, Tulsa, Las Vegas, Chattanooga, Branson, and Salt Lake City.  This year’s host city is Morristown.

Here’s a picture of our group from NALM 2010 in Salt Lake at a local dealership, Jody Wilkinson Acura, that graciously hosted our group for a BBQ.  I’m standing with my car in the center up on the elevated concrete walkway.  At the time, I had Acura TSX wheels on the coupe.

I had the privilege of meeting Jody Wilkinson himself and he was extremely hospitable throughout our group’s visit (pictured at left here).

So the planning begins… I finally broke down today and ordered a GPS unit.  Hundreds of thousands of miles relying on Google Maps, hard copy printouts, handwritten addresses, and huge atlases, and I’m just now starting to incorporate an electronic travel tool that I’m sure will make my trip a lot easier.  I ended up going with the Garmin Nuvi 1390LMT unit with a 4.3 inch screen and free lifetime map updates.  I’ll be getting my money’s worth out of this baby!

My tentative route is as follows.  I’ve got a ton of people to see along the way so this could lead to some detours.  Bottom line:  5,000 miles in 9 days.  I’m a bit insane.  I’ll depart after work next Tuesday the 19th.  Internet connection permitting, I’ll try to post daily updates as to my whereabouts and adventures as I traverse the nation.

Tentative NALM schedule.  I’ll likely only make it to part of the Friday & Saturday events.

More updates to come!

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Utah Roadtrip… Without the Legend

Posted in Misc Travel, Utah on July 6, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer:  480,150

The Legend sat in hibernation for 3 days while I roamed around the hills of northern Utah visiting family and friend over the long Independence Day weekend.  My parents live just over 800 miles north of the Phoenix area in a small valley of northern Utah.  I was glad for any excuse to again retreat to lower temperatures and also get a chance to see my new niece.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a mileage accumulation weekend for the trusty old Legend as it sat in the garage from Friday through Monday.  A couple of weeks ago, my friend Jeremy had me transport a local 1997 Lexus SC400 for him which he’d received as part of an inheritance.  Just over 70,000 miles, original owner, rare “renaissance red” with two-tone interior.  I was happy to oblige as I’ve always been a fan of the Lexus coupes.  My next task became getting the car to Jeremy in Salt Lake City, so my friend Matt and I saddled up in the luxo-coupe and rolled northward last Friday night.

Here’s a photo of the coupes together pre-departure.  The $56k Lexus is a fine ride but excludes some of the features I’ve come to love in my Legend and was never (except in the 6 cylinder version) offered in a manual transmission so the driving experience was a bit sedated for my tastes.  Still, there’s nothing quite like the sound (albeit heavily dampened) of a V8 motor at wide open throttle.  Mmmm.

As luck would have it, once Matt and I got to Salt Lake City, my friend Branson allowed me the keys to his Cayman White Pearl 1995 Legend LS coupe 6-speed.  Since he works for a local dealership, Branson was able to snag a vehicle off the lot for the weekend and I used his Legend as my rental for the next couple of days.  Silky smooth (freshly clayed) paint, new leather, sporty TL Type S wheels.  This car’s about as close to mint condition as you can get at 142,000 miles.  We drove past the home in Logan, Utah (only 20 minutes or so from the Idaho border) where I grew up.  The yard has changed but the memories are still there!  I lived in this home from ages 5 through 12.

Two great days of food, family, and fun later, it was time to head back to Salt Lake City and hop on a US Airways flight back to Phoenix.  It was great to see the fireworks displays from my window seat at 11F and to be back at home with my comfy memory foam bed.  I’d wondered if the Legend would fire up on the first try since I’ve been told the battery is junk, but indeed the car came to life immediately when it was time to head to work this morning.  Lots of preparations to do in the next couple of weeks before I head on my cross-country adventure to New Jersey.

Here’s one last shot of Sardine Canyon as it descends into Cache Valley where Logan lies.

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