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Weekend Road Trip: Phoenix to San Diego, California for James’ Birthday

Posted in California, ILX, Road Trip on July 18, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 543,881

Odometer (ILX): 175,686

Trip Distance: 730 Miles

You really can’t get a much better 7-day weather forecast than this. Highs in the 70s. Lows in the 60s.

It’s no wonder us Phoenicians don’t think twice about flocking to the coastline in mid-summer for a gasp of sea air from time to time. Yesterday afternoon, I was sprawled in the shade of a palm tree on the grass at the Hotel del Coronado. The Pacific coast was a picture of perfection: a light breeze, the sound of the crashing waves, and the smell of fresh flowers. The grounds at the “del” were immaculate as always. The historic hotel, built in 1888, has always been a place for San Diego’s elite to vacation. It’s no wonder the cost for 2 hours of parking is $30 and brunch costs $90.

My seven friends and I didn’t pay for either, as we’d opted to park several blocks away (for free) on a surface street and we ate at Panda Express instead. But at least the scenery didn’t cost us a penny, and I think a couple of the guys may have even snagged a seashell or two to take home as a souvenir.

The reason for the season was a birthday gathering: James turned 30 last week and he decided to take the party to Southern California. It’s only about a five-and-a-half hour drive from Phoenix to San Diego, and with enough advance notice, James was able to arrange an “AirBNB” home for our group in the convenient North Park part of town, right off the I-8 and I-805 freeways.

Kyle took the wheel of the ILX on Friday afternoon for the drive out so that I could telecommute from the road, in the passenger seat. By the time we descended to sea level at the coastline, the sun had dipped below the Pacific and nighttime had fallen. Our three-story home for the weekend was right off Idaho Street & El Cajon Boulevard: “The Gateway to Mid City.” Saturday morning took us to Pacific Beach which was bustling with people and entertainment. The water temperature was brisk initially but really not all that bad. I’d forgotten my flip-flops so I spent $5.99 on a two-pack of them at CVS Pharmacy which promptly fell apart as soon as a strong wave ripped one off my feet. I guess I got my money’s worth.

We spent the evening in San Diego’s uptown “Hillcrest” district, exploring the streets, freeways, and cuisine. I twas a a contrast to see the many people outside enjoying the weather. Central Phoenix after-hours is usually somewhat of a ghost town in comparison.

That brings us to our visit to Coronado Island on Sunday morning. Once isolated from ‘mainland’ San Diego, Coronado (Spanish for “crowned one”) became connected in 1969 thanks to a 2.12-mile, curved bridge. It’s five lanes wide with the center lane reserved for emergency use as well as a reversible lane for peak traffic times. Up until 2002, the bridge cost a $1.00-per-car toll for westbound traffic, but that toll was discontinued after the original bond had been paid. Today, the roadway carries 75,000 vehicles per day. We encountered fairly heavy traffic not on the bridge itself, but after arriving on the island and making our way to Hotel del Coronado. (not my pic here)

Interestingly enough, the San Diego – Coronado Bridge is the third-deadliest “suicide bridge” in the United States. Between 1972 and 2000, some 200 people jumped to their deaths. There are signs along the road urging people to call a suicide hotline. Yikes.

The Hotel del Coronado is home to what is believed to be the world’s oldest living Christmas tree. First decorated in 1904, a huge pine tree on the grounds continues to be decorated every December. Unfortunately I didn’t snag a picture of it, but it was far too big to fit in the viewfinder when I walked underneath it anyway!

Interstate 8 brought us back to the desert on Sunday afternoon, where reality soon set in and it was time to do laundry and get ready for the work week. But the memories will live on we’re glad we got to enjoy the birthday festivities in such an awesome place as San Diego. Thanks for joining for the trip!

Shell station in Gila Bend, Arizona

Sunset and windmills on westbound I-8 Friday night

Pacific Beach on Saturday with Rob and James

This is a “Baked Bear” ice cream sandwich. Cookie on one end, brownie on the other end, and cookie dough ice cream in the middle. TDF (to die for). Especially since the cookie & brownie were warmed up.

Kyle borrowed the ILX and we drove behind for a block or two in James’ Lexus RX450h.

Entering El Cajon Boulevard

Crossing the San Diego – Coronado Bridge

Arriving at the Hotel del Coronado

Group photo overlooking at the beach at the hotel: Rob, Kyle, James, Tyson, Chandler, Jack, Michael, Chris

ILX after fueling up in Tavern Rd in Alpine

Have a great week!

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Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Phoenix Ignition Car Show, & Mom’s New Infiniti G35

Posted in California, ILX, Legend, NSX, Road Trip on March 28, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 542,910

Odometer (ILX): 158,951

Trip Distance: 558 Miles

I attended a 60th birthday gathering for my friend Chuck last Wednesday. As I was just getting ready to head out for another commitment (my second of 3 appointments that evening), he made the comment, “One of these days I’m going to put Velcro on your chair so you’re forced to stick around longer than an hour.” Ha – sounds about right!

legend_desert_center_2

It was a double-duty mileage weekend out here in the American Southwest. My Legend coupe and my ILX both saw some highway use on a trip out to Southern California for sunshine and relaxation. Since the early 1900s, the desert city of Palm Springs has blossomed and grown as a destination for its hot springs, architecture, and tourism in the surrounding landscape. I’ve visited many times over the last few years and it’s an easy 4-hour drive door-to-door from my place in Scottsdale, Arizona.

legend_workstation

Ever the king of multi-tasking, I had to stop twice at gas stations and respond to some work emails. I was in my 1994 Legend LS since my friend, Justin, would be heading out later on in the evening in my 2013 ILX. The drive into the sunset was enjoyable and I made really good time. Even at over 540,000 miles, the Legend is still a great highway cruiser than revs at fewer than 2,500 RPM at 80 miles per hour.

tramway_sign

One of the attractions I’d been wanting to see in Palm Springs for a very long time is the “Aerial Tramway,” a 2.5 mile, 10-minute ride that climbs in a cable car from 2,600 feet to 8,500 feet in elevation. It opened in 1963 and climbs in elevation through a rugged canyon to the top of San Jacinto Peak. Justin and I headed to the tramway station on Friday morning and the wait time was about an hour until the next available departure at 12:40 p.m.

tram_car

The ascent wasn’t without some drama. I have both a moderate fear of heights and a slight degree of motion sickness, so after lift-off when the interior of the 80-passenger car started spinning around, it took me a minute before I could even feel comfortable opening my eyes to look outside. I remember being very grateful that there were a few windows open to let a breeze through so I could get some fresh mountain air.

view

For the $25/adult price of admission I felt like I got my money’s worth! The view from the Mountain Station at the top was spectacular (and weather quite a bit cooler than where we’d started). There are quite a few amenities including a restaurant and snack bar. We indulged in a $5 tray of nachos and some potato wedges before getting ready to hop on the next available car and make our descent.

tyson_in_tram_car

I got back from Palm Springs just in time for a car swap at home, then headed to the 2nd annual “Ignition” car show at the Arizona Fairgrounds in central Phoenix. There were probably 50 vehicles in attendance, spanning a wide range of types. The centerpiece was a 1960 Bentley, but at the other end of the spectrum was a $600 Chrysler LeBaron convertible (think “Planes, Trains, & Automobiles” movie car). I represented with the only Acura, displaying my 1992 NSX. Midway through the day, I was asked to say a few words about the car over the loudspeaker and the master of ceremonies commented on the signature on my glove compartment, which belongs to RealTime Racing driver Peter Cunningham.

Another highlight of the weekend was taking delivery of a new car for my mom. At the same birthday party referenced in my opening paragraph, I happened to be seated next to someone named John who I was meeting for the first time. John and I got engaged in “car talk” and I came to find out that he had just listed for sale his 2004 Infiniti G35 online. What blew me away was the odometer reading: 20,192 miles. On a 12-year-old car!

So my interest was piqued and I relayed the information to my mother who happened to be looking for a (larger, car-seat-friendly) replacement for her 2010 Volkswagen Eos convertible. Over the next 24 hours, she struck a deal with John and on Sunday, I showed up to take delivery of the vehicle on her behalf.

It was every bit as immaculate as described. It’s painted a brilliant Garnet Fire Metallic with Willow leather interior. Power comes from a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 260 horsepower and the transmission is a 5-speed automatic. Beyond the standard equipment, the car has the following:

Premium Package (Bose Audio, Glass Sunroof, Dual Zone Temp, and more): $3,200
Aero Package (Rear Spoiler, Diffusers): $550
Sport-Tuned Suspension Package (17″ Alloy Wheels, Sport-Tuned Springs): $425
Body-Color Splash Guards: $120
Price as Equipped: $35,045

When John drove the car off the lot with 36 miles on the odometer on March 20, 2004, it right away became his special occasion car. Neighbors would say, “You must have a date,” each time it would leave the garage. (His daily driver was a white Chevy S-10 pickup).

Over the last 12 years, he paid close attention to detail and maintenance, changing the oil and fluids himself. He has kept detailed notes on everything done to the car, and during our transaction he walked me through all the paperwork. Most used cars don’t even come with an original window sticker. This one not only came with that, but also with full books & records, a 4-page handwritten maintenance log, even a printed page from Infiniti.com from when John “built” his car online before taking delivery.

The car has found a good home and now resides in my garage for 2 weeks until mom flies down to get it.

Here are the rest of the pics from this action-packed last few days!

The Legend coupe in Desert Center, California

Morning view in Palm Springs

My friend Scott taking a spin in the ILX

Road ascending “Tram Way” to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Staging area for the tramway with a man-made waterfall

View toward San Jacinto Peak

With Justin at the summit

Headed back down toward civilization

Hanging with other friends that afternoon, Chris & Vince

Out and about on the town later in the evening

Scott’s 1965 Mustang interior

Photos from the Ignition Car Show: Tyson and a Titan

Grassy lawn on the west side of the Coliseum

Old Pontiac Bonneville with only 14,000 original miles

And a few more photos from the day I got the G35 for mom

From the driver’s seat

Back at the house with the ILX

Interior still smells new

Tucked away with the NSX until mom’s arrival

Window sticker at $35,045

Other records and paperwork

27 Comments »

Salton Sea, California Road Trip Part 2: Slab City, East Jesus, & Niland Mud Pots

Posted in Blog, California, ILX, Road Trip on March 21, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 542,248

Odometer (ILX): 158,038

Trip Distance: 266 Miles

“Uhh, guys. We have a problem,” said Jason with a look of despair as we were just getting ready to hop in the cars and continue our Southern California tour last Saturday. I couldn’t think of what could possibly be the problem. My eyes immediately went to the tires of his car thinking he might have a flat. “I locked my keys in the trunk,” he told us. My mind started rushing with the complexity of the situation. Here we were, 4 miles down a dirt road in a teeny town with only 1,000 people, standing in a field next to some geothermal mud pots.

If it had been 30 years ago, we might have had to go into town and summon help the old fashioned way. But the solution was pretty clear and pretty flawless: James hit the OnStar button on the overhead console of his 2016 Chevy Malibu and summoned help. The representative was able to patch us through to an available locksmith about 30 miles away in Brawley. Meanwhile, we had about an hour to kill, so I sat in the backseat of the Malibu and took advantage of its WiFi hotspot and air conditioning vents since it was 90 degrees outside. Technology has really made even an emergency situation feel pretty dang convenient. Help came to the rescue:

We pick up today’s story after our visit to Salvation Mountain near Niland and take it even deeper into the “weird category.” Imagine a place where you can take a vehicle, tent, trailer, or even corrugated tin and pop up a dwelling and just stay there as long as you want. It’s the “last free place in America,” say some.

Slab City, USA. If you want to live in the middle of the desert, the land is yours for the taking. Jason, James, and I headed eastward on a dirt road from Salvation Mountain and entered a wide expanse of land that was littered – literally – with peoples’ belongings and makeshift residences. A man playing guitar atop an entrance sign looked like he might have been a permanent resident.

I’d seen a hand-painted sign promoting a library of some sort, so I decided to head that direction and see what we could find. The washboard road was dusty and I lost sight of James in my rearview mirror as I left his white Malibu in a cloud. But soon I saw a big painted arrow which pointed me in the direction of the library’s parking lot. “24 hour Library,” it said.

Here we met some locals. While browsing the books in this open-air shack, I saw a couch and a couple of chairs set up around a chess set. An old man in a cowboy hat came up and greeted us, cigarette in hand. “John,” his name we later learned, proceeded to give us a warm welcome to Slab City and provide the run-down on everything we possibly wanted to know. “You guys skateboard?” he asked. “You guys want to float the canal?” His stories were endless. The library, as it turns out was operated by a one-legged woman and her boyfriend named Caveman, who weren’t there that day. (“But don’t ask about her leg,” he said. “She lost it train-track hopping and that’s about all she wants to say.”)

For being set up in a shack, this library was remarkably well organized by topic or theme. A “Google Tree” contained the encyclopedia / reference section. John, and another guy who surfaced who was also named John, extended an invitation to the upcoming Prom Night in Slab City where they’ll have live music and other entertainment along with a “formal” (tongue in cheek) dance. There was a table spray painted “Free” with all sorts of garbage up for grabs. I asked John & John if it ever rained in Slab City (wondering how all the books are so well-preserved). They said it only happens a couple of times a year. They both heartily recommended we take the time to visit a place called East Jesus, down the road, so we headed that direction after getting our fill of the library.

“EJ” the sign led us, so I stirred up another clout of dust in my ILX and my fellow road-trippers and I entered the next quirky phase of our day’s journey. There was a literal fork in the road. I hit the brakes so quickly out of excitement that I activated the ABS system and skidded to a stop on the dirt road.

In East Jesus, it’s art for days. People have taken garbage and made things out of it. An old Honda Civic sedan at the entrance was covered in circuit boards and bullet shells. There was a wall of television sets with messages painted on them.

This was perhaps the most oddball collection of “stuff” I think I’ve ever seen. I’ll let the pictures and video tell the story here.

Jason, James, and I had lunch back in Niland at the Buckshot Deli & Diner. The hamburger meat is homemade and delicious, and I chugged two huge glasses of their lemonade. A sign on the wall read: Food choices: 1) Take it. 2) Leave it.

The last place on my “to-see” list was something I’d read about online called the mud pots. Just 6 miles from where we had lunch, but about 4 of those miles were on a dirt road. That had never stopped us before, so we decided to check them out. Mud bubbles up from the ground and sometimes shoots into the air. Over time, it has formed little mounds of dirt. It reminded me a lot of the geothermal activity at Yellowstone National Park.

I got a little too close to a fresh mud stream and ended up ankle-deep in it. My shoe was so heavy afterward. The other guys had a good laugh about it. The good news was that I had a pair of flip-flops in my trunk ready for just such an emergency.

Mud pot video:

It was around this time when we were just getting ready to part ways and Jason had his keys-in-the-trunk incident. A nice man in a pickup truck gave us bottled waters while we waited. I was surprised it took the roadside assistance guy no more than 5 minutes to get access to Jason’s car and get us back on our way after he’d arrived. James and I headed east on Highway 78 while Jason made his way to Interstate 8 and we split up the threesome. Our route took us through the Imperial Sand Dunes – also called Algodones Dunes – which span 45 miles in length by 6 miles in width.

There were lots of people out in off-road vehicles enjoying them. The highway itself was a bit of a roller-coaster with lots of dips posted 55 miles per hour but a lot of fun when taken at about 10 mph over that.

We dined in Blythe, California – reunited with Interstate 10 and our favorite diner, the Courtesy Coffee Shop. The grilled cheese was just what I needed to fuel me sufficiently for the final 2 hours of the drive back into Arizona and home to Scottsdale.

Here are the rest of my pics from our adventurous day!

Inside the library at Slab City

Lounge area inside the libary

“Google Tree”

Bathroom break in the middle of nowhere along the dirt road

Not even sure what this thing is

Salton Sea, California Road Trip Part 1: Bombay Beach & Salvation Mountain

Posted in California, Ghost Town, ILX, Road Trip on March 20, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 542,210

Odometer (ILX): 157,959

Trip Distance: 315 Miles

I have a not-so-secret fascination with abandoned places. There’s something that pulls me in and makes me wonder, “Why’d everyone leave?” For that reason, the Salton Sea in Southern California made its way onto my must-see list a long time ago, and I just this weekend got around to finally checking it out. My friends Jason and James joined for the party.

Once a popular destination for tourists (“The Miracle in the Desert”), this is one lake that’s definitely not on anyone’s recreation radar anymore. It’s more salty than the Pacific Ocean, and getting 1% saltier in each passing year because it has no outlet. It’s still California’s largest lake and, a surprise to many, was actually created by accident.

For millions of years the Colorado River flowed through the Imperial Valley where the Salton Sea is located. It’s at a low point in the region and positioned right over the San Andreas Fault. Before 1905, the lake bed was mostly dry, but an engineering “accident” diverted gallon after gallon of irrigation water there for two full years before repairs were completed and the inflow stopped. In that time, the lake bed filled up and even overtook some small towns. The small influx of water that now makes its way into the sea is enough to keep its level current, though it’s anticipated the level will progressively get lower between now and 2021.

Today the Salton area has a certain allure to it for those of us who love off-beat destinations. Where else can you find a banana museum, remains of a mobile home park, mud pots, and a giant painted mountain all in a day’s drive? My road trip partners and I were determined to see what kind of stuff we could uncover. After a hearty breakfast at Denny’s on Saturday morning, we departed from our motel in Indio and headed along Highway 111 which hugs the eastern shores of the lake. We were in three vehicles: my 2013 Acura ILX, James’ 2016 Chevy Malibu (press / loaner car), and Jason’s 2004 Mazda 6.

Sadly, the International Banana Museum – which really appeared to be no more than a convenience store with a little building attached – was shut down when we pulled up. From the looks of the bars over the windows, it felt more like a prison of some sorts. A typewritten note was taped to the front window stating that the hours were 12:00 p.m. to dusk, so I guess we missed that opportunity since it was only about 9:00 a.m. At least it saved us the $1 admission fee.

We next visited the North Shore Beach & Yacht club, which sounds all sorts of classy, but it’s really not. Maybe at one time it was. Today it’s been restored – it’s a nice looking mid-century modern building designed by Albert Frey and originally built in 1959. It was abandoned by 1984 and left to vandals and pillagers until a 2009 grant allocated some money toward the rebuild. We peeked our heads in only long enough to see that were was a gymnasium and some sort of community center.

Random geography lesson: Calexico is a town on the border with Mexico. Its Mexican counterpart across the international line is Mexicali. I like how they’ve mixed “California” and “Mexico” in the naming of those cities. Another 25 or so miles down Highway 111, I hit the right blinker and led our threesome of cars onto “Avenue A” in Bombay Beach, California. In the 1950s and 1960s, Bombay Beach was a popular resort destination, even called a paradise.

But that all changed within the first couple of decades as the ecosystem changed and the quality of the water deteriorated. People departed en masse by the 1990s as dead fish washed up on the beaches. While pretty from afar, the beaches are no place for sunbathing. The water is dirty and it smells about like you’d expect it to. The few residents who remain live in trailers and must keep to themselves, since we didn’t see a single soul out and about in any yard. Our drive took us down to 5th Street where we proceeded to make a loop – or square, rather – around the entire town.

Our attention was quickly drawn to the ruins we were passing. There were abandoned homes lining the street with elaborate graffiti paintings all over them. I backed the ILX into one driveway of a home that looked almost move-in ready. NOT.

We drove up over a dike and to the beach which had a wooden boat on a stand. The water’s edge was littered with dead fish and the flies were abundant. Allow me to introduce my new boat: “Miss Take.”

I decided we should stop for a soda at the Bombay Market and that was a cultural experience in itself. Talk about a one-stop shop. I found the 7-Up I wanted, but what surprised me was the variety of other stuff available. “Step right in to the gift shop area,” said a sign. But there was no separate area. It was just a single shelf. There were T-shirts for sale with the logo “Living In Paradise.” Surely out of sarcasm, right? Maybe not! A woman in a straw hat behind us in the check out line had nothing but raves to say about the town. “I just came from Indian Wells and it’s the most stuck-up place I’ve ever been,” she said. “Bombay is at the complete other end of the scale.”

We made one more pass through the center of town, make sure to note that the bar there, “Ski Inn,” is the lowest bar in the western hemisphere. That must be due to the fact that Bombay Beach is America’s lowest elevation community, at 223 feet below sea level. (Reminded me of when I visited the lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin in Death Valley). I was ready to move on so we hit Highway 111 to our next wacky destination near Niland, California: “Salvation Mountain.”

So here’s the scoop on Salvation Mountain: A guy named Leonard Knight spent his lifetime dumping buckets of paint onto a hillside in the barren desert, creating both a living space for himself as well as a religious statement for all who pass by. The site is absolutely vibrant with colors and covered in Bible verses and Christian sayings. “God Is Love” is a recurring theme.

A yellow-brick (but not really brick) path leads up a stairway to the cross perched atop the tallest portion of the site. We took a walk through the area and noticed that people had been leaving keepsakes of all sorts in different rooms – driver licenses, student ID cards, photographs. The construction method for Leonard’s creation was similar to the way the Navajo Indians built their hogans – hay bales and straw were the main building materials. The place reminded me a little of Phoenix’s Mystery Castle.

Knight spent the last years of his life in a long-term care facility for dementia, and he died in 2014, but the site lives on thanks to volunteers who staff it daily. Oh, and they are taking donations of latex paint if anyone has a gallon or two to spare.

Thanks for joining for this first part of the trip. Come back for the second half next time!

More pics here. First, a pit stop in Quartzsite at the Tyson RV & Mobile Home Park, with my road trip snack essentials.

Dinner on Friday night at Mario’s Italian Cafe in Indio with James & Jason

Jason checking his oil in the 187,000 mile 2004 Mazda 6 on Saturday morning pre-departure.

Int’l Banana Museum sign

Your $1 entry fee is refundable if you make a “purchace.”

NSBYC: North Shore Beach & Yacht Club. A lot more exotic sounding than it really is.

Looking southbound on desolate Highway 111 along the eastern shores of the lake.

Graffiti in Bombay Beach: “Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter.”

Needs a little TLC, but a great fixer-upper.

I hope this graffiti isn’t some sort of gang sign that could get me in trouble (Leif, if you’re reading this, I’m thinking of you!)

The ILX looking over Salton Sea.

Garbage and dead fish all over the place.

Jason and James

Perfect for a swim, no?

T-shirts in the market

Entrance sign to Salvation Mountain

Painted truck at Salvation Mountain

More very soon!

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Los Angeles Auto Show 2015, with Redline Reviews

Posted in California, Car Show, ILX on November 21, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 540,151

Odometer (ILX): 147,108

Trip Distance: 778 Miles

About a million people attend the LA Auto Show every year, making the 10-day show one of the biggest in the country. Each year, the automotive media is given a special opportunity to preview the new model debuts before the show opens to the public. And once again, I’ve collaborated with a media company called Redline Reviews to share some of the sights and sounds from this year’s displays. Prior write-ups on my trips to the LA Auto Show can be found here (2013) and here (2014).

This time around, the Redline team members – now boasting over 170,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel – set out to cover about 15 new-car reveals with short two- to three-minute segments. I was able to help them with videos on the Infiniti Q30, the Ford Escape, and the Mercedes-Benz SL — all of which are new or heavily refreshed for the 2016 or 2017 model years. Along the way, I took advantage of the opportunity to network among my friends in the automotive journalism industry and enjoy the night life the City of Angels has to offer.

Here’s the Redline team, minus Jackson, with HondaPro Jason in the middle: Rob, Tyson, Jason, Sofyan, and Andy.

I did three very short introduction videos to some new cars that were shown at this year’s LAAS.

The Q30 is Infiniti’s newest entry-level offering, borrowing architecture and underpinnings from Mercedes’ CLA model. This partnership resulted in the birth of a technologically advanced vehicle that caters to first-time luxo buyers who demand a sense of individuality. The Redline “First Look” video is here, courtesy of Redline’s YouTube channel.

Ford’s Escape fights in a very competitive sport-utility vehicle segment and trails only behind the company’s F-150 in annual sales. Still, the success of the Escape from a sales perspective still doesn’t quite match the numbers Honda is getting with competitor CR-V. So, Ford has come back from the drawing board with a more refined vehicle that pulls styling from its big brother, the Edge.

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz SL is the latest iteration of a car that’s been around since the 1950s. I’ve had a fascination with the Mercedes SL for some time now, even owning a die-cast 1:18 scale version of the car when I was in my teens. My love for the SL was further reinforced when I recently saw a gorgeous picture of my friend Chris’ 1998 model with Sport wheels.

For 2017, the SL gets new powertrains ranging in output from a 329-horsepower V6 all the way up to a 621-horsepower V12. Redline Editor-in-Chief Sofyan calls that one “bonkers” for good reason. When sitting in the car and closing the driver’s door, I noticed that the door “sucked itself in.” Happy to say that my 21-year-old Acura Legend coupe does that! And, the feature still works!

The Mercedes video is still pending on Redline’s YouTube channel, but I’ll link it here when it goes live.

Part of the big draw for LAAS (for me, anyway) happens after the convention hall closes down each day at 5:00 p.m. The after-parties are always a good time. This year, Hyundai sponsored a social gathering at the historic Hotel Figueroa and Nissan hosted a similar event a few blocks away at a bar called Edison. I was able to make it to both and enjoyed exploring some of downtown Los Angeles. Here’s the Figueroa’s swimming pool, covered over with plexiglass so we could socialize on top of it!

On Thursday night, cars.com Detroit Bureau Editor Aaron Bragman set up a group dinner for about 22 media colleagues. It was held at the landmark 1931 “El Coyote” Mexican Restaurant on Beverly Boulevard. Mercedes and Mazda were kind enough to pick up the tab on our meals!

Below are a variety of other photos and experiences from this year’s show. Thanks for coming along!

Jason Cammisa from Motor Trend

Hot new 500+ horsepower Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio: A 6-speed sedan packing a mean punch!

Acura’s booth served up lots of caffeine.

Morning view from the 32nd floor of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, where we stayed.

With Carlos Lago from Edmunds.com

One of 3 “Back to the Future” inspired 2016 Toyota Tacomas in the world, reminiscent of the one Marty McFly drove in the classic 1985 film. Standing with Redline’s Aaron Streater and Rob Lamond in the bed of the truck.

Behind the scenes in the Media Center at the LA Convention Center with Redline.

The 2017 Acura NSX was displayed for its first time in white. Looked great!

With GM’s Shad Balch

Honda’s new 10th-generation Civic coupe had a long line of admiring media companies waiting to film it both Wednesday & Thursday

With Automobile Magazine’s Jean Jennings

Fiat 124 Spider – also known as, the “Fiata.” Fiat took Mazda’s Miata, stretched it a little, added a turbo, and called it their own.

Among other oddball sightings, the Range Rover Evoque Convertible

With Lance Nelson, also known as “Lance the Driver”

Dinner spot on Beverly Blvd at El Coyote

Group photo after dinner at El Coyote

I stopped by to see Ludacris’ 1993 Acura Legend before leaving town. It’s getting some mechanical work done at my friend’s dealership. The car debuted at SEMA in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago.

Dinner on the way home at Courtesy Diner in Blythe, CA right near Arizona state line. Get the grilled cheese!!

And the final stretch last night, heading home to Phoenix.

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Last Leg in the Million Mile Lexus: Willcox, Arizona to Los Angeles, California

Posted in California, Legend, Road Trip on October 26, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (LS400): 922,607

Total Driven Miles in LS400: 1,383

The eagle has landed: I’ve returned the LS400 to its proud and rightful owner, Matt, in Los Angeles. His first words when I met up with him: “The car is dope, right?” Yes, Matt! It’s dope. And I’m glad I got to spend some time putting miles on it.

Sunday morning, I peeked out of the window of the Super 8 in Willcox and was greeted by a gorgeous 59-degree day. We treated ourselves to fresh waffles in the lobby and a little OJ, then decided to snag a few pictures at an abandoned Chevrolet dealership on the main street through the old part of Willcox on Haskell Road. So, the Mazda, Lexus, and Acura lined up for a photo out front as if to say, “Has any Chevrolet ever gone as far as we have?”

Just to the side of the dealership was the carcass of a 1959 Chevy station wagon, still remarkably complete and even with most of the glass intact. If I were a used car salesman, I’d say, “Clean, one owner!” The front doors were unlocked so I took a peek inside and probably would have taken a seat if the interior of the car hadn’t been covered in rubble. I did manage to get a closer look at the gauge cluster but couldn’t make out an odometer reading. Either way, I’m fairly certain that the odometer would have only displayed 5 digits. In which case, in Lexus terms, it would have rolled over 9 times.

James L and I split ways from Jason & James Z, then headed westward on I-10 toward Tucson, then Phoenix. Luckily traffic was light, weather was beautiful, and roads were clear. We did make just one pit stop off Wilmot road, Exit 269, to meet up with my new friends Chris & Josh who brought their Acura Legends out for a quick meet-up in the Chevron parking lot. Both of them drive 1991 Legends in rare “Golden Glow Pearl” paint color. Chris has a coupe with just 91,000 miles on it, and Josh has a sedan with 138,000 miles on it. Both are extremely passionate about their cars and I was honored they would take the time to swing by and let me take a closer look at them.

Home sweet home in Scottsdale, I responded to some ‘fanmail’ from a The Smoking Tire follower named Kai who’d seen on Instagram that the famous LS400 was in Arizona. I invited him to come over and check the car out. What blew me away was that Kai’s LS400 – a 1997 model but pretty much a twin to the #MML – was in phenomenal shape for 254,000 miles on the odometer. I invited him to take a spin in the ol’ Farah-mobile, but only if he agreed to fill out a logbook page about his experience, and he happily obliged.

My friend Tom stopped by as well on a business trip from Connecticut – bearing gifts, no less! He showed up with a goodie bag full of tools from the local auto parts store. He and I took the Lexus out to meet up with friends for dinner. Thanks, Tom!

Woot woot, gift basket of tools from Tom. “Legend survival kit,” he called it.

Monday morning was a typical work commute to the office 10 miles away in Scottsdale, except that I was driving a car that had been to the moon, and back, and to the moon again, and almost back again. I was the first person in the parking lot. A coworker sent me an instant message later that morning, because he knows that’s “my” parking spot. He asked if I was driving the Million Mile Lexus and wanted to know the whole story about it, which I happily provided.

I took off early in the afternoon today for the 400-mile return trip to LA from Phoenix and it was a drama-free experience – just like I’d wanted it to be. Huge thanks to Matt from The Smoking Tire for entrusting me with his prized LS400 over the past several days!

Video:

Other pics follow:

The 1959 Chevy Wagon from Willcox

Interior

Hacienda Motel on Haskell Street in Willcox has been closed for some time now

Meet up with the Golden Glow Legends and their owners

Chris’ odometer reading on his 1991 coupe

Josh’s odometer reading on his 1991 sedan

Kai’s 1997 Lexus LS400 and the Million Mile Lexus

Kai’s odometer reading

Thanks guys for meeting up!

8 Comments »

I just picked up a Lexus with 921,000 miles

Posted in Arizona, California on October 23, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (LS400): 921,619

Odometer (Legend): 538,882

Odometer (ILX): 144,325

Trip Distance: 395 Miles

What better way to explore the sights & sounds of the Grand Canyon State than behind the wheel of a vehicle that’s traveled the circumference of the globe 36 times? Have a seat in your fine leather saddle, buckle up, and let’s take a trip back in time while discovering one of Arizona’s many natural wonders: Chiricahua National Monument. I’m taking you there tomorrow in a special car.

In 1986, Honda took a massive gamble on the prospect of whether people would pay a premium price for a Japanese luxury sedan. Launched originally under the code name “Channel 2,” the Acura brand took hold in the hearts and minds of consumers with its Legend and Integra models; the formula worked. The Legend model alone (first generation model pictured above) ended up selling over 477,000 units over its 10-year production span, before it became the RL which sadly faded into nothingness.

Toyota and Nissan saw what was happening and wanted a piece of the pie. Enter Lexus and Infiniti with their LS400 and Q45 respectively (Q45 pictured above) for the 1990 model year. Those models took the Legend idea and extended it even further – adding 2 additional cylinders compared to the Legend’s V6 and incorporating rear-wheel-drive to really sweeten the pot for buyers-to-be. This was a heyday for all three automakers. 1995 brought us Forrest Gump, Braveheart and “All I Wanna Do,” by Sheryl Crow. Life was good. And though I was but a wee 14-year-old, I already had an appreciation for fine automobiles. The LS400 was one of them. I even owned this diecast 1:18 scale version of said car:

Forever emblazoned in my teenage memory was this Lexus LS400 commercial, where someone in Marketing had the bright idea of stacking 15 champagne glasses on the car’s hood, putting the car on a dyno, and driving at the equivalent of 145 miles per hour to see if the glasses would topple. They didn’t. And that level of refinement is exactly what sold the LS in vast numbers.

The LS got its second generation for the 1995 model year, adding 10 horsepower to the 4.0 liter V8 powerplant to make it 260 in total. A four-speed automatic transmission pushed power to the ground, exactly half as many gears as the car’s successor the LS460 has today, some 20 years later. Speaking of 20 years later: Let’s cut to the chase. Today, I’ve been tooling around in a 1996 Lexus LS400 that has nearly twice the miles as my Legend coupe. Just when I got feeling like a hot shot, Matt Farah of The Smoking Tire had to put me in my place.

It was December 2014 when Matt bought this Florida-owned, 897,000-mile piece of automotive history from an ad on Craigslist. He saw it as an opportunity to relive his early driving days when he owned a similar car, but he also saw it as a story in the making. Over the past 10 months, he’s been passing the keys around to that old Lexus to journalists all over the west coast. It’s racked up another 20,000 or so miles exploring the countryside. So I saw fit to reach out to Matt about giving the old girl a taste of Arizona, and we made it happen. Matt, thanks for entrusting me with your luxo-ride!

When I first saw the LS this morning at Matt’s warehouse in Los Angeles, I was overly critical. “That marker light is a little out of place. The center caps on the wheels are scuffed. It’s missing the ‘L’ emblem from its trunk lid.” Then Matt started it up. At first crank, the 4.0 liter V8 took life. Not a single puff of smoke. Without a moment of hesitation, and the car just purred like a kitten. With 921,223 miles on the odometer! Now, I didn’t care so much what it looked like. This car was a miracle on four tires, and I was about to spend four days behind the wheel of it. Excited? Nah, I was ecstatic.

I drove the car initally like it was some fragile ancient artifact that would crumble if you breathed on it too hard. I let the transmission shift at 2,500 RPM. I applied the brakes ever-so-gently. I refrained from any sudden movements of the steering wheel. Basically, I drove like a freaking Sunday driver in a 1996 Lexus LS400 would be expected to drive. And slowly it became apparent that I could ease up a bit and drive under normal behavior.

There’s no better way to put any car through its paces than to subject it to some grueling Los Angeles traffic, and that I did. Interstate 10 eastbound, even at midday on a Friday, was a mess of stop and go. In fact, I didn’t even get to full freeway speed until a full SIXTY MILES from where I picked up the car. I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally confirmed – thank goodness – that the cruise control works, and I was able to sit back and enjoy that plush leather seat and soft ride without the chaotic freeway circus around me.

So here’s where I really started to fall in love with that Lexus. Sure, the check engine light was on, and sure, only the front two speakers were working. But Matt had handed me a plastic bag just prior to departure from LA stating, “Oh yeah, and here are some cassette tapes for the drive.” What was inside the tape player? U2. Perfect.

And I just couldn’t get over how nice the car smelled. Isn’t that weird? For a car that’s been lived in for such good chunk of its life? It smelled good. So, safely and soundly I completed my first 400 miles with the #MillionMileLexus. Come back for more soon 🙂

Matt’s send-off with an Instagram post

Photo-op in Desert Center, CA. The sign says 24-Hour Service. This place is shut down 100%.

As is the cafe. Nothing but dust bunnies in there!

The Lexus looking ready for its next 216 miles eastward.

Welcome to the Grand Canyon State!

Dusk and approaching Scottsdale

Much more to come! Stay tuned!

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2015 Japanese Classic Car Show (80’s & 90’s Era) in Torrance, California

Posted in California, Car Show, Legend, Road Trip on October 19, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 538,825

Odometer (ILX): 143,838

Trip Distance: 784 Miles

“Do you ever take a break? You are full throttle!” That was a valid comment yesterday from my friend Marc in Austin. It’s been a little bit tough to pin me down lately. Sometimes I wake up in a motel room wondering just briefly what city I’m in. On Sunday morning, that city was Torrance, California. My friend Rustin – who’s one of only a handful of people granted access to my location at all times via his smartphone – saw that I was hanging out at Toyota’s campus and his first text message of the day was: “I won’t tell Acura.”

Many of my blog followers probably enjoy looking at vintage cars as much as I do – Especially those that hail from Japan. It wasn’t 10 minutes after the conclusion to the 12th annual ALV awards program, and I was starting my trip to California – yet again – for a car event with a different purpose: the Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS).

The last time I went to JCCS it was for the 2014 program in Long Beach at the Queen Mary ship. This version of the JCCS was a little different from that one. While the JCCS event at the Queen Mary caters to pre-1985 automobiles, the “Neo Classic” show – new this year – invites participants who drive 1980s and 1990s cars. Those decades I consider more “my” generation of cars. My first Japanese car was my beloved 1989 Prelude Si, so from a young age, I have had an appreciation for vehicles of that era.

So once again I hit the open road in the tried & true Legend and headed out on my ~400-mile drive to the west coast via Interstate 10.

The show was one of the best-organized I’ve ever attended. “Load-in” was easy and the parking was not only pre-assigned, but there were highly visible volunteers directing traffic to designated areas. I arrived at the same time as my friend Chris who drives an immaculate 1986 Honda Prelude with fewer than 50,000 miles on its odometer. Throughout the day, I ran into old friends and made a few new ones. Surrounding me was a parking lot full of cars from the last two decades of the 1900s: An entire section dedicated to Toyota Supras, at least a dozen Nissan 300ZXs, and of course a Civic and Accord from almost every generation. Sprinkled into the mix were a few especially well-preserved examples, like this immaculate 1990 Lexus LS400 driven by a father-son pair.

Serenaded by a DJ who played period-appropriate tunes like Billy Joel and George Michael, my friends and I wandered the grounds and enjoyed the sights and sounds of some of Japan’s greatest creations. By 11:00 a.m., it was time to indulge in Taco Truck grub, and it wasn’t long after that when my friend Brett from Huntington Beach arrived. As Brett and I were admiring the R/C car “drift track,” a familiar face lined up next to us: Penny! Penny is a long-time Legend forum member who hails from Orange County and who I’ve known for the better part of a decade. She joined us for a walk over to the Toyota Automobile Museum next door on Van Ness Rd. (More on that later!)

I spent very little time at or near my car all day, but I did hear a few comments from people and saw a handful of passers-by taking a photo here and there. One guy who now drives a Nissan Skyline commented, “I had one of these and I should’ve never sold it!” Another guy said, “I’ve seen this car on YouTube!” A few other special guests arrived throughout the course of the afternoon, including fellow Legend club members Mark and Raul who both drive second-generation sedans. They each invited me to take a peek at their rides and it was an honor to be granted an exclusive tour. Raul’s 1995 sedan had 166,000 miles on the odometer and Matt’s 1992 had 222,000.

Thanks, guys, for coming out to say hello! Keep me in the loop on those upcoming west coast meet-ups. By 2:30 p.m., the skies had cleared a bit and I was glad for my SPF 50 sunscreen. One of the show administrators took the stage / mic and announced the first, second, and third place award recipients in each category. Chris won a well-deserved Second Place for his Prelude! I hit the road westbound and headed home shortly after the conclusion of the show. You know you’re in LA when you describe your route like this:

I took the 110 to the 405 to the 22 to the 55 to the 91 to the 215 to the 60 to the 10. That was seriously my route! I arrived in scenic Desert Center, California just in time for a couple of quick sunset photos. The drive home was uneventful – and that’s just the way I like it to be when I’m driving a car with 538,000 miles on it.

Here are the rest of my photos from this quick out-and-back car show trip!

Setting up

Mattel / Hot Wheels Designer Ryu Asada and his NSX. He also attended NSXPO.

Accords and Integras in this area.

My friend Armando’s immaculate Subaru SVX which I’ve featured before.

Supra Parking Only.

This 1989 Prelude 2.0 Si reminded me so much of my first Honda! This one only had 68,000 miles on it.

Crazy-clean 40,000 mile 1986 Civic Si right here.

… Complete with cassette tapes on display!

Here’s Chris’ award-winning Prelude.

I love the simplicity of those analog gauges.

Nissan Skyline area.

An NSX joined the party later in the day. I didn’t get the chance to meet that guy.

Chris, Armando, Tyson. Notice: Each of us had on appropriate apparel. Chris was wearing his Prelude shirt, Armando had his SVX one, and I was wearing my shirt from the recent National Acura Legend Meet (NALM) in Houston.

“Family Photo” with my Legendary friends. Left to right: Mark, Raul, Tyson, Penny, Brett.

Pit stop in the Palm Springs area to make a delivery to my friend Scott who has a 34,000 mile Legend (background).

My photos from the Desert Center offramp. Nothing fancy here!

And lastly, just a couple pictures from our look inside the Toyota USA Museum.

Right off the bat – one of Toyota’s finest! The Avalon!

Long lineup of Lexus models, each with just a few miles on the odometer.

I’ve always loved these old Toyota pickups. This 1989 showed 30,000 miles on the odometer.

And Toyota’s (or, at the time, Toyopet’s) first passenger car for sale in the USA.

It’s no wonder that a car this size was considered underpowered with only 60 horsepower.

Short vid:

21 Comments »

NSXPO 2015 in Palm Springs, Part 4: “NSX-tra” Car Show & Return to Phoenix

Posted in California, Car Show, NSX, NSXPO on October 11, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (NSX): 102,757

Trip Distance: 279 Miles

At long last, the event that I’d helped to plan for about a year has reached its conclusion and I must say, it’s been a wild ride. Here are a couple more photos that surfaced of this year’s NSXPO / 25th anniversary NSX event. First, our parade lap from Friday at Thermal raceway as captured by Bob Ondrovic. I was only 3 or 4 cars back in the right hand lane (left as viewed in this image).

Seasoned race veteran Peter Cunningham posted a short video (taken by his copilot) that was filmed while driving my car on yesterday’s 100-mile scenic route. I was happy to lend him the keys, and he even left it full of fuel for me! This guy has claimed 91 professional race wins, so I hope he had some fun with my ride.

Closing ceremony last night, as taken from standing at a distance. Each dinner table was illuminated in a different colored spotlight. I never got to see the stage from this angle because I was always either backstage helping with something or seated at one of the front-row / reserved tables.

The NSXPO Planning Committee members handing signed group photos to Acura representatives, with Event Director Chris Willson at the mic.

Today’s events were very casual in nature. Most of our attendees have long drives ahead of them. Each of the three times I had to get in the elevator at the hotel to return to my room and pick up a few things to pack up my car, I ended up sharing the ride with other folks who were there for the event. One gentleman was about to embark on his return drive to Vancouver, British Columbia. A few newcomers joined us on the second floor of the parking garage for an informal car show, including my friend Ramon and his son (who also brought me some delicious cupcakes which I’m holding in this photo).

The casual meet & great was a nice break from the very rigid schedule we had all been abiding by for the previous few days.

Knowing that I had a nearly-5-hour drive home myself, I decided to head eastbound by about 11:00 in the morning, but not before taking a quick photo with my friend Ben Lin. The photo was necessary since Ben & I both attended the NALM (Legend) event in Houston a few weeks ago, so we wanted to document the fact that we were now again together at a different car-related program, only 1,547 miles away from the last meet-up. Ben’s 2005 “Silverstone” car has the updated 2002-05 front end.

I also met NSX Club of America member “Dan.” He’s the proud ORIGINAL owner of a 1991 Formula Red NSX. Though the paint has faded and the car has over 200,000 miles on the odometer, he has hung onto it for 25 years and doesn’t plan on selling any time soon. I only wish I’d taken a photo of the 25-sticker-thick stack of registration renewal stickers on his license plate.

I cruised over to Rancho Mirage area and had brunch with my friends James & Daniel who happened to also be in the area.

Couldn’t help but take a photo at this storefront entrance near the JW Marriott property.

Perfect setting for a relaxing Sunday bite to eat.

My 297-mile eastbound return trip to Phoenix on I-10 was uneventful and I honestly didn’t even turn on the radio until about 3 hours into it. My mind was enjoying the solitude and silence – it needed time to process & download the busy activities of the last several days. I did happen to pass our HPDE instructor / Sponsorship Director Jim Cozzollino a couple of hours into my drive! He gave me a wave and I blew past him.

Home sweet home!

Hope you enjoyed the ride over the last few days!

16 Comments »

NSXPO 2015 in Palm Springs, Part 2: The Thermal Club Raceway & The Living Desert Museum

Posted in California, NSX, NSXPO on October 9, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (NSX): 102,350

An exclusive members-only track facility called The Thermal Club opened its doors for our NSX owners today!

General Manager Brent was happy to roll out the red carpet for our event, and we graciously accepted the invitation. We had a day of hot weather and even hotter cars. Somehow, we managed to make the most of our day before the oven – it was 102 degrees Fahrenheit when I left the track in the early afternoon – really started getting to us. My day started off with a 4:30 a.m. departure from the Agua Caliente host hotel for a 40-minute drive to the racetrack.

I recognized some jewel eye MDX headlights in my rearview mirror, so I knew the vehicle behind me must’ve been full of Acura folks — and, indeed it was. Over the next hour or so, we offloaded a TLX, an MDX, the RealTime Racing NSX, and the new black NSX from a huge transport truck that had brought them. Our general attendees started arriving around 6:30 a.m. and it was a steady stream of incoming NSXers for awhile. Our day was kicked off by High Performance Driving Education (HPDE) coordinator Jim Cozzolino, with a few remarks from Event Director Chris Willson as well as from Peter Cunningham.

Our skidpad, autocross, and “South Palm Circuit” tracks opened up for business shortly afterward, and about 40 people cycled through three different “run groups” based on skill level. I didn’t participate in the performance driving activities, but I’m fairly certain that if I had, I would’ve been with the “Beginner” contingent. The rest of the morning was filled with that characteristic roar of NSX exhaust in the airwaves and the occasional screech of squealing rubber as the cars and people made the rounds. Ted Klaus and other key Acura engineering personnel showed up to educate us a little on the new NSX.

One NSX owner – and I’m sorry I can’t even remember his name – took me for a track ride in his Formula Red 1995 car. It was equipped with a Comptech supercharger, custom exhaust system, and upgraded suspension. I was reminded of just how well the NSX handles when pushed in a performance driving situation.

Lunch was served at an adjacent shaded pavilion – and thank goodness for those high-powered fans on the perimeter. The hamburgers and quesadillas were just what the doctor ordered, not to mention the generous availability of waters and Gatorades made available by Thermal track management so nobody in our group got dehydrated. Around that same time, Peter Cunningham took the wheel of the 2017 NSX – for his first time behind the wheel – and gave ride-alongs to the 3 winners of our charity raffle which raised $2,000 last night. They had huge grins when exiting the track.

The last logistical challenge of the Thermal event was a parade lap where all 100-someodd cars got on the track at the same time. In the lead was the new NSX, followed by Jim Cozzolino and Rahul Chopra, then the mass following of regular attendees. Though speed was low at 15-20 miles per hour max, it was still a surreal feeling to see so many NSXs ahead of, next to me, and behind me.

Dinner was held at The Living Desert, a botanical garden and zoo. It was the perfect “under the stars” setting for our club members to meet and great one another in a casual, picnic table setting. Chris spoke a moment about our sponsors, and then I made a few remarks about tomorrow’s 103-mile group drive to the San Jacinto Mountains. More adventures await! Come back tomorrow for the finale!

Here are the rest of today’s shots.

Notice the clock in here: 4:47 a.m. and headed to the track. Yawn!