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Dad’s Visit, NSX Configurator Website, & Other Updates

Posted in Arizona, Hikes, ILX, Legend, Road Trip, Vigor on March 3, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 542,181

Odometer (ILX): 156,073

My mailbox was overflowing with Acura maintenance coupon postcards yesterday afternoon. Every time they have some sort of promotion I seem to get multiple notices – but hey, I’m not complaining. Especially when the main featured car is Ludacris‘ 1993 Legend sedan.

Clever stuff, people!

And I might be taking them up on this $28.95 oil change at Acura of Tempe the next time I get over there.

The one thing that does put the enthusiasts in a tizzy is the fact that the tagline for the promotion is “Keep the Acura you Love Maintained for Life.” And just exactly how are we supposed to do that when so many critical parts have been discontinued? Thus, us true ” Legend lifers” are left to dumpster dive and go junkyarding every so often to find the parts we’re looking for.

CHECK OUT THESE NEW PLATES! This’ll go on my Legend sedan to replace the existing set. I couldn’t believe the plate combo was available when I went to search for it a couple of months ago. Don’t mind if I do!

Perfect use for this emoji.

It would be selfish of me to keep all 300 days of Phoenix sunshine per year completely to myself, so once a year my dad & stepmom travel down from Utah to partake. I was happy to share some rays. Having lived in Arizona now for 10 years, I definitely have my favorite hot-spots that we try to visit each time I have friends or family in town, but every once in awhile I throw a new destination in the mix to spice things up a bit.

Over the weekend, I introduced them to Sedona on a short overnighter (2.5 hour drive each way in the ILX) to explore the red rocks landscape of that area. Aside from hiking Devil’s Bridge which I’ve blogged about a few times in the past, we also made a visit to the Chapel of the Holy Cross – a church built in 1956 directly into a rock formation.

A definite highlight of their visit was our dining experience on Saturday night. I’d made reservations at Compass Arizona Grill, a revolving restaurant on the 24th floor of the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Phoenix.

My dad’s not big on heights (and for that matter, neither am I) so the ride up to the top in an exterior-facing elevator was just the start of a pretty exciting evening. The restaurant has fixed exterior windows in a circular form with a floor inside them that spins around, making one complete revolution every hour. I was slightly concerned about the implications of being prone to motion sickness and having to sit through a dinner while in motion, but it didn’t end up bothering me at all. Best of all, our 6:30 start time meant we hit the sunset lighting perfectly.

Our high-class ride of choice that evening was my green 1994 Vigor, shined up for the occasion. We also put a few miles on the ILX (Sedona trip) and the Legend coupe (airport run) over the course of dad & Tanya’s 4-day visit. Many thanks to them for taking the time to come see me. I’m extending an open invitation to anyone who reads this – if you’re a fan of road tripping and want to explore the southwest with me and my friends, come on down to visit!

Here are the rest of the photos from the weekend adventures.

Opening night dinner at Oregano’s – our favorite place for a Pizza Cookie.

Meeting up with Chandler and Jack for “Canal Convergence” festival at the Scottsdale Waterfront.

While rummaging through a few old photos, I dug up one taken in 2001 – when I was 20 years old – of me in my Mormon missionary garb standing next to my then-dream car, an Acura Vigor. I figured it would be fitting to take a picture of that picture, in front of my Vigor!

Putting dad to work on home improvements, including replacement of some trim in the garage.

Quick stop in New River at the abandoned gas station called Jack Ass Acres

Just about to enter Sedona, Arizona on Highway 179 – the Red Rock Scenic Byway

Checked in at the Sky Ranch Lodge in Sedona, near the airport

Doing some shopping in the Uptown district

The only McDonald’s in the world with turquoise arches

Midway through our Devil’s Bridge hike

Tanya and me on the bridge. Dad was a little nervous for us here.

With Tanya at the chapel

View from inside the chapel

ILX in Sedona

Dinner group at the restaurant

Great way to start a Sunday morning: Brunch at Cafe ZuZu inside the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale

Tyson, Linh, Tanya, Craig

Airport run in the Legend later in the afternoon

A few other bits of news to share with you:

Just days after I posted my recent “Magic Fives” blog entry highlighting my 155,555 milestone on the ILX, my mom upstaged me. Her 2010 Volkswagen EOS turned over 55,555 miles at 51 degrees at 55 miles per hour at 8:55 in the morning. Congrats, and nicely done!

Who has $1/4 million I can borrow? Now’s your chance to get online and configure your dream 2017 Acura NSX. Mine would be Nouvelle Blue Pearl and loaded to the max with just about every available accessory. Orders are now being taken! I’m told there are over 1 million possible combinations of specific configurations of Acura NSX. There’s a good chance yours will be one-of-a-kind.

http://nsx.acura.com/

And lastly: Check out this beautiful Legend coupe on Ebay being sold by a friend of mine! Just 35,000 miles on a 1993 6-speed.

Have a great rest of the week!

13 Comments »

Magic Number Five, High Mileage Stories, & 2017 MDX Teaser

Posted in ILX, Legend, MDX, Milestones on February 24, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 542,130

Odometer (ILX): 155,679

Ever have a weird moment when something happens and it’s too perfect to be coincidental? You might be driving down the road and a song comes on that talks about a specific landmark you’re passing. Or, as happened to me recently, a song came on that had a tempo absolutely identical to the pace of my ILX’s windshield wipers. For the entire 3 minute & 33-second duration of Rascal Flatts’ “I Like the Sound of That,” my wipers were rocking out to the exact pace of that song.

But just now as I was uploading the below picture of my 55,555 and 155,555 mile odometer shots in the ILX, my eye caught the bottom of the text box I was editing here in WordPress and I saw this:

What in the world? I had to screen shot it because the timing couldn’t have been better.

So there you have it:

55,555 Miles on October 7, 2013 en route to St. George Utah
155,555 Miles on February 22, 2016 on my way home from work

And both, mind you, striving for exactly 55 miles per hour but falling just a tad short.

Oh, and one more thing. Dad turned 55 years old the next day. BOOM. My Instagram post:

I guess this blog really became named Drive to Five for a reason.

I had a newcomer in the garage for one night as my friend Hy entrusted me with his pride and joy 2004 Acura TSX. With just 61,000 miles on the odometer, this beautiful little 6-speed looks like it’s fresh off the showroom floor. I especially like the body kit and chrome wheels.

hy2

“Fastidious” is the best way to describe Hy’s care for this automobile. Two layers of floor mats, towels on the seats, and a clear bra on the front end that keeps rock chips at bay. It’s no wonder the car looks, smells, and drives like it’s brand new (not 12 years old).

Meanwhile the Legend got to see some daylight for a bit. It’s developed a nagging power steering leak which is becoming quite aggressive. That comes as a disappointment since the entire rack & pinion was replaced just 12,000 miles ago for $800 with a remanufactured unit. How did my original power steering system last 530,000 miles before it developed a leak, and my remanufactured one lasted only 12,000?

I have a couple of high-mileage stories for you to kill time with today.

This one is apparently old news, but for some reason I’m just now learning about it. There’s a guy named Habib who delivers medical supplies in his 2006 Honda Civic all across Kentucky. This 51-page thread on the Civic enthusiast forums chronicles his progress as he racks up the miles. In 2012, he was featured on Jalopnik at 750,000 miles, and as of latest update on his forum post (this month) the car is still running and driveable but sidelined at 1,100,000 due to a bad head gasket. He plans on fixing it and continuing to drive.

I’m also introducing “Russell” from Connecticut to my blog audience. He reached out to me this week to report that his 2001 Acura MDX has over 495,000 miles on it. Russell bought the MDX brand new in April 2001 and has spent the last 15 years driving it on average 33,000 miles per year. He’s on his second transmission but otherwise has had very few unexpected maintenance needs. Most interesting of all: his choice in fuel. Russell has run only 87 octane for most of the MDX’s life. “Premium Fuel Required”? Maybe not.

Speaking of MDX news, get a glimpse below of the soon-to-be-revealed 2017 MDX in the below image from a press release that came out today. The real deal will be unveiled in a press conference at the New York Auto Show on March 23rd.

One more little quirky mileage find: This 1993 Acura Vigor automatic with 355,781 miles on it was found on a craiglist posting here in the Phoenix area. How in world did that little 2.5 liter 5-cylinder get so far? I’m tempted to call the seller/owner just to ask and find out.

My dad & stepmom are flying in from northern Utah tomorrow so we’ll have a few adventures to share with you on the flipside.

Have a great rest of the week!

19 Comments »

Weekend Trip: Bisbee, Arizona & Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Posted in Arizona, ILX, NSX, Road Trip on February 16, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 542,115

Odometer (ILX): 155,200

Trip Distance: 446 Miles

ilx_in_bisbee_2

“We’ll leave the light on for you.” So says the famous Motel 6 slogan. And I love Motel 6 – for the most part. Accommodations are predictable, inexpensive, and (usually) liveable. But my friends and I showed up at a hotel last Sunday night that not only didn’t leave a light on for us, it left us out on the street with the front door locked.

The time was about 7:30 p.m. and we’d just pulled up – tired and ready to settle in – from a 3.5-hour drive from the Phoenix area. We were standing at the door to the historic 1902 Hotel San Ramon in teeny Bisbee, Arizona just 9 miles north of the Mexican international border. And there was nobody there to let us in.

san_ramon_santiagos

I dialed the phone number written on a piece of paper that was taped to the glass window in the door. “Welcome to Verizon Wireless. Your call cannot be completed at this time.” I tried again and got the same message. I looked at my road trip partners, Armando and Chris, with a bit of desperation. I already knew that vacancy was limited all over this teeny town of 5,000 people on a holiday weekend, and the chances of finding a back-up plan were slim. Would we end up driving 50 miles away to Benson to find a place to stay?

As a last ditch effort, I walked next door to the restaurant called Santiago’s. “By chance do you know the keypad code to get into the hotel next door?” I asked the hostess. The girl disappeared behind a dividing wall and then returned with a woman who was already on her cell phone trying to come to our rescue. Luckily, the two were able to get in touch with the hotel proprietor and find out our 4-digit entry code.

chris_armando

Moments later, we were lugging our bags up a flight of stairs to room #6. The hotel, as it turns out, only has 6 rooms in total. Aside from the check-in experience, everything else about San Ramon was positively charming. Our room was unlocked when we found it, with 2 keys on the dresser. Silk rose petals were scattered on the floor, and 2 small Valentine’s Day goody bags were on top with a few chocolates. Eat that, Motel 6!

It was just a little more than 3 years ago that I made a trip to Bisbee in my Legend. This latest experience was even more rich because I made it into an over-nighter as opposed to a rushed day-trip from the Phoenix area. After a delicious dinner at Santiago’s, Armando and I explored the night life for a little bit while Chris decided to hit the sack.

stock_board

Just steps away from the front door of San Ramon was the Stock Exchange Saloon. Its double doors and neon sign beckoned, so Armando and I went over to check it out. This building, dating back to 1905, once housed a stock brokerage firm called Duey and Overlock. According to the gal behind the counter who was born and raised in Bisbee, this was the only branch of the New York Stock Exchange outside of New York at the time. Today, the venue retains some of the original elements from those days including this board along the back wall under plexiglass. Armando and I cued up a few hits on the jukebox including “Walkin’ on Sunshine” before calling it a night.

tyson_armando_cadillac

lowell2

On Monday morning, I rolled open the wooden windows of the 2nd floor hotel room and admired the perfect weather outside. It was President’s Day, and we departed the San Ramon and took the ILX to have breakfast at “Bisbee Breakast Club” (BBC) a mile and a half away in historic Lowell. If the streets of Bisbee were a snapshot of the 1880s, then Lowell moved us forward about 80 years to the 1960s. The entire main street was lined with classic cars, varying in condition from scrap heap to show-ready. We stepped inside and feasted on chiles rellenos.

mexico

The rest of our morning was filled with sights & sounds of the American Wild West. We stopped just briefly in Naco, Arizona at the Mexican border – but not too close – as none of us had our passports handy and we didn’t want to chance an “accidental” international border crossing. We took a moment back in Bisbee to frame up the re-creation of a photo that I took 3 years ago with my Legend. (Thanks Chris & Armando for being my photographers!). Bisbee’s strong heritage as a copper and gold mining town lives on and I will surely be going back for a tour of the mine soon.

colossal_entrance

I knew we had a 1:00 p.m. cave tour to get to back in Tucson, so by about 11:00 we said our farewells to B-town and headed out. Out last stop on the trip was to a large underground cave about 20 miles east of Tucson that I last visited 100,000 miles ago in September 2013. Our talkative tour guide stretched a 45-minute walking tour (covering roughly 1/2 mile and almost 400 steps) into about an hour and 15 minutes. I learned a few new things this time around, but I was surely glad to surface for daylight at the conclusion.

cave_interior

Thanks for joining for this weekend’s adventure!

Other pics from this weekend follow.

With Chris at the 3rd annual “Concours in the Hills” car show in Fountain Hills, Arizona

The only Honda in attendance was a nicely-kept 1979 Civic

Wouldn’t be called Fountain Hills without an awesome fountain!

Loved this 1989 Porsche 911!

Hiking Papago Park with Chris

Paying a visit to friends on a Saturday NSX drive

Armando showed up in the SVX, so both 1992 Japanese sportscars became acquainted with one another

San Tan Valley, Arizona – on our way to Tucson, we stopped to visit some Legend friends

Gabe and Josh were working on a timing belt / water pump replacement on Gabe’s 1992 coupe

Valentine’s Day gifts waiting for us at the Hotel San Ramon in Bisbee

Bisbee is extremely hilly and the streets are narrow. It’s no wonder the town wasn’t built in squares.

Looking north toward the Stock Exchange Saloon on Brewery Avenue

Historic gas station in Lowell, just down the road

Bisbee Breakfast Club awaits us!

How about that Chile Relleno?

One of the many vintage cars parked along the main road in Lowell

This patrol car was apparently driven by Barney Fife

Looking out at the huge Queen Creek Mine

Last look at colorful Bisbee

Headstoned at Boothill Graveyard in Tombstone on the way through town

Tyson, Armando, Chris at Boothill Graveyard

Awaiting our tour time at Colossal Cave and enjoying the view

Departure from Colossal Cave

Fueling up halfway between Tucson and Phoenix at Picacho Peak

Make sure you stop by Josh Clymer’s blog, TSX Travels, where he’s now on the Final Fifteen countdown to 500,000 miles on his 2005 Acura TSX.

Also, I highly recommend “Lasting Legend” body wash from Old Spice. For obvious reasons!

Signing out for now!

6 Comments »

Quick Overnight Drive to Sedona, Arizona: Devil’s Bridge Hike

Posted in Arizona, Hikes, ILX, Road Trip on January 24, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend Sedan): 149,926

Trip Distance: 250 Miles

See my friend Ira perched there atop this natural sandstone arch? I had sweaty palms when taking this picture of him: Visions of a slab of rock fracturing from the arch and sending him down on a 100-foot drop to the earth below. Kids, don’t try this at home.

Ira paid me a visit from Portland, Oregon this weekend. While the PDX area in which he resides offers virtually any sort of outdoor creation within about an hour radius, what he doesn’t have – and what he came to Arizona to see – was some of the natural beauty of the southwest. We hit the road on Friday afternoon in the ILX and headed out on a 2-hour drive to quaint Sedona, Arizona. It’s home to about 10,000 residents and nestled in a landscape of vivid red rock formations. Sedona is popular destination for people who want to “get away from it all” – the whole vibe is one of relaxation, self-discovery, and detachment from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

By the time we checked into the Sky Ranch Lodge on Airport Road (located at a vantage point high above the town), nighttime had fallen. The keys to suite #280 were “real” keys: heavy, brass-colored, old-school things. I can’t remember the last time I stayed at a hotel or lodge that hadn’t gone the route of the credit card-style swiper. Though the city lights were nice, the real view that we wanted to see would welcome us the following morning. A light cloud cover kept the sun from highlighting the colors of the surrounding mountain range, but it was still a breathtaking sight to behold.

We picked up a few provisions from the local AM/PM – namely, in my case, 2 donuts and some chocolate milk. Ira made the better decision by getting a banana and bottled water. Just a 6 mile drive up Dry Creek Road, we found the turnoff for the hiking trail to Devil’s Bridge. By now it was only about 8:00 in the morning and we were only the second car in the parking lot. The first mile or so of the hike was on a rugged road – passable by most trucks, SUVs, and even a Subaru Outback we witnessed with a daring driver at the wheel.

Then, the trail split and headed east toward the hills. We were in shorts – ill-prepared for the 38-degree start temperature – but quickly forgot about the cold as we got our cardio workout in for the day. In all, our hike would take us up the equivalent of about 40 flights of stairs. The sandstone rocks at times were perfectly placed for hiker access. Along with the higher elevation came more snow and mud – leftovers from last week’s winter storms.

“Where the heck is it?” I caught my breath, and asked Ira as we kept trudging along. Then I glanced to my left. We had already arrived. The ice made for a slippery surface upon which to navigate, so I played it extra cautious while feeling my way out – sometimes crouched down and walking on hands and knees – to the arch itself. I took note of how quiet the surroundings were when we stood completely still. Coupled with the fact that no other hikers were in the immediate area, and that we had absolutely zero cell phone signal, it made for a great feeling of peace and quiet. Soon it was time to make the return trek which went by quickly.

Ira and I enjoyed a hearty breakfast at Creekside Restaurant along Highway 179 on the way out of town. It was just what the doctor ordered to satisfy those cravings we’d built up from burning a few calories along the trail. Enjoy the rest of the pictures from our quick overnight trip, and for anyone visiting Arizona who wants a great taste of nature without hiking the entire Grand Canyon, I highly recommend hitting up the Sedona area for a trip to Devil’s Bridge. Here are the rest of my photos from the trip!

ILX at the trailhead

My “Look ma, no hands!” pose atop Devil’s Bridge

Ira back in Scottsdale, driving the NSX on Portland Street – fitting because he’s from Portland

Congrats also to my friend Mirel who picked up a(nother) Legend LS coupe 6-speed!

And one last little blurb here: I was on the news on Friday morning with my car! Tomorrow, there’ll be a car show in the evening called “Future Classics.” It’s open to any vehicle from 1970 through 2005 model year. I am entering my 1994 Legend coupe.

A few of us were asked to report to the 3TV Studio on 7th Avenue for a 3-minute intro to the car show on Good Morning Arizona.

Here’s the video. My (quick!) moment in the spotlight comes around 2 minutes in. And watch for my wave at the very end!

Coming up this week: A visit from a special friend, and a trip to the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction, where the first 2017 Acura NSX will be auctioned to a lucky new owner this coming Friday night. I have my checkbook ready.

Signing out for now!

9 Comments »

ILX 150,000 Milestone, Utah Trip, and a 30-Something Birthday

Posted in ILX, Legend, Milestones, Utah on December 29, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 540,467

Odometer (ILX): 151,120

I have quite the potpourri of news updates for you all today! I was on my way home from work last week when my 2013 ILX hit its 150,000-mile mark.

Timeline of major milestones:

16 Miles at Delivery: June 12, 2012
50,000 Miles: August 15, 2013
100,000 Miles: October 16, 2014
150,000 Miles: December 21, 2015

Maintenance history since new:

Video:

The Legend coupe had to get a new starter last week from Hon-Man in Tempe, Arizona after the original one lasted 540,428 miles. About a week ago, I had needed to move the car out of the garage to get access to the attic opening, and it would click but not turn over. The starter had been acting up for some time so I finally had it taken care of. Hon-Man’s parking lot was full of other Honda products, but I parked next to a 1993 Legend sedan when I dropped the car off for its service.

Service was $599 parts/labor and included replacement of an inner CV boot that was torn on the driver side axle. Back on the road now.

My friend Daniel stalked me on Christmas Eve on Loop 202.

For about 10 years now, I’ve been attending an annual Christmas party hosted by my friend Chuck in Phoenix. This year, he gave me a glass “moose mug” like the style used in the classic film “Christmas Vacation.”

My friend James gave me a very fitting license plate!

I made my way north to my hometown in Utah (~400 mi) in the ILX on Christmas morning. Weather conditions on my end were vastly different from the ones my stepmom and dad were experiencing. Here’s a text conversation excerpt:

I stopped for a quick visit at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway at the north end of Las Vegas. It was only 50 degrees, but looked much warmer!

Virgin River Gorge on Interstate 15 northbound:

“Castle” Christmas light display at a home in St. George. This won a $50,000 contest!

With my niece Vivienne.

Lunch with mom.

Taking my brother’s 1968 Chevy II Nova SS 6-speed for a cruise on the day after Christmas:

I drove it about 100 miles, round trip, to & around Mesquite, Nevada

Great sunset lighting overlooking the peaks around Mesquite. You’ll soon see this car in a feature story in Hemmings Muscle Machines.

Mom even rolled around in it for a bit:

We received a visit from a few friends on Sunday prior to the return drive to Phoenix: Tyson, Tia, Chandler, Jack

Jack, Chandler, Tyson, Branson

Jack took my brother’s M3 6-speed for a little ride

Branson rode 400 miles back with me from St. George to Scottsdale to take delivery of this 1994 Legend coupe from a prior post.

On the morning of 12/28, we pulled it out of the garage and he went on his way!

Desert Mist twins before Branson’s departure.

It was my 34th birthday yesterday, so I went and pulled the NSX out of the garage for a celebratory cruise.

I received a ton of well-wishes from friends & family. My email inbox overflowed with about 700 Facebook notifications. Here is a short video capturing some of the day’s highlights.

And, I think that pretty much brings you up to speed! Hope everyone’s New Year festivities treat them well this weekend.

30 Comments »

Saturday Drive to Greenlee County: Town of Duncan, Arizona

Posted in Arizona, Ghost Town, ILX, Road Trip on December 20, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 540,423

Odometer (ILX): 149,872

Trip Distance: 481 Miles

Come back with me to 1883 today. About 5 miles from the New Mexico state line lies a community that I’ll introduce you to.

Duncan’s story mirrors that of so many other small towns of the Old West: Mining origins, bustling and prosperous earlier years, and a steady decline from then onward. Today, the 696 people who live there are hearty. After all, they’ve survived two devastating Gila River floods that nearly wiped out the entire town, not to mention a widespread fire. To top it all off, the main highway through town – once a critical east-west thoroughfare – was bypassed about 30 miles to the south by Interstate 10 in the 1950’s. Duncan was left high and (not so) dry for the next several decades. It’s a small town in every sense: The people all know one another. Traffic lights are non-existent. And the locals look at you with a raised eyebrow and ask, “You came to Duncan, why?” if you tell them you’re visiting.

It seemed only fitting that before visiting Duncan, I visit Dunkin (Donuts). So, I grabbed a bagel and beverage in Scottsdale around 7:30 in the morning before beginning my journey.

My day started out eastbound on US Highway 60 on a voyage back in time. By the time I’d driven 100 miles, I’d already passed through a half dozen teeny little towns that were past their prime: Places like Miami, Claypool, and Globe that survive – barely – on the mining industry thanks to nearby Freeport McMoRan copper extraction operations. I stopped just a couple of times for photos at abandoned sites and to explore some back alleyways with their boarded-up windows and rickety looking exteriors. I also stumbled across a collection of four 1950’s Lincolns tucked away on a side street, some in better condition than others.

In Globe, I cut to Highway 70 and continued heading toward New Mexico. I rolled on a two-laner through the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation which covers 1.8 million acres in eastern Arizona. No reservation would be complete without a casino or two, and I exercised restraint by not stopping at the Apache Gold Casino Resort, lined extravagantly with palm trees that looked very out of place in this barren landscape. I also was tempted to make a stop at the “Rock-A-Buy” rock shop on the roadside, but decided to press on. I arrived in Duncan at 11:58 in the morning, just in time to pull my Acura ILX into Bart Tipton’s Saloon – long since boarded up – for a photo next to a 1950’s Chevy fire truck that probably hasn’t moved in quite some time now.

Church bells rang out the 12:00 hour, and I received a wave from a woman on the patio of the Riverfront Lounge across the street. She was probably mumbling to herself, “Damn tourist.” I think I had the only vehicle in town newer than about a 1990 model year. Jason arrived not long afterward in his well-traveled Mazda 6 sedan and we dined at the only place available for lunchtime grub: Tumbleweed Cafe / Patio / Lounge at 206 Old West Highway. Jason and I had work to do: The purpose of our meet-up was to lay the preliminary ground work for a 2016 Alaska drive we’ll be taking together next May. It’s now been 10 years since my dad and I took a similar 7,500-mile round-trip drive to Fairbanks and back in my Legend, and I’ve been wanting to go back.

The Western Burger hit the spot while Jason and I took a detailed look at timing, destinations, and budget topics for our Alaska trip. You’ll see coverage of that adventure in its entirety next year, and I’m excited to take you all along for the ride. Our very young waiter made a fuss at the cash register when we went to pay the bill for lunch. “You guys had to wait awhile; I’m going to take 10% off your bill,” he said. I told him not to worry about it. The total for our meals was only $20, and we’d been busy chatting it up about Alaska, anyway.

Duncan was the perfect meeting point for our Saturday drive because it represented a 3.5 hour one-way drive for me and a 2.5 hour drive for Jason. We took some time to explore the town – or what’s left of it – now that we were well-fed. A few blocks west of the restaurant lies a concrete platform that was once home to a railroad station. A drive down “East” Street (which is more gravel than paved) reveals older homes that have clung to their foundations in spite of the floods that came through the area, as well as empty lots where not-so-lucky homes used to reside. We got a few looks from locals who were setting up for an outdoor picnic of sorts in their front yard.

Next we rolled up to a park that at one time was probably the pride of the town. In 1998, a jet fighter plane was perched on top of a hill just south of town in recognition of the men and women of the Armed Forces who had served from the Duncan area. Today, the park is in a sort of disrepair. The adjacent swimming pool looks like an algae breeding ground, and the landscaping looks like it hasn’t seen much attention in awhile. Still, we got a good overview of the valley from there and the winding Gila River in the distance.

Our last stop was at Germaine’s Emporium, an elaborate collection of antiques, toys, books, and just general “stuff” right on the main highway. There were only two other customers there – locals, I think. Jason and I walked through the series of 5 or 6 rooms that were crammed with artifacts on shelf after shelf. I didn’t have cash on hand (shame on me), but Jason loaned me $1.40 so I could buy a cute little hardbound New Testament that was probably 100 years old.

It was time to split ways, so I said farewell to Jason and we headed in opposite directions on the Old West Highway. I looped home via an alternate route – interstate this time, instead of back roads. The I-10 experience is far less interesting but also far less involved than going through all the little towns on US 70 and US 60. I set my cruise control at 78 miles per hour and whizzed through Willcox, Benson, and Tucson on my way home, arriving just in time for a Saturday night out with friends. Enjoy the rest of the pics below!

Morning visit to Dunkin Donuts on Hayden Road in Scottsdale

Abandoned building in Miami (Arizona, that is)

Traveler Hotel in Miami. I think it’s closed, but that’s just a guess.

Who can identify the year of this Pink Lincoln?

Roadside abandoned service station on US 70

Restroom facilities are long-since left to ruin

Even Keen’s “Fort Thomas” Store was shut down, with a lonely dry gas pump out front

Pictured here is the Simpson Hotel in Duncan, built 101 years ago and still in operation today.

Some of the other cars around Duncan, including a decent-shape 1985 Honda CRX.

One-stop shop!

Exploring a dirt road up a canyon south of Duncan, until I got to a No Trespassing sign

Owner will finance! Should I buy some property in Duncan? Fixer-upper, for sure.

Rock church in Duncan

Lunch is served. And the curly fries were better than the ones at Arby’s!

Elevated concrete platform where a train station used to reside

Kool Spot RV Park and its elaborately painted (not) sign

View of Mount Graham as seen from US Highway 191 between Safford and Interstate 10

And finally a sunset as seen while stuck in bridge construction traffic on I-10 near Benson last night

Thanks for joining!

Here are a few other fun links to take a peek at today.

2017 NSX pricing now announced: $156k – $205k!
2016 ILX self-driving car, built by the same guy who hacked the original iPhone
Somebody buy this extra set of NSX wheels from me!

Have a great week, everyone.

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Southern Utah Trip for Thanksgiving: Rockville and Beaver

Posted in ILX, Road Trip, Utah on November 29, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 540,208

Odometer (ILX): 148,512

Trip Distance: 1,037 Miles

It’s an annual tradition of mine to head north on major holidays since most of my family lives in Utah. On Thanksgiving Thursday, I drove through one of my favorite pieces of road – Highway 89A between Flagstaff, Arizona and Kanab, Utah. It’s a remote red-rock wonderland with spotty cell phone reception and lightly-traveled two-lane roads.

My destination was Rockville, Utah – a town of only 247 people (of which my aunt Jodi is one). She hosted over a dozen people at her home on Main Street for a potluck feast, card games, and viewing of the classic holiday film “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.”

My friend Ryan drove down from Logan, Utah to celebrate the holiday with us in his recently-purchased Audi. On Friday morning, he and I headed out to Interstate 15 northbound and Beaver, Utah where my younger brother Bentley has recently finished building a cabin. Snow flurries kept us from taking full advantage of the posted 80 mph speed limit from Toquerville to Cedar City, as visibility was not good enough. From Beaver, we did our share of Black Friday shopping by stopping at the Family Dollar on Main Street for a couple of crock pots – half off, at only $8 each! Best of all, no line at the register.

It had been over a year since I took the canyon drive up Highway 153 toward Eagle Point Ski Resort, but I knew very well that if road conditions were less than optimal, it would be a smarter move to leave the ILX at the base of the mountain and hop into Ryan’s all-wheel-drive Audi A4. Skies were clear so we headed on up in tandem for the 23-mile drive to my brother’s place. The highway twists through wooded forest, then sharply ascends some switchbacks as it climbs to 9,100 feet in elevation. The scenery was rewarding all the way up. The final stretch was un-plowed, single-lane roadway so I did have to ditch my car in a parking lot but Ryan’s A4 made it.

I’m now a believer in “Quattro!” We enjoyed a charming evening from the cabin with homemade turkey dinner courtesy of my dad and my step-mom. We also played a little in the snow outside with my nephew Beckam who was putting a few miles on a remote-controlled snowmobile. Luckily, the storm system didn’t leave us with more than a light dusting of fresh powder and the following morning, skies were vivid blue.

My car wasn’t too thrilled about cranking over in 4-degree temperatures, but it started on the first push of the button anyway. Ryan and I made our way carefully down the steep canyon, knowing that the possibility of icy roads was very real.

Ryan and I made just one more stop before splitting ways and heading to our respective homes. The abandoned “Sleepy Lagoon Motel” on the south end of Beaver had caught our eye. Some of the motel’s 20 rooms were wide open with furnishings still intact. I later learned that Sleepy Lagoon has been around since the 1950’s but was badly damaged by a fire in 2005. That would perhaps explain why I couldn’t find a lobby. The place has sat for the last 10 years awaiting a buyer who will probably come in and bulldoze the whole thing.

Here are my pictures from this week’s trip!

The Arizona Department of Transportation decided to get clever with its freeway messaging this weekend.

Highway 89A approaching Lee’s Ferry

Lee’s Ferry, a remote spot on Highway 89A where this 1929 bridge crossed the Colorado River. It’s since been bypassed by a newer bridge to the west.

This may just be the most scenic gas station I’ve ever visited. The background almost looks like a painting, but it’s not.

A few miles down the road, this is Marble Canyon where huge boulders line the side of the road.

Beginning my ascent toward Jacob Lake at nearly 8,000 feet in elevation.

From here, the road gets twisty and quickly gains elevation toward the summit where Highway 67 branches off toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Fresh snowfall from the prior evening still dusted some of the side roads in that area.

Fredonia, Arizona, is home to this historic / abandoned service station. I’d love to go inside and take a look around.

Photo with my mom on Aunt Jodi’s back patio

The backyard extends toward the bank of the Virgin River which comes through Zion National Park.

Enjoying dinner

Card games afterward

Eastbound Highway 153 nearing Eagle Point Ski Resort, outside Beaver, Utah

My brother’s mountain home

Nephew Beckam is a selfie pro!

Dad’s 2013 MDX with 32,000 miles was right at home in this terrain

Crispy Saturday morning departure

Attempting a window fix on Ryan’s A4. My brother let the passenger window down to back the car out and it wouldn’t return shut. Ryan ended up driving about 4.5 hours home without a window! In freezing temps, no less.

The ‘lagoon’ at Sleepy Lagoon Motel in Beaver

Parked in front of the Sleepy Lagoon rooms – notice doors wide open on some rooms.

Some of the interior furnishings still remain, even mattresses and chairs in some cases!

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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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Red Cups, a Chevy Nova, and some Photo Fun

Posted in ILX, Legend on November 12, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 540,120

Odometer (ILX): 145,519

A week ago, Josh Feuerstein posted a video to Facebook that set the world on fire in a controversy over the color of Starbucks’ coffee cups. Millions of views later, it continues to make the rounds as the centerpiece of a debate about “killing Christmas,” even getting mentions by Donald Trump and Ellen DeGeneres. Well, I didn’t really take sides one way or the other, but Josh’s video caught my eye for one reason.

I freeze framed it on the above segment. That’s “my” regular Starbucks in Fountain Hills, Arizona! I drive past it every weekday on the way home from work, and I stop in at least once a week. I decided to swing by on Tuesday after work.

I placed my order and asked, “How many people have recognized the fact that this is the Starbucks where all that drama started?” “Hardly anyone!” the barrista said. And then she pulled out her iPhone and showed me how she’d posted a photo earlier in the day holding a red coffee cup. She told me that Feuerstein gets a beverage there almost every day. She also told me he’d offered $20 to anyone working there who would be in his video. (Everyone declined because they aren’t allowed to be on camera).

Anyway, that was my teeny brush with a landmark that’s made the national spotlight over the past week.

Cool thing I found out this week: My brother Bentley’s 1968 Chevy Nova SS made it into Super Chevy Magazine’s January 2016 issue. Organized with the intent of identifying the best suspension modifications to make a classic Chevy handle, the magazine rented out Willow Springs Racetrack in southern California recently and brought in 8 cars from years 1963 to 1984. Each one was a custom-built example, tuned for optimal handling in a performance driving situation.

Speed Tech did the work on my brother’s Nova so they entered the car into the event under their name. To keep the playing field somewhat level, all cars were outfitted with the same brand of tires, all were driven by the same race driver, and all were benchmarked against a “constant” vehicle as opposed to each other: A 2015 Camaro SuperSport 1LE. Bentley’s car beat the Camaro in a slalom by a mere 3/10th of a mile per hour, but the Camaro reigned supreme in other aspects thanks to 47 years’ improvements in tech assistance.

Here’s the full article link to the web write-up.

Lastly, I couldn’t resist lining up my ILX & Legend sedan last Saturday to mimic a photoshoot that Acura corporate did with Ludacris’ Legend and the Galpin-modified ILX that debuted at SEMA earlier this month.

I didn’t get the pose quite right, and the camera angle was off altogether, but hey – for a quick pic, not too shabby. Thanks to my friend Ari for taking a few minutes to snap a photo for me.

Nerd alert for sure.

My friend Paul gets the Ugly Duckling Award for the week after having sent me this incredibly sad looking 1991 sedan that came into his dealership in Atlanta a few days ago. Gross.

And a huge thanks goes out to TJ who hosted this year’s NALM in Houston a couple months ago. He had a sweet 12×12 canvas print made up from one of that week’s photos. I love it!

The next seven days are going to be incredibly busy as I’m traveling to Las Vegas for a half-marathon with friends and family this weekend, then headed to Los Angeles next Tuesday for a few days at the 2015 International Auto Show there.

Have a great Friday & weekend!

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2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada: Ludacris Legend, Galpin ILX, & World Record Volvo

Posted in ILX, Legend, Milestones, Nevada, Road Trip, SEMA on November 5, 2015 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 540,089

Odometer (Ludacris’ Legend): 246,080

Odometer (ILX):

Trip Distance: 616 Miles

Viva Las Vegas! Or was it “Lo$t Wages”?

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has been around since 1963 and is a huge trade group centered around the automotive aftermarket industry. It’s grown to a colossal size with over 6,300 member companies. Its largest trade show, held every year at the Las Vegas Convention Center, occupies more than a half-million square feet of space.

SEMA week puts every “car geek” into a candy store. Its full week of activities bring every participant the sights, sounds, and yes – even smells, of the automotive industry. I’m talking about these scented Little Trees, and they’ve been around since 1952 when this first version on display was created. What’s your favorite scent?

This wasn’t my first SEMA rodeo. Here are write-ups from years prior:

This year’s show included some special components which I was excited to see: The Acura display booth contained the now-fully-restored 1993 Acura Legend sedan that belongs to 20-million-fan music artist Ludacris, as well as a highly modified 2016 Acura ILX in vivid Sunburst Yellow with a host of performance and cosmetic upgrades. Legends and ILXs? It’s like they structured show content around exactly the type of content that would interest me!

My friend Chris described the SEMA experience as “It’s like being at the mall on Black Friday.” It’s overwhelming to be among the crowds, with all the suppliers clamoring for your business with “Look at me!” signage and fanfare. Another friend, Nina, calculated that if you walked the entire floorplan of the 4 gigantic convention rooms plus the outside areas and the adjoining hallways, it would be the equivalent of completing a marathon. I’ll have to throw on a GPS watch someday and validate that claim. My legs believe it.

I arrived in Las Vegas on Monday night after an uneventful 4.5 hour drive from the Phoenix area in my Legend. I met up with long-time friend Tommy who’d made a similar distance from LA that same afternoon. Later in the the evening, famed HondaPro Jason (pictured with me above) made his arrival into the McCarran Airport from a Chicago flight. Jason has made a name for himself as “THE” Honda guy over the past few years since his YouTube channel launched in 2012. Today, he has 32,000 subscribers and 27,000 followers on his Facebook page. Jason’s flight arrived around midnight, so I played Shuttle Driver for him as well as for Jeff of Temple of VTEC.

Tuesday’s two key events for me were two Honda press conferences: The first was at 9:30 a.m. to showcase Honda’s latest news in off-road / Baja racing with an all-new Honda Ridgeline pickup truck, scheduled for its first race in less than two weeks. The second was a 20-minute presentation at 1:00 p.m. by Acura Senior Vice President Jon Ikeda as well as Creative Director Dave Marek. Jon and Dave introduced two exciting vehicles to the crowd of media and industry personnel who were assembled there.

The first car was Ludacris‘ 1993 Legend, newly reborn since a June 2015 accident left it damaged on the right rear quarter panel. I had some Q&A time with Dave after the conference and received some insights into the specifics of the build. His intent was to bring the car back to its former glory as well as add a few touches to make it even better. He succeeded in every aspect.

Among improvements to the Legend are the following:

H&R Springs
Eibach Camber Kit
18 Inch Rays Wheels on Bridgestone Potenza Tires
Wilwood 6-Piston Front / 4-Caliper Rear Brakes
Fresh Paint and Leather
Pioneer AVIC 8 / ONEX Head Unit with Apple CarPlay
Alpine Subwoofer

The second car was a vivid orange 2016 ILX, outfitted with a body kit, an aggressively modified suspension and custom wheels – as one would expect at SEMA. The details extended to the interior where the stitching on the seats and steering wheel was matched in the same orange color. The ILX, which was customized by Galpin Auto Sports, will be given away as part of a charity event for the Ludacris Foundation which since 2001 has provided tens of thousands of hours into service projects and youth development activities.

I had to stop and catch my breath for about 20 minutes while I charged my phone and scarfed down a $13 piece of pepperoni pizza in the food court. Then it was back to battle where I wandered around to see a few more sights and meet up with friends. By 4:30, Jason and I departed from the hustle and bustle to prepare for an exclusive evening activity with the Honda and Acura executives. We were able to participate at an intimate dinner at MGM Grand’s “Hakkasan” Nightclub with a dozen or more of the company’s highest-ranking leaders. They were incredibly approachable and I enjoyed the dialogue and the food! Honda threw a big “soiree” later that evening out on the dance floor, and hundreds of people came out to party.

On Day 2, I woke up to rare rain in Las Vegas and made my way to the AAPEX Show, similar to SEMA and containing a lot of the same content, but located at the Sands Convention Center several blocks away. The main reason I needed to drop in was that I’d learned Irv Gordon was in attendance. Irv achieved fame by logging over 3,000,000 miles on his red 1966 Volvo P1800. That feat was enough to put him in the Guinness Book of World Records. In fact, he’s been the world record holder since 1998 when his car had only 1.69 million miles on it. I wish I’d met Irv, but sadly the Castrol booth only featured his car.

My last stop before skipping out of town was next door to Castrol at the Car-Freshner display where I got a whiff of the new 2016 scents. The product specialist on duty invited me into a phone booth of sorts, where I pressed a button and the smells activated. My favorite was definitely “Copper Canyon.” Now, if only they invited “scratch & sniff” computer monitors so you could all be smelling it with me!

My Legend rolled 540,000 miles on the way home to Phoenix. Fitting, since it was also November 4th of exactly 4 years ago when the car rolled 500,000 at Acura’s red-carpet party. Thanks for joining for this year’s SEMA trip. Enjoy my photos and a short video below!