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Weekend in Maryland: A Meet & A Milestone Along the Susquehanna River

Posted in Legend, Milestones, TL on May 1, 2017 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 552,429

Twins. Check out those T-shirts, and check out the cars! This was summer 2015 at the National Acura Legend Meet (NALM) in Houston, Texas with my friend Chris from the Baltimore area.

In January 2016, Chris flew to Phoenix for the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction. It just so happened that his trip also involved a special 150,000-mile rollover for my car which we celebrated at Papago Park near the Phoenix-Tempe border. In a fitting second half to the story, I’ve now flown to his neighborhood on the east coast and rolled 150,000 miles on his Legend GS. Cool, right? By now this kind of nerdy behavior shouldn’t surprise any of my readers.

Piggybacking on this special weekend event were some other activities, including a visit from a few of our friends at Redline Reviews with a brand new 2018 Acura TLX and a taste of some of Maryland’s finest crab cakes. Sexy cars and tasty food – that’s my kind of vacation.

Friday afternoon’s PHX-BWI flight was delayed three times, making a painfully late arrival even worse (as in, 1:00 in the morning the next day). When I finally got on the ground in Baltimore, I opted to catch an Uber to a shady nearby motel rather than having my friend Chris drive the 50 or so miles to come pick me up at that hour. Room 241 of the Motel 6 on Nursery Road smelled a lot like an ashtray, and when I got up the next morning, so did all my clothes.

That didn’t matter though, we had an action-packed day ahead. The first unexpected twist was that Chris picked me up in his wife’s Chevy Cruze as opposed to a Legend or a TL, but it all made sense later on. We made our way northbound through a series of bridges & tunnels to get to his place in Havre de Grace. The Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, at 1.4 miles in length, takes drivers underneath the Patapsco River.

Chris had milestones on the brain, and I ended up rolling one on EACH of his two Acuras. The first was in his 2008 TL Type-S – a car in many ways a twin to my own recently-purchased TL. It has, however, a few things that set it apart: 20,000 fewer miles, a black interior as opposed to my ivory, and some special aerodynamic equipment in the form of an A-Spec body kit. I rolled the odometer to 78,000 miles on the way to the local grocery store in Havre de Grace for donuts.

Not long afterward, loyal Legend lover Kevin from Georgia arrived on the scene. He was wearing a blue T-shirt commemorating my 2011 milestone in my coupe. Looking good, Kevin!

We prepared our roll-out toward a burger & shake spot called Arctic Circle (much more “hometown” than the chain I had pictured it to be) where a few other friends were already there waiting for us.

Right off the bat, I recognized the “Still Night Pearl” Acura TLX A-Spec that Sofyan Bey, Redline Reviews’ host, had driven up from Virginia a couple of hours south. The TLX was his tester for the week – fresh out of the gate from a media launch in Kentucky and fresh in automotive news as it barely debuted two weeks ago at the New York Auto Show. We were lucky to catch a first glimpse.

The next stop on our tour took us to the picturesque Susquehanna River where recreational fishermen and boaters were taking advantage of the unusually warm and humid April afternoon. There were so many visitors, in fact, that we had to travel another couple of miles up the road to a grassy picnic area in order to find parking that would accommodate everyone. Chris’ Legend GS rolled its 150,000th mile at precisely the designated spot – arrival at the boat ramp. A few more folks had showed up for the party, including Marc from New Jersey in a pristine 42,000-mile 1995 Legend coupe, Karna in a 2001 Honda Prelude SH, and Jaysen and Davey in their Legends.

I got the chance to take the wheel of a couple of those cars and it’s always a treat when a friend entrusts me with his or her pride and joy. Chris had arranged for our group to visit “Legends Vineyard” in Churchville, Maryland. For $7, we were able to sample about 10 different wines. It seemed appropriate that most of the cars parked out front during our visit were Legends! A few of the other guys had to depart shortly thereafter, but Kevin, Chris, and I dined at MacGregor’s in downtown Havre de Grace where I sampled the most popular menu item: crab cakes. They were divine. These pics are for you foodies! (Looking at you, Brad and Tim)

Tartar sauce & cocktail sauce on the side. That potato, though!

As the sun set on our busy Saturday, we admired the scenery from the Havre de Grace Promenade at the waterfront.

Sunday’s events were a lot less structured in nature, and that made for a nice low-key day. Chris & Kera served up scrambled eggs, sausage, & toast which I washed down with some super-smooth chocolate milk from a dairy up the road in Pennsylvania. Chris and I decided to check out one of the local salvage yards but it had only 3 Legends in inventory and they were already pretty well picked-over.

It was already time to start making our way toward the Baltimore/Washington International Airport, so we cruised down I-95 toward the city, stopping for a bite at Chop Pit Beef for lunch. It’s a historic spot that I’d describe as “Arby’s but a million times better.” I had the ham & beef combo sandwich with the house BBQ sauce. To Die For!

Many thanks to Chris for being such a great host and to the many friends who came out to play.

IN OTHER NEWS…

For years (about 7, to be exact), I tried getting ahold of the license plate “ACURA” for one of my cars. The Arizona DMV’s website always told me that the combination was unavailable, which came as no surprise. Initially I settled for “THACURA” which had my initials in it. But miraculously one day, it popped up. I snagged it and proudly put the plate on my 1994 Legend GS sedan.

The story got even better this past weekend, when my friend Dan had me over to his home in Mesa to show me his new 2013 Viper. In the trunk of the Viper was a gift for me – a vintage Arizona license plate with ACURA on it. A real plate, mind you. Last registered in 2001. What are the chances? And the best part is that the design is period correct for my car. According to AZPlates.com, this maroon style ran from 1980 through 1997.

The DMV issued me a new registration sticker and allowed me to put the old plate back into use – some 16 years after it had last seen the roadways!

Few more pics from the Maryland trip below!

Signing Kevin’s trunk liner. This has become a tradition.

Rear 3/4 view of the new 2018 TLX A-Spec.

TLX interior.

Too excited for my own good.

Looking northward from the bank of the Susquehanna River.

Geek mode, activate.

What better place to take a convoy of Legends?

Parked outside…

Party time at Chris’ place! Set up like bowling pins. We just needed another one front & center. Maybe next time I’ll drive out and play frontrunner.

Quick pic with Marc before he headed back to New Jersey.

29 Comments »

The Legend Rolls 550,000 Miles on a Christmas Trip to Utah

Posted in Arizona, ILX, Legend, Milestones, Road Trip, Utah on December 26, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 550,085

It took me 5 years to go from 500,000 to 550,000, but I finally got there last night. I made a Christmas 800-mile round-trip to southern Utah this weekend and celebrated the milestone on my way home, along Highway 93 just north of Wickenburg, Arizona.

Mechanically, it was smooth sailing aside from adding a little power steering fluid and getting a check-engine light. As a matter of fact, somehow I achieved 29.7 miles per gallon on the way up Friday night. I guess that’s partly thanks to the fact that my speeds were usually between 65 and 70 miles per hour. They still haven’t paved an interstate between Phoenix and Las Vegas so it’s mostly back roads for that 4.5-hour stretch.

Fittingly, my return trip took me through “Santa Claus, Arizona” – a now-abandoned tourist trap that in the 1930s was a gas station, gift shop, and restaurant. Vandals have destroyed what’s left of it, but the map still clearly confirms its existence and I stopped for a few pictures at Saint Nick’s run-down residence.

The place can be yours, if the price is right!

Snow-capped peaks in the background – it was chilly out there, for Arizona standards anyway.

Here’s the roll-over video and a few scenes from Santa Claus.

A few other photos from recent events. Allie from Acura mailed me a “Nouvelle Blue Pearl” 2017 NSX model car. I told her it’ll go nicely in my garage!

Fueling up in Wickenburg on Friday afternoon

Sunset when rolling through Las Vegas, Nevada

Visiting mom, and also a visit from our friend Jack

Re-creation of a 20-year old photo (top) taken in 1997 with mom’s Legend.

My brother’s 1993 Legend LS 6-speed (139,000 mi) next to mine.

The ILX getting snowed on in Holden, Utah. Jack – from a few pics above – borrowed the car this weekend and put it to good use.

My uncle Dande picked up a 2013 ILX too. “Polished Metal Metallic” automatic.

Family photo of mom’s side of the family.

A few other videos for your viewing pleasure today.

ILX in snow – thanks Jack for the clip:

Link to Xtreme Coupe YouTube channel – my brother’s page. Watch his Lexus IS300 project updates:

Link to interesting video on the evolution of automotive design:

Link to Hagerty Engine Rebuild Video of a Chrysler motor. Pretty fascinating stuff:

Have a great week!

28 Comments »

500k Milestone Five-Year Anniversary & Shapshots: An Acura a Day for 7 Workdays

Posted in ILX, Integra, Legend, MDX, NSX, Vigor on November 4, 2016 by tysonhugie

Because why not? Space #1 B1-346 always looks nice at my office.

Thursday, October 27 – 2017 Acura MDX

Friday, October 28 – 1994 Acura Legend Coupe

Monday, October 31 – 2013 Acura ILX

Tuesday, November 1 – 1994 Acura Legend Sedan

Wednesday, November 2 – 1992 Acura NSX

Thursday, November 3 – 1992 Acura Integra GS-R

Friday, November 4 – 1994 Acura Vigor GS

Hard to believe it’s been 5 years since the day I drove to Acura’s headquarters in Torrance, California and rolled onto the red carpet with 500,000.1 miles on the odometer in my 1994 Legend coupe. I’m now 48,850 more miles down the highway in that car and don’t plan on retiring it any time soon. Many thanks to those of you who have been along for the ride from the beginning, as well as those who came onboard more recently!

I’m catching a flight this afternoon to Orlando, Florida for this year’s NSXPO event. More to come on that soon.

Have a great weekend!

20 Comments »

Drive to Five Review: 2017 Acura MDX Advance; Canyon Lake Legend Meet

Posted in Arizona, Legend, MDX, Vehicle Reviews on November 1, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 548,850

Odometer (MDX): 1,817

Last Thursday at Bashas’ supermarket in uptown Phoenix, I put the newest Acura MDX to the test doing what it does best! I made all the soccer moms jealous with every family’s dream ride: a three-row SUV that brings the comforts of home into a grocery-getter that’s surprisingly fun to drive.

This striking $57k top-line model brings in all the bells and whistles, including some new-this-year amenities for second-row passengers: heated seats and captain chairs. The kids never had it so good!

Prior MDX write-ups are here. I’ve been lucky to get my mitts on a couple prior iterations of this fine people-mover:

Now in its third generation, this 2017 model is the ‘refreshed’ version of the bodystyle that debuted in 2014. This latest version wears Acura’s refreshed front end with a grille devoid of the “shield” we’d become familiar with since 2009. Instead, the styling is now derived from Acura’s Precision Concept and is pentagonal in shape. Continuing rearward, the design is clean and carried over from prior iterations. The wheels are 20″ in diameter and a handsome design. Bling bling!

The MDX gives me a “they’ve thought of everything” feeling. The lights on underside of the sideview mirrors turn on as you approach the vehicle at night to illuminate the ground below. The liftgate is powered electronically. And the auto start/stop feature (a fuel-savings enhancement to shut off the motor temporarily at idle when stopped) can be triggered by the level of brake pedal pressure applied. It took me a couple of minutes to figure that one out, but I fell in love with it when I did.

Bottom line: this is the most technologically-advanced MDX ever, and it has to be: the three-row luxury SUV segment in which it dwells is extremely competitive. And clearly Acura is doing something right: The MDX is the brand’s top-selling vehicle, moving over 5,000 units in October 2016 (up 23% over the prior September).

My test vehicle was a White Diamond Pearl All-Wheel-Drive “Advance” model with Tech, Advance, and AcuraWatch packages. Basically, “fully loaded.” The driver seat is 10-way adjustable. The climate control system has 3 zones. Everything is push-button or even hands-free. If you can’t get comfortable driving this MDX, you’re a lost cause. I had my fair share of fun with it during my 7 days of cruising around in it. The MDX is the king of the urban jungle. I noticed that for being a larger vehicle it’s still easy to navigate in crowded city streets and still has great visibility.

It’s easy to see why SUVs have such a stronghold on modern families. It was nice to have the higher step-in height, and I loved being able to reach straight out the driver side window to swipe my badge and get into my office’s parking garage (as opposed to being in the ILX and having to reach upward to reach the sensor). Similarly, ATMs are so much more convenient when they’re right at arm level. I could get used to that!

Power delivery in the MDX is smooth and predictable with the 290-horsepower, 3.5-liter engine and 9-speed automatic transmission. For having so many gears, I found the MDX to do surprisingly little gear-hunting. It is decisive and determined to understand its driver. While my travels didn’t take me off the beaten path, based on my prior experience with putting a third-gen MDX through its dirt-road paces, I would proclaim this SUV just as comfortable on-road as off-road. Versatility is the name of the game.

Is there room in my garage for an MDX right now? Absolutely. Do I have a need for one? Not at all. Which isn’t to say it would come in handy from time to time. As a single 34-year-old, I may not fit the target buyer market for this vehicle. For those who do, it hits an absolute bullseye.

Many thanks to Acura for letting me behind the wheel!

Few other fun pieces of news below from the past week or so.

1979 Honda Accord from The Simpsons – Thanks, Tim, for sending this to me. Love it.

MDX at night

My friend Daniel stopped by in his 2012 Acura TL, bringing the Acura count at my place to 8.

I put up some new posters at the house including three nice, framed 24×36 prints.

Battery replacement for both Legends! Both were 4+ years old. Thanks Autozone.

On Saturday morning, I met up with some Legend owners for a cruise to Tortilla Flat near Apache Junction in eastern Mesa, Arizona. We cruised up Highway 88 through the Tonto National Forest.

Left to right: Gabe, Leon, Tyson

Leon’s interior on his 127,000-mile 1994 LS coupe in Pearl White is really nice.

Gabe’s car looks great too considering it is 24 years old and has 257,000 miles.

Great scenery all around!

Group shot

Headed back toward civilization, but stopping at the shores of Canyon Lake for a pic.

15 Comments »

Extreme Garage Makeover: My 1990’s Acura Showroom

Posted in House, ILX, Integra, Legend, NSX, Vigor on October 12, 2016 by tysonhugie

Descending order!

Odometer (Legend Coupe): 548,712

Odometer (Integra): 237,380

Odometer (ILX): 183,721

Odometer (Legend Sedan): 150,668

Odometer (Vigor): 106,293

Odometer (NSX): 106,150

Total Miles: 1,332,924. 1.3 million miles!

Time-travel back with me about a quarter-century to those glorious early 1990s. I was only about 10 but I still remember them fondly. You turn on your FM radio and it’s Ace of Base “The Sign.” Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, and Toy Story are big hits at the box office. And if you stroll down to your local Acura dealership, you might see vehicles like this:

The Acura brand, at the time only about 5 years old, was having a heyday. The NSX debuted as a world-class supercar with uncanny reliability. The second-generation Legend was selling like crazy – some 65,000 units in the 1991 model year alone. The Vigor was a brand new model with the touring comfort of its larger Legend sibling but with nimble handling. And the Integra GS-R boasted a 1.7 liter VTEC motor with more horsepower-per-liter than any other motor in the world. Life was good.

Oh, and all those cars in the picture? They’re stick shifts. Did you know that there is no new Acura sold today that has a clutch pedal? That in itself is one more reason why I hang onto the past like this.

Last weekend, I called upon the expert services of the most efficient, hard-working construction crew I’ve ever known: My family. Between my dad and my brother, there is no home or car repair task that can’t be completed (in record time). When I bought my new Phoenix home in late August, the main selling factor was the fact that it had two garages.

For the last 5 years, I’d been renting storage units in different parts of town to accommodate all of my vehicles, so when the opportunity arose to pick up a home that could fit them all, I worked quickly and made it happen. (For reference, back in March at an NSX meet I had been lusting after a local club member’s place which similarly had gargantuan parking possibilities).

There was still just one hurdle: The largest garage was split into two separate 2-car units with a garage door at each end. This was fine for the previous owner, Charlie, who used half the garage for his woodworking & welding, and the other half for his two vehicles. But I had other plans for the space: I wanted to knock out the separating wall and create one gigantic Acura automotive storage mecca. And that I did! Or rather, my dad, brother, and stepmom did.

Here’s a look at the progression taken from the south entrance in just 4 photos.

1 – Prior owner’s stuff:

2 – Space cleared out, wall still there:

3 – Wall removed, finish work underway:

4 – Garage completed, vehicles staged:

The Friday morning after a 12-hour drive from northern Utah, my garage makeover crew set to work on the task ahead. Due to limited time-off at my new job, I had to go into the office. After settling in to check emails, I decided to walk across the street to Starbucks. At 7:32 a.m., my brother sent me 2 photos. He and dad had already torn down the wall! There were dangling wires and a few boards, but I couldn’t believe how much larger the space looked. It made my day.

Friday afternoon I joined the work crew and assisted with masking and taping off so that my dad could spray the paint on (a much more efficient way to tackle a large surface area than using rollers). The garage turned into a cloud of misty white air as dad applied two coats. Smartly we shut the garage doors so that the cars in the backyard didn’t end up with overspray.

We installed 3 matching ceiling fans and hung up two banks of cabinets in the southeast corner for my detailing supplies and tools. The final step was general clean-up and the hanging of a few banners and signs. Dad sprayed the garage out with the hose to get rid of the dust and debris, and then we did a quick wipe-down of each of the 5 cars that would be going into the showroom. Even my 4-year-old nephew Beckam gave us a hand for that chore.

I’d had months to think about how best to position the vehicles within the space, and I wanted to keep things symmetrical. We ended up putting the two sedans at the north end, the two coupes at the south end, and the NSX centered in the middle at a 45-degree angle. I even finally had a use for the aluminum display stand that my other brother, Payton, had built for me earlier this year.

I couldn’t be happier with the results. When the 7 fluorescent light tubes kick on and gleam against our bright white ceiling & wall paint, it’s shocking. Next on the list (but a ways down the road) will be a floor coating, which means I really ought to get some leaks addressed on the cars before I do that. The Vigor is dropping oil, and the Legend coupe leaves a trail of power steering fluid virtually everywhere it goes.

My family members and I finished out the weekend by planting a couple of citrus trees in my backyard. For 10 years I’ve been living in Arizona and my dad has been wanting to harvest oranges and grapefruits, so we are finally making it happen. Below are the rest of the pics!

Edit 10/15/16: Just confirmed for kicks that I can get 6 cars in the main garage pretty comfortably. Sweet.

Taking a look at the plans

Before – south garage (prior owner)

Before – north garage (prior owner)

Before wall removal – north garage

Cars parked in the backyard awaiting their new home

Wall coming down

Dad working on wall removal

Getting ready for paint

Visit from friends Kyle and Matt

Out on the town with my brother Bentley, Lance, and Rob

Cars got rained on while they were ALL outside!

Nephew Beckam gives us a hand with weed removal

Cars parked in the back – with Beckam’s Power Wheels pickup

Taking a break

Getting closer!

Posters ready to go

Family dinner at Switch Restaurant on Central Ave

Final spray down of the floor

Posters getting put up

Vigor wash

Legend sedan wash

Tucked away

Dad and Beckam with the finished product

Artwork is ready to install, like this framed Legend coupe poster:

New NSX interior! I don’t think I’d shown this yet. Fresh leather.

And a bath for the ILX so it doesn’t feel forgotten in its separate garage.

58 Comments »

NALM 2016 Day 8: Finally Home in Phoenix, Wrap-Up Video

Posted in Legend, NALM, Road Trip on September 20, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 548,664

I made it home, sweet home! While I’m unpacking the car, sorting through junk mail, and doing a load of laundry, I threw together some quick statistics on my 8-day trip from Phoenix to Atlanta and back.

I visited ten unique states. My state crossings were in this order:

New Mexico
Texas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
Alabama
Tennessee
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Texas
New Mexico
Arizona

A few stats:

Total trip distance in 8 days: 4,007 miles
Total gallons of gas: 143.3
Total spent on gas: $360.39 ($40 of which was on a gift card to Love’s)
Average miles per gallon: 27.9
- Note that the window sticker for my car states EPA rating of 18 city / 26 hwy
Quarts of 5W30 oil added: 1
Quantity of power steering fluid added: 1 bottle

Detailed gas log below. I always used the highest available Premium fuel – sometimes 93, and usually 91 octane. The cheapest gas was in Jackson, Mississippi.

Here’s an 11-minute video capturing some of the highlights from this year’s event.

This morning’s early border crossing into my home state

Quick stop in Winslow, Arizona. Have you ever heard the song “Take It Easy” by The Eagles?

I recommend listening to it here. The song mentions “standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.”

It was cool to drive past Twin Arrows, but I saw that the trading post is in pretty sad shape nowadays.

And finally, after fueling in Flagstaff, I made my way down Interstate 17 and home!

Almost forgot to show this awesome award for “Best Engine Bay.” The printed material attached to the plaque is leather, almost exactly the same color as my interior. Pretty awesome idea.

Thanks for coming along for the trip!

23 Comments »

NALM 2016 Days 6 & 7: Sallisaw, Oklahoma & Gallup, New Mexico

Posted in Legend, NALM, Road Trip on September 19, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 548,341

Trip Distance (Overall): 3,684 since last Tuesday

Siri has really failed me. After two years, she still doesn’t know my car preferences? For shame!

NALM 2016 is a wrap, but this trip isn’t. I’m still a ways from home, and that means you still get to hear from me until the fat lady has sung, or rather, until the old Legend has arrived back at my driveway in Phoenix, Arizona.

On Sunday morning, it was a relaxed vibe at our host hotel in Oakwood. People were partaking of the continental breakfast, loading up their cars, and saying their farewells. It didn’t take me long to collect my belongings and get packed for the drive. Meanwhile, my friend Chris had driven over from Athens (Georgia, not Greece) to say hello since he was in the area visiting his sister.

As the rains started coming down, I completed one last NALM tradition in the hotel parking lot: Putting my graffiti’d message to Kevin inside the trunk of his 1994 Legend LS coupe. This marks the 5th year in a row we’ve upheld this tradition and it will continue until I’ve run out of space, I guess.

… Or until all his silver Sharpies run out of ink.

That day’s drive took me across 5 state lines: Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Each state has its own landscape, flavor, and style. I had the opportunity northeast of Birmingham, Alabama to test out a really fresh piece of interstate called I-22, formerly known just as “Corridor X.”

See?

As of June of this year, the complete stretch of freeway is now in place for about 200 miles from Birmingham to the Tennessee state line just outside Memphis. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that memo until I’d already taken Highway 78, a two-lane side road, for the 12 miles from I-20 to I-22. Even the Apple Maps on my phone didn’t know that there was a better route because evidently it’s still too new.

Traffic came to a stop (light) after crossing into Tennessee, and I encountered several more stop lights in the final 6 or so miles on approach to Memphis. Apparently the state of Tennessee still needs to complete its piece for the full freeway to reach the core of Memphis. Speaking of Memphis, I can’t think of that word without saying “Memphis Raines.” You remember him? He was the character Nicholas Cage played in the movie “Gone in 60 Seconds.”

From there I hooked up with Interstate 40 which is taking me ALLLLL the way across the center part of the country. After bridging me across the Mississippi River, it took me through Little Rock, Arkansas. I fueled up in Conway a little bit north of there before continuing on to my motel for the night in eastern Oklahoma – a small town called Sallisaw.

Sunday was consumed entirely by Interstate 40, but dotted with a few special attractions along the way. The I-40 pathway was once that of historic Route 66, so many of the towns along the way have embraced their heritage as stops along the “Mother Road.” I didn’t make any stops in Oklahoma until I had almost exited the state. One such Route 66 town is called Elk City, and it’s home to the National Route 66 Museum. I didn’t take the time to wander through but I did capture a few photos outside with the gigantic sign.

It wasn’t long until I crossed the Texas state line, and JUST across the Texas border lies one of my favorite roadside attractions: A restored 1936 Conoco gas station that today houses a visitor center. I’ve stopped here multiple times on my cross-country journeys, including 3 years ago in August 2013 (pulled from my Instagram):

And again today! The place hasn’t changed much. For that matter, neither has the car!

That Art Deco architecture gets me every time. It’s a scene straight out of the Pixar movie “Cars.” By the time I arrived in Amarillo, I’d worked up an appetite so it was time to track down some food. I already knew where I wanted to go, because it’s a tradition. Soncy Road on the west side of town is home to one of the last-surviving Fazoli’s Italian restaurants in the southwest. For some reason, all Fazoli’s locations in Arizona and in Utah have closed their doors, but this one still remains. I had to make mom jealous by sending her some pics. The breadsticks are unlimited!

Mom speaks the language of acronyms. Her “TDF” there stands for “To Die For.” I fueled up in Tucumcari, New Mexico and again on the western outskirts of Albuquerque before deciding exactly where I wanted to target my destination for the night. That destination ended up being Gallup – a teeny town just east of the Arizona state line.

Like so many other towns in the region, Gallup exudes a Route 66 vibe and I intentionally got off Interstate 40 a solid 8 miles before my motel exit, just so I could drive along the old road and see some of the architecture. Many of the places are run down, shuttered, and in stages of ruin, but a few hearty businesses have withstood the test of time and continue somehow to stay open. Like the Desert Skies Motel:

And with that, I’m going to get some shuteye and prepare for my final stretch into home tomorrow.

Thanks for coming along, and enjoy a few more photos just for fun.

Downtown Atlanta in the rain

Driver’s Log. Should I pick one of these up?

Trying out this brand new interstate.

Spell it with me now. M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I. It’s just so fun.

My drive took me straight into central Memphis

And then across the Mississippi River into Arkansas!

Evening arrival in Sallisaw, Oklahoma.

The front desk attendant handed me my room’s TV remote after checking in. I guess they can’t trust guests enough to leave them in the rooms?

Westbound on I-40 on Sunday morning

The tree-lined interstate gave way to grassland.

I get the feeling a few people have wiped out on this 50-mph curve on I-40 in Oklahoma City. Those signs are a bit obnoxious! But they got the message across!

I had the chance to use up my $40 Love’s gas station gift card. Thanks again, Kevin!

Arriving in Elk City, home of the….

… National Route 66 Museum!

On into Texas (again)!

And into New Mexico!

Painted sky as I closed in my nightly destination

Hotel El Rancho in historic downtown Gallup. Intentionally staying true to its Route 66 look & feel

View from my room tonight

Check you later!

8 Comments »

NALM 2016 in Atlanta Day 5: Dealer Day, Car Show, & Awards Ceremony

Posted in Legend, NALM on September 17, 2016 by tysonhugie

“We could have a nuclear war and there would be two things that would survive: cockroaches and Tyson’s car.” That was the quote of the day from NALM attendee Steve Dunn, better known to the Legend community as Stevieray. Steve hails from Tennessee and is a long-time friend and family member. Because that’s what this group of people has become to me. It’s an annual family reunion when we get together. Sure, there are always a few nutjobs in the mix and there’s always plenty of drama to go around, but we share a common bond that keeps us coming back year after year.

This morning, we were hosted by Carland Acura in Duluth, Georgia for a meet-and-greet / BBQ. Thanks to the efforts of ground team planning member Kevin Amoth, Carland had allocated an entire parking lot for our group and they served up tasty chicken, burgers, and hot dogs for the group. The Legends flowed and in and out from around 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 or so p.m. when I took off, but in all I think we had more than 30 in attendance – making this one of the largest national meets in the event’s 12-year history. A few extra special attendees brought out their prized cars for the viewing – and some, for the driving.

For example, for the first time in my life, I got to drive a right-hand-drive “Japanese Domestic Market” (JDM) Honda Legend coupe. It’s one of 11 right-hand-drive cars owned by Legend connoisseur Marlow who brought it. It drew a crowd for obvious reasons. The condition was remarkable as the car only had 47,000 kilometers on it. Marlow let me take it for a spin, too. Talk about a trip! I had to get used to not only being on the wrong side of the car, but activating my turn signal with my right hand instead of my left, viewing my rearview mirror at my left instead of my right, and taking a whole new perspective on the traffic around me!

This is the driver’s side of the car! Notice that it’s badged as a “Honda.”

Later in the afternoon, our group got together just up the street from our hotel in Oakwood for a car show and some judging at a parking lot on the campus of the University of North Georgia. Bonus points were awarded to anyone who had special upgrades to their cars, exceptionally nice condition, etc. I pulled my “two minute floor mats,” as Chris called them. They’re called that because they never stay in my car for longer than two minutes before they’re put back in the trunk – I use them for only shows and special occasions since they’re brand new in the box.

The evening events were a cocktail hour, dinner across the street on Highway 53 at a restaurant called “Cookout” sponsored by the ground team, and a closing ceremony / awards distribution event along with prize raffle.

Kevin as usual took command as the Master of Ceremonies in our headquarters of the Best Western, room #218. There were plaques distributed for a variety of achievements including Best Paint, Best Interior, and Best Engine Bay. I took home the Engine Bay one! Kevin also made special recognition of those who had traveled from near and far to be a part of the event.

It was my honor to get a photo with the entire NALM 2016 ground team – minus Alex, who had to leave earlier this afternoon to head to Chicago, at the conclusion of tonight’s activities. These are truly world-class people and have delivered far and beyond the expectation. That “Legendary Ln” sign we were holding? It’s going home with me, along with two others that will soon adorn my new garage back home in Phoenix.

Tyson, Evan, Chris, Kevin, Alan

Until next time, over and out. This year’s event is in the books! Tomorrow morning begins my nearly 2,000-mile trip home.

Following Waseem and others to the initial meet-up at Carland Acura

Lining up in the parking lot

Chris showing off his $41,885 window sticker

Rich’s clean Granada Black Pearl Legend GS

Gabe wore his shirt from the Drive to Five Celebration in 2011.

A few more locals showed up who hadn’t yet participated in any part of NALM.

With Alan and Eric in front of the 1993 L sedan that I once owned.

Looking good there!

More of the parking lot

Acura brought out a $68k RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD to show everyone

Marlow’s Japanese-spec Legend. Notice he’s driving on the right side.

More scenes from the parking lot

One of my fave colors: (1991-only) Golden Glow Pearl. You either or love it or you hate it!

Dinner at “Cookout” across from our hotel, sponsored by the ground team

Kevin gave out Love’s gas station booklets and gas cards to a select special attendees (those who had traveled the greatest distances). It was even personalized with the # of Love’s gas stations I’ll pass on my way home.

Kevin handing me one of my street sign awards.

He’s definitely deserving of this award he received himself!

Oh, and here’s that drag-race video I promised! A full-blown NALM summary video will take me some time to prepare, but I couldn’t resist sharing this snippet. Enjoy watching me blow Chris’ doors off. Haha.

(And thanks, Chris, for letting me win)

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NALM 2016 in Atlanta Day 4: Dyno & Drag Events

Posted in Legend, NALM on September 16, 2016 by tysonhugie

No, we’re not talking about dinosaurs and drag shows. We are talking about couple of traditional car-meet activities that took place today as part of our festivities here in Georgia. Here we go, from Wikipedia:

A dynamometer or “dyno” for short, is a device for measuring force, torque, or power. For example, the power produced by an engine, motor or other rotating prime mover can be calculated by simultaneously measuring torque and rotational speed (RPM).

A few horsepower-loving Legend owners put their money where their mouths were this morning at Lamar Walden Automotive in Doraville, Georgia. In the interest of parking ease and sparing a few of us from fighting metro Atlanta rush-hour traffic, most of us carpooled to the venue which was about 40 miles south from our host hotel in Oakwood.

A stock Legend – in 2nd generation anyway – was rated at around 200 horsepower when new, but how much horsepower do these cars have 20+ years later? As today’s activities taught us, the number can vary widely. A couple of our members’ cars put down numbers in the high 100’s, and one heavily-modified version achieved 327 horsepower. I took video today that I’ll compile into a NALM summary when all is said and done! Each run had plenty of spectators.

Chris Miller threw me the keys to his 1994 Legend GS 6-speed for the return drive to Oakwood and it understandably felt like home since our sedans are identical twins, separated by only a few VIN sequences. Chris’ car has about 2,000 fewer miles on it, sitting around 148,000.

We stopped for lunch at Zaxby’s and I indulged in some of the best fried chicken fingers I’ve ever tasted. In a little over two weeks’ time, I’m supposed to be competing in a 26-mile marathon in my hometown. The fact that I’m eating so horribly on my vacation and slacking on the workouts means that run is going to be a very difficult one when the time comes.

I test-drove a very rare car back at the hotel: Alan’s 1995 L 5-speed in Garnet Red Metallic. Garnet Red was a color offered ONLY for the 1995 model year (the last year of production), and only on L models. The fact that Alan’s car has a manual transmission makes it even more of a unicorn. It drove incredibly smoothly for 297,000 miles.

And just look at it!

This evening we rolled out en masse toward Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia for the “Year One Fast Friday” at the 1/4 mile dragstrip. My $20 participant entry fee was very well spent. And the few hours of waiting to get my car’s nose to the start line were also well worth the 16.7 seconds it took me to get to the finish line. Maybe I should have gone a little more slowly to really enjoy the scenery along the way? Our crew had a great time and I counted over 15 Legends that raced. This is higher than any previous NALM event to my knowledge.

Since we had such a presence at the venue, the announcer over the loudspeaker frequently addressed our group as “The Acuras” and Chris Miller even had the announcer state something about how I “must have really trusted my Legend” because I’d driven it all the way from Arizona and was about to race it with 546,000 miles on the odometer. I felt a little embarrassed but whatever! My car is burning a lot of oil – after having idled for a long time in the staging lines, when I took off I noticed blue smoke. Time for some valve stem work, I guess.

I turned off the Traction Control System, rolled up my windows, and let her rip when the light went green – or nearly a full second later (sucky reaction time). I blasted through first, redlined in second, and I don’t really remember what happened after that. All I cared was that Chris was just short of a car length behind me on my left side and I had a gigantic grin on my face.

One of the other (non-Legend) folks at the strip made a comment, “Is tonight an Acura shootout event?” Well, yeah! As of this writing, I think our fastest ‘Legend’ was in fact Alex’s BMW 540i with a 15-second something time. I’ll update this post when I learn the final standings for real. Videos are pending, I promise!

The 32-mile drive back to our host hotel went quickly thanks to chat from my friend Eric in the passenger seat, and my friend Ryan had arrived from South Carolina so he was right on my tail. Thanks for checking in!

Breakfast Club

Alex’s 1997 BMW 540i 6-speed is aptly named the “BM Trouble-You.”

Lineup pre-departure

Kevin’s car behind the special coned-off car wash area

Hanging out

En route to Doraville

Alex, Eric, and Waseem shooting the breeze

This is Steve, who came all the way from New South Wales, Australia for this meet!

Evan’s two-tone 1993 LS coupe. He’s from Tennessee

Kevin’s “Polar Bear” 1994 LS 6-speed

He has the 2nd-highest-mileage car, behind yours truly.

But look at that immaculate interior!

Kevin talking Legends with Marc and Matthew

Hanging with Ann Marie and the cutest baby I’ve ever seen.

Heavily modified 1992 Legend driven by Lou from Pennsylvania

Steve D arrived and washed his 2007 RL A-Spec

Following Chris to the dragstrip

Lining up

The RL wearing a Legend badge. Indeed, it was sold as the Honda Legend overseas.

Marc wins the ‘best plate’ award.

Ready to rock and roll.

Kevin at the wheel of my car. Just before I popped the engine bay open for 5 seconds and then said “Show’s over,” as soon as I realized how dusty it was in there. Kevin got a kick out of that.

Tyson, Kevin, Alex, Steve, Waseem

Marc signing in at the dragstrip

Getting our numbers painted on the windows in shoe polish.

Chris lining up next to me on the dragstrip.

Comparing timeslips post-race

Chris, Alan, and me

Racers!

Chris’ car is looking fly with those newly-refinished 16″ wheels

Sunset

Final timesheet standings. I was right lane. Chris ended up making a second run and he undercut me with a 16.50 or so.

Hanging with Eric in the stands. And a goofy face!

Alan got so bored in the staging lanes, he pulled out his camp chair and straw hat to kick back!

Come back tomorrow for our “dealer day” at Carland Acura, a car show, group dinner, and awards ceremony. Things are just getting good out here!

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NALM 2016 Day 3: Oakwood, Georgia

Posted in Legend, NALM, Road Trip on September 15, 2016 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 546,604

Trip Distance (Day): 670

Trip Distance (Overall): 1,947

Let the games begin! It “feels” like 7:00 p.m. to me, but locally it’s already 10:00 and time to wind it down for the night. One challenge with driving west-to-east, cross-country, is that dealing with all those time-zone losses. I’ve arrived at my destination in Oakwood, northeast of Atlanta.

For a few frustrating minutes – or probably closer to 45 – I fought heavy traffic northbound on Interstate 85 from metro ATL and that caused me to be late for this evening’s pizza party here at the Best Western Plus Hotel. No matter, I still enjoyed a few slices and it was great to be reunited with old friends and make a few new ones. This is now the 12th time I’ve attended the National Acura Legend Meet. And it’s my car’s 11th. The only one it missed was 2012 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin when I drove the then-brand-new ILX.

This morning started out bright and early in western Louisiana. The humidity was high as I departed Motel 6 off Interstate 10 and started my eastward journey into the sunrise for the day. The nice thing about today’s drive was that the states went by much more quickly. In a matter of hours I’d crossed multiple borders off my list.

Checkpoint!

Lunch (though my internal time clock told me it was breakfast) was at Starbucks in Jackson, Mississippi and I later had a bite at Burger King in Birmingham, Alabama. The miles flew by and I encountered miraculously few slow-downs on the interstate.

Tonight, I was greeted by the “Ground Team” planning committee members who are putting the event on. Alan Jackson pulled out his informational poster boards and filled the room of 25 or so people in on the game plan for our upcoming couple of days. Tomorrow begins bright and early with an 8:00 departure for our “dyno” event where a few members will have their cars tested to evaluate horsepower and torque performance ratings. A few of us made our way to the parking lot and carried on some Legend chat.

Eric threw me the keys to his 1993 L sedan which coincidentally used to be mine! It’s amazing to see the car here, but now in restored form. Pics of that tomorrow. I also took my friend Marc’s 1994 GS sedan for a quick spin. Both Eric and Marc are based in New Jersey but this year’s event has brought folks from all across the country – including one guy named Leon who drove from Los Angeles and thus has me beat for the long-haul award!

Much more to come!

Departing Shreveport