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Long Beach, California: Japanese Classic Car Show

Posted in California, Car Show, ILX, Road Trip on September 28, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 531,568

Odometer (ILX): 97,753

Trip Distance: 770 Miles

Let’s take a moment today and appreciate our elders. Elderly vehicles, that is. Among the oldest I’ve owned (one of three 1986 models in my past) was this Montreal Blue Metallic Honda Prelude 2.0 Si, and that was 14 years ago. These pictures were taken August 26, 2000. Back then, I was collecting Preludes instead of Acura Legends. Simpler times.

For 10 years now, the Southern California community has rallied together to celebrate the heritage of vintage Japanese automobiles. This year, I made my first visit to the annual event called Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS). Registration for this year’s program opened on July 1 and was already booked to capacity by July 25! In order to qualify for entry, participating vehicles must be from pre-1985, with a few exceptions. For example, this year, JCCS allowed early 1990’s Mazda Miatas to enter as well as first generation Acura Integras.

The 6-hour drive westward on Interstate 10 started after an early departure from my office in Scottsdale on Friday afternoon. Though storm clouds in the horizon threatened to dump monsoon rains on me, the weather cooperated aside from a lot of humidity in the Palm Springs area. My ILX knows the I-10 route between Phoenix and Los Angeles very well, and I’ve grown accustomed to its 3,300 RPM whirr at 78 miles per hour in 6th gear. I had a lot of great music to accompany me, like this classic road trip anthem.

I admired the sunset and lucked out on traffic, sailing into Long Beach around 8:00 p.m. for check-in at my motel. Saturday was the big day. By 7:00 a.m. I’d driven the 6.1 miles to the Long Beach Waterfront which would shortly be overtaken by hundreds of vintage Japanese automobiles. I stashed the ILX in visitor parking and I watched as a steady line of cars & trucks – some as pristine as if they’d driven off the showroom floor, and some with nary a stitch of original architecture intact, rolled into the participant gate and into the grassy park.

By 10:00 a.m. I’d already worked up enough of an appetite to drop $14 on a basket of chicken strips and French fries from a truck-based vendor in the entrance. Ouch to my wallet, and ouch to my diet, but that greasy goodness fueled me all the way through the afternoon. I wandered among the various participating vehicles and met a few of their proud owners. Honda & Acura had a booth set up – it was the second year they’d participated – complete with various cars & motorcycles from the Honda Collection museum in Torrance. Among them, a 1979 Prelude and a 1992 NSX. I had the chance to interact with a few folks from Honda HQ who I’ve known for some time.

My focus was directed primarily to the Hondas in the show, but I couldn’t help but glance an eyeball at the bright red Lexus LFA on display (“How’d that get in here?” I thought). I saw some truly amazing rides: A 47,000-mile all-original 1986 Prelude, my friend Armando’s ultra clean 1974 Mazda RX-4, an extremely rare 1976 Mazda Cosmo, and a dealership fresh Toyota Corona.

Amidst all the chaos, I received a visit from my friend Davis who’s recently moved into the Long Beach area from his former home in Atlanta. We wandered over to take a closer look at the RMS Queen Mary. Long Beach is home to this a 1,000-foot-long ocean liner from 1934 that went into service in 1936 and been parked at the harbor since 1967. Queen Mary’s size makes her a couple hundred feet longer than Titanic, even. Today, the ship has been converted into a hotel & museum. I want to stay there someday!

The good news came around 2:45 p.m. when we learned that my friends Scott & Sandy (who I featured in a blog post back in March) had been awarded “Best in Show” for their immaculately restored white 1965 Honda S600 Roadster. Scott is pictured above with the car. The Roadster was one of 3 vehicles that he and Sandy had entered, alongside a red 1965 right-hand-drive S600 Coupe and a “pop orange” 1972 Z600. All of them got a great deal of attention throughout the day. I’ll never forget one wide-eyed spectator, who took a look at the Coupe and said, “This car gives me goosebumps.” He really did have goosebumps on his arm. Ha!

The capstone to our amazing day was when I got to have dinner with a celebrity: famed racecar driver Peter Cunningham (above), known for having achieved 91 professional race wins since the 1980’s. Peter and his company, RealTime Racing, have been key players in Honda & Acura performance world. Cunningham is still at it, with a full race-equipped Acura TLX that was on display at the car show. We dined with a few other friends at Federal Bar in downtown Long Beach. I said my farewells a little after 7 p.m. and started the long journey home to Scottsdale.

Thanks to those who made it such a great weekend! Here are the rest of my pics for your viewing enjoyment.

Pit stop in Desert Center, CA: Home to rusted pumps and an abandoned restaurant.

Sunset approaching the Los Angeles area.

Saturday morning arrival at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal, home of the RMS Queen Mary.

Entryway to the Japanese Classic Car Show, with a lineup of Honda CRXs.

My friend Chris Hoffman’s immaculate 1987 CRX Si. He’s the original owner, and the car has just 109,000 miles on its odometer.

Couple of sexy looking Nissans.

Here’s a closer look at Honda/Acura’s booth.

Trio of Toyota Celicas.

Scott was busy all day telling the story of his gorgeous 1965 S600 Coupe.

Perfect day at the Long Beach Waterfront to look at some nice cars.

My friend Chris Green’s 1986 Honda Prelude. Just 47,000 miles on this beauty here.

I especially enjoyed some of the visual aids he’d put together.

I got to tool around in this little thing for a bit. It’s Scott’s 1972 Honda Z600. 4-speed manual and an absolute riot to drive.

Armando and his 1974 Mazda RX-4.

Another amazing Accord: This one, a rare 2-speed “Hondamatic” 1979 sedan owned by the same Chris with the blue Prelude.

Just view that plush interior!

Ever seen a 9,500 RPM redline? This is the gauge cluster from Scott’s red 1965 S600 Coupe. Love that wood wheel.

Another one from Chris Hoffman: His 1980 Accord with just 18,000 miles on it. Frequently (as in the case with my friends) participants enter multiple vehicles.

Visiting the Queen, with my friend Davis.

Someday I’m going back for a tour of this thing!

Hope you all enjoyed coming along!

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Abandoned McPhaul “Bridge to Nowhere” in Yuma, Arizona

Posted in Arizona, ILX, Road Trip on September 15, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend):

Odometer (ILX): 95,993

Trip Distance: 388 Miles

Sometimes a road trip opportunity comes out of the middle of nowhere, and it also TAKES you to the middle of nowhere.

On Tuesday, my coworker Greg sent me an email entitled, “Seen this?” with a screen capture of what is known as the Bridge to Nowhere. Of course, I dropped all work-related activities and headed straight for Google. My colleagues at the office know me well. What I soon uncovered was the history of a very little-known 800-foot-long suspension bridge about 8 miles north of the desert community of Yuma, Arizona.

I mentioned a few things about the bridge to my friend Jack. “Yuma – really? If you’re going on a day trip, at least have it be to Vegas or somewhere.” I was determined to make the trip even if it wasn’t to an exotic location, so I took to the streets bright and early on Sunday morning in my Acura ILX and headed westward. Yuma sits along Intestate 8, and it’s only 7 miles north of the Mexican border. The sun shines for about 90 percent of days in Yuma, making it the sunniest place on earth (specifically, the city receives 4,015 hours of sunshine per year). The town’s population booms in the wintertime when “snowbirds” from the midwest roll in with their 5th wheel travel trailers and spend a few months in its perfect climate.

At Fortuna Road, Exit 12, I rolled off the main highway and headed north toward US 95. Following some directions I’d printed from Roadside America, I knew exactly where I’d be seeing the bridge. Sure enough, its two tallest spires beckoned from afar as I hit the brakes in the ILX and made a left-hand turn onto a gravel road that truly did look like it was in the middle of nowhere. Just 1/2 mile or so up the dirt road, I’d driven as far as I’d be able to. Multiple warning signs urged me to not take any further steps toward the bridge. BRIDGE CLOSED; NO TRESPASSING; and UNSTABLE were some of the notifications I received. Still, I felt like I needed to get a closer look so I locked the car and started hiking.

The bridge was built in 1929 in the name of Henry Harrison McPhaul, a notable resident of Yuma. Just a little under 40 years later, in 1968, it was deemed unfit for modern traffic needs — not difficult to understand, given its narrow width. A larger bridge was built upstream, along with a dam that rerouted the river. Today, the McPhaul Bridge is nothing but a roadside relic. It doesn’t go anywhere or serve any purpose at all, except for inquisitive road trippers like me.

The actual deck of the bridge is completely shut off with a fence and padlock, so I did not walk along the top of it. I did, however, hike down underneath the platform. Thick wooded brush was difficult to navigate, and I was wearing shorts so the sticks would frequently jab at my legs and scratch them. I had to tread carefully down there. The view of the underside of the bridge was worth it. What was once a riverbed is now mostly dry, since the flow of water had been diverted in 1968.

Here’s an aerial view of the north-south running bridge (center of the screen). At some point, I’d like to try and access the north end of it. The roads on that side of the wash appear to be dirt based on Google Maps.

Not even a mile up the road. another quick stop was to be made. A white, hand-painted sign along Highway 95 said, “Pause; Rest; Worship.” Another dirt road presented itself to my left, so I veered north toward the tiniest church building I’ve ever set foot in. The “Tiny Church,” as it’s been named, dates back to 1995 and was built by a farmer on his property. There are 6 tiny pews in the 8-foot by 11-foot interior. I spent at least 20 minutes at the church and saw nobody else around. The front door was unlocked so I let myself in. The front row had bottled waters and some pudding on it, maybe in case any worshipers needed sustenance? Sitting on top of the pulpit was a Holy Bible and a guest book, which I signed.

My return trip to the Phoenix area was smooth sailing, as I-8 on a Sunday morning is very quiet and there are remarkably few 18-wheelers along that stretch of road. I did make just one more visit before calling it a day.

Dozens of times I’ve driven past Exit 67 for Avenue 64E to “Dateland,” but it wasn’t until Sunday that I let my curiosity get the best of me and I pulled off Interstate 8 for a closer look. I’d known that Dateland was famous for its date shakes, but not much else. I was greeted by a modern service station and adjoining Quizno’s sandwich shop. For $4.50, I got myself a date shake. The flavor reminded me just remotely of a “jamocha” flavored shake from Arby’s. The consistency was really thick, and the chunks – well, they were a bit much. It was so chunky, in fact, that my straw kept getting plugged.

Dates are a fruit that grows on a certain type of palm tree called a Phoenix Dactylifera. These palms can grow up to 75 feet in height. Dateland, Arizona started out as a stop along the railroad line in the 1920’s. Its irrigation pool doubled as a swimming pool. Today, Dateland’s source of industry primarily comes from its convenience as a pit stop for motorists cruising between Yuma and Phoenix along the interstate corridor.

Thanks for coming along for the trip, and enjoy the rest of these pics!

When you’re traveling this closely to Mexico, there are opportunities to buy Mexican auto insurance all over.

Sentinel, Arizona proudly touts its location in the Middle of Nowhere.

Getting closer to Yuma after this steep pass.

Here’s the approach of the Bridge to Nowhere. Cruising north on Hwy 95, all I could see were its tallest pillars.

Getting closer after hitting the dirt road.

This is the end of the road. At least, it has been since 1968.

Walking on up.

No Trespassing. I didn’t go out on the bridge deck; I just went underneath it.

View from below. For being 85 years old, this thing is in pretty good shape.

Plenty of graffiti, too.

Here you can see the type of thick brush I was trying to trudge through.

I love the architecture of old bridges and tunnels.

View from the west side of the bridge.

Heading back to the car – and a dust storm blowing in.

You can really see in the above pic how it goes to “nowhere.”

Farewell to the bridge.

Next stop: A little Sunday worship, on a miniature scale.

Heading up to the chapel.

Plenty of parking.

Church is in session! Thanks Instagram filters. (follow me under @tysonhugie)

Here’s a look inside. There are 6 very small benches. Apparently you can squeeze 12 people in here if you need to.

I found some refreshments on the front pew.

Signed the guest book and provided the blog address.

Arriving in Dateland, Arizona for some fuel and a bathroom break. Those are date palms along the road.

They sell 100-octane “racing fuel” at the Dateland gas station! I didn’t indulge… but I wanted to.

Dates for sale. If only finding a date was this easy in the relationship world.

Date Shakes & Quiznos

Self explanatory Dateland license plate.

Try one if you’re ever in the area!

Have a great week!

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Peter’s Birthday Drive to Prescott, Arizona

Posted in Arizona, ILX, Road Trip on September 7, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 531,504

Odometer (ILX): 95,239

Trip Distance: 244 Miles

Among my group of friends, spending time with our cars is always special treat so when my buddy Peter was deciding how to celebrate his big 32nd birthday, his first thought was to put together a mountain cruise.

Today’s drive took us to the hills northwest of the Phoenix, Arizona area. The route followed highways 17, 74, 60, 93, and 89. Catch all that? The participants brought a wide variety of automobiles. We ended up having two Acuras, two BMWs, and a Nissan in the mix. Below is part of the lineup. Dan’s “Boston Green Metallic” 1998 BMW M3 5-speed is in superb condition for being 16 years old and having over 140,000 miles on the odometer. He’s taken great care of it.

Peter’s TSX has undergone a lot of work during the short length of time he’s had it. Just a few weeks ago, I met with him after he’d taken ownership. The car was bone stock at the time (below). Despite having over 185,000 miles on it, it was mechanically sound and he was anxious to get started customizing it to give it some personal style.

Already, he’s upgraded the suspension and wheels. He also re-tinted the windows and did some cleanup on some of the body panels. Not to mention some freshly-polished exhaust tips! Here were the rides on today’s tour:

2004 Acura TSX
1998 BMW M3
2014 BMW M235i
2009 Nissan 370Z
2013 Acura ILX

My friend Paul took the shotgun seat in the ILX with me for this drive. Peter took the lead in the TSX and the rest of us followed in line. A wise move, this was: Peter knew all about Highway 89’s notorious speed trap in the 45 mph zone! Sure enough, as we rounded a corner into a straightaway, an Arizona Highway Patrol vehicle was staring us in the face. Unfortunately for that officer, our party was in complete compliance with posted limits. Take that.

From there, the road gained elevation as we rose to about 5,300 feet. Its twisty curves were banked just enough to inspire some spirited driving. The ILX had no issues keeping up with the pack, and I enjoyed throwing it between 3rd and 4th gears on the climb. As a testament to how confident Paul was in my driving skills, he reported “… and I didn’t even grab the oh shiz handle once!” Soon, we arrived in the town of Prescott, affectionately referred to by locals as “Everybody’s Hometown.”

Prescott was actually the capital of the Arizona Territory in 1864 (Phoenix didn’t take over that title until 1889). Today, it’s home to around 40,000 people has become a popular weekend destination for Phoenicians like me who are looking to escape the heat. The city embraces its history with over 800 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

We dined at the Firehouse Kitchen (chicken quesadillas highly recommended!), then Paul and I made our way toward Highway 69 which would return us to the Phoenix area, while everyone else headed toward Jerome. The clouds dropped a little rain on us, but the 70-degree temperatures were refreshing. By the time we got back to the Phoenix area, the temps were already back up in triple-digit range. Happy b-day Peter, and thanks for putting this drive together!

Here are the rest of the pics from our little Sunday drive. Thanks for coming along.

A peek at the curves that Highway 89 offered up.

Following the BMW M235i through Yarnell

Bathroom & snack break at a “Mountainaire” gas station in Peeples Valley

Arrival in Prescott

The lineup

Departing Prescott with wet roads

In closing, just a few other random weekend adventures. Yesterday’s Cars & Coffee in Scottsdale:

I also did a little junkyarding. There were 220,538 miles on the odometer of this 1991 LS in Golden Glow Pearl. It had the factory accessory 15″ 5-spoke wheels, the gold emblem package, and the trunk-mounted spoiler.

Thanks Dillon for sharing your latest A-Spec TLX rendering!

And a classic text from Paul showing some true Acura brotherhood.

Have a great week!

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Motor City Masters: Hollywood, CA TV Show Finale in the ILX

Posted in California, ILX, Road Trip on August 28, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (ILX): 94,087

Trip Distance: 780 Miles

What started as the location of a single adobe hut in 1853 has grown to become one of most recognized and prominent places in the world because of its ties to the motion picture industry. Its name was coined by a man named H.J. Whitley who bought a 500-acre range there in February 1887 and filed the deed with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office with the name specified. Hollywood merged with the City of Los Angeles in 1910 and has since grown to become one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in LA. As of the 2008 census, it was home to over 22,000 people per square mile! Let’s go there.

Motor City Masters is a Hollywood-based reality TV show centered around automotive design. Automotive spy photographer Brenda Priddy invited me to accompany her to an exclusive Hollywood party in connection with a viewing of the show’s final episode. The concept of MCM is pretty simple: What started as a group of 10 automotive designers was whittled down via elimination in various design events to just two finalists: Bryan Thompson and Camilo Pardo, pictured below. The winner at the end of the series would receive $100,000 cash and a 2014 Chevy Camaro Z28.

I took a half day off work on Tuesday so that I’d be able to cruise out to southern California for the occasion. The drive from the Phoenix area to Hollywood takes about 6 hours and is spent almost entirely on Interstate 10. Miraculously, I hit zero traffic delays until just 4 miles before my scheduled exit on Highway 101. Making my way northbound on Gower Street, the white HOLLYWOOD sign that I’ve seen so many times before on movies and in TV was there ahead of me in the distance, plain as day. The challenge was getting anywhere near it! Look at these loop-de-loop residential roads!

Talk about a maze. Plus, what the map there doesn’t convey is that the roads in most cases are barely wide enough to fit a single car through, and the turns are tight with blind corners. Topping that off, the grades are steep. My Garmin Nuvi GPS unit had to recalculate a couple of times before I found the party house location.

Along the way, though, I did happen to cross right through Lake Hollywood Park which had a perfect viewpoint of the Hollywood sign. Did you know that the letters in the Hollywood sign are each 45 feet tall? That’s four stories! The sign was originally constructed in 1923 and it said “HOLLYWOODLAND” to advertise a new housing development. In 1949, the “Land” part was dropped, and by 1970 the sign had deteriorated badly. It was restored in 1979 to its current condition.

The party I attended was hosted by a man named Axel who has a beautiful glass-walled, modern home overlooking the city with a pool in the backyard. Weather was perfect and the amenities were top notch. Best of all, I got to meet a couple of the show’s cast members. We watched the final Motor City Masters episode, but were disappointed to learn that “our” pick – Bryan – ended up in 2nd place. In the end, though, he still came out ahead. Bryan had struck a dealer with Camilo earlier in the show: Whoever won first place would get the cash, while the second place winner would get the car. Bryan plans on selling the Camaro and allocating the funds to a scholarship fund for design students. Pretty cool of him!

I eventually broke away from the party in anticipation of a long night’s drive ahead. Once I got past the Palm Springs area, I felt like I was all alone with the truckers out on I-10 in the desert. I passed dozens of them. The interstate was smooth sailing, though. Even though it’s taxing at times, I like to drive at night just because it’s cooler out and there’s less traffic to deal with. Of the 15,605 songs on my 80-gig iPod Classic, this one randomly came on at 1:53 in the morning. Fitting.

Give it a listen. I rolled into my driveway around 2:45 in the morning, tired from a long day but feeling like it was all worth it! Here are the rest of my pics. Enjoy, and thanks for coming along!

Approaching the Hollywood sign

Making my way up the steep, curvy neighborhood roads

Hollywood Lake Park

More views from the park

Heavy tourist activity around here

Looking to the southeast

Arriving at Axel’s place for the party

Brenda, who’d invited me to the party

You can see the Hollywood sign from the house

Acura-only parking! My friend Scott parked behind me in his RDX, and my friend Chris parked behind him in a TSX.

Watching the show.

Another angle

Kevin and Bryan, both cast members from the show (goofing off!)

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Utah State Highway 153: Beaver Canyon Scenic Byway in the ILX

Posted in ILX, Road Trip, Utah on August 25, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 531,490

Odometer (ILX): 93,204

Trip Distance: 1,061 Miles

Welcome aboard for an AZ-NV-UT-NV-AZ weekend! The route between Phoenix, Arizona and St. George, Utah is a long-time favorite of mine. An old friend of mine got hitched on Saturday evening, so I made the trek to my old stomping grounds to participate in the festivities and to reconnect with a few family members.

While waiting for a gas pump to continue filling my 13-gallon tank with 91 octane, I was rooting around in the center console for my key so I could lock the car and go inside the convenience store for a drink. A voice from behind me said, “Excuse me sir…” I was a little startled and looked up to see it was a friend from my hometown, Danny! Here I was, 200 miles from home, and he was also 200 miles from home – randomly meeting up at a Mobil gas station in small town Kingman, Arizona. It’s a really small world indeed.

Saturday evening’s wedding was held in Pine Valley Utah. I’d been there before around Christmas 2012. The drive from St. George to Pine Valley on State Route 18 took about 40 minutes. The elevation gain lends itself to a change in landscape, as the vivid red sandstone rock formations transition to pine trees and greener surroundings. Pine Valley’s afternoon weather was absolutely perfect for the wedding festivities, so it was appropriate that the ceremony was held outside on the lawn of the bright white, historic 1868 chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I paid a quick visit to my brother Payton who’s knee-deep in a car “build” that’s been underway for over a year now. He’s converting his blue Lexus IS300 to a stick shift and performing all sorts of drivetrain upgrades in the process.

On Sunday morning, I picked up a special copilot for the day’s drive, Grandma McGregor. She’d already packed us up a couple coolers full of picnic lunch supplies and food, so we threw those in the back seat and headed out northbound on Interstate 15 toward Beaver. The 100-mile drive went quickly thanks to the posted 80 mph speed limits that took effect a couple of years ago. Upon arrival in Beaver, we met up with my mom, stepdad, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew who’d arrived in a separate vehicle (mom’s 2003 Lexus GS430).

Beaver’s State Route 153 dates back to 1945. It’s 40 miles long, but the 13 easternmost miles to the city of Junction, Utah are unpaved. The 27 miles that are paved are a glorious place to take a nice-handling sports sedan like the ILX. Grandma and I started our drive from Beaver and headed for the hills.

Making our way eastbound, Highway 153 enters the Fishlake National Forest as it climbs into the Tushar Mountains. The road first winds along the Beaver River at the base of the canyon, then begins a sharp ascent to its 9,200 foot elevation at its highest point on the paved portion. The grades reach up to 9-10% and it’s very common for vehicles to overheat going uphill or to lose braking control going downhill. Extreme drop-offs have taken many victims over the years – including some accidents that we’ve witnessed firsthand.

We made it to our destination at the top of the hill, near Eagle Point ski area. My brother has a cabin under construction there that we took a look at. Afterward, we traversed a one-lane dirt road deep into the woods and paid our respects to the location where the cremated remains of some of our dear family members were buried. The ILX got a little muddy, but it was worth it.

The descent on Highway 153 went quickly. Knowing that I had a full day’s drive still ahead of me (8 more hours) in getting back to the Phoenix area, I turned over the reins to my stepdad, Todd, who drove the ILX the 100 miles from Beaver to St. George.

By 9:30 p.m. that night, I’d arrived at home in Scottsdale — tired, but feeling very fulfilled about a great weekend. This was my favorite song from the drive home. I listened 3 times in a row, at full (level 40) volume.

Thanks for coming along on the trip! Here are a few more pictures.

Entering Utah from Arizona on the outskirts of St. George

My brother’s pool. Anybody want to come take a dip?

Photo-op with the ILX on the south end of town.

This was the same place where I took my mom’s 1993 Legend L sedan back in June 1997. The surrounding landscape has changed a great deal over the last 17 years, but the rocks remain exactly the same. I found out, by the way, that the old Sherwood Green Legend is long gone. As of August 2011, it received a “junk” title in Boise, Idaho and there has been no record of it on Carfax since. RIP, Legend!

Arrival in Pine Valley, Utah

Premium parking at the wedding

Reunited with my friend Kati at the wedding

My grandma is a whiz! How many 81-year-olds do you know who text message?

Arrival in Beaver, UT with grandma and making a fuel-up at Sinclair for $3.84.

Mom captured this pic of me passing them on Hwy 153 heading up Beaver Canyon

High elevation cruising!

Brother’s cabin construction underway

Quick photo-op with one of the best road trip companions I’ve ever had!

Arriving at our picnic site

Lexus and Acura off-road vehicles

Niece Vivienne was the star of the show.

Group photo: Kali (with Vivienne), Grandma, Tia, Tyson (with Rex)

Todd at the wheel of the ILX for part of the return trip

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Group Drive: Mount Graham, Arizona

Posted in Arizona, ILX, Road Trip on August 17, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 531,438

Odometer (ILX): 91,696

Trip Distance: 390 Miles

Just a half hour after eating the biggest plate of chicken enchiladas of my life, I was already regretting it. The road I was carving up in my 2013 Acura ILX was so curvy, it was making me nauseous. After 8 or 9 miles of zig-zagging up the side of one of Arizona’s tallest mountains, I got stuck behind a slow-moving pickup truck. Joe, from the passenger seat, said, “Good, maybe my lunch will go back to my stomach now.” Ha! I guess I hadn’t been the only one holding my breath and hanging on for dear life! At least it wasn’t like that time when I was 8 years old and lost my lunch in the backseat of my aunt Jodi’s SUV.

Arizona Highway 366, also known as the “Swift Trail,” climbs southern Arizona’s Mount Graham in the Pinaleño Mountains at 10,717 feet in elevation. It’s open from May through November and was designated a state scenic parkway in 1993. There are some great resources online about this road but due to its remote nature, I’ve never been able to make it over there and check it out until yesterday. Here’s one very detailed write-up, with the following excerpt:

The Swift Trail, with twenty-nine paved miles and the remainder gravel, begins seven miles south of Safford on U.S. 191. Turn southwest on Arizona Highway 366 and ascend a gently sloping bajada studded with creosote, mesquite, and acacia trees toward the looming Pinaleño Mountains.

The temperature can (and did, for us) vary by up to 30 degrees from the base of the road to the summit! “It’s like driving from Mexico to Canada in an hour and a half,” said one author. Joe and I watched as we passed 4,000; 5,000; 6,000 foot signs. This road maxed out at over 9,000 feet! The landscape changed dramatically, too. The desert floor gave way to taller trees and every curve offered a new viewpoint of the valley below. Guardrails? Non-existent. This was a two-hands-on-the-wheel driving experience. With exception for shifting gears, of course, because in my case there were plenty of high-RPM shifts through 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears to power up the steep grade and keep the momentum.

Just check out this road!

For this experience, I was joined by a few friends. I present to you, the contenders:

Tyson’s 2013 Acura ILX 2.4: 201 horsepower

Paul’s 2013 Acura TL SH-AWD: 305 horsepower

Matt’s 2014 Infiniti Q50S: 328 horsepower

Our day started out in the Phoenix area with a quick breakfast stop at the Krispy Kreme store on Superstition Springs Road in Mesa off US 60. No road trip is complete without appropriate fuel, right? Or in this case, a sugar rush. From there, we made our way eastward through the mining towns of Superior, Miami, and Globe. Miami, Arizona is the “Copper Center of the World” (or at least that’s what their entrance sign below said).

About 80 miles from Globe, we arrived in the small town of Safford. The best Mexican place in town, Casa Mañana, was bustling with hungry midday lunch traffic, but we enjoyed the menu and hospitality before heading southbound on Highway 191 toward Swift Trail Junction. There, we’d be taking Highway 366 all the way to the summit of Mount Graham, some 29 miles later.

Matt and Alan took the lead in the Q50, Paul and Peter followed suit in the TL, and Joe and I brought up the rear in the ILX. I knew I’d be making some photo and video stops along the way and didn’t want to hold the other guys up. Besides, did I think I was going to be able to set the pace with a full 100 horsepower fewer than either of them had under the hood? No thanks!

Still, I gave the ILX tires and suspension a pretty good beating. The rev-happy 2.4 liter spent most of its time in the 3,000 to 5,000 RPM range as we made our ascent. After our short delay behind the slow pickup truck (and after our stomachs had the chance to settle just slightly), Joe and I zoomed back to an exhilarating pace and made our way up the switchbacks. Finally, we made it to the end of the paved road where the other guys had already started taking a few pictures. Despite the fact that the temperature at the base of Graham was 100 degrees, we were now in 67 degrees and enjoying it immensely.

I couldn’t resist exploring a bit down the dirt road ahead, so we followed that for a couple of miles which led us to a campground. The downhill return to Safford went quickly – so quickly, in fact, that I could smell burning tires and brakes. My sweet tooth got the best of me and I succumbed to a pit stop at “Taylor Freeze” for a root beer freeze in the town of Pima. A phenomenal Arizona sunset closed out the day as we returned to the Phoenix area. In all, the drive took us about 9 hours round-trip including the breaks and the lunch stop. Another adventure in the books for me — and for all of us.

Thanks for being a part of it! Here are the rest of the photos and a short video.

Peter and Joe up front in the ILX

Lunchtime!

Those “creamy enchiladas.” I think there was an entire tub of sour cream on this plate.

It’s almost as if my ILX and Paul’s TL were having a fight and didn’t want to park next to one another.

Starting the ascent up Highway 366

Made it to the top! Or, at least where the pavement ends.

Three Japanese luxury sport sedans

Venetian Ruby is a great color on that Q50

Quick stop at the campground after doing a little off-roading (sorry, Matt & Paul!)

Back to the highway we go

Photo op at scenic viewpoint

Just can’t get enough of these Arizona skies

Cars were looking good!

Fuel stop in Thatcher, Arizona at Shell

Taylor Freeze. Stop there sometime for a shake or malt!

17 Comments »

Drive to the Wild West: Tombstone and Fairbank, Arizona in the ILX

Posted in Arizona, ILX, Road Trip on July 31, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 531,295

Odometer (ILX): 90,167

Trip Distance: 372 Miles

When my friend Chris from Maryland was planning his visit to Arizona, he said, “I want to see a saloon. Take me to an Old West town.” I knew exactly which destination would fulfill those wishes: Tombstone.

Just a day after arriving from our trip to Los Angeles for the National Acura Legend Meet, Chris and I again hit the highway in search of a new adventure. And this time, we traveled back in time 135 years to a town that they say is “Too Tough to Die.” It’s a town of legends (get it?) and history that fills volumes.

Compare to the May 2011 picture, when I took the Legend there.

Our first stop was the Boothill Graveyard. We took a self-guided tour and noticed that most of the headstones were marked “UNKNOWN.” The ones that did have names on them were mostly dated from the late 1800’s. Here’s one example of an inscription we found on a headstone:

Here Lies George Johnson, 1882

He Was Right, We Was Wrong

But We Strung Him Up, and Now He’s Gone

We parked the ILX and proceeded to walk around in the muggy afternoon weather. Tombstone’s history dates back to 1879 when it became a boomtown thanks to the nearby silver mine. During those years, a guide educated us, the town’s population soared to around 10,000 residents, which was even greater than the population of Los Angeles at the time. A series of destructive fires in 1882 wiped out over 100 businesses. Additional fires in the mines themselves, depletion of ore, and the falling price of silver led to the decline of Tombstone. Today, it’s home to only about 1,300 people and the town survives primarily on the tourism industry.

On October 26, 1881, a historical gunfight took place in an empty lot behind the O.K. Corral. Lawman Doc Holliday and 3 other officers fought it out against 4 cowboys who were suspected of murder. Thirty shots were fired, resulting in injury or death for everyone involved except for Wyatt Earp. Earp lived on until 1929 when he died at the age of 80. Chris and I watched a gunfight reenactment and got our photo afterward with some of the actors.

The main road through town, Allen Street, is closed to car traffic. However, carriage rides are available and the town is very pedestrian-friendly. Chris and I went to the Crystal Palace Saloon for lunch. The “shroom and Swiss” hamburger was phenomenal, but my favorite item on the menu was the fried ice cream for dessert.

This courthouse cost $45,000 to build in 1882 and still stands today with a visitor center in the lobby.

Heading north from Tombstone, I decided to change up the trip a little bit and do a little ghost towning. My friend Leif had once told me about a townsite called Fairbank off Highway 82 in southern Arizona, and I happened to notice how close we were to it thanks to my Garmin Nuvi GPS unit as we were departing from Tombstone.

Just before a border patrol checkpoint, Chris and I veered west into the San Pedro Valley and about 8 miles later we arrived at what was once a bustling railroad town in the late 1800’s. In 1890 and 1894 the area flooded. An earthquake in 1897 altered the course of the San Pedro River, knocked railroad tracks out of place, and devastated some of the structures in the town. It’s almost as if Fairbank was destined to be a ghost town from the very beginning. Fairbank has been abandoned since the 1970’s and today amounts to just a few decrepit structures and a 1920 schoolhouse that was restored in 2007.

Heading on in via a very short, perhaps 1/4 mile, one-lane dirt road.

Parked at the gate to the townsite.

Chris heads on in.

This building was once a post office and mercantile.

The signs posted on these buildings say that they are condemned due to being unsafe.

We didn’t take the time to hike all 1/2 mile to the San Pedro riverbed, but I enjoyed the green vegetation and it was a nice change of scenery from the rest of the surrounding desert.

Continuing on Highway 82, I had my first experience with geocaching when Chris and I started heading north on Highway 90. Geocaching is defined as a recreational activity in which participants use a global positioning system (GPS) to hide and seek containers (“caches”). Chris downloaded a geocache app to his iPhone and started guiding me on where to make some turns so that we could find it. I took this picture of the ILX just before Chris (in the background) hit the jackpot.

Hidden within the chain link fence’s post in this residential neighborhood was a small container attached to the lid. Once we unscrewed the lid, we found inside a small plastic bag with a folded piece of paper and a pencil where we would fill in the date and our names. It’s like a treasure hunt! I had a blast.

Nice view of Newman Peak just east of I-10 near Picacho on the way back to the Phoenix area.

We turned over 90,000 miles right around there!

Thanks for joining on the trip!

Just a couple more parting shots today – first, Chris had free reign of the NSX on Tuesday while I was at work, and he found a great road called South Mountain where he took this picture overlooking the Phoenix downtown area.

Later that day, he drove himself to the airport in the Legend coupe. Having owned a 400,000 mile 3rd generation Prelude Si, he has an appreciation for cars with higher mileage.

And finally, a well deserved shout-out to my friend Alex. Despite the fact that his Acura Legend did not even have an engine or transmission installed in it just a couple of weeks ago, he got his car together in time to drive it all the way across the country: from Warm Mineral Springs, Florida, to Los Angeles, California, for this year’s NALM. Not only that, but he’s now on his return trip (5,000 miles into it, currently in Chicago) and a couple of days ago passed through my hometown in southern Utah and sent me this photo at the state line. Keep on trucking, Alex!

4 Comments »

Acura ILX + TL Drive to Death Valley National Park, California

Posted in California, ILX, National Parks, Nevada, Road Trip on July 20, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (ILX): 89,689

Odometer (Legend): 530,150

Trip Distance: 901 Miles

“This could be scary,” Sofyan mumbled as we rolled our suitcases up the front walkway to Longstreet Inn & Casino in Amargosa Valley, Nevada. The hotel, visible for miles on Highway 373 in the barren desert, had loomed like an oasis on the horizon while we approached it (photo below). The sound of country music and horribly off-key karaoke filled the air while I and my 3 traveling colleagues checked into our rooms for the night’s stay. We were weary from a full day of adventure in Death Valley National Park, one of the country’s most oft-overlooked and yet most scenic landscapes. And the evening’s agenda was just what we needed to unwind: A dip in the pool, a home-cooked meal topped off by apple pie, and the clearest nighttime sky I’ve seen in a long time – with stars so visible it was as if we’d pulled them closer to earth.

“Death Valley” sounds like such an enticing place to visit in the middle of the summer, doesn’t it?

On July 10, 1913, a record 134 °F (56.7 °C) was measured at the Weather Bureau’s observation station at Greenland Ranch (now the site for the Furnace Creek Inn), the highest temperature ever recorded in the world.Daily summer temperatures of 120 °F (49 °C) or greater are common, as well as below freezing nightly temperatures in the winter^. July is the hottest month, with an average high of 115 °F (46 °C) and an average low of 88 °F (31C (reference).

The area was named a national monument in 1933 and became a national park in 1994. It receives nearly a million visitors annually. Death Valley got its name from prospectors who passed through the area in 1849 when the California gold rush took place, though reportedly only one death took place. My first and only experience with the area was in August 2011 in the Legend coupe when I paid a visit to a close friend and automotive spy photographer Brenda Priddy who spends her summers there.

Joining me for this trip were a few friends. Sofyan, host of the 2theRedline YouTube auto review channel, had flown in from Washington, D.C. for the occasion, and my local friend Peter also came along.

Our day started out in Las Vegas, a city that never sleeps. Glassy-eyed and a bit tired from a night out on the town, we made our way to Johnny Rockets for delicious Belgian waffles with strawberries & whipped cream. That sugar rush was enough to bring me to my senses. Jason Pawela from Driven for Drives arrived and we set out with his 2010 Acura TL and my 2013 Acura ILX in search of some adventures. Highway 160 – “Blue Diamond” took us westward toward Pahrump, Nevada. A slow-moving 65 mph limit felt like it should have been 85 mph: The arrow-straight highway made its way through the desert and Sofyan, who’s visiting from Washington, D.C., commented on the landscape. “So what IS a tumbleweed?” he asked. Oh, you city folks!

A little beyond Pahrump, we took a left on Highway 190 toward Death Valley National Park. A few brave travelers – most from other countries, it seemed – joined us at the entrance sign for pictures. Our first stop was at Furnace Creek. It’s a place with $5.56 premium Chevron gas and a breeze that feels like a blow dryer in your face. We were able to find a saloon/restaurant – “49er” — serving up lunch so we were grateful for the opportunity to refill our bellies. All four of us ordered the exact same meal: Turkey club w/o red onion. It hit the spot. A stop at the national park visitor center was in order, so we could pay our $20/car entry fee and legalize our visit. A sign inside the gift shop announced: Heat-Related Deaths Since April 2014: 2. That’s a sobering thought.

Peter, Sofyan, Tyson, Jason

Jason and I swapped car keys and headed out toward Badwater Basin, some 17 miles away. Badwater is the lowest elevation point in North America, at 282 feet below sea level. I enjoyed seat-time in the 305-horsepower TL with its 3.7 liter V6. Torque for days! The sound system and level of refinement were clearly superior to the ILX, but I did briefly miss the more nimble feel of my smaller sedan. Regading Badwater: Legend has it that a traveler once got to this point and was severely dehydrated. He could not even get his horse to drink from the shallow pool because the water was so salty. Thus the place was named “bad water” and it stuck. Receiving fewer than 2 inches of rain per year, Badwater is one of the driest places in the world. We hiked out a little and Jason filled a Ziploc bag with sand, then we gratefully sought refuge from the oven inside our nicely air conditioned Acura sedans.

Just 85 miles from Badwater stands the tallest mountain in the contiguous 48 U.S. states, called Mount Whitney (14,505 feet). You may recall a trip from last summer when Jason and I drove the highest elevation paved road in North America: Mount Evans in Colorado, at 14,265 feet. I would have loved to visit Mount Whitney if time permitted.

We wanted to make sure and take home some Death Valley dust on our cars, and I knew just the place to find it. “20 Mule Team Road,” just a few miles from Furnace Creek, is an amazing one-lane, one-way dirt track that winds for 2.7 miles along some terrain that looks like another planet. Jason and I weren’t afraid of doing a little off-roading. In fact, after our first lap of Mule Team, we switched drivers. Sofyan drove the ILX and Peter drove the TL – and we did it all over again. Kicking up dust in style.

The last place I wanted to check out was Stovepipe Wells, a small settlement about 23 miles north of Furnace Creek. It’s nestled in between expansive sand dunes. As we approached, it was evident that the wind activity was high because of the wisps of sand sweeping across the roadway. Because of Death Valley’s notoriety as one of the hottest climates in the world, it is an optimal place for automakers to test out the durability of prototype / pre-production vehicles. Sure enough, as Sofyan pulled my ILX into the parking lot at Stovepipe Wells, we spotted 3 white 2016 model year GMC Canyon Diesels out for evaluation. I picked up 2 Gatorades for $3 – best purchase of the day by far. I was parched.

We made our way out of the park on Highway 127 just as the sun dipped down in the western sky. We got a few photos at the California/Nevada state line and then made our entrance into the Longstreet for the night. A great day with great friends.

Enjoy this video and the rest of these pictures from our trip!

Peter at the wheel of the ILX; Sofyan in the backseat

Backseat vantage point: something I’m not used to seeing!

Sunset over the Hoover Dam bypass bridge at the AZ/NV state line

View from our hotel in Las Vegas: Excalibur

Catching the water show at Bellagio

Saturday morning: A destination in mind

Ruins in an abandoned Nevada town

Next stop: Furnace Creek

Thanks to Jason for some awesome “rolling shots” of the ILX

We made it

Sign reads: CAUTION! EXTREME HEAT DANGER

Elevation: Sea level as we made our way toward Furnace Creek

How’s $5.59/gallon for Premium sound?

Lunch spot

A brisk 115 degrees Fahrenheit at the National Park Visitor Center

Although, the ILX only showed 113 degrees at the time

Shot of the ILX in the TL sideview mirror

Warning at Badwater Basin. “Walking after 10 a.m. not recommended.”

Checking out the sights, 282 feet below sea level.

Pit stop along the “20 Mule Team Canyon” trail.

Hitchhiking due to broken down Acuras. Not.

Stovepipe Wells

GMC Canyon Diesel prototype that was out for hot-weather testing near Stovepipe

Crossing back into Nevada from California for the night

Sunday morning’s return drive to Phoenix: Gigantic cow

And the world’s largest firecracker!

Thanks for coming along!

9 Comments »

Throwback Thursday: Legend Drive to “Spiral Jetty” in Utah

Posted in Legend, Road Trip, Throwback, Utah on July 17, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 530,083

Odometer (ILX): 88,611

What type of alien life form would have created something like this?

I don’t remember how I found out about the Spiral Jetty, but once I learned of it, there was no stopping me from going there. It was Saturday June 18, 2005 and for some reason or another, I was in & around Salt Lake City, Utah that weekend.

Spiral Jetty is a 1,500-foot-long, 15-foot-wide, work of art on the north shore of the Great Salt Lake. It was actually constructed by a human – Robert Smithson – in 1970. It’s made of mud, salt crystals, basalt rocks, and water. Construction took only 6 days and cost $9,000. Due to varying water levels of the lake, it’s possible at times for the spiral coil to be completely submerged. On the day when I visited, it was clearly visible but partially underwater. I would’ve loved to hike out on top of it, but that would’ve definitely ended in some wet sneakers & socks.

The Great Salt Lake is a bit fascinating itself. It’s the largest salt water lake in the western Hemisphere and the 4th largest “terminal” lake in the world. It covers 1,700 square miles and is a remnant of ancient Lake Bonneville which covered most of Utah. But how salty is the Great Salt Lake? Salinity ranges from 5 to 27%. For comparison, the salinity of the ocean is 3.5%. I won’t be filling my canteen from the Great Salt Lake anytime soon. Here’s an attempted “selfie” (though that word didn’t exist in 2005) thanks to a remote timer on my camera with the lake in the background.

Though I learned that the road to the Spiral Jetty was unpaved, that didn’t keep me from taking my then-173,000-mile Acura Legend coupe out on a Saturday morning adventure. In all, I remember driving about 9 miles one-way on a gravel road. The last couple of miles progressively got more and more technical. By the time I got to the last hundred yards or so of the drive, the road had narrowed to just one skinny lane with huge ruts and jagged rocks everywhere. I did my best to weave around them – fearing that I might scratch one of my 17″ chrome rims or, worst case scenario, catch a rock on my oil pan and cause some even more serious damage to the car.

I did make it, though, and celebrated with a photoshoot of my filthy Legend and a partially submerged work of art in the background.

The area around the jetty was littered with metal waste: Empty, rusted barrels, vehicle hulks that had been abandoned and vandalized decades prior, etc.

I made my exit and stopped for a photo in the barren wilderness of northern Utah.

Remarkably, the Legend survived unscathed and after running it through a coin-operated car wash in Salt Lake City, I took it to a Legend “meet” at Sugarhouse Park that very same afternoon. Though we hadn’t planned it that way, every single Legend that attended was a 2-door coupe. I wonder how many of those guys still have their cars, 9 years later?

I know for a fact that Jeff, who was driving that Canterbury Green coupe parked on the end, is now in a black 2008 Acura TL Type-S after having spent the last 8 years in a CL Type-S. He’s been as brand loyal as they come!

Summertime fun from years past. Thanks for coming along with me to Memory Lane.

7 Comments »

4th of July Weekend Part 3: McCall, Idaho to Scottsdale, Arizona

Posted in ILX, Maintenance, Road Trip on July 9, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (ILX): 88,204

Leg Distance: 1,177 Miles

The return trip from this vacation went by quickly thanks to good music and good company. About 5 hours into the 17-hour journey, I picked up a copilot in Salt Lake City and we spent the rest of the drive trading off shifts at the wheel. It sure was tough to leave behind the beauty of the mountains and especially the comfort of cooler temperatures. My 3-mile run on Saturday morning along the lake in McCall was surrounded by scenes like this.

We spent the day lounging on the deck and doing a little antique shopping in McCall. That evening, we celebrated my niece’s birthday at a restaurant called Lardo’s. If you can get past the name, the place really does have quite a bit to offer! I headed south on Highway 55 after dinner and spent the next 105 miles winding through the Boise National Forest next to the beautiful Payette River.

From Salt Lake City, my friend Jeremy hopped aboard and we continued the rest of the journey together. Having originally intended to spend the night in St. George, Utah, we decided to press onward. Black storm clouds on the horizon had other plans for us: Within 5 miles of entering the Virgin River Gorge on Interstate 15, traffic came to a standstill due to construction delays, and the clouds began to unleash. The construction and adverse weather conditions were further complicated by much-heavier-than-normal holiday traffic. The delay in the Gorge cost us about 30 minutes, and then the slow-moving traffic elsewhere on I-15 in torrential downpours cost us even more.

By the time we arrived in Las Vegas, we were exhausted and ready to call it a night, so we did so. I pulled the rain-soaked ILX into the Hilton Garden Inn in Henderson for a late night check-in, anxious for a fluffy pillow and a good night’s sleep.

On Monday morning, conditions were much more suitable for road tripping. We made time for a pit stop at the Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. The bridge, completed in 2010, is better known as the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. Before its construction (which cost $240 million), traffic was formerly routed OVER Hoover Dam. To walk across the bridge is a bit unnerving if heights are of concern. The span covers some 1,900 feet and looms 880 feet above the surface of the Colorado River far below. But the view of the dam from there is, dare I say it, “dam” good.

The rest of our drive was an easy one with a quick fuel stop in Kingman, Arizona and then a few hours of desert two-laners on Highway 93 on into the Phoenix area. The closer we got to Phoenix, the higher the temperature climbed — right up until the 110-degree mark. I sure wished I was still sitting on the cabin deck in McCall, Idaho.

Thanks for coming along on the trip! Here are the rest of the pictures.

Dinner at Lardo’s with Ali and Beckam. Poor lighting for the pic, but phenomenal food.

Another neat dining establishment I wish I’d had time to check out: “Dollar Bill’s Casual Fine Red Neck Dining,” in Cascade, Idaho. What a name!

Arrival in Salt Lake City, Utah on Interstate 15 southbound.

Picking up Jeremy and giving him some time at the the wheel.

Taken near the Hoover Dam at the Arizona/Nevada state line.

Total trip time & distance: 41 hours, 39 minutes and 2,521 miles since I departed last Wednesday.

And that’s a wrap to the trip!

MAINTENANCE UPDATES

Now, it’s time to get down to business and get some updates on how these cars are staying on the road.

Here’s a photo while driving the Legend to get some maintenance done, and following Jeremy in my ILX.

The Legend coupe is currently getting a new power steering rack, fresh spark plugs, and a CV axle boot. I’ll pick it up tomorrow. These maintenance items are in preparation for the road trip to NALM later this month in Los Angeles.

The ILX went in today for a “B1” service including an oil change with 0W20 oil, new engine air filter, and a tire rotation. It set me back $118.69. The technician’s inspection noted that my rear brakes are down to 3MM. Also, I’m coming up on a 90k service interval which calls for replacement of the serpentine belt and a coolant flush. What surprised me was how far the car allowed me to drive on that same oil change. Since my last appointment on May 14th, I drove 9,274 miles on one oil change, and the car’s Maintenance Minder still told me the oil had 15% life remaining.

The dealership is undergoing some renovations inside & out. Think they have enough flat-screen TVs in the Customer Lounge?