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ILX + TSX Drive: Shoshone Waterfalls, Idaho

Posted in ILX, Road Trip on May 8, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 529,310

Odometer (ILX): 78,764

Trip Distance: 340 Miles

A rainbow shimmered in the mist far below as I watched thousands gallons of the Snake River tumble to the canyon floor ahead of me. Even from a viewing platform at the opposite end of the canyon, the sound of the water crashing down was powerful. Idaho’s name is the “Gem State,” and I cay say with a certainty that Shoshone Falls must be one of the state’s hidden gems. Even more impressive: Shoshone, just outside the small town of Twin Falls, is a full 50 feet taller than world-famous Niagara Falls at the New York – Ontario border!

I was inspired by my friend Josh’s recent post about his visit to Shoshone in southern Idaho, so when I put together a plan to visit some family in northern Utah for a long weekend, I figured it was well-worth the 5-hour round trip drive to lay eyes on the “Niagara of the West.” I was right. For anyone in the western U.S., you need to see this place.

After exiting Cache Valley last Saturday morning, most of my drive was on Interstate 84 westbound which routes northwesterly through some rolling hills of northern Utah. Amenities are few and far between along this stretch. Thankfully, Utah has posted the speed limits through that region at 80 miles per hour so the drive goes fairly quickly. I set the cruise control at the ILX at 80 which revs the 2.4 liter at around 3,400 RPM. A critical pit stop – of course – was when I got a photo at the Idaho state line. Josh had agreed to meet me at the falls, so at this point we were nose-to-nose in opposite directions on I-84.

From there, I-84 and I-86 intersected and I headed due west through the small southern Idaho towns of Rupert and Burley. You may remember Burley from a trip through this same area last year to a family reunion. Exiting the interstate toward Kimberly, I crossed the mighty Snake River on Hansen Bridge, a 1966 replacement to a suspension bridge that was initially constructed in 1916 as one of the only gorge crossings in the area.

As Josh and his 2005 Acura TSX finished up the last few miles of his westward trip toward Twin Falls from Boise, I had a few minutes to explore historic downtown Twin Falls. I stumbled across a charming little Volkswagen / Porsche repair facility on Main Street called R.S. Garner Enterprises.

Josh and I met at the best sushi place in town, “Sushi Ya” on 2nd Avenue. The all-you-can-eat menu hit the spot. After lunch, I took a moment to admire the condition of Josh’s TSX. Aside from a total of 3 or 4 dings in the body, the condition looks more like a 90,000 mile car than a 401,000 mile car. I got a kick out of Josh’s description of how he sets up his windows & sunroof for optimal wind distribution throughout the cabin when he’s on his drives. We cranked up our 2.4 liter engines and headed toward Shoshone just a few miles away.

Park entry was $3 and gave us access to Shoshone as well as an adjacent lake called Dierkes Lake. Shoshone was everything it was cracked up to be. The falls tumble 212 feet to the canyon floor. Certain sections of the falls have individual names: Bridal Veil, Two Graces, and Sentinel. Water levels vary throughout the year, but at certain times it’s possible to see the entire span of the canyon flowing with water. It’s also possible to see the falls nearly completely dry, as the Snake River is utilized for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation. Josh and I hiked around the south rim of the canyon for a few minutes and admired the scenery. It wasn’t far from this place where famous stunt devil Evel Knievel attempted to jump a sky-cycle (motorcycle) across the entire (1,500-foot-wide) Snake River Gorge back in September 1974. His attempt failed but he survived, caught by the wind and carried to the canyon floor by his parachute.

From Shoshone, we cruised a few minutes up the road and visited Dierkes Lake which was bustling with recreation on a Saturday afternoon. There is even a diving board set up there for swimmers, and we saw others who preferred to cliff-dive into the blue-green water.

Our last stop before we headed separate ways was the I.B. Perrine Bridge. It was completed in 1976 and stands 486 feet above the canyon floor. Josh and I parked our Acuras at the north end of the bridge and walked down beneath it. The bridge is a popular place for “BASE” jumpers and we watched a couple of crazies jumping off it with parachutes and sailing to the river below.

I had a great time seeing some of Idaho’s beauty and I thank Josh for joining me for this adventure! He and I will be getting together soon for more drives. “I’m only 5-6 hours away from so many national parks!” he said. Only someone with 400,000 miles on his Acura would say “only” in reference to a 6-hour drive. Haha.

Here’s a video that contains a few of the photos from our trip as well as a short clip.

Heading out on a bright Saturday morning from Providence, Utah. The Wellsville Mountain Range in the distance will be snow-capped for awhile yet this year.

I-84 West was a pretty lonely place aside from a handful of truckers out and about.

Not long after crossing into Idaho, two freeways merged together.

I set my sights on Twin Falls.

Stay Alert – Stay Alive! It’s easy to get into a daze in this desolate stretch of southern Idaho.

Clever road name.

I took this one in Burley, Idaho for a friend named Conor. Didn’t have the chance to try the menu!

Crossing the 1966 Hansen Bridge.

Parked at the overlook of the ravine near Hansen Bridge.

Made it to Twin Falls!

Can’t miss this place: “Stinker” gas Station. The Stinker name was coined originally in 1936 when the first station opened in Twin Falls.

A few shots of the VW repair facility called R.S. Garner Enterprises on Main Street.

Getting closer to the falls!

Best sushi place in town!

Battle of the bugs.

Josh takes a minute to refuel (only 91 octane for the TSX!) and clean up his windshield.

Here’s where the odometer sat at that very moment: 400,798.

I followed Josh the 4 or 5 miles to the area on the south side of the Snake River Gorge where Shoshone Falls was located.

Quick photo-op.

Happened to enter right behind a nice looking Acura MDX.

Brochure in-hand and ready to roll.

Here are some shots of the falls.

I can only imagine what these must look like when water is at full capacity.

Looking westward through the canyon at some of the cliffs.

Small waterfalls alongside the road.

Parked at Dierkes Lake.

Josh crossing the Snake River on the Perrine Bridge.

And here’s a look eastward through the ravine.

View underneath the Perrine Bridge.

View to the west, including a golf course.

Back on the road to run up a few more miles en route to Logan, Utah.

Passed this Canterbury Green 1994-95 Legend L/LS sedan but the driver didn’t even notice my thumbs-up.

Thanks for coming along! And a huge thanks to Josh for being a great host in showing me around Twin Falls. Be sure and follow his blog at TSX Travels for more of his insightful posts about driving his Acura around Idaho.

20 Comments »

Utah Roadtrip Weekend: 7 Highlights

Posted in ILX, Road Trip, Trains, Utah on May 6, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 529,301

Odometer (ILX): 78,563

Trip Distance: 1,603 Miles

My grandpa gave me a look of disgust on Monday morning when I pulled into his driveway in southern Utah. “You’ve got so many bugs on the front of that car, they’re causing wind drag!” he said. He had a valid point. I had slain a fair number of insects on my travels of Utah and Idaho over the course of a long weekend.

Last Thursday, I said sayonara to the desert and headed for northern Utah’s Rocky Mountains. I had a lot time in the driver seat and enjoyed every minute of it. In honor of hitting 77,777 miles on the ILX, in this post I’ll share seven of the memorable highlights from my nearly 2,000-mile, 4-day adventure.

1) Driving a 1931 Ford Model A. The award for the oldest vehicle I’ve ever driven can now go to this 1931 Ford which my uncle recently purchased.

I’m standing here with Russell, after taking my uncle Brett’s car for a drive. It’s a 3-speed on the floor but the transmission requires a great deal of finesse to operate. It’s the first time I’ve ever made an attempt at “double-clutching.” I learned (quickly) that this old Ford does not like to down-shift. I ground a few gears!

2) Getting up close & personal with a 1.2 million pound steam locomotive. Ten years after that Ford rolled off the production line, another piece of vintage metal was born. This Union Pacific steam locomotive was on display in Ogden, Utah when I was rolling through the area this weekend so I stopped at Union Station to take a look. A lot of other folks had the same idea, apparently. It was busy out there!

The reason for the excitement was that this locomotive had been parked in southern California since 1961. It’s now being moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming to be fully restored. UP 4014 is one of 25 “Big Boy” locomotives built for the Union Pacific Railroad. It was delivered in 1941 and weighs in at 1.2 million pounds. This locomotive is so long (132 feet) that its frame is articulated and thus able to better negotiate curves. And perhaps the most important statistic of all: From 1941 through 1961, UP 4014 traveled 1,031,205 miles. That’s my kind of high-miler!

The size of the wheels is more readily appreciated when a young child stands next to them.

Impressive engineering for being 73 years old!

3. Taking my Grandma and Russell to dinner. These two are great company. I provided the shuttle ride to Olive Garden; they covered the bill! That’s my kind of arrangement. Grandma made sure our waitress brought out fresh/soft breadsticks. Before we all headed to the restaurant, I pulled the ILX around to the backyard for a picture.

In we go!

And enough leftovers for at least another couple of meals.

Back to the house.

4) Trying out the world-famous (okay, maybe just state-famous) restaurant called Angie’s. Angie’s, in Logan, Utah, serves breakfast all day. I highly recommend the meat omelet. But the menu item Angie’s is best known for is the “Kitchen Sink.” It’s a gigantic banana split-type dessert, served up in a metal mini sink. Anyone who can finish the $13 item is awarded a bumper sticker that states “I cleaned the sink at Angie’s.” Someday I’ll attempt it.

Todd, Tia, me

Here’s what that bumper sticker looks like.

Not my picture, but here’s an example of a Kitchen Sink.

5. Hitting lucky 7’s on the ILX near Brigham City, Utah. If only the outside temperature had been 3 degrees higher, I would have really hit the jackpot.

6. Paying a visit to a friend who’s an Acura-holic like me. In St. George, Utah, I visited my friend Blair. Here, you can see his 2008 Acura TL Type-S in Kinetic Blue Pearl (my favorite color!) as well as his 1989 Acura Legend L coupe. What you don’t see are his other 1989 Legend coupe and his 1991 Legend coupe which are in the garage.

Fancy!

Blair recently turned 100,000 miles in the TL and he shared a picture with me. I’m catching up quickly.

7. Visiting Utah’s original statehouse. Here’s a little trivia: Utah’s original capital was actually located in the middle part of the state, in Fillmore, before it was moved to Salt Lake City. The 1852 statehouse still stands.

A few final photo randoms:

Mantua, Utah along Highway 89-91 in Sardine Canyon leading into Cache Valley.

My friend Ryan who was working on his Honda S2000 (which he later let me drive!).

Quick pic at the 1884 Logan, Utah Mormon temple.

A couple of scenes from Jacob Lake, Arizona (7,920 foot elevation).

What a blast this weekend was! There’s one more feature story on the way. Come back Thursday.

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Acura Group Drive: Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

Posted in Arizona, ILX, Legend, Road Trip on April 27, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 529,275

Odometer (ILX): 76,294

Trip Distance: 600 Miles

“It’s raining Dippin Dots!” exclaimed Roger as he tightened his hooded sweatshirt and squinted into the freezing wind gusts that were driving snow pellets toward us. As Roger and the other 5 of us carefully hiked our descent into a 700-foot-deep red rock canyon in a remote part of northeastern Arizona, we occasionally sought shelter from the elements by staying near the rock walls or underneath archways. We hadn’t anticipated those types of conditions when planning a late April hike in Arizona, but the experience was unforgettable. I wouldn’t change a thing.

For this weekend’s Drive to Five, come with me to a place that’s sacred to the Navajo Nation and is home to a rich history, dating back as far as 900 AD. It’s a place with some of the best-preserved ancient ruins in existence and contains scenery that matches the Grand Canyon in its awesomeness. I’m talking about Canyon de Chelly National Monument, an 83,000-acre site that’s visited by over 800,000 people each year. For this trip, I was accompanied by a few friends who, like me, have an appreciation for great road trips in great cars. We took three Acuras:

My 2013 ILX 2.4 6-speed @ 75,000 miles
Jason’s 2010 TL 6-speed @ 41,000 miles
Joe’s 1995 Legend coupe automatic @ 161,000 miles

Let’s make sure you know how to say “Chelly” before we get too far down the road. It’s pronounced “Shay.” Though, for reasons you’ll soon see, there were a few times during the trip when I started to wonder if Canyon de Chelly ought to be called “Canyon de Chilly.” Mother Nature dished us up a generous helping of ice-cold temps, but that didn’t keep us from braving the weather and feasting our eyes on some of the earth’s finest landscapes. Canyon de Chelly was set aside in 1931 as a unit of the National Park Service.

My friend Adam and I met up with Joe and his dad, Roger, on the northeast outskirts of the Phoenix area before beginning our ascent through the Tonto National Forest on Highway 87. As quickly as we started gaining elevation toward Payson’s 5,000 feet, we were thoroughly drenched with roads that were wet enough to cause hydro-planing. We made just 3 stops on the 5-hour drive to Chinle, Arizona which is a settlement at the mouth of the canyon. Upon arriving in Chinle, Jason and Jouhl from Las Cruces, NM arrived in Jason’s black TL and completed our trio of Acuras.

One of only two “sit-down” restaurants in the entire town of Chinle, The Junction, was a great place for us all to dry out and to plan the rest of our visit to the area. We dined on authentic Navajo tacos made from homemade frybread and beans. After a check-in at the Holiday Inn, we rolled our Acura caravan into the western entrance of the monument just a bit down the road. Jason and I swapped cars for a few of those miles — that TL’s 3.7 liter V6 is a torquey monster!).

Our first stop after checking in at the visitor center was the White House Ruins viewpoint. Adam took one look at the dark clouds approaching at rapid speed from the southwest. “That’s coming this direction,” he said. Despite his warning, we prepared ourselves for the canyon’s most well-known hike and set out on a descent into its depths. Not long into our hike, the Dippin Dots came down and the wind picked up speed. Adding to those challenges, the sandstone terrain was slippery when wet and our sneakers quickly became caked in several pounds of mud. At one point, I heard Jason lose his footing in the mud from behind me. He nearly tackled me to the ground as he struggled to regain his balance, but he and his Canon SLR camera survived without a scratch. We had a good laugh about it moments afterward.

Two sandstone tunnels and a couple of bridge crossings later, we had completed the 1.25-mile one-way hike to the ruins where Anasazi people once lived from 900 to 1200 AD. The last 800 years have taken their toll on the infrastructure, slowly eroding the once-elaborate buildings and returning them to the earth, but we still got a great look at what’s left of them. A Navajo woman and her daughter were sitting near the ruins with a table where they displayed pottery and other wares for sale. We saw only one other group of hikers. I loved the canyon’s feeling of serenity and seclusion.

Our return hike was accompanied by another flurry of snowflakes, but we made it to the summit and Roger said, “According to my Fitbit, we just hiked 79 flights of stairs.” We happily took refuge in our leather-lined Acuras with heated seats and fast-acting climate control systems. Aside from a few photo-ops at other viewpoints along the two-lane canyon road, we had a much-needed low-key evening in Chinle.

Today, Joe and his dad departed for Flagstaff in the early morning hours, while Adam, Jason, Jouhl and I went back for a peek at the North Rim of the canyon. The views were stunning, just as I knew they’d be. Soon it was time to part ways and return to our respective homes. Adam and I made just one stop on our 300-mile trip back to Scottsdale. Thanks to now-sunny weather, the drive was enjoyable and passed by quickly. I hope you enjoy the photos and video!

Adam and Tyson en route.

After meeting up with Joe. By the time we got to Payson, we both said, “What’s up with this weather?”

Pouring rain as seen from the hotel lobby in Chinle, Arizona.

First stop: Food, of course.

Authentic Navajo Taco on frybread. It tasted amazing.

Jason and Jouhl showed up to join the party.

Checking at the Canyon de Chelly Visitor Center, we were warned about “Hazardous Weather.” But that didn’t stop us.

Lining up for a beauty shot at the White House Ruins trailhead.

The view as we began the descent on our hike.

Winding our way down the 700-foot drop-off via switchbacks and tunnels that hugged the side of the mountain.

Passing through one of the tunnels.

And coming out the other end.

Roger, Joe, Jouhl, Jason making their way down the trail.

We saw patches of blue sky. It looks a lot warmer than it really was!

Muddy shoes and chilly winds, but 360-degree scenery made up for all that.

Crossing a bridge.

Group photo at the White House Ruins: Roger, Joe, Jouhl, Jason, Adam, Tyson

A Navajo woman and her daughter selling jewelry and pottery. Notice: They do take Visa and Mastercard!

Back at the trailhead for some photos with the Acuras and their owners.

Let’s get a move on!

Next viewpoint.

Here’s what the view from that sheer cliff looked like. The vertical lines along the canyon walls are called “desert varnish.”

Adam, Joe, Roger, Tyson, Jouhl, Jason

Last viewpoint for the day: Tsegi Overlook

Sunday morning: The clouds had parted but the cold temps remained.

Back into the monument for a few more viewpoints.

This Navajo vendor displayed her jewelry on the hood of her Ford Taurus and secured it with cords and rocks to keep the wind from carrying it away.

Mummy Cave Overlook.

Antelope House Overlook

Side note: Did you know that the Navajo tribe taxes virtually everything? Our meal last night had “Tribal Tax” tacked on.

And the fuel pump at Chevron had a “Navajo Nation Fuel Excise Tax.” Interesting.

The return drive to the Phoenix area looked a whole lot different than the rain-soaked outbound trip.

Thanks for coming along!

15 Comments »

ILX Trip: Southern Utah, Easter Weekend

Posted in ILX, Road Trip, Utah on April 20, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 529,249

Odometer (ILX): 75,302

Trip Distance: 852 Miles

“Clunk.. clunk.. roll.. clunk…” That’s what I heard loudly from the roof of my car when I pulled out of the Chevron gas station in Hurricane, Utah this morning.

I turned to my passenger, Justin, with a look of “What the heck was that?” and then realized what had happened just in time to look in my sideview mirror and watch a pickup truck towing a 5th wheel trailer obliterate a glass bottle on the road into smithereens with its tires. I am a total airhead. I had inadvertently left an unopened bottled juice beverage sitting on the roof of the ILX and driven away.

Aside from that disappointing little mishap, it was a seamless weekend of family and friends in the scenic southwestern corner of Utah. And the ILX, as always, flawlessly transported me and my friend nearly 900 miles in comfort. Among the weekend’s activities: a visit to the grandparents, a car show, my niece’s 3rd birthday party, some hiking, and an Easter egg hunt. It’s a miracle we were able to squeeze so much into just a couple of days.

For the drive up from Phoenix, Justin and I had a silver Acura caravan with a 2005 TL and the 2013 ILX. A friend needed the TL transported from Arizona to Utah so we were happy to oblige.

Some traffic delays that were caused by construction on on Interstate 15 north of Las Vegas put us about 45 minutes behind schedule, but we made it safe and sound to St. George on Friday evening.

On Saturday, we went to the 29th annual Hurricane Easter Car Show. I’ve been attending this annually since 2004, usually entering the Legend but occasionally displaying other cars like my Prelude 4WS, and the NSX. Here are the pictures from last year. Hurricane is a small town of 14,000 people, yet the car show every Easter weekend attracts from 8,000 to 10,000 spectators.

This year, my brother Bentley entered his 1968 Chevy Nova SS in the “Muscle Car” category. The Nova turned plenty of heads with its metallic red paint and new deep-dish wheels. Not to mention the goodies under the hood: This Nova is powered by a 525+ horsepower Chevrolet LS3 motor — essentially a Corvette powerplant that’s been upgraded for additional power output. The factory 5-speed transmission has been swapped for a 6-speed. It’s no wonder the car ended up taking home a first place trophy in its category. I’ve yet to take the Nova for a spin, but I surely will soon.

We rendezvoused with some friends for an afternoon of hiking some of southern Utah’s famous red rocks and closed out the evening with some birthday celebrations for my niece Vivienne. By Sunday morning, the Easter Bunny had deposited several dozen plastic eggs throughout the yard so we watched the kids fill up their baskets with newfound treasures. Each of the eggs also had a 50 cent piece inside. I should have pocketed a few myself – that’s gas money!

Justin and I worked our way home to Phoenix via the remote backroads of northern Arizona, including my favorite: Highway 89A. This two-laner climbs from 2,000 feet at the desert floor in Fredonia to nearly 8,000 feet at Jacob Lake via curvy mountain grades. I watched the exterior temperature readout in the ILX dip from 75 degrees to 64 degrees as we neared a road at the summit that takes off toward the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

The ILX is well suited to such mountain passes, especially with its sharply tuned 6-speed manual transmission. Descending to the valley floor once more, the Vermillion Cliffs shone brightly ahead of us in vivid red. We saw very little other traffic. We made a stop at the 1928 “Navajo Bridge” which straddles a canyon some 600 feet above the Colorado River.

After one final stop in Flagstaff for a bite to eat, we continued home to the Valley of the Sun. Here are a few of the pictures from the weekend that I hope you’ll enjoy!

Following the ’05 TL on Highway 93 north of Kingman, Arizona

Just before Hoover Dam — this hitchhiker had a ways to go!

The ‘red’ traffic area shown here from the map on my phone was probably 15 miles in length. It was tedious stop-and-go on Interstate 15 northbound as we headed toward Mesquite, Nevada.

“This traffic jam brought to you by Ray Bans.” Justin let me borrow these shades. I lost mine but have another set on order.

You know you’re driving slowly when your GPS unit asks if you’d like to switch to “Pedestrian Usage Mode.”

Nevertheless, we made it, and Saturday was a beautiful day in southern Utah.

Jeremy took the wheel of the ILX for a few of our visits. “Close your eyes and see if you can tell when I’m shifting,” he said. He thinks, mistakenly, that he can shift a manual transmission smoother than I can.

We’re really not as cool as we pretend to be.

Back patio conversation with the grandparents. These folks are my most loyal readers, and I thank them for their support!

Looping around a giant guitar on Tabernacle Street in historic downtown St. George.

And now, a few photos from the Hurricane Easter Car Show.

Justin, Tyson, Jeremy with the 1968 Nova SS.

Too much power under that hood.

Notice that even the gauges have been updated. The factory bench seat has been replaced with supportive, sporty buckets. And my, does that paint glisten.

Next up, we headed to the “Red Hill” of St. George to hike around.

St. George is home to Dixie State University and proudly displays a “D” on the hillside.

Shane, Tyson, Jeremy

My dad happened to be wearing a commemorative 500,000 mile T-shirt at the pool later that day. These were designed and screen printed by a close friend and fellow Acura enthusiast, Dave, prior to my 500k milestone two years ago.

B-day bash for 3-year-old Vivienne.

Easter egg hunt on Sunday morning

Here’s Beckam

And this is Viv. Aren’t they the best?

On the road again, and turning 75,000 miles in the ILX.

Here’s the exact location where it happened, eastbound on Hwy 89A nearing the Vermillion Cliffs.

I couldn’t help but pull over for a few photo-ops in this amazing terrain.

Hope you enjoyed the trip as much as I did.

6 Comments »

Brad’s Visit Part 2: Grand Canyon Skywalk, Arizona

Posted in Arizona, ILX, Road Trip on April 1, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 529,096

Odometer (ILX): 72,767

Trip Distance: 354 Miles

111 years ago, President Theodore Roosevelt said:

“The Grand Canyon fills me with awe. It is beyond comparison—beyond description; absolutely unparalleled throughout the wide world… Let this great wonder of nature remain as it now is. Do nothing to mar its grandeur, sublimity and loveliness. You cannot improve on it. But what you can do is to keep it for your children, your children’s children, and all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American should see.”

Sixteen years later in 1919, the Grand Canyon was officially named as a national park. I echo President Roosevelt’s sentiments and encourage any of you who’ve not yet seen the Grand Canyon to plan a trip there soon.

A little background on today’s destination: The “Skywalk” attraction didn’t come around until about 7 years ago. It’s a horseshoe-shaped glass platform 70 feet in length that extends from the canyon wall. Anyone who’s afraid of heights should steer clear, but for me it posed a unique opportunity and I was thrilled to finally get the chance to experience it. The $31 million structure is said to be able to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake and is engineered to hold the weight of 822 people @ 200 pounds each. Max capacity is set at 120 people, though.

(photo credit – Hualapai Indian Reservation)

From our hotel in Kingman, Brad and I headed out in the ILX on an overcast Sunday morning and drove up US Highway 93 to the eastbound turnoff toward to the Skywalk, taking us through the trailer town of Dolan Springs. The attraction is located on the Hualapai Indian Reservation, and thus a part of our entry fee went toward a surcharge for entering the Indian land. Guess they’ve gotta make that $31M back somehow! The last 9 miles of our drive on Diamond Bar Road were graded dirt/gravel, but that didn’t deter us. You’ve all seen me off-road the ILX before.

The ILX felt right at home in the desert environment.

The Skywalk experience far exceeded expectations for me. After parking the car, we checked in and picked up a map of the area. Included in the fare was a full meal as well as a shuttle ride to 3 different destinations and thousands of photo opportunities. The first was called Hualapai Ranch. It was an attempt at re-creating an old Western town, complete with a saloon and some stables. We had our lunches there, and the portions & quality were great. I went with the baked chicken.

The second stop, Eagle Point, was where action revved up. The tour bus stopped and Brad and I raced off among a stampede of foreign-language-speaking tourists. The canyon in all its splendor was there for the viewing. It was unnerving to stand at the cliff’s edge and be buffeted by strong wind gusts. We were ushered through a metal detector and got busted for attempting to take our cell phones onto the Skywalk – d’oh! You see, no “personal effects” whatsoever are allowed. No cameras and no phones. Into a locker those items went. We put disposable booties over our tennis shoes and took a step outside on the 4-pane glass with our eyes affixed on the canyon floor some 4,000 feet beneath us. It was unreal.

There were actually gaps between the panes in the glass floor wide enough to stick a finger through. I knelt down to show that to Brad and to poke my finger through the opening, and the lady standing next to me nearly passed out while watching me. She was clutching onto the hand railing so hard her knuckles were white. Ha! An employed photographer was on-site to take our pictures – for a fee, of course.

The final stop of the Skywalk shuttle bus was to Guano Point, so named for a mining operation that took place there in the 1930’s where bat guano (dung) was extracted from the area. The view surrounded us as we made our way to the end of the point. Brad and I met people from all over the world as we offered to take pictures for others.

Fulfilled in our mission, we headed back toward the Phoenix area via Stockton Hill Road to Kingman. A Las Vegas tour bus stirred up a huge cloud of dust ahead of me on the 9-mile dirt road that surely left my ILX needing its nostrils (air filter) needing to be cleaned or replaced once more, but it was well worth it. Drive to Five attraction rating: 5 stars.

Here are a few of the pics from our trip, as well as a very short video.

Pierce Ferry Road, eastbound from US 93.

About 21 miles from the West Rim, we confronted this sign.

Made it! Parking lot was paved despite the road being unpaved.

Lunch at Hualapai Ranch, after being greeted by these two cowboys.

Not bad!

The gift shop also had homemade fudge. We tried a few samples. Okay, a bunch of samples.

Eagle Point – a windy day but with great visibility.

Magnificent views all around.

Skywalk pictured here at left. Future plans for the area are a high-end restaurant, a museum, and other amenities.

The Skywalk gets two thumbs up from Brad. Check out those stylish booties.

This was my favorite perspective – just sitting down and looking through the glass.

Our photographer encouraged us to take this one.

More admiring the views from Eagle Point.

Warning sign from the mining equipment at Guano Point.

Back on the road again, stirring up a cloud of dust. I had to laugh at the people who were taking their convertible Mustangs on the road with the tops down. Hope they hit the car wash before returning those rentals.

Quick roadside photo op on the unpaved portion of Diamond Bar Road.

Who needs asphalt anyway?

Brad and I pit stopped for a few minutes to admire the Joshua Tree forest.

The colors of the desert were so vivid.

Dirty dirty.

Finally back at the house, and taking the old NSX out for a bite to eat. Nice GQ pose, Brad. Hey, follow this guy under “@bm89” on Instagram. He’s meant to be famous!

🙂

Love this sexy ride.

Hope you enjoyed the trip!

Sometime this weekend I get to install a $120 replacement foglamp assembly and a burned out bulb on the ILX. My driver’s side foglight bulb lasted 71,400 miles before burning out, and the passenger side has had a crack in it for several thousand miles. Time to get that front end fixed back up.

8 Comments »

Brad’s Visit Part 1: Phoenix – Flagstaff – Kingman, Arizona

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

Odometer (Legend): 529,074

Odometer (ILX): 72,728

Trip Distance: 306 Miles

How would you like to walk out on a glass platform and look at the ground nearly 4,000 feet below? Would that give you a little bit of vertigo? (photo credit: Hualapai Indian Reservation)

This weekend’s adventure was a visit to a hole in the ground that’s neither the deepest nor the widest in the world, but is nevertheless famous due to its size and colorful landscape: The Grand Canyon. My friend Brad flew in from New York to enjoy the view at one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Despite the fact that I live in the Grand Canyon state, I sure haven’t spent much time there lately. I’ve only been a few times that I recall. One was was eight years ago, in March 2006 when my Legend had 211,000 miles on it.

Keen Acura fans’ eyeballs will notice those 2004-2006 Acura TL 17″ wheels I was sporting at the time.

Another trip to the Grand Canyon was a railroad trip to the south rim in May 2011. To a lot of people (both Arizonans and otherwise), the G.C. is a “see it once, never go back” type destination. What they don’t realize is that the canyon offers a vastly different perspective depending on each of the various viewpoints available.

After enjoying brunch on Saturday morning in Tempe, Brad and I quickly hiked to the summit of Arizona State University’s “A” Mountain. A gigantic yellow A, there since 1955, proudly communicates Tempe’s school spirit.

Later that afternoon, we headed northbound on Interstate 17 in the ILX toward Flagstaff, Arizona. Along with the elevation gain from 1,100 feet to 7,000 feet, the temperature dipped accordingly. 87 degrees became 67 degrees by the time we arrived at historic San Francisco Street in Flagstaff.

We wandered around for a few minutes and stumbled across the community’s oldest pizza place – Alpine Pizzeria which first opened 41 years ago. Dessert was served up at the Galaxy Diner, a Route 66 relic that I visited on my Twin Arrows drive back in September 2012. The hot fudge sundae was every bit as tasty as I remembered it being. After indulging, we hit the road once more and tuned in to XM channel 74 – we’d had enough pop music for the day. Instead, our playlist was opera. Brad’s a big-time opera fan and a frequent flyer of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. I’m making an effort to diversify my musical interests, so I enjoyed a sampling of some of his favorite pieces.

It took us about two hours of driving westbound on I-40 across the pitch black night to arrive at our nightly destination in Kingman, exhausted but satisfied from a successful day. The next morning, we would be wowed by one of Mother Nature’s most amazing features in scenic panorama view.

For that, check in tomorrow. It’ll be worth your while.

Here are a few pictures from Saturday’s fun.

Brunch at NCOUNTER in Tempe. I recommend the “loaded” omelet.

The 1918 Hayden flour Mill has served as an area landmark for nearly a century. Tempe’s main street is named “Mill Avenue” for it.

Admiring the view of Tempe from the hike on “A” Mountain.

At the summit – only around 1,400 feet but it was a stair-stepping experience and still left me a bit winded!

Flagstaff, Arizona. Home of the Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks.

So, Brad accidentally dumped an entire shaker of peppers onto his slice of cheese pizza at Alpine. And then he STILL ATE IT.

Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church on Cherry Street – love the architecture here.

Galaxy Diner, a great spot for food since the 1950’s.

Our waittress’ response when I ordered a hot fudge sundae: “We’re out of ice cream.” My disappointment reached epic levels. She must’ve seen it in my face, because soon she cracked a grin and said she was kidding. Sundaes for all!

Giving this XM channel a whirl for a change. I didn’t even know it existed. Look at me being all cultured.

Come back tomorrow! The fun’s just getting started.

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Throwback Thursday: Meguiar’s HQ Meet 2008

Posted in California, Legend, Road Trip, Throwback on March 27, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 529,050

Odometer (ILX): 71,848

Anyone who’s ridden in my Legend knows that I’m a clean freak when it comes to my car. My friend Alex one time gave me a pair of booties that I could slip over my shoes before getting into the car. Was it a joke or was he serious? I guess I’ll never know. Years ago, I even bought a roll of protective “dealer plastic” on Ebay that I keep over the carpet on the door entry areas.

Here’s part of my current detailing arsenal.

From a young age, my dad instructed me in the ways of car finish maintenance. Our car care products were always Meguiar’s brand. Did you know that Meguiar’s has been around since 1901? It’s no wonder they’ve mastered the right types of products for keeping a vehicle looking its finest.

Six years ago, in March 2008, I traveled from Phoenix, Arizona to Irvine, California (roughly 800 miles round-trip) to attend a detailing seminar at the Meguiar’s US headquarters. There are some photos I captured while en route on westbound Interstate 10.

Upon arrival in Orange County, I met up with two fellow Legend fans: Penny and Steve.

Penny drives the Sherwood Green 1994 Legend GS sedan 6-speed, and Steve drives the Taffeta White 1995 Legend L sedan automatic. Believe it or not, Steve bought that Legend brand spanking new and he still drives it today.

Penny, double-chinned Tyson, and Steve.

Here are some photos from a similar meet that had been held the year prior.

What are your car detailing products of choice?

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ILX Drive: Los Angeles, California

Posted in California, ILX, Road Trip on March 23, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 529,038

Odometer (ILX): 71,667

Trip Distance: 764 Miles

Anyone hungry? I know where you can find a donut that’s 32 feet in diameter.

This weekend, I hit the highway and headed to the Golden State. It only takes me about 6 hours to get from my house to Los Angeles. Unfortunately, sometimes it can then take 6 hours to get from the suburbs of LA into LA, but that’s another story altogether. Gotta love southern California traffic sometimes. It was a great couple days of fun in the sun for me and for a few friends. My friend Jeff was visiting from Calgary, Alberta so we had coordinated the weekend around his visit.

My Acura ILX knows Interstate 10 well, having traversed that road just a couple of weeks ago for the visit to Palm Springs, California. I threw the gear selector into 6th and sailed off at 3,200 RPM with a full tank of gas. My only two stops on the drive out were in Quartzsite, Arizona (for string cheese and a Muscle Milk – some of my preferred road trip snacks), and Palm Desert, California (for a 91-octane gas stop at Chevron and a bite to eat at Burger King). One thing I noticed as I descended toward sea level was the tangible power gain from the ILX 2.4 liter. Its 201 horses seem to breathe a little easier at that elevation.

I’ll highlight just a few of the memorable activities from the weekend. I’m a huge Back to the Future fan, having seen each of the 3 movies in the series probably a dozen or more times. Next year on October 21, 2015, I better be doing something exciting because that’s the date that Marty McFly traveled to when he departed from 1985. I recently learned of the real-world locations of some of the movie’s scenes. One of them was the McFly house in Pacoima, California not far from Interstate 5, pictured here in a screen capture as part of “Lyon Estates.”

Determined to scout this out, I headed up I-405 first thing on Saturday morning to cross that off my list. Traffic, thankfully, was flowing smoothly throughout the day – I must’ve gotten lucky. The early morning ‘marine layer’ had yet to burn off so it looked a bit overcast, but temperatures were in the mid-60’s and it was a perfect morning to do a little sightseeing. Finding the McFly home was a piece of cake since I had the address in-hand. As I rounded the corner onto Roslyndale Avenue, the street immediately looked familiar to me. It didn’t look like anyone was home, so I pulled the ILX into the driveway for 30 seconds and snapped a photo.

Here’s the movie screenshot and my own version below it.

Mission: Accomplished. Next up, I headed southbound on I-5 and made a special visit in Orange County about 60 miles later. My friend Mark in Laguna Hills had invited me over to pick up a few Acura goodies he wanted to part with. He hooked me up with an OEM car cover for the 91-95 Legend coupe, a 1991 Legend sedan promotional brochure, and an Acura banner. Score!

Back in the saddle I went, ricocheting northbound on I-5 again. (I probably drove 150 miles without even leaving the Los Angeles Metro area that morning.) I met up for lunch with my friend and colleague Vince who works in Acura Public Relations. I’ve interacted with him on the ALV program and most recently at the Detroit Auto Show. It was great to catch up with him. Our lunch locale of choice was a cozy retro diner in Culver City called Dinah’s. I do highly recommend the mushroom burger & sweet potato fries!

The ocean beckoned, so for the rest of my day I joined up with Jeff and others for an afternoon at Manhattan Beach. While parking was a bit of a challenge (and it doesn’t help that I won’t settle for just any parking space), I got settled in and tried my hand at a couple games of beach volleyball. We all enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the pier later that evening.

This morning, my friends and I had breakfast at 26 Beach in Venice, known for its varieties of French toast. After that, I had to stop by Randy’s Donuts on La Cienega in Inglewood for a photo-op. Randy’s dates back to 1953 and its Wiki page talks about 16 movies that it’s been featured in, including Iron Man 2. Here’s a picture of Tony Stark reclining inside the donut from Iron Man 2.

And my ILX pictured there earlier today.

My last stop before taking off for home was a car show sponsored by 742 Marketing that my friend Aaron had invited me to. Aaron’s ILX was one of over 200 vehicles registered. His ILX is vastly different from any other. It started out as a bone stock Bellanova White 6-speed, but he’s since customized it with a custom quad exhaust, sport suspension, aftermarket wheels, and many other enhancements. His next upgrades will be made under the hood, as he told me he’s hoping to hit “beyond 400” horsepower. You go Aaron!

I pulled off a 33.1 mpg overall trip, not too shabby considering some more-spirited-than-normal driving in LA to take advantage of that great sea-level performance. Another fun weekend road trip in the books. The long, straight stretch of Interstate 10 through the desert was a fine place to spend Sunday afternoon. Thanks for tagging along!

The rest of my trip’s pics will follow in sequential order. First was my dinner stop in Palm Desert on Friday.

Here’s what the Back to the Future street looks like. Familiar to anyone else?

The famous house. I wonder if there’s a DeLorean in the garage.

Thanks, Mark, for this awesome Acura banner! It will go in the garage soon.

I spy! Check out that Silver Moon ILX Hybrid on Interstate 405. I spotted about half a dozen ILXs on the road during my travels in/around Los Angeles.

A couple of GPS screen shots to consider. It’s not uncommon to see 7-lane-wide freeways in LA. Each of the “up” arrows on my Garmin Nuvi meant that I was okay to be in any of the 5 center lanes.

What a mess of cities!

Lunch at Dinah’s in Culver City, famous for its fried chicken since 1959.

The place was bustling at noon on a Saturday.

Mushroom & Swiss = top notch.

Notice the “Culver City” signage in the background in my picture here with Vince. He knows a lot about the history of the area and its infrastructure.

Off to the beach. I actually took this picture so that I could remember where I had parked.

A little beach volleyball with Andrew, Jeff, and Rick.

Typical layout of homes in Manhattan Beach.

Sunset was phenomenal.

This is a tunnel that goes under the runways at LAX International Airport on Sepulveda Boulevard.

Venice, California, for this morning’s breakfast meet-up.

Which of these 18 different types of French toast would you pick?

I went with the Lemon Curd. It tasted as great as it looked.

Randy’s! It’s too bad I was already full of French toast or I would have eaten a donut. Or two or three.

Aaron’s custom ILX 2.4 liter at the 742 Motoring Car Show.

Not bad MPG’s on this old ride.

Sayonara until next time!

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ILX Visit to Palm Springs, California: Scott & Sandy’s Car Collection

Posted in California, ILX, Reader's Ride, Road Trip on March 9, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 528,906

Odometer (ILX): 69,807

Trip Distance: 562 Miles

Lydia’s glistening chrome bumper winked at me with a flash of reflective sunlight from the parking lot outside her garage. I approached her and admired her 225 inches of reflective Willow Mist metallic paint, highlighted by chrome trim that pierced my eyes with gleaming Palm Springs sunshine. Lydia was a sassy 1963 Buick Electra 225.

I gave the heavy driver’s door a tug and climbed inside, then took a deep breath while she transported me 51 years into the past. The switches, the fabrics, the smells — everything true and perfect according to factory-spec equipment. Then I looked down at the odometer showing only 20,223 miles. Lydia may have been half a century old, but it was as if her heart was that of a teenager.

You all know I get stir crazy if I don’t get out of the state often enough. I was way overdue for a long-distance drive since my last big one (trip to Utah) was a month ago. This time, I hopped in the Acura ILX and headed west instead of north. The destination? I was about to get an exclusive look at a classic car collection that belongs to my friends Scott and Sandy. And boy was I in for a treat.

My drive in the ILX was an easy one since Interstate 10 westbound would guide me to PSP from PHX without need for any other directions. I managed to pry myself away from the office a little early and set out on Friday afternoon toward a beautiful desert sunset. The next 5 hours were filled with music, contemplation, and some ILX photos / urban exploration as you saw from yesterday’s Drive to Five post.

Palm Springs is a desert oasis in southern California’s Coachella Valley. It’s home to fewer than 50,000 full-time residents but boasts a full roster of attractions that bring tourists year-round. Where else can you find a 26-foot-tall statue of Marilyn Monroe with a wind-ruffled dress?

Scott is a long-time friend of mine, but I think the last time I’d seen him was at the Metric Listening Event in Hollywood back in June 2012. Scott and I have a similar affinity for collecting automobiles. Our tastes, in fact, align on a couple of models specifically. Scott’s Formula Red 1992 Acura NSX is one example of real keeper that we both own and appreciate. His car’s production number, in fact, is just 26 digits off that of my NSX. However, the rest of his fleet is as diverse as they come – from a go-kart sized 1972 Honda Z600 to Lydia the Electra who nearly doubled the Honda’s length. I immediately felt at home in the 1965 Honda S600 Roadster.

After a brief tour of Scott and Sandy’s beautiful home, I rode with Scott in his Alfa Romeo to his storage location. As the large garage door rolled up, I realized I was standing before about 15 unique and rare vehicles. While the domestics and the Japanese were certainly well-represented, a couple of oddball cars rounded out the collection, including a 1985 Bertone Fiat X1/9. I had the distinct opportunity to drive several of the cars, so today I’ll share some of my impressions.

With its dash-mounted shift lever, the orange 1972 Honda Z600 struck me immediately as the ancestor to today’s Civic Si. Scott brought the 2-cylinder air-cooled engine to life with a few pumps of the engine primer. Yes, all 36 horses giddied-up enthusiastically. And for a car of that size, 36 is all it really takes! The clutch was stiff and it took a row or two through the gears to get acquainted with the 4-speed shift gate, but I felt right at home in that little rig in no time. The Z600 has a cozy cabin with no frills. Such simplicity is an attribute that I truly appreciate, especially in today’s world of driver assistance technology that goes so far that it often becomes invasive or detracts from a raw driving experience.

At the other end of the size spectrum, the 1966 Lincoln Continental was the first car I’ve ever driven with suicide doors. After watching its convertible top hide away mechanically in the trunk, I took the wheel and drove the 5,300 pound tank around the neighborhood. Except, it didn’t feel like it weighed nearly 3 tons. The car was remarkably light on its feet, and steering effort – well, let’s just say the car could be driven with just one pinky finger. For a big car, it had the skinniest steering wheel ever. It also seemed only fitting that Scott and I extended the retractable antenna and listened to an oldies station KWXY on the car’s AM radio while we cruised around Palm Springs. That drive was better than any history lesson I ever received in college.

My longest test-drive was in this 1977 Honda Civic CVCC. I love that Honda proudly badged the car “5-speed” on the rear hatch. Despite having sat for over a month, it purred flawlessly when Scott fired it up. The bright yellow coupe with a chrome bumper guard and roof rack grabbed a lot of attention on the road. The shifter and suspension performed so well that I would never believe they were parts of a nearly 40-year-old vehicle. It took me a minute to get used to the fact that there was no passenger sideview mirror. The CVCC brought a grin to my face as we drove it back from brunch.

Scott’s pride and joy is a green Honda N600 that was his first car. Though it sits half-covered up with expired plates and a flat tire, I could see the sparkle in his eye when he talked about the memories associated with that old Honda. He plans to treat that old car to a full restoration, and it won’t take much to get it back to showroom condition since like most California cars, the body is rust-free and the mechanicals are still solid.

Part of the intrigue about Scott and Sandy is that they gladly adopt vehicles that other car aficionados consider runts or outcasts. Consider the 1979 Mercury Bobcat (aka gussied-up Ford Pinto) in Tangerine paint with plaid seating and rally wheels, lovingly named Bob. Or the now-sold Cadillac Cimarron which proudly wore “WRSTCAD” license plates and won POS “Worst in Show” Concours d’LeMons. There’s something endearing about showing love for a car that nobody else seems to appreciate.

We closed the day out with a ride back to Scott’s place in the Emberglo Metallic (“don’t you dare call it brown!”) 1966 Mustang convertible with its potent 289 V8 and Pony Package. A classic Mustang is a true piece of Americana that every car collector should own at least once.

Huge thanks to Scott and Sandy for their incredible hospitality! Enjoy the rest of the pictures below, as well as a video showing start-up of a few of the cars in the collection.

Scott, Tyson, Sandy

Scott’s answer to, “How do you keep track of all the car keys?!”

1985 Honda CRX Si

1959 Mercury Park Lane

Mercury interior

No such thing as too much chrome here.

Meet Lydia, the Buick Electra from my opening paragraph.

And Lydia’s interior, complete with a dealer-installed tissue dispenser (the chrome box underneath the dash/glove compartment).

I loved the 1966 Lincoln dash with its driver-oriented instrument layout. Even the cruise control was set up as a dial. The speedometer worked like a thermometer, with a strip of numbers and a red bar that would extend across them to indicate the speed.

Suicide doors, anyone?

The car that needs no introduction. Just 45,000 miles on this 5-speed beauty. It’s also one of only 421 cars that were produced in this color /transmission combination for the year.

The Bertone X 1/9 is a mid-engine rig that’s in stunning condition for its age.

Along with the cars, Scott and Sandy have a lot of old literature and advertising.

Scott’s favorite (at least I kind of got that vibe) was the 1965 Honda S600 Coupe. Right hand drive. It was fun watching him squeeze into the driver’s seat before firing it up!

Front of the S600 Coupe.

Another S600 in the collection, this time a Roadster, started out as a project car but has finished beautifully. Scott showed me some ‘before’ pictures from a photo album.

“After”

Loved that there were unique switches on the dash for headlights and marker lights.

1976 Cadillac Seville – the first year for that model. This example has only 40,000 miles on it. It had a characteristic smell.

This 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III is literally one-of-a-kind. It’s the only one that was built in this configuration, color, and trim without a vinyl roof. The car stickered at $8,356 when it was new.

Bobcat interior – thanks Sandy for sending this, as I forgot to take one! That plaid is factory original!

Interior of the 1977 Civic. Exactly as it was intended to be, right down to the AM radio.

Here’s the 2-cylinder air-cooled engine that powers the Z600.

Taking the Z for a spin.

After our full day of test drives, I headed back to Phoenix but stopped in Blythe, California per Scott’s recommendation. For any who ever travel the Interstate 10 corridor, remember this place! It’s called Courtesy Diner and it’s a must-visit.

I was craving a grilled cheese and a bowl of homemade chili. Both hit the spot.

I even got a smiley face on my bill when the total came out to $10.01.

Hope you enjoyed coming along!

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Photoset: 2013 Acura ILX in the Arizona-California Desert Corridor

Posted in Arizona, California, Ghost Town, ILX, Road Trip on March 8, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (ILX): 69,800

“We seem to have a problem. We’re running low on petrol.” These words were spoken to me yesterday in broken English from a French tourist who had honked the horn of his white rental car to get my attention. I’d been minding my own business getting some quality sunset shots of the ILX at an abandoned service station when my focus was interrupted with a horn honk that nearly sent me jumping sky-high.

Unfortunately for my fellow traveler, Interstate 10 is a lonely place when it comes to services. The station we were standing in front of had been shuttered for easily a few decades. The metal Chevron pumps out front looked like they belonged in a museum somewhere – weathered examples of a motoring era years in the past.

“Well, you’re 40 miles from Blythe to the east,” I told him, “and probably 20 miles from Chiriaco Summit to the west.” As the sun continued to dip lower on the horizon, I could sense the urgency in his voice as he debated his options. I encouraged him to continue toward Blythe. His Nissan Versa couldn’t possibly need more than a gallon and a half to go those 40 miles, right? I now wonder if he was able to make it.

Today I’ll share a few of the pictures from my drive toward California yesterday in the 2013 Acura ILX.

First up, how could I have passed by this roadside attraction so many times in the past and never stopped to appreciate it? A stagecoach stop that bears my own first name. Located in Quartzsite at the far western end of Interstate 10 in Arizona, Tyson’s Well dates back to the 1870s and provided traveler accommodations.

Just down the road, the Tyson Mobile Home & RV Park greeted me with a larger-than-life sign with my name on it.

I’m ready to move right on in.

And finally, that fated location where my French friend pulled off the interstate in hopes of finding his petrol. Well, he wasn’t going to find any at this 24-hour service station. In fact, I’m pretty sure this one was a “zero”-hour service station in Desert Center, California. The pumps were long gone.

Down the road, the Family Cafe lingered as a memory of days gone by. Miraculously, vandals have left the old fuel equipment alone and all the building’s windows remained intact.

Red, white, and blue. These must have looked nice when they were fresh & new.

I could sure have gone for a gourmet meal, but I think the kitchen’s closed.

I suppose you could take a picnic lunch, though, since this old wooden table out front appeared serviceable.

Think they sold 91 octane here?

A bit further west down the old frontage road (which pre-dated I-10 by a long shot), I found a third abandoned station. A skeleton of what was once the sign out front doesn’t give us any clues about the brand of fuel that was sold here.

I stepped inside for a look at the amenities.

Windows were broken out, but by golly, the view was stunning. Better than the view from my office, in fact. Maybe I could telecommute from Desert Center?

Great fixer-upper!

One-stop shopping.

The old wooden guard rails on this bridge could use a new coat of paint.

Nighttime took over as I continued westbound.

Come back tomorrow for a detailed look at one of the most eclectic car collections I’ve ever visited, in Palm Springs, California. You’re going to want to see this!

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