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Albuquerque, New Mexico

Posted in Legend, NALM, New Mexico, Road Trip on July 19, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 481,989 miles

Trip mileage: 925 miles

This room at Motel 6 in lovely ABQ sure smells like a smoker’s room even though I asked for non. Oh well! It’s a (hopefully clean!) bed after a long night on the road. My friend Kevin (aka “staff photographer”) is joining me for the ride to Oklahoma City and then he’ll fly back to Phoenix. I’m enjoying the company. We departed PHX around 4 p.m. and made great time getting out here. The elevation gain between PHX and Flagstaff got us into some typical July monsoon thunderstorms and I had to crank up the windshield wipers for the first time in several weeks.

Departing PHX. Kevin holds up this year’s Nat’l Lampoons Christmas Vacation ornament which he just picked up – complete with Clark Griswold’s Taurus and a tree mounted up top.

Getting onto I-40 from I-17 northbound in Flagstaff. Albuquerque here we come!

A pit stop in FLG and we were eastbound on Interstate 40. Surprisingly the freeway was nearly completely devoid of 18 wheelers tonight so the open road allowed us to cruise right along. First order of business was a mandatory check-in at a site equally as thrilling as the world’s largest ball of twine: Meteor Crater. This hole in the ground is 4,000 feet in diameter and dates back 50,000 years. Enough reason for us to pull off the interstate for a photo-op.

From there our next roadside attraction must-see was Jackrabbit Trading Post just west of Winslow, Arizona. This relic of old Route 66 is still in business (though it was closed for the day when we rolled past). The noteworthy “Here It Is” sign is a symbol of history and was featured, for example, in the original Cars movie set in Radiator Springs. A definite highlight of tonight’s trip was when the theme song for an old cartoon, Tiny Toon Adventures, came on my iPod. Kevin and I both belted the words without missing a beat at full volume. That definitely dated us both. Left me laughing for a few minutes.

Dinner in Holbrook, Arizona was at what HAS to be the world’s oldest Dairy Queen. This place has a neon flashing sign and a drive thru that only accommodates two cars, where you both order and pick-up at the same window. The cherry dipped ice cream cone was a welcome indulgence while Kevin and I sat roadside and enjoyed the perfect evening temps.

Great rearview sunset and a partial rainbow above the mirror.

From there it was about 80 miles until we crossed into New Mexico.

All is well in Legend Land. The old clunker is happy to be enjoying the open road, as am I. Signing out from ABQ!

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Pacific to Atlantic

Posted in California, Legend, NALM, Road Trip on July 18, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 481,466

Yesterday afternoon I was cruising along southbound Interstate 5 in southern California enjoying oceanside views and within a few days, I’ll be just as close to the ocean on the complete opposite side of the country. The trusty old Legend once again endured a trip across the barren desert of western Arizona to sunny SoCal. I picked up my roommate Rustin at a hotel he’d been staying at in Newport Beach, but not without first fighting some of Los Angeles’ classic gridlock. It’s always amazing how a six or seven lane freeway can be stop and go on a weekend for no apparent reason. That’s what I encountered on the 91 and 55. Things finally opened up a bit along the 5. There’s the Pacific to the right.

From Newport, it was southbound to America’s Finest City (and my favorite, if you haven’t noticed, to visit): San Diego. It was a great night of cooler temps and some quality time with friends. I’m loving my new Garmin Nuvi and I’m not quite sure how I ever lived without it. The trip meter was reset upon departure from southern California this morning and now reads 460 miles. I consider my trip to the east coast as already begun. Tonight is just a pit stop at home before a quick shift at work tomorrow and a departure in the afternoon.

My already-bullseyed windshield sustained a crack at some point today on Interstate 10 eastbound that seems to be spreading pretty quickly. Before I know it, my line of sight may be obstructed. I’ll wait until after this trip to have a new windshield put in. At least for right now the crack is hidden behind the rearview mirror.

First fuel stop – Beaumont, CA. $4.05 for 91 octane.

I consider the car ready to go – it’s myself that I’m most worried about preparing. It’s been a long time since I had to pack 10 days worth of apparel for a trip. Along with the standard items that always roll around in my trunk (extra gallon of Honda-spec “Type 2” coolant, spare quart of oil) I’ll be taking not one but TWO full size spare tires. The Michelins on the coupe now have probably already seen 50-55,000 miles of use. They’re great tires and have plenty of tread left, but for peace of mind I’ll pack the spares. Of all the mechanical parts on the car I’d be most worried about my original clutch having another 5,000 left in it. Nice thing is – this trip is a TON of freeway driving. I probably caused more wear & tear on the clutch in yesterday’s LA traffic than I will between here and the east coast.

I’ll make every effort to post nightly updates as to my whereabouts and happenings. Here’s a last shot of the coupe with its twin brother as I get started loading up.

Bon voyage!

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Epic Roadtrip Planning

Posted in Legend, NALM, Road Trip on July 13, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 480,380

I know! I’ve been slacking on the mileage accumulation. Truth is, I’ve been sick for the last week and that’s kept me from getting out & about.

I can’t believe I’m a week away from taking my east coast roadtrip already. Since February, I’ve been planning to make the voyage to Morristown, New Jersey for this year’s National Acura Legend Meet. Each year for the last 7 years, I’ve had the chance to rendezvous with other Acura-crazy enthusiasts for a multiple day event that’s held in a different part of the country. My Legend coupe is the only one to have driven to every single NALM since the event was launched in 2005. I’ve been to meets in Dallas, Tulsa, Las Vegas, Chattanooga, Branson, and Salt Lake City. This year’s host city is Morristown.

Here’s a picture of our group from NALM 2010 in Salt Lake at a local dealership, Jody Wilkinson Acura, that graciously hosted our group for a BBQ. I’m standing with my car in the center up on the elevated concrete walkway. At the time, I had Acura TSX wheels on the coupe.

I had the privilege of meeting Jody Wilkinson himself and he was extremely hospitable throughout our group’s visit (pictured at left here).

So the planning begins… I finally broke down today and ordered a GPS unit. Hundreds of thousands of miles relying on Google Maps, hard copy printouts, handwritten addresses, and huge atlases, and I’m just now starting to incorporate an electronic travel tool that I’m sure will make my trip a lot easier. I ended up going with the Garmin Nuvi 1390LMT unit with a 4.3 inch screen and free lifetime map updates. I’ll be getting my money’s worth out of this baby!

My tentative route is as follows. I’ve got a ton of people to see along the way so this could lead to some detours. Bottom line: 5,000 miles in 9 days. I’m a bit insane. I’ll depart after work next Tuesday the 19th. Internet connection permitting, I’ll try to post daily updates as to my whereabouts and adventures as I traverse the nation.

Tentative NALM schedule. I’ll likely only make it to part of the Friday & Saturday events.

More updates to come!

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Camping

Posted in Arizona, Legend, Road Trip on June 26, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 479,785

You’d think a clean freak like me would lose sleep over taking my pride and joy on a dirt road. Such is not the case!

I just rolled back into town from the second annual campout with a great group of friends. We take the opportunity once a year to escape the PHX area’s soaring temps and pitch our tents up on the Mogollon Rim east of Payson, Arizona off Hwy 260. Rising to about 7,000 feet elevation, the comfortable weather makes it a great place to catch some fresh air and get away from the bustle of the city.

My friend Nick took the “shotgun” seat and we spent 2 hours getting from my driveway to our group’s campsite off Forest Road 300 near Woods Canyon Lake. The last 8 miles of our trip were on dirt roads. Aside from some washboard ruts, the roads are well maintained and I was still able to cruise along at 25-35 mph without too much issue. The real inconvenience was when we’d pass someone coming the opposite direction and breathe their cloud of dust for the next few minutes. My air filter hates me right now!

The trusty Legend made the trip flawlessly and fired right up first thing this morning when it was time to make the return trip.

This is after we made the last turn off the main dirt road and to creep down a narrow one-laner to our final campsite. Don’t try to bring a lowered suspension vehicle out here! Even on stock height suspension I was nervous about a couple dips & rocks in the roadway.

Nick strikes a pose upon arrival.

Last night’s sunset as seen from our campsite.

Off to the coin-op pressure wash I go!

Santa Monica Boulevard

Posted in California, Legend, Road Trip on June 19, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 479,118

Twelve hours in the car for an hour long visit with friends and then a brief visit to the beach? Yes, please. Most rational people wouldn’t dream of driving all the way from Phoenix to Los Angeles and back in a day, but then again, perhaps I’m a little crazy anyway. Yesterday’s day trip was one of the most easiest routes I’ve had to navigate. I can hop on I-10 just a few miles from my home and stay on the same interstate all the way until the 4th Street exit in Santa Monica which is within walking distance of the beach & the pier. Who needs air travel!

My A/C blower motor is officially toast, so this was a windows & moonroof-down trip for me. Aside from a headache caused by the wind buffeting and some warm temps on the way home tonight, it wasn’t all that uncomfortable. At least the weather in southern California was 70’s and perfect as usual.

I’ve done the trip to LA so many times that I have my “standard” stops along the way. I’ll usually fuel up at 339th Avenue which is just west of the PHX metro area near Tonopah, then again at the Washington Street exit in Indio. Easy on, easy off. I should also mention that there are two things I pick up at the convenience store during each and every road trip: A vanilla flavored Starbucks bottled drink, and a blue packaged Rice Krispy Treat. Gotta have ’em.

First stop in Santa Monica was a Legend meet where I rendezvoused with some good friends for car talk.

After lunch and a visit to the beach, I headed eastbound. This leg took longer because of typical southern California traffic. Here’s a shot of the gridlock on I-10 just prior to the 405 junction. Messy! I ended up taking the 10 to the 5 north to the 143 to the 210 to the 57 and down to the 10 again. In the end, my return trip still only took me a little over 6 hours even after the delays.

Two more pictures from the drive home. The first captures one of my favorite features on the 91-95 Acura Legend coupe: operational rear windows. Backseat riders always get a kick out of the fact that the little windows go down. Handy for air circulation! This picture was also taken during my absolute favorite time of the day to drive, just before dark. Dusk in the desert is one of the most serene, beautiful settings.

And a shot at the rest area about 60 miles east of Quartzsite. I was the only person there. Great sunset.

SoCal Adventure

Posted in California, Legend, Road Trip on June 7, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 477,043

Looks like it’s already been about 10,000 miles since I started the blog and I’m creeping ever closer to the half million mark.

Life is a highway! And I spent this weekend riding that highway. Specifically, Interstate 8 which parallels the Mexican border all the way from Phoenix to southern California. I trekked to San Diego for the Rock & Roll Half Marathon. The trust old Legend made the trip without a hiccup, including a steep grade on the westbound leg that rises from sea level to about 4,100 feet within a matter of 15 miles or so. There are places alongside that stretch of interstate with signs marked “Radiator Water” for any unfortunate automobilers who might need it.

I took the chance while in the area to zip up the I-5 and say hello to my friend Tom and his mom who are visiting that area from Connecticut for a week-long vacation. Tom is a long-time friend and fellow Acura fanatic, so we snagged an obligatory driveway photoshoot at the beautiful home in Lake Forest (Orange County) that his family is renting during their stay.

Aside from some expected traffic delays dealing (and parking headache!) with the marathon event and its 20,000+ participants in downtown San Diego, travel throughout the weekend was painless. It did hurt a little to pay $4.49/gallon for premium fuel at Shell in Jacumba, CA on the return leg. Just for kicks, I checked my fuel mileage and had only been getting 25 mpg or so, but this was with windy conditions, 80 mph on the cruise control, and A/C full blast. Maintenance wise – nothing noted since the last oil change. For convenience’s sake, I had the last one performed at Acura North Scottsdale which is right near my office. “My” service advisor there, Summer, always incorporates a coupon into my total bill even though I’ve never had to print one off the website. $36.35 including tax and I was out the door and on the road.

Here’s a shot from Fountain Hills after work today on the way home. Buggy front end but she still looks decent from a distance.

Tombstone

Posted in Arizona, Legend, Road Trip on May 9, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 474,031

My friend Kevin and I took a trip back in time yesterday to a town in southeastern Arizona that’s notorious for its history in the Wild West: Tombstone. It’s a town, appropriately, of “Ghosts and Legends” as noted in this sign I had to capture during our visit.

Tombstone is home to daily gunfight reenactments at the O.K. Corral. Today, the town of 1600 residents survives primarily on tourism since it’s so far removed from civilization and is basically in the middle of nowhere in the Arizona desert. Not the place to break down in a 500,000 mile car! But we made the round trip safely and in the comfort of A/C and with good music along the way. Kevin and I belted Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” at one point and put the car’s Bose speakers to full use. Here’s a little more light reading on the town of Tombstone itself:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombstone,_Arizona

It took Kevin and I about 3 hours to get there from the Phoenix metro area, via Interstate 10 eastbound and through Tucson. We enjoyed the sights and sounds of the old west for a little while (and fantastic root beer floats) and then continued on our way to Sierra Vista, Fort Huachuca, and back to I-10 for the return leg of our trip. Here are a few photos from our half-day adventure.

Entrance to town from the north side of town on Arizona Hwy 80:

And a shot at Wyatt Earp’s Old Tombstone village:

Just prior to the trip, I got a $47 full service oil change (no coupon this time!) at Acura of Tempe with 5W30 oil. I caught the technician JUST as he was about to pull the car into the automatic wash after completing the work. I never have them wash the car. I’ll handle that on my own, thank you! The notes on my paperwork indicate that everything checks out with the exception of a burned out front left marker light bulb and inoperative washer fluid nozzles (they’ve been broken since 2008). The tech recommended a power steering flush and a transmission service, which is odd since I just had them change the MT fluid on my last visit at 467k.

The temps in Phoenix continue to creep up and we’re into triple digit territory already this year. Welcome to oven mitt weather! Let’s see how the old Legend fares through another Arizona summer. A/C blows ice cubes so for that I’m grateful.

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Grand Canyon

Posted in Arizona, Legend, Road Trip on May 2, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 473,108

Roadtrip weekend! Had a couple of new adventures in the old Legend. On Saturday I delivered a set of wheels to my friend Tommy who met up with me in Indio, California – a short 4 hour drive each way from Phoenix.

This morning, I picked up 3 friends (Matt, matt’s mom Mahnaz, and Linh) and we headed northbound to the forested mountains of Arizona. The 2 door was surprisingly accommodating for all of us and it made the ascent from Phoenix’s 1,000 feet to Flagstaff’s 7,000 foot elevation without too much complaining. I had to spend a fair amount of time in 5th gear through the 65 mph grades on Interstate 17. From Flag, we motored westbound to the tiny old town of Williams right off I-40. The Grand Canyon Railway took us to the south rim of the park where we enjoyed a few hours of the sights before catching the return southbound train. Visitors from the park appeared to range in background from so many different countries. Those of us who are local take for granted that the park with its 1-mile deep ravines is in our own backyard.

By the time we got back to the depot at Williams it was 5:30 p.m. or so, and we squeezed back into the Legend for the 188 mile return trip to the Phoenix area. Home in Scottsdale now and still haven’t fueled up so I’m pushing 400+ miles on this tank and the fuel reserve light still hasn’t illuminated. Not bad! Though the downgrade from FLG-PHX definitely helps aid MPG. Another successful journey and the Ac didn’t skip a beat.

Mahnaz, Matt, Linh, and me at the wheel on I-17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff

This was our set of wheels for the last leg of the trip to the Grand Canyon: A train operated by the Grand Canyon Railway. Not as nimble as an Acura but a lot more leg room for our party of 4!

Welcome

Finally the obligatory shot of the park today.

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Easter Car Show

Posted in Legend, Road Trip, Utah on April 25, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 471,722

Every year for the last 8 years, I’ve attended a car show held in the town of Hurricane, in the southwestern corner of Utah. It’s an Easter weekend tradition. I’ve entered a few different cars over the years but the high mileage coupe has been shown at least 3 or 4 times.

My friend Branson and his dad Don have been restoring a 1965 Ford Mustang for the last couple of years and they drove down from Salt Lake City to enter it in its first show, so I decided to throw the old Legend in the show one more time. Despite the clear coat fade and some rock chips that even the bra can’t cover up, the car cleans up pretty well for its age and mileage! I displayed the original window sticker, a printout of my maintenance worksheet, and swapped out the dirty “daily” floor mats for a new-in-the-box set that have never been stepped on. The night before the sh0w, I also installed a set of 19″ Racing Hart C2 wheels that I picked up many years ago and use for shows and special occasions.

This particular car show is dominated largely by classics & muscle cars, but the Legend got plenty of attention and was well received. It’s interesting how the car seems to attract people from all age ranges. I talked with one woman who wished she’d “Never sold the Legend!” because her newer Acura wasn’t nearly as fun to drive. The old Legend ended up taking home 2nd place in the Import class. Branson and Don won 3rd place in the “1973 & Older Mustang” class. Much deserved recognition! Congratulations to them.

Here Branson and I are pictured with our trophies and cars after the show, at Pioneer Park in St. George, Utah.

Today I returned from St. George to Phoenix via Las Vegas (~400 mi) and it was smooth sailing with minimal traffic. I had a FULL car. In addition to my suitcase and some other misc stuff, I was hauling the four Racing Hart wheels/tires (in bags in the back seat) and a set of four 17″ TL Type-S wheels that I was transporting for a friend. The coupe’s interior capacity is quite impressive! Just north of Wickenburg, AZ at milepost 193 on US 93, I was pulled over and issued a warning for a window tint violation. Can’t survive in Arizona without window tint!

Most recent maintenance was an oil change at Acura North Scottsdale at 470,500 miles before this Utah trip. There was no inspection provided at the time so I can only assume that the maintenance issues are status quo from last time. Car still starts, runs, drives like a champ.

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London Bridge

Posted in Arizona, Legend, Road Trip on April 10, 2011 by tysonhugie

Odometer: 470,011

Yesterday morning, I visited one of the many local pick-and-pull salvage yards to scout out some car parts for a friend of mine. I always enjoy wandering through the lanes of vehicle hulks – some have lived long lives; others were cannibalized young. It’s interesting to try and figure out what each one has been through and how it met its ultimate fate. Of the five 91-95 Legends that I saw in this particular yard, the highest odometer was 224,000. Such a shame to see, especially knowing that these vehicles are capable of so much more.

The Legend achieved the 470k mark last night around 10 p.m. on the eastbound I-10 and Loop 202 interchange in central Phoenix, Arizona, returning from a trip to Laka Havasu City, Arizona.

AZ history lesson: The 1831 London Bridge that spanned the River Thames was dismantled in the 1960’s, brought to America, and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City in western Arizona.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge_%28Lake_Havasu_City%29

In this weekend’s adventure I enjoyed an easy 211 mile drive each way to the landmark. Rain and wind in Phoenix gave way to partly cloudy skies and a gorgeous sunset out at Lake Havasu. From Interstate 10, the rest of the drive is largely on a 2-laner and the scenery is great.

Checking out the bridge.

Driving across the bridge.

This might be the best time to explain why there’s a signature on my dashboard — it’s the first thing people ask about when they ride in my car. That signature belongs to Japanese automotive designer Shigeru Uehara. He pioneered the development of the Honda/Acura NSX and the Honda S2000. I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Uehara in September 2010 at an event held at Honda America’s corporate office in Torrance, California. At that time, I’d been invited as a VIP guest for a Honda S2000 “Homecoming” event at which he spoke:

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