Check it out – an impromptu Acura ILX meet at a mall parking lot in New Jersey earlier this week. My friend Chris said he saw the opportunity to park its car next to a couple of siblings, so he took advantage of the photo opportunity.
Cool to see how Bellanova White, Silver Moon, and Polished Metal all compare in the real world. Thanks Chris for sharing!
This week, we’re turning back the clock just a little over a decade. I was 22 years old and proudly driving my 1994 Legend LS coupe that had only 120,000 miles on it. Somehow one day, we ended up with all my family’s cars parked out in front of the house on the street. Maybe dad was cleaning out the garage? He’s the only person I’ve ever known to mop the garage floor on his hands and knees. It’s no wonder I ended up with obsessive compulsive disorder.
St. George, Utah. Here’s what our lineup looked like in December 2003.
1996 Toyota Tacoma 4×4 5-speed – Dad’s
1997 Acura 3.2 TL – Mom’s
1994 Acura Legend LS Coupe 6-speed – Mine
1992 Toyota Pickup 4×4 5-speed – Bentley’s
1986 Acura Legend Base Sedan 5-speed – Payton’s
Of all those vehicles, my Legend is the only one that’s still in the family today. Dad’s Tacoma was traded out for a black 2004. Mom’s TL was sold when she got a black RL. Bentley rolled his pickup on its side and ended up getting into diesel pickups. And Payton went to a Maxima and eventually an IS300.
It’s been fun to see the evolution of my family’s car choices over the years. Our Honda driveway started out something like this in 1998, with my 1989 Prelude Si, my brother 1984 Civic S, mom’s 1993 Legend, and a project 1988 Legend.
November 2004 – Payton’s 1996 Nissan Maxima, Bentley’s 2001 Lexus IS300, and my “winter beater” 1991 Acura Legend. (The 1994 coupe was stored away while I attended school at Utah State).
By 2006, my brothers have moved into trucks. Pictured here was mom’s 2000 Acura 3.5 RL, Payton’s 1997 Toyota Tacoma, my 1994 Legend, and Bentley’s 2004 Dodge Ram. Monster truck madness.
The trucks kept getting bigger. In January 2009, brother Bentley had a 2008 Ford F-250 Powerstroke that matched the Milano Red paint on my mom’s 1994 Legend LS coupe perfectly.
I’ll have to see if I can get current pictures of some of the family rides together this summer. What’s in your family’s driveway today?
Tooting my own horn a little: On Tuesday night, I went to a meeting with the local automotive journalist group, called the Phoenix Automotive Press Association (“PAPA“). After some presentations, we saddled up in these karts and tore up the track for 10 minutes.
I ended up placing 2nd out of 8 participants. And Tim, the winner, was an SCCA-level (Sports Car Club of America) professional driver! So I didn’t feel bad at all losing to him. Haha. These karts were sweet – all electric, and FAST.
I might have gone a little heavy on the throttle on the way home after having floored that kart around the corners for 14 laps.
Finally, a little update on my story about the ILX roadtrip to Castle Hot Springs from a few weeks ago. Remember how the long-since-closed resort northwest of Phoenix was going up for auction? Well, apparently it did find a buyer. Stay tuned for further developments. Thanks, Leif, for the info!
I’m off to Los Angeles tomorrow for the weekend. Safe travels to one and all.
Posted in SLX, Throwback on March 18, 2014 by tysonhugie
Odometer (Legend): 529,013
Odometer (ILX): 70,563
Congrats, Dad, on hitting 111,111 miles today in your 2010 Hyundai Sonata! You’ve taught me well. Err, vice versa.
Those of you who follow automotive industry news have already learned about some strategic business & operational changes at Acura headquarters these days. A new business unit, headed by Erik Berkman from Honda R&D, was formed with the intent of focusing on making improvements to the sedan lineup. Then just a week or so ago, Acura’s Sales & Marketing efforts were further differentiated from the parent Honda company with Mike Accavitti at the helm of the Acura side.
The company’s SUV lineup – 3-row MDX (new for 2014 model year) and 2-row RDX (new for 2013 model year) have been undisputed home runs from a sales perspective. In fact, SUV sales now account for greater than 60% of the Acuras that are making their way into buyers’ garages.
It wasn’t always that way. Back in the mid-1990’s, Acura was first and foremost a sedan automaker. But SUV market was picking up speed, and fast. Acura made a bold move and did something that would get them into that market with urgency: It rebadged an already-existing SUV as one of its own. The Isuzu Trooper was a long-time favorite of outdoors enthusiasts, so Acura made its own version.
Have you ever even heard of the Acura SLX? Probably not. In 1996, Acura sold 108,008 vehicles. Only 2,565 of those were SLX models. Isn’t it interesting how the tables have turned in the last 18 years and the Acura SUV lineup has overtaken the sedans as the breadwinners? I present to you, the Fall/Winter 1995 cover of Acura Driver magazine:
SLX was touted as “The Most Civilized Way to Leave Civilization.”
And how about these taglines?
“Designed for Drivers with a Well-Developed Sense of Adventure – And an Equally Well-Developed Sense of Taste.”
“Tough Enough to Go from Paris to Dakar. Elegant Enough for Those Who’d Prefer Simply to Stay in Paris.”
SLX was far from a star performer on the sales floor, but it got Acura’s foot into the SUV door and paved the way for today’s MDX crossover. Despite getting a slight cosmetic refresh in 1998, SLX sales declined all the way until the MDX came onto the scene in 2000. That first 1996 SLX was powered by a 190-horsepower, 3.2 liter DOHC V6 engine. The automatic transmission featured a winter mode that would start in 3rd gear to lessen wheelspin on slippery surfaces. Shift-on-the-fly 4-wheel-drive was an innovative feature for its time.
The SLX wasn’t the only child of the Honda-Isuzu relationship. You might also remember the Isuzu Passport / Honda Rodeo twins. In all, the SLX shared its truck-like platform with a total of 8 other vehicles in that first generation:
Acura SLX
Chevrolet Trooper
Isuzu Bighorn
Holden Jackaroo
Holden Monterey
Honda Horizon
Opel Monterey
Subaru Bighorn
Vauxhall Monterey
Unlike the Trooper, though, the SLX only came with an automatic transmission and only came with one engine choice — the 3.2 liter from 1996-1997, and the 3.5 liter from 1998-1999. The SLX was branded as “Not Acceptable” by Consumer Reports for its first two model years due to a high rollover tendency.
I recently snagged some original factory literature on the SLX and I was amused at some of the advertising for this vehicle.
SAFARI-SIZED MOONROOF: Whether you’re appreciating the towering skyscrapers of Manhattan or the spectacular granite faces of Yosemite, the expansive, power-operated moonroof of the SLX affords both front and rear passengers a breathtaking panoramic view of the great outdoors.
Plush interior.
Also, here in 1996 was when we first saw Acura shifting from the named models (Legend, Vigor) to an alphanumeric nomenclature (RL, TL). This snippet from that same Fall / Winter 1995 Acura Driver magazine talks about the transition.
Perhaps my favorite option on the SLX was this one:
Whether you’re heading to the sweltering wastes of Death Valley or exploring the tundra of the Arctic Circle, the SLX can be fully equipped to help you handle any navigational or climactic challenge. A new electronic multi-meter combines a compass, altimeter, thermometer, and barometer into a single, easy-to-read, liquid-crystal display.
Nowadays those types of gizmos come standard on a Corolla. Check out those 70/30 split rear doors.
Only 4 exterior colors to choose from here. And none of them were particularly exciting.
But the bottom line is: I want one! It would be a fun conversation piece if nothing else. And I want a circular driveway like this to park it in.
Hope you enjoyed the history lesson!
I got some service reminder coupons in the mail this week. Every time Acura sends these out, I get 3.
I decided to break in a new (to me) Nikon D90 camera and get a few sunset pictures of my ILX and a friend’s TL on Friday night. You first met Devan and his 2006 TL back in October. The TL is equipped with the Tech Package and finished in a brilliant Alabaster Silver paint. We think my Silver Moon ILX paint may be just a tiny bit lighter in color than the Alabaster. Devan’s car has 81,000 miles on it and runs great. These pictures were taken at Papago Park near the Tempe / Phoenix border.
In the background is “Hole in the Rock” — an area where visitors can hike up to a natural sandstone opening in the rock and admire the view. After eight years of living in the PHX area, I still haven’t hiked that.
Devan and I both have the ‘Agriculture’ vanity license plate option on our Acuras. Its black & white design compliments a silver car well.
You may notice that Devan has also done some subtle updates to the nose of his TL with some Plasti-Dip treatment on the front grille.
A closer look:
Face-off. For having debuted a full 10 years ago, the 3rd generation TL design still looks modern today.
Nice looking pair of Acuras. I wonder how long it’ll take me to pass Devan up in mileage?
As a professional detailer, Devan takes great pride in keeping his Acura immaculate. Follow his work on @dnaautodetailing on Instagram or on his Facebook page. Just view that interior:
Now, usually when I post interior pics, I crop out door jambs because they are unsightly and dirty. I intentionally left Devan’s pictured here because they are JUST SO CLEAN.
It was a great Arizona evening. We are blessed with great sunsets nightly.
Finally, a couple of solo shots. I do love those LED tails on the TL.
The ILX had received a bath, too, so it was looking rather nice in the evening light.
Thanks Devan for meeting up! Keep rolling that beautiful TL.
This weekend I’ve got family in town and I stuck around the Phoenix area. My cousin Logan plays for the Williston State College Tetons baseball team, based out of Willison, North Dakota. I went over to watch his team play a game at Chandler-Gilbert Community College on Saturday.
Perfect weather for a ballgame!
With uncle Dart and aunt Wendy.
I also did a bit more urban exploration. Many of you will remember last April when I took a drive on Gates Pass in Tucson, Arizona and visited Old Tucson Studios. On the way back from that trip, I stopped an abandoned Nickerson Farms Restaurant in Picacho Peak, about halfway between Tucson and Phoenix.
April 14, 2013 – Notice the roof of the building still intact, despite having been out of operation since 1979.
March 15, 2014 – The entire red roof of the building has now collapsed and the building is taped off with caution tape. The entire surroundings are covered in “No Trespassing” signs (unlike last year) so I didn’t dare take a peek inside this time.
Another look from the front of the building
And looking from the south side
If it has to do with abandoned buildings, ghost towns, or anything of that sort, you know I’m interested! Just point me in the right direction and throw me a camera.
Posted in Throwback on March 13, 2014 by tysonhugie
Odometer (Legend): 528,959
Odometer (ILX): 70,056
Be Kind, Please Rewind. Hit the rewind button on that VCR because we’re motoring way back this time. Say, 25 years ago or so. I’d already put 100,000 miles on this Big Wheel at grandma’s house in Logan, Utah. I drove it so erratically I’d somehow managed to make its plastic front tire completely out-of-round. I loved peeling out and skidding to a stop.
Soon it was time to upgrade to a real bike. Before my “car days,” I loved bicycling as much as I love automobile travel — and for the same reasons: independence, mobility, and opportunity for adventure. I’d hop on my old Huffy pictured below (with mismatched tires, mind you!) and cruise the neighborhood in Logan aimlessly.
Circa 1989 – I would’ve been 7 or so at the time. Let’s make special note of those stonewashed jeans and the fact that my T-shirt was several sizes too large.
That bike (“The Wave” as I remember the model name being) ended up getting backed over by my dad’s truck when I inadvertently left it sitting in the driveway one night. Soon, though, I upgraded to a new one.
August 1990 – First Day of School at Hillcrest Elementary with my younger brother Bentley (he’s in the red pants).
Later on, I saved up my money and bought a $300 Specialized Hard Rock about 21 years ago. It was a teal green color and I outfitted it with a water bottle holder and a speedometer. That bike was my pride and joy. Such a proud purchase, in fact, that I used to wax the frame and clean the rim spokes by hand frequently. Believe it or not (and something tells me you will believe it if you know me well enough) I also kept track of the maintenance I did to it and I saved the original owner’s manual and associated paperwork for many years after the bike was long gone.
Along the way, there were other wheeled toys that came and went, like this purple and gray 1992 Yamaha Badger ATV that found its way into our front living room one Christmas day.
Some of us always have to be on the go!
My life forever changed on November 19, 1997 when I got my Utah State Office of Education “Driver Practice Permit” (pictured below). A month later, I got my full-blown license, and the rest is history.
Of course, I wasn’t always riding in style those early days. I drove an old American family sedan called a Celebrity. But it didn’t matter. I loved that car for the same reason I loved my bikes.
The Legend coupe got its turn at the dealership today. It had only been 2,122 miles since my last oil change almost 6 months ago in late August. I need to drive that car more often! My service advisor, Dana, did mention that there are some leaks we should probably address and the brakes are about halfway used up, but no other serious items of concern.
Having been ‘raised’ on 3,000 mile clockwork oil changes with my Legend, I’m really digging the fact that I don’t have to visit the dealership that often anymore with the ILX. Sure, the service advisors and amenities are top notch and I enjoy my visits, but the fact that I can go for 3+ months and (in this case) 8,580 miles on a single oil change is pretty dang awesome when you’re a busy person like me. I was $120 out the door for a “B13” service – 0W20 synthetic oil (my car’s 12th oil change), tire rotation, and an engine air filter.
As I was sitting in the lounge catching up on some work, my advisor Dana came up with me with my old air filter in a plastic bag and an eyebrow raised just slightly. “I think we’re going to want to change this one,” she said while showing me the filter’s black grilles. I smirked a little, “Yeah, I did a little off-roading. Go ahead and change it.” I guess that dirt-road trip to Castle Hot Springs a few weeks ago caught up to me after all.
Back on the road I went!
Today, I introduce you to my friend Jason Richmond. Along with so many of us, Jason is a committed enthusiast to the Honda and Acura brands. In fact, he took his brand loyalty so far as to create a special YouTube channel, Facebook page, and Instagram account dedicated to sharing news and features on “all things Honda.” It’s no wonder Jason prefers to go by HondaPro Jason.
His YouTube channel has amassed 10,000 subscribers and his Facebook page about 20,000 followers. Jason knows a thing or two about keeping his fans happy. He definitely appreciates a high-mileage car, too. As of last December, his own 1997 Civic EX coupe had 212,000 miles on the odometer when he sent me this picture.
And it still looks pretty dang nice for the year & mileage! A true testament to his care & maintenance.
Jason launched a contest recently wherein he asked his followers to accurately match a picture of an Acura Legend’s odometer to its famous owner. Of course, I knew right away he had posted about Ludacris. And I won a sticker! So thanks, Jason, for sending my winnings right on over! I installed my prize, this “Don’t Hate” sticker, on my 1992 NSX a few days ago.
For anyone who wants to get in touch with Jason, he’s at thehondapro@sbcglobal.net and he’s based at Schaumburg Honda in Schaumburg, Illinois.
In today’s other news:
You’ve all been introduced to my friend Cody and his 1993 Acura Legend L Sedan 5-Speed. My 2013 Acura ILX, by the way, has already surpassed Cody’s 22-year-old Legend in miles!
With the intent of sharing the story of cars and their drivers, Cody has launched a blog of his own. It’s called Random Drive.
Cody invites his readers from near and far to share their own stories of vehicle ownership. For some of us, a vehicle is far more than an A-to-B source of transport. It’s a friend, a travel companion, and a source of great pride. Be sure and click “Share Your Story” to submit yours.
Every car and driver has a story to tell and I want to hear and share yours! The vehicles that we use everyday are such an integral part of our lives and I think that each and everyone should be shared in a fun way. Help me share your vehicles history and story!
Cody recently featured a story on his old “junkyard find” 1997 Cadillac Catera, and he’s bound to have more fun car adventures to share. Add this one to the (growing) list of other blogs you all need to check out and subscribe to.
Fun final fact: Last Thursday at around 5:00 p.m. was the first time in the 21 months that I’ve been driving my ILX that I actually pulled up at a stoplight next to one. This was in Fountain Hills, Arizona on Shea Boulevard eastbound. The girl with big sunglasses in the Bellanova White Pearl ILX wouldn’t even acknowledge my presence. Didn’t she know how big of a deal this was for me? Oh well.
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.
“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!
Since 2005, the National Acura Legend Meet has been the go-to event of the year for Legend enthusiasts. Each year, local ground teams in prospective host cities prepare bids to bring the event to their hometowns. Pictured above is the crew from Las Vegas, Nevada during the 2007 meet. This year, the bid was awarded to the team in Los Angeles, California, and the event will be held July 24-28 (Thursday – Monday), 2014. You can bet I’ll be there!
Previous NALM locations:
Dallas, Texas (2005)
Tulsa, Oklahoma (2006)
Las Vegas, Nevada (2007)
Chattanooga, Tennessee (2008)
Branson, Missouri (2009)
Salt Lake City, Utah (2010)
Morristown, New Jersey (2011)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2012)
Asheville, North Carolina (2013)
I’ve attended every event. The only one that I didn’t drive my 1994 Legend to was Milwaukee, since I wanted to take my then-brand-new 2013 ILX on its first cross-country drive.
Each year, Legend owners from around the country rally together at NALM for scenic drives, photoshoots, dealership-sponsored BBQs, and performance events like dyno testing and autocross races. Here are some photos from NALMs prior. And, a 5-year-old flashback video to that one time when I threw my car around an autocross track at NALM 2009 in Missouri. Those Michelin tires have never seen so much action!
This year’s trip will be a breeze. It’s only 372 miles (5 hours, 20 minutes) from Phoenix to LA via Interstate 10. Quite a change from last year’s jaunt to North Carolina & back!
One very special feature of this year’s program will be an opening ceremony inside Honda’s exclusive & private Collection Hall in Torrance. Those of you who have followed me since the Drive to Five Celebration in late 2011 will remember that my Legend got to be parked inside the Collection Hall for the day, after our red carpet reception at Honda/Acura headquarters down the street.
Stay tuned for more details. A full thread will soon be posted on the AcuraLegend.org forums by the ground team members who have worked hard to create a crowd-pleasing event. It will contain a detailed itinerary as well as registration information. I’ll be sure and share the information with you all as soon as I have it.
You know, I haven’t always lived where the palm trees grow. From 2004-2005, I resided in the far northern reaches of Utah where people actually experience four distinct seasons, unlike in Arizona. I earned my undergraduate degree at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. USU was established in 1888 as a small agricultural college but today has multiple campuses and a total student body of over 28,000.
“Old Main” is the oldest building on campus, which dates back to 1890. This photo was taken in August 2005.
In July 2012, my brand new ILX took its first trip to Logan.
Logan is about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City, and only 19 miles from the Idaho state line.
I had every intention of keeping my prized (then sub-150k mile) 1994 Legend out of the snow. I even bought a “winter beater” – a friend’s 1991 Legend L coupe 5-speed with 186,600 miles on it. Here’s a shot from October 30, 2004 – the very important key hand-off photo. He sold me the car for only $700.
It’s hard to believe that was 10 years ago. I wasted no time in getting the car cleaned up. It was fun to have two Legend coupes for awhile. Check out my dad’s collection of antlers in the garage!
I put that Charcoal Granite Metallic 1991 coupe to good use at college. I hauled hundreds of pounds of canned goods during a local Thanksgiving food drive. It was riding low on the suspension with all that weight in the interior & trunk.
Thanksgiving 2004 with my friend Heidi in Nephi, Utah on the way back to college after the holiday. Yes, those are 17″ wheels off a 2002 Lexus IS300.
Frosty winter morning in Cache Valley, northern Utah.
Unfortunately, my time with that particular coupe was cut short when it overheated on a date and blew the engine’s head gasket later that same year. At one time, I also had a 1991 Honda Prelude Si 4WS that I used in the wintertime.
Eventually, though, the 1994 Legend did have to report for snow duty. And it surely did endure some extreme weather. These were taken during & after one particular snowstorm in the winter of 2004-05.
Thank goodness for front-wheel-drive and a heavy car. The Legend did great in the snow.
Digging out
The good news is that during those winters, I lived close enough to campus to walk there and I didn’t have to deal with icy road conditions on a daily basis. Even though I don’t miss the weather, I do miss the sense of community and school spirit that was overflowing at Utah State University. Go Aggies!
Posted in Misc Travel on March 4, 2014 by tysonhugie
Odometer (Legend): 528,802
Odometer (ILX): 69,050
I saw the below picture shared on Instagram recently. It’s a high-mileage odometer shot from an older Honda Civic “Wagovan,” so naturally I was quite interested and I immediately liked the photo. But, what caught me off-guard was one of the comments from this person’s followers.
“What’s the marker at 55 for?” Oh, these young ones need to be educated!
What we’re talking about here is the National Maximum Speed Limit Law. Enacted in 1974 in the United States, it prohibited highway speeds above 55 miles per hour. The hope of legislators (Richard Nixon signed the provision) was that the gas savings would be substantial. This was a time when gas shortages were at high tide.
As an emergency response to the 1973 oil crisis, on November 26, 1973, President Richard Nixon proposed a national 50 mph (80 km/h) speed limit for passenger vehicles and a 55 mph speed limit for trucks and buses. That, combined with a ban on ornamental lighting, no gasoline sales on Sunday, and a 15% cut in gasoline production, were proposed to reduce total gas consumption by 200,000 barrels a day, representing a 2.2% drop from annualized 1973 gasoline consumption levels.Nixon partly based this on a belief that cars achieve maximum efficiency between 40 and 50 mph and that trucks and buses were most efficient at 55 mph.
Man, I’m sure glad I wasn’t of driving age in the 1970s and 1980s to experience this! Did you also know that between 1979 and 1981, federal legislation required that speedometers could only go up to 85 mph?
The National Maximum Speed Limit law saw some changes in the late 1980s, and in 1995 it was overturned entirely, giving speed-limit-setting power to the individual states. Today, speed limits vary widely. Rural stretches of Interstate 15 in my home state of Utah are now 80 miles per hour, and there’s a 41-mile stretch of toll road in Texas with an 85 mile per hour limit. That’s quick!
Now you know 🙂
Tonight, my friend Justin and I attended the Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers basketball game at a Kia-sponsored event. The view of the court was pretty sweet from our suite.
Though the game’s 104-to-96 Clippers win outcome was disappointing for us Suns fans, the company was great. The other event invitees were fellow automotive journalists based in the Phoenix area.
I also had the privilege of meeting Orth Hedrick, Vice President of Product Planning at Kia.
drivetofive 