Zoom-to-200: 15 Years and 200,000 Miles

Let’s take a little trip back in time: It’s 2004 – Shrek 2 is making 919.8 million in the box office, Usher’s, “Yeah!” is the top song; and George W. Bush is re-elected president. I’m in my second year of college and grandma and grandpa want to buy a new car. A full detailed story of that is here. We purchased a new Mazda 6 “i” 5-speed in Pebble Ash Metallic on August 3, 2004. This was in Farmington, NM at Performance Mazda/Mitsubishi/Suzuki. Fast forward 15 years to this day (8/3/04 – 8/3/19), and I take this car back to the same dealer where I also roll 200,000 miles.

I realize cars achieve 200,000 miles everyday, and it doesn’t necessarily warrant a big fuss. But wait, this might catch your attention: Our Mazda 6 has achieved this milestone with the original motor, transmission, clutch and even the original brakes. Yes, those brake pads are the same ones that left the factory in 2004. There have been no unscheduled repairs and all the body panels are original…even the headlight lenses. Good proof here that anyone who doubts high mileage cars can do this with regular maintenance and care. Don’t be afraid. We are in a new era where planned obsolescence hasn’t fully reached cars yet. At least mainstream cars.

Let’s get on with the milestone. This event took careful planning. Trying to get to 200,000 miles on a specific day is harder than you’d think. Regardless, I was up for the challenge. I marketed this little event, #zoomto200.

I was able to have a few friends accompany me on this milestone, Tyson and James. With a little coordinating, we agreed to meet in Farmington, NM the weekend of August 3rd.

My route took an easy 6 hours. Tyson and James had a little more ground to cover coming from Phoenix, AZ.

Prior to my departure from Las Cruces, NM, I applied this product called, Track Armour which is essentially a temporary clear bra to protect the front end from bugs, stones and other debris. Since I had a good 400+ miles to cover and didn’t want to worry about washing, I thought this would be a good solution to ensure the 6 arrived somewhat clean.

On the road again!

Mileage at 199,519.

Knowing that I’d have a surplus of miles, I chose to go the long way via Highway 371. Stop of fuel, snacks, then proceeded onward.

Highway 371 is about as lonely as you can get in New Mexico.

I arrived later that evening in Farmington right at 199,900 miles. Oof! That isn’t going to cut it since the milestone was the next morning.

Doubt anyone with even a modicum of common sense would do this, but I turned around and headed in the opposite direction to burn miles. It was nearing 10 pm by this time. The blurry quality of this photo reflects my determination to get those miles close to what I needed.

Finally, I got to where I needed and came back to the hotel for the night where Tyson and James arrived shortly after.

I removed the Track Armour and was very pleased with the protection it provided even with a few rain showers.

The next morning after hitting the continental breakfast buffet, we headed straight to the dealership for the big event. The dealer stopped carrying Mazda and was renamed in 2010 to Hi Country Mitsubishi/Kia, but the building and lot remains the same as it was in 2004.

To keep the nostalgia going, I installed the temp tag from 2004.

And here we go…200,000 miles!

Next on the agenda was to recreate the ramp photo. Compare 2004 to 2019…

Very minor changes such as removal of the front plate bracket, OEM spoiler added as well as the chrome accessory wheels. Everything else remains the same on this car.

Here’s a vlog post of Tyson’s that sums up the experience.

Next, we headed back south on 371 to explore the “Bisti / De-Na-Zin” Wilderness, just 30 miles from Farmington. This rolling landscape of badlands features some desolate, very unusual scenery. Perfect for a little nature adventure.

In interest in preserving my 6, I parked it at the entrance and hitched a ride with James in his press Toyota Highlander as we attacked the rutted dirt roads leading into the badlands.

Tyson’s ILX in its other natural habitat.

Better plan to bring snacks and water, because there aren’t any facilities out here.

Group shot of James, me and Tyson.

Another successful road trip in the books. My garage floor update is coming up next!

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2019 PNW Contour Group Annual Meet

I’m at it again…tossing my suitcase in the trunk and hitting the open road across the country in an old hooptie — with a AAA card handy.

This time though, things are a little different. I’m going to a car meet. I’ve been a member of many car clubs over the years (Bimmer Forums, ZHP Mafia, Club RSX, Drive Accord, Acurazine, Mazda6 Forums, NPORA-Nissan Pathfinder off-road Association…to name a few), but I’ve never attended any of their annual meets. Proximity, time and frankly, interest have gotten in the way of me making the jump.

Ever since the PNW Contour Group reached out to me earlier this year, I’ve been hooked and never met a nicer group of folks. This is one meet I’ll try out. It was going to be hosted in Portland, Oregon, and that was just the ticket I needed to get away from the summer heat.

So, I hopped in the creaky old Ford and set out on a 3,500 mile drive to the Pacific Northwest. Aside from taking delivery in Colorado earlier this year, I haven’t had the Contour on the road for such a long journey. This would be a good test of the 21 year old cooling system in addition to all the other parts I’m unaware of their originality. Some call it crazy, some adventurous. I’d leave it as living on the edge. My route was as follows:

Maintenance and repairs for the Contour have luckily been minimal thanks to the care it’s received in the past. I’ve only had to change out the transmission fluid, recharge the A/C system, alignment, tires, and resurface the brake rotors. All my other costs have been largely cosmetic. In anticipation of this annual meet, I made sure every inch of this car was as clean as it could get and what’s left of the original paint polished and sealed.

The rear bumper needed a little buffing as the clearcoat on my DIY job hadn’t retained the luster it had. I might have to have this professionally resprayed at some point. This should hold me over for now.

The interior, though a little warped and brittle from 21 years of sun exposure, cleaned up pretty nice.

And I managed to stow everything in the trunk leaving the backseat clean and clear. This stash even included two buckets full of detailing supplies and some random car parts I planned to give away at the meet.

I hit the road on a Wednesday afternoon and planned to return the following week around the same time. This meant a fairly tight schedule of only two days driving to Portland and two days back. That was an average of 800 miles/12hrs a day. You never realize how big our country is until attempting stuff like this. My stops along the way were minimal as I’ve been on this route many times in the past.

Colorado state line

Utah state line

Things started greening up near Price Canyon, UT.

Welcome to Idaho!

I’ve seen this road many times in the past, but never tire of the lovely grassy hills of southern Idaho.

First night’s stop in Twin Falls, ID. All my work on detailing the exterior went out the door due to rain showers outside of Price, UT. No biggie, that’s where those detailing supplies will eventually be handy.

Next day, a short stop to view the Snake River Canyon.

This is the I.B. Perrine Bridge which hangs over the Snake River. At 486 feet above the canyon floor, it’s a popular location or adrenaline junkies to jump off with parachutes.

View of the Snake River from under the bridge.

Several hours later, I finally arrived in Oregon!

I was impressed by the determination of this little Contour. Not one issue so far. I was getting a solid 27 MPG on premium fuel even with steady 80 MPH speeds and the A/C constantly blowing.

Driving along the Columbia River with Mt. Hood in the distance.

Arrived in Portland. The meet was going to take place here at the Hilton Garden Inn near the airport.

As I arrived a day early, first order of business was cleaning off the grime I accumulated over the last two days. The plan was to complete some photo ops prior to attending the actual meet on Sunday. A quick Google search for a credit card friendly, self-serve car wash led me to one about seven miles over the river to Vancouver, WA. Check out that insect homicide scene!

This is where bringing my own detail supplies came into play. I only utilized the high pressure water.

Dinner at Shari’s where I gorged in breakfast for dinner…a chicken fried steak with eggs.

The following day was going to be mine to explore. The boys had an autocross event 90 miles away, but since I have neither the reaction time or any desire to put that kind of stress on the Contour, I chose to head west and enjoy the PNW in all its glory. Here’s a photo one of the members sent me. I have to admit, I did feel like I was missing out!

However, I did have the beach and rain forests calling my name, so I proceeded with the plan.

I caught highway 26 leading out of Portland to Seaside.

Entering rain forest territory. This is what makes this desert boy happy.

Short hike on the Four County Point Trail.

Then, I drove until I ran out of land. This is Sunset beach outside of Seaside, OR where I’ve taken my Accord and Mazda6 for similar photo shoots. Now, it was the Contour’s turn.

Of course, who could resist a few little innocent donuts in the sand?

Lunch was in Seaside at Ruby’s Roadside Grill. I tried their albacore tuna fillet melt which was out of this world!

After my day of clowning around the beach and trails, I headed back to Portland where the gang was starting to trickle in for the night. We had a roped off parking area behind the hotel. This was my first time meeting everyone in person, and I couldn’t have asked for a more warm welcoming.

A look from my hotel window as I was winding down for the evening.

The morning of the official meet. Many of us were out at the crack of dawn vacuuming, polishing, dusting, and staging our cars. I live for this kind of stuff.

Some minty seats I bought off a fellow member to eventually replace a few of mine that are pretty well weathered.

This silver beauty next to me belongs to JD out of Phoenix, AZ. What are the chances we share the same vanity plates?!

Alex (in blue) had his car featured in The Smoking Tire SVT Contour review

All polished up and ready. See that gent in the cowboy hat? That’s Greg from California. He’s a proud owner of 11 Contours! Much respect.

Some of the interiors were pretty wild. This SVT had the dash and console swapped from a Mercury Mystique to add a touch of luxury.

Fully decked out here with red pipping, carbon fiber, and Momo steering wheel just to name a few…

Next item on the itinerary, we headed indoors to our reserved conference room.

A lot of action in here. This is where t-shirts were distributed, member story presentations given, raffles, awards, behind-the-scenes of the club and a game of Jeopardy!

T-shirts.

Chicken fajita buffet for lunch.

Back outside for voting.

Hoods up if you want consideration for best engine bay award. I left mine down.

Rearranging the cars for a group photo.

Photo credit here: Alexander Davis

Totally unexpected, but I managed to bring home two awards, Best Exterior and Farthest Traveled.

Going Home:

The meet was over around 3:30 pm which provided ample time to gain some ground for that night’s scheduled stop in Baker City, OR. I then continued on the same route where I’d spend the last night in Green River, UT.

Quick stop for lunch with my buddy Josh in Bosie, ID.

Views near Moab, UT

I tried something different for my last night on the road in Green River. I swapped the comfy hotel accommodations for a more primitive, yet charming KOA cabin.

Good thing I brought my own blankets and pillow! Luckily, KOAs and most other camp grounds have wifi these days. My sanity was preserved.

Back in New Mexico!

Continental Divide at 7,275 feet above sea level.

Last leg of the journey.

Home safe and sound! Aside from having to add a little oil, the Contour was very well behaved on the trip. It didn’t skip a beat even with some 100+ degree heat, heavy cross winds, rain, bumper-to-bumper traffic in Salt Lake City, or steep inclines I encountered. Thank you for coming along for the ride. Notice a little garage preview here of what’s to come in the next post. Stay tuned!

4yr Anniversary and Other News

Greetings! With all the Christmas rush going on, I haven’t been able to crank out a decent post. Playing catch-up, here’s what’s been going on for the past few months:

2004 6 S Anniversary:

November 7th, 2018 marks the fourth year with the 6 S. As I’ve mentioned in the three year post, this hasn’t been a cheap car to keep on the road. Luckily, the past year hasn’t been as bad. The only unscheduled repair was replacing a few broken wheel studs from being over tightened. The rest were regular maintenance and visual mods.

• Full left side PDR – $325
• Powdercoat Factory Wheels – $540
• Alignment – $160
• Replace Window Trim Vinyl – $212.29
• Wiper Blade Inserts – $20.45
• Oil Changes (5) – $190
• Replace broken wheel studs – $180

Total cost from November, 2017 to November, 2018 (minus fuel) was $1,627.74. This past fall, I’ve gotten my act together and started entering all my service receipts into a spreadsheet to track costs. To put things into perspective, here are a few stats from day one:

• Miles driven since purchase – 121,547
• Total cost of ownership (not including fuel and purchase price, but including tires, maintenance, modifications and repair) – $16,100.76
• Accidents – 1
• Breakdowns – 1
• Sets of tires – 2
• Recalls -2 (Passenger and Driver Tekla airbags)
• States Visited – 11
• Countries Visited – 2
• Longest distance traveled in one day: 920 miles (Las Cruces, NM to Organ Pipe National Monument)
• Longest trip: 8,936 miles (Las Cruces, NM to Arctic Circle, AK)

My plans for the car are undetermined at this point. When I discovered how expensive this had become per mile, I decided to pull the S from daily duties. However, I’ve slowly gotten back into old habits and the miles are still climbing. As of today, I’m sitting at 260,500 miles. She’s running suspiciously good, so I think I’ll continue on.

November drive: Why, AZ and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

I took a much needed adventure with my buddy Tyson (drivetofive) and James Lee (sixspeedblog) to southwest Arizona. It was a bit of a drive as I planned to do it in one day. A total of 920 miles!

One of the more interesting parts of this trip was meeting up in a small unincorporated community called, Why, AZ.

It got its name from State Routes 85 and 86 originally intersecting in a “Y” intersection. Now, for safety reasons, that intersection was realigned to more of a “T”. So, “Why” did we travel to this desolate part of the state? To see the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument!

Nestled in the Yuma Desert along the Mexico border, the monument is 517 square miles of blissful preserved desert land with natural growing organ pipe cacti along with many other species. The park included an unpaved, rugged 21 mile loop trail called the Ajo Mountain Trail which we obviously had to take. The trail greeted us with some gorgeous panoramic views of the park in addition to enough dust to clog anyone’s air filters. Completely worth it though!

There were short sections of smooth paved road that mercifully gave our shocks and butts a little rest.

Group photo

The old 6 held its own compared to Tyson’s much newer 2013 ILX 6spd and James’ 2019 Corolla XSE 6spd hatch press car.

Breaking Bad Locations

Any Breaking Bad fans here? The AMC crime drama show, which filmed here in New Mexico (mostly Albuquerque), is one of my all time favorites. Rumor has it, they are currently filming a movie which is supposed to be a Breaking Bad successor story. I took the time one weekend scouting out some of the popular locations and seeing how they look today.

Walter White’s House

Hank and Marie’s house

Gus’ Los Pollos Hermanos location

I’ll try to be back with more locations in a future post. Cheers!

Taking the 6 to New Heights: 14,000 ft+ in Colorado Part II

Welcome to Part II of the Colorado Drive. Let’s begin:

The next day we made our way to Pikes Peak, just 30 miles west of Colorado Springs. First stop along the way was Garden of the Gods. This public park just west of Colorado Springs offers nice views with hiking and Segway tour accommodations. Since we wanted to be mindful of the time, we chose to just drive through.

Wait. Did we stumble upon another planet? More amazing views.

Cheesy photo by “balanced rock” in the park.

Pikes Peak:

Now let’s get to the good stuff. Making our way to Pikes Peak highway was an easy drive. Upon arrival at the tollgate, a rather lengthy line of cars were awaiting their turn to pay the entry fee to continue onward. It wasn’t the cheapest at $30 ($15 per person), but trust me…all was worth it. Pikes Peak is regarded as the most visited mountain in North America, and only second in the world next to Japan’s Mt. Fuji. At 14,115 ft above sea level, this is the 31st highest peak out of the 54 in Colorado. The Pikes Peak Highway from the base to the summit climbs 7,400 ft over just over 12 miles!

Four major events take place on this mountain each year, Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon, Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Pikes Peak Challenge and the AdAmAn Club New Year’s Fireworks display. Best part for me is simply enjoying the views and crossing off another bucket list item.

Making our way up to the summit. We are now beginning the 7,400 ft climb. THIS GETS STEEP!

…and steeper (at timberline here)

…and steeper! (now at alpine level) It’s certainly an odd feeling being nearly eye-level with the clouds.

Nah, you don’t need no stinkin’ guardrails here. Some areas you would fall to certain death if you got a little careless with driving.

Some views midway.

The views were quite intoxicating, and most curves were perfectly banked for some decent fun.

Mostly though, we just took our time at a steady pace. After a little under an hour which included many photo stops, we made it!

We checked out The Summit House which was the only facility at the summit. Stuffed full of endless souvenirs and a small cafe, you could get lost in there for quite some time. A small burger and milk shake sure hit the spot and I did manage to buy a few items.

Outside the Summit House, you’re free to walk around with no barriers, fencing or other obstructions and take in the scenery.

 

When it was time to start the descend, I was surprised that 1 – 2nd gear and 4,000 rpms were all I could use to comfortably control the speed. Rain started to come down which made me even more cautious.

Midway down the mountain, there was a mandatory brake check where a nice lady actually checked each vehicle’s rotors and pads with a temperature gauge. If your brakes were too toasty, you have to pull aside to let them cool before proceeding. This was serious stuff here. Luckily, we sailed on by with no issue.

That covers it! Apologies I couldn’t offer up some more excitement in the mix. Saying “Two dudes drive an old Mazda up two mountains without incident” doesn’t exactly make for an exciting read. However, if you stuck around long enough to read this, I thank you for joining the ride. Until next time…

Taking the 6 to New Heights: 14,000 ft+ in Colorado Part I

Sometimes past drives are so memorable that I just need to get back for another go. I’ve had this goal for many places I’ve visited, but one that tops the list was Mt. Evans in Colorado…the highest paved road in North America.

I actually didn’t plan this much in advance. It was more of a last minute trip idea, and not going to be a blog post until I decided to throw in one more stop, Pikes Peak! This trip happened in early August of this year, so the weather was just right…cool temps with light spots of rain. My buddy, James Zamora, and I decided that a four-day weekend was in order to escape the humid heat of the desert in search of those cooler temps.

You may remember my first drive to Mt. Evans in 2013 with James and Tyson from drivetofive. I drove my 2004 Honda Accord Coupe V6 6spd then and never forgot the experience. We planned to visit Pikes Peak as well, but it was closed for a bike event. Mercifully, it was open this time so I couldn’t pass it up. Now, let’s give my Mazda 6 that same Mt. Evans experience and see how the 230,000 mile motor handles 14,000+ ft above sea level…twice! While Mt. Evans soars to 14,211 ft, Pikes Peak isn’t that far behind at 14,112 ft. More importantly, how would I handle those heights since I’ve not been in the best shape lately. Let’s find out!

Total drive time: 22hrs
Total miles: 1,451

Starting day: Picked up James Z. from Socorro, NM and we headed out on I-25. With multiple clouds multiplying in the sky, it was sure to be a beautiful day. We planned it by spending the night in Denver, attack Mt. Evans Saturday and Pikes Peak the following day near Colorado Springs. Let’s get going…

Getting into Colorado with a gentle mist in the air. Note this was the time I was trying out those chrome alloys!

Oh, what’s this? A national park along the way? It’s the Great Sand Dunes National Park, and we both had never been. Time to rectify that.

 

Checkout those menacing clouds!

A rather underrated National Park, the Grand Sand Dunes lives in southern Colorado and is known for being the tallest sand dunes in North America. Being at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Range, it offers some of the most majestic scenery around Southern Colorado. I highly recommend a stop to just let your feet sink into the sand.

We continued onward to Denver for the night. Hotel of choice was the Hyatt Business center which had the best rates on the south end of town.

The following day gave us bright and sunny weather for the drive to Mt. Evans. I was thrilled to be once again driving this highest paved road in North America. Lots of switchbacks with no shoulders or no guardrails await!

Didn’t take long to get up into alpine country.

Stop at Summit Lake, just 5.5 miles from the top of Mt. Evans.

Thanks to James for helping out with the photography. This selfie mirror shot is starting to become a tradition.

Made it to the top! Parking was a little tricky since there were quite a few tourists at this time of year. The little 6 charged up the mountain without incident.

Summit sign.

Views for days!

And it wouldn’t be a 14,000 ft+ experience without spotting the occasional big horned sheep and mountain goat!

Heading back down. Luckily, we didn’t suffer any ill effects of the altitude aside from a very slight headache I felt coming on. This could also have been my lack of water intake that day, though.

We wrapped up the day with an easy drive to Colorado Springs for the night. Stay tuned for Part II of Pikes Peak!

 

Three Year Anniversary and 100,000 Miles

Hey All,

Several months have past since my last update…for shame! Well, today I actually had a few free minutes at work to get out a short little post here. Yesterday (November 7, 2017) marked the third year of owning the 6, and I couldn’t let that go too far without a post to celebrate the occasion! Who would have thought that I’d keep this a freakin’ three years?!! I did say in my one year post that I have enjoyed every mile. To date, I still feel the same.  She’s still not the prettiest, fastest, and not exactly dripping with the latest tech, but this rickety little 6 just keeps on purring regardless of what gets thrown at it.

Well, somewhat. This past year hasn’t exactly been the cheapest, nor the most trouble free if I’m honest. Here’s a list some rather costly maintenance items and repairs which far exceed the value of the car:

• Early January, 2017: Fuel system cleaning, OEM O2 sensor, spark plugs, valve cover gasket, coolant and manual transmission fluid flush | $1,200
• Late January, 2017: OEM Alternator replacement | $975
• June, 2017: OEM Fuel pump replacement | ~$500 w/ a DIY install
• July, 2017: Front passenger OEM control arm | $950
• August, 2017: Alignment | $80
• September, 2017: OEM coil replacement | $75 w/ DIY install
• October, 2017: New front rotors and pad | $725

That’s a total of around $4,505! That alternator was the most painful as it was my first official breakdown. Thankfully, AAA was there very quickly to save my butt.

Just for fun, I ran a Kelly Blue Book value check for a dealer trade-in (don’t worry, I’m not even entertaining that idea). I was quite shocked! The Private Party value wasn’t much better. The mileage really makes a dent in the value.

With that said, I plan to make that high mileage even higher. As of today, I  achieved a pretty significant milestone: 238,954 miles. Why does that matter? That’s exactly 100,000 miles since the day I drove this car home from Phoenix back in 2014!

Think I should go for another 100,000? We shall see. I haven’t done as much traveling this year as I wanted to (partly from home renovations and just a heavy load at work), but I do get out once in a while. Here are a few photos outlining the past year:

Hauling whatever would fit for those home remodeling jobs.

Actually have been using the 6 quite a bit in job related functions.

Road trip with Dad to California

Finally got to see by buddy, Tyson, and his new digs in Phoenix.

Gila Wilderness

Lots of random exploring around Doña Ana County where I live.

I performed a major interior detail and refresh for the first time since the Alaska trip last year. New headliner is finally completed as well.

Two big road trips did happen, however I won’t spill the beans just yet. They will have to be their own post.

Cosmetic Updates:

The 6 had a bit of an identity crisis of late thanks to me. I recently grabbed a set of OEM chrome accessory wheels off of eBay for a decent price and decided to try them out.

I ended up not liking them, so back went the faded stock ones. I also decided to try out the OEM sport grille again to give the front end a little refresh.

…and finally, I performed a complete badge removal. That included the little “V6” emblems as well as the “Mazda6” in the back. So far, I’m pretty happy with the results. What do you all think? This could be the updated look for the next few years…or more?

Oh, and one more thing…I added a new custom vanity New Mexico plate!

That’s all for now. Thanks for stopping by!

Phoenix, AZ and Training in Las Vegas, NV

Greetings! Summer is here in Las Cruces, NM and the heat is definitely on. 100s all week and into the next. I don’t mind at all as it’s just part of the summer experience.

Speaking of heat, I recently was asked to attend a training in Las Vegas, NV for work. Road trip while getting paid? You bet! Flying was offered as an option, but I chose the longer, driving route. While it was quite warm in Las Cruces, it was dang HOT on this trip. First stop was in Phoenix, AZ (about half way) where I had 5-star accommodations at my buddy’s (Tyson’s) place. From Phoenix, it was an easy 4.5hr drive to Las Vegas. Phoenix was around 110 degrees where ‘Vegas was ONLY 109!

Total drive: 1,400 miles and ~22hrs of windshield time. Here’s the montage of the journey. Enjoy!

Gas stop in Lordsburg, NM

Arrival at Tyson’s place in Phoenix. Even though he was away in Utah at that particular time, he generously allowed me to stay at his new place (purchased last June).

A few photos while exploring the area. (This one is for you, Tyson!)

Inverted pyramid building in central Phoenix.

I snuck into Tyson’s newly renovated garage to grab a few photos. This garage accommodates a whopping five cars, and is a showroom for his complete (sans an SLX) 90s Acura collection. So clean, you can eat off the floor!

Next day I hit the road for ‘Vegas.

Quick stop at Nothing, AZ. My second time here.

Crossing the mighty Colorado River into Nevada!

Arriving in ‘Vegas.

My conference and two night stay was in Caesar’s Palace on the strip.

Checking in…accommodations weren’t bad at all.

A little exploring since I had the evening to myself. No gambling for me, though.

The fountains at Bellagio..

It didn’t take long before I was pooped. Since the conference started early the following morning, I hit the hay while the rest of the Strip hustled and bustled throughout the night.

The following two days of training was here at Caesar’s conference tower.

My last night at Caesar’s, I discovered a TV in the bathroom mirror?

Return trip back home, and one more stop at Tyson’s. I gave his gorgeous 2007 Kinetic Blue 6-spd TL Type-s a quick drive. At 97,000 miles, it felt as though it just left the showroom. Someday, I might just have to grab one of these in black.

Before heading out for Las Cruces, I started a new tradition by having significant folks who have ridden or driven the 6 in the past sign the trunk lid with a silver sharpie. Tyson and James Lee of sixspeedblog.com happily started us off.

Interstate 10 all the way home, and I hit some nice cool rain along the way.

About 30 miles from the New Mexico border, AZ Highway Patrol pulled me over for my window tint being too dark. Luckily I just got a warning, but I’m still puzzled by the stop considering I don’t reside in Arizona!

Back in Las Cruces and thanks to the rain, I was able to turn off the A/C for the first time in months.

That concludes the drive. Thanks for stopping by!

Acura Drive to the Valley of Death

Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit for the title of this post, but I was excited to share such a grand trip with you all. That grand trip was an 1800-mile drive to Death Valley National Park with my friends, Tyson Hugie from DrivetoFive, Sofyan Bey from 2theRedline and Tyson’s friend Peter Kulikowski. Death Valley is a desert valley in the eastern portion of California’s Mojave Desert. This is the lowest, driest and hottest area in North America. We had this trip planned for some time now and wanted give our Acuras a good run for their money. Mine especially considering it’s the middle of July, and I’m rocking Crystal Black Pearl over black leather. Good combo for an area known to have temperatures soaring well over 100˙F in the summer months. The record high in July 1913 was a scorching 134˙F! Within the park, we visited Badwater Basin (this is the lowest point in North America at 282ft BELOW sea level), Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells. Get ready, this is going to be a hot one!

However, before we get started with this grand adventure, let’s back up a few weeks to a few little updates on the TL:

I officially hit 50,000 miles on July 1st. Only half way now to the big 100K!

After coming home from my East Coast trip, I found my custom plate in the mail which I had been waiting for about 3 months!

In New Mexico, our plates are rather bright. I had two choices: the Centennial bright green or this traditional New Mexico yellow. I obviously went the traditional route.

Now, let’s get a move on with the trip. Before setting out Friday afternoon from work, one of my favorite co-workers left me a farewell “sticky” which made my day.

I had the TL all washed up and packed.

My general prep for the trip was making sure I had sufficient water. Side note: the sunroof is the ONLY surface I will set anything on. Otherwise, I don’t want to face the scratches on the paint that would arise.

As the miles piled on, the day was ending. I had the privilege of being able to drive into the colorful, Arizona sunset. This is my favorite time of day to drive.

I drove to Kingman, AZ and got a good night’s rest for the adventures that awaited the next day. The modest Travelodge allowed for parking right in front.

Next day, I made my first stop in Las Vegas, NV where I’d meet up with Tyson, Sofyan and Peter.

Nevada Stateline…

Another great pull out to view the mighty Lake Mead.

After a few hours rolling down Hwy 93, I approached ‘Vegas!

I met the boys in the Excalibur Hotel

Here I am next to Peter, Tyson and Sofyan.

We wasted no time and hopped in our Acuras and Tyson led the way to Death Valley. It was an easy 125 miles from Las Vegas. As usual, he was in his 2013 ILX 6-speed.

We made a quick stop in an abandoned Nevada town for a few pix.

Next on the list, Furnace Creek in Death Valley.

We’ve arrived!

The heat was certainly a surprise. At this time, the TL had a reading of 110˙F.

This sign says it all.

Here’s the sign notifiying us that we achieved sea level. Next stop in the Park, Furnace Creek.

I got the shock of my life when Tyson showed us the norm gas prices in Furnace Creek. If I had the need to fill up, that would be a nice round $100 for premium. Ouch!

Lunch was at a simple yet tasty cafe called the Corkscrew. Luckily, they had good air conditioning to relieve us of the heat.

We stopped in the National Park’s Visitor Center. Here I am in front of their large thermometer reading 116!

First sign you see when you walk in the doors.

After that stop, we swapped cars and I took the reins of the ILX for while Tyson led the way in my TL to Badwater Basin. Always a cool feeling when I see my own car driving in front of me.

Here we are.

So, what is Badwater Basin? It’s the lowest elevation point in North America. That’s a good 282 feet below sea level. The gound was crusty and hard from the dried salt deposits.

Another danger sign of the extreme heat. It said that walking after 10:00am was not recommended.

So, here we go! It’s only 2-3pm in the afternoon.

After we felt like we got a good dose of heat, we all swapped the keys again. This time, Sofyan took the wheel of the TL while Peter was in the ILX.

Now off to a scenic dirt road recommended by Tyson. We were determined to bring some Death Valley dirt back home on our cars. This is “20 Mule Team Canyon” trail. This was just 2.7 miles of heaven!

It was so much fun, we drove this route twice! Peter and Sofyan got to try the TL on both runs.

Thanks to Tyson for capturing this great angle of the TL.

As you can see by my face, this road was one of the highlights of the Park.

Now, back on the road to the next stop…

Last stop before leaving the park was Stovepipe Wells. As we parked and exited our Acuras, there was a soft purr of a diesel nearby. Not a diesel I’ve ever heard before. As I look to the side to investigate, I see these mysterious-looking GM trucks parked off to the side. I’ve never seen them before. What are they? Let’s have a look…

Upon further examination, we all concluded these were the 2016 GMC Canyon trucks in pre-production testing in the heat of the valley. So, there’s a teaser for you. We might have a diesel offering of the next Canyon.

Peter took the wheel of the TL as we headed out of the park to the hotel for the evening.

Night’s stay was on the California/Nevada border in the village of Amargosa Valley.

The next day, we grabbed a photo at the giant cow that was by the hotel.

After we parted ways in Kingman, I took I-40 back to New Mexico where I’d stop by my grandpa’s house for the next night. Here’s on the way to Flagstaff, AZ. 70˙F was sure a welcome compared to the heat of Death Valley.

Normal stop at my old stomping grounds to see what the area looks like. It’s been 8 years now since I’ve resided here!

Pit stop for a few sunset photos.

Smoke in the sky from a nearby forest fire gave the sun a nice red glow.

I got to New Mexico around 9pm.

My grandpa is on vacation for about 3 months in Canada so it was a goal of mine to check up on his house and mail. Remember my grandpa’s stable? The next day, I took a few of his cars out for a quick drive to run some oil through and clean away any cobwebs. Here’s the old ’87 F-250 Diesel prowling the back roads of northern New Mexico. I love this thing.

This is called “6 mile canyon road.” Looks smooth here, but it’s not very car friendly as you get further into the “bush.”

Also, got the ’74 MGB out to run around a little. This hadn’t been started in about 6 months.

I always like to challenge myself and the TL. How about borrowing a gas lawn mower and weed wacker? Snug, but it fit!

And that concludes the Death Valley trip. Here’s my ending mileage. Thanks all for coming along!

East Coast – Day 3-4 St. Louis & Louisville

Let’s continue from Oklahoma! Jouhl and I drove on through. Just about every town we passed by, presented their mightiest flag. Perhaps this was because it was close to Memorial Day?

As we piled on the miles, the landscape started to turn more and more green.

The Missouri state line.

First stop in Missouri: Grand Falls outside of Joplin.

This was an unadvertised attraction and getting there requires taking a few back roads.

The Missouri Grand Falls is one of many waterfalls on the Missouri River. This one is rather hidden from the public.

The stop was worth it though!

Going back to the Interstate…

Next stop, St. Louis and The Gateway Arch. This 630-foot-high monument is the tallest man-made monument in the United States. It’s also Missouri’s tallest accessible building and world’s tallest arch—yes, you can go to the top! This was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States. It is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and is an internationally famous symbol of St. Louis.

Here’s a shot of downtown St. Louis.

And here’s a shot with the TL.

More state lines…

Welcome to Kentucky!

We made a quick stop in Louisville.

We entered downtown to see the Wold’s Largest Bat at the Louisville Slugger Museum. This bat stands 120ft tall and weights about 34 tons.

Here’s the bat. This photo doesn’t give you the sense of scale. You have to go and see for yourself!

Next on the list was a drive by of one of the most haunted place in America. That is the Waverly Hills Sanatorium. This sanatorium opened in 1910 as a hospital to accommodate several tuberculosis patients. In the early 1900s, a massive outbreak of tuberculosis (the “White Plague”) prompted the construction of a new hospital. The hospital closed in 1962. The property is privately-owned with very strict security. Even stopping outside the gate can yield being yelled at from the security intercom. We still made a quick drive by..

Best we could do.

A quick google search shows what the building looks like.

After Kentucky, we blew by Cincinnati, Ohio.

And then West Virginia!

And then Pennsylvania…

There is so much more to share! I’ll be back…stay tuned!

East Coast – Day 1-2 – Cadillac Ranch

Another grand adventure is currently in the works! Jouhl and I hit the road late afternoon on May 21st for the East Coast. No time to waste…let’s get started!

Here’s the first state line, Texas!

We stopped at the Palo Duro Canyon State Park to check out the scenery. This is the second largest canyon in the United States and spans roughly 60 miles long with a maximum width of 20 miles. This is regarded as “The Grand Canyon of Texas.”

Here’s Jouhl taking it all in.

The canyon’s dramatic geological features, which included the multicolored layers of rock and steep mesa walls, was definitely worth the stop. 

They recently had a rain storm. Just enough to get the creeks flowing again.

 

…and bring some mud to the roadway.

 

Next stop along the way was an unusual roadside attraction in Combine City, TX—Just outside of Amarillo. These are old retired combine tractors buried at an angle in a remote farm field. Is this a spoof of Amarillo’s Cadillac Ranch? There was no indication of who owns the land. Not even a sign was posted to attract tourists. 

Had to get the TL positioned just so. I may have to buff out a few twig scuffs.

Then, it was time to see the real deal…Cadillac Ranch!

Sadly, you can’t drive up to the half buried Cadillac skeletons. We’d have to pass through the roadside fence to get up close and personal.

Here they are up close! Several spray-paint cans were lying all over and free for anyone to pick up and tag the cars as they pleased.

I chose to take this one for a test drive.

As seen here, these old Cadillacs were covered from top to bottom with paint. Several layers at that.

Check out how thick this stuff is laid on…

On wards to Oklahoma…

This state we pretty much blew right through. More to come so stay tuned!