I totally forgot to post this on the first of July as usual. So today, the 11th, I thought I’d go ahead and use the post for this day. But when I went back and looked to see what I did post on the 1st, it turned out I didn’t. So this has become the July first post.

Two For The Road

In Search of Two-Lane Fun
By Diane Southwick & Scott Cotter

I had sworn off car trips. Despised them really. All those miles bouncing around in the back of that 1977 Olds had pretty much drained my desire to ever take a car vacation again. Dad would crank the A/C up on high until our teeth chattered. What’s worse, both he and Mom would chain smoke the whole way until our eyes were a red, blurry mess. For hours upon hours every day we’d sit in the cavernous confines with our faces plastered to the windows as scenery crept by at a mind-numbing 55 mph. After all, dad was a stickler when it came to the law. Never mind that the Olds had 403 cubes under the hood that were just dying to be unleashed on America’s widest, flattest highways. I was convinced that car trips were only for those with an extremely high tolerance for drudgery.

Recently, though, tucked away in my head someplace, questions started to surface. What if I was not in the back of an Olds? What if my wife and I drove only on two-lane roads that appeared like a serpent twisting around on the map? What if we went as fast as we wanted? And what if we drove our Miata?

So we embarked on a road trip. My first in nearly 20 years. The only plans we made prior to leaving were to back out of the driveway. We’d look at the map when we needed to and decide which small, twisty roads looked the best.

People constantly remark on how new my blue ’92 looks. I even have trouble convincing some people that I actually drive it every day, come snow, sleet, rain, or blistering Midwestern sun. It needed a couple of things, however, if it was to deliver us cleanly through the twists and turns we’d encounter along the way. In the past I’d bolted on some sway bars (time has erased the memory of which brand), a K&N Filter Charger, and a snappy Ansa muffler. I’d resisted doing the shocks, even though they’d been dead for quite some time. At 70 some odd thousand miles I was getting the lowrider effect—on the driver’s side only—and bottomed out on the smallest obstacle. But for the trip, I decided to ante up and get the car on a new foundation. This, too, would require new rubber since the current batch was pushing 45,000 miles. I did some flash research and settled on the KYB 8-way adjustable shocks. After my local shop installed the shocks, I was off to the tire store to select my new tires. Because I’d waited till the last minute to do all this, it was impossible to find the desired size Dunlop SP 8000s in town. So I swapped the worn D60 A2s with new versions, deciding they’d be fine.

Unlike my previous car trips, on the fateful morning there was no big production involved. We simply tossed our single bag into the trunk and backed out of the driveway. We flew through parts of rural Missouri and watched as first corn, then soybeans, and finally cotton fields zipped past. Heading towards Poplar Bluff on 60 east through Mark Twain National Forest was a fun little jaunt, giving the new shocks and tires their first test as the road rose, dipped, and twisted through the rolling hills and colorful countryside. On 21 South, also called Veterans Memorial Highway, we enjoyed more twists and turns and frequently found ourselves zipping along roads that weren’t even on the map.

We finished the day in Paducah. Kentucky, but not before spending a few minutes enjoying the solitude of Big Oak State Park and attempting to cross the Mississippi by ferry. Arriving just ten minutes late for the last boat, we ended up backtracking nearly 70 miles to find another crossing for the big river.

Starting out from Paducah the next morning, we found The Land Between the Lakes, which is halved down the middle by a scenic byway called the Trace. The byway provided lush scenery and plenty of small roads to explore, some of which were barely the width of a Miata. The trees held hands over the smaller roads, making it seem like dusk.

The tug of something a little faster, and with a few more curves, got us off The Trace and onto 80 East, a bucolic road that bisects The Trace and The Land Between the Lakes. It was our gateway to some curvy, scenic roads and quaint townships. We passed gently rolling pastureland with the occasional horse-drawn farm implement rusting in the blowing grass and numerous weather-bleached barns.

Near Mammoth Cave we saw our first and last Miatas we’d see on the trip. We passed them on 70, a small two-lane road that bends around the hills and hollows nicely and eventually turns into another scenic byway. After a trip through Mammoth Cave, which I strongly recommend, we saw them again sitting in the parking lot. Both were red, and one sported a Chicago Miata Club sticker.

After Mammoth Cave we headed towards Nashville with the express purpose of exploring the much-talked-about Natchez Trace Parkway. This is a rambling slice of pavement that, for several hundred miles, traces the historic trail once used by Native Americans, hunters, farmers, and European settlers to move northward into Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee.

Just outside of Nashville we began our trek southward. At first the Parkway seemed nearly forgotten. We dashed through sweeping turns and dove in and out of the ups and downs. Lodgepole pines filled the air with an unmistakable scent, and roadside overlooks gave us unobstructed views into valleys that were a patchwork of greens and browns. In the lower part of Tennessee and into Alabama and Mississippi, the curves had been combed out of the road, and it became much flatter. Traffic also increased. We followed the Parkway to Mathison, Mississippi, and headed west on 82 to go in search of some blues history. Although chock full of an interesting—and painful—past, we didn’t spend much time in the state that gave birth to the blues. The roads were too straight, bumpy, and flat to be of much interest to someone begging for twists and turns. We visited the Vicksburg battlefield, a couple of plantations, and finally, the blues museum in Clarksdale.

We headed up the blues highway, number 61, to Memphis, where we felt obligated to pay a visit to the King’s mansion. Graceland was worth the time, as was Beale Street, where we enjoyed some authentic blues, an Elvis impersonator, and a spectacular gymnastics exhibition by a group of kids flipping down the street for tips. The next morning we crossed into Arkansas and pointed towards Eureka Springs. The Natural State is filled with little roads that snake off in all directions, promising the thrill of a fast turn amongst towering trees and pastoral views. We weren’t disappointed. Though Highway 64 started out rough and lackluster, it eventually gave way to more rolling terrain. At Russellville, we discovered Treasure Highway 7, a scenic byway that charges for mile after twisting mile toward Harrison. Its serpentine route cuts through the Arkansas hills and green forests like a ribbon tossed haphazardly onto the landscape. We carved the S curves, hairpins, and large sweepers with grins smeared across our faces. We came in search of Miata country, and we found it. From beginning to end, it tested my skills as well as my nerves.

In and around Eureka Springs, a Victorian-type village more than a century old, there are handfuls of wonderful, twisting roads that shoot up and down the picturesque Ozarks. The town, too, is as interesting as the landscape it’s cut into.

We left Eureka Springs on 23 which then turns into 86, another scenic byway. By this time we’d spent so much time on beautiful stretches of road that this section almost went unnoticed by the two of us. At Cassville, Missouri, we started working our way towards the biggest, fastest stretch of pavement we could find. After six days of driving the Miata through six states, with the top down nearly the whole way, we were ready to take a vacation from our vacation.

We’d covered 2,600 miles, most of it on two-lane roads, and some even smaller than that. We had a marvelous time looking out at the world from our cozy cockpit. With the wind in our hair, the smells in our noses and the sites filling our eyes, we got to be a part of the places we visited in a way other drivers couldn’t. Whether you’re using it just for short runs on perfect days, commuting every day rain or shine, or screaming around a track belted in with a five-point harness, the Miata is a great sportscar.

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The Masters Miata Club attended this first open house with a small contingency of 3 or 4, the following year was the only time I went and we had about 7-8, for the 3rd event it fell back to 3 or 4 and that turned out to be the last time it was a Club sponsered event. Over the next few years maybe one or two would drive over on their own, and I think they stopped doing the open house thing around 2010.

R Speed Open House

It’s Never Too Cold to Put the Top Down
By Tom Reed

If there’s one thing that Miata owners love almost as much as driving their roadsters with the top down, it’s getting together to show them off and talk about them. Miata owners from all over the world get together to hold events, take scenic drives, participate in tech sessions, or do whatever else comes to mind. The goal is to meet others that share a common interest and have fun. This past November, R Speed of Atlanta, Georgia held their first open house to accomplish this same goal.

R Speed sells a large variety of aftermarket parts for the Miata ranging from superchargers to crush washers. They can be contacted by telephone, on their web site, or by simply stopping by their store in Atlanta. They also offer installation, maintenance, and friendly, helpful advice.

Once the news of R Speed’s Open House spread, 200 people quickly RSVPed for the event. The day of the event, Mother Nature decided to cool things off with an overcast sky and a little precipitation. This only reduced the actual turnout to 180 people who came ready to talk cars, check out and buy parts, and enjoy Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Two people came from as far away as Japan (not only for the doughnuts), and others came from California, New York, and surrounding areas such as Tennessee. After all, who could pass up a free Miata event?

The cold weather may have impaired top down driving, but it certainly didn’t dampen spirits. Participants took part in a show and shine as well as tech sessions ranging from simple to advanced. A representative from Meguiar’s was on hand to demonstrate their products and provided tips on maintaining the perfect looking Miata. The tech sessions were hosted by Randy Stocker, a well known Miata enthusiast, and were full of useful information as well as up close instruction on maintaining
and modifying a Miata.

For those that are sometimes unfortunate enough to park next to a careless non Miata owner, a dent wizard made the rounds and smoothed out slightly flawed Miatas. People were able to mingle and take advantage of the many items on clearance. “When people don’t have to spend a lot to attend an event, they’re more likely to take advantage of the vendor area and pick up cool stuff at a discount for their Miata,” said Joseph Alfonso of R Speed. “The event was great and everyone had a great time,” remarked Alfonso.

With exhausts at rest, aural entertainment was provided by an alternative band that some would liken to Collective Soul. While the band played in the repair bay, lunch was catered courtesy of R Speed.

Later, a raffle was held with a large number of prizes on hand. One lucky winner went home with a Jackson Racing cold air intake, another with a new set of wheels, and several went home with Meguiar’s car care kits. These lucky winners had an extra reason to be happy that they braved the cold weather to attend the festivities.

This event was a huge success by any measure, especially considering the short notice and cold weather. Next year’s event is planned for September in the hopes of warmer weather and more lowered tops. For more information about R Speed’s Open House in 2001, or anything else regarding R Speed, they can be reached by phone at 678-290-7504, or online at www.rspeed.net.

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The Story of EO

– Ken Freeze

I actually liked this color. I didn’t buy one for a couple reasons, 1) Donna didn’t like the color and 2) I was very happy where I was in the 1995 Laguna Blue car. If I hade bought one, it would have had a black interior, light colored cars with light colored interiors have a lack of contrast. For some reason I’m OK with dark cars with dark interiors, but with dark colored cars, I would still prefer a lighter colored interior.

In 1998 when the second-generation Miata was introduced, it also saw the introduction of a new and striking color. While I absent from the North American market, the new color was seen in ads, web sites and brochures around the world. The color carried different names like Copper Mica, Evolution Orange, Mélange Gold and Evolution Gold depending on where the Miata was being marketed.

 
For the 2000 model year, Mazda introduced the color into the North American market as Evolution Orange. And just as is had in other parts of the world, the color turned heads everywhere it was seen.

Then almost as suddenly as it appeared, it was discounted worldwide, creating what is by far the shortest color run in the entire history of the Miata. For 2000 only 644 Miatas were imported and just two 1999 models were shipped into the U.S. Worldwide, the number is not much greater. It is conceivable that worldwide there are less than 1,000 Evolution Orange Miatas total for both years. Numbers between 700 to 800 total have been voiced.

How could a color that was turning up seemly everywhere go out of production so soon? Simple – it was planned that way. “The intent was to only offer the color in the U.S. for one year.” said Product Marketing Plans Manager, Mazda North American Operations, Alan Childers. “Expectations were that although the color is an eye catcher, it never would be a big seller,” he said. “But it is a flashy color that really draws attention.” And, while the color may be a ‘head turner’ and get people into showrooms, in the end they generally bought a different color.

Childers said that the Evolution Orange was just a standard color with all the regular options and packages that could be ordered by dealers. The dealers placed their orders through their regional offices and the orders were sent to Japan for production. So, the end production number reflects the orders that were placed for it.

“In 1992, the Sunburst Yellow (of which only 1,519 were sold in the U.S.) had a planned production run of around 1,500 units from the beginning of the year, ” said Childers. The Sunburst Yellow Miatas were then sent to dealers along with all the other colors available that year.

Mazda obviously saw the PR value of such a striking color. In 1999, when the 500,000th Miata rolled off the assembly line it was Evolution Orange and the 2000 press car from Mazda North America was an Evolution Orange. The press car was the Miata whose photo appeared in the 2000 Miata press kit and was the Miata loaned to just about every major auto publication in the U.S. As a result, from late 1999 through most of 2000 hardly a word was written about the Miata that didn’t also include a photo of an Evolution Orange Miata. As a result, it was easy to get the impression Evolution Orange Miatas were everywhere.

In a very real sense, there isn’t anything special about the EO’s except their color. Unlike the M-Editions or the recent 10th Anniversary model, they are not all equipped alike or include any special equipment not available on other models. They were available with a wide variety of options and packages, from stripped down base models to fully loaded LS models. But what that has done is create even rarer sub sets. For instance, the number of LS models with tan interior vs. base models with black interior. It is conceivable that there may be several one-of-a-kind Evolution Orange Miatas running around America.

Like many of the other limited and special edition Miatas, a registry has been set up on an Internet Web site to follow the Evolution Oranges and to help owners get in contact with one another. The site is http://www.allroadster.com/libs/EORegister.htm gone. Besides owners being able to register their EO Miata, the site also has facts and statistical information as well as an Evolution Orange screen saver from Mazda New Zealand.

What is in store for this rare color is anyone’s guess at this point. It’s closest counterpart, the 1992 Sunbursts Yellow, has taken on almost a cult following, with used models selling for well above the value of their used siblings from the same year.

Will models with different packages become even more sought after? Leather interior vs. black interior, suspension package vs. appearance. And, what about the Evolution Oranges with automatics? Rumor has it that very few were produced worldwide. Could this be the model most sought after by collectors and museums 50 years from now? Only time will tell.

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The Four Truths Of Youth

– Barbara Beach

Having just returned from Chicago attending our daughters’ high school graduation and a friend’s 5Oth birthday party, I found myself in an introspective moment. Exhausted after flying into San Diego from Chicago via Minneapolis-St. Paul, I was elated at the prospect of climbing into my 1990 Miata for the 30-mile coastal ride back home. Even after a full decade, I never tire at the prospect of a topless-sun-in-my-face-wind-in-my-hair ride to anywhere. While so many things in my life have changed. (remember, I am feeling reflective and introspective at this moment), the one thing that has remained the same is the car that set the stage for the last decade of my life. Six Miatas, two RX7’s and eleven years later I have a husband of 10 years, 5 adult children, none of whom were adults when I purchased my first MX5, one is starting college, and another is finishing high school. The child of 9 who was known to steal my RX-7 is now 21, and doing autocross. The child of 11 who would wear pillow case veils on her head has now donned the real thing as a June 2000 bride. As for the older kids…well we now have 4 grandchildren and a baby of our own…Miata Magazine. It seems as though our Miatas and Miata friends are one of the few elements that have remained constant.

As I mused over the activities of my Chicago trip, especially the 50th birthday celebration, I reflected upon the many friends that attended this party. 1 thought to myself, (again, I am having an introspective moment) as I’m driving north on the coast highway. I ask myself the question: If I been walking down the street today, and encountered anyone of the folks who were my close friends 25 years ago, would I have recognized any of them? I concluded, all of them with the exception of myself had aged excessively. As a group they looked middle aged, bald, financially comfortable, and generally 50 plus. The parking area was filled with Lexus coupes, Mercedes SUV’s, and the occasional Ford Taurus. Once again, I pondered upon the phenomena of having maintained my own youthful appearance and perpetual good nature while everyone else at the party had so ungracefully aged, to put it politely. I concluded that it must have had something to do with my love of sports cars, and my intimate relationship with my Miatas.

I have clearly come to recognize over the course of time, that there are four primary truths associated with youth:

1. Youth is wasted on the young……but, we never realize it until it’s too late. Try to explain that to a twenty year old.

2. Youth is relative depending upon your age…..My Miata driving Mom and infamous back issue lady Gwen is almost 80 and thinks I am still an adolescent.

3. God is kind to us by not allowing us to see ourselves as we may appear to others when we attend long time reunions.

4. Youth is closely correlated to fun……sports cars are made for fun, and the Miata is the embodiment of freedom and joy that every modern sports car has tried to emulate.

Pulling into my driveway, astounded that I had already arrived, I found my parking spot in-between our three other Miatas and reflected for just a moment more. I happily walked into my house feeling young again and again.

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