Auto show recap

21 November 2007 at 10:09 pm (reviews)

American cars are back!

  • Cadillac CTS, loved it!   Easily a 5 series contender, this coming from an owner of a 5 series.  I’m gonna stroll into a Caddy dealer next time around, something I would never have done before.
  • Saturn Sky 100, Pontiac Solstice 0.  I would consider the Sky over the Miata.  The Solstice felt like the entire Pontiac brand, cheap.
  • The GMC Acadia is our next car.  The X5 is a close second, but the additional $20k is hard to justify.  The Tahoe/Yukon just doesn’t match the refinement in this crowded segment.  Luxo brands each have something seriously wrong with them: GL is big but feels small inside, LX is too small, GX is too cramped, Toureg is too girly, etc.
  • BMW’s lineup is getting tired.  Toyota is as exciting as a piece of toast.  Lexus is a substitute for Melatonin.
  • The Range Rover Sport is awesome, I’d pick it in it’s price category.
  • Thin crowds midweek, priceless.

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How was Maui?

6 November 2007 at 10:37 pm (travel)

It was great. We love it so much we plan on going back to the same spot, year after year.

Rather than bore you with pictures of stunning sunsets, spectacularly good-looking kids and heavenly points of interest, I’ll summarize the more exceptional highlights:

  • I’m walking away with $900 in airline credit vouchers, see previous post.
  • Sofie took her first steps in Maui, officially becoming a toddler.
  • Quote of the trip, from the guy I rented a surfboard from, If you find a good break and don’t see anyone out there surfin’, keep your feet up, tiger sharks are matin’ right now.
  • Surfing was great, but a little windy. My leash got caught in the reef and I thought it was a shark biting, I almost crapped my shorts.
  • Met some new friends from Bend, Oregon. We plan on meeting up again next year. Their son, ironically named Oliver, hit it off great with Sam.
  • Having no inhibitions about door dings for two weeks was liberating. As a matter of fact, my Trailblazer was even keyed on the passenger-side door (unprovoked, really!).
  • Did you go golfing? No. It was going to cost upwards of $200 with green fees, cart rental, club rental, lunch .. so I decided to take that money back to the mainland and spend it on more lessons.
  • I nearly finished the Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for DS. Unheard of, especially since I’m not 12. Zelda is supposed to take months to finish. I have to say it’s the best RP video game I’ve ever played, hands down.
  • The road up to Haleakala was narrow and kinda scary. Violently jerking the wheel in jest to make my mother-in-law scream, priceless.

The flight back was uneventful.

I forgot to add, I came back 3 or 4lbs lighter.  Odd considering I ate practically whatever I wanted.

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