Honda Stages | Blogger Contest Runner Up

By, Lee Gientke

Looking back over the years, there has been a Honda at every major stage in my life. You might say the Hondas I’ve owned were rites of passage.

The very first car I bought for myself was a 2000 charcoal gray Honda Civic. I bought this car in 2003 as the second owner shortly after I graduated from college, where I didn’t have a car. Buying this car was a marker of adulthood for me. I found the car in the newspaper listed for $5500 – a huge sum of money for me at the time. I can remember thinking how much I loved the styling and how quick the car felt even though it had a whopping 127 horsepower. I was also attracted to the things most people love about Honda’s: the reliability and fuel economy. As a recent college graduate I didn’t have much money to dump into a car so my maintenance regimen consisted of changing the oil and filling the gas tank. Fortunately, my Civic didn’t require much more than that.

My Civic lasted until 2006 when I got what I would call my first real serious job for a startup in Los Angeles. If you’ve ever lived in Southern California, you know that your car is a marker of who you are. While my Civic was great, it was time to upgrade the wheels. Here I was, finally making good money, living the single life in Los Angeles and while my Civic was awesome, it was time to get something more fun. The more fun car for me was a 2002 Honda S2000.

With a drop top, 240 horsepower and a redline of 8900 RPM, my S2000 was a blast. I loved dropping the top and driving along the California coast or later, up Provo Canyon on a spring morning. I loved how it felt like driving a go-cart and how it was quick around the corners. It was also amazing how smooth and stable it was going 80 miles an hour (or more!) as it was going 20. It was a really confidence inspiring and it just wanted to go fast. It was also the car I received my first speeding ticket in and it was the car that moved me from Los Angeles to Utah.

Unfortunately, getting married a couple months ago meant that my s2000 had to go, I know that there’s another Honda in my future. I would love to say my next Honda would be another screamer like a Civic Si or a S2000 (if Honda brought it back) but my wife is thinking more along the lines of a Pilot or Odyssey so we can transport more than just us. 

My Honda Love Story | Blogger Contest 2nd Runner Up

My Honda Love Story begins in 1995. I was only 8 at the time but I remember as my parents were visiting different car dealerships, I had fallen in love with this beautiful new green Honda Civic. It was so much better than our 10-year old other car (not a Honda) and it smelled like heaven. My father worked with the car salesman until he got a great price for the car and we took it home.

Not the original car, but my neighbor happens to own one just like by old one except in blue! 

I remember going out to the garage and just admiring it. I've never been a lover of cars, but this thing was beautiful! And my mother even mentioned that I may get to drive it when I turned 16 which, to an 8-year old, was one of the most amazing things she could have ever told me!

As silly as it may sound, I grew up with this car. It took me to piano lessons, swim lessons, softball practices, and tennis practices. The Civic took me to school and picked me up from school. It took me to museums and the zoo. I even spent many hours sprawled out on its back seat on long car rides for vacations (back in the day, apparently it wasn't as big of a deal to have an 8-year old child laying down on the backseat ... or maybe it was and I was totally breaking the law). The comfortable backseat and door kept me propped up for rides to Grandma's house and gave me a nice seat to immerse myself in books or a nap.

Finally, I turned 15 and a half and my parents decided that I should learn to drive on the Honda Civic. I was so excited to drive this car that I had grown so close to for the past 7 years. And over the next few months, I cried a lot in that car. It was a stick shift so not only did I need to know how to drive, watch everything around me, and not hit anything, I also had to remember when to shift gears. There really had been nothing tougher in my life than learning how to not stall the car every time I started moving and how to not roll back a few yards after being stopped on hills.

This little Honda Civic gave me my freedom (after I learned to drive it, of course). I passed my driver's test with flying colors and there was no looking back from there. My friends and I had some fun adventures in that car and it even took me on one of my first dates as a teenager. When I think of my childhood, I think of this car because it was there for all of my big moments up until I was 18. It heard me laugh, cry, yell, and even sing at the top of my lungs. There really was not a better car than my beautiful, enduring, and reliable Honda Civic.

Again, not the original Civic I fell in love with, but exactly like it except in blue! 

Kim Corrigan grew up in Sandy, moved to Utah Valley for college, and has remained there ever since. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She and her family love to do anything but stay home. Picnics, bike rides, special events, and vacations are at the top of their "Most Favorite Things to Do" list. Kim started Utah Valley Moms and socializes on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, and Instagram.

Learning to Drive the Bitty, Bad, Honda | Blogger Contest 1st Runner Up

Photo Credit: Wikipedia.com

It was a sunny afternoon in late June. I was around 16 and scared to drive. I didn't pass my drivers exam in high school and put off trying again for years. But my determined older brother took me to a local grocery store and decided he was going to teach me to drive whether I liked it or not. At the time he drove an old Honda Civic with over 130,000 miles and a stick shift (eeek!). I was beyond terrified to drive it to say the least.

After buying a few items we headed back out to the car of all cars. Instead of hopping into the driver seat, my brother got into the passenger seat. And looked at me expectantly. I almost immediately broke into tears. I was so scared to get into that Honda and test my skills (or lack thereof). After what felt like a billion years I was coerced into the driver seat. I can still remember the smell of the leather steering wheel as I gripped it with deathlike force.

I took a deep breath, put one foot on the brake and one foot on the clutch while easing that bitty, bad Honda Civic into first gear. I eased my foot off the clutch as I pushed down on the gas and I was off! I stopped for a red light and all bets were off. As the light turned green I slowly moved into the intersection. The Honda stalled. I'm pretty sure I said a few choice words, restarted the trusty Honda and put both feet on the correct pedals. Cars honked and went around me, and a few people even swore at me as they passed by.

I put the Civic in first gear again, and eased my foot off the clutch. And stalled the car again! Then the green light turned yellow and then back to red. All the while I was in the middle of the intersection listening to my brother tell me what to do and trying my hardest not to completely lose it. I slowly lurched a few feet forward during the next two lights. That's right; I was in the middle of the intersection for three entire lights!

Finally, I was able to squeak out of the intersection and go to the side of the road. After I caught my breath, I got out of the car and quickly switched places with my brother. I was DONE driving for the day. Mostly I was just thankful that I wasn't dead and that my brothers sacred Honda Civic was still intact.

The next time I got behind the wheel of that car was a much better memory. I had no issues at all. For whatever reason, the horror of that first lurching drive had given me the battle scars I needed to be able to handle a stick shift for life. And it was all because of a bitty, bad Honda Civic.

*****

Hi! I'm Jacki and I blog at www.mamasonadime.com. I am a mom to three little munchkins and love being involved in my community. I also love all things frugal, but I'm not willing to sacrifice quality in the process. Which means I'm all about getting more for less!

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Off-Roading with Sugar

Sugar and I packed up and went on a little camping trip with some friends over Memorial Day weekend. Under normal circumstances, neither Sugar nor I would head off into the wilderness to get a dirt under our nails, but sometimes you just need a good adventure.

As far as I knew, we were going to a nice little town a couple of hours away for what promised to be practically-backyard-camping.

I was a little misled.

By the way, the trunk on my Accord is humongous.  I don't know how I keep forgetting that...but I was pleasantly shocked at how much gear I manged to get in there: a tent, two camp chairs, cooler, sleeping bag, air mattress, the kitchen sink... you get the idea. Who needs an SUV?  (Okay, I wouldn't turn down the new Honda CRV or the feisty, new Crosstour...but I digress.)

So off we went—Sugar, the fella, and I—into the woods to get our camp on. Getting to the site wasn't that bad.  By the time we got there, we were just a little dusty and bug-spattered.  Nothing too terrible.  But the next morning we decided to drive up the canyon to take a few pictures of a lake we'd heard about.  The "end of paved road" sign gave me a mild case of heart failure, but the fella is a good driver, so we pressed on (me trying not to think of how many things could go wrong far, far from cell service).

As we bucked and banged our way past truck after 4-wheel drive truck, I was a little bit proud of how Sugar handled herself.  We got some funny looks, for sure, but we never got stuck!  The fella took his car (*cough* not-a-Honda!) into the hills the very next weekend and complained rather loudly about how much he missed Sugar!  That's right... the guy who once called my girl boring is suddenly a fan!  Still, let's just say I'm glad this month is tire month at the Ken Garff Honda of Orem dealership because we were the only 4-door sedan braving the places we went and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need an alignment.

Look Up

http://defensivedrivinghabits.blogspot.com/2012/

If you haven't heard, Utah has some new laws. One of them might be a little hard to follow, if you're an avid multi-tasker like me. However, it might also save your life.  

So let's break it down:

"To focus on the road, to focus on your driving, that's the main intent," said Sgt. Todd Royce, of the UHP, referring to the new cellphone and mobile device restrictions that go into effect May 13.

If you don't already use a hand-free system (the built in blue-tooth capability was one of my absolute favorite features of the new Honda CRV I test drove!) for your cell phone when you drive, it's time to look into that, or plan to stop using your mobile device altogether behind the wheel.  

Texting while driving is already illegal. But current Utah law does not specifically ban us from doing all kinds of other distracting things with our phones — like searching the Web, picking a song, or even dialing a phone number. Starting May 13, that's all illegal.

Utah will essentially have a handheld ban with a few exceptions. The new law bans us from using a cellphone or laptop to send texts, emails or instant messages. You cannot dial phone numbers, access the Web, take or view pictures or video, or enter data into your mobile device.

You can, however, still dial your phone with your hands during a medical emergency, reporting a safety hazard, or reporting criminal activity. On the job law enforcement and emergency personnel are also allowed to use their hands.

We are allowed to use our cellphones and other mobile devices using voice-operated technology, and other systems that are physically or electronically integrated into the car, such as Bluetooth.

We can still use our mobile devices to view GPS, and other mapping programs. We can also still talk with our phones up against our faces. But you have to use voice commands to dial the number.

"We feel it will save some lives out there on the roadway," said Royce.

Eleven people died last year on Utah roads in crashes attributed to distracted driving.

Troopers will be on the lookout for people manipulating their cellphones in any way.

"You're probably see a lot of warnings and a lot of education done," Royce said of when the law first goes into effect.

But, when troopers and other police officers start writing tickets, it's a class C misdemeanor with a fine up to $100, or a class B misdemeanor if you cause someone else to get hurt.

Even though you will still be able to use your phone with these new restrictions, Robert Hull, UDOT director of traffic and safety, says setting the phone aside while you drive is always the safest practice.

"The ultimate responsible driving behavior is 100 percent focus on your driving," Hull said.

It is not illegal to use a headset while driving in Utah, so that's an option for some drivers, as long as you're not working the phone with your hands. Of course, you can always pull over, or get off the road when it's safe, to use your phone." Source: KSL.com

The bottom line:  Put down your phone, look up, and drive safely!  

5 Reasons You Should NEVER Drive a Honda Odyssey | Winning Entry

When our good ol’ pickup bit the dust 4 years ago, my husband and I went looking for the best family-friendly, used vehicle we could afford. It seemed like a no-brainer to go with the 2002 Honda Odyssey. After all, it has an average customer rating of 4.5/5 stars on edmunds.com and is ranked first in it’s segment by CarandDriver.com. But it didn’t take us long after signing the paperwork to discover the Odyssey’s awful secrets.

1. Heated Seats

Listen, Honda, I live in Utah for a reason—the average temperature in the winter is 32 degrees. It’s my choice to drive in a frozen tundra, it should be my choice whether or not I want my buns toasty warm. Granted, I can turn the heat off, but once it’s on I’m too warm to reach over and push the button, basically removing my agency.

2. Seating for 7

Who, in their right mind, would want to drive with six other people? Not me! I like riding solo as much as possible. But when Honda puts all those extra cushy seats in the Odyssey, people assume you want to haul them around. Listen kids, just because there’s room in the van, doesn’t mean I need to drive you to school.

3. Folding Backseat

Granted, this could be an advantage if you don’t want to drive people around (see reason 2), but it’s a great disadvantage when your husband shops at Home Depot. Do you realize how much paint and wood can fit in a van when the backseat folds down into the floor? Take my word for it. It’s a lot. Just to return the favor, I might see how many Nordstrom bags can fit in the same space.

4. V-6 Engine

I live in a small town with small vehicles. It’s bad for my image to sit at a stoplight next to Joan Schmo and have her know by the sound of my powerful engine I could take her in a drag race. Not that I would go zero to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds. That’s just pretentious.

5. Automatic Sliding Doors

Honda is contributing to the nation’s obesity epidemic one automatic sliding door at a time. Gone are the days of building your biceps by opening and closing heavy van doors. Now I push a button on the remote and they open without any exertion on my part. With as flabby as my arms are getting, a gym membership should have been included the Odyssey’s purchase price.   

Jill Swensen blogs at Being Spiffy where she tells the tales of her people. Said people include her husband and three children. When not blogging, you can find Jill carting her family around the thoroughfares of Utah, searching for adventures and the perfect fountain Dr Pepper.

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The Cog

I don't know where this video has been all my life, but it'll be the best two minutes of your day. Enjoy!