Most of the central Salt Lake valley isn't much higher than the Great Salt Lake, around 4300 ft. above sea level or something like that. The Wasatch mountains directly east of the valley rise over a mile higher than that- peaks around 10,000 ft. The Great Salt Lake is the lowest point in the entire Great Basin, which happens to include much of north and central Nevada.

Today's rain in the valley was snow above 6,000 feet, which includes most of the ski resorts that lie up the canyons in those Wasatch mountains.

I remember one winter that was mostly rain in the SL valley, yet the ski resorts had a good snow year. I keep hoping that if global warming does manifest itself, this would be the result for our locale. I'm not holding my breath.

I also remember the winter of '92-93, where I had a 5-foot-deep base in the front yard on New Year's Day '93. I had to tunnel down to the street.

 

That's about what I figured, as the average of the Great Basin is 4700 feet. That elevation makes for nice summers and cold winters.

 

I spent some time one summer at an archeological site about 40 miles north of Battle Mountain. Hot as hell. I have been to the middle of nowhere.

 

Would you believe that there are more remote places in Nevada. Go north of I 80 - there are spots there that are so remote that even the miners have trouble getting to them. Roads up in that area are lucky to see a driver once per day. Hell Battle Mountain is a big city for that area For sure not like Utah with a Trouper behind every tree. Now if you want hot, just come a little south of there in Clark County and we'll show you heat. Love Southern Utah in the summer. Take the motorhome, quads and the jeep and have a good time in the cool air.

 

Usually, southern Utah runs about 10-12 degrees warmer than Salt Lake in summer, not bad at all. In winter its more like 18-20 degrees warmer, even better!

We get a lot of Tucson & Phoenix residents in summer, looking to escape the heat.

I've always thought northern New Mexico wouldn't be bad place to live, climate-wise, year-round. A little winter is OK, if it's short and the snow is so light you don't need to shovel it.

 

My partners and I purchased a small plot of land for a cabin near Duck Creek (Utah). Brian Head is a short distance away and Brice Canyon and other neat places are also close by. Miles of multi-use forest and trails for the quads and the jeep. We started the cabin but decided to put a hold on it until the economy improves. My only problem is it's so dam high up that I get winded easily. The roads would be nice for the 8 but there is a trouper behind every tree and they have no sense of humor.

 

I've been thinking, now that the house is paid-off, about buying some land up in the mountains for a little getaway/retirement cabin. I've also always been against involving a motorized vehicle in my wilderness activity, being a hiker, but now you've got me thinking about where I'll be in ten or twenty years. That Jeep or ATV just might be a necessity.

The other side of the coin is, the wife doesn't do the outdoors well at all, being a pampered city girl. I don't have any problems with heading up there alone, but I won't get any spousal support on the project, either. Her idea of a get-away is a condo right in the middle of an expensive resort. Not really a "wilderness" experience...

 

Does anyone live in Orem/Provo area?

 

Stick her in Brian Head with all the yuppies. We'll do the four wheeling - At my age hiking is not an option but scooting around on a quad or jeep is heaven. There are established trails for this, not ruining a pristine area.

 

I believe there are a couple owners down in your area, welcome to the club though.

 

Thnx bose. Yeah I've seen a balck 8 a couple of times, but that's about it

 

I think there is a member in Provo with a black 8 I can't remember his name, I wanna say it kobe24mvp or something similar. Introduce your 8 and yourself tell us more.

 

I am soo sick of MAZDA! They are charging me $470 for a damn clutch pedal!! This should never break under any circumstance. I drive it nicely and this is what I get? 1 month ago I had to buy a heater control unit $389? This is BS!! Not to mention the 5-6 times I brought it in for the ECM which they replaced. Any suggestions on how to complain to MAZDA? I know it probably will fall on deaf ears but man, I am steaming!!

 

Ouch! Have they already put in the new pedal? BHR a vendor here makes a reinforced one that is much better for around 175 plus your old pedal. What was wrong with your heater control? Was it not heating at all, or not cooling? Mine was not heating I just pulled the heater control and found some solder joints that had cracked and now it heats again.

Best way to complain is before you pay any money, not to be a dick at all. But you need to call Mazda USA (their number is in your owners manual) and talk to them, make sure to have your VIN just be nice and calm. They won't help anyone who is pissed off.

 

Are those the prices including install, or just for the parts? The clutch pedal bracket is a known issue, seems that it should be covered as a recall item by now.

Good to see you still around, seriouscoin. Hang in there, the car is worth it, even though we get crap from dealerships on occassion.

 

Getting some motor mounts from a member on here getreadytogreddy. Good guy in my book. Can't wait to get rid of the rough idle

 

Just got her back. $189.00 Labor, $28.51 "Shop supplies" (2 paper towels probably), $233.31 in Parts (My brand spankin new weak *** pedal). With a grand total ripoff of $469.72! Man I love her but she is an expensive naughty girl! I have written Mazda USA a email, and made a complaint to the safety commision. Hopefully something comes of this. My heater was just blowing cold air. So I dropped it off and they gave me a new one for $398. I hope this is it, the girlfriend is getting mad and wants a different car.

 

Yeah I could have fixed your heater for free in 45 minutes, their tech are just lazy and throw a new heater control on it, when all it needs is to have the potentiometer re soldered to the printed circuit.

I am here to help anyone who needs it.

 

Then figure out my weird gargley sound my intake makes smarty pants

 

I think it has to do with the VFAD still being hooked up you need to take off that and cap the line on the intake manifold. Also make sure your not getting any oil in the intake tract, our oil filler neck has a vacuum line from the neck to the intake and some people get a lot of oil blown into the intake. Other than that I'm not sure unless I take a much closer look.

 

The weather gods are smiling on Jethro for a few days. I'll be driving my 8 at every opportunity until the snow comes again to stay.

Saw a red 8 going north on I-15 at about 900 north on Wednesday, about 3-ish in the afternoon. Anybody?

Bose, where did you get your strakes? I think I'm going to install a set while she's parked this winter. I'm still trying to decide between the aero flare kit or splash guards...leaning toward the splash guards. Cleaner look.

 

I got mine from rx8strakes.com, they shipped extremely fast too. They have alot of different styles as well. I like the rear of the aero flare kit but the rest not so much. I would go with the splash probably.

 

Quick question for you guys. I was driving my car yesterday in stop and go traffic. Then all of a sudden my car was gutless! Then when I got on it a little bit it sounded like a dirt bike almost. This has happened before, Im thinking its the cat. I looked under the car and the sensor on the cat was glowing red. Do you think that the cat is clogged?? This is driving me nuts. Do you guys have an idea of how much a high flow one would cost? I may just do that being out of warranty. Thanks guys.

 

^ wow... that doesn't sound good. There are few mid pipes in the "for sale" threads and I think a high flow cat or two... going around $150-$250 A new one runs a bit more. Is your car modded?

 

it's not nodded at all. Kind of weird that it will go back to normal next time I drive it. I took it to Mazda last time and they told me it miss fired a couple times but it's okay.