ArvinC

...and averaged 22 miles to the gallon in pretty relaxed driving. Average speed was about 60-65 MPH down routes 50 and 404. The car was a great "tourer"...very comfortable and just a joy to drive.

I stayed in Bethany, Del. and went down to Ocean City for a couple of nights. Be warned...it will turn heads down there! :D Also, every kid with their slammed/riced-up sport compact will cruise alongside you wanting to know more about your car. But it's all good...too many police cruising Ocean Highway to risk breaking any speed limits. Unlike home, no one beside me made out like they wanted a stop-light race...just lots of stares, thumbs-ups and good conversations.

Thinking of where to take my 8 next!

Arvin

TwoZooms

For an easy day trip, how about Carlisle, PA? Their big import auto show (lots of rarities, exotics, and classics) is May 22-23. It's a pretty area and a great event. Calvert County, MD is full of great roads, too. Try Route 97 from DC all the way to the PA border.

ArvinC

...about the car show! I am always up for a good auto show and just may have to get up there. I am familiar with 97 and have to agree it is a great strecth of road to drive.

Another stop in PA I've been planning on getting to is Falling Water, the house built by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Kaufman family. It's supposedly a little bit past halfway from Baltimore to Pittsburg. Lovely driving country up there...but PA roads suck for the most part quality-wise! :p

Arvin

TwoZooms

I've been meaning to visit Falling Water. I've been in the DC/MD vicinity for four years, but PA remains largely unfamiliar territory to me. Now that I have longer legs (rotary powered), I think it's time to start exploring.

Just curious: does Baltimore have a Mazda club? The DC area club meets regularly, but it's in Tysons Corner, VA, which is exactly the wrong way to be driving from my house on a weekday evening.

ArvinC

...owners have been posting about getting together informally, but nothing yet has come of it. Hopefully, though, with the weather becoming nicer, it will happen. As I'm sure it is around your way, the 8's are still pretty rare up here...so having a Baltimore/Maryland club would definately be cool! :D

Are you fan of F.L. Wright? Personally, I would've loved to have become an archetect...just didn't have the proper push in the back that I needed when I was in school to persue it.

Arvin

affenage

I've lived in PA for 6 years now.. my whole house is arts and crafts style.. love Frank Lloyd Wright. Don't feel bad, I have yet to make it there as well - it's quite a hike from here (I'm just over the line from Cecil Co MD). If you get a club together, and plan a trip out to Falling Waters, can I go too?

ArvinC

...it would be great to just drive up there! A group of 8's winding their way through the Penn. woods would be fun in-and-of-itself...having a destination like Falling Water makes it even better! :D

I'm going to do a bit more research on it and try to make a trip out of it...if Pittsburg is close, it could easily be a weekend-type of trip for me. Even though I hate the Pirates for beating the O's in the '79 World Series (Willie F'ing Stargle!!!), I hear their ballpark is a really beautiful place to watch a game.

Arvin

sadams21

I grew up 30 minutes from Ocean City. My parents still live down there, so I get down there at least once a month. I've also noticed that the 8 turns so many more heads down there, then up here in Baltimore. Haven't had a chance to take it on Coastal Hwy in Ocean City yet though. It should be fun to get in down there this summer and see the heads turn.