Honda Newsletter: August Edition

“The Power of Dreams… and Trail 90s.”

My fellow Honda-heads, After months of soul-searching, emotional journaling, and irresponsible beverage consumption, I’ve finally narrowed down the source of my lifelong infatuation with Hondas. Buckle up—it all started with a shiny orange hog.

Origins of a Honda Devotee

Picture this: I’m a young lad, maybe 3 or 4 years old, wandering into my grandpa’s garage. There she sat—an orange 1981 Trail 90, gleaming like a radioactive pumpkin. This beast had a center kickstand that made it stand upright like a proud stallion. I’d climb aboard and pretend I was headed to the gas station for a treat. Occasionally, Grandpa would fire her up and take me for a ride. The wind in my hair, the roar of the engine, the sheer reliability—it was surreal.

When my older brother turned 11, Grandpa handed him the keys (metaphorically—Trail 90s laugh at keys). We played taxi around the yard, tipped the bike over a few times, and needed a small village to lift it back up. Every moment was magic. Eventually, Grandpa retired the hog to my brother, and that’s when dreams became reality.

Rise of the Chommers Club

One summer, I convinced two of my homies to buy Trail 90s. They did. We formed the Chommers Club—an elite society for executive-level Trail 90 riders. Ninth grade was peak rebellion: we rode our hogs to school, hit the gas station for lunch, and didn’t ask our parents for permission. I got pulled over twice and was told to walk the old girl home. Naturally, I drove her to college at Weber State. Because Honda.

High School Honda Hierarchy

In high school, the popular kids drove Honda Civics and Accords. Owning a Honda was basically a social currency. I briefly rebelled and told myself I’d never buy one. That lasted about 14 minutes.

At 22, my girlfriend needed a car. We test-drove a Civic. I fell in love with that four-cylinder masterpiece. After we got married, I traded it for a brand-new 2004 V6 Accord. BAM—life changed. Quality, function, reliability. Then she totaled it at 6,000 miles. One of my darkest days. We used the insurance money to buy a 2002 Accord and drove that bad girl until 2018 with zero issues. Traded her in for a Camry, but my heart never left Honda.

The Odyssey Years

In 2011, I sold my 1996 Nissan Maxima (224K miles, may she rest) and bought an ’06 Honda Odyssey. Just when I thought Honda had given me everything, they dropped the VTEC bomb. Smart engine, gas-saving wizardry, horsepower for days. We put 129K miles on her, sold her at 169,900, and she never let us down.

She went on 44 road trips, played 87 Disney DVDs, and became my July fireworks-season sleeping pod for six years straight. She drove like a Cadillac but had the soul of a Honda. Yeah, she leaked a little oil (my fault), chewed through three sets of brakes (also my fault), and had 99 oil changes (mostly me). But she NEVER stranded us. Ever.

Ben Dover’s Accord & the Legacy

I bought Ben Dover’s 2011 V6 Accord for myself and my daughter. Fastest, most well-built car I’d owned in years. We all know how that ended. Another sad day. But that Accord saved my wife and daughter’s lives. Honda: built different.

Present Day Honda Madness

Today, I proudly own:

• 2 Honda Generators

• 1 gas-powered Honda lawn mower (yes, the push kind)

• 2 Honda Accords (one for each daughter)

Why share all this? Because through every phase of life—childhood, rebellion, marriage, fatherhood—Honda has been my constant. I’ve ridden Honda four-wheelers, bikes, and even dreamed of owning a Honda lawn mower (still cheating with Toro, don’t judge). And yes, Honda makes airplanes. Maybe Justin and Neil can buy one and fly us all to Hawaii. Club retreat?

Next Quest: Trail 125

My newest mission: find a used 2022 Trail 125, strap it to the back of the Wolf Pup, and explore the world like a Honda-powered nomad.

Ghee Whiz Trail 90 Facts

• Shifter but no clutch

• High/low gear—low gear climbs telephone poles

• Onboard tool kit

• Side exhaust that will absolutely burn you

• 215 miles per tank

• Spare gas tank

• Bulletproof

• Chick magnet (unverified but spiritually true)

Final Thought

Honda: The Power of Dreams. For some of us, it’s not just a slogan—it’s a lifestyle. A slightly reckless, gas-powered, nostalgia-drenched