The Year in Review – 2023

Gazing at the stars. Driving on a Formula One racetrack. Standing beside enormous steam-powered locomotives. Visiting military history museums. Ambling through thousands of flowers. Climbing mountains. Hanging out with birds of prey. Relaxing by the ocean surf. Riding in a car as it rolled a million miles on its odometer. 2023 was filled with adventure, as my wife and I crammed yet more exploration and new experiences into our free time.

As I have done in years past, I wanted to take an inventory of where this blog has been before turning our attention to 2024. We’ll begin with a countdown of the ten most popular posts from 2023, as determined by the number of unique visitors to each post. Then we’ll look at the vehicles in our garage, before closing with a few insights about this blog.

Let’s begin:

The Top Ten Posts of 2023

9a. Mud Season (Tie)

9b. Drive the Glen (Tie)

8. Steamtown

7. Cars of Yesteryear

6. Weekend Wrap-Up

5. The Midwest Winter Ordeal

4. Wings of Victory

3. The Next Chapter

2. A Jersey Kid Climbs a Mountain

1. The Million Mile Man, the Million Mile Accord

Garage Updates

2020 Acura TLX

2023 witnessed the biggest change to our garage in quite some time. After some deliberation, the decision was made to part ways with my beloved 2012 Honda Accord coupe. The Accord had been my trusty road trip companion for over 8 years. It took me to countless destinations, and had been a tireless companion that was always ready for the next adventure. Unfortunately, the elements had started to take their toll on the vehicle. While the engine and transmission were still strong, I was having to replace more and more parts that were succumbing to rust.

After several months of research, I opted to purchase a 2020 Acura TLX with a V6 engine and Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system. Based on the 9th generation (2013-2017) Honda Accord, the Acura TLX is a comfortable and safe, yet surprisingly sporty, ride. The new car has already been on several road trip adventures.

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Grace, my wife’s Jeep Grand Cherokee, continues to serve us well. It’s a capable long-distance cruiser, tackling miles with ease while swallowing tons of cargo in its voluminous interior. 2023 was the priciest year of ownership, however, as it took $6,230 in repairs. While some of the items, such as new brakes and new tires, were expected, we didn’t plan on needing to replace several components of Grace’s air conditioning system.

2012 Honda Accord

It wouldn’t be right to end this post without a few words of praise and final notes on my old Accord coupe. DH, as I called him, ended his tenure in my ownership with 228,026 miles on his odometer. In his last year in my garage, he required $3,365.69 in maintenance and repairs – not awful, but higher than I would like.

In the end, DH required 9.6 cents per mile of upkeep over the course of my ownership. According to AAA, the average cost of car maintenance is 9.68 cents per mile (via Nerd Wallet), so even as the years and miles started to take their toll, DH was still doing well.

Blog Updates

This blog is a labor of love. For the past seven years, I have detailed my adventures on the roads of America. For everyone who has stopped by to read a post, who has left a comment or a like, or who has responded with a text, an email, or a phone call… thank you! I am glad you continue to find entertainment through these writings and photos of our explorations of America. As long as you keep reading, I’ll keep writing!

Thanks, as always, for taking time out of your day to read this blog and join our journey down the open road ahead.

‘Til next time.