Ford Debuts Lego Explorer; Kids Rejoice

When we were kids, “driving” involved a pedal car and Lego hadn’t even debuted Star Wars-themed setups. Now, as part of a driving school for kids ages six to 12 (!), Ford has debuted a bright-red Explorer made out of the iconic interlocking plastic bricks.

The car will mark the entrance to the Ford Driving School at Legoland Florida, where kids born as recently as 2005 can drive electric cars on curbed roads, reaching speeds as fast as 3 mph.

Sure, some pint-sized gearheads visiting the new Legoland might wish Ford had brickified a Mustang Boss 302 or an SVT Raptor instead of the car their mom probably drives them to school in, but the Lego Explorer is still pretty cool.

For one, it came out of the Torrance Avenue assembly plant in Chicago and was created by the same engineers who build the Ford Explorer. The Lego Explorer took 22 people more than 2,500 hours to build using 380,000 bricks. It rides on a 768-pound aluminum base and weighs 2,624 pounds.

And did we mention it’s made out of Legos?

Photos: Ford

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New Oregon Coast Surfing Contest Debuts in September

Covering 180 miles of Oregon coast travel: Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Nehalem, Wheeler, Rockaway, Garibaldi, Tillamook, Oceanside, Pacific City, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Waldport, Yachats & Florence.

08/01/07

New Oregon Coast Surfing Contest Debuts in September

Surfing photos by Pamela Clark of Goose Hollow, in Seaside(Lincoln City) – It’s got a funny name, and it’s something a little different in the surfing competition world of the Oregon coast – or just about anywhere. And it will begin in Lincoln City next month.

The first annual Either/Or Surfing Team Cup has been scheduled for the weekend of September 15 and 16 in Lincoln City, Oregon. It features a competition on the waves that’s done with a bit of a twist, as well as a big party at a local bar.

A1 Beach Rentals, Lincoln City. Perfect for large family vacations all the way down to a getaway lodging for two - with over 25 vacation rental homes to choose from. A breathtaking collection of craftsman or traditional beachfront homes, or oceanview houses – from one to seven bedrooms. In various areas of Lincoln City and overlooking the beach, with some in Depoe Bay. All kinds of amenities are available, like hot tubs, decks, BBQ, rock fireplaces, beamed ceilings and more. Some are new, some are historic charmers. Lincoln City, Oregon. 1-(503)-232-5984. www.a1beachrentals.com.

Depending on weather that weekend, it may actually become a pool tournament instead of a surfing competition – hence the title of “Either/Or.” However, with the Oregon coast usually basking in what is known as the “second summer” in September – a time where it’s the warmest of the year in the area – there’s not much of a chance the event will wind up indoors.

Teams will compete against each other for the coveted Either/Or Trophy. Jason Garding, one of the event organizers, notes the winning team will also get a plaque, "so years down the road you can show your grandchildren how rad you used to be.” This one-of-a-kind event is limited to 32 surfers in eight teams, and will utilize a unique team format. The event will run with two teams per game (actually called a “heat” in these circumstances), with each team surfing two quarters per game with the winning team moving on towards winning the team cup. Each team member will have their best wave score combined with the best wave score for their other team members. The team with the highest cumulative score wins the event and the coveted trophy.

Another different aspect of this event is that all surfers in the water during each heat will all be from the same team, surfing cooperatively with each other. They won’t be surfing against each other as is seen in every other surf event. Surfers in the Either/ Or Team Cup are encouraged to share strategy and to change water approach tactics to maximize the best surfers for the best conditions during their heats.

This event is a benefit for a 7th through 12th grade water club in the Lincoln City area.

A surf themed raffle, surf movies filmed with local Oregon surfers and live music will be offered on Saturday, September 15, at BK Mulligans Sports Bar, starting at 6 p.m. The Saturday night event will be free and open to the public.

The event will run a total of eight hours of heats, with each heat scheduled for fifteen minutes. Teams will surf two heats each. Teams must have at least two shortboarders (boards 7'4" or shorter) and one longboarder (boards more than 9'). Teams must register in advance, as team space is limited. Individual team riders will be registered the day of the event in a beach registration process, or at BK Mulligan's Sports Bar Friday night between 6 and 8 p.m.

The entry fee for each team will be $150. Checks for team registration can be mailed to Jason Garding at Either/Or Team Cup, 1745 NE West Devils Lake Rd., Lincoln City, OR 97367. Include the team name, a team contact person, a contact phone number and e-mail address with the team registration check. Judging for this event will be provided by the surf judging group Pacific NW Judges, headed by Sonny Owens.

The location for the event will depend on ocean conditions on the day of the event. Areas selected for running the event are the D River Wayside, Road’s End, Canyons, Nelscott, Otter Rock or Mulligans. The event location will be posted last minute, on AwesomeSurfVideos.com, on Friday, September 14. In the event of severe weather conditions, the team cup will turn into a pool tournament at BK Mulligans Sports Bar, which is why the event is called the Either/Or Team Cup (either a surf event or a surf-oriented pool tournament).

Sponsors for this event include BK Mulligans Sports Bar, Awesome Surf Videos, Oregon Surf Shop, Fox Riders Company, Xcel, Rebel Boards, DoubleVizion Photography, ERA Skateboards, Ossie's Surf Shop and Russo Surfboards.

For more information on the event, contact Ken Wilson at 541-921-1070.

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All units boast two bedrooms, two bathrooms, designer kitchens, wireless broadband Internet, fireplaces, Jacuzzi’s and private decks. Friendly staff dedicated to high quality and superb customer service. 140 NW 48th Street, Newport. (541) 265-3751. (800) 870-7795. http://www.starfishpoint.com/

Arch Cape Property Services. Dozens of homes in that dreamy, rugged stretch between Cannon Beach and Manzanita known as Arch Cape. Oceanfront and ocean view , or just a short walk from the sea.
All homes are immaculate and smoke free; some pet friendly (with a fee). Some with broadband, indoor or outdoor hot tubs, fireplaces, decks, and fire pits or barbecues. Call about tempting winter specials that go until March (not valid holidays, however). http://www.archcaperentals.com/ 866-436-1607.

D Sands Condominium Motel, Lincoln City. Free, fresh baked cookie upon check-in is just the start. All rooms beachfront and up against Lincoln City's most famous stretch of beach: the D River. Each room comes as a suite or mini-suite, and has a kitchen and balcony or patio. Some w/ gas fireplaces, while all have a DVD Players; movies to rent come with free popcorn. Heated indoor pool, a spa, and this fabulous beach is lit at night. Rooms sleep from two, four to six - including a deluxe fireplace suite. Gift certificates orspecial occasion packages. http://www.dsandsmotel.com/. 171 S.W. Highway 101. 800-527-3925.

Weiss' Paradise Suites & Vacation Rentals - Seaside

Unique Luxury Accommodations in Seaside. 1BR Suites, 1BR & 2BR Duplex Units and 3BR Houses, units for 2-8 people. Rent entire property for 20-26. Close to beach, river and Broadway St.
Suites are designed for two adults; vacation rental units for families. All units have kitchen and many have fireplace, deck and jetted tub. Comfy robes, slippers, luxury bath amenities, quality linens and more. 741 S. Downing St., Seaside. 800-738-6691. http://www.seasidesuites.com/

Lincoln City Vacation Homes Something for everyone: smaller homes with a view to a large house that sleeps 15. All are either oceanfront or just a few steps away – all with a low bank access and fantastic views. Most are in the Nelscott area; one is close to the casino. You’ll find a variety of goodies: fireplaces, multiple bedrooms, dishwashers, Jacuzzis, washer/dryers, hot tubs, cable TV, VCR, barbecues; there’s a loft in one, and another sprawling home has two apartments. Pets allowed in some homes – ask first. Each comes with complete kitchens. Most have seventh night free. Prices range from winter $85 to summer $230 per night. http://www.getaway2thecoast.com/. 541-994-8778.

Tradewinds Motel, Rockaway Beach. All rooms are immaculate and have TV’s, VCR’s and in-room phones w/ data ports. Oceanfronts have queen bed, a double hide-a-bed, kitchen, cozy firelog fireplace and private deck. Both types sleep up to four people. Others are appointed for a two-person romantic getaway, yet still perfect for those on a budget. Elaborate oceanfront Jacuzzi suite has two bedrooms, kitchen, double hide-a-bed, fireplace and private deck, sleeping as many as six. For family reunions or large gatherings such as weddings, some rooms can connect to create two-room and three-room suites. Some rooms pet friendly. 523 N. Pacific St., Rockaway Beach. (503) 355-2112 - 1-800-824-0938. www.tradewinds-motel.com

Inn at Cannon Beach. Beautifully wooded natural setting at quiet south end of Cannon Beach. Great during winter storms with a new book by the fireplace – or when the sun is out for family fun and beach strolling. Handsome beach cottage-style architecture. Lush flowering gardens and naturalized courtyard pond. Warm, inviting guest rooms. Continental buffet breakfast. Warm Cookies. Family and Pet Friendly. Welcome gifts. Smoke-free. Complimentary Wireless Connectivity. Wine and book signing events. 800-321-6304 or 503-436-9085. Hemlock At Surfcrest, Cannon Beach, Oregon. http://www.atcannonbeach.com/.

The Ocean Lodge. There will not be another property built like this in Cannon Beach in our lifetimes. Rare, premiere ocean front location; handsome, dramatic architecture and tasteful, fun (nostalgic) beach interiors. Overlooks Haystack Rock. 100 percent smoke free. Imaginative special occasion packages. Massive wood burning lobby fireplace. Library w/ fireplace, stocked with impressive book collection. Pet and family friendly. Lavish continental buffet breakfast. In-room fireplaces, mini-kitchens. Jacuzzi tubs in select rooms. DVD players, complimentary movies. Morning paper. Warm cookies. 888-777-4047. 503-436-2241. 2864 Pacific Street. Cannon Beach, Oregon. http://www.theoceanlodge.com/

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Day or Night Mysteries and Merriment on Oregon Coast It's more than just nightlife that comes to life, but the beaches offer major opportunities

Oregon Coast Travel Site Goes Wireless Provides Lodging Reports - Oregon Coast Beach Connection now has mobile lodging and dining listings, along with weekly lodging availability reports

CONTACT BEACH CONNECTION

ASTORIA
Where the Columbia meets the Pacific, Land of Lewis & Clark and loads of atmosphere & history

SEASIDE
The Promenade, Tillamook Head, family fun & broad, sandy beaches

CANNON BEACH
A mysterious lighthouse, upscale yet earthy, a huge monolith, fine eateries & an art mecca

NEHALEM BAY
Manzanita's beaches, Nehalem and Wheeler's quirky beauty; laid back Rockaway

TILLAMOOK BAY
Garibaldi, Barview, Bay City, Tillamook & an oceanfront ghost town

THREE CAPES LOOP
The hidden secret of the coast: Cape Meares, a lighthouse, Oceanside, Netarts and Pacific City

DEPOE BAY
A spouting horn downtown, freaky hidden cliffs and whales, whales, whalesNEWPORT
Time-tripping Nye Beach, a bustling bayfront, marine science-central and two lighthouses
YACHATS
Constantly dramatic wave action, a mix of the rugged & upscale
FLORENCE
A lighthouse, ancient bayfront and miles and miles of fluffy dunes

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2011 Super Bowl Commercials: Miss Evelyn debuts in the Chevrolet Camaro

Close your eyes, and picture your image of the ideal woman. That attractive, yet intelligent, down to earth with a super model body type of woman. Is she Blonde, Brunet, Asian or a Red Head? – It really doesn’t matter. She is the hot single school teacher we all lusted after in junior high… With a James Bondish sense of adventure.  Of course she loves muscle cars and digs guys who do, right? In this 60 second spot Chevy managed to put everyone of our stereotypical dream girls behind the wheel of a new Camaro.

What makes a good movie: intense action, plot twists, a good car chase (with the obligatory jump), helicopters, explosions, hot women, and a happy ending… right? Well Chevrolet hopes it makes good commercials as well.

They have two male narrators imagining their favorite commercial. They send a speeding 2011 Camaro through the desert, past mirrors, hay bales, and city traffic before launching it off the top of a parking deck and into a parking lot at the local elementary school.

The car of course is piloted by a series of gorgeous bombshells as the narrators let their minds wander. The final iteration is Miss Evelyn the local hot school teacher we all dreamed of dating. Did I mention my wife is a school teacher ?

Look for Miss Evelyn to debut on 95 million TV sets right after the MVP Trophy is awarded. All of this year’s Super Bowl ads were created by ad agency, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.  Chevrolet advertising returns to the Super Bowl after a four-year absence.

February 4, 2011
Categories: Camaro, Chevrolet, Video . Tags: motor city, motor city muscle cars, linkedin, muscle cars, motorcity, camaro blog, camaro news, camaro model, camaro jump, MVP Trophy, Superbowl MVP Trophy, Super Bowl Ads, Super Bowl XLV, Superbowl commercials, super bowl car commercials, super bowl chevrolet, super bowl camaro, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, hot school teacher, bombshells, gorgeous, women, woman, camaro commercial, camaro chase, chase scenes, Blonde, Brunet, Asian, Red Head, super model, Attractive, camaro body, james bond, wheel, hot women, fast cars, 95 million, TV, Angelina Vitale . Author: maritimedriver

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Jeep Treo concept car debuts at Tokyo Show

I like cheap cars, and I cannot lie. Not that I mind testing $70,000 luxo-sedans or $98,000 sports cars, but reviewing entry-level, bottom-of-the-line cars is my true passion. Let's face it: Anyone can build a nice car to sell for fifty grand, but providing good value for $15,000 or less -- especially considering all the safety equipment now mandated by the Fed -- well, that's no easy feat.

The 2011 version of my cheapest cars list once again highlights the 20 least expensive cars in the US market, telling you which ones are best buys and which ones are best left on the dealer's lot. Compared to last year's list, there are two new additions: The $13,995 Ford Fiesta takes the #8 spot and the $14,795 Mazda2 premieres at #11, knocking the Toyota Corolla and the Scion xB off the bottom of the list. Another last-minute addition is the all-new 2011 Hyundai Elantra. After seeing the car at the Los Angeles Auto Show, I expected it to be priced right off the list, but surprise, surprise! The new Elantra is only $685 more than last year's model, and so it stays on, down just one spot to #12.

At this point, the list is a work in progress; Smart has yet to announce exact pricing for the mildly-redesigned 2011 ForTwo, and the same goes for the Honda Fit. Scion is also holding out on its new iQ minicar, but it's sure to wind up on the list. Chrysler has announced pricing for the Fiat 500 -- $15,500 -- and assuming the destination fee is the same as other Chrysler models ($750), it'll be taking up residence on Page Two once it goes on sale.

I'm starting to ramble (see, I told you I love cheap cars!), so if you want to get the skinny, check out the list: Cheapest cars of 2011. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Mazda

Greetings from Arizona! We decided to get a jump on the Thanksgiving holiday traffic by heading out to my folks a little early. I see every road trip as a potential for experimentation, and this time I decided to try a four-cylinder SUV. Read more...

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Tonight at 10 pm (9 pm central, and goodness knows when in Arizona) on the History Channel, Top Gear USA will finally hit the airwaves (or, I suppose, the cable-waves). I've been waiting a long, long time for this -- and I don't just mean the last few months of making the show. I mean, like, years.

I'm really happy with the way the show came out, and I'm not just saying that as a staffer -- I'm saying that as a true Top Gear fanatic. Amazing cars, fantastic cinematography, lots of idiocy, and plenty of tire-smoking antics courtesy of Tanner. Episode One is pretty darn good, and the show will get even better in the coming weeks. Check it out tonight and be sure to let me know what you think. -- Aaron Gold

The Los Angeles Auto Show is now open to the public. So how is this year's show? It's good...but a bit quiet.

One thing that was missing was the pessimistic attitude that hung over -- well, pretty much every major auto show for the last couple of years. Still, the show is a little short on flourish but pretty solid on substance. Rather than hold a press conference for the nifty little Urban Luxury Concept, for example, Cadillac simply put the car on display with little fanfare. World premieres were few and far between, though they did include some notable cars such as the Nissan Quest and Mazda5 minivans, as well as the Porsche Cayman R and Nissan's whimsical (and production-ready) Murano SUV convertible.

Not that everything was quiet. Ford probably has the best booth of the show -- not only are they showing the all-new 2012 Focus, but they have a slot-car track modeled after the Laguna Seca raceway (complete with elevation changes!) and will be doing real-live dynamometer runs with a real-live Mustang Boss 302.

By far, my favorite vehicle at the show was the Jaguar C-X75 concept. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but it's got the niftiest powertrain I've ever seen. It's a range-extended EV, with a plug-in battery pack that powers four electric motors (one for each wheel) for up to 67 miles. When the battery runs out -- or when extra power is needed for high speed -- the C-X75 has on-board generators driven by a pair of miniature jet engines. No, I am not making this up. Sadly, Jaguar will not be doing any demonstration runs of the car -- I'm sure the car's exhaust temperature (680 degrees F) wouldn't sit well with the fire marshal...

Anyway, you can check out all the new and notable cars in my Los Angeles Auto Show photo gallery. If you're thinking about visiting, my LA Show Visitor's Guide will tell you when to go and how to get there. Special thanks to Dwane Ferry for helping out with the photos. -- Aaron Gold

Photo ? Aaron Gold

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