Month: October 2021

The New Ford Bronco

The new Ford Bronco is a cool looking little vehicle.  I saw the bright yellow one parked in front of a Ford dealer and I stopped by to get a few photos.

I was afraid the dealer might chase me away as I was taking photos (I remembered my experience with the Rivian dude), but Ford dealership guys basically ignored me.  I couldn’t even get any of them to come over to try to sell me a car.

I called the dealership when I got home to ask a few questions and the nice young lady on the phone told me the yellow one I kind of fell in love with is called the Badlands model.  It’s not available yet, but she invited to visit the dealership and test drive it.  I may do that.  She also told me the MSRP on that vehicle was just north of $52K, and the dealer had a $5K “market adjustment” tacked on.

There are other Bronco models available, including the gray and silver ones shown here.  These carried more reasonable stickers (around $30K), but they still had that objectionable $5K dealer larceny fee.

The interior of the Badlands model I checked out was cramped, but it looked cool.  I liked the yellow accents.

The new Bronco comes standard with a 300-horsepower EcoBoost engine (it’s a four cylinder engine), and there’s an optional 330-horsepower engine.  The $52K (plus $5K markup) yellow Badlands model had the standard engine.  When you throw in taxes and the other dealer fees, that Bronco will be well over $60K, and that’s a lot for a four-banger.

Yamaha RD350 Part 6: Rubber Match

One day many years ago, when I was around 12 or 13 years old, I took my metallic blue Honda Mini Trail on the road. My older buddy, Russ Adamson, who was legal on a Honda CL100, was with me on the street adventure. My Mini Trail didn’t have a tag, I didn’t have a license or any business on the pavement, but that didn’t stop us. I just wanted to ride, to be free without being hassled by The Man, like Peter Fonda said in those biker movies from the late 60s/early 70s era. Unfortunately, The Man had other ideas. I made it all the way to Milam Dairy road in the town of Medley, about 10 miles from home, when I was pulled over for obvious reasons.

The cop was a real stickler for details. He arrested me and called a tow truck to haul away the mini bike. I sat in the back of the patrol car looking out the window as he took me to the cop shop. Russ checked out ok so he was allowed to ride back home. At the cop shop the other cops looked at my cop like he was crazy. “You’re arresting him?” My guy held firm to his principals. I was booked, finger printed and was going to be put in a jail cell when one of the cops said, “You can’t put him in a cell, just let him sit here behind my desk.” I didn’t know exactly where I was, South Miami I think. We had driven a long way to the station. I called my house but nobody was home so I sat there wondering what prison food would taste like.

The situation was so unusual I didn’t know I should be scared. Other cops were stopping by and talking with me, trying to keep me in good spirits. I had quite a few spectators. I was a real celebrity collar. Some cops would just look at me and shake their heads in disbelief. One of the cops told me, “We’ll see you back here in a few years on a big Harley,” and then laughed at his joke.

Russ had gone to my house and told my mother what happened but he wasn’t sure who arrested me. Miami in the area I was pinched had several overlapping police departments. There is Metro Dade, Medley Police, Sheriffs and a few others. My mom started calling the various forces patrolling the city.

“Your mother is coming down to get you,” the desk cop told me. Mom came in the police station as angry as I ever saw her. I figured I was done for: no more mini bike. Astonishingly she was not angry with me. She read the riot act to any and all cops within earshot. Turns out I was like 30 miles from home. In lieu of bail, Mom had to show her voter’s ID card to spring me and all the way home she was mad as hell. But not with me.

Events were getting out of hand. My mother called Charles Whitehead, a writer for the local Miami paper and he wrote a humorous column titled, Dangerous Joe Rides Again.  In it he joked about the police arresting and fingerprinting a little kid. Whitehead claimed that a desperate crime spree was stopped by the brave actions of the police. Remember, this was before kids routinely shot up schoolyards. I think Whitehead was pining for a gauzy, Norman Rockwell, soda fountain type of police encounter. The upshot was Whitehead felt the cop should have tossed the mini bike in the trunk of his patrol car and taken me home. Which would have been worse for me by far. By arresting me the cop took all the attention away from my stupid actions and took it on himself.

With my mom and dad by my side I had my day in traffic court. After a long day of waiting we were the very last case on the docket. I was charged with driving without a license and having an unregistered vehicle on the highway. Neither of which you normally get arrested for. Since I had no license I couldn’t lose it or get points against it. I plead no contest. I don’t remember the fine but it was like $100 I think. That was a lot of money. I never did manage to pay them back.

This old story came to mind when I rode the untagged RD350 down to the La Luz post office to sign for a package of new rubber carb tops from India. India makes a lot of parts for RD350’s. I haven’t switched over the title so the RD is still in the previous owner’s name. I haven’t registered it for a tag because I’m still working on it and to get a tag you have to buy insurance. The title was safely at home so I had no proof the bike was even mine. It was as if I hadn’t learned a thing from that arrest so long ago.

Like that Honda Mini Trail, the urge to ride the RD350 defies common sense. I think that’s the appeal of vintage motorcycles: they make you feel like a kid again. I just want to be free, to go where I want without being hassled by The Man, you know? The bike still needs a lot of work but I think I’ll focus on getting it legal next. It’s obvious I lack the willpower to stay off the thing. Dangerous Joe indeed.

More Joe Gresh!

Dan’s Drifter

Good buddy Dan, a loyal ExNotes reader, enjoyed our recent blog on the Kawasaki Drifter.  Dan wrote to tell us about his Drifter.  Check this out, folks.  It’s a beautiful motorcycle.

Joe:

My motorcycle is a 1999 Kawasaki Drifter 1500cc.  Recently got it, love the combination of  Japanese bike reliability that will go forever and the Indian style that is a real head turner. Changed up the seat, added some Indian badging including the tank decals and even an Indian VIN plate cover. Other adds on include the jockey shift that is actually linked to the heel toe shift, the book rack and the triple head lights. I couldn’t afford a 40s Indian and even if I could some of those you have to be a mechanic to operate, this is a great compromise that doesn’t feel like a compromise.

I think people who appreciate the bike for what it is might like the look of the seat and such. It’s funny as a tribute I was even on the fence about the Indian badging but at the end of the day I subscribe to “ride whatever, be safe, have fun.”  I even had a rider of a current Indian tell me his was no more Indian than mine…they stopped making them in ’53 and as far as he was concerned anything after that was nothing more than a tribute.

Thanks and be well…I enjoy the blog.

Dan

Thank you, Dan.  Your Drifter is a good-looking motorcycle and it’s one I’d be proud to ride.  Great photos, too!

Five Favorite Handguns

I’ve owned quite a few handguns and I’ve shot quite a few more.  These are my five all-time favorites.

Colt 1911 Government Model

What can I say?  I waxed eloquent about the 1911 in several ExNotes blogs.  I’ve owned several 1911s, and I still own my first, the MacManus Award Colt 1911.  My mid-1980s bright stainless steel 1911 is a real honey.  It’s hard to go wrong with any 1911.

1911 Government Models can be phenomenally accurate handguns, I love the .45 ACP cartridge, and the 1911 is part of America.  I carried a 1911 in the Army and I carry one today (see below).

Rock Island Compact 1911

The Rock Island Compact checks all the boxes for me.  It’s under $500 (I picked  up mine new for an incredibly low $425).  While not quite as accurate as a full-size Government Model, it’s accurate enough and it’s easy to carry.   Like the bright stainless Colt 1911 above, my Compact has been lightly customized by TJ’s Custom Gunworks, with a polished barrel and chamber, engine-turned chamber exterior, Millet sights, and other mods to improve reliability (new extractor, recut ejector, etc.).  It feeds anything.  I like the Parkerized finish; it’s all business and it reminds me of the 1911s I carried in the Army.  I call it my American Express gun (I never leave home without it).

My favored Compact 1911 loads are a 230-grain cast roundnose with 5.6 grains of Unique, and a 185-grain semi-wadcutter with 5.0 grains of Bullseye.  The 185-grain SWC load is crazy accurate for a snubbie .45.

Colt .22 Trooper 

This is an unusual one.  I bought it in the 1980s.  The Trooper is the same .357 Magnum that Colt manufactured for police duty, except it’s chambered in .22 Long Rifle.  The barrel and the cylinder have the same external dimensions as the .357 Mag, which makes it heavy and that translates into stellar accuracy.  It is the most accurate .22 handgun I own.  Mine has custom rosewood grips.  I love shooting the Trooper, and it does well with every brand of ammo I’ve put through it.

I paid $200 for the Trooper back in the ’80s.  If you check what they go for today on Gunbroker.com, I think you’ll agree it was a good investment.  But like all the other guns in this blog, it is not for sale.

Ruger .357 Magnum Blackhawk 

Ruger Blackhawks are exceptionally accurate revolvers, they are easy to shoot, and they are just plain cool.  I’ve shot loads in mine that run the gamut:  148-grain wadcutter target loads, 110-grain max hollow point loads, 158-grain max loads, and metallic silhouette 200-grain cast roundnose loads.   The Blackhawks don’t care; they handle all of them with target-grade accuracy.

I used to say Blackhawks last forever, but I have to tell you I can’t say that anymore.  My stainless steel Blackhawk finally wore out.  When I sent it in to Ruger for repair, they were surprised, too, and they backed up their surprise with an even-more-surprising offer to buy the gun back (an offer I accepted).  I’ve got my antenna up for another .357 Blackhawk, and when things calm down a bit in the gun world, another one will find a home with me.

SIG P226 Scorpion

The SIG P226 is an amazing handgun. At $1200 (and that’s a pre-pandemic price), they are not cheap, but I feel like I spent my money wisely on this piece.  I love the SIG’s finish and grips, and I love its accuracy (it is the most accurate 9mm handgun I’ve ever owned).

I first learned just how good the SIG is when I fired good buddy Python Pete’s, and it wasn’t too long after that I bought the one you see here.  It did better than any of the other 9mm handguns in the load development comparos (for both cast and jacketed loads).  Trust me on this…if you want a fine handgun, you won’t go wrong with a SIG P226.

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Phavorite Photos: Sensorio!

An interesting dilemma…is this a Phavorite Photos blog, or just a regular blog?  Hey, I’m going with both.  Susie and I were on a content safari (a term I stole from Gresh) and one of the safari stops was the Sensorio light show in Paso Robles.  Paso Robles is a cool little town along Highway 101 in central California.  I initially wasn’t that keen on the concept, until I saw it.  The artist, Bruce Unro, covered acres of rolling hills with lights.  It sounded to me like the thing that guy did with umbrellas a few years ago, and I thought that was a goofy concept.  But hey, what do I know?  My wife has a better sense for these things than I do, I went with her better judgment, and I’m glad I did.

We arrived just as it was starting to get dark, and we could see the bulbs and their stems.

As it got dark, the lights started to stand out a bit more.

There are columns made of wine bottles about halfway through the exhibit.  They were cool, too.  Paso Robles is a wine-growing region.

The full effect came into focus when it was completely dark, and it was something to see.

The folks who organized this show thought it through. There’s a lot of walking involved, and you sign up for a specific time to get in.   They do that to limit the number of people at any one time, and that worked well.  There were other people there, but we never felt crowded.

The website for the light show posted prohibitions about commercial use of any photos, so I left the Nikon home and used my cell phone to snap the photos you see here.  The iPhone 12 has great capabilities, way more than I expected for available light photography.  I’d like to tell you I knew what I was doing, but I just held the phone as steady as I could and let the camera do its thing.  It was a three second exposure, so I suspect it has some kind of algorithm that acts like a gyroscope.  The photos are great and I wanted to share them on the ExNotes blog, so I emailed the organizers and they gave me permission to do so (thanks, guys).  In their response, they also sent their press release, which contains good info on the show so I included it here.

I enjoyed Sensorio and I think you will, too.  If you get a chance, this is worth the trip to Paso Robles.

SENSORIO ADDS DATES FOR
BRUCE MUNRO: LIGHT AT SENSORIO
NOW EXTENDED THROUGH JANUARY 2, 2022

PASO ROBLES, CA (16 July 2021) — Due to overwhelming public demand, Sensorio announces the extension of the stunning outdoor art exhibit Bruce Munro: Light at Sensorio through January 2, 2022. The immersive installation includes Munro’s 15-acre Field of Light, an array of over 58,800 stemmed spheres lit by fiber-optics which gently illuminate the landscape in subtle blooms of morphing color, and the adjacent Light Towers, featuring 69 towers composed of more than 17,000 wine bottles illuminated with glowing optic fibers modulating to a custom musical score.  Since reopening in April 2021 following a mandated closure due to the pandemic, the exhibit has been sold out weeks in advance. Says Sensorio Executive Director Paul Haught, “We are thrilled to announce this extension, so that all interested visitors can have the opportunity to experience this one-of-a-kind immersive exhibit.” Sensorio enhances the experience with live entertainment by local musicians, and offers food and beverages including wine/beer, snacks and meals. A VIP experience option is also available, which includes exclusive access to a terrace overlooking Field of Light, with an Airstream bar, private tables and fire pits, and other amenities. Bruce Munro: Light at Sensorio tickets are available for timed entry on Thursday-Sunday evenings, now through January 2, 2022, at Sensorio, 4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles, California. For more information, the public may visit SensorioPaso.com.

When Sensorio opened with Bruce Munro’s Field of Light in May 2019, it was an immediate hit, with thousands of visitors from around the globe flocking to experience this remarkable event. Sensorio’s installation is larger in size than any other Munro exhibition internationally and is Munro’s first US exhibit entirely powered by solar. It was singled out by The New York Times as #6 in its “52 Places to Go in 2020.” It has also attracted national and international media attention, applauded for creating a “movement that infuses culture in valleys of viticulture,” (The New York Times), and described as “the future of public wellness” (Forbes), and a “pilgrimage-worthy art escape” that is “meant to complement, never compete or detract, from the beauty of the landscape” (Travel + Leisure).

For Light Towers, Sensorio enlisted Munro to create a vibrant new illuminated work that pays tribute to the 200+ wineries and vineyards that blanket Paso Robles’ beautiful rolling hills. Light Towers is inspired by Munro’s earlier work Water-Towers, originally created for and exhibited at the spectacular arcaded cloisters at Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire, England. For Light Towers at Sensorio, Munro has utilized wine bottles for the first time, as an homage to Paso Robles’ abundant vineyards. The 69 towers are made from 17,388 wine bottles—252 bottles per tower—rising some seven feet high and illuminated in gently changing colors to visually represent the original composition “Rise and Shine,” composed by Orlando Gough and performed by an international vocal ensemble.

Sensorio was created by Central Valley locals Ken and Bobbi Hunter as a destination for entertainment, exploration, meditation, adventure, and delight, honoring the natural topography of the landscape. It opened with Bruce Munro: Field of Light, which became an international sensation. Sensorio launched its second phase with the addition of Light Towers, an extension of the current exhibition that is included in the admission fee. Both exhibitions will continue through January 2, 2022 at Sensorio. Other exhibitions and buildings are planned for future openings at the site.

London-born Bruce Munro is known for large-scale light-based artworks inspired by his continuous study of natural light and his curiosity for shared human experiences. With a fine arts degree, early career training in the lighting design industry, and an inventive urge for reuse, Munro creates art that captures his responses to literature, music, science, and the world around him. His work has been commissioned by and displayed in special exhibitions in galleries, parks, grand estates, cathedrals, botanical gardens, and museums around the globe, including Longwood Gardens, PA; the Guggenheim Museum, NY; the Sharjah Museum of Art, UAE; Montalvo Arts Center, CA; Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, AZ; Desert Botanical Garden, AZ; Jeju Light Art Festa, South Korea; the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, CO; Sotheby’s Beyond Limits at Chatsworth; Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Waddesdon Manor, the Rothschild Collection, Buckinghamshire; and Salisbury Cathedral, among others. Artworks by Munro are held in the permanent collections of museums and public art collections worldwide including the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archeology, Oxford; Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Art Museum, TN; and Texas Tech University Public Art. More information is available at www.brucemunro.co.uk.

WHAT: Due to overwhelming public demand, Sensorio announces the extension of the stunning outdoor art exhibit Bruce Munro: Light at Sensorio through January 2, 2022. The immersive installation includes Munro’s 15-acre Field of Light, an array of over 58,800 stemmed spheres lit by fiber-optics which gently illuminate the landscape in subtle blooms of morphing color, and the adjacent Light Towers, featuring 69 towers composed of more than 17,000 wine bottles illuminated with glowing optic fibers modulating to a custom musical score.  Sensorio enhances the experience with live entertainment by local musicians, and offers food and beverages including wine/beer, snacks and meals. A VIP experience option is also available, which includes exclusive access to a terrace overlooking Field of Light, with an Airstream bar, private tables and fire pits, and other amenities.
WHEN: Now through January 2, 2022
DAYS/TIMES:  July-August: Thursdays/Sundays 7pm-10pm, Fridays/Saturdays 7pm-11pm
September: Thursdays through Sundays 6pm-10pm
October – November 6: Thursdays through Sundays 5:30pm-10pm
November 7 – January 2: Thursdays/Sundays 4:30pm-9pm, Fridays/Saturdays 4:30pm-10pm (Additional holiday dates to be announced.)
WHERE: Sensorio, 4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles
TICKETS: LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS AVAILABLE NIGHTLY. To guarantee admission, tickets must be purchased in advance at sensoriopaso.com for a specific date/entry time. A limited number of walk-up tickets may be made available at the door, sold only as on-site guests depart to ensure safe distancing at all times.
ADULT ADMISSION: $31.50 to $41 + ticket fees
CHILD ADMISSION (12 and under): $9.50 to $20 + ticket fees. Children under 2 are admitted free.
VIP TERRACE: $81-110 + ticket fees. VIP patrons enjoy priority entry at opening and can arrive anytime during open hours. VIP tickets include exclusive access to the Private VIP Terrace with reserved seating, private restrooms, Airstream bar, fireside tables, and the best views of the exhibition. Includes 1 drink ticket. “VIP Experience + VIP Platter” tickets also include a charcuterie or crudités platter.

Cancellations may be caused by inclement weather or future mandated closures for COVID safety. In that event, ticket holders can reschedule to a future date.

COVID precautions: unvaccinated guests are kindly asked to wear a mask/face covering.

INFO: For information visit sensoriopaso.com.

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Earlier Phavorite Photos?  You bet!  Click on each to get their story.

Cast Bullets Follow Up: The .300 Weatherby Magnum

This is a followup on the cast bullet story, focused specifically on the .300 Weatherby cartridge in a Mk V rifle.

I tried a few loads previously and I tried to get a little better results for this blog, but it seems I already had the keys to the kingdom.  Here’s the bottom line first:

    • I didn’t see much difference between the two bullets I tried (a 180-grain gas-checked bullet and 20.0 grains of Trail Boss, and a 210-grain Montana Bullet Works gas checked bullet with the same powder charge).
    • 20.0 grains of Trail Boss works well.  I tried higher charges, but they weren’t as accurate.
    • Cast bullets in the .300 Weatherby won’t give you a tackdriver at 100 yards, but it will keep the holes in the black.  I was averaging 2 1/2-inch groups at 100 yards with the loads mentioned above.

I experimented with two bullets, the 180-grain design mentioned above that I get from a local caster, and Montana Bullet Works 210-grain cast bullet.  The Montana bullet is longer and has a more pointed tip; the 180-grain has a blunt nose.   I think I showed you these photos before, but I’ll include them here again for easy reference.

180-grain cast bullets. These have a gas check and were sized to 0.309 inch.
These are the Montana Bullet Company cast 200-grain rifle bullets. These were also sized to .309 inch.

Neither bullet leaded the barrel with any of the loads I tried.  The Montana bullets don’t appear to have a much of a step to crimp on like the locally-sourced 180-grain bullets.  I crimped the Montana bullets just above the top grease groove.  The blue lube you see north of the case mouth is just lube that had smeared above the top groove. I tried some with the loads as you see them above (with blue lube smeared above the crimp), and some where I wiped the lube clean after crimping; that had no effect on group size.

.300 Weatherby cartridges loaded with Montana 210-grain cast bullets.

The Montana bullet needed to go deep into the case neck to cover all the grease grooves.  This wouldn’t be an issue for my target shooting because they are transported in a box, protected, before I shoot them.  The guys that know about this stuff say if you’re going to hunt with them, you shouldn’t leave any grease grooves exposed because they can pick up grit.  So I made mine like I was going to hunt with them.  Someday maybe I will.  There might be a pig out there with my name on it.

The cast Montana bullet base is well below the case neck when loaded.

Note that that the base of the Montana bullet is well below the neck inside the case.  I thought that might cause the gas check to come off when these rounds are fired.  That didn’t seem to be happening with mine and my friends who know about such things tell me that there’s more important stuff to worry about.

The data below are all for 100-yard results with 20.0 grains of Trail Boss,  The Montana bullets have a slight edge, but not by much, and I’ve only tried the one load (20.0 grains of Trail Boss) with them.  I had previously found 20.0 grains to be best with the 180 grain bullets.

I’ll probably vary the Trail Boss loads a bit with the Montana bullets at some point in the future.

I tried SR 4759, which has always done extremely well for me shooting cast bullets in other rifles.  I tried two loads (22.0 grains, and 27.0 grains).  Neither did nearly as well as the Trail Boss loads.  I didn’t record the group sizes, but take my word on this:  They were huge.  The Lyman manual shows going up into the mid-30s (i.e., 35 grains) with SR 4759 and cast bullets in this cartridge; maybe that would be better.  But I’m good enough with Trail Boss, and that’s where I’m going to hang my hat.

I have other powders I could try with cast bullets in the .300 Weatherby, but I think I have my load, and that’s 20.0 grains of Trail Boss with either 180-grain or 210-grain cast bullets.  There’s not much difference between the two, and accuracy is okay at 100 yards (not great, but good enough to practice with).   One more note, and that’s that I used CCI 200 primers in all loads, and I crimped all loads.

It sure is a lot easier shooting cast bullets in this rifle than it is shooting 300 Weatherby factory-level loads.  It completely changes the character of the rifle and the shooting experience.   Shooting 20 rounds of factory ammo off the bench in a .300 Weatherby is punishing, and unless you’re a self-styled Facebook expert, it’s time to call it a day.  With cast bullet loads, though, I can go through 50 rounds and wish I had more.  And the cast bullet savings are awesome.  I did a little spreadsheet work to determine what a .300 Weatherby cartridge costs loaded with a cast bullet, and by my calcs, I figure I’m sending about $0.29 downrange every time I pull the trigger.  A box of 20 rounds of 300 Weatherby (assuming you can find any) goes for around $80 to $100.  At the high end, that’s $5.00 per round.  Granted, you could knock down a T-Rex with factory ammo, but we don’t get too many of those at the West End Gun Club.  I loaded 90 rounds this morning, so I guess I’m wealthy by Weatherby ammo standards.

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Subie’s New WRX: 16 Years Later

I’m a Subaru fan.  We’ve owned four and they’ve all been great.  Well, maybe except for the entertainment center in my current ride, a 2018 Outback, but that’s a story for another blog.  To get back to this one, Subaru announced their latest WRX and I think it’s awesome.  I don’t need another car, but I’d sure like to own this one.  271 horsepower from a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat four, 4 wheel drive, and an 8-speed automatic.  Yeehaw!

The first time I drove a WRX was when good buddy Tom let me drive his STI.  That thing was a rocketship and I knew I needed one.

My first Subaru was a 2006 WRX and I loved it.  The thing was a go kart with air conditioning and it was fast.  I owned a Z06 Corvette at the same time and the Subie was way more fun to drive.  Sue and I went all over in it, including a trip up to Oregon where we grabbed quite a few cool photos.  Here’s one among the giant redwoods.

Here’s a marigold farm north of Santa Barbara.  I was on a business trip and when I saw those marigolds I stopped for a photo.

Here’s one on the Oregon Coast Highway.  The car made me look good, I think.  The Subie was an exceptionally photogenic automobile.  It was my first ride of any kind along the Oregon Coast Highway, and in my opinion that road is even more scenic than California’s Pacific Coast Highway.  We included this stretch when we took the Chinese and the Colombians on CSC’s RX3 Western America Adventure Ride a few years later.

And one more, this time on the 395 just below Bridgeport.  The 395 is a scenic drive, too.

I haven’t cared for the WRX body styles that followed mine until this latest 2022 version.  Subaru got it right once again, I think.  I don’t need a new car, but man, I’m tempted.  I could apply Bidenomics to it, pay for the thing, and explain to Susie that the cost was zero.

In their advertising Subaru shows only two colors for the new WRX.  There’s the orange shown at the top of this blog and a more sinister-looking gray.  They both look good, but I’d go for the orange.  I had an orange Subie CrossTrek, and what I liked best about that color is I could instantly spot it in any parking lot.

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