So much to my surprise, the Defender 90X finally showed up, 6.5 months in process. I was in Phoenix doing an art show (I have a big multimedia thing I do with 4 different kinds of media, photography and flying videos). So I was rather invested doing the show, it takes 6 hours to set up and get all the computers thinking alike. Much to my surprise the JLR deal calls and it there and ready. So my buds and I drop everything, for a while at least, and motor over. Of course I am there with my regular RR and now have two vehicles there, again a new fire drill. Ah, it is a thing of beauty. Now I have to do the 2 hours of prep class on how to simply make the car do what I want and so on. Naturally JLR's servers are burping so I still have not finished that part, Monday. I have to rush off to finish setting up. The computers have completely baffled my buds, but physically everything is in place, so I have to ignore the car and tend to business.

I need to drive back up to Flagstaff, but there is a bit of a wicked snowstorm going on and, well, drivers from Phoenix are not the most skilled snow drivers. I wait until the next morning. Not too bad, but now, every new resident of Phoenix wants to go to Flagstaff to see snow. It is a slow slog up the hill behind stop and go traffic for 130 miles on I17. Finally at the top of the rim things start to move along. I am #4 behind some drivers when the stupid Flying J fuel truck whips over causing everybody to hard brake and he throws up a plume of gravel. It nicely bounces over all the leading cars and I am watching, ping one chip, wham, one 4" crack. It figures, nobody dings an old car. I guess that is what the glass coverage is for. One more task tomorrow, order a new windshield.

Now aside from the Universe having one last gasping laugh over this adventure in car buying. It is a surprisingly excellent car. It has all the grunt of the Supercharged Range Rover, you can really romp it. It does not, however, corner as nimbly, expected. Ride is smooth, and even with the roof rack installed, rather quiet. Mind bending for sure with a long time Defender owner. It is comfy, the climate control works well, seats and steering wheel are toasty. I like it, a lot.

So in spite of going to depart in a week or so to Namibia, I set out to see what fits, what needs mods and so on for all my silly geotechnical stuff. I need to modify some of my storage options to contend with the curving in at the bottom of the door. The roof rack seems to be amiable to the mounting options I have cooked up to contend with the edge not having mounts for things like shovels and ladders. I really can't play much with it at the moment, it is icy out in the garage. I had to put heating pads on the bumper to attach the scuff plate (needs to be a little warm to actually adhere) and the mud flaps may have to hang out till I get back in May. Not laying on the concrete to affix them. Now I have been waiting to see about the rear seat not flat thing. Cleverer folks than me have led the way on popping out the seat bottom. It is really easy and it weighs nothing. It will fit in front of the seats, but I am as likely to just leave it home when I have to.

Now I must say the early descriptions of its removal could be better. Yes just pull up on it and kind of lift the back as you pull it forward. Now the two rear white receptacles like to come out, but they just pop back in. The wires for the heaters just unclip. Now some have been saying they needed to pull out the mounting clip. Not necessary, you need to push in on the small button (it is small) and pull the connector (not the wires) free. Not a struggle at all. Strong light is helpful.

I will update later when I get a moment to start mounting some of the field accouterments to it. If it may be of some use to others I will post some. I seriously doubt many will need some of my instruments or my microscopes. All in all, cool car worth the wait. I would post a pic of it, but it is absolutely wretched outside.