'cause I am as old as a dinosaur, I have driven a number of great roads or memorable roads that became memorable for very different reasons. First, these are not roads that were twisty and full of excitement because I get that on track. These are roads that are forever stuck in my memory.
The best one is the Old Tamiami Trail Road from Miami to Marco Island. First time I drove it, I left Miami at 9:30 at night and drove that old 2 lane highway through the middle of the Everglades at night. I had a sunroof rental car, so I popped open the sunroof, opened all the windows and turned off the radio and listened and smelt the swamp at night. Complete sensory overload and the best drive I have ever experienced. You have to do it.
The second drive was in a 1970 Boss 302 Mustang I had just purchased in Saskatoon and then driving it back to Toronto. Amazing experience from covering the distance from Regina to Winnipeg in just over 4 hours, foot to the floor in 4th, stopping once for fuel and feeling that motor pull hard to 6,500 rpm then drag limit itself at about 150. Also, getting arrested in Northern Ontario for potential car theft and getting released with the demand to get a Trip permit the next morning and staying at some sleazy hotel with a one armed stripper.... and there were many more exciting things on that trip.
The third is a lot more mundane, but way better at blowing my mind. Heading down from Vancouver to Portland in a rental Contour with my buddy Derek. realizing that the wear grooves on the I-5 below Tacoma, were so deep you could take your hands off the steering wheel and the car would drive itself. When you hit a corner it would start to climb out, then fall back into the groove. We decided to see how far we could go and we made almost 10 miles. Lots of hooting and hollering during that stretch. Totally mind blowing.
The fourth was the drive from Melbourne to Phillip Island to see koala bears. The roads were mint, winding through Dr. Seuss style trees, seeing familiar but yet different sights along the way. Super hot with a wind that felt like a hair dryer being blown in your face from the wind coming in from the desert. Giant earthworm signs, a road that was perfectly smooth and almost artificially well kept. Finally creeping along through a eucalyptus forest and seeing those little things that reminded me so much of racoons with prettier faces. We then drove on to the Phillip Island race track to see the facility and it was by far the most beautiful track I have ever been on.
The last for now was the boring drive from Toronto to Montreal back in 1991 for my first race driving in a Support race for the Montreal F1 Grand Prix. I had to work late, so the crew had already hauled the car down to the track and were set up. I had to get there quick as I landed in Toronto from Europe at about 8 pm, and my first on track was 8 the next morning. Raced home, loaded up my gear, battled through Toronto traffic and once I cleared about Oshawa, foot to the floor. Again it was a warm night and I had just got my new Passat. Rolled down the windows, opened the roof and cranked up the stereo. It was just flat out dicing through cars, scrabbling around corners at a buck 20 and letting that car do its autobahn thing. Yes I was young and stupid, but it was glorious. One stop for fuel and the trip took just over 4 hours. Glorious, glorious drive. The way driving should be.
I have many many more from the deserts in California and travelling through the Rockies to being crushed in traffic in Soeul Korea, but I have learned that its not so much the act of driving or the car that's key, but the experience and the people you are with that makes it all of value.
Eric
