What's your driving road bucket list?
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Gorgeous pictures!
A friend of mine just ran up Mt Washington (yes, ran...on foot) and between her pictures and yours I'm really wanting to make a trip back up to New England soon. My girlfriend and I along with another couple did some brewery touring around Vermont back in the spring, but I want to get back to the white mountains again.
A friend of mine just ran up Mt Washington (yes, ran...on foot) and between her pictures and yours I'm really wanting to make a trip back up to New England soon. My girlfriend and I along with another couple did some brewery touring around Vermont back in the spring, but I want to get back to the white mountains again.
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Now to plot my next trip. I expect to hopefully be located in northern Virginia next summer so I suppose the TOTD and its neighbors might be next in line...
I also have a high likelihood of driving another car from western Arizona back to the east coast in the spring, so I may look into some of the desert southwest roads that might be sort of on the way.
I also have a high likelihood of driving another car from western Arizona back to the east coast in the spring, so I may look into some of the desert southwest roads that might be sort of on the way.
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As I approach the end of reasons to justify keeping my yellow car, I find myself thinking very seriously about modifying it in a very particular fashion for one last hurrah before I part it out.
Thinking about building it up for a trip up the Dalton Highway in Alaska...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalton_Highway
2" lift, 225/60/16 truck tires, extra fuel cell, full size spare, Maybe a roof rack, winch, and light bar:rofl:
Thinking about building it up for a trip up the Dalton Highway in Alaska...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalton_Highway
2" lift, 225/60/16 truck tires, extra fuel cell, full size spare, Maybe a roof rack, winch, and light bar:rofl:
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Since my "new" car is currently located in western Arizona, and I'm going to be on the east coast for the foreseeable future, I am hoping to do an end to end West to East Rt 66 trip over the Memorial day week. It seems like a fitting way to christen the new GT car. I'll fly out to LA and have my dad pick me up in the car there so we can start at the western end, then drive east from there. (As long as the car is ready)
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Well, reality took that plan and beat it like a redheaded stepchild...
Not sure right now when I'm going to move the car east but no matter what else I do, I will at least get a monument valley trip in there.
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My favorite drive is over Independence Pass just west of Aspen,CO. The scenery is spectacular and the twisties can give your car a nice workout.
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I'm going to be in North/Central NJ this coming weekend. Looking for good roads to drive while I'm there...Stumbled across this one thats going to be a must-drive: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_Death_Road
Any others in the area?
Any others in the area?
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Stumbled across this one, adding to this thread so I can find it later:
https://www.myscenicdrives.com/drives/arizona/coronado-trail-scenic-byway
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_191
https://www.myscenicdrives.com/drives/arizona/coronado-trail-scenic-byway
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_191
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Nice write-ups:
https://motoringconbrio.com/great-driving-roads/
https://motoringconbrio.com/great-driving-roads/
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Currently plotting a late summer/early fall Maine Coast cruise.
https://www.newcougar.org/forums/ne...cruise-coming-date-discussed.html#post2351989
Maine is the last state in New England my car has never been too. (Me either)
If I do this trip, than the next closest state my car hasnt been to will be NC.
I would really like to do a run down the east coast all the way to Key West...maybe this winter if i can carve out the time.
https://www.newcougar.org/forums/ne...cruise-coming-date-discussed.html#post2351989
Maine is the last state in New England my car has never been too. (Me either)
If I do this trip, than the next closest state my car hasnt been to will be NC.
I would really like to do a run down the east coast all the way to Key West...maybe this winter if i can carve out the time.
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I had an adventure last week that fits this thread. I flew out to Western Arizona for my parents 50th Anniversary party and drove back to Connecticut from there with my wife, daughter, son-in-law, grand kids, and seven dogs. We had a class C Winnebago and a GMC SUV.
Leaving Lake Havasu, AZ, we took I-40 all the way from western Arizona to Eastern Tennessee, then cut up to Washington DC via I-81, and finished up from DC to CT via the good old I-95/NJ Turnpike.
This was the first time I have driven I-40 and I have to say most of it is infinitely more enjoyable than most of I-70 or I-80.
Arizona and New Mexico are just drop dead gorgeous, and the flashes of recognition of scenes from Pixar's Cars were crazy fun. We didnt do any of the touristy stuff that we should have except for one quick stop at Cadillac Ranch (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Ranch). Next time, I will allow an extra day or two to get off the interstate a bit.
That stretch of Texas is okay, nothing really notable about it, Oklahoma was pretty dull but the gas was $2.08/gallon! I did get pulled over by a OK State cop on a fishing trip that was pretty annoying, but he didnt actually have anything to legitimately hit me with so I went along with his extra-constitutional BS and we all moved on with our lives.
Arkansas was...a blur of boredom, TN and VA are gorgeous of course but the pull of all the things to do there was really strong and I really regretted not having time to mess around. I was hoping to at least take the Blue Ridge Parkway but it was not to be.
I'm sure I'll make this trip again sometime, and next time I'll plan it better. Out west, we typically did around 550 mile days, and less the further east we got which was pretty mild. Someone without kids or dogs could easily do a lot more than that or do the same while taking time to see some of the sights. We took 5 days to get from Western Arizona to Washington DC.
Leaving Lake Havasu, AZ, we took I-40 all the way from western Arizona to Eastern Tennessee, then cut up to Washington DC via I-81, and finished up from DC to CT via the good old I-95/NJ Turnpike.
This was the first time I have driven I-40 and I have to say most of it is infinitely more enjoyable than most of I-70 or I-80.
Arizona and New Mexico are just drop dead gorgeous, and the flashes of recognition of scenes from Pixar's Cars were crazy fun. We didnt do any of the touristy stuff that we should have except for one quick stop at Cadillac Ranch (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Ranch). Next time, I will allow an extra day or two to get off the interstate a bit.
That stretch of Texas is okay, nothing really notable about it, Oklahoma was pretty dull but the gas was $2.08/gallon! I did get pulled over by a OK State cop on a fishing trip that was pretty annoying, but he didnt actually have anything to legitimately hit me with so I went along with his extra-constitutional BS and we all moved on with our lives.
Arkansas was...a blur of boredom, TN and VA are gorgeous of course but the pull of all the things to do there was really strong and I really regretted not having time to mess around. I was hoping to at least take the Blue Ridge Parkway but it was not to be.
I'm sure I'll make this trip again sometime, and next time I'll plan it better. Out west, we typically did around 550 mile days, and less the further east we got which was pretty mild. Someone without kids or dogs could easily do a lot more than that or do the same while taking time to see some of the sights. We took 5 days to get from Western Arizona to Washington DC.
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Great thread and amazing roads. Sadly most are too far for me living in SC.
However, there are these...
TOTD and other routes
However, there are these...
TOTD and other routes
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I guess I'll put this here...Just finished a month long road trip, it was pretty great. We just bought a 21 ft toyhauler for the purpose of converting into a mobile grooming salon for my wife to work out of, and also use on our road trips so this was the first trip with the new trailer.
I-95 from CT to DC, spent almost a week there. Then I-70 to Colorado, spent a day in Colorado springs, then I-25 down into New Mexico, then I-40 west to Lake Havasu, AZ where we stayed for about 9 days. The return trip was I-40 all the way to TN, then I-81 North back to DC, and I-95 back up to CT. We averaged about 500 mi/day and that was enough. The Toyhauler was awesome, really glad we made that purchase, and our Grand Cherokee towed it like a champ! No problem maintaining speed at any time, on any hill.
CT, NY, NJ, DE, MD, WV, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, KS, CO, NM, AZ, TX, OK, AR, TN, and VA all in one trip!
If you haven't driven I-40 through AZ and NM, you need to add it to your driving bucket list. Its some of the most amazing scenery ever.
I-95 from CT to DC, spent almost a week there. Then I-70 to Colorado, spent a day in Colorado springs, then I-25 down into New Mexico, then I-40 west to Lake Havasu, AZ where we stayed for about 9 days. The return trip was I-40 all the way to TN, then I-81 North back to DC, and I-95 back up to CT. We averaged about 500 mi/day and that was enough. The Toyhauler was awesome, really glad we made that purchase, and our Grand Cherokee towed it like a champ! No problem maintaining speed at any time, on any hill.
CT, NY, NJ, DE, MD, WV, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, KS, CO, NM, AZ, TX, OK, AR, TN, and VA all in one trip!
If you haven't driven I-40 through AZ and NM, you need to add it to your driving bucket list. Its some of the most amazing scenery ever.
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This guy did the Dalton Highway trip in a Ferrari
I cant even tell you how much time I've spent thinking about building a Cougar for that trip.
Its just SO FREAKING FAR! Basically 5000 miles one-way from where I am right now.
I would almost have to ship the car to and from Fairbanks.
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I'm in Eastern Ohio for a couple days so I made a point of driving OH-536 "The Ohio Cousin of the Tail of the Dragon"
It was a blast.
![Tree Font Plant Gas Grass]()
Conditions weren't great, the road was still a little darkened from light rain earlier in the day. Not wet, but not totally dry either. My car isn't at its best either, I have no rear sway bar, my RSTB is currently removed, and my struts are questionable at best.
All that accounted for, I still had a blast and gave my brakes a real workout.
The road is insanely twisty...I think the official speed limit is 35 but most of the road is subject to yellow 25's, or sometimes even 20's and 15's. There are a couple of sections open enough that you could put on some speed but not many. This is the first time I've ever seen this sign:
![Motor vehicle Road surface Traffic sign Sleeve Asphalt]()
Dropoffs are nasty all the way through so don't bring nervous passengers.
The road surface was beautiful. The entire road seems to be zoned residential but the housing is typically offset enough that I wouldn't expect kids in the street or anything.
Crazy elevation changes from start to finish, mostly blind curves all the way through.
This is as good or better than the Triple Nickle...Better because there aren't a lot of turns on hill crests, but scarier because of the nasty dropoffs.
My original plan was to drive it one-way then take a quicker way back to my hotel for the night but I had such a good time on the first pass that I turned around and ran it the other way. My first pass was mostly in 2nd gear with a few short jumps to third but I was more comfortable on the second pass and did most of it in third except for the tightest turns.
10/10. Highly recommended. The entire road isn't very long but pretty much every other surrounding state highway is a beautiful drive too, so getting there and back is a joy itself. You really can't go wrong in hillbilly country.
If you're only going to run it one direction, run it southbound. There's an incredible view of the Ohio river valley and the town near the end of the road while traveling southbound that makes a great reward for all the hard work you just went through to get there.
It was a blast.
Conditions weren't great, the road was still a little darkened from light rain earlier in the day. Not wet, but not totally dry either. My car isn't at its best either, I have no rear sway bar, my RSTB is currently removed, and my struts are questionable at best.
All that accounted for, I still had a blast and gave my brakes a real workout.
The road is insanely twisty...I think the official speed limit is 35 but most of the road is subject to yellow 25's, or sometimes even 20's and 15's. There are a couple of sections open enough that you could put on some speed but not many. This is the first time I've ever seen this sign:
Dropoffs are nasty all the way through so don't bring nervous passengers.
The road surface was beautiful. The entire road seems to be zoned residential but the housing is typically offset enough that I wouldn't expect kids in the street or anything.
Crazy elevation changes from start to finish, mostly blind curves all the way through.
This is as good or better than the Triple Nickle...Better because there aren't a lot of turns on hill crests, but scarier because of the nasty dropoffs.
My original plan was to drive it one-way then take a quicker way back to my hotel for the night but I had such a good time on the first pass that I turned around and ran it the other way. My first pass was mostly in 2nd gear with a few short jumps to third but I was more comfortable on the second pass and did most of it in third except for the tightest turns.
10/10. Highly recommended. The entire road isn't very long but pretty much every other surrounding state highway is a beautiful drive too, so getting there and back is a joy itself. You really can't go wrong in hillbilly country.
If you're only going to run it one direction, run it southbound. There's an incredible view of the Ohio river valley and the town near the end of the road while traveling southbound that makes a great reward for all the hard work you just went through to get there.
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There is no record for "Fastest Cougar" to make the Cannonball run...just sayin.
Cannonball Bakers original record was 53:30...that's very beatable without even getting any tickets.
I need to find about three weeks off to do a Cannonball west / RT66 east round trip
Cannonball Bakers original record was 53:30...that's very beatable without even getting any tickets.
I need to find about three weeks off to do a Cannonball west / RT66 east round trip
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