by "Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
Published 10/17/2017 at 09:32
by "Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
Published 10/17/2017 at 09:32
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STARS: 0
Part of my cross country journey currently takes me from western Arkansas to Albuquerque, NM via the i-40. This is like 12 hours of just boring highway travel for a whole day. What I would like to do is stretch it out and spend two days driving non interstate if its worth doing. So I am asking the Oppo Hivemind if there are any “scenic” routes worth taking as an alternative to i-40. Yeah I can just hit avoid highways but that seems to give me a really straight looking and boring route through OK. Looking at a map, it seems like the border between TX and OK is a river and therefore there might be fun roads. Anyone familiar with the area think theres an interesting way to get across?
Schedule and ending location is flexible. I dont have to end up in ABQ at the end of the two days but it would be nice to stop through there to visit.
EDIT: Looking at a topographic map, good roads there would be more likely in this area?
"Nibby" (nibby68)
10/17/2017 at 09:39, STARS: 2
try this one
"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
10/17/2017 at 09:40, STARS: 0
I think fun roads rely on there being hills.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 09:42, STARS: 0
Are there any hills there? Both hills and rivers tend to create geographic areas where fun roads naturally exist. Im pretty sure im in flatlands at that point but im not looking for amazing roads. Its just pretty easy to beat the interstate in terms of entertainment. My Miata is fun at any speed anyways.
"Shane MacGowan's Teeth" (shaneteeth)
10/17/2017 at 09:42, STARS: 1
In Texas? Yes. In that part of Texas? No.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 09:43, STARS: 1
I like how you got the color right too. Seems like a pretty sweet race track. And also what my roads end up looking like in Cities Skylines.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 09:44, STARS: 0
Whats the part of Texas that has fun roads?
"MarquetteLa" (marquettela)
10/17/2017 at 09:46, STARS: 1
I had to take a detour in my Miata south through the panhandle of Oklahoma due to inclement weather on my way out of Colorado earlier this year. Dear god, those were the worst road surfaces I’ve ever experienced on a state highway. Never again, Oklahoma.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
10/17/2017 at 09:48, STARS: 1
Wherever there is topography. Hill Country I suppose.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 09:50, STARS: 0
Haha this is exactly the advice im looking for. My Miata is horrid on broken road surfaces. The Flyin Miata coilovers are decent at handling but not very good at absorbing bumps. Roads in Vermont were a complete shitshow for me to drive on lol.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 09:51, STARS: 0
Ahh so this area generally?
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
10/17/2017 at 09:52, STARS: 3
Yup. As a general rule, anywhere the counties aren’t perfect squares is a safer bet — anywhere in America :D
"BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind" (briangriffinsprius)
10/17/2017 at 09:53, STARS: 1
US412 from bumblefuck Tennessee (Jackson) to bumblefuck New Mexico (Clayton or Springer) is about as much fun as you’re gonna get. From Clayton you can kick south to Albuquerque or keep going north to Raton if you’re heading to Colorado. You miss Amarillo, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque, though from Raton you can take some really fun roads through Cimmaron and Angel Fire to hook up with 285 on your way to Pagosa.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
10/17/2017 at 10:02, STARS: 1
Check out the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge outside of Lawton, OK. It may be too far out of your way, but it’s a beautiful place, and the drive up to the top of Mt. Scott will get you a few curves (at slow speeds...).
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 10:04, STARS: 0
Hmm that doesnt seem like a bad plan!
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 10:09, STARS: 0
Its definitely not out of the way if I end up taking a more southerly route, it would be kind of right in the middle of things. Would be a good area to find some lunch and enjoy the scenery. Thanks for the suggestion!
Plus the town of Duncan, OK is right down the street. Would be funny to take a picture of that sign since my last name is Duncan!
"BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind" (briangriffinsprius)
10/17/2017 at 10:16, STARS: 0
I’ve never done 412 through TN or AR, but it looks fun. It’s not super twisty in Ok or NM, but it’s twisty enough and you can unleash your fast. From Clayton I’d say follow US64, pick either side of the Enchanted Circle in NM (though north west through Eagle Nest and Red River is more adventurous and takes you above 10,000 feet), staying on 64 until you’re either at 285 to Alamosa or a little further to 84 and onto Pagosa. 64/84 is one of the best driving roads in the southwest. If the weather is sucky in Colorado, you can stay on 64 to 160 in AZ and even to the Grand Canyon if you wanna get serious.
"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck)
10/17/2017 at 10:26, STARS: 0
Oklahoma was established with the Public Land Surveying System methods. Everything is as straight and square as they could make it. The hills in central and western OK are small enough that the roads just go straight over them. That’s a different kind of fun.
Your best bet for curves is the eastern 1/4 of the state, near the broken bow area. It’s beautiful country over there.
Historic Route 66 cuts through the state, so perhaps you could change tactics and visit some of the small towns along the route.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
10/17/2017 at 11:12, STARS: 1
Sure thing. There’s an old seismograph station in the town of Meers nearby - you can get a seismic Meersburger. =) http://www.meersstore.com/menu.html
We actually lived in Duncan for a few years - ha! There’s a very good Italian restaurant in Marlow, north of there, called Giuseppe’s. http://giuseppesitaliandining.com/index.html
Another place you may want to hit in Arkansas is Magazine Mountain. I’ve actually never been there, but it looks great. http://www.mountmagazinestatepark.com/
"Hammerdown" (hammerdown32)
10/17/2017 at 11:22, STARS: 2
Magazine Mountain is great. The best road in the Ozarks (IMO) is Hwy 7 from Harrison AR To Russelville. Look up the Twisted Sisters in TX. That’s where all the motorcycle folks go to ride.
Although you’re driving, motorcycleroads.com might be a good resource. Folks can add their own roads and all are given a ranking.
"SouthTXMiniLife now with Jalopysaurus!" (southtxminilife)
10/17/2017 at 11:25, STARS: 1
About the only place I have been to in TX with any kind of really good driving roads is the hill country area to the north and west of San Antonio. Look around Kerrville if you can head that way, or anywhere around Canyon Lake. Given your origin and destination, I don’t think fun roads are going to be available.
Pan handle area is flat and roads are straight for the most part. But that may be what you are into.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 11:36, STARS: 0
I mean my Miata is a Miata so flat and straight is pretty boring. Exact reason why I want to get off the interstate. But it seems like aside from roadside attractions, theres not a whole lot to see. At least OK in that area has a few things to see. And sometimes that middle of nowhere just cruising down a back road is fun in its own way. I just wont expect much through there.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
10/17/2017 at 11:36, STARS: 2
We’ve already had a long discussion about the great roads in Arkansas! http://oppositelock.kinja.com/1819439255
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 11:40, STARS: 0
Hmm i wonder if snow would be a problem above 10k feet though. Thats gonna force me to detour if there is much if any along the way. Summer tires plus Miata means no bueno for that lol.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 11:40, STARS: 1
Ahh cool, I can hit Magazine Mountain in the morning before heading West. Then travel a little more South to do the Route 1 scenic route followed by local roads out to Lawton. Not particularly sure where to go after that or where I want my stopping point to be, but thats a solid start to the plan.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
10/17/2017 at 11:42, STARS: 0
I’m just getting more and more jealous-er of your trip... Ha!
"Shane MacGowan's Teeth" (shaneteeth)
10/17/2017 at 11:46, STARS: 1
Hill Country has some fun ones.
West Texas has turns every 30 minutes to keep you awake.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 12:02, STARS: 0
Glad I can do that haha. I think I might end up camping in that wildlife preserve. Google maps shows like 8 hours to there with everything plugged in anyways. So thats an action packed enough day for me! Then another 8 hours the next day to my next campground in NM that I had planned on.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
10/17/2017 at 12:11, STARS: 0
Perfect.
"The Stig's Missourian Cousin" (zachelliott)
10/17/2017 at 16:16, STARS: 1
Do the Talimena scenic drive from Mena, AR to Talihina, OK. Looks like your map bisects it to go to Broken Bow. It’s absolutely gorgeous in fall, and a lot of fun.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/17/2017 at 22:06, STARS: 0
Yup I think it would be a good thing to do in the morning while heading west. Works well with the rest of the plans. I’ve got a more detailed route for those 3 days here: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.google.com/maps/dir/Shores%252BLake%252BCampground,%252BMulberry,%252BAR%252B72947/Mount%252BMagazine%252BState%252BPark,%252B577%252BLodge%252BDr,%252BParis,%252BAR%252B72855/Mena/Wichita%252BMountains%252BNational%252BWildlife%2525E2%252580%2525A6/Capilla%252BPeak%252BCampground,%252BTorreon,%252BNM/Reserve/Payson/@33.4002465,-113.3446243,8.54z/data%253D!4m56!4m55!1m5!1m1!1s0x87cbef1084727137:0xd7f40449de39dfee!2m2!1d-93.9601989!2d35.6434159!1m5!1m1!1s0x87cc7df417b5d61f:0xfad2749c77056f66!2m2!1d-93.6467092!2d35.1639179!1m15!1m1!1s0x87cb2fc1cae0651f:0x5e1e09ec52e959cd!2m2!1d-94.2396554!2d34.5862171!3m4!1m2!1d-94.2905759!2d34.6609916!3s0x87cb2512a007df1f:0x9aee3f0524e8aef0!3m4!1m2!1d-94.8718564!2d34.7720526!3s0x87ca97d9961ee493:0x6ff2a103183bb77f!1m5!1m1!1s0x87acebe3d7de99bd:0xb89c4f36a0b33e3f!2m2!1d-98.7131984!2d34.7328466!1m5!1m1!1s0x871f517badc0b0d5:0xe7c5a3e7c6258a81!2m2!1d-106.4016867!2d34.6981141!1m5!1m1!1s0x872700fe4bd79245:0xff1d23e566f93490!2m2!1d-108.7578411!2d33.7131104!1m5!1m1!1s0x872c10dd6a3e1a7d:0x8de0f8fc583ada2f!2m2!1d-111.3251355!2d34.2308684!2m1!1b1!3e0%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;ust%3D1508295976368000%26amp;usg%3DAFQjCNGRxYgthvcqJtqmZV91LSwL5ccRnw&sa=D&ust=1508295976403000&usg=AFQjCNHgzjXoDbnx9uv5E9Oh5i26mUtK8A
"The Stig's Missourian Cousin" (zachelliott)
10/18/2017 at 13:19, STARS: 1
That looks like a pretty solid plan. Only other thing i’d recommend would be in New Mexico to go north and visit Santa Fe. if you dont’ want to go that far north, make sure to visit Sandia Crest in ABQ. Amazing views and a super fun drive up the mountain.