I Never Thought I Would Ever Be Jealous of my Dad...

"Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies" (jordanwphillips) 04/15/2015 at 02:26 • Filed to: Roads, Jealousy, Kiwis

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But he keeps rubbing it in about the road he just got to drive in New Zealand, and then to add salt to the wound, he told me to check it out on Google. It wouldn't be so bad if I had a place to get my back road fix like I did in Alabama, but I live in Florida. The road in question: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Jobjoris > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 02:31

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Good God. I'd hate him. Hope he did it with some sort of RWD V8 Holden. And not a Piaggio Ape.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Jobjoris 04/15/2015 at 02:35

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Worse than the Holden, better than a scooter, the world's most average car, yet the fastest car, a rental Camry. He said the road was still amazing in a Camry. Looking at it, he may have found the world's greatest driving road.

Tinfoil Hat in a thunderstorm, now with added diecast > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 02:58

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Rented Camrys are super fast. I forget how lucky I am living in a rural area sometimes. Today I went to the suburbs and got a reminder, I couldn't do that daily, no wonder road rage is a thing.

That's a nice looking road, it's very similar to the area I'm in in oz.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 03:55

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it was chockers with caravans when I drove it earlier in the year.

Jobjoris > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 04:39

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He may have because it looks awesome. But if he ever went to Norway he could prove himself wrong.

Or Italy...

Or France...

Or Germany...

Just come over to Europe ;-)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 07:43

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Ehrmahgerd, I'm moving to NZ!

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Jobjoris 04/15/2015 at 07:44

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I never got the fascination with switchbacks. They get boring pretty quickly.

Gigantor, the most awesome robot of Europe > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 07:59

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I never get how you US guys complain over having no driving roads. I live in The Netherlands, which is about the flattest country you can have. Sure, we have some of the most daring, beautiful driving roads in Europe, but they're all at least a couple of hours away from me.

Ive been to the US several times before (mostly major touristy places), I really can't imagine in such a diverse country to not have a single driving road in at least each state?...

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Gigantor, the most awesome robot of Europe 04/15/2015 at 10:06

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Oh I didn't say the states don't have any, in fact I used to live within miles of several amazing ones. I live in Florida now, Md there just aren't any that sends those chills you get when you take a turn just right.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Tinfoil Hat in a thunderstorm, now with added diecast 04/15/2015 at 10:09

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I grew up in Alabama, now I live in suburban hell Florida. It's not gone well.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard 04/15/2015 at 10:11

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It apparently wasn't that bad at this time.

sony1492 > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 10:34

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Just to add to your wound, I daily drive a road a little twistyer than that.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > sony1492 04/15/2015 at 10:37

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But does it go on for 3 hours?

Tinfoil Hat in a thunderstorm, now with added diecast > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 10:40

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I completely understand, grew up in the country, moved to the burbs for money, back to the country for good now, fuck civilisation if that's what it is.

sony1492 > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 10:45

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it can, type in, lost coast road. The first site shows it. If you really hoon it takes 2 hours.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > sony1492 04/15/2015 at 10:57

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Of course it's in California.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Tinfoil Hat in a thunderstorm, now with added diecast 04/15/2015 at 10:58

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Living in Florida has made me want to move back to Alabama. Luckily Florida is becoming more of the butt of a joke, than Alabama.

twochevrons > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 12:41

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Ooooh, the (in)famous "Gentle Annie" road. I've driven that a few times, again, not in anything sporty, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable, if somewhat gruelling, drive. Are there still gravel sections left? It's been a few years since I was back home, and I know that they are slowly but surely sealing that road, but when I last drove it maybe five years ago, there were still a few places that they hadn't touched yet. I'm not sure if it's still the case, but for a long time, rental companies wouldn't allow their cars on that road, due to its dangerous nature.

Driving basically anywhere in New Zealand is a fantastic experience. Challenging, for sure, but with even the main highways being mostly twisty, hilly two-laners, there's a lot of fun to be had. Beautiful scenery, too. Man, I miss it. I'm lucky enough that my parents live there and have excellent taste in cars, so I can always borrow something fun to drive when I go back home. Last time, I made this trip in my mother's Alfa Romeo 156 wagon, and took lots of fun day trips in my father's hilariously quick Citroën BX 16v (until I somehow managed to break a shift linkage and strand myself by the side of the road).

A few other good drives: SH 36 from Taupo to Rotorua, SH 2 from Paeroa to Waihi, SH 12 from Opononi to Dargaville, or this route from Kaikohe to Whangarei.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > twochevrons 04/15/2015 at 13:55

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He would have mentioned if it was gravel, so I suppose they have finished!

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/15/2015 at 17:15

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All the locals told me the best roads were at the top of the south island, near Picton.

I didn't get a chance to get there unfortunately

twochevrons > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 04/17/2015 at 00:06

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Aww, that's a shame – the gravel sections were a whole lot of fun. I suppose it's for the better, road safety-wise, though. It's one of those roads that has a reputation for killing people. It's pretty crazy really, that in this day and age, a national-level numbered highway could still have unpaved parts, but New Zealand is kind of magical like that. Here's a couple of photos from the last time I drove it.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > twochevrons 04/17/2015 at 00:12

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That's amazingly beautiful!