Help me plan my road trip

"Roadster Man" (roadsterman) 07/24/2016 at 20:40 • Filed to: Miata, Road Trip

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At the end of the summer, probably in early September, I’m going to go on a road trip. I hope some of you guys living around the country can help me find some stops to help make my journey more interesting.

The first stop is the Tail of the Dragon & its surrounding roads. I’ll be driving down to the Tail from Connecticut. I don’t plan on making any stops except to rest, since I will probably spend 2 days driving the Tail and the surrounding roads.

Then I need Oppo’s help. After the Tail of the Dragon, it’s off to Denver, Colorado to visit some friends and family. According to my calculations, there are several states between Tennessee and Colorado. Anyone know anything interesting on the way? I still don’t have the exact route planned, so I don’t know what roads I’ll be taking. I’ll go out of my way for something cool like the world’s largest ball of yarn.

After Denver, I’m heading to California. I’d like to stay as north as possible, or even go a bit north while I drive west. The reason for this is because I plan to drive the PCH for as long as humanly possible. My destination is L.A. so I want to cruise the PCH all the way down until I hit Sodom and Gomorrah—I mean L.A. I’ll be crashing on a friend’s couch for a few days to hang out and see the sights. I’d like everyone’s help for this leg of the trip as well. If you know any good sights to see while I’m heading from Denver to California, let me know.

On the way back to Connecticut, I plan on seeing Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Those are my only two requirements. I wouldn’t want to waste too much time on the way back, but if there are any cool things to see on the southern route, I’d like to see them. Any suggestions?

Also, I’m taking this whole trip in my Miata. I just hit 185,000 miles the other week, so I’m praying that the car will hold up. It doesn’t show any signs that it’ll let me down, but I’m going to do some maintenance beforehand. Brake pads. oil change, and tire rotation are probably all that it will need- I just did the trans fluid and diff fluid, and those are good for 50k miles. Tires have 8,000 miles on them so they should hold up. Timing belt was done at 130k so it has enough life left. If anyone has tips on pre-trip maintenance, I’m all ears.

I’m doing this solo, so I’ll have the passenger seat for cargo room. I have a spare trunk lid so I’m toying with the idea of putting a luggage rack on it and putting it on for this trip.

I plan on camping while I’m on the road whenever possible. Once I find out my route I’ll start scouting possible camping locations. I don’t mind a night in a motel here or there, but I’d like to avoid it when possible. I’d really like to fill the space between destinations with some cool sights and fun stuff, even if it’s just a cool restaurant or a cheesy tourist attraction. And if anyone has any general cross-country driving tips, hit me!

daender > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 20:47

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Just cruise as much as Route 66 as possible between East and West.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 20:48

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There’s the corvette museum in Kentucky if you want to go that far.

Berang > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 20:54

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Having driven between Denver and the east coast several times, I think I am qualified to declare the midwest a “fun vacuum”. There is almost nothing worth seeing.

The St. Louis Transportation Museum is ok if you like trains, but they have relatively few cars on display (although one of them is a Chrysler turbine car - if they still have it).

Kansas has the world’s largest (cement) groundhog:

And that’s about it for that state.

Honestly there ARE a lot of cool places, but they’re mostly so far off the beaten path they’re not worth going to, especially when you’re on your way to much much better places.

From Denver you could drive north through Wyoming and Idaho and into Washington, eastern Washington has lots of hot springs and few towns seem to be built almost entirely around old resorts that use them. Then you can head to Seattle, and down to highway 1, and take that all the way down to L.A. If you’re really adventurous and have the time, you can also explore the lost coast.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 20:59

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Stop by Memphis for Ribs and Graceland. The arch in St. Louis, WWI museum in KC all I got for that route.

Aldairion > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 20:59

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Interesting! One of my good friends is doing a cross-country road trip in his old Miata. Looks like you’ll be starting just as he wraps his up. Check out his blog for information/inspiration !

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 21:02

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Well Denver to CA is pretty boring on 80, WY has some nice sights in the distance and when you get closer to Salt Lake City the terrain is more interesting I guess. I would go up to MT to the beartooth highway first and then go down through some more interesting back roads. The Beartooth highway is one of the best in the country.

Roadster Man > My X-type is too a real Jaguar 07/24/2016 at 21:12

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A friend told me that Graceland is a must-see, so I’m thinking about it.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 21:28

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Graceland is amazing, the cars and planes will blow your mind. The style may be not yours but the details are amazing for the time.

XJDano > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 21:31

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Wheels Through Time Museum

62 Vintage Ln, Maggie Valley, NC 28751

https://goo.gl/maps/98MmpdVYD…

I didn’t have time to stop here when we drove through the smokies & on to the east coast.

Also Looking Glass Falls

US-276, Brevard, NC 28712

(828) 877-3265

https://goo.gl/maps/LaDQAtUH6…

If you take this road which is AMAZING. I drive it in a caravan and was squeezing tires for quite some time. A whole lot of fun. But this is s stop I didn’t make because we lost my sister as she drives like a pansy and they did stop. Looked cool from the photos they did take.

I may have tried to drive the dragon tail if I knew I was that close. But we had a week on the beach to get started.

Cash Rewards > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 21:39

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Stay off i70 between ohio and Colorado as much as possible. It’s horrifically boring. On the way back, of recommend new Orleans. Great city.

OversteerMyBagel > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 22:15

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Not sure how far north you’re looking to go, but the most direct routes heading north are I-80 and I-70. The options get better and WAAAY more plentiful, as you head further south, but it sounds like that’s not what you’re looking for. Taking I-80 will basically require you to go North ASAP, and will be best accomplished heading up 74 (Through Indy and west through Illinois). I-80 is the less boring of the two drives, but that’s like saying watching grass grow is less boring than watching paint dry (At least the grass moves around a bit when the wind blows, amirite?)

If you’re going as far north as the Ohio (Yes, cue jokes about Ohio here), there’s always the Air Force Museum. It’s crazy cool, the exhibits are really well done, and it’s a pretty chill environment.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/

If you’re willing to head through Indiana (not really an option if you’re going through , there’s a TON to do in Indianapolis. Check out the Speedway (check out Daredevil Brewery!), do an architectural tour on a pedal bar (the definition of a liquor-cycle), get some SURPRISINGLY good local brews (Flat 12 / Upland / Oaken Barrel / Triton, and get some of the best Sushi you’ll ever eat out of a sketchy looking restaurant, all you can eat for ~$22 (Sushi Club, check it out!).

If you’re staying a little father south, you’ve got NashvilleStraight-ish west, which has all kinds of music related attractions, and a TON of good barbecue (I Know Memphis is the namesake of Tennessee barbecue, but You’ll find plenty in nashville). Alternatively, you can hit Memphis, which also has a ton of music related stuff (more blues focused!), or both! Note: going through Memphis will make getting back up north a real PITA.

St. Louis, like pretty much all of Tennessee, has pretty damn good Barbecue, some pretty architecture, and a shitty area that would make folks from Englewood, Chicago, lock their car doors. Most of these bracket I-70. Be aware of where you’re at. Still, the Arch and the downtown scene along the river are pretty cool.

When you get to Colorado, you’re going to be a bit spoiled for options. If you head south, towards Colorado Springs, you can check out Pike’s Peak. If it’s not a race weekend (they do everything from old-time-y hill climb events to bicycle races), you can drive it yourself. Expect heinous amounts of cops... like “put Deals Gap to shame” levels of cops. It’ll be cool, and the view defies pictures, but it’s something to be aware of.

Alternatively, you could detour north at CO-34, straight to Loveland (The town, not the ski resort). At this point, you’ll have 2 options, both of which go to Steamboat (definitely a place worth checking out), and either will be awesome. To the south, you’ve got Estes Park and the Estes Pass. Speed is patrolled there pretty heavily, but you won’t want to go fast enough to get in trouble. SUPER technical road. Lastly, you can head north on route 14, through Roosevelt National Forest. I’ve only driven it in the Winter (VERY conservatively), but it’d be driving Nirvana in late summer, early fall. No Joke, it’s 65 miles of absurdly curvy road carved into a canyon pass. It’s also pretty out of the way, so you’re not liable to get the “attention” you would at some other venues. example: view from spot I best remember there

Highly Recommend going through Vegas at night (trip back), at some point on your trip. One, because driving a convertible there in the summer, during the day, is liable to end in spontaneous human combustion, and two, because -touristy or not - driving under the lights it pretty wild.

Also, I’d take most of RT66 on your way back. It’ll be waaaay less of a drag than doing the high-speed slog that is I-70 or I-80. This is exactly where you’re gong to see the world’s biggest ball of yarn, a literal shoe tree, that Cadillac art thing, the town of license plates, and a bunch of other kitschy cool stuff like that.

There’s more to say, but I’m WAAAAY past dinner, and need to run to Aldi, Kroger , dammit... Wal-Mart for the other half of the meal.

DrScientist > Roadster Man 07/24/2016 at 23:08

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wow... that’s gonna be some trip.

about how much time are you planning on devoting to it?

Roadster Man > DrScientist 07/25/2016 at 08:38

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Between 3-4 weeks, it’s gonna be a long one.

Roadster Man > OversteerMyBagel 07/25/2016 at 08:42

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Thanks! You’ve given me a lot to think about.

DrScientist > Roadster Man 07/25/2016 at 08:52

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yeah... that sounds reasonable. :) i was afraid you were going to try to cram it all into 1 or 2 weeks.

godspeed roadster man.

Roadster Man > DrScientist 07/25/2016 at 09:26

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Oh God no, the last thing I’m trying to do on this trip is hurry. For my own sake and for my car’s sake! Thanks for the kind wishes! I’ll be sure to update Oppo on my final planned route and maybe make some posts along the way.

DynamicWeight > Roadster Man 07/25/2016 at 12:28

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As far as PCH goes, if you’re only going to drive it once, avoid basically everything from SF through Big Sur on the weekend. As you come through, check out 84/La Honda, HWY 9, and Skyline. Frankly, you could spend a whole day driving all the roads I circled. 2 or 3 if you like stopping and hiking/camping. I drive them in my Miata almost every week/weekend.

If you like mountain biking, stop at Epicenter in Aptos, rent a full suspension and take the shuttle to demo. Some of the very best mountain biking ever. Hit Flow trail.

I really think you should add that luggage rack. My gf and I fill the miata to the brim just for day trips to the beach haha. A suit case with clothes in it strapped down with ratchet straps should be pretty secure and light. Better than putting stuff in the passenger seat that could fly around and hit you.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Roadster Man 07/25/2016 at 15:17

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You’ll have to stop in Cambria, CA. It is cute and quaint little town on the central coast and you will drive through it on the 1 and how. It is pretty. Also San Luis Obispo is nice too.

DrScientist > Roadster Man 07/26/2016 at 15:36

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wanted to say, but forgot...

as you make your way across colorado, try to hit this little mountain town called ouray. it’s pretty secluded and not too touristy.

then 141 or 46 out of colorado will set you up to hit some of the national parks in the south of utah.

did this last summer in an s2000 with a buddy. other than the requirement for SPFonemillion that part of the drive was incredible.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Roadster Man 09/15/2016 at 15:51

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I recently did a trip down to the dragon from NJ. You can dig through my recent posts to find some awesome roads in that area (maps included) if you want good suggestions. That was just an awesome area of the country! I am definitely curious to hear about the whole trip, since I plan to do a one way trip next year from NJ to CA via a VERY similar route. Not sure at all how to make the journey through middle America interesting enough to span a few days.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > DynamicWeight 09/15/2016 at 15:57

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Definitely a drive through Big Basin would be well worth it. GIANT trees next to tiny Miata is always kinda funny. I did the same idea with a Mini Cooper. Saw a few Miatas cruising around there, some very twisty roads!

DynamicWeight > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 09/15/2016 at 16:18

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Oh yeah, absolutely love driving that area. Although........ we went to Big Basin for a BBQ last weekend. I was recovering from a hang over and got stuck behind a car all the way from Skyline to the park. I mean seriously, you should need a special license to drive on 2 lane curvy roads where the sole requirement is sitting in a classroom for two hours while someone shouts nothing but “PULL THE FUCK OVER FOR FASTER TRAFFIC” over and over again.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > DynamicWeight 09/15/2016 at 16:30

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Those people are the worst! I hate being stuck behind cars that will go 20-30 mph over the speed limit while the road is straight and then go 5 under around the turns while riding the brakes. I generally like to go about 10 over all of the time, and if anything speed up more in the turns! I definitely recall after leaving that park and heading to SF being stuck for about an hour behind a slow poke because I refused to take the freeway. At least it was scenic lol.

Roadster Man > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 09/15/2016 at 16:50

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Thanks! Sadly the trip is postponed until the spring time due to work and health issues. But I will be hitting the road at some point. I am very determined to do it. I might even be able to squeeze it in October, but that will make camping pretty chilly.

DynamicWeight > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 09/15/2016 at 17:17

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Right!? The straights are for enjoying the scenery, the turns are for fun! And the worst is these jerks will hit the brakes mid turn! WTF. It’s like no one ever explained to them how cars work. So much better to get out there during the week. Then it’s all people who live out there and they know what’s up. Plus, live music in Davenport on Thursdays!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Roadster Man 09/16/2016 at 07:48

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Well if it ends up getting pushed into the summer time next year, you should definitely align the start of the trip with MATG. Super excellent time in Deal’s Gap when that is going on. The camping being chilly is less of a concern than there being snow on the roads! Once you get to high elevations out west, there is very good possibility of snow in October. I have the same concern since September/October is my planned travel time and I definitely want to hit a lot of mountains in Colorado and Utah on my way. I am thinking about packing SUPER light to keep my car from getting weighed down. I mean, I really just need my backpacking supplies and I can ship/get rid of everything else basically. I feel like loading my luggage rack, trunk, and passenger seat would put a hamper on some of the fun roads. Plus I toyed with the idea of a teardrop trailer but again, compromised twisty road capabilties!