Best Drives

[mikechamp]

Driving down lake Shore Drive at night is pretty impressive.

I agree... if you're the passenger. As the driver, you've got all the other crazy drivers to avoid.

[jim]

Driftless area of Southwest Wisconsin:



Cool thing about these roads is they often lead to this:

[mikechamp]

Highway 1 in northern CA. I drove from Sonoma Coast State Park to Gualala at night. Not recommended if that's your first time ever driving that stretch of road. I think the speed limit is 50 mph, it's 2 lanes, curvy with hills, and 18 wheelers frequent it. You drive next to steep hills on your right and the ocean (hundreds of feet down) on your left. There's usually a guardrail, but not always. Oh, and watch out for grazing cows that wander onto the road. An adult diaper is suggested for those with nervous bladders.

The picture below is where we got onto Highway 1.



However, when we drove back south during the day, it was amazing! The green hills, the blue ocean... wow!

[Freed Roger]

In and around the Great Smoky Mountains could have a thread of it's own for various great drives.

Was on a camping road trip with my Mom and daughter a few years ago, we were moving from Elkmont TN CG to Cataloochee CG in No Carolina for a few days. This day was full of rain and we were in no hurry to get there and set up in a downpour - and decided to take the scenic route. Some crazy ass road most the way. I think it was called Mt. Sterling Road. Full of switchbacks, gravel for about 30 miles. The last few miles were a one lane descent into the Cataloochee valley. Somehow, a few people managed to get their montstrous RVs down that road.

Nobody else on it. Not a lot of open views, however with the rain it was waterfalls galore. The TomTom gps had an indignant voice the entire way. We enjoyed the hell out of that drive (probably 3+hours), and laughed at the thought of all the people we know that would have hated it.

a whole lot of this.

Some of this
chased by drunk rooster

Cataloochee overlook.

[Freed Roger]

rather than the drive to Hana as it was shorter and more scenic.

I talked Mrs Freed into the Road to Hana on our honeymoon, and it tested our new marriage. A bit crowded and the blind turns with the service vehicles barreling thru were not pleasant. Overall, I loved it. My wife hated it for the fear of her life. If I did it again, I would let her drive.

We took a side road to see something, I think it was a beach and supposedly one of the Beatles had a home near there. On this road -I found it cool that this expensive island had some roached out trailers and huts along the road -with POW-MIA flags and pitbulls running around -reminded me of Southern MO. My wife was not amused.

Those compatibility tests engaged couples take before having a church wedding - views on finances, kids, - should include driving/passenging. It's gotten better over the years, but us driving together is probably where we knock heads the most. She thinks I'm bad driver -especially when she sees drop-offs and wicked turns or traffic.

Ironically, I drove leading a contingent of our family on a scenic drive up 14er Mt Evans CO - and every person in the car complimented me as the best driver evuh. Too bad Mrs. Freed opted not to go.

[stlouie_lipp]

Driving down lake Shore Drive at night is pretty impressive.

I agree... if you're the passenger. As the driver, you've got all the other crazy drivers to avoid.

Good point...I should have said riding in a cab.

[jim]

rather than the drive to Hana as it was shorter and more scenic.

I talked Mrs Freed into the Road to Hana on our honeymoon, and it tested our new marriage. A bit crowded and the blind turns with the service vehicles barreling thru were not pleasant. Overall, I loved it. My wife hated it for the fear of her life. If I did it again, I would let her drive.

We took a side road to see something, I think it was a beach and supposedly one of the Beatles had a home near there. On this road -I found it cool that this expensive island had some roached out trailers and huts along the road -with POW-MIA flags and pitbulls running around -reminded me of Southern MO. My wife was not amused.

Those compatibility tests engaged couples take before having a church wedding - views on finances, kids, - should include driving/passenging. It's gotten better over the years, but us driving together is probably where we knock heads the most. She thinks I'm bad driver -especially when she sees drop-offs and wicked turns or traffic.

Ironically, I drove leading a contingent of our family on a scenic drive up 14er Mt Evans CO - and every person in the car complimented me as the best driver evuh. Too bad Mrs. Freed opted not to go.

Hana is nothing compared to the NW side in terms of fearing your life.

[Jocephus]

[Freed Roger]

Hana is nothing compared to the NW side in terms of fearing your life.

Heard about that -I drove up to that point with the blowhole on NW side near where it goes one lane and turned back - we'd never stayed together if we'd gone further.

[jim]

I was told by my kids it was really breathtaking. I remember there was this one oasis, a huge chunk of flat land, and there was a little farm selling fresh pineapple. We got out and I was never so glad to see a 100 foot stretch of flat ground in my life. We looked down to the town we were going to, it looked 5 minutes away, the guy told us it was at least 30 minutes away. Couldn't turn back because I figured whatever was in front of us couldn't be any worse than behind us.

Perhaps my favorite stretch of road in the country is at Exit 12 on I55 at Collinsville. I've been in love with that corner for my entire life. You swing around into the valley, and you can see the arch. At that point as a kid I was bouncing around like a madman. To this day I get a little chill up my spine when I see it. Cardinal baseball is just minutes away!