Kickass NSX Road Trip Commencing 2010-09-18

[heySkippy]

I'm taking off Saturday morning for KS, just me and my NSX. I've done this several times before, but this time I'm going for a little twist. I'm aiming to completely avoid Interstate Highways just because I like traveling down roads I've never been on. Along the way, I want to spend as much quality time on twisty roads as possible which is why I basically will drive north to the mountains, turn left, and then follow the ridges as much as possible all the way to Kansas.

Here's my route. Always open to change.

Of course, I had to route through The Dragon which I've done before. But I've never done this bit of road north of Atlanta, and it comes hightly recommended. I've been across Northern Arkansas, but never all the way across southern Missouri, so I'm looking forward to that. The "Land Between The Lakes" portion looks fascinating in satellite photos. The destination markers A thru E are roughly where I want to wake up each morning. A = Saturday at home and E = Wednesday at my dad's house in KS.

Check back here. I'm not a blogger but since this trip is about me and my NSX there should be some good pictures and hopefully an entertaining story along the 1722 back road miles! :biggrin:

 

[NSX-Barque]

The Ga. and Carolina parts are great on m/cycle. I haven't NSXed them yet. Have a great trip. On the way back check out the Cherohola Skyway in Caroloina, time permitting...

 

[heySkippy]

On the way back check out the Cherohola Skyway in Caroloina, time permitting...

I've done that before and might well do at least part of it again. I left myself the most extra time that day so I could play it as I felt it. I like the Skyway scenery but prefer tighter roads like The Dragon and US28 east of it for driving.

 

[tbromley]

Sounds great Skippy - check in when you go thru Atlanta - I'll be glad to hand you a beer as you go by! Or you can stop in and chill a while. You'll have a great trip! I look forward to pics and the story! Good luck on the journey - be safe....

 

[e.pie]

Man I love road trips that avoid interstates. When I bought my NSX I drove from Salt Lake City to Oklahoma City almost entirely on US routes, it's probably one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done.

 

[e.pie]

If you don't mind going a little bit out of your way there are some great roads in southeast Oklahoma.

I edited your map to hit the best ones.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...33541,-94.163818&spn=5.20279,7.064209&t=h&z=7

 

[heySkippy]

I've been around and through most of eastern Oklahoma, but wouldn't mind going back some day. I was in Arkansas a couple years ago and crossed to OK on the Skyway. The only problem was the fog was so thick I was half expecting to drive off the side of the mountain the whole way. Maybe next time I'll revisit that whole area.

 

[heySkippy]

Day 1 is done. 600 miles of back roads. Left at 7am, stopped at 8pm. Here's a parting shot from this AM.

US41 thru Florida was mostly a bust. It took me 3 hours to get into open country north of Tampa. Not sorry I went that way, but wouldn't do it again. The rest of 41 up to Lake City was a nice drive. US441 from Lake City much of the way thru GA to Athens was very nice overall. A bit straight and boring in southern GA and suffering from unrealistically low speed limits in that area also, it redeemed itself by being almost deserted, giving me much road to myself (just the way I like it). The last hundred miles or so was much better, including some stretches with higher speed limits.

Ran into kind of heavy Love Bug swarms in mid to north FL. That sucked big time, even more-so because I had my roof off and was getting the bastards in the car with me. I HATE Love Bugs!

Anyway, they disappeared once I got to GA, so I stopped at a roadside carwash and got rid of the Love Bugs.

Stay tuned, mountain roads tomorrow!

 

[e.pie]

Gotta love the random car wash de-buggings.

 

[Soap]

Yeah US41 anytime during the day is a bust! I live in Port Charlotte and drive to Sarasota and Fort Myers on occasion for work. Just for time saver I might have gone on I75 until you got north of tampa and then gone back roads. Looks like alot of fun so far! stay safe looking forward to updates

 

[Dynamic-uzed-auto]

Vacation with the X, gotta love it

 

[tbromley]

Yeah US41 anytime during the day is a bust! I live in Port Charlotte and drive to Sarasota and Fort Myers on occasion for work. Just for time saver I might have gone on I75 until you got north of tampa and then gone back roads. Looks like alot of fun so far! stay safe looking forward to updates

I can kind of relate to this Soap - but you know 41 in Florida is kind of like Route 66 out west. I want to do that too - Would love to be going on the mountain segment with you Skippy. Car looks great too by the way.

We're watching out for your updates and be safe dude!

 

[heySkippy]

Night 3 - I am somewhere in southeastern Missouri, not quite as far as I intended for tonight, but close enough. Dad's house tomorrow night, no more motels until the trip home.

The last 2 days have been mostly kickass indeed! Driving across Tennessee the long way uncovered a ton of nice roads and made for a most excellent day even after I left North Carolina and The Dragon behind.

Ran up "The Land Between The Lakes" today. An interesting place, some interesting roads, and a definite geological oddity.

Fuel economy has been outstanding and much better than I expected. I'm well past 1000 miles and so far have seen 28.9 mpg, 28.0 mpg, 27.8 mpg, and 29.6 mpg. That's pretty crazy considering I've probably spent less than 100 miles in 5th gear total over 3 days and have made no effort to spare gas. Indeed, there have been a lot of mountain road miles spent around 4000 rpm in 2nd gear. Unreal.

The sun has been brutal for pictures, so there aren't a lot. A few, though.

 

[e.pie]

I've noticed that too about the gas mileage. On the interstate cruising around 80 I never get better than 25-26, but on normal streets averaging probably 45-55 I can almost touch 30.

 

[tbromley]

Sounds like a real wonderful road trip! So how was the Dragon - gotta give us your impression of that! Hope it wasn't too crowded when you hit it.

The gas mileage your getting is truly remarkable with the high revs and back road fun your having. Sounds great and truly enviable! More details! Stay safe!

 

[heySkippy]

Ah, The Dragon was The Dragon. I've been there a half dozen times and as usual the questions are 1) How many cruisers and 2) How much law enforcement. This year it was 1) Shitloads and 2) Plenty. Don't get me wrong, I love The Dragon, so much so that I routed this trip through it despite having been there lots of times before. This time there were so many bikes (seemed like a preponderance of cruisers) that Deal's Gap blocked their parking lot off to cars completely. It was so bad that when I got to the other side, I just kept going. I love that place when I can drive through it without traffic in front of me and TN county sheriffs around every third bend, but apparently that is all in the past.

I've made it to KS! Today was a very pleasant surprise. I drove the entire length of Missouri, staying as far south as possible most of the time, and it was absolutely marvelous! Totally exceeded expectations in the quality and quantity of great driving roads. Extremely light traffic and surprisingly fun speed limits made this the best day of the trip.

Pics.

Somewhere in Missouri - stopped for a stretch.

Making it to the KS border was bittersweet. On the one hand, it means the end of the fun roads. On the other hand, it means I'm almost home. But on the gripping hand, it means random roadside educational opportunities like this!

Mother Nature put on a little show for me just before I got home.

Coming up, my highlights from the roads recently traveled and the big car show this weekend! Stay tuned!

 

[heathbar0]

Skippy: You are the best.

Every trip you make, you record and display for our delight.

Thanks!

Here
Here
Here
Here
And Here

Just a few...

 

[tbromley]

Great pics man, just great to see you having such a good trip! Pretty country.

Well sounds like I should either get to the Dragon during the week in the winter or just cross it off the list. We have some great roads right here in GA and we don't have the cops every third bend and we don't have the crowds in the winter! Sorry to hear this about the Dragon - maybe one day but I don't think I'll make a special trip for that now - not after what you've told us. Sad dude - too much publicity about it - just sucks - stupid ass writers and media - too damn much attention.

Looking forward to the next installation of trip info and pics. Like I said earlier - stop by on the way back in Atlanta - I'll buy you a cold one.

 

[heySkippy]

I would hate to talk anyone out of The Dragon, because it really is a stellar bit of road. Most of the problem for me this trip was I hit the area at 1pm on Sunday on a beautiful day late in the season. If I'd rolled through on Monday instead, I'm sure it would have been a vastly different story.

Also, even though The Dragon is the 11 miles everyone talks about, there are dozens and dozens of other equally nice miles of roads on US 28 and US 129 in the area, not to mention the Cherhala Skyway that are great to drive as well. Before I went through into Tennessee I spent about 90 minutes charging around on the other roads in that area.

 

[heySkippy]

With this post, I want to apologize to the butterfly and grasshopper population of Tennessee and Kentucky, which is many hundreds fewer since I came through. The were nearly all low flyers, so I didn't get them piling up on the windshield so much, but when I bent down to wash it this AM I had a wow moment. Poor guys.

Pictures mostly because the non-butterfly spattered parts of the car are still quite shiny, and I got some cool reflections.

I like this - I got my hands/phone above and sandaled foot below, with a lot of butterflys between!

 

[Mirroredshades]

Skippy

 

[tosugrad]

Man I wish I had the time to do this kind of trip!

Looks great.

 

[stevieray122854]

Looks like a fun time was had, Skippy. I prefer the Cherohala much more than the Dragon---too many bikes and cops on the latter. My wife and I will be going over to Tellico Plains on the 15th to spend the night at the Lodge at Tellico, jump on the Skyway Saturday AM and head over to Maggie Valley for the night and head back thru Gatlinburg via Cherokee, NC on Sunday. Kind of an annual pilgrimage. Here's a couple of pics from early November last year:

 

[queenlives]

skip,

good for you, looks like a wonderful change of pace - a great way to get some fresh air over the gills. thx for sharing the pics.

it's the journey, not the destination.

 

[heySkippy]

Thanks everyone! Big car show tomorrow & I'm a shoe-in to win the "Traveled Farthest" prize!

Went for a cruise today, checking out some old haunts. I grew up here, but have been gone about 15 years.

Quack.