Road trips to take, or wish to take

[zxr250cc]

Hi all,

Some of you went to Penn, most of us didn't, I suspect. Myself, no. With that said, there are some road trips in my immediate planned or wished for future.

Red Desert, Wyoming (wishing to go for years..)

Palo Duro Canyon, Texas (ditto)

Sandhills, Nebraska ( A recent idea and could be lumped into the Red Desert run, if wished.)

All these come to mind. Recently having done a road trip to Grand Island and then to MO and back to pick up car parts in the SVT Focus it has been getting more interesting to do some barren lands road trips in an SUV. It will get far worse fuel economy but has MUCH greater ground clearance for dirt or gravel roads.

Any wished for trips in your head? Not to Pennsylvania? (Yes, I know the Ford crew pick that location but the roads suck there for come and go travel on the turnpike.)

Ideas?

Cheers

[andyofcolumbusmerkur]

It was fun to drive on Route 66 and go past the Cadillac Ranch. I also liked driving through WV. Never did the Tail of the Dragon, that would be a cool one to do.

[zxr250cc]

Hi all,

Yes, the Dragon is some ride indeed. It is more fun on a sport bike than in a car though, I think, as having done it both ways the experience is more intense on a bike. Like the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Natchez Trace, it is actually speeding to try going the posted speed limit in many places on the route. I saw more deer than cars on the Natchez Trace. If you go to Maggie Valley there is a great motorcycle museum there. It is a good to enjoy running the mountain roads in NC with multiple destinations.

Parts of WV are so beautiful. It is great sports car or sport bike territory as well.

Cheers

[milehighXR]

ALCAN highway has been on my list since a buddy worked rafting tours in Alaska after high school. He drove up, and back more than once IIRC. Unfortunately it will be a solo run as she who must be obeyed does not share the desire. I'd plan for a full month minimum as its about 14 days drive from Longmont CO to Denali national park. I'd like to spend a week there, and I would have to see the sights on the way there, and some more on the way back.

Other ones, Pacific Coast highway, and US 1 down tot Key West. Did US 1 twice before when I went to Florida Sea Base with Boy Scouts as a kid. I'd kinda like to drive it as an adult now.

I'd also like to do Route 666, if only because like Ronald Wilson Reagan my names grant me the mark of the beast

[zxr250cc]

Hi all,

Pacific Coast from San Diego all the way north to the Canadian border; good drive for either a car or bike. Same for Route 66 and Route 1 down to to Key West; 100 mile long radar trap: don't speed! If you are going down the East Coast in the Carolina's or Georgia, old Route 1 is a very pretty drive with no trucks most of the time. You can see what America looked like in the past before super-slab on that road.

My career in consumer electronics had me on the road a lot. Needing to see Alaska and Maine to completely fill my USA been there, done that card on the road.

The ALCAN would be a great drive; probably the best left in North America. Takes pictures! Avoid the wildlife...

(If I do the Red Desert my run would include a visit to Lyons to see old friends and would stop to visit Naomi if interested.)

Cheers

[milehighXR]

Do it to it bro. Jsmust give a shout before hand. If time you can even meet some of the other owners out here like Ghost.

[zxr250cc]

Hi all,

Sounds good.

Cheers

[brokencase]

Wyoming is wonderful. I've driven (and flown small aircraft) quite a bit through the Red Desert region and surrounding parts.
As viewed from an aircraft, I felt as though it was right out of the the novel "Dune". I mean literally, I am there in the Orthinopter taking survey of the spice mining.

I have dabbled similarly into northern Utah, I would like to explore Utah more.

These are wide open spaces, better suited to a Grand Turismo, (like the Scorpio) rather than a sports vehicle.

I have only recently heard about the Dragon's Tail. That would be something I'd like hit with a sports car.

Sadly other obligations keep me from pursuing these things. If you have the means and oppertunity...DO IT!

[zxr250cc]

Hi all,

I will be in an SUV for this run as part of the attraction would be to go back into the areas where pioneers tried to wheat farm in the early land rush era and be on dirt or gravel roads most of the time, I expect. The greater ground clearance will be of use most likely. My dad flew that area as a B-17 trainee pilot in WW2 and talked about wide open spaces and cold winters..

Whether I see them or not, the largest herd of antelope in US live in that area. I've seen those in SD in the past and they are both pretty and strange looking when used to seeing white tail deer. After studying weather patterns for WY it looks like August or September are the time lines of interest.

Anyone in here ever see the PBS show about vacation hiking trips and walking with goats for pack animals in the Red Desert? It is a long time since I saw that but have wanted to go there since then. I won't be hiking with goats, just shooting pictures for fun and camping out a bit. Haul it in, haul it out type stuff.

I strongly urge any of you to do the Dragon, the Blue Ridge Parkway or the Natchez Trace for east of the Mississippi driving trips. West of it, Route 66 or the small two lane back roads in MO in the Ozarks or northern Arkansas are also good. The Plains States are mostly straight roads and can be scenic but not so fun as a twisty road for an XR.

Things I intend to avoid: toll roads, four lane super slab as much as possible and big cities except to pass though them if required by my chosen route. The sound of wind in the ear with open space is very appealing to me for the time being.

Cheers

[milehighXR]

Depending on where in WY you go May is the earliest you wanna start. October can get dicey, as snow can close some roads as early as late Sept. My dad lives in Rock River, and I've spent many weekends running back and forth from Boulder to his place. I never got stuck up there, but one year on the way back with the oldest kid, and she who must be obeyed, we missed the gate coming down at Teds place by 5min. In the XR no less I'd do it again in a heartbeat, I've never felt more confident in the snow than in that car.

I agree the Scorpio is a superior touring car, I've done Carlisle once, Chicago area from Denver, Ford 100 another time, and several trips into WY with one or another Scorpio. Almost wish we still had one. I like the size of the XR more though, even if it isn't that much smaller.

[zxr250cc]

Hi all,

Thanks for the info.

I looked at WY Red Desert web pages for tourism and weather and the timing of temp patterns and am thinking August or September for a trip. It would be good to use the XR but it will be better to have more ground clearance as I want to see non paved areas and wildlife. There must be a lot of roads out into the sticks with all the gas fields. ?? An SUV will be a better choice with higher ground clearance to run on back roads. The Continental Divide area is where it looks most interesting at the moment.

Cheers