After a long road trip I found a couple of spots that screamed "now THIS is what my mini was built for!" and figured that I would share these driving gems to check out if you're near the area. Be cool to get a collection of these going as a list of sweet spots to check out...

Wicked stretch of road just south of the border in Montana but watch out for horses

By far my favorite drive while at AMVIV, route 66 from Oatman AZ

 

Highway 1 California
From Cambria to Legget, then 101 to Crescent City is nice too.

 

Rte 6 in Pennsylvania.

 

Post your run on the following website. I just checked and that road is not featured. It says it is for bikers but I doubt if they'd care if a few MINIs showed up to have fun.

http://www.motorcycleroads.us/

 

I actually view that site a lot for roads. I figure that if bikers like roads then us MINIs would as well.

 

Wow, this is a great resource. I actually have found 4 of the ones listed in my area all by myself.
I'll have to check out some of the others.

 

W. Virginia turnpike ! I run the entire length twice a year, rarely see any troopers, big sweeping turns,always make good time and have a good time!

 

Here's just a few of my favorites

Carmel Valley Road, Central Coast, CA

Latigo Canyon, Malibu, CA

Arizona RT 89A to Jerome

Escalente Highway, Utah

Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, VA

 

Makes the Dragon and most other roads look like Kindergarten.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hana_Highway

 

Drove the MINI over to Alabama so that I could take a ride down AL-49. The road is more sweeping turns than twisty turns, but it was still a nice drive. Goes from the Alabama highlands down to the lake.

Put the MINI in auto sport mode and just enjoyed the ride. The MINI, of course, handled great. Even with the base 15" wheels and all-season tires, it took the turns with little effort and little drama.

http://www.motorcycleroads.us/roads/al49.html

 

Thanks for posting the site http://www.motorcycleroads.us/roads/al49.html
this well be very helpful in setting up a drive for club members.

 

If you can get the search function to work (which is a big "IF"), I like grouprider.com for finding routes. At least for NC, I find it has more backroads than motorcycleroads.us. Especially if you have a good active motorcycle club in the area.

 

Squaw Pass Road, conecting Evergreen to Idaho Springs in central CO. Its best in the summer on Saturday mornings, if you want to do a little Ferrari hunting.

 

For any Canadians out there, Highway 1 between Vancouver and Kamloops in British Columbia is a blast. Canyon carving from Rain Forest up to the desert and not a lot of traffic as Highway 5 is now the main route. Roughly 4 hours.

 

Tail of the dragon!

http://tailofthedragon.com/

 

Watkins Glen International road course 3.5 miles, Watkins Glen NY. Take a track day there and have some fun.

Front Straight 115 mph, Back Straight 130 mph. 11-12 storey climb up ESSes, Turn 10 WOT 90 mph, Full 4 wheel drift at the bus stop...

Thrill of a lifetime.

 

If you can get on it, the go-kart track at BeaveRun is rather fun in a Mini... otherwise the road course there (1.6 miles, 12 challenging corners, and an over-hill right hander (turn 7) that'll take your breath the first time, and every second or third time after that... www.beaverun.com

+1 for US129 between Robbinsville NC and, well, 11 miles north of Deals Gap

Do not discount US28 between 143 and Deals Gap, NC, either!

There are a few roads near me, but I have to keep 'em a secret, as we race bicycles there...

 

Don't forget Hwy's 36, 3, 299, 96, 89, 88, 128, 4, 108, etc., etc.......

The very best roads are in California and there's so many that are much better than the Dragon (and with no traffic). California has the best roads.

The road to Hana is nice but there's way too much traffic for it to be really fun.

 

Carmel Valley Rd. is great drive, I drive it often, gotta be careful with the cattle gaurds nearly blowout my suspension with those things.

Agreed, there is so many just in NorCal.

Recently ran a road near Hollister, CA my brother told me about, Panoche Rd./Little Panoche Rd. (From Paicines to Firebaugh) That road is a blast, best driven at night so you cannot see the consequences if you go off the road (steep cliffs-no gaurd rails)
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Pa...sz=11&t=h&z=10

 

Carmel Valley Road is definately nice. I'll try to sneek into Seca if I'm down that way just to see what's happening. (As long as there's not an event there.)

And Panoche is fun, though short. Try Peach Tree, Indian Valley, Hare Canyon, Coalinga, and Los Gatos Creek Roads all in the same area just a bit south. Awesome driving.