Guys,

I've come up with an idea to incorporate slow to spirited driving styles and those who like to cruise along with those who want white knuckle twisties...

I'm working out the kinks and will post something once I have it formalized.

Unfortunately, I just can't find any good roads around here that aren't clogged with traffic so it'll likely start a half an hour or so north of town, up I-77.

Just a tickler, no reply necessary...btw, this won't be a club sanctioned run because of the nature of it, it'll just be a Dave passes out maps and directions to those who are interested in driving at their own pace and risk.

 

Drove it today. See bottom line unless you're bored. ;-)

Several horses, mules, turkey buzzards, stray dogs, stray pups, cats, a skunk, several opossums, all in various states of ingress/egress on the roadways and a few doing a really good job of "playing dead". This is rural NC, so there were some trucks and tractors, but not a lot of traffic, very few cars and no MINIs.

Had to change the route, b/c many of the roads I picked turned to gravel, (only airborne once when the pavement ended with a drop off and I was at highway speed glancing down at the map as cresting a hill--I took that out of the route for obvious reasons, along with all the others but two). One I left in is our termination point, we can drop off the faint of heart and tired at an apple orchard and head there ourselves for a spectactular drive with spectacular views with only one issue, we have to do a 3-5 point turn around with no shoulders when we get to the gravel but well worth it. The other is at the end of a Dragonesque run, made even more treacherous and exciting by poor road conditions and residences on either side of the road, spewing some loose gravel from their driveways! As Dan the man says, "Good stuff!"

That's a good point to make, sorry, but there is no beginner/liesurely route, it's just intermediate and advanced--I can't help myself. I'll also give you a couple more clues--how do we segregate the two groups? Passing zones on the straights and extra loops for those making better time. This is a combo Hellbender and Dragon, alternating each. There are some GGGRREAT technical twisties, and sweepers, desolate straight aways, everything but civilization.

I didn't see one place to eat, so this may be a bring your own, or if we make good time, maybe we can detour to a small town to eat, I don't have us going through any towns. Again, this one is going to be about driving, not licking ice cream cones--not that there's anything wrong with that either!

It took 7 hours, 350+ miles and tank of gas b/c of the all the detours and try this, nope, not fun, and nope a little too "cultural" stuff. I'll have to drive it as mapped and see how long it takes and mileage, I'm guessing about half that. I retraced my tracks back to get here in good time, across the Northern route, I might add a Southern route if we need more of a challenge. I wondered if we might want to revisit some loops on the way back, or if the intermediates might build confidence and tackle the Dragonesque loop in particular.

Finally and bottom line: this will be a fun ride for those who like to drive and as long as everybody pays sharp attention, there should be no carnage. ;-) Drove it today. See bottom line unless you're bored. ;-)

Several horses, mules, turkey buzzards, stray dogs, stray pups, cats, a skunk, several opossums, all in various states of ingress/egress on the roadways and a few doing a really good job of "playing dead". This is rural NC, so there were some trucks and tractors, but not a lot of traffic, very few cars and no MINIs.

Had to change the route, b/c many of the roads I picked turned to gravel, (only airborne once when the pavement ended with a drop off and I was at highway speed glancing down at the map as cresting a hill--I took that out of the route for obvious reasons, along with all the others but two). One I left in is our termination point, we can drop off the faint of heart and tired at an apple orchard and head there ourselves for a spectactular drive with spectacular views with only one issue, we have to do a 3-5 point turn around with no shoulders when we get to the gravel but well worth it. The other is at the end of a Dragonesque run, made even more treacherous and exciting by poor road conditions and residences on either side of the road, spewing some loose gravel from their driveways! As Dan the man says, "Good stuff!"

That's a good point to make, sorry, but there is no beginner/liesurely route, it's just intermediate and advanced--I can't help myself. I'll also give you a couple more clues--how do we segregate the two groups? Passing zones on the straights and extra loops for those making better time. This is a combo Hellbender and Dragon, alternating each. There are some GGGRREAT technical twisties, and sweepers, desolate straight aways, everything but civilization.

I didn't see one place to eat, so this may be a bring your own, or if we make good time, maybe we can detour to a small town to eat, I don't have us going through any towns. Again, this one is going to be about driving, not licking ice cream cones--not that there's anything wrong with that either!

It took 7 hours, 350+ miles and tank of gas b/c of the all the detours and try this, nope, not fun, and nope a little too "cultural" stuff. I'll have to drive it as mapped and see how long it takes and mileage, I'm guessing about half that. I retraced my tracks back to get here in good time, across the Northern route, I might add a Southern route if we need more of a challenge. I wondered if we might want to revisit some loops on the way back, or if the intermediates might build confidence and tackle the Dragonesque loop in particular.

Finally and bottom line: this will be a fun ride for those who like to drive and as long as everybody pays sharp attention, there should be no carnage. ;-)

 

Map is ready if anybody's interested. Shoot me a PM if you'd like to participate...

 

Okay, peeps, this is on for 6/6 if you want to join us...