obsessed with roads

[Jim Ratto]

I am a real sucker for planning remote road trips. People ask me why I earned my BS degree in California geography....uh duh... it's a freaking hobby. I think DKK Fred and I kind had a rap about the cool backroads in CA.

Lots of fun to spread out an old paper map (not sat nav,   BORING) and brainstorm out a multi-hour trip...as few stop lights as possible. One thing I'd like to do is find an old map from late 50's or something of Southern/Central CA and plan a good drive using only roads that existed back then. This fall I'm hoping to set up a good drive up to Solvang (north of Santa Barbara) for the vintage show, taking the bug, using just two lane stuff...no freeway..

Where can I find an old CA map?

[louisb]

I think it is more fun to just head out in a general direction and see where you end up. You may have a specific or vague destination in mind but no real specific route. You get to see many interesting sites you wouldn't normally see. (Like driving around in the North Georgia mountains and running across an Emu farm.) Some times our trips are spurred by something as simple as wanting to find a good BBQ restaurant we have not been too, or to see some old car we read about in the want ads. (Food tends to weigh heavily in our trips.  )

I have drive all over the southeast this way. I remember one trip we started off camping in North Georgia, the next day we camped in Tennessee and the next some place in Alabama. I couldn't find the places now but it was a blast. Nothing like getting up in the morning, pointing the nose of your car in some direction, and seeing where you end up. 

--louis

[Rick Meredith]

How old are you looking for Jim?

[Jim Ratto]

I like just point and shoot too.... Sheep and I used to be bored out of our heads and jump in a car @ take off for hours. Lots of stories from that involving smelly feet (Jimmy), pissed off girlfriends, packages of salami falling in rivers, Fiats rolling across highways un-manned, speeding tickets, hitchiking worms, burnt hot dogs in mailboxes, and more fun.

Rick anything like 1950-1960 would be cool. Like Los Banos-south to Los Angeles.

I think the fact that Easy Rider is one of my favorite movies has a lot to do with this

[louisb]

I like just point and shoot too.... Sheep and I used to be bored out of our heads and jump in a car @ take off for hours. Lots of stories from that involving smelly feet (Jimmy), pissed off girlfriends, packages of salami falling in rivers, Fiats rolling across highways un-manned, speeding tickets, hitchiking worms, burnt hot dogs in mailboxes, and more fun.

Rick anything like 1950-1960 would be cool. Like Los Banos-south to Los Angeles.

I think the fact that Easy Rider is one of my favorite movies has a lot to do with this

Here is a road I have always wanted to do:

http://www.historic66.com/

Another trip I have always fancied was one I saw in a VW mag many years ago about a guy who drove his beetle from South America to Alaska.

One day.

--louis

[Rick Meredith]

Don't have anything that old. Might be able to find some from the 60s-70s.

[Jim Ratto]

I like just point and shoot too.... Sheep and I used to be bored out of our heads and jump in a car @ take off for hours. Lots of stories from that involving smelly feet (Jimmy), pissed off girlfriends, packages of salami falling in rivers, Fiats rolling across highways un-manned, speeding tickets, hitchiking worms, burnt hot dogs in mailboxes, and more fun.

Rick anything like 1950-1960 would be cool. Like Los Banos-south to Los Angeles.

I think the fact that Easy Rider is one of my favorite movies has a lot to do with this

Here is a road I have always wanted to do:

http://www.historic66.com/

Another trip I have always fancied was one I saw in a VW mag many years ago about a guy who drove his beetle from South America to Alaska.

One day.

--louis

I've read about some road that follows ridgeline of Appalachians or the Great Smoky Mountains or something.... total sports car road... ends up in PA I think? Can't remember.... Peter Egan from Road and Track wrote a nice piece about driving a big-6 Austin Healey along much of it... sounded very cool.

One day I am going to plan a backroader from down here to go see sheep at his flyfishing place about 7 hours north, up in Placerville CA. Yes in my '67. 

[louisb]

Blue Ridge Parkway. An awesome road to drive. The mountains are not as big as what you guys have on the west coast but still plenty of great vistas. For most of the road you can only average 20 - 30 mph due to all the twists, curves and switchbacks. Not to mention that for most of it you have mountain on one side of the road and a thousand foot drop on the other. (And not much road in between  ) I have driven most of the southern part of it. Friend of mine is planning to bike all of it on his Aprilia sports bike this summer. Wish I could go.

--louis

[Sam K]

Sounds like fun. I've never been brave enough to take my '67 more than 75 or so miles from home, but this thread is sort of inspiring me.

[javabug]

I have an old PA map from the 50s, no interstates.  I'd love to have a whole Road Atlas like that.

I gotta say I love the call of the open road as well, but my experience isn't as extensive as some of you guys.  Most of my trips have been, admittedly, on the big highways.  But I don't always mind, depending on which direction you're heading.  My first real trip in the '67 was two weeks after I got it legally on the road.  Hershey, PA to Detroit...about 550 miles.

Not in a Bug, but another VW...a friend of mine was trading a car, with someone from the West coast of Canada.  We made it from central PA to Spokane, WA in 2-1/2 days.  Took our time on the way back a little more (not much).  What a great freakin' time.  Across the Continental Divide, through the Badlands of South Dakota overnight with a full moon, just so much to see.

[Jim Ratto]

I want to build a high horsepower, light weight sedan that can go hang it all out on fire trails. Not a Baja Bug, but more of a rally-car... there are some awesome forest roads not far from my home that need to be driven.
Makes me miss my WRX.

[louisb]

911 Rally Car? 

--louis

[Jim Ratto]

1970 sedan stock height, gravel tires, Centerlines, 2332 with all the big stuff, most importantly AIR CLEANERS

[louisb]

Throw in a gas heater and it would be there perfect car for a nice little trip to Yellow Knife. 

--louis

[javabug]

I can dig it.  http://www.rallybugs.com/

[Tony M]

You want a back road - drive from San Diego to Cabo and back - tight turns, lots of great views, long straight roads at times, you cross back and forth from pacific ocean to the gulf many times - awsom trip to make - i will go back and take all the race course down to cabo next time.