The Ultimate "Driver's" Road Trip

[uglybastard]

Day 3: bought a tarp.
Yeah today was a giant sack of nothing. Not every day can be TOTD. Which seems good, for my car's sake.
Aside from the alignment issues, nothing bad really happened today.
Started halfway between Knoxville and Nashville. Cruising I-40 wasn't as bad as I expected, I can say. They're just straight, but not miserable like Jersey.
View attachment 173755
Saw one of those Carvana towers
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Had some Cool Story Bro moments, one after another. But before Memphis, a Challenger popped up from a ramp and started going right away. So I chased after him. Caught up and we chased each other for a little. He went for a pull from 65, 70 and I gapped him. I'm cases like this I always think the other guy must not be full throttle, must not be trying. :iono: he vanished and almost immediately (I thought it was still him) his place was taken by a slick Chevy SS. Same story, different car. Well then he scurried off to wherever highway friends go and I ran into a CTS-V and I thought "well this is it. This is the hill I die on." But the CTS-V want having any of it and left me to make whooshy noises by myself.

Oh and at some point I bought a tarp to rig up as a rain fly for the hammock not that I'm gonna use it for the next few days because I'm going into nothing country. Gonna be rest stops for me, probably until Colorado.

Weirdly my alignment is driving pretty straight now. Straight for around 5 or 6 seconds then it slowly drifts right, which really isn't bad for any car that doesn't have a perfect alignment. But the toe and camber are still a problem. If I can't make an appointment for tomorrow I'm going to rotate my tires using our stock jack (been nice knowing y'all). I'll probably just swap the rears with each other because of the uneven toe. When I get halfway or so I'll swap front with rears, but my fronts have a significant amount of tread left. I took the rears of my parts car and slapped those, balanced, on the front, so my full set is like new.

I almost forgot the coolest part! I was in... Shit, I think outside Nashville? Anyway, I saw this guy after chasing a modded A5 for a bit:
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And just a little note: if anyone is worried about my phone usage whilst driving to take these photos, I barely put more effort than I would to change gear. Grab my phone, double tap the lock button (opens the camera), clock and hold one of the volume buttons (takes a burst), put it away. Then I go through and pick the best of the bunch when I'm posting.

before you swap the rear tires make sure your tires are not directional...

 

[torga]

If you pass through Colorado Springs, take a spin round Valley of the Gods. Beautiful rock formations. Take a break and do some light hiking there, too.

 

[MrFancypants]

If you're going through Arkansas, have a close look at a map... there's a few good roads to check out.

 

[Joe_Mama]

its garden of the gods btw

 

[torga]

its garden of the gods btw

what's a mixup of geographic nouns between friends, eh?

 

[Joe_Mama]

Just in case he decides to search for it.

I used to work right there:

 

[Allchokedup]

If you pass through Colorado Springs, take a spin round Valley of the Gods. Beautiful rock formations. Take a break and do some light hiking there, too.

Absolutely beautiful!
There is a town called Florissant(not far from garden if the gods) and there is a hidden waterfall down a mountain road. Its a great swimming hole in the mountions and 2 cliff jumps. Filled with babes and bud smoke : )
Also, Manitou springs is a cool spot to chill. A lot of counties in Colorado have open public land you can camp where you want. I know for a fact therre are a LOT of beautiful places in Jefferson county
Lmk I can get you directions

 

[mkv_martinez]

Amazing thread & journey you have planned here.

I am a huge road-trip enthusiast. I've gone on multi-day trips in my car and on my motorcycle. Its such an amazing and unique experience to do something like that completely alone.

Wish you the best! Nothing better than driving out west in the US. You just see the world opening up and becoming more and more natural. Driving west to east is much less satisfactory.

You'll definitely be looking back on these photos in a few years and appreciate how well you documented all of this.

Driving roads are awesome - but don't discount major attractions and national parks. Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower, Badlands, Needles highway, Custer State park are all awesome places I visited while out at Sturgis and would love to double back in my car. Just something about being in these places that have their own aura and deserve to be seen as well.

 

[Cole2999]

before you swap the rear tires make sure your tires are not directional...

Done I've made that mistake before with my winters

If you pass through Colorado Springs, take a spin round Valley of the Gods. Beautiful rock formations. Take a break and do some light hiking there, too.

Absolutely beautiful!
There is a town called Florissant(not far from garden if the gods) and there is a hidden waterfall down a mountain road. Its a great swimming hole in the mountions and 2 cliff jumps. Filled with babes and bud smoke : )
Also, Manitou springs is a cool spot to chill. A lot of counties in Colorado have open public land you can camp where you want. I know for a fact therre are a LOT of beautiful places in Jefferson county
Lmk I can get you directions

Well at first you piqued my interest, but now you have my attention.

If you're going through Arkansas, have a close look at a map... there's a few good roads to check out.

Honestly it seems like I'm gonna spend a day or two here. I've been going and going like I'm in a rush but where am I rushing to?

Don't discount major attractions and national parks. Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower, Badlands, Needles highway, Custer State park are all awesome places I visited while out at Sturgis and would love to double back in my car. Just something about being in these places that have their own aura and deserve to be seen as well.

I'd love to do a lot of touristy stuff, but unfortunately most places are closed, or were when I planned this. I plan on doing an assessment of what's opening up once I hit California. I'd LOVE to see the Yosemite and Glacier NP (and there's some rad drives there), and Yellowstone was one of my favorite places of all time, and I'll definitely not complain seeing it twice. I'm also weird and kinda like the smell of sulfur so it was chill the first time years ago with my family.

 

[Cole2999]

Also I made an appointment with VW in Little Rock, but when I got here they told me the diag fee would be 140, and if they can do the alignment it's 150 but they waive diag. I passed on it for now, gonna look for a small shop and come back if I can't find one. Honestly I could prob diagnose it myself if I had a proper jack and stands, but it feels sketchy using the stock jack

 

[Joe_Mama]

It feels sketchy because it is sketchy. Please do not get under your car loaded on that stock jack. I know you know this already but just in case you feel brave.

 

[Cole2999]

It feels sketchy because it is sketchy. Please do not get under your car loaded on that stock jack. I know you know this already but just in case you feel brave.

Oh I'd sooner play chicken on the interstate. I'd be jacking it up and looking at it from a safe distance.
That said I realized I'm getting paid tomorrow so I bit the bullet and had VW do the diag. They're also checking leaks, brakes, tires so it saves me some trouble. Super friendly, too.

 

[Mk6Autobahn]

If going through Texas, check these out: Roads, Parks, More parks

Roads:
Ranch Road 965 & Willow City Loop
Rebecca Creek Road (getting more populated, used to be better)
Devil's Backbone (take Purgatory Rd for shorter drive, 484 to 306 for longer/windy drive)
Twisted Sisters
Lonesome Highway (FM 349, population of 900, road is all yours for 60mi)
Texas 118 from Alpine to Interstate 10 (amazing)

Attractions:
Palo Duro Canyon (Grand Canyon of TX)
Big Bend (breathtaking but borders Mexico so might be waaaay out of the way)
Davis Mountains (great for stargazing/camping, observatory, Texas 118)
Garner State Park (beautiful area with good roads around it)
Enchanted Rock (good views, camping/stargazing, RR 965 & Willow City Loop)
Guadalupe Peak (Lonesome hwy, highest point in TX 8,751 ft)

I'll get off my hillbilly soapbox now

 

[MrFancypants]

Also I made an appointment with VW in Little Rock, but when I got here they told me the diag fee would be 140, and if they can do the alignment it's 150 but they waive diag. I passed on it for now, gonna look for a small shop and come back if I can't find one. Honestly I could prob diagnose it myself if I had a proper jack and stands, but it feels sketchy using the stock jack

For the love of whatever it is you hold dear, do not even think about putting any part of yourself underneath a car with the jack that comes with this car. I wouldn't even feel good about using it for its intended purpose, much less actual work.

 

[MrFancypants]

Twisted Sisters

Been on this one, can confirm... great road.