Topic: Your best drive?

[No H2O]

Very close.

Found it! The DN7C.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=brezoi&sll=45.348767,24.23172&sspn=0.250935,0.617294&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Brezoi,+Vilcea,+Romania&ll=45.36469,24.235153&spn=0.250864,0.617294&t=h&z=11&iwloc=A

Not this year, but in the near future it'll be added to my collection of 200+ Alps pass roads so far.

[HeliDriver]

One winter morning I woke up in Hope, BC, on my way to Kelowna. There had just been a huge blizzard, the road reports were horrible, and police were advising everyone to just stay put. Of course, being young, impatient, and the driver of a 4x4 Pathfinder with all-terrain tires, I figured I should just go for it.

So, leaving Hope with a bit of trepidation, I started the climb up into the mountains towards Princeton. There was a good foot of fresh powder everywhere, but the sun had just come up on a beautiful, crisp, clear morning. The storm must have just passed.

The plows hadn't been out yet, so I was a little surprised to find myself making fresh tracks through the powder on a perfectly untouched highway - not so much as a single tire track anywhere. Woo-hoo, freshies!

Before long, I was cruising happily at 80 km/h with nothing but fresh powder in front of me and beautiful contrails of wispy snow billowing out behind me. The sun was up, the trees were laden, snow crystals were sparking all around, and I had the whole road to myself!

It's funny, I've driven a CASCAR racer on the track and an NSX from Calgary to Phoenix, but neither of those stands out against that one drive at ten under the limit in an old 4x4.

[airbalancer]

 
There is something about drive after a new snow fall
but I never had a drive like yours

[blur911]

There is something about drive after a new snow fall
but I never had a drive like yours

It is kinda like making the first tracks down a ski run after fresh snow.
My best drive that sticks out was a 3 day trip myself and 2 friends made on bikes to explore the best Ontario bikeroads.  http://rdketchup.com/Bike/ontario_bikeroads.jpg
I had the slowest bike, a GPZ900R, my friends had a ZX-7R and a Hayabusa.  We got to some obscene speeds across Algonquin Park, hit all the twisty bits we could manage and traveled without a plan. Had amazing weather and a good time with great friends. 
A little stint near Bala (I think it was #38) was the most memorable, we got to the end and turned around to do it again. It was a weird twisty little road, I don't think we got over 120kph, but it was like a roller coaster ride.

[safristi]

..TO BE CONTINUED.........................

[carcrazy]

Very close.

Found it! The DN7C.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=brezoi&sll=45.348767,24.23172&sspn=0.250935,0.617294&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Brezoi,+Vilcea,+Romania&ll=45.36469,24.235153&spn=0.250864,0.617294&t=h&z=11&iwloc=A

Not this year, but in the near future it'll be added to my collection of 200+ Alps pass roads so far.

What do you have in Brezoi?
There are more scenic roads in the area. If you'd like more suggestions, let me know.

[Railton]

There is something about drive after a new snow fall
but I never had a drive like yours

It is kinda like making the first tracks down a ski run after fresh snow.
My best drive that sticks out was a 3 day trip myself and 2 friends made on bikes to explore the best Ontario bikeroads.  http://rdketchup.com/Bike/ontario_bikeroads.jpg
I had the slowest bike, a GPZ900R, my friends had a ZX-7R and a Hayabusa.  We got to some obscene speeds across Algonquin Park, hit all the twisty bits we could manage and traveled without a plan. Had amazing weather and a good time with great friends. 
A little stint near Bala (I think it was #38) was the most memorable, we got to the end and turned around to do it again. It was a weird twisty little road, I don't think we got over 120kph, but it was like a roller coaster ride.

I can't tell you how many times I've driven hyw 3 from Rosseau to Huntsville - My route from Ottawa to the  cottage when I lived in Ottawa. A real batch of a road though if you get stuck behind someone though and you've got no power to pass as the passing points are few and far between (not a problem on a big hp bike mind you). My cottage is just West of Rosseau on 141 and East of Humphry. I see you have the Tally-Ho-Road in blue yet it's not marked - it's a truly great stretch of road with a coarse surface texture even though pavement, great feel. On all the those roads though there is a great chance of someone not paying attention and coming over onto your lane, of worse, a moose in the middle of the road so watch out!!!
Railton
BTW, My best drives have actually been flights.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwxYcICVIng&feature=related
Yeah, that's cool.

[rrocket]

As others have said...man...there are sooo many.  Especially when I owned both bike and car.  Hmmmm...which one to pick?

I'd have to say it was with the Supra (obviously).  We used to get up and just drive to any race where there was a class I could enter.  As often as possible, we'd leave the day before and take our time to get there.  Going to one such event in Sparta, we took Highway 3 all the way.  Basically, this was one of the ways you took before the 401.  It runs along the shores of Lake Erie for much of the trip.  It was one of those days where the sun was out, shining, just a beautiful day.  Targa off, on the beautiful road, in no hurry to get there.  Just enjoying the car, the scenery and Import Queen.  Just a great, great ride.

We arrived a bit early and we were hungry, so we went to Port Stanley and had breakfast at one of the nice little restaurants.  We took our time...stayed for pie and coffee even, and made our way to the track.   Only to discover that my class was just being called to get ready.  I quickly jacked the car, threw on the drag radials and jumped into the line.  I qualified 2nd I think.  I went on to win my class, pocketed $500 and enjoyed another great ride home.  Man...that was THE summer.  I just couldn't lose in the Supra that year.  Cruise there, race, win.  Damn I miss that car....

Some other fun rides were meeting with CTC people and letting them have a go in the Supra.  That was always good for smiles.

Is there ever such thing as a "bad drive" when you're in a car you love?

[inco]

You mean a car you divorced.   If you really did love it - well I guess it would still be there wouldn't it?

[rrocket]

You mean a car you divorced.   If you really did love it - well I guess it would still be there wouldn't it?

It would still be here if I never wanted to own another car for the rest of my life.  But many of us have a list of cars we'd like to own someday.  And sadly I don't have a 10 car garage or the budget to support a 10 car garage.     So the Supra had to go in my quest to own as many cars as I can....

[Marko]

Mine was probably the very first time I drove alone, when I was 17. Prior to that I had only driven with my dad in the passenger seat and if I accelerated even slightly harder than normal he would go ballistic. So when I got in the car alone as soon as I got out of sight of the house I floored it and drove hard and it was the most fun I had in a car. It was just a Neon (with the 3 speed automatic) but it may as well have been the bat mobile. Later I drove my high school buddies to lunch and none of them had cars yet so I was the man of the hour, driving fast in my Neon and blasting Eminem.

[Arthur Dent]

My best drive was when I purchased my Triumph Spitfire (well used from a teenage girl). It was the beginning of winter and I had a 100km drive back home that including a stint through Calgary. Perfect for an untested, just out of storage, elderly British car! It was rather chilly but it was also my first convertible so the roof had to come down. Had some highway cruising to start then entered Calgary. By this time it was snowing big fluffy flakes. Got a lot of baffled looks and a few waves from other motorists. Stopped off at my mother in law's house where we had dinner. Gave a few of the relatives a ride around the block. Then put the top up as it was getting seriously cold for the drive home in the dark. The lights worked almost all the way home but when they winked out a few kilometers from home I closely followed the wife in our Jeep back.

[sparky]

This is a great thread, so let's keep 'em coming. Don't be intimidated by the more exotic entries. We haven't all driven Lambos through the Alps, but more modest outings make a great read, too.
My "best" drive? Hmm, not sure. I'll get back to you on that...

[Winklovic]

Coronado Trail in Arizona at the wheel of a Hyundai Azera.  Elevation went from 3,000 to over 9,000 feet with approximately 400 twists and turns packed into 100 miles.   

[Careener]

More Valley of Fire (not my pics ;-) )

[Turbo Bob]

When I had the Exige my commute to work was just over 40 miles of twisty country lanes, some sections were 60-70mph limit, some 30 mph.  I managed it once in 45 minutes, so averaged about 60mph including stop signs, traffic lights etc.

Around this area:


I've always wondered how fast I could have done it if the roads were officially closed by Police and I could drive as fast as I wanted... hmmm...
 

[Flinter]

While not as amazing as some of the earlier posts, one of my personal favorites is the drive through Gros Morne park in NL. I grew up about 300km north of the park in St. Anthony and I must have driven through there 100's of times over the years and it has never gotten boring. During the spring/fall during the off season for tourism, there is very little traffic on the highway up the Great Northern peninsula (except for Moose). I remember on several occasions seeing less than 10 cars on the entire 400+km road from Deer Lake to St. Anthony.

This particular route takes you from Deer Lake and the Bay of Islands area through the long range mountains and the ancient Table lands to the south west edge of the park in Trout River (as far as the highway goes anyway). The remainder of the route loops around the salt water fjord in the heart of the Gros Morne twisting through the main mountainous region of the park (more like big hills for you folks from the west). Once you pass Rocky Harbour you hit the western coastline of the Great Northern peninsula and snake up the coast with a great view of the Atlantic on one side of the road and the long range mountains in the distance on the other. Between Sally's Cove and St.Paul's you pass by a beautiful fresh water Fjord (Western Brook Pond) on your way to the sandy beaches of the Cow Head area.
 
http://bit.ly/5a8G8O

Driven at the right time of the year, this can be a very fun stretch of road. Just you, the road, and some great scenery.

[PJungnitsch]

Did a two day motorcycle trip through northern Thailand once. That was amazing, windy roads going in and out of paddy fields, across rivers, through forests and highlands. Set it up totally by chance, just got talking with a couple travelers from Oz at a guesthouse, hired a local guide, and ring-ding-ding, off we went on two stroke dirt bikes. Golden Triangle area up at the border of Burma and Laos, like all former poppy growing locations, incredibly scenic.



Note total lack of protective gear, incl helmet and gloves. Makes me wince now. I just about hit a bus head on that trip, something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mwl-uE2EzE

[safristi]

   whose the HEROIN in those ads....... ...... ............Hello POPPY....looks like PADDY let all the water out.................springfield buffalo........