3 week roadtrip in a Miata

7700 miles for 3 weeks? What are you doing? 20 miles a day? Geesh. Pansy.

Swank Force One wrote: In reply to turboswede: Well, i WILL have to stop halfway through to change oil, so as i get the route more nailed down, i'll try to figure out whose driveway i can use.

AR Auto Service and Munich Motorwerks are both local shops I would trust with my cars (since they are run by local racers and friends)

turboswede wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: In reply to turboswede: Well, i WILL have to stop halfway through to change oil, so as i get the route more nailed down, i'll try to figure out whose driveway i can use.

AR Auto Service and Munich Motorwerks are both local shops I would trust with my cars (since they are run by local racers and friends)

Oil change on this bad boy takes about 5 minutes tops, and i have to supply my own oil and filter anyways. I figure worst case scenario i'll squat over a WalMart storm drain.

JOKING.

It's more appropriate to use an AutoZone parking lot. They;re used to it.

Bobzilla wrote: It's more appropriate to use an AutoZone parking lot. They;re used to it.

LOL that's an option. Buy a pan and my oil. Jack the car up in the parking lot, change the oil. Dump the dirty oil in their dirty oil drum, toss the pan in the trash.

Sounds like a lot of fun. Enjoy.

JeffHarbert wrote: Get to Santa Cruz, CA and do this: http://goo.gl/maps/47rOh

After doing that, head up 101, cut over to the coast on 128, and head up HWY 1.

This takes you through some of the best wine country in the country (not overpriced like Napa).

You get to drive through stuff like this on 128:

You get views like this on HWY 1:

before cutting back through even more awesome roads that bring you here:

And if you stop for the evening in Fort Bragg, I can hook you up with some good beer.

In reply to Beer Baron:

I'm actually going North-to-South on that side of the country, starting in Vancouver, BC, ending up in San Diego. (in theory.)

Does that recommendation still work in reverse without adding a large chunk of time? Ergo, do i just take 1 down until it hits 128, take 128 over to 101, then down to Jeff's suggestion?

I have to really map out the "smaller" stops, i may take you up on the beer offer.

Swank Force One wrote: In reply to Beer Baron: I'm actually going North-to-South on that side of the country, starting in Vancouver, BC, ending up in San Diego. (in theory.) Does that recommendation still work in reverse without adding a large chunk of time? Ergo, do i just take 1 down until it hits 128, take 128 over to 101, then down to Jeff's suggestion? I have to really map out the "smaller" stops, i may take you up on the beer offer.

Yup. Works the same way. I would head down 101 until it connects up with 1 right by the Drive-Through Tree Park. Then head down the coast.

If you can swing it California Hwy 49 is cool.

Also Bodie is a mining town from the 1800's that is neat to walk around.

fifty niner diner in WA, near stevens pass. excellent pulled pork sammich!

As mentioned above, if you have the time, Highway 1, especially the Oregon Coast portion, was going to be my second recommendation. Just beware of VW vans. There's almost no passing and hippies are never in a hurry.

slopecarver wrote: fifty niner diner in WA, near stevens pass. excellent pulled pork sammich!

Are you talking about the Sultan Bakery? Yummm

Too bad you are doing this in June. You are going to miss the rainy season in PNWet.

Swank Force One wrote: In reply to turboswede: Well, i WILL have to stop halfway through to change oil, so as i get the route more nailed down, i'll try to figure out whose driveway i can use.

Nah, change before you leave. Install a quality synthetic oil and change it when you get home.

You will be driving under ideal conditions as far as the oil goes.

Swank Force One wrote: LOL that's an option. Buy a pan and my oil. Jack the car up in the parking lot, change the oil. Dump the dirty oil in their dirty oil drum, toss the pan in the trash.

Don't throw it away, just hand it to the guy at the counter, tell him he can have it for free as long as he takes it home and uses it.

iceracer wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: In reply to turboswede: Well, i WILL have to stop halfway through to change oil, so as i get the route more nailed down, i'll try to figure out whose driveway i can use.

Nah, change before you leave. Install a quality synthetic oil and change it when you get home. You will be driving under ideal conditions as far as the oil goes.

Ideal conditions or not... i'm not real comfy with driving a turbo BP car with only a 4qt capacity for 7000 miles on one oil change. Right now, it's turning the oil black within about 1500 miles, i'm hoping a good tune is going to change that for me.

Swank Force One wrote: Where do you guys suggest we visit? Be salespeople, sell me on places.

One of my favorite place to stop is at the big oval track in Speedway, Indiana. If you haven't taken the cheap bus tour; you haven't lived.

JK

In your packing "check list", don't forget to schedule yourself an MRI on your back for the day you return...

In reply to Swank Force One:

FYI - About 2/3rds of the way between I and J is me. I have a garage for oil changes. I highly suggest you do a short trip here: Johnston Ridge Observatory It's an amazing road (especially in a Miata) and you get to see the volcano way up close and personal. Lots of day hikes from there as well.

Other stuff worth visiting as you travel through include the Musuem of Flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, the LeMay Car Museum in Tacoma, and the home of the Spruce Goose - the Evegreen Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.

If you're willing to start hitting the coast sooner, I'd go west to Aberdeen after coming out of Seattle into Olympia and taking the coast down to Long Beach, WA. Then it's the Columbia River back East into Longview. A jaunt over the bridge to Astoria is well worth the effort as well.

Make sure you stop in Bellingham, WA for at least a day, it's a crazy cool city right on the bay. Lots of cool bars, breweries, parks, sightseeing, and shops. If you're rolling through Skagit County at the right time stop at Skagit Speedway for a Sprint Car race on the dirt. You will not be disappointed! I highly, highly recommend taking the ferry over to Victoria, BC. One goes to/from Anacortes as well IIRC.

Klayfish wrote: In your packing "check list", don't forget to schedule yourself an MRI on your back for the day you return...

True story. This car rides like E36 M3. (As in the filter, not the beautifully suspensioned E36 M3)

There isn't E36 M3 to see in my part of Illinois.

The drive between Springfield, Mo and St. Louis is quite enjoyable, lots of hills and curves! If I were taking a similar trip I'd plan to stop at the Bass Pro in Springfield.

Maybe there should be a GRM get-together in STL when you pass through on your return trip?

Javelin wrote: In reply to Swank Force One: FYI - About 2/3rds of the way between I and J is me. I have a garage for oil changes. I *highly* suggest you do a short trip here: Johnston Ridge Observatory It's an *amazing* road (especially in a Miata) and you get to see the volcano way up close and personal. Lots of day hikes from there as well. Other stuff worth visiting as you travel through include the Musuem of Flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, the LeMay Car Museum in Tacoma, and the home of the Spruce Goose - the Evegreen Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. If you're willing to start hitting the coast sooner, I'd go west to Aberdeen after coming out of Seattle into Olympia and taking the coast down to Long Beach, WA. Then it's the Columbia River back East into Longview. A jaunt over the bridge to Astoria is well worth the effort as well. Make sure you stop in Bellingham, WA for at least a day, it's a crazy cool city right on the bay. Lots of cool bars, breweries, parks, sightseeing, and shops. If you're rolling through Skagit County at the right time stop at Skagit Speedway for a Sprint Car race on the dirt. You will *not* be disappointed! I highly, *highly* recommend taking the ferry over to Victoria, BC. One goes to/from Anacortes as well IIRC.

Thanks man! I'll see what i can work in here...

Oil change is already taken care of, though. My current lone sponsor for the Escort, Boss Performance wants me there, and he was on the way.

Definitely let me know when you roll through. You at least need to gaze at the awesomeness that is my Javelin in person. Besides, I owe you a beer.

If you can do just one thing off of the list I gave you, make it the ridge observatory. That road alone is worth it, but I really think the volcano is up your and SWMBO's alley.

FYI - July 4th in WA is berking killer. We don't restrict anything so 6" mortars are not only legal, they are sold at every street corner. My neighborhood is full of Iraq/Afghanistan vets and it's like they want to re-live the battles, it's insane.

The_Jed wrote: There isn't E36 M3 to see in my part of Illinois.

If you are traveling South of Springfield, Illinois and North of St. Louis along I55; I get a kick out of stopping here and spending 30 minutes looking at over priced cars. Some are outside and a bunch are parked bumper-to-bumper inside.

http://www.countryclassiccars.com/