Sean and Iain's excellent (crazy?) adventure

[altiain]

Sean G. (goofygrin) is having an early mid-life crisis and flying to Sacramento next weekend to buy a car that's almost old enough to serve in Congress. I'm coming along because what could go wrong on an 2000-mile road trip in a 28 year old Porsche 930 Turbo?

I've volunteered to be Sean's co-pilot and navigator, and I'll be documenting the madness along the way. As navigator, I'm trying to plan out a fun route for this trip - here's what I've got in mind so far for Friday (day 1):

Day 1 - Sacramento to the Golden Gate Bridge, down the PCH to Laguna Seca and Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, then staying beachside in Ventura Friday night

From there it gets a little fuzzy:

• Route 1 - north through Flagstaff, Albuquerque, and Amarillo.
• Route 2 - south through Phoenix, Tucson, and Odessa.

While it sounds like the southern route would have more interesting stuff (we might have a chance to view a private "museum" of historic Porsche race cars in Phoenix, the Chaparral museum in Midland), it's going to be much hotter - 110+ in Phoenix and Tucson versus 80-85 in Flagstaff and Albuquerque. With an old air-cooled turbo car, I'm thinking it might be more prudent to go the northern route.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Don't bother to suggest a trailer (no sense of adventure) or tell us we're crazy (yeah, we're aware of it already). I'm interested to hear what you'd do or see if you had three days to make it from the left coast to DFW.

[jeepinbanditrider]

Sounds like fun :) I don't have route suggestions for the areas you will be, but will be following this thread. I'd try to keep it kinda northerly like into Colorado then drop south towards Texas though the mountains.

[MiataMike]

I'm with jeep drive further north and come down out of the mountains

[Nails]

Doing Death Valley would be an adventure but I'd take lots of extra water and an ez up or beach umbrellas for shade should you have to wait for a tow. Maybe an extra can or two of gas in the back seat would be a good idea too. You know, like Hallett.

[hud636]

S.F. south on PCH, seafood lunch at Isabellas (Italian) on Fishermen's Wharf in Monterey(scenic and very tasty)
South past Big Sur to Cambria,Ca. to eat at Linn's(on Main street) (everything good--especially the pies).
The Porsche will love the PCH. Bring camera(s).
Santa Barbara try Trattoria (Italian) across from the main city beach.
(they do things to cheese that might be illegal, but your taste buds will remember them forever--try the Lasagna).
Do you have time for Las Vegas? Then Grand Canyon, Four Corners(if open), Durango, Pagosa Springs, south to Sante Fe(on Hwy 84),
then Abuquerque & you know the rest of the way.

[OZMDD]

Cool! I'd take the northern route. Still some cool stuff to see/do, an easier on the car. I agree that a Colorado route would be sweet, especially if you took the smaller southern roads through the mountains rather than the interstate.

Another option on the southern route would be to drive really early in the day (3-4 am) until noon, then sightsee and take a side trip during the afternoon. Hit the hotel early and sleep till 3 am, do it again.

[clkorj]

Not to say the places you mention are without merit, just that starting from Sacremento, CA you have an excellent opportunity to take Hwy 50 East to Colorado and then turn South. I brought my '90 to Fort Worth from Reno, NV via "America's Lonliest Highway" toward the end of summer in 1996 and really had a good drive.

[MadMonkey]

It's hot here but doesn't feel too bad. I'd recommend north though if it'll be significantly cooler.

[cone-cerned]

WAIT FOR ME! I'll get my hat. I gotta see this.

[general default]

Maybe you need a road trip theme.

Ultimate 911 Turbo Red Meat Road Trip

[762]

There are lots of nice mountain roads outside of Phoenix, and Tucson. However, just the interstate is tedious. If you guys come through Arizona let me know, I would join ya'll for a drive up the mountains.

[wrx74]

Check with our Porsche Club racers here for a list of 'help' along the way - I bet they have connections!

[onething]

Maybe you need a road trip theme.

Ultimate 911 Turbo Red Meat Road Trip

That one starts with a new Porsche . . . Like I said elsewhere, "Get a trailer."

[jrj512]

Maybe you need a road trip theme.

Ultimate 911 Turbo Red Meat Road Trip

I was thinking Brokeback Turbo.

[trickyrix]

I've driven both 40 and 10... and while 40 has some good points through AZ, I would go the I-10 route again in a heartbeat. For one reason...

Needles. What a complete and utter s-hole of a town. Downtown Kabul is probably nicer... hell, Kabul probably has a KFC and a Kohl's. Needles has shit... and this time of year it's likely to be 110 degrees at 10pm. Pffft.

Well, Needles and the vast expanse of polluted Mojave Desert that sprawls east of LA. Where the northern route is wild and third-worldish, the southern route is civilized and quite manageable. Major cities are no more than 3-4 hours apart, so if you had a problem, you wouldn't be S.O.L. in the middle of B.F.E...

Other reasons to go south...
1) Stop in Deming and go to the Saint Clair Winery. Very friendly folks selling surprisingly decent wines at very reasonable prices. Taste all you want for free (dangerous).
2) Stop in Las Cruces at the Saint Clair Bistro. Gay out and have a nice sammich or a salad or pasta or something. It's quite refreshing, and a helluva lot better than Stuckey's.
2a) Venture a few miles south of Cruces and hit La Posta de Mesilla for some excellent southern New Mexican grub. This is the only place I've ever had a $9 margarita that was worth every damn penny.
3) If you have time and really want to go ape-sh*t on some mountain roads, take NM90 north out of Lordsburg off I-10. Head east/south on US180 at Silver City and then turn east on NM152 at Santa Clara. Go nuts and cross the Continental Divide a whole bunch until you get to I-25. Then head south to Las Cruces. Eat at the aforementioned Bistro. (NOTE: This kills option 1 unless you want to really screw off and do some back-tracking.)
4) Take pics at the Chapparral museum in Midland. Shake hands with Jim Hall, and drag him to Keller's when you get back.

Years ago (1985?), my dad and his best friend flew to Scottsdale and my dad ended up with a 1963 Impala SS 409. They cancelled their return plane tickets and drove the sucker back to Dallas without incident. I would've killed to be on that trip as a 10 year old... and I would kill to re-do it right now. I envy you bastards!

[goofygrin]

Decision made. Taking 40. I've done part of the I10 from Houston to El Paso and I don't need to see that stretch of hell again. I'd like to see some new hell

[POS Racing]

I was thinking Brokeback Turbo.

LOL! Now I gotta clean this monitor....

[jeepinbanditrider]

Screw the interstates. The only way to travel on a trip like this is to get on the back roads, state highways, ect. Of course if you are strapped for time that may not be an option.

That's just me though last month I did a 5000 mile motorcycle trip and probably spent a total of 3 or 400 miles on the interstate during that trip.

[goofygrin]

Time will be a bit of a stretch unfortunately. As well, being on an Interstate has some benefits when you're in an older car (like cell phone signal)

[jeepinbanditrider]

I could loan you my spot device lol

http://www.findmespot.com/en/

It would let us follow your progress online also

Only catch is I need it back by labor day weekend