What I did on my summer vacation...

[Nails]

So I decided last minute to head up to the 'rents in Indy to see them, my grandmother, and my sister and her family. She (sister) said she wouldn't be back in Indy before March 2010 after this trip and it's a PIA drive to the middle of Pennsylvania (or expensive flight) to see her and her brood so I jammed up the fastest route I knew to Indy on Friday the 3rd.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...,14.128418&z=6

[Nails]

Then left yesterday morning and headed back at my own schedule and route visiting a friend up on Harry Truman Resevoir in Missouri. The initial turnoff from I-44 toward Richland was amazing. It was soooo smooth and well engineered it was like a roller coaster with two or three spots of neg G's at, or around 80 mph.

I stayed at his house last nite then headed out in the early am with a thunder storm in my mirrors. I ran down thru Branson on 65 to Harrison Arkansas and took 7 from there to Ola then 28 toward Mena and on thru Eagleton to Rich Mountain. From Rich to Talahina there was no one in my way so it was bliss.

Was a great drive just over a thousand miles. Need to change my oil, probably my tires, and definitly my spleen.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...,14.128418&z=6

[jrj512]

I took that same route as far as St Louis, where I turned up I-55 towards Chicago.

[Nails]

I'm guessing you took the latter route; the one I did home. The one I took up to Indy was quite dull. Even if I take that route again, I'm taking that exit off 44 for Laquey, between Springfield and Rolla, and going north on 7 to Richland then turn around and come back again. It's only 5 miles or so to Richland but man it's a fun ride! I just got done looking at the topo map on Google and saw where those crests were.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie...20757&t=p&z=12


Think of it as a rest stop for your Miata to stretch it's legs.

[jrj512]

I was in a rented Ryder bob-tail hauling a show booth up to the National Restaurant Association trade show in McCormick Center. I did it three or four years in a row. 75 to 69 to 44 to 55. I will know it forever. I just kept that pedal to the metal in order to use up all 65 MPH that Ryder alloted to me. Sigh.

[creek]

Next time you are up that way try Oklahoma hwy 1 from McAlister, OK to Mena, Ar. Most scenic route through the Quachita in Ok.


http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=McAl...:::::f:EN:M:/e

[Nails]

Well if B to A is as much fun as C to B, then I turned south too soon.

My sympathies with a rented bobtail. Did two cross-countries myself in those governed beasts and hated it.