Pontiac Solstice Forum - View Single Post - What's your favorite 'roadster' road to drive?

Well,

Here in MI, there are pretty good roads through some areas in the Irish Hills area. Also some decent elevation change and switchback roads in western MI and up toward Traverse City/Manistee area.

The autorags based in MI use several parts of the roads around some small towns near Ann Arbor (Pinckney, Hamburg, Hell [yes, there really is a Hell, MI], Unadilla, and some roads in and about a couple of the natural parks around here). I've been on most of these and they are certainly nice, if not somewhat short and crowded at times.

The autorags also use areas south of MI in OH, in and about the areas south of Columbus, in what is known around here as "Amish Country". Very nice roads also. Usually not well patrolled, but you have to be careful not to disturb the horse-drawn buggies if you pass them.

Highway 1 in CA - obvious! North section heading out of San Francisco is really tight and switchback, gorgeous scenery.

Some roads in and around Mount Rainier National Park - very scenic, very tight, very adventurous - watch out for 2000 ft cliffs.

Head out of Denver Colorado, in and through Durango CO. If I remember correctly there is somewhere along the winding mountain passes that's called "Little Swizerland" or something like that - but neat, one of a kind scenery again.

Outskirts of Phoenix, AZ: Road to Baghdad AZ, and some paved winding roads to a couple of small towns (not Tortilla Flats) that escape me right now.

How 'bout the route from Palomar Observatory down and up?

There was an article in one of the auto mags (I'll look for it) but the guy took an old restored english roadster through a very interesting route in New England. Have to try that one.

Internationally, I can see why GM took the Solstice to England. The B and C roads there are really fun if you can get used to the traffic. There's also some similar roads in Germany, Spain, and Italy (though my Italy experiences have mostly been on mountain passes - still a lot of fun).

Of course, there's the Nurburgring.

But, by accident, I was heading down and taking back roads for the heck of it through TN, NC, SC, and GA on my way to meet some friends in the S.E. US. Ended up going through a small town in and through a mountain pass that was absolutely outstanding!!! Only been here once, but this road and the name of the town are still stuck in my memory a decade later:

Deal's Gap was the name of the town, and the mountain pass on US 129 on the border of TN and NC was the most memorable drive I've ever been on. There seemed to be curves just for the sake of curves, at a density of somewhere around 20-30 turns per mile!!!

I described it to a few biker friends of mine a few years ago and they said, very matter-of-factly, that I was talking about "The Tail of the Dragon". Some of them go to yearly trips there.

And that is were we should go when we all get our Solstices.

http://www.tailofthedragon.com/

	SolsticeMan Administrator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Wilds of Canada, or the Pac NW, or the Upper Penninsula of MI...	Well, Here in MI, there are pretty good roads through some areas in the Irish Hills area. Also some decent elevation change and switchback roads in western MI and up toward Traverse City/Manistee area. The autorags based in MI use several parts of the roads around some small towns near Ann Arbor (Pinckney, Hamburg, Hell [yes, there really is a Hell, MI], Unadilla, and some roads in and about a couple of the natural parks around here). I've been on most of these and they are certainly nice, if not somewhat short and crowded at times. The autorags also use areas south of MI in OH, in and about the areas south of Columbus, in what is known around here as "Amish Country". Very nice roads also. Usually not well patrolled, but you have to be careful not to disturb the horse-drawn buggies if you pass them. Highway 1 in CA - obvious! North section heading out of San Francisco is really tight and switchback, gorgeous scenery. Some roads in and around Mount Rainier National Park - very scenic, very tight, very adventurous - watch out for 2000 ft cliffs. Head out of Denver Colorado, in and through Durango CO. If I remember correctly there is somewhere along the winding mountain passes that's called "Little Swizerland" or something like that - but neat, one of a kind scenery again. Outskirts of Phoenix, AZ: Road to Baghdad AZ, and some paved winding roads to a couple of small towns (not Tortilla Flats) that escape me right now. How 'bout the route from Palomar Observatory down and up? There was an article in one of the auto mags (I'll look for it) but the guy took an old restored english roadster through a very interesting route in New England. Have to try that one. Internationally, I can see why GM took the Solstice to England. The B and C roads there are really fun if you can get used to the traffic. There's also some similar roads in Germany, Spain, and Italy (though my Italy experiences have mostly been on mountain passes - still a lot of fun). Of course, there's the Nurburgring. But, by accident, I was heading down and taking back roads for the heck of it through TN, NC, SC, and GA on my way to meet some friends in the S.E. US. Ended up going through a small town in and through a mountain pass that was absolutely outstanding!!! Only been here once, but this road and the name of the town are still stuck in my memory a decade later: Deal's Gap was the name of the town, and the mountain pass on US 129 on the border of TN and NC was the most memorable drive I've ever been on. There seemed to be curves just for the sake of curves, at a density of somewhere around 20-30 turns per mile!!! I described it to a few biker friends of mine a few years ago and they said, very matter-of-factly, that I was talking about "The Tail of the Dragon". Some of them go to yearly trips there. And that is were we should go when we all get our Solstices. http://www.tailofthedragon.com/