RideLust

Image: Bruce Berrien, Creative Commons 2.0

When it comes to road trip music, we all have different tastes, and one size certainly doesn’t fit all. If classical is your thing, Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” may be perfect for driving at first light on a spring morning, but it’s way too relaxing for a midnight to three a.m. hammer-down turn at the wheel. Rammstein’s “Sehnsucht” may be just the ticket for late night listening while Five-Hour-Energy works its magic on your brain cells, but I sure as hell don’t want to hear that before my first morning cup of coffee. In case you can’t tell, I’ve got eclectic taste in music, and you’re equally likely to find punk, classic rock, jazz, blues or classical on one of my playlists. You won’t find opera and you won’t find country, because both styles of music grate on my nerves like a fiberglass splinter. Read More…

Seeking to prove that electric cars can be practical for long distance road trips, a trio of Dutch friends set out to drive 779 miles in 24 hours. Picking a route that provided ample Level III chargers (which will replenish the Leaf’s batteries to 80% of capacity in around 20 minutes), the group achieved their goal. What does it prove? Not a lot, really, except that you can take the Leaf on road trips as long as you have access to Level III chargers after the initial 73 mile full battery range is depleted, and then every 58.4 miles (accounting for an 80% charge from a Level III station) thereafter. Don’t plan on speeding, either, since the best range is achieved by speeds between 62 and 74 miles per hour. You’d best like coffee (or have a weak bladder), because every 59 miles of forward progress demands a 20 minute recharging stop. Win or fail; you decide after watching the video below. Read More…

Muscle cars have been the bane of my existence since 2003. They’ve taken my money, left me stranded on the side of the road and have given me more sleepless nights then I care to remember. For some reason though I still love them and gravitate to them more then any other type of automobile out there. Maybe it’s because they’re simple machines, or maybe it’s their styling or raw power. Whatever the reason though I have a feeling that there will always be one in my garage. Unlike so many other owners out there I actually drive my cars… a lot. In fact I’ve driven them across the country no less than six times in the last 8 years. Some of my trips go off without a hitch, while others have pushed both myself and my cars to the limit. Hot Rod Magazines David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan recently took a little 1,000 mile road trip from Los Angeles to Arizona and back in a blown 650 hp big block 1967 Camaro. Saying they had a couple of problems would be an understatement, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have a great time. Click through for the 17 minute video and enjoy!
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Some people love the beach, others love to travel abroad, for me though a great vacation consists of thousands of miles of open road, a good radar detector and road side dives that serve greasy food. You see I feel the most at home cruising down America’s super-slabs and over the past 5 years have logged more than 35,000 road-trippin’ miles. Some people would call this a sickness, I however see it as pure nirvana. At this point in my life I can safely say that I am a professional in the art of the road trip as I’ve pretty much been there and done that. From breaking down on the Blackfoot Indian reservation in Montana, to running over an 8-foot gator in Georgia, to blasting down the open roads of Nevada at over 130 mph. Road trips are a way of life for me and over the years I’ve amassed a pretty good list of what to bring along for the ride. The following is a list of 10 road trip items that are in my cars at all times. Over the years these babies have not only gotten me out of trouble, but have helped me avoid it as well. Click through for the full list and then get ready to hit the open road.
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Travelling in style on the PCH. Image: Dayvroy

If you live on the left coast, chances are good you have your own list of favorite driving roads. The West has some of the best roads in the country, but it also has massive overpopulation (Los Angeles), earthquakes, wild fires and more annual rainfall (Seattle) than any place outside of Borneo. Maybe it all balances out, because on those rare occasions when you can run your ride of choice down your road of choice, the experience can be epic. I’m absolutely certain this list of best-west-coast-roads (as logged by AMA members) just scratches the surface, so feel free to send me your own personal favorites. Read More…

Route 212 near Beartooth Pass, MT. Image: Phil Armitage

The Midwest is best known for things like corn and tornados, neither of which are often associated with good roads or enjoyable driving. In fact, anyone who’s ever driven across Nebraska back when the speed limit was 55 knows that hell isn’t filled with lakes of fire, it’s filled with a single asphalt ribbon bisecting acre after acre of cornfields. The good news is that the Midwest also has truly entertaining roads, some spectacular scenery and some of the best local food you’ll find anywhere in the country. If you never thought of the Midwest as a road trip destination, here’s hoping the roads below will change your mind. Read More…

The Tail of the Dragon, Deal's Gap, NC. Image: William Klos

A while back, the American Motorcyclist Association asked members to list the best roads in the country. From hundreds of submissions, their staff distilled the list down to fifteen roads, stretching from the Northwest to the Southeast. Geographically, six of the roads are in the West, six are in the Midwest and only three are from the East; having lived in the East for the past nineteen years, I can tell you that we have a whole lot more than three good roads, especially in the Northeast. Read More…

Is there a bad choice here? Image: Car and Driver

Actually, that’s not a particularly fair comparison, since two of the three cars are heavy on sport, while the Infiniti leans more towards luxury. Car and Driver recently spent time flogging the upcoming Audi TT RS against the BMW 1 Series M and the Infiniti IPL G Coupe on the Tail of the Dragon and a local racetrack (nice work, if you can get it). Which finished on top? What was the order? Which was the most entertaining to drive? Watch the video below to find out. Read More…

*Photo Credit: Chuck Goolsbee

Owning a classic car means you fall into one of two categories; those who use a trailer or those that don’t. When I first bought my Charger way back when, I made a vow to myself that I would never, ever trailer it as I feel that cars were meant to be driven and enjoyed, not rubbed with diapers. Some owners however feel that the road is not a place for these machines. This generally happens after they’ve sunk thousands upon thousands of dollars into them. Back in the day I would’ve made a stink about trailering a car, but the older I get, the more I can relate to their thought process. If you’ve ever restored a car then you’re well aware that a paint job alone can cost upwards of $20,000. Combine that with a redone engine bay, suspension components and a new interior and it’s not hard to see how a good restoration can run well upwards of $100,000 depending on the car.
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I’ve traversed the United States from coast to coast more times then I care to remember. I’ve logged thousands upon thousands of miles on my cars, stayed in some of the best (and worst) hotels, and dined in greasy spoon diners that served food that was sometimes unrecognizable. If you drive and I mean really drive, than this comes with the territory. Throughout my travels though one thing has always remained constant – a good selection of road trip food. You see when I’m motoring down the super-slabs and back roads of America I don’t like to stop. I mean sure, there are times one must make that emergency pit stop, but for the most part I only stop when I run low on fuel or break down, which is about every 4 hours depending on the car. Regardless, one thing that I always bring with me to fuel my body is a nice selection of road trip food. Keep in mind that at this point in my career I consider myself to be a professional (at what is still up for debate, but whatever) and because of this I’ve put together a road trip menu that should get everyone out there from one coast to the next safely with their bowels intact.
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