Major road trip to pick up my SWP Premium starting Friday 6/15. Critique my course.

[Mitch]

I'm flying up from Baton Rouge, LA to Manchester, NH on Friday to pick up my SWP Subaru BRZ Premium manual.
I'm taking the following course: http://goo.gl/maps/E5k7

All of the named stops are places where I know people I plan on visiting on the way down. As you'll see, I'll be hitting up the Tail of the Dragon on the way down. If there are any other really good driving roads I should hit that aren't too far out of the way, let me know and I'll add them to my list, time permitting. This especially goes for anything after 1000 miles into the trip where I can really open the car up.

I'll also be taking tons of pictures and I'll even have a gopro taping the really interesting roads (e.g. the dragon), so there will be a major effort-post when I get time to sort through everything and edit into something presentable.

Your input is greatly welcomed!

-Mitch

[wallace03]

ha! i was considering doing this exact same thing (buying from MA. and driving back to houston) but didnt want to go through the hassle of buying a car so far away. Not sure why you want to stop in Alabama, but congrats and good luck. have fun! im jealous!

[WRXGuy1]

I'm in the town next to Manchester, when on Friday are you picking it up? If you want we can meet up and I can give you some ideas in person.

Having recently went on a road trip my self from Manchester, NH to Atlanta, GA, heres my take on changes.

Skip Boston. Go from Manchester, through Keene, Brattleboro VT, into Albany on Route 9. It's a very fun and scenic twisty road through mountains and hills. Going down 93 to Boston and then into Hartford is a boring, straight, and congested highway.

I would also avoid the NYC area completely, expect to pay lots in tolls and be sitting in traffic for hours longer then you originally anticipated. With a car like this you want uncongested, twisty roads.

See my suggestions: https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=m...rsp=3&sz=6&z=6

[GMU-BRZ]

Couple of Virginia recommendations:

If you want to take a little more time to enjoy the trip, head to Skyline drive at Front Royal, VA and/or the Blue Ridge Parkway once you have reached the southern limit to Shenandoah National Park.

Also, your route takes you on rt 151 through Nelson County, VA (born and raised). If you are a fan of beer or wine, you will be in heaven there and I highly recommend spending a night in that area.

Here’s my favorite area brewery and a nice B&B owned by family friends:
http://www.bluemountainbrewery.com/
http://www.acorninn.com/intro.shtml

[Flat Black VW]

Just drove mine from NH to VA, awesome trip! Looks like your taking a very round-about route so hopefully by the time you get to the tail of the dragon in NC the engine will be broken in enough to have some real fun.

[helloimgil]

Have fun man! I just did a 10+ hour drive for mine going from Utah to LA.

[Jayde]

After you leave Albany, you'll be heading down 87. I live in Poughkeepsie, right on the east side of the Hudson river where 87 is. I'd love to see your car and maybe even have a mini shoot!! Let me know if you're interested!

[WRXGuy1]

I saw your car today.

[dorkymork]

I've been on the tail of the dragon before, there is not 10 feet of straight road on that guy, beautiful side of the mountain scenery.... Perfect for a BRZ

Such a good idea, I'm going to copy it. NC, here I come.

[Mitch]

Originally Posted by wallace03

ha! i was considering doing this exact same thing (buying from MA. and driving back to houston) but didnt want to go through the hassle of buying a car so far away. Not sure why you want to stop in Alabama, but congrats and good luck. have fun! im jealous!

Stop in Alabama is to see family. Birmingham is actually a pretty cool city, all things considered.

Originally Posted by WRXGuy1

I'm in the town next to Manchester, when on Friday are you picking it up? If you want we can meet up and I can give you some ideas in person.

Having recently went on a road trip my self from Manchester, NH to Atlanta, GA, heres my take on changes.

Skip Boston. Go from Manchester, through Keene, Brattleboro VT, into Albany on Route 9. It's a very fun and scenic twisty road through mountains and hills. Going down 93 to Boston and then into Hartford is a boring, straight, and congested highway.

I would also avoid the NYC area completely, expect to pay lots in tolls and be sitting in traffic for hours longer then you originally anticipated. With a car like this you want uncongested, twisty roads.

See my suggestions: https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=m...rsp=3&sz=6&z=6

Thanks for the advice on staying away from NYC. I'll take your route around. I've never seen Boston before, and I'm trying to catch up with people in CT the next day, so it's a good place for me to kill some time. But if something happens that shakes up the plan, I'll make the cut through Vermont instead.

Originally Posted by GMU-BRZ

Couple of Virginia recommendations:

If you want to take a little more time to enjoy the trip, head to Skyline drive at Front Royal, VA and/or the Blue Ridge Parkway once you have reached the southern limit to Shenandoah National Park.

Also, your route takes you on rt 151 through Nelson County, VA (born and raised). If you are a fan of beer or wine, you will be in heaven there and I highly recommend spending a night in that area.

Here’s my favorite area brewery and a nice B&B owned by family friends:
http://www.bluemountainbrewery.com/
http://www.acorninn.com/intro.shtml

I'll add them to the list of potential stops!

Originally Posted by Flat Black VW

Just drove mine from NH to VA, awesome trip! Looks like your taking a very round-about route so hopefully by the time you get to the tail of the dragon in NC the engine will be broken in enough to have some real fun.

Yeah, I'll be able to open it up just in time for the Dragon. Even have a new GoPro to film it with!

Originally Posted by jinrawke

Have fun man! I just did a 10+ hour drive for mine going from Utah to LA.

Very nice! Glad we had the same idea. I certainly don't mind going out of my way for something I want.

Originally Posted by Jayde

After you leave Albany, you'll be heading down 87. I live in Poughkeepsie, right on the east side of the Hudson river where 87 is. I'd love to see your car and maybe even have a mini shoot!! Let me know if you're interested!

It's looking like the new route takes me away from Poughkeepsie in the interests of less traffic.

Originally Posted by WRXGuy1

I saw your car today.

Thanks!! I've been dying to see pictures of it, but I didn't want to trouble Bob for it since I was going to be seeing it soon anyway. It's funny, I've seen hundreds of pictures of this car so far, but those look the best (I guess because this one's mine!).

Originally Posted by dorkymork

I've been on the tail of the dragon before, there is not 10 feet of straight road on that guy, beautiful side of the mountain scenery.... Perfect for a BRZ

Such a good idea, I'm going to copy it. NC, here I come.

When you go, remember to check killboy.com for your pictures. That's the first thing I'm going to check when I get home.

[Roach]

After the dragon, when you cross the TN line into NC, take 28 S all the way to Franklin NC. If your feeling adventurous, take hwy 64 from Franklin to Highlands. Both of these roads are better than the dragon IMO, as they have less traffic and cops.

[CLTBRZ]

Originally Posted by Roach

After the dragon, when you cross the TN line into NC, take 28 S all the way to Franklin NC. If your feeling adventurous, take hwy 64 from Franklin to Highlands. Both of these roads are better than the dragon IMO, as they have less traffic and cops.

As a North Carolinian, I can agree 100% with this one. I don't like tickets! Similar on the fun scale, not even close on the probability of getting a ticket scale.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Roach

After the dragon, when you cross the TN line into NC, take 28 S all the way to Franklin NC. If your feeling adventurous, take hwy 64 from Franklin to Highlands. Both of these roads are better than the dragon IMO, as they have less traffic and cops.

Originally Posted by CLTBRZ

As a North Carolinian, I can agree 100% with this one. I don't like tickets! Similar on the fun scale, not even close on the probability of getting a ticket scale.

I'll add my voice to that. From an overall experience, the other two routes are more satisfying.

[WRXGuy1]

Originally Posted by Mitch

Thanks!! I've been dying to see pictures of it, but I didn't want to trouble Bob for it since I was going to be seeing it soon anyway. It's funny, I've seen hundreds of pictures of this car so far, but those look the best (I guess because this one's mine!).

That's probably why! He sold me my BRZ, he's a great guy. We talked a little bit about you as well, lol. Hopefully you like your new car!

If you are going to CT, my choice then would be to cut through Route 13 into Townsend, MA through Worcester, then into Hartford. It's pretty much a direct drive south, and the traffic usually isn't as bad.