An ode to roads.

[GetawayDriving]

For the drivers, right? I think that's everyone here. I want to know about the best road you've ever driven. Where is it? What did you drive? Which roads do you want to drive in your Emira? What if time, money and shipping your Emira were no object?

I'm a bit obsessed with this. And by that I mean I have a bucket list of the world's best roads and I've been working my way through it since about 2016. When possible, I try to pair the right car with the right road. I've completed:

USA
Route 66 (Exige S240)
California 1 (Shelby Mustang)
Beartooth Highway / Montana (BMW 330ci)
Chief Joseph Highway / Wyoming (BMW 330ci)
Tail of the Dragon (ND Miata + Model 3 Performance)
Road to Hana (JK Wrangler)
Blue Ridge Parkway (ND Miata)
Cherohala Skyway (Model 3 Performance)
Apache Trail (1965 Mustang)
Mt. Washington Auto Road (BMW i3)
Highway to the stars / Mt. Palomar (Elise / Alfa 4C)

Canada
Cabot Trail (Lotus Elise / Jeep Wrangler)
Viking Trail / Newfoundland / Fogo Island (Wrangler)
Sea to Sky Highway (Honda Fit lol)
Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve (Wrangler lol)

UK
North Coast 500 (Caterham)
Cheddar Pass (Clio)

Italy
Amalfi Coast (Fiat 500)
Como to Bellagio (Fiat 500)

Iceland
Route 1 ring road (on the solstice!) (Defender)
West Fjords "ring road 2" (Suzuki Jimny)

Norway
Trollstigen (Golf)
Atlantic Ocean Road (Golf)
Lysebotn (Golf)
Stalheimskleiva (Golf)
Bjorgavegen (Golf)

Portugal
Southwest Coast (Golf)
Portimão Autódromo (Alpine A110)

New Zealand
West coast of the South Island (Corolla hatch lol)
Road to Milford sound (Corolla hatch)
Crown Range Road (Corolla hatch)
Queenstown to Glenorchy (Corolla hatch)
Takaka Hill Highway (Corolla hatch)
Mt. Cook Road (Corolla hatch)
Burkes Pass (Corolla hatch)
Arthur's Pass (Corolla hatch)

Australia
Great Ocean Road (Holden)
Black Spur (Holden)

After all of these, I think the best road I've ever driven (or at least, my favorite) was Takaka Hill Highway in New Zealand. Just a perfect stretch of pavement.

I still have a lot of ground to cover. These are on my list, but not yet completed:

Stelvio Pass / Italy
Furka Pass / Switzerland
Col du Torini / France
Millau Viaduct / France
Monaco street circuit / Monaco
Glossglockner / Austria
Nurburgring / Germany
Romance Road / Germany
Sa Calobra / Mallorca
Conor Pass / Ireland
Transfagarasan Highway / Romania
Denali Highway / Alaska
Tianmen Mountain Road / China
Ruta 40 / Argentina
White Rim Trail / Utah
San Juan Skyway / Colorado
Going-to-the-sun road / Montana
Sustenpass / Switzerland

Tracks:
Spa / Belgium
Silverstone / UK
Monza / Italy
Imola / Italy
Laguna Seca / USA
Circuit of the Americas / USA
Daytona / USA
Talladega / USA

So, that's me. I want to keep expanding this list, so I want to hear about all of the roads you love or dream about.

I've attached a few images of my travels.

 

[NicolasB]

... feeling like a loser now...

 

[virtualmacho]

Gee, you've just extended my bucket list tenfold
You may want to consider adding "C1 Inner Circle - Shuto Metropolitan Expressway (midnight to dawn) / Japan" under "Tracks".

 

[GetawayDriving]

Gee, you've just extended my bucket list tenfold
You may want to consider adding "C1 Inner Circle - Shuto Metropolitan Expressway (midnight to dawn) / Japan" under "Tracks".

Oh wow that looks like a trip. I have a layover in Japan in July (assuming they open fully) I wonder if I can slot this in...

 

[Cachaco131]

Does the Nurburgring after BMW European Delivery count? Humble achievement .

 

[SlavaUkraini]

Wow. Awesome!

 

[GetawayDriving]

A few shots of the road I mentioned was my favorite to date. Takaka Hill Highway in NZ.

 

[GetawayDriving]

Does the Nurburgring after BMW European Delivery count? Humble achievement .

Absolutely counts. It's on my list. Taking delivery of a BMW and bringing it straight to the 'ring is a pro tier achievement.

 

[TomE]

That's a great list, both the ones already done and the ones still to tick off. I've done a few of those but you've also inspired me to look some up I hadn't heard of.

Some more ideas for your list:

• Mille Miglia - Italy
• Castelnuovo di Garfagnana to Carrara - Italy
• Peso de Regua to Pinhao, Douro Valley - Portugal
• The TT Course - Isle of Man
• The Sloc - Isle of Man
• Kendal to Keswick, Lake District - UK
• Stirling Road/Old Military Road, Loch Lomond - Scotland
• Elan Valley/Claerwen Valley - Wales (bonus points for doing it in a Lotus Elan)
• Mount Panorama, Bathurst - Australia
• Pikes Peak - USA

 

[virtualmacho]

Oh wow that looks like a trip. I have a layover in Japan in July (assuming they open fully) I wonder if I can slot this in...

Let me know if we can meet up, although I won't have my Emira yet.

 

[EspritGuy]

For the drivers, right? I think that's everyone here. I want to know about the best road you've ever driven. Where is it? What did you drive? Which roads do you want to drive in your Emira? What if time, money and shipping your Emira were no object?

I'm a bit obsessed with this. And by that I mean I have a bucket list of the world's best roads and I've been working my way through it since about 2016. When possible, I try to pair the right car with the right road. I've completed:

USA
Route 66 (Exige S240)
California 1 (Shelby Mustang)
Beartooth Highway / Montana (BMW 330ci)
Chief Joseph Highway / Wyoming (BMW 330ci)
Tail of the Dragon (ND Miata + Model 3 Performance)
Road to Hana (JK Wrangler)
Blue Ridge Parkway (ND Miata)
Cherohala Skyway (Model 3 Performance)
Apache Trail (1965 Mustang)
Mt. Washington Auto Road (BMW i3)
Highway to the stars / Mt. Palomar (Elise / Alfa 4C)

Canada
Cabot Trail (Lotus Elise / Jeep Wrangler)
Viking Trail / Newfoundland / Fogo Island (Wrangler)
Sea to Sky Highway (Honda Fit lol)
Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve (Wrangler lol)

UK
North Coast 500 (Caterham)
Cheddar Pass (Clio)

Italy
Amalfi Coast (Fiat 500)
Como to Bellagio (Fiat 500)

Iceland
Route 1 on the solstice (Defender)
West Fjords (Suzuki Jimny)

Norway
Trollstigen (Golf)
Atlantic Ocean Road (Golf)
Lysebotn (Golf)
Stalheimskleiva (Golf)
Bjorgavegen (Golf)
County Road 63 & 64 (Golf)

Portugal
Southwest Coast (Golf)
Portimão Autódromo (Alpine A110)

New Zealand
West coast of the South Island (Corolla hatch lol)
Road to Milford sound (Corolla hatch)
Crown Range Road (Corolla hatch)
Queenstown to Glenorchy (Corolla hatch)
Takaka Hill Highway (Corolla hatch)
Mt. Cook Road (Corolla hatch)
Burkes Pass (Corolla hatch)
Arthur's Pass (Corolla hatch)

Australia
Great Ocean Road (Holden)
Black Spur (Holden)

After all of these, I think the best road I've ever driven (or at least, my favorite) was Takaka Hill Highway in New Zealand. Just a perfect stretch of pavement.

I still have a lot of ground to cover. These are on my list, but not yet completed:

Stelvio Pass / Italy
Furka Pass / Switzerland
Col du Torini / France
Millau Viaduct / France
Monaco street circuit / Monaco
Glossglockner / Austria
Nurburgring / Germany
Romance Road / Germany
Sa Calobra / Mallorca
Conor Pass / Ireland
Transfagarasan Highway / Romania
Denali Highway / Alaska
Tianmen Mountain Road / China
Ruta 40 / Argentina
White Rim Trail / Utah
San Juan Skyway / Colorado
Going-to-the-sun road / Montana
Sustenpass / Switzerland

Tracks:
Spa / Belgium
Silverstone / UK
Monza / Italy
Imola / Italy
Laguna Seca / USA
Circuit of the Americas / USA
Daytona / USA
Talladega / USA

So, that's me. I want to keep expanding this list, so I want to hear about all of the roads you love or dream about.

I've attached a few images of my travels.

Winner: #For the Driver

 

[GetawayDriving]

That's a great list, both the ones already done and the ones still to tick off. I've done a few of those but you've also inspired me to look some up I hadn't heard of.

Some more ideas for your list:

• Mille Miglia - Italy
• Castelnuovo di Garfagnana to Carrara - Italy
• Peso de Regua to Pinhao, Douro Valley - Portugal
• The TT Course - Isle of Man
• The Sloc - Isle of Man
• Kendal to Keswick, Lake District - UK
• Stirling Road/Old Military Road, Loch Lomond - Scotland
• Elan Valley/Claerwen Valley - Wales (bonus points for doing it in a Lotus Elan)
• Mount Panorama, Bathurst - Australia
• Pikes Peak - USA

Amazing. When I come back to do the Lotus Driving Academy with Emira I'll have to hit some of those UK roads. I haven't explored Wales at all. Thank you!

I use the website dangerousroads.org, which is a great resource for finding unheard of gems. I use it whenever I travel to see what's available within ~300 miles.

 

[Jonhklee]

Having done part of it in a rental SUV, I would add Cape Town Garden Route to your list!!

 

[frazzer]

Had a business trip to Tenerife a few years ago - not into beaches and that whole culture. Went into the interior instead, the roads are empty and scenery incredible. The open top manual mini rental was fun, lots of give in that chassis, like driving a giant jelly .

Drove the 40mi around the Tiede mountain up to the caldera at dusk, but had to abandon my first run up there, the fuel gauge looked like there was a hole in the tank, dropping oxygen levels (it gets very high) meant I was burning through a lot more petrol than expected.

Road conditions are not always great though, lots of potholes, anything too stiff would not be enjoyable. Also can be very short and twisty in places so not suited to too much performance, but as an overall experience, just brillant

The other place is Corsica, just the most amazing roads and scenery, I was there working on the WRC rally (safety project with the FiA) the rally stages are all on roads for a good reason, I drove the shakedown stage a few times - just in a standard F Focus though, give me an appreciation for how fast pro-rally drivers drive, I was at snail pace compared to them. The only issue is watching out for free roaming cows on the roads!

 

[GetawayDriving]

Having done part of it in a rental SUV, I would add Cape Town Garden Route to your list!!

Had to look this up, it looks great. And adds a whole new corner of the globe. Thanks!

 

[GetawayDriving]

Had a business trip to Tenerife a few years ago - not into beaches and that whole culture. Went into the interior instead, the roads are empty and incredible. The open top manual mini rental was fun, lots of give in that chassis, like driving a giant jelly

View attachment 5076View attachment 5077


The other place is Corsica, just the most amazing roads and scenery, I was there working on the WRC rally (safety project with the FiA) the rally stages are all on roads for a good reason, I drove the shakedown stage a few times - just in a standard F Focus though, give me an appreciation for how fast pro-rally drivers drive, I was at snail pace compared to them. The only issue is watching out for free roaming cows on the roads!

Oh wow this looks incredible. Islands too often get overlooked for great roads. Somewhat related (rally on islands) I was recently in the Azores, and I stepped out on my hotel balcony to have a coffee and noticed a new cargo ship in port randomly (at least to me) dropping off the ERC. I had no idea they were coming, a bit of serendipity.

 

[Jonhklee]

For something a bit more local (literally almost passing my house!) North East 250 (also a stunning Speyside whiskey trail! My other hobby!!) , in particularly the Cairngorm section over the Lecht Ski Centre, into the highlands and then head towards Aberfeldy down the old military road, then head to Glencoe, three sisters pass and end up northwest in Isle of Skye - Ending In the Quiraing Hills pass.

 

[GetawayDriving]

For something a bit more local (literally almost passing my house!) North East 250 (also a stunning Speyside whiskey trail! My other hobby!!) , in particularly the Cairngorm section over the Lecht Ski Centre, into the highlands and then head towards Glencoe and end up northwest in Isle of Skye - Ending In the Quiraing Hills pass.

I'll look this one up. You wouldn't have to twist my arm to go back and rent another Caterham!

 

[Jonhklee]

I'll look this one up. You wouldn't have to twist my arm to go back and rent another Caterham!

I rented from them before, it was a blast!!

 

[Speedluvver]

Doing a road trip in June in the exige where we will be driving the following….

timmelsjoch pass

Passo del Rombo

Passo del Giovo

Brenner Pass

GrossGlockner

Passo Stalle

Passo di Sant’Antonio

Passo Tre Croci

Passo Falzarego

Passo Campolongo

Passo Gardena

Passo Sella

Passo Nigra

Passo di San Marco

San Bernardino pass

Susten pass

Grimsel pass

Furka pass

San Gottard pass

Gorges de Daluis