[Harbir]

We went to delaware water gap, via I-80, and found the old mine road, and one section was a blast, but it was sandwiched by very badly damaged tarmac before it, and a closed road after it, which threw us off our route through the water gap recreational area and put us onto regular roads all the way to Port Jervis. From there we got back on plan with NY St Rt 97, which was good for a few seconds in the "hawks nest area" but far far too much traffic there. After that St Rt 97 wasn't all that great, till we started nearing Hancock, at which point it had climbed considerably in altitude, and though still straight, the cool breezes, the lack of traffic and the pine forests around made the drive very nice in a convertible. But we won't be doing 97 again.

We got to hancock, and from there the plan was to take 17 west to 30, but instead we took st rt 67 to the cannonsville reservoir and that was a brilliant road, and we were rewarded by coming up to very beautiful reservoir area. From there we neaded north west on Route 10 along the reservoir and it was an extremely scenic drive but I was tense about blasting at high speed due to possible police presence.

We turn south on 268, hoping to replicate the fun of 67, but it wasn't to be. it was a wider much straight road through a valley. Then we got on route 17 freeway east, and got off at Rt 30, Which put us back on the original route, for the rest of the day.

30 was another great road, and it became just fantastic as it reached the southern edge of the Pepacton reservoir. The altitude started to climb and we were faced with lots of fast sweepers. Then we we took a local road south from Rt 30 (at the point where 30 crosses the reservoir), and soon we were on unmarked roads, barely wide enough for two cars, no lane or edge markings, and very twisty. Just mindblowingly good fun.

We made our way through the park, south to livingston manor, and from there, we went back into the park on a road that, as satya put it, was perfect for turning into a rally stage. Just a wicked road.

We found our way to Rt 42, to get back to 17 for the run back to NYC.

We encountered no troubles with the cops, but that was because we went near the speed limit virtually everywhere there were likely to be cops. We saw other people pulled over but in all those circumstances, we had been going the speed limit.

The only fright I got was coming around a corner at 65mph, in a 45 mph zone in the middle of nowhere and seeing a cop car parked by the side of the road. I almost crapped my pants. Turned out it was empty.

[Harbir]

We should really set aside one weekend to get out to south east Ohio and western part of West Virginia. I have driven there and the roads there are mind blowing. Car and Driver and Automobile magazine have both often said that the road test portions of their comparison tests, 10 best tests etc, are conducted in these twisties, including roads like Ohio 26, Ohio 555, Ohioe 284, and Ohio 536, and West Virginia 16.

To get an idea, see this link. Its about Ohio 536, but the pictures will give you an idea of what all the backroads of eastern ohio look like. The Ohio Cousin of the 'Tail of the Dragon - Ohio's Route 536: Ohio Motorcycle Rides

Add them all up and you've got hundreds of miles of driving heaven.

I'm thinking, we leave NYC around 3PM on a friday and haul across Pennsylvania and shack up in a hotel by 10 or 11pm, Then set off for the Ohio twisties early morning and drive them all day. THen hit a Motel again, and on Sunday morning, set off to hit the best of the Pennsylvania twisties as we make our way back to New York.

Anybody up for that?

[satyamenon]

Originally Posted by Harbir

Anybody up for that?

Do we want to try it on the Aug 1st weekend? I'm in.

I'm just a little wary of hitting VA though. Have heard about (and experienced first hand) their uncompromising attitude towards speeding.

[Rehaan]

Sweet!

A good turnout and what sounds like an amazing day!
Next time please do post a follow-car video of the lotus on the twisties!!

Originally Posted by Harbir

....I didn't mean the little logo at the bottom left. that one is fine. I mean the transparent one super imposed on the image right in the middle. Its faint, but its there and I think it ruins the pictures. but if its team-bhp policy that images must be hosted here and must have that logo so be it.

Harbir, the only logo automatically put on the images is the small one on the bottom left. There is no requirement to manually watermark pics when uploading here.
Hmishra83 seems to have added the large faint one in the center manually.

Originally Posted by hmishra83

....Advait - How did u add tht mini logo in the corner. I couldnt find the way and hence had to deface the pics with a bigger one in the background :(

hmishra83 - the mini logo gets put on automatically. However, if your image is larger than 800x600, it will only appear in the larger image and not the thumbnail (with the black bar at the bottom).



Looking forward to the next drive report...(man those roads in ohio looked nice!).

Get some more guys and some more machines as well!

cya
R

[Harbir]

Satya,

The roads I am thinking of are all in ohio or in the state of West Virginia, not Virginia. Virginia would come into it only if the route brings us close enough to I-81 that it would be better to continue on into the western part of Virgina so as to hit 81 and take it up north back to New York.

THe part of virginia that is west of I-81 is pretty sparsely populated and has nice twisties in the appalachians, but from the border of West Virginia upto I-81 is a short drive and if you are worried we can take it easy there.

Thats if we ever enter Virginia. it will depend on the route.

As for the august 1 date, I am up for it!

Rehaan

Thanks for the clarification on the watermark!

As for the more people/more cars, I am always up for it, but it seems we have formed a core group of 3-5 people who are always up for things so I think we can count on 2-3 cars for sure. but hopefully, more people will join us.

everybody,

Please confirm how a full weekend (including friday afternoon/evening) works for you for the August 1 weekend. If we have atleast two people (me and Satya), we can start concretizing the route, motels, rentals, etc.

I'll make up a tentative route tonight. I am going to try and cram in as much in the ohio/west virginia area as possible, but that might mean that we'll be spending 8 hours on the interstate getting there and another 8 getting back, or I could go lighter on the twisties in that area, but try to go with a more scenic route there and back. If I do the latter, it will still be straightish 55mph roads so we can make good time without getting bored on the freeway.

Let me see which works out better.

Satya,

Will you be looking for a mini cooper or something, or will you be riding with me? If its just you and me, I am still up for it. If Advait, Himanshu, Sidharth, Abhijit, Ahmed or anyone else want to come, that'll be great, but I am up for it even if its just you and I.

[whatcanthisbe]

that sounds like a lot of fun, isnt the speed limit in West VA 75 or something ?

[Harbir]

70.

West Virginia is a driver's heaven because while the state is poor, underdeveloped and under populated, it has invested consistently in building a great road network. And its a mountainous state. The result is that you have lots and lots of windy roads with pristine surfaces, out in the middle of nowhere.

West Virginia Route 16 is an awesome awesome road and very very long, but unfortunately, its no longer as great for drivers as it was, because population around the road has gone up so you're always stuck behind some slow moving pick up truck or another. But if can hit it when there is no traffic, I can think of no more fun road in the US.

Another really brilliant road is the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina, but you have to hit it very very early in the morning, before the cops have had their breakfast.

[Mpower]

Another good place with great driving roads is the 'tail of the dragon'. (which ironically is in NASCAR country)

Not much luck for us here in the cornbelt.

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by hmishra83

The sky, the earth and the machines in the middle of them...


Attachment 160941

those were some brilliant pix there guys. Next time I'm in US i'm gonna catch up on one such drives.

[satyamenon]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Sweet!

A good turnout and what sounds like an amazing day!
Next time please do post a follow-car video of the lotus on the twisties!!

That's tough. Cos none of us can keep up with the Lotus... Harbir just sees a sign indicating "Curve Ahead - 35 mph" and he grins... We just hear a growl as he down-shifts and floors it. Next thing you see is a yellow spec on the horizon, getting smaller and smaller.

Originally Posted by Harbir

Satya,

Will you be looking for a mini cooper or something, or will you be riding with me? If its just you and me, I am still up for it. If Advait, Himanshu, Sidharth, Abhijit, Ahmed or anyone else want to come, that'll be great, but I am up for it even if its just you and I.

I'm in no matter what. About the rental, I'm ok with riding along - but would like to drive too. Plus it might make sense to have a "normal" car along for the drive. Esp if no-one else is joining us.

[Harbir]

The dragon, or Deal's Gap is US Rt 129. I've driven it in my miata. Its very good but I am one of the few who don't consider it all that great. I've done it but I am not likely to go again.

Anyway, due it attracting hordes of riders and drivers, it has come to the attention of the police in tennessee, especially because the local ambulance services were having to go pick up people all the time, and now its probably the only twisty backroad in the US with a heavy police presence.

I wouldn't bother with it.

[abhijitaparadh]

Looks difficult to take out a whole weekend, right from Friday afternoon.
Work has increased a bit in office these days, especially after economic upswing thats seen since last month or so.

[Harbir]

I understand. Folks who can't do a whole weekend can of course continue to join us on the one-dayers that we hope will keep coming.

On Deal's Gap/Tail of the Dragon, I have to say that its worth doing atleast once. Its quite an experience, and when everybody keeps talking about it, its worth knowing that you know what people are talking about.

If folks want to expereince that, I am up for it, and would be happy to take the lead. But thats definitely a whole weekend thing because Tennessee isn't next door to the NYC metro!

Deal's gap is about 765 miles from New York. I don't think its really feasible to do that on a two day weekend.

But this is what it looks like.

[Harbir]

oh yeah, by the way, at the bottom of that picture you see "cheoah dam". That is the dam where the famous scene of "The fugitive" was filmed.

If you saw the film, you'll remember the scene where harrison ford is running in a pipe and comes out high up next to a dam. When he is cornered there, he dives into the reservoir below and they lose him. that scene was filmed at Cheoah.

A picture of the road.

[hmishra83]

Rehaan - Thanks for the info on the watermark and the logo. I woulnd't have bothered putting in the logo manually had I known I'd be good otherwise

Harbir/Satya - Just the thought of another drive is bringing a smile..wait a minute - a lasting GRIN. I am not sure yet about my availability for the whole weekend. Plus, I would like to drive (at least in parts this time). So maybe, Satya & I can split a rental, if I do get to tag along. Ill keep you guys posted about my plans. Thanks

And yeah, nobody behind the Lotus can make a video on those curves...I was inside it and could barely manage to keep myself in place. Its Harbir+Lotus at its best on those curves and others just follow distantly.