I’m leaving tomorrow (5/27) on a road trip in my 07 Porsche Cayman S. The very general itinerary is to drive from Raleigh NC to Seattle, WA, then down the Pacific Coast highway to LA, and then back home. What could go wrong Well, for one thing, my butt will probably go into a massive seizure during the long transit legs through the flyover states. Let’s face it , a Cayman does not glide over rough roads. My hack is that I purchased a 20"x 50" backpacking air mattress to supplement the existing seat. Can you say Air Ride Suspension. I have tried it out and it actually is quite an improvment over stock. Yeah, call me an Outlaw
So what is the Etype connection? I will be dropping in on a few folks that I have had the pleasure to interface with on this forum. It’s all very ad hoc so we’ll see how it goes.
I will be posting to my website every few days or so. Follow along if you like.
The link to the article will be on the main page. I will just edit the one post so come back every few days for updates.
That sounds like a great adventure in the making. In the event that your route is flexible and still subject to change, I might have some info you could pick and choose from.
I live in DC, and last summer did an incredible 10,100 mile two-up motorcycle trip (BMW R1200GS) that started in Colorado (bike trailered out by a friend), headed north through Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon (across), Washington, Oregon (coastal), California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois (very briefly), Kentucky, Tennessee, Kentucky (again), West Virginia, Virginia and back to DC. This was almost entirely on back and secondary roads (less than 500 miles of interstate in total). I have a very detailed (and very long) ride report that includes daily GPS routes, color-coded ranking of roads (Bucket List; Worth going out of the way; Means to an end only), mileage, lodging and food stops with commentary on everything. It’s obviously tailored to motorcycling but I suspect you might find some of the guidance useful for sporty cage travel as well. If you are interested, send me a PM and I’ll send you a link to the ride report.
@Harvey_Ferris, if you’ll be passing through Portland on I-5 south from Seattle before hitting 101, a quick lunch or an overnight on me is in order. Couple of E-Types to check out! Let’s PM if it’s in the cards.
I hate to sound like a broken record but a Corvette with the F55 magnetic ride option would smooth those bumpy roads and make them feel like boulevards.
Sounds like a great adventure in the making Harvey, safe travels!
Thanks everyone. @Les_Halls Check your post, I think spell check turned Napa into naps. Personally I like both
Interesting anecdote. Several decades ago my son and I toured the desert southwest. He was young enough that the insurance adder for him to share driving the rental car was brutal so I did all the driving. It was on this trip that I perfected a 10 minute Power Nap. It has become a daily routine, around noon and a trick I resort to at any time when I’m driving and get drowsy.
@David_Lowenstein Sounds like an amazing trip. My routes are pretty fixed at this point but thanks all the same.
Harvey, Good luck with the ride, sounds like fun! Loved driving my Porsches, first a Boxster, then Boxster S, and lastly a 911 Targa 4S. Every one of the cars hurt my hips and eventually my body said no more… Bring some Voltaren gel, you may need it. Funny though I have never had an issue with my E types, still comfy cars but no A/C, cruise control, Blue tooth…
Sounds like a great road trip. Would love to do a Jag get together with some of the people I’ve chatted with here. My daily is a 981 Boxster that used to be my baby until the E-Type came along. I’m in LA so if you need recommendations, or want to broaden the meet up list, feel free to drop a line.
You can’t fall a sleep if you are eating, I keep a bag of Corn Nuts in the glovebox to suck on one a time, Does the trick. You don’t want to come back from the trip and put on 10 LBS! LOL
What works for me it to switch from music to some kind of conversation radio. If I’m tired I start spinning the dial until I find something interesting being discussed that is not politics. Something like Coast to Coast AM.
I just drove down the Oregon and California coasts from Seattle to LA in my BMW Z4. It would be fun in an E-Type, but it is frankly nice to have bigger tires, power steering, a power top and AC. A few tips if I may. Route 101 in Oregon tends to run just inside the tree line in many areas blocking the views. Allow time to drive down side roads to the beaches and lighthouses if you really want to see the Oregon coast. Oregon also has a lot of RVs on the road, so be prepared. Highway 1 in Northern California is my favorite. Not much traffic, great views from the car, and stunningly beautiful. It is also a blast to drive. The road between 101 and 1 starting at Leggett is a classic. Twenty-five miles of road with nothing but tight curves. If you are going 45 mph, you are ripping. On a more mundane, but critical level, there are no rest areas on these roads. Those few that exist are closed. MacDonalds was the best bet for clean rest rooms. The second choice is a gas station with a mini mart. Third choice is a bush. And expect to see a $1.00 jump in gas prices just for crossing the Oregon/California border. $6.45 for premium is pretty common in CA. Finally, have a good paper map. Google Maps and Waze were very upset with my choice of roads and generally ignored my wishes. Cell signals are pretty weak along Route 1, leaving digital mapping programs with limited functionality. Plan a few side trips. California off the beaten path is really a treat, and there is plenty of it out there. Have fun.
I agree with US101 to Hwy 1 starting from Leggett as being a must-drive road. I’d add that if possible try to drive it on a weekday, close as mid-week to possible. This is because of traffic, especially campers and motorhomes.
10 or 15 years ago, if you came up behind a slower vehicle, they almost always pulled over to the side to let you pass. When I drove this 3 years ago, hardly anyone did. If they don’t pull over then just enjoy the scenery. But if they do, it’s great for a sports car.
Also there’s the “drive your car through a tree” tourist trap. When I last did this, it was free to drive through the tree. But almost everyone there had a SUV that couldn’t clear the opening. A Lotus Elise however had no problem.
Long distance driving I find very soothing and it can make me sleepy. Strangely, in past I could get up from a good night’s sleep, hit the road, and within 40 minutes start to get drowsy.
But a short nap seemed to reset everything, and I’d be good for the rest of the drive - even if it lasted 12 more hours. For some reason my stamina has improved in recent years - three months ago I managed a solo non-stop (no overnight stays or naps) from Las Vegas to the Seattle area, about 18 hours on the road including a flat tire change. But it was foolhardy, since in the last hour I was getting really drowsy but foolishly pressed on since it was 4-5am on a Sunday with little traffic. No mishaps but I realize it was stupid.
Well, for one thing, my butt will probably go into a massive seizure during the long transit legs through the flyover states. Let’s face it , a Cayman does not glide over rough roads. My hack is that I purchased a 20"x 50" backpacking air mattress to supplement the existing seat. Can you say Air Ride Suspension. I have tried it out and it actually is quite an improvment over stock. Yeah, call me an Outlaw 