Most liked posts in thread: Road trip!

#1 Go drive the Dragon.

 

How much time are you allowing? There's some great roads twixt there and there and we've driven a lot of it.

 

You do not necessarily need to drive the Dragon and surrounding roads at breakneck speeds to enjoy the scenery as well as the roadways. TONS of leafwatchers drive those same roads in the Fall and other parts of the year and they seem to have a good time and they return every year to do the same thing all over again.

You could take the Cherohala Skyway [about a 50 mile drive with long sweepers] from Tellico Plains, TN, to Robbinsville, NC, and over Rte 143 to NC 28 and down to US 74..turn left and head on East towards your destination. Highway 28 is called Hellbender, and should give your car an intro as to what the Dragon would be, without having to travel thru as many turns.

Or, at Robbinsville after taking the Cherohala Skyway, head on south on Rte. 129 to US 74. Turn left [east] and go thru the Nantahala River Gorge as you head towards your destination.

The sceneries of either drive are spectacular and driving the Elantra should not stress the car or its occupants much at all.

A not so dramatic drive would be to take I-75 south to Cleveland, TN, and get on US 74 east towards your destination. 74 would also take you thru the Nantahala River Gorge also, but without the thrill of having driving some great roads along the way first. It still has some twisties, though.

Have a fun and safe trip!

 

If you come through Columbus, OH please let us know.

 

Yeah you don't need a empty race car with your foot to the floor to enjoy the roads and the scenery. Yes, its that good!

I run the dragon every year with my car packed full of Sh*T.

Once going in and once leaving and it is a very enjoyable ride and makes you appreciate and be respectful of the roads even at lower speeds and loaded down.

I like turning on to 129 from the far end near Knoxville / Alcoa area and all put the windows down sunroof open and play FreeBird cranked up to 11 as soon as I hit the long stretch by the water. It's driving heaven on earth every Spring.


You are driving all the way from Portland, OR to NC and it is really worth the trip.

If you miss it, it would be like going to the moon, landing on the moon and never getting out to walk on the moon. :mad2::lol::lol::lol:

 

^^^^That's the fact jack!

 

Looks like your route will bring you thru KC, if it fits your schedule, plan to stop here and I'll get you all to a great restaurant for some legendary KC BBQ, and met up with myself and another Mini/MINI enthusiast and former "Bendian" who lives here now.

If you only have 5-6 days you'll be putting in major mileage each day as that's about a 3K mile trip, so I'm thinking you want the most direct route possible to minimize your driving in the Elantra.....which is perfectly fine on the superslabs - but you will be really tired of driving it by the time you get there.

I don't think 5-6 days will really afford you any sightseeing time other than what you see from the windows as you cruise past as you're talking 500-600 miles a day.

At least weather shouldn't be a factor.....

 

The Cherohala route I suggested would not interfere with your travel plans. The Skyway is easily accessible off I 75 at Sweetwater. Take Rt. 68 to Tellico Plains and the Skyway with its beautiful scenery and long sweepers to Robbinsville, NC. From there, you can turn right onto US 129 [a left turn would take you into Dragon country and the twisties your son might not like in an Elantra] . Take US 129 in Robbinsville to south US 74. At US 74, turn left and go thru the Nantahala River Gorge as you continue on US 74 to your final destination. Good luck...it's a really pretty and a not so stressful drive even though there are a few twisties until you pass the Gorge and head towards Bryson City and onward to the east.

 

Driving back or flying back?

If driving... Then hit the Dragon on the return... Car will be lighter....

 

Is there a reason you're going so far south into Colorado (visiting friends or relatives or something?) instead of taking I-70 right across Colorado and Kansas?

 

Looking at your map, heading East out of CO you might consider dropping down to 160 instead of taking 54. 54 is pretty much a main trucking artery thru western KS and 160 is a bit more scenic with a lot less traffic.