Epic Bay Area Drive

This week I had the good fortune of having time and inspiration to head out for a drive. What I ended up with was more than a drive it was a what I imagine a world class drive would be. There are places that don't have miles of beautiful hills with really good driving sections. Many places in california are flat and boring. Not this drive. New music, check. Decent weather, check. Mid-weekday and no traffic, check. Route, check.

I would be following hwy 35 from hwy 92 south to hwy 9. taking it to santa cruz through Boulder Creek and Felton, up hwy 1 to Pescadero for lunch (not Duarte's, but the gas station across the street for a couple quick tacos *really good and quick), Continueing up pescadero rd over the hill to then connect with hwy 84 to skylonda and on to woodside. The trip was 128 miles and took about 3 hours including lunch.

The steed that would take me on this epic drive was my R32. I have been considering selling it since my purchase of an RS6 a couple months ago, but that day I decided to take it out for one more driving day. I may have fallen in love with it again. The sounds that car makes on those roads are what car nuts love. It was such a throaty, low sound, escalating to a more purposeful wail when really on the gas.. it was great. Driving the sound louder and louder could easily get someone in trouble since a portion of you pushes just to hear it, when the road in front starts to twist slightly sharper and tighter. But I am here writing this so all is well.

I started late morning and it was still a little foggy at the top of hwy 35 near hwy 92 and the canopy was letting in light that reflected off the fog. It could have been anywhere in the world. I was probably always about 5-10mph over the posted speed. I had a radar detector incase of speed traps, but with the state budget the way it is I doubted any patrols were wasting their time up there. I certainly exceeded reasonable speed at times, but never beyond my capabilities and trust in my car.

It takes time to get that feeling from a car when pushing harder than normal, but there comes a point where you and the car are one. It does not last, but there are sections of road that you really want to turn around and drive again especially if there is traffic. Like a do-over. But there were times when I wanted to do that even when there were no cars, it was that good.

This is a drive you should do alone and with some good driving music. I gambled on some new music I had not yet heard other than one song, but the whole cd turned out great. Phoenix - 'Wolfgang Amadeus' provided the score for a memorable day that rivals track day memories and even rally racing memories I have.

Next time is in the RS6 after it gets its factory suspension recall work done (in progress.. eta 5 days???!!).