Post Rennsport, drive back to Florida scenic road advice

[Mark Pribanic]

Looking for scenic drive recommendations on my drive home to Florida. I'm flying out tomorrow 9.15.18, from Neptune Beach, Florida to Los Angeles to spend a week or so dialing in my 356 with Jack Staggs & Trevor Gates. I left the 356 in San Clemente after participating in Luftgekuhlt this past April. After some road trip prep, I'll be driving #102797 from San Clemente to Monterey for Renn 6, taking Hwy 1 north from Santa Monica. Once Rennsport is over I'll be driving the 356 back east to Florida.

In the past 20 years I've driven #102797 through 24 states and over 274k miles. There are a few states I would like to drive through to add a few more to the list. I've done I-10 more times than I care to count. Planning on leaving Monterey to drive east through Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia & Florida. That would add 6 more states to the 24.

Any recommendations and advice on west to east routes through these states are welcomed. If you're on Instagram I will be posting foto's from my trip there.

Thank you in advance and look forward to seeing those attending the 356 Registry, pre Rennsport event.

[James Learmonth]

Mark,
Stay off Interstate 10.
Jim

[James Learmonth]

Mark,
Sorry I failed to read the rest of the Email. Have a great trip.
Jim

[Tom Coughlin]

I'm sure you've got the Tail of the Dragon in your sights from TN to GA. Tom

[M Penta]

That is pretty amazing Mark, best of luck on the trip back.
I like Rt50 straight through to CO., known as the "loneliest road in America", a nice change from the usual interstate scenery. I did it once over 20 yrs ago in a 78 CJ7 and had to bring a gas can with me.

Not a place to break down though, especially in a 356..

[Ben Wainscott]

Mark,

I know this will be a great trip home. I can’t fill in a lot, but to get you over to Nevada you might consider part of a trip we did after the last 356 Yosemite event at Tenaya Lodge. We headed north with 3 other cars up Hwy 49. From Monterey, you can take a number of routes over avoiding I-5 or I-99 and get to 49 around Mariposa. Heading north you will go through a number of little towns made famous by Mark Twain’s writings about Calaveras County. Depending on the time, a great place to spend the night is at the 49er Village RV Park in Plymouth. They rent studio cottages where you can park your 356 next to it. If by chance you stay there don’t miss lunch or dinner at Taste Restaurant in Plymouth (http://www.restauranttaste.com) , it’s over the top. There are a number of winery’s in the area, and one in particular is “Driven”. Rudy the owner has about 40+ cars sitting around the winery, including five 356’s in various states of disrepair, plus their Zinfandel is very good. From there head north up to Placerville. A great town to explore and then you can pick up route 50 over to Lake Tahoe and into Nevada. I’ll have to let others pick it up from there.

Hope to see you at Rennsport.

[John Brooks]

US HWY 50 San Francisco to east Colorado is a mountain and desert drive, a few super high speed stright sections and then the crooked River from grand junction to Kansas.

[Jim Alton]

That is pretty amazing Mark, best of luck on the trip back.
I like Rt50 straight through to CO., known as the "loneliest road in America", a nice change from the usual interstate scenery. I did it once over 20 yrs ago in a 78 CJ7 and had to bring a gas can with me.

Not a place to break down though, especially in a 356..

Plus one on Rt. 50. I drove it once, longer ago than Mr. Penta. An advantage is it is on an obvious route east from Monterey.

[Roy Smalley]

If time is not a big deal....east from Monterey doesn't offer many options but recognize 50 across is very lonely. I would want see Yosemite, Sequoia, Death Valley. From Las Vegas, IH 15 to IH70. From that point on it is fairly easy to stay off IH's. I would drop down to Moab UT and take a couple of tours. Then over to Durango Co. You are close to the 4 Corners areas that has its' own allure if you are into ancient civilizations and unbelievable scenery. From Durango north on 550 to Montrose and that will line you up to head east on 50 to Pueblo and on into Kansas. This route is some of them most scenic in Colorado, but there are other routes north and east in Colorado well worth the time. Any route east through Kansas is, well not much unless you are into flat rolling terrain, and lonesome. You will see small towns that remind me of the 50's. Some still vibrant being in farm and ranch country. A couple of us drove 356's from Texas to Calgary and tried to stay in the mountains off IH's as much as possible. It was worth while. Another 356'er Rod Barnes just completed a 7000 mile trip from n/e Kansas up to Washington and back. In a cab. He might have some input.

[Mark Pribanic]

Great advice everyone! Will look into it further soon

[C J Murray]

Zion National Park

Grand Canyon, North rim, South rim

Ancient cliff dweller sites in AZ

Four Corners

Durango CO

Silverton CO

Ouray CO

Gunnison CO

Salida CO

Pikes Peak CO

Sante Fe NM

If you wanted to go the North route Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are spectacular

No matter which way you go the best fun is stopping in the towns and talking to the locals about your funny little car and the fact that you drive it everywhere in spite of it's age and the fact that I is small and has no air conditioning.

[Mark Pribanic]

I wanted to thank everyone for their advice! I drove Hwy 50 from Tahoe to just south of Colorado Springs. Needless to say, it did not disappoint. Surprisingly, Hwy 50, through Cali, Nevada, Utah & Colorado had cell phone reception almost the entire route. Unlike Hwy 1 from SLO to Monterey. Pulled into the driveway last night at 9pm. Drove 3928 miles in the last six days. Big thanks to Jack Staggs & Trevor Gates for helping dial in the 356. We spent 12 days straight going through everything mechanical and electrical.