Sticky #1 - Roads, Roads and More Roads

OK. Let's get down to brass tacks. The US has a population of over 300 million. Canada has a population of 30 million in an area twice the size of the US. I'm going to take a wild stab at it here, but it's my guess that our ratio of traffic cops to km (or mile, take your pick) of road is going to be waaaay more favourable.

You see, while you Americans can only use your Pantera to crawl along in endless stop-and-go traffic jams at the Traffic Gestapo-enforced pedestrian speed limit in a vain attempt to impress the girls, us Canadians get to tear up some pavement and regularly drive our cars the way they were intended to be driven.

If anybody was to question me, I would have to deny any knowledge of the origins of the photograph below, and specifically deny that it could have possibly originated in the course of the trip depicted in the previous photo.

It is posted here for illustrative purposes only; to show that the purely hypothetical [ahem] scenario depicted below is feasible only north of the 50th parallel (and why I needed that 540hp 427).

quote:

Originally posted by Peter H:
...you Americans can only use your Pantera to crawl along in endless stop-and-go traffic jams ...

No traffic jams in sight. While you're waiting for the snow to melt in the spring, or watching the snow falling in the Autumn, these are a small sampling of the roads I get to enjoy in sunny California. Spring and Autumn are my favorite driving seasons. The picture below is looking north along a stretch of Hwy 1 which is about 2 hours north of my home. That's the Pacific Ocean to the west....

all of these pictures are taken in California, this is another pic of Highway 1, my favorite drive

Bitterwater Road, off Hwy 58, San Luis Obispo County.

Hwy 180 in Kings Canyon National Park. Kings Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon, the difference between the two is you can drive from the top to the bottom of the Kings Canyon. Still only a few hours from Fillmore.

the entrance to Sequoia National Park.

Ever heard of the dragon?

A stretch of US tarmac well known amongst motorcyle & sports car enthusiasts, Hwy 129 (aka the dragon) is a small national highway between Tenessee and North Carolina featuring 318 turns in 11 miles.

I mention the dragon, because California has a stretch of road known as the Little Dragon. Hwy 49 is a long scenic highway that takes you through the heart of California's historic gold mining country, on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. A 16 mile stretch of this highway, between Coulterville and Bear Valley, is the Little Dragon:

Back roads of Temecula Ca crowded too!

Get's crowded and have to pass at times?

OK back to rides and roads . . .

OK, OK. I'll admit that there may be the odd good under-policed road south of the 50th. While I'm at it, I may even admit we have the odd traffic jam up here in Canada:

At times, the traffic is so bad that it's hard to pass...

...and there's always some guy in a clapped-out beater hogging the left lane.

We get our share of crappy weather too...

And, yes George, we do occasionally see one of those RCMP interceptors.

...but they are usually friendly...

...and the scenery helps make up for it.

Yup, lots of scenery...

...and trees...

...and more scenery...

...but what we really need is more Panteras to even things up a little.

You guys got some awesome roads and scenery eh!

So, all in all, I think we have it pretty good up here in Canada. Come on up for a visit, George, and I'll prove it to you. Just bring some of those tacos, will you?

I will come up someday Peter. I've never been to Charlie Lake. I'd love to hang out and sample the roads.

I have a request, I'd like that cute mounty to arrest me and take me back to her place for questioning.

HOw about the rest of you guys....I guess California, British Columbia and Hawaii are the only places with interesting roads.

Huh?

quote:

...but what we really need is more Panteras to even things up a little.

Peter,

Careful what you wish for..it looks like there could be two more real soon....My son wants to start the next school year in Calgary.

Julian

OK. I'm thinking. Carefully. And it only hurts a little bit... Yup, I still wish you would move to Calgary, Julian!

Oh, and before I forget, I should clarify that many of the photos I posted on this thread were actually taken in Alberta and not just British Columbia as George assumed in his post above. The snow covered mountains in the photos are less than an hour's drive from Calgary.

I'm right behind ya Peter...

I wondered where you were. Back of the pack, as usual. Man, you really need to beef up that wimpy motor so you can keep up with us big dogs!

WOAHAHAHAHA,thats funny

Yeah, real funny....

Highway 1, Big Sur, California

Amour Ranch Road, near Solvang, Santa Barbara County, Calirfornia

Turri Road near Morro Bay, California

Oh, man. That road is just begging for the kind of driving you can do only when your wife or mother in law are not in the passenger seat. Damn, but that is one fine stretch of road!

George, you're going to make a convert out of me yet.

Panoche Road, accessed via Hwy 25. Near Salinas, California

quote:

Originally posted by Mark Charlton:

OOOOoooohhh - ouch! That hurt!