OTT 9/23/25: Best Road Trip

[Adam]

Off-Topic Tuesday 9/23/25

This week’s topic comes from @Desert Sasqwatch .

Everybody’s got at least one road trip story worth telling. Think about the trips you’d do again in a heartbeat. Maybe it was the scenery, the people you were with, the car you drove, or just how everything went right.

So tell us about:

• What you were driving
• Where you went
• Who you were with
• What made it such a great trip

Photos are always welcome, especially if they capture the highlight of the drive.

 

[SmsDetroit]

RI’m out mid 20s my wife and I thought it would be a good idea to fly from Michigan to Utah and buy a 2001 SS Camaro and drive it home in mid February. I can remember at one point in the middle of the night driving through the Rocky’s I had to ask the wife how fast she was driving. She was like um 120mph. While we had a great time 90% of the trip the 2 times we got pulled over for speeding we an extra bonus. It wasn’t until we hit Michigan and a snow storm we realized we never looked at the tire. Well they were bald. The last 50 miles of the trip were exciting to say the least. We made it home in one piece. Would I make a trip like that again, Absolutely. However probably not in February and would definitely take a closer look at the entire car before we drove it cross country.

 

[Robinjo]

Not a driving road trip per say, but still a memorable one.
In 1995 timeframe my grandfather, dad, my two uncles, brother and cousin all drove from Louisville, KY to Michigan. That part of the trip was rough as we all were in a Chrysler minivan. Once we arrived, we spent 7 days in the Canadian Nation Forrest canoeing and fishing. I would do that trip no questions asked again.

 

[comegetjoe]

I took a job out in Chicago for a year with a security company and my girlfriend at the time, we took my 93 5spd Thunderbird SC out to look for apartments two weeks prior to the big move. I drove 470+ miles on one tank of gas with the cruise set. Finally I got tired enough to let her drive. She never really drove a manual car, but she did pretty well during her turn on the highway. It was a very memorable trip. I miss that car.

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

In September of 1981, my brother and I decided to take a road trip to see some friends out west and go to Glacier National Park. He was leaving for college (SIU) and I was going into the Air Force in a couple weeks and wanted one last trip before we couldn't anymore.

We took the family car, a diesel Olds 88, since our own cars wouldn't make it for this trip. We packed up, drained our bank accounts, and headed west on I-80 from home (far northern Illinois). We visited friends at U-Iowa in Iowa City (2 days, lots of parties), U-Sioux Falls in South Dakota (2 days, lots of parties), U-Wyoming in Cheyenne (2 days, lots of parties) and finally U-Montana in Helena (2 days, lots of parties). With a 1 day drive between each location, we were already 12 days into our 2 week trip and close to our final destination.

Running low on time (and money) but we were determined to get to Glacier, so we left Helena headed for Missoula. Got there and found out the route north to the Park had gotten a foot of snow and only 4x4s were being allowed through. So, we decided that was not going to happen and turned south for Yellowstone Park. Made it to the north entrance and it had just closed down for the day only letting people in unless they had a reservation to stay. Disappointed, we headed to Bozeman for the night. Day 13 was gone and had 1 day left to drive home.

We got a few hours of sleep in the car and left Bozeman at about 2:00 am. Reminder, the national speed limit at the time was 55 mph, but the family Olds had a little over 700 miles of driving range on 1 tank of fuel. Short story: 1350 miles and 21 hours later we made it back home at about 12:00 midnight - after driving straight thru with a fuel stop in Mitchell South Dakota and switching drivers -at speed- by jumping into the driver's seat from the back seat with the cruise control set at 70ish mph.

So our 14 day and 2700+ mile adventure ended with lots of good memories of parties and friends, but no tee shirt from Glacier National Park. That morning I reported to the Air Force Recruiter to leave for boot camp and my brother piled his stuff in his car for the 400 mile, 6+ hour drive to Carbondale. Was the last trip we took together.

 

[Ross]

Technology is changing fast. I don't drive very much after this trip. I love driving my goblin, but this trip changed me.

2 years ago we decided to take my wife's new car for the family trip to Canada. The first thing I noticed was the in-car driving assistance. I didn't have to keep the car in the lane, and I didn't have to keep adjusting the cruise control. The car would even change lanes, and drive around slow moving vehicles.

Normally, our trip to Canada is in the van, with a GPS doing the navigation. We have to figure out our gas stops. With this car, the navigation is dynamic. It was watching the rate of energy consumption, and would calculate which charging station to stop at, and automatically change the navigation, and drive there.

The next thing I noticed is that we stopped about every 2 hours for about 20 minutes. We took a bathroom break, grab some grub, and the car filled up on electrons. Normally with the van, we would stop every 3 hours. My legs and back really appreciated the extra stops, and getting out of the driver's seat, walking and stretching more.

The driving assistance isn't 100% yet... I did have to take the controls once. The road construction had orange cones going left, and they hadn't removed the paint lines, which where going right. I took over the driving thru the construction zone. Also at every destination, the car doesn't park itself. I have to turn off the driver assistance, and pick a parking spot. The car will auto park after I pick a spot, but I rarely use this feature, as it is quicker for me to park it.

Once we arrived after 21 hours of road time, I noticed I wasn't very tired. Normally I am exhausted, and just want to chill for a day.
I know electric vehicles are still controversial, and not well liked... but the driving assistance, made a big difference. I wonder if in the next few years if it will allow me to sleep. No driving needed, just sit back and watch a movie.

I want all my future vehicles to drive. Let me relax. When I do want to drive, give me the goblin. The raw, in your face experience.

 

[C_Datsun]

We did a banger rally probably almost 20 years ago, toward the end of street safari here in the US. It was the BABE Rally (Big Apple to Big Easy). The route was from New York to New Orleans passing through the tail of the dragon. The goal was to get a $500 clunker to complete the trip and do scavenger hunt style photo challenges on the way. We picked up a Ford LTD Country Squire and painted it orange. We made it there and back only had to replace one hose.

Those brakes DID NOT like the downhill section of the dragon.

edit: was supposed to be three generations of my family, my grandfather, dad, and me and my brother. Grandpa got sick so we took my nephew instead and still got three generations in the trip.

 

[C_Datsun]

In September of 1981, my brother and I decided to take a road trip to see some friends out west and go to Glacier National Park. He was leaving for college (SIU) and I was going into the Air Force in a couple weeks and wanted one last trip before we couldn't anymore.

We took the family car, a diesel Olds 88, since our own cars wouldn't make it for this trip. We packed up, drained our bank accounts, and headed west on I-80 from home (far northern Illinois). We visited friends at U-Iowa in Iowa City (2 days, lots of parties), U-Sioux Falls in South Dakota (2 days, lots of parties), U-Wyoming in Cheyenne (2 days, lots of parties) and finally U-Montana in Helena (2 days, lots of parties). With a 1 day drive between each location, we were already 12 days into our 2 week trip and close to our final destination.

Running low on time (and money) but we were determined to get to Glacier, so we left Helena headed for Missoula. Got there and found out the route north to the Park had gotten a foot of snow and only 4x4s were being allowed through. So, we decided that was not going to happen and turned south for Yellowstone Park. Made it to the north entrance and it had just closed down for the day only letting people in unless they had a reservation to stay. Disappointed, we headed to Bozeman for the night. Day 13 was gone and had 1 day left to drive home.

We got a few hours of sleep in the car and left Bozeman at about 2:00 am. Reminder, the national speed limit at the time was 55 mph, but the family Olds had a little over 700 miles of driving range on 1 tank of fuel. Short story: 1350 miles and 21 hours later we made it back home at about 12:00 midnight - after driving straight thru with a fuel stop in Mitchell South Dakota and switching drivers -at speed- by jumping into the driver's seat from the back seat with the cruise control set at 70ish mph.

So our 14 day and 2700+ mile adventure ended with lots of good memories of parties and friends, but no tee shirt from Glacier National Park. That morning I reported to the Air Force Recruiter to leave for boot camp and my brother piled his stuff in his car for the 400 mile, 6+ hour drive to Carbondale. Was the last trip we took together.

Nice trip, I was -1 years old at that time.

 

[Markm]

The road trip to Goblinfest is obviously always the best trip

 

[Desert Sasqwatch]

The road trip to Goblinfest is obviously always the best trip

Looking for points with the Doyles???