Autoblog Sunday Drive: All day away from the Bay
Click the map above to view this week's Sunday Drive
It's that time of year. The warm weather is heading south for the winter, track days are few and far between and staying cooped-up inside leads to a particular strain of automotive cabin fever. What's a gearhead to do? Easy. Hit the open road.
This our first installment of a weekly feature we're calling Autoblog Sunday Drives, where Autoblog writers, industry folk and you, our dedicated readers, will submit your own maps and routes for the rest of the world to enjoy. Over the next few weeks, we'll be laying out our favorite local roads in Google Maps, allowing you to download turn-by-turn instructions for a cathartic jaunt along our nation's most scenic and challenging stretches of tarmac.
Our inaugural route is a slice of Autoblog's Northern California drive test route, primarily used when an automaker blesses us with something specifically designed to tackle the twisties. The route begins at the southern end of the Livermore Valley, winds its way through the hills that separate the South Bay from the Central flatlands, cuts west over Mt. Hamilton, with a brief respite in Milpitas, then takes you north through one of our favorite runs in the area: Calaveras Road. But it's not for the faint of heart. Covering almost 100 miles in a Google-estimated 3.5 hours, breaks are highly recommended, so bring along a bottle of water and a few snacks to give your brain and body a chance to recoup. We've even added a few waypoints worth stopping at, including a small restaurant nestled into the hills between Mt. Wallace and Mt. Oso, and the Observatory that sits atop Mt. Hamilton.
As always, be smart and safe. And you can begin submitting your own drives in Google Maps format by sending a link to your route to autoblogsundaydrive -at- gmail -dawt- com. Enjoy!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Krony 4:18PM (10/26/2008)
Cool idea Autoblog!
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Mark Ryan 1:37AM (10/27/2008)
Next installment needs photos!
NT 4:22PM (10/26/2008)
Great, now if only the rest of the country had mountains....
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Jesse 4:29PM (10/26/2008)
I've lived in Livermore since 1991 and this has been one of my favorite drive for a LOOONNG time. Easily one of the best in the Bay Area. But you have to be careful of cops on Mt. Hamilton Rd. Once in a while they set up and wait specifically for people driving in a "spirited" way. And once you get on Mines Rd. Be careful of bicycle riders. It's one lane for the most of it and once in a while there are a lot of bike riders there. RARELY cops on Mines though. It feels good seeing Livermore on the map on Autoblog.
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Jesse 4:31PM (10/26/2008)
Oh yea, I forgot...ITS LONG. so make sure you have a full tank of gas. It takes my 1991 300ZX TT nearly 3/4 of a tank to complete.
Sandok 4:33PM (10/26/2008)
You guys need to come to Switzerland for great roads ;)
Hell even TopGear agrees that the best driving road is in this country :D
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john 4:43PM (10/26/2008)
Now, only if we had an presidential election every month so that gas price can stay low.
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G-man 5:01PM (10/26/2008)
i can't wait to see these drives! i hope somebody has a nice drive in my area! Atlanta area guys, let me know whats scenic around here!
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G-man 9:48PM (10/26/2008)
pictures would be nice too!
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norb 5:34PM (10/26/2008)
Great idea guys. Don't forget the East Coast and especially areas not too far from NYC.
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riu.001 6:08PM (10/26/2008)
I've been on most of that route and used to drive it weekly. I'm never going up there again though. My friend died in a rollover last week up there.
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Matt 6:13PM (10/26/2008)
I wish we had roads like that in Florida. Damned flat state...
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John 6:39PM (10/26/2008)
UT-65 is where it's at.
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dac 6:56PM (10/26/2008)
This is a great idea, guys! I live on the central California coast and there seems to be a great drive in every direction. I'll send in some maps as soon as I get my car back up and running.
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Mark Ryan 7:53PM (10/26/2008)
Very cool route, I'll have to check it out sometime.
I did this route yesterday on my Ninjette: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Great+Hwy%2FUpper+Great+Hwy&daddr=Great+Hwy%2FUpper+Great+Hwy+to:37.778042,-122.512665+to:Panoramic+Hwy+to:Panoramic+Hwy+to:Panoramic+Hwy&hl=en&geocode=FfenPwIdELqy-A%3BFWivPwIdGbSy-A%3B%3BFaU-QgIdacqw-A%3BFchyQgIdkm6x-A%3BFREQQgId9Pax-A&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=12&via=1,2,4&sll=37.783197,-122.467003&sspn=0.147337,0.246162&ie=UTF8&ll=37.882712,-122.594719&spn=0.073569,0.188313&z=13
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why not the LS2LS7? 8:56PM (10/26/2008)
I went the other way at the Junction (the small restaurant mentioned) and went out to the central valley. That drive is shorter, but still very long.
It's amazing how once you get near the observatory, it's like you're back in time or something. Few signs, few people, little of anything.
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leo 9:12PM (10/26/2008)
this is the greatest idea you guys have had in a while. Seriously, no joke. I love just going out and driving, around and I'm from the Bay, but I've never ventured onto these roads, hopefully will give it a try soon.
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Alexander 10:25PM (10/26/2008)
You Autoblog guys wanna do a meet? I live half an hour from that area.
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ben 10:52PM (10/26/2008)
dont go to san ramon, the cops there will pull you over for +2mph
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Andrew 10:58PM (10/26/2008)
sick installment to autoblog.
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