From Texas to Illinois

[dekaliber]

UPDATE

Update as promised with pictures!

Day 1: San Antonio to Austin, TX

We landed in San Antonio on time around 11 AM Thursday morning. Turns out our ride, a tricked out Scion xD driven by one of the porters from the dealership, got hit on the way to the airport, so we had to wait an extra 45 minutes or so for him to get things resolved with the police. Just a fender bender -- nothing too serious, thankfully.

What's funny is that I was too excited in the airport and at the dealership before I picked up the car to remember taking any pictures.

We drove to Austin, got food, got an oil change, and hung out for the night to go to an Iron & Wine show. Here's the new baby in it's first parking spot:




Day 2: Austin, TX to Fort Smith, AR

The highlight of day 2 was a stop over in Dallas to meet professor LHB, and his Alpine White ZHP sedan. What a gorgeous sight! We pulled our cars together for some very memorable photos. The only things that prevented me from shooting for hours was the 100°+ Texas sun and the desire to avoid the worst traffic. Thanks again, Bill, for having us.





I'll probably post some more over on the e46 forums when I get a chance to go through the rest.

Gas stop photo op:



A 2002 along the way:



At one point in Dallas the car thermometer actually got up to 107°, but I didn't take a picture since I was driving in traffic.




Day 3: Ozarks Mountains, and the long drive home

This is roughly the route I took from NW Arkansas to St. Louis. Beyond Winona, MO, I just kind of let the GPS lead me through Mark Twain National Forest and a couple of smaller state parks.



8+ hours of windy back roads! While not all of it was riveting as route 123, all of it was a vastly superior to the driving I get to do in Illinois.

Girlfriend took this one after waking up from dramamine-induced coma:



There were some simply beautiful roads through Mark Twain National Forest, with lots of rollercoaster peaks and dips. At one point it just started pouring, after which you could see the water steaming off the blacktop and forming rainbows near the ground. A breathtaking sight!

We grabbed dinner in St. Louis around 7:30 and afterwards decided to simply make the drive straight home rather than stop somewhere along the way. It was fine, but I definitely started feeling tired by about midnight, with about another hour and a half to go. By then, a dense fog had settled over much of I-55 that really limited visibility, but I forced my eyes to stay open and forged on. Towards the end after I got on I-294 N I found a couple of speeding buddies in the form of a IS300 and a Scion TC, so that woke me up a bit. All told, I did probably 13 hours of driving that day, and only towards the end did I get a little tired of it. It's a real testament to how great this car is.

Here's the final mileage reading (I was too tired and forgot to take it that night, so it's actually from the next morning). Note the trip odometer only counts to a max of 999.9, so it ended up rolling over to 0:



The only other major downside to night driving is the ridiculous number of bugs that commit suicide all over the front of the car. It was bad!




Fortunately, the clean-release tape that I bought actually worked out quite well for this. I couldn't tape everything completely and some of it came loose during the trip, but it definitely caught at least 80% of the bugs that would have otherwise glued themselves to the bumper, hood, and mirrors.

Here's a 50/50 of the driver side mirror - the top half had the tape removed.



One big plus to getting home early was that I had the luxury of giving the front of the car a quick bath.

All clean!



Here's the ZHP with its garage mate.



Although white is definitely still harder to keep clean than silver or gray, it's going to be a huge improvement over black. Pretty much the only parts that were visibly dirty were the bumper/fender behind the wheel wells. A black car would have been a complete mess after 1300 miles and a rainstorm.


Some notes about the Valentine 1

In anticipation of the trip, my girlfriend was nice enough to buy me a month-early birthday present in the form of a V1. It's definitely very sensitive, giving no shortage of false alarms when passing motion-sensing doors or even registering laser alerts from some SUVs. However, it's very clear when there is an actual threat because the alert goes off the charts. Most of those times, the cop had already pulled someone over and didn't turn the radar gun off, but it definitely saved my ass big time towards the end of the trip when there was a trooper in a completely dark car on the side of the road blasting everyone with instant-on radar.

I need to spend a bit more time with it to see it working in various scenarios, but I definitely see what the hype is all about.

I've since hardwired it in both the ZHP and Z4 M. Super easy to do following the excellent information provided by those who came before. Just gotta get used to disconnecting it and stowing it in the glovebox when I leave the car.


Impressions so far of the new ride

The ZHP is everything I had hoped for and more. It certainly doesn't have the raw aggression and power as the Z4 M, but it makes up for it by being much more civil, comfortable, spacious, and easy to drive. The transmission has the identical ZF part number as the Z4 M, but is remarkably smoother and shifts with absolutely no drama. After hopping back in the Z4 M on Sunday, I was driving like a complete n00b again, even botching the 2->3 shift a couple of times because I had gotten used to how much less effort it takes in the ZHP.

After not driving it for almost a week though, I started really missing the Z4 M and took it out on an impromptu joyride after I got home from work today. My, how the S54 sings!! By paying a bit more attention to my shifting and clutch modulation, I was able to smooth things out more today. The only annoying thing that remains is the mysterious, intermittent clunk/pop that seems to persist from the back of the car. I'll have to try troubleshooting some more this weekend, as the dealer has been no help.

All in all, very pleased with my purchase, and I hope to enjoy both cars for a long, long time.



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ORIGINAL POST

I'll be picking up a car next week in Texas and making the ~1200 mile driving back home over the course of a few days, and was wondering if local folks might have any suggestions for places to see, roads to take, and things in general to watch out for.

I'll be going through Austin and Dallas on the way, but the rest is pretty open. Unfortunately, I need to be back by Sunday afternoon, leaving about 2 full days to get from Dallas to Chicago, so I won't be able to stop too long in any one place. Google Maps is suggesting the most direct route as crossing up through Oklahoma and through the southern half of Missouri. That said, I don't mind adding a couple of hours to the trip if it means more of that driving will be scenic and interesting. Having lived in Illinois for the past 5+ years, I've been really missing out on the "fun roads" -- you know, the ones that turn and twist through varying elevation, where there aren't many people, including those with uniforms and radar guns.

I plan to pack a few things on the flight:

- microfiber towels, empty spray bottle, and a few ounces of ONR to mix up some quick detailer to remove the bugs off the bumper each day
- clean-release surface protection tape with which to make a somewhat ghetto clear-bra to apply to the obvious areas http://www.mcmaster.com/#6092a16/
- air compressor
- first aid kit
- Zeckhausen CDV, to be installed when I get an oil change in Austin

Anything else?

I was thinking of going to Black Forest Werkshop in Austin for service. They actually wanted more than BMW of Austin for the oil change -- $100 vs $85 -- but I got a good feeling from the owner when I talked to him. He mentioned that they'd do a general inspection on the car with the oil change, so even though I got a PPI at BMW of Austin, it would be nice to get a second opinion on a few other model-specific issues from an indy. Other recommendations are welcome.

It's been forever since I've really gotten out with my camera, but I'll try to take lots of pictures on the way.

Oh, and aside from it being another BMW, the car is a secret for now.

[jumpthewire]

>Oh, and aside from it being another BMW, the car is a secret for now.

z8?

[Blind32]

I'd say we could meet up in dallas for lunch or something but if your talking about the weekend of the 30th, I can't do. Really busy that weekend with girlfriend moving in and whatnot. Have a fun and safe drive! Can't wait to see what it is.

[dekaliber]

Originally Posted by jumpthewire

z8?

Whoa, now that would be cool, but not quite that exotic.

Originally Posted by Blind32

I'd say we could meet up in dallas for lunch or something but if your talking about the weekend of the 30th, I can't do. Really busy that weekend with girlfriend moving in and whatnot. Have a fun and safe drive! Can't wait to see what it is.

Unfortunately, it'll be the 30th that I'm in Dallas. Would have loved to see your car! I don't think I've ever seen anything but BSM in person.

[mhughett]

sounds like you might be coming north from Dallas to Tulsa, then NE through St. Louis and on to Chicago. If you come up the Indian Nations turnpike in Oklahoma, be VERY careful for cops between Durant, Ok and Atoka, Ok. It is a well known fact that the small town cops in this area get a large percentage of their revenues from traffic tickets on this turnpike. I made this trip about two months ago and saw no less than 5 cops with radar in this 20 or so mile stretch. Driver beware.

By the way, I live in Tulsa so if you want to stop and say hi or have lunch, feel free to PM me and let me know when you will be in town.

[LHB]

I think you've chosen a very good route that should give you a lot of opportunities to really have fun in your new 550i GT. I can't wait to see the 20 inch chrome wheels if you get a chance to stop in Dallas.

Uh, oh, was I not supposed to give away the car you were picking up? I wouldn't worry about it; Houston Cars that have been completely submerged in hurricane related floods for days with salvage titles can sometimes be very good deals.

[007MCoupe]

Yeah if your trip somehow goes on 44 south into dallas (or north on the way back) I've driven that quite a few times and it's really flat and open....great chance to open er up...wish I wasn't so far from Dallas id love to come check it out if you stop....

[HaiDef]

Take your Z4m To lake travis in austin and enjoy spirited driving! Crazy elevation changes with sharp turns.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by LHB

I think you've chosen a very good route that should give you a lot of opportunities to really have fun in your new 550i GT. I can't wait to see the 20 inch chrome wheels if you get a chance to stop in Dallas.

Uh, oh, was I not supposed to give away the car you were picking up? I wouldn't worry about it; Houston Cars that have been completely submerged in hurricane related floods for days with salvage titles can sometimes be very good deals.

Haha, that's mean.

That being said, some of the best roads as far as the ones you described would have to be on my trip down to UMRolla. It is in Missouri somewhere...southern I think. But there are some really great 2 lane highways down that way!

[ShakyDog]

Yes, there are, just PM me and I can hook you up.

Steve

[jbh]

Northwest Arkansas has many many fantastic curvy roads with very good surface quality. It is most likely the best roads between here and there. Hwy 123 is a great road with crazy hairpins and turns all up and down the ozark mountains.

http://www.motorcycleroads.com/route...AR/AR_14.shtml

Many other good roads up there, 23, 21. 7 is just ok - more traffic. 123 is the curviest ride it from the start to the end.

[dekaliber]

Originally Posted by jbh

Northwest Arkansas has many many fantastic curvy roads with very good surface quality. It is most likely the best roads between here and there. Hwy 123 is a great road with crazy hairpins and turns all up and down the ozark mountains.

http://www.motorcycleroads.com/route...AR/AR_14.shtml

Many other good roads up there, 23, 21. 7 is just ok - more traffic. 123 is the curviest ride it from the start to the end.

I was looking for paths through the Ozarks. Was probably going to take I-40 East and get off at 21 or 123, and either head up due north to rejoin the highway near Springfield, MO, or continue on the scenic roads 'til Mark Twain Nat'l Forest. Guess I'll see how I'm doing on time.

What sort of places are there to stay overnight in these parts?

And what's the wildlife situation like? I plan to avoid driving on sundown as a basic precaution -- the last thing I want to do in a new car is find a deer through the windshield.

[RichardTS]

Originally Posted by jbh

Northwest Arkansas has many many fantastic curvy roads with very good surface quality. It is most likely the best roads between here and there. Hwy 123 is a great road with crazy hairpins and turns all up and down the ozark mountains.

http://www.motorcycleroads.com/route...AR/AR_14.shtml

Many other good roads up there, 23, 21. 7 is just ok - more traffic. 123 is the curviest ride it from the start to the end.

He is SO right - great road! Unlike a lot of places in this great country where the highway engineers focused on building the straightest road possible, it looks like Arkansas road designers simply built a road thru the mountains without worrying about straightness at all...

[RichardTS]

Originally Posted by dekaliber

I was looking for paths through the Ozarks. Was probably going to take I-40 East and get off at 21 or 123, and either head up due north to rejoin the highway near Springfield, MO, or continue on the scenic roads 'til Mark Twain Nat'l Forest. Guess I'll see how I'm doing on time.

What sort of places are there to stay overnight in these parts?

And what's the wildlife situation like? I plan to avoid driving on sundown as a basic precaution -- the last thing I want to do in a new car is find a deer through the windshield.

I wouldn't drive after dark. Deer hunting is a HUGE pastime here if that tells you anything.

[crfine88]

The suspense is killing me.
I expect a full write-up.

Oh yeah, have a great trip.

[jbh]

Originally Posted by dekaliber

What sort of places are there to stay overnight in these parts?

And what's the wildlife situation like? I plan to avoid driving on sundown as a basic precaution -- the last thing I want to do in a new car is find a deer through the windshield.

There is really nothing in the middle for lodging. Russellville/Clarksville areas have lots of chain options. Eureka Springs/Harrsion also have options. But between that area the towns are very very small and most do not even have gas, so top off early enough. Also be very carefull as these are extremely technical roads with big penalties if you mess up.

The wildlife, as others have mentioned, is around. I would also not drive at night or dusk/dawn on these little roads.

Make sure you budget enough time as these roads have lots of 20-30 mph turns so your average speed is not going to be 60-70 but more like 40-50. Be alert as these roads can be mentally draining if driven fast.

Also all of these roads are great in a performance vehicle, if you are buying a X5 or something like that it may not be a fun, but still senic.

Have fun, I was there in the spring. Hope to do it again later this year or next year. I have done it many time on a motorcycle. If you do stay in Eureka Springs the BMW motorcycle club I rode with was able to get blocks of rooms at the Waggoner Inn for $45 per night. Not total luxery but definetly fine.

[dekaliber]

Woo!

Make it to Fort Smith, AR, about 500/1200 miles so far. Most of that driving was today since we stayed in Austin last night. Trip through the Ozarks tomorrow. Can't wait.

Car is just lovely. Not even a little tired of driving it yet. Look forward to posting pictures when I get back.

[crfine88]

[dekaliber]

Got back late last night and no time to post much today, but a quick teaser:



My new DD.

Will post some more pictures and a video when I get a chance. Unfortunately, looking back, there aren't a whole lot. Too busy driving! And the 100° heat for most of the trip wasn't very conducive to spending much time outside.

[bosstones]

Nice! I miss my ZHP sometimes. Can't wait for more pix!

[jbh]

Did you get to drive the roads in the Ozarks?

[dekaliber]

Originally Posted by jbh

Did you get to drive the roads in the Ozarks?

I did. Took back roads pretty much from Clarksville, AR to within about 50 miles of St. Louis, MO. You weren't exaggerating -- 123 was absolutely amazing. It was hard to keep the grin off my face. I was hoping to get some video footage, but my girlfriend decided to knock herself out with dramamine rather than get sick and whiny (probably the better option for everyone involved). I did get her to take some videos later in Missouri though.