My first road trip

[Bill in Bama]

I've been wanting to take a road trip in my GTS 4.0 ever since I got it but for various reasons never have. Next week we're driving to NC via the Cherohala Skyway to Robbinsville and maybe drive the Tail, but I've done that several times and it's lost much of it's appeal for me. Then more back roads down to Murphy for the night and more back roads in Georgia on the return trip. I don't have a set route planned, just several options as circumstances and our whims dictate. I'm hoping for good weather and slim crowds since most schools have started and it's mid-week. It will also be the first time on the road since my factory nav was enabled, so I'll switch between it and Google maps and Waze. I'll also have the Georgia and North Carolina Gazeteers along as they give a great picture of the "blue roads" that most Atlases don't show. Small cooler in the frunk for hydration and minimal baggage in the back, just lots of driving time.

[audi4t]

Enjoy

[718socal]

Have fun Bill. Post some pics too

[Ecleland]

Just got back from the Smoky Mountains in my E46. Can’t wait to take the Cayman GTS

[Southbama]

What color is your E46? I owned a 2002 in Laguna Seca Blue, couldnt go anywhere without people asking who painted it. I told them the Germans painted it before it left the factory

[Ecleland]

What color is your E46? I owned a 2002 in Laguna Seca Blue, couldnt go anywhere without people asking who painted it. I told them the Germans painted it before it left the factory

It’s a 2003 Topaz blue. It was a fun pandemic project car for 18 months.

[Bill in Bama]

Ha! My last non-Porsche was a 2002 Topaz blue M3. Great car, but not in the same league with the Cayman.

[Bill in Bama]

OK, trip report. 1 1/2 days of driving in GA, TN. and NC, covered 700 miles and car got 29-30 mpg on most legs, mostly due to lower speeds. We weren't in a hurry and most of the roads traveled didn't allow much speed anyway. We left our home in NE Alabama Thrusday morning around 8 a.m. and headed to Georgia, then up into Tennessee. I totally avoided interstate travel and while we did drive some divided highways most were rural and uncrowded. Got on the Cherohala Skyway at Tellico Plains, TN after eating lunch at a bakery where every customer was over 60, I must have missed the sign. Several motorcycles and a red C8 Vette parked outside. The Cherohala Skyway was long in the making and travels on ridge and mountain tops into NC, ending at Robbinsville, NC where the Tail of the Dragon begins. I've driven the Tail several times and didn't care to do it again this time. We found several roads that rival it for curves and driving fun anyway. We ended Thrusday in Murphy, NC and left the next morning for Dahlonega but took anything but a direct route. We stopped off in Blairsville to visit some friends who summer there in their RV, then drove on to the Forrest Hills Resort for the night. Its about 15 miles W of Dahlonega in the middle of nowhere but was very nice (think rustic chic) with a breakfast buffet to die for. Then this morning we drove home in some rain and lots of fog. Pictures to follow. These are the road sections that I especially liked and recommend:

Cherohala Skyway (Tn 165/NC 143)
TN 30 between US 64/74 and Reliance. Nice curves, road is a bit narrow.
US 18/129 over Blood Mountain in GA. I drove this twice each way and it was a blast, rivals the Tail easily with lots more elevation gain/loss.
GA 18 between US 19 and Suches, GA.
GA 136 between AMicola and Talking Rock, GA

There are tons more nice,uncrowded, curvy roads in N. GA and W. NC and I hope I get to explore more of them.
Pics in order are:
Getting packed to go.
Along the Ocoee River
Reliance, TN
Tellico Plains
Cherohala Skyway
Cherohala at Santeetlah overlook
Nantahala River
Courthouse at Hayesville, NC

718 getting ready.jpg (126.74 KiB) Viewed 696 times

718 at Ocoee.jpg (403.78 KiB) Viewed 696 times

718 at Reliance.jpg (392.33 KiB) Viewed 696 times

718 at Tellico.jpg (373.9 KiB) Viewed 696 times

718 at Cherohala.jpg (335.4 KiB) Viewed 696 times

718 at Santeetlah.jpg (366.11 KiB) Viewed 696 times

718 at Nantahala.jpg (453.12 KiB) Viewed 696 times

[P_Coastal]

Awesome, go team AGM

[Bill in Bama]

It was really a win-win, I had a blast driving the wonderful roads and my wife enjoyed the scenery and neat little towns. She only complained a few times about my spirited driving!