(a road trip for you and your sports car)
The January edition of Car and Driver in 1983 hit the news stands in late November of 1982. This was C&D’s first “Ten Best” edition. In it, Larry Griffin wrote about the ten best roads in America.
Arkansas 7 made this list and was within a day’s drive. Several local Porsche owners were recruited as well as Larry, himself. Larry has since made six more trips.
Through the years, the format has changed and been fine tuned to the point where the trip has a 150-page book full of tips and details for the trip that should satisfy even the most discerning clients.
All the selected routes are most likely to avoid the long arm of the law while providing the most smiles per gallon. Stealth driving has become an art. If you’ve never gone on a road trip or even if you have, this is a unique experience.
Recommendations are proposed by the participants constantly, but a camel is a race horse designed by a committee. The basic formula for the trip is tweaked every year to hopefully create a better product. Early participants would hardly recognize the present trip as the one they took in the 80’s.
It takes an iron will to rein in the exuberance of some of the drivers. Safety is a no-nonsense subject that must be preached constantly. Banishment, jail, and lawsuits need to be brought up early and often. Compromise on any issue is an invitation for problems. Therefore, the 21 prescribed safety rules must be observed and obeyed.
Whether it’s common sense or divine intervention, these propositions evolved from many years of, shall we say, screw ups. Safety is paramount.
For the gourmets, eating is not a neglected subject on these tours. Every evening is a different dining experience, but all the dinners include some form of meat, fish, or fowl. Lunches are off the menu at a quaint Café in beautiful downtown Mayberry. All the food and accommodations are what a discerning driver would expect.
Big Cedar Lodge is the experience that may be like nothing else in the country. The resort has been referred to as “America’s Premier Wilderness Resort”. It is. Their slogan is, “The only thing we overlook is the lake.” The setting alongside Table Rock Lake is gorgeous. The buildings and grounds are immaculate. The food is gourmet. Almost everyone who has visited the resort with our touring group has returned on their own.
If one were to envision the perfect environment for a “get away”, this is it. We can’t get enough of this place. Satisfaction has been defined as performance minus expectation. No matter how much we build up this place, it will not fail to satisfy.
Four of the roads we drive have made Car and Driver’s Top Ten at one time or another. If you enjoyed rollercoasters as a kid, then you will love the way these roads are laid out. Of course, we have some interesting stops along the way. Bring your camera. The amount of fun being thrown at you puts your senses on over-load.
There is no adequate way to describe this experience. It certainly showcases the engineering that has gone into your sports car. One thing is for sure: if you weren’t totally in love with your car before the trip, you will be after the trip.