Easter Egg Hunt

I have tomorrow off from work, so figured that Easter Sunday would be a good day to do a longer drive. I was right… in the mornings the roads were almost empty (other cars and bicyclists). This afternoon things got quite busy, but I was also in the heart of California’s traffic areas.

So, first things first… How did the GPS do? Well, THIS is the route that I intended to take. One of the nice things about the Garmin Nuvi 755T is that you can enter ‘Custom Routes’. Another cool thing is you can do it via coordinates, so I don’t have to worry about trying to find specific intersections. Last night before heading-out I entered in all the waypoints to be ready for this morning.

While there were a few things that didn’t go perfectly, having the GPS was wonderful! Not having to deal with a piece of paper full of turns was relaxing. It was even better when I decided to take a detour to the Golden Gate Bridge and then through San Francisco… I would have been totally lost without the GPS. The ‘Lane Assist’ feature of the 7xx series Nuvi is also nice for getting a heads-up before reaching intersections when you need to turn. For the future: 1) Double check the route to make sure they it doesn’t just make an out-and-back to a waypoint. 2) Make sure to have enough waypoints for all the ‘off the path’ roads, as it seems the Garmin likes to stick to the main roads.

Total Distance: 385 miles
Driving Time: 10 hours 59 min

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Given I was looking at nearly 11 hours behind the wheel, I wanted to get on the road early. Unfortunately that required waking-up early (something I hate to do), but it was worth it. I needed to get some money for bridge tolls, so headed off to the bank before hitting the road.

The first part of the drive was not very exciting (I-580E to Vasco Rd.), but the low cloud cover was nice. Once on Vasco Rd. the clouds were just over the tops of the hills and it resulted in some great views of the windmills. It was really cool when the sun peaked through… projecting a rotating shadows on the road/hills. Marsh Creek Rd. was quite nice as well, I didn’t see another car the entire way to Clayton!

The drive towards Napa turned out to be less interesting than I had hoped. The origional route I planned on taking a few more curving roads to get to 38°22’30.48″N 122°12’11.64″W, but the GPS decided to take the ‘direct’ route (resulting in an out-and-back). This resulted in my taking I-780W to I-80E, rather than Suisun Valley Rd. I guess next time I’ll have to make sure to hit that route.

Once in Napa the drive, while not very exciting, was quite enjoyable. The drive on CA-29 past several major wineries (Robert Mondavi, BV, etc.) was very scenic. After a short drive through the Napa Valley I turned to head towards Lake Hennessy and Lake Berryessa. There really was something enjoyable about seeing a road sign that says ‘Narrow Winding Road for the Next 36 Miles’.

Being Easter Sunday I’m sure really helped make this enjoyable. There was almost no one on the road, allowing for some nice ‘spirited’ driving. Part way around Lake Hennessy I stopped to stretch my legs, and took the opportunity to take some photos.

The drive around Lake Berryessa was fun, and I even ran across a deer standing on the side of the road eating breakfast. A little later on the road I found a turkey out for a morning jog (seriously, she was just running down the road). In addition to the wildlife, the scenery was also great… with several very impressive views over the pristine valley.

Once out of the hills the roads became quite mundane, but the scenery was great. Row upon row of vineyards, green fields sprinkled with yellow and purple flowers, and the occasional California Poppy… very scenic. I really should have stopped to take some photos. I had planned on taking a different route (through Calistoga) to the next ‘curvey’ part of the drive, but the GPS thought differently. It was not all bad, as I joined back up with Hwy-101 I passed a Napa Valley sign and took a few photos.

One of the main reasons I decided to go North for a drive, rather than down towards Monterey, was route from Hwy-101 to CA-1… Stewarts Point-Skaggs Springs Rd. (how about that name). I had previously read about this road on LateralG.org (which is a great site for driving road information). They ranked this road with a fun factor of 5 and a difficulty of ‘High’… they were spot on!

This road is really up there on my favorites I’ve ever driven on… I just wish it wasn’t so far way. The first part is very well maintained with wide shoulders, but a 30mph speed limit. The beginning area around the reservoir has a few cars on the road (in my case a truck towing a boat), so nothing too fun… but it gave me a chance to admire the view.

After the reservoir this road really wakes-up. There are some very nice elevation changes and lots of flowing curves. if you are willing to push it a little (they do a great job reminding you the speed limit is 30mph) you can have a really great time. There were even a few times I had the anit-lock brakes kicking in on into the corners. The few cars that I did come across were all great at pulling over to let me by. Just like the LateralG website said, after the bridge the road conditions became a little more sketchy, but it wasn’t ever too bad. The other nice thing about the less maintained part of the road… there is no posted speed limit (the GPS had it as 55mph). There are some uneven parts of pavement, but most of the one-lane sections of the road were marked. The twisties are really, really, fun… did I mention it was fun? Yes, it was a total blast!

Once I reached the coast I realized that I had driven through several of California’s very different and beautiful geographic regions… all I’d need would be snow and a desert and I’d have the complete set. The coast was great today, with no fog and lots of visibility. The traffic was about what I expected, with several slow tourists admiring the views, but nothing too bad (other than the 14 mile stretch into Bodega Bay stuck behind three of the slowest moving cars I’d ever seen). It did give me a chance to look for a place to pull over and take some photos of the G8 on the coast.

CA-1 is very cool when there is no one in your way, the 55mph speed limit is more than enough for most areas to be fun, but be prepared to get stuck behind someone slow. In those situations I suggest that you just take a moment away from driving and enjoy the scenery.

After heading down the coast I was really feeling like heading home, but the weather by the coast was just too perfect to pass-up. I made the drive down to the Golden Gate Bridge. I’ve wanted to go to the Marin Headlands to photograph the Golden Gate for quite a while now. The ability to pull-up a map and hit ‘Go’ on the GPS made this detour painless. There were a ton of tourists (like me I guess) on the roads, but I was able to find a few places to pull over and get some photos.

After shooting the bridge from the Marin Headlands, I wanted to try and find my way to the other side of the bridge to see if I can get a shot that I had seen before. While the light wasn’t right (would have been better in the morning), but it still made for some cool photos.

After photographing around the Golden Gate Bridge I was really feeling like getting home. I took the GPS suggested route, minus a few missed turns, through San Fransisco. Driving by the entrance to China Town was kinda cool. Once on the Bay Bridge the drive was just a quest to get home.

So in the end, I had a total blast. Next time I think I’ll cut the drive short before it hits 11 hours! I think that I have a new favorite road… Stewarts Point-Skaggs Springs Rd… and not just because I can’t say the name five-times-fast. Anyone who has the chance should seriously drive this road!

-Todd…

A day with the NorCal GOATs

Last night I was reading about a GTO dyno day on April 25th (the same day as the Bay Area G8 meet). I checked-out the North Western section on LS1GTO.com and saw the NOR-CAL GTOS were having a meet and cruise leaving from Pleasanton! After getting permission, as I’d hate to crash a party, I signed-up for the drive.

Total Distance: 41.2 miles
Driving Time: 1 hours 37 min

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We started off meeting at the Stoneridge Mall at 10am. There were a crazy number of Cyclone Grey Metalic GTOs, like 5 of them! It seemed like everyone had something done to their car… from the mild to the wild. The G8 was receiving quite a bit of attention (probably because it was the only G8 there). I was able to show-off the progress of the mods, but I really wish everything was buttoned up.

After everyone showed-up, we headed out driving west on Dublin Canyon Rd. to Palomares Rd. I tried driving on Palomares a while ago, but didn’t get too far. I’m really glad we got a chance to drive on it, as it’s a great road. There was a large bicycle ride today, which didn’t help with ‘spirited’ driving… but at least the slower cars on the road pulled over to let the train of GTOs by.

After Palomares Rd we headed over to Calaveras Rd, another road I’ve been wanting to drive on. This is a really windy stretch of road with several one-lane sections. I found that the G8 was again spending too much time in higher gears, so put it manually into 3rd. There was more than enough power to come out of corners and no delay when getting back onto the gas. Like much of the day, there were quite a few bicyclists on the road… making for an interesting drive. So often I just wish that we could get a ‘one way for a day’ type of event.

The cruise ended at Dave & Busters. After some photos people headed in to get food and pay some games. Given the G8 was still in pieces, I felt my time was best spent getting work done. I headed to Livermore and kept going on the mods (all my electrical work is now done).

A special thanks goes out to the NOR-CAL GTOS for allowing me to come along on their cruise. It was great to meet everyone, and I’m sure I will be attending more of these sorts of events in the future.

Laundry Day

I was not planning on taking a drive this weekend, so far as to tell people at work that I was just going to stay home, but I found myself drawn to the G8 GT. I knew I was going to head to my parent’s house for laundry/dinner, so I figured I’d take the long way.

Total Distance: 112 miles
Driving Time: 4 hours 26 min

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I figured that I would stick to the local curvy roads today and not do anything too extreme. As I was starting out I noticed a few nice BMW and Mercs leaving Hooters, but no one was headed my way. At this point it started to sprinkle. I hadn’t even thought to check the weather, but who cares… I’m not a witch!

In general, nothing too crazy. I had to deal with some traffic on Foothill Rd, so decided to just enjoy the drive. I wish I could have had some more fun towards the Sunol end of the road, but there is always next time. I really think in the summer this road would be a great place to think about some car-to-car photos… there are lots of trees that hang over the road.

I was going to Livermore to do laundry, but rather than take Hwy-84 (which is no longer an exciting drive), I headed north to Highland Rd. While driving through Pleasanton wasn’t too thrilling, Highland Rd. is a fun stretch that I am driving more and more.

So I stopped at the Parent’s place and threw in my laundry. While I waited for the wash cycle to finish I took the time to eat some lunch (potatoes with chili). It was a nice little pit-stop.

Once the clothes were in the dryer, I headed out towards the hills East of Livermore. Once I turned onto Cross Rd. I found myself stuck behind a STUDENT DRIVER! Ok, I understand you are a student driver… but the speed limit was 45mph and you were taking corners at less than 30mph! I guess this was as good a place as any to learn to drive… something other than a straight shot with little other traffic… but come on, just pull over and let me go. I’m sure I was making him nervous, but maybe that’s what the instructor wanted… the student driver to deal with ‘distractions’ behind them.

At N. Flynn Rd. I was able to get some free road, and it was very fun. At the 90deg left from South to North Flynn Rd. I decided to try out the Manual Shift mode. I’m constantly surprised when I look at the gear indicator (in sports mode) and see that I’m running in 5th or 6th gear when going 30-50mph… I’d really figure I should be in 3rd or 4th gear. The nice thing about the G8’s power is that acceleration is quick even while in a high gear, but I digress. So I decided to manually downshift into the corner. I figured that the corner would be taken nicely in 2nd gear, and I was right! Coming out of the corner I rolled into the throttle a little too quickly and the rear end started to slide side-to-side under power. It was really fun, and the G8 GT was quite stable/controllable… even when getting squirrely.

After going up the Altamont Pass I headed out into the central valley. The weather was raining on-and-off, but I was having fun and didn’t need to be home for a few hours. I went down to to Corral Hollow and returned to Livermore. There was a VW behind me most of the way, and I’m sure both of us were having some fun. Once to Carnegie Park we got stuck behind some slow moving cars/trucks. There is a really nice (steep) climb and decent, but I’ve not yet been able to get through this area with clear road ahead. Maybe next time…

I still had some time to drive, so decided to head towards Wente Winery. The road was clear, but doesn’t really go anywhere… just an out-and-back. After swinging by Sycamore Grove I headed home to get my laundry and have some dinner. I was really surprised to see how dirty my car was after the drive, but at least it’s raining.

Pi Day (3.14) Drive

With the talk of an April Greater SF Bay Area Meet on G8Board.com, I wanted to get out and try the route that I threw-out. It’s basically the South to North drive up Redwood Rd. from the Playing Hookie drive. I was quite interested to see what the bicyclist traffic would be like on a Saturday, as well as a few of the roads in the area… potentially resulting in a nice loop.

Total Distance: 114 miles
Driving Time: 4 hours 6 min

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Last night I had not decided if I would go for a drive today, so did not set an alarm to wake-up. I figured that I would let myself sleep in a bit, and hit the road closer to the time a cruise would be. I didn’t get out of the house until Noon, so there were quite a few cars on the road… including a Magnetic Grey Metallic G8 Sedan!

I wanted to get onto Redwood Rd quickly, so took I-580W rather than some back-roads. Once on Redwood Rd. I realized that the last time I drove this road I didn’t pay much attention to the speed limit. Much of the road is 25-35mph, but during a ‘spirited’ drive I was doing about 45mph… not too bad. Several areas would be fun at 35mph, but they are a blast just a little faster. I also found that I like downhill stretches of road much more than the uphill ones. When traveling uphill you really have to keep your eyes open for bicyclists (as they are going really slow)… compared to downhills where they are often going faster than you are! Oh yeah, on a Saturday there are easily 10x more bicyclists on the roads… they are also in pairs/groups that make passing a real pain.

Thinking of a car cruise, Pinehurst Rd. is really too tight for a string of cars when you have to think about bicycles. Also, there are several sections where… most noticeably going North (granted just at the end)… you find yourself on the inside of curves having to watch-out for the walls of rocks, bicycles, hikers, and all sorts of other things that may want to be in your way on the road. More than likely, I wouldn’t suggest this stretch of road for a cruise… I’m sure there is another way to loop around missing the really tight stuff.

After Pinehurst Rd, I did the now somewhat familiar route of Skyline Blvd and Grizzly Peak Rd (I still love that name). There was no one at ‘The Wall’ today, but the view was still quite stunning.

After leaving Tilden Park on Wildcar Canyon Rd. I had a wonderful experience with a guy on a motorcycle. I saw him come up behind me, so I pulled over to let him by. Once he made the pass I was quickly chasing after him. The downhill stretch to San Pablo Dam Rd. is nice and curvy and I was having a blast keeping up! I think this is the hardest I’ve pushed the G8 GT (I couldn’t tell you what speed I was going… my eyes were on the road) but the rear end started to get a little ‘light’ in a few corners (about half-way through I contemplated what the road would be like with a Pedders Track II Package).

Bear Creek Rd. is a wonderful piece of road… 50mhp speed limit and wide shoulders for the bicyclists. Make sure to watch your speed on the downhills, but on the way up the hill you will need some throttle to keep up to speed. While not too curvy, this piece of road is worth the drive… just nice and relaxing. It also connects to Alhambra Valley Rd, which loops around (West) to San Pablo Dam Rd., but can also go (East) heading towards Marsh Creek Rd. The loop around Briones and San Pablo Reservoirs is well worth it… all nice driving roads.

Unfortunately, once you get past Wildcat Canyon Rd… San Pablo Dam Rd. turns into something boring. Maybe it’s because I was stuck behind a street sweeper, but in general it’s just too populated. I wanted to drive Acalanes Rd. because of a nice uphill hairpin, and while it was fun, it was not worth the trips on Hwy24.

Now, for a great little downhill stretch that I will work into many drives in this location… Claremont Ave. Watch out for bicyclists, and I don’t think I’d drive UP this road, but it’s a fun little downhill.

I wanted to drive down Skyline Blvd a bit more to see how it is past the Pinehurst Rd. turn-off. The trip from Claremont to Skyline was less than interesting, but brought me back to the summers spent at the LBNL Advanced Light Source. Snake Rd/Shepherd Canyon Rd. has a cool little hairpin turn at the top, but probably not worth connecting into a loop.

Skyline Blvd. is a nice curvy road and goes quite a ways past where I wanted to turn-off… Yes, I missed the turn because I was watching the BMW M3 in my rear view mirror. There is a relaxing stretch of divided 4-lane road where you can easily drive from lane-to-lane apexing curves… but it doesn’t go anywhere interesting (other than a golf course if you need to use the restroom). After I realized I missed the turn I wanted (I can’t wait for my GPS!) I headed back up Skyline to Redwood Rd.

The connection road from Skyline to Redwood, a stretch I missed in the past because of driving on Pinehurst, is very nice. Just another reason why Redwood Rd. is my new favorite in the East Bay for driving. The name fits it well… driving through the redwood trees is a nice change (especially in the summer).

A caution for driving on Redwood Rd., there was a motorcycle cop at the entrance of Anthony Chabot Regional Park. The speed limit was 25mph and I was going about 35mph… and had no problems… but never know what is going land you a speeding ticket.

The rest of the drive was rather mundane, other than seeing a Hot White G8 GT (that needed to be washed) pulling in to get gas at a Chevron station in Castro Valley. I would have pulled in to fill-up (even though I still had a half-tank), but I wasn’t in the right lane.

I will make a few changes to this route to avoid many of the ‘poor’ areas and see if I can put together a nice loop for a cruise.

Playing Hookie

I woke-up this morning and there was no rain falling… I’m ditching-out on work to take a drive!

Total Distance: 149 miles
Driving Time: 5 hours 38 min

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I have been looking forward to driving on several of these roads. I decided that a Friday drive would probably work out better than one on the weekend, due to minimal cyclists. Things worked-out well as I only had to pass a handful of cyclists and there was plenty of room to do it.

That reminds me, the roads that were in great condition. I tried to pick roads that were all two-lanes, and I did a great job at it. Some of the roads even had hard shoulders! Also, despite all the recent rain there was very little ‘slide’ debris on the roads. Other than a few places with a little gravel or dirt, the roads were well paved (all of the roads in Contra Costa Country were perfect)… if only all the curvy roads around the East Bay were like this.

I started-out with a somewhat ‘normal’ trip towards Livermore. This time rather than just driving on I-580E I’d take Highland Rd., which was a great choice. The road was all two-lanes with some gentle curves and nice green rolling hills. Unfortunately, when I pulled onto Vasco I was stuck in the slow traffic (stupid semi-truck).

Fortunately, once I turned onto Camino Diablo, I was able to get some clear road ahead of me. Marsh Creek Rd. was very nice as well, until I got stuck behind another slow moving vehicle. This time I pulled-off the road to give myself some more room… and proceeded to hit a nice big pothole. I love the tire pressure monitoring system on the G8 as it reassured me that I didn’t blow a tire. Once I had some more room I started out again… and it was much more enjoyable not looking at the back of a Saturn that was going 25mph! Oh, but watch out for the Clayton Police officer who was sitting at the side of the road at the entrance to town.

At this point I made a loop around Concord to drive on Kirker Pass Rd, which was a total waste. While Bailey Rd was fun with some nice elevation changes, all the time spent driving in towns just killed the short bit of fun. Ygnacio Valley Rd didn’t help either, as getting stuck in lunchtime traffic in Walnut Creek sucked big time! I need to find a better connecting route from Marsh Creek Rd. that doesn’t include a bunch of city driving.

The driving didn’t become enjoyable until after I was on Reliez Valley Rd/Alhambra Valley Rd. More of the two-lane curves through green hills. I did get stuck behind another slow vehicle, but it was close to turning onto Bear Creek Rd., so not a big deal (even though I did pull-off to wait for a few minutes, just to turn off two corners later).

The next few roads were very nice to drive on. I didn’t see another car for quite some time and the handful of cyclists were not a problem. More of the ‘standard’ curves, but the closer to Berkeley I go the greater the elevation changes were. Wild Canyon Rd. had more cyclists and tourists, and I’m sure it would be packed on a weekend, but it was enjoyable. The road runs around the top of the ridge and there are some nice trees covering the road (something different than the grassy hills).

Once out of Tilden Regional Park, I turned onto Grizzly Peak Rd. (how cool is that name!) and headed south. The first bit was residential, but it turned into a nice curvy road. While I was trying to concentrate on driving, the view to the west was spectacular! I stopped at ‘The Wall‘ to take a few photos.

Back on the road I found myself on one of the greatest stretches of road imaginable… Grizzly Peak Rd to Skyline Blvd to (my new favorite) Pinehurst Rd. to Redwood Rd. These roads curve around the Berkeley hills through peaks… all the way down to valleys with redwood trees. There were extreme elevation changes as well as several hairpin turns (and I’m talking 180deg with elevation changes as well). Unfortunately, I think these roads will be crawling with cyclists when the weather warms up a little (and it’s not a Friday afternoon). While the roads are two-lane and nicely paved, there are the times when making a pass becomes difficult (due to a blind corner… or a bike on a wicked downhill doing 45mph in a 25mph zone). I still think I’d give these roads a shot this summer, they were just too good to not drive on!

The really nice thing about this route is it dumped me out in Castro Valley (just over the hill from home). I think starting here and driving North would be just as fun. At this point I made another loop to drive on a pair of roads that was a total waste of time. I went up Crow Canyon Rd (nothing but traffic) and came back on Norris Canyon Rd (much better, but only on it’s own). I took E. Castro Valley Blvd. to Dublin Canyon Rd. rather than heading home on I-580E to get back home, which was OK (not a freeway that’s all).

Overall the drive was fun. The G8 GT did an awesome job on the curves (as always) and behaved very nicely being thrown around tight corners… especially for a >4000lbs 4-Door ‘sedan’. There were a few things that I would definitely change the next time I head out that direction (like the city driving).

After a little fine tuning, I think this will become a regular drive for me.

Saturday Drive: Mines Rd. to Patterson

There has been no rain for the past few days, but I was unfortunately stuck at work (how come ‘I want to go for a drive’ is not an excuse for a day-off?). Forecasters put the rain returning at 30% by 2pm and 100% my early evening. I wanted to get the G8 GT out into some dry curves before it got wet again.

Last night I sat down with Google Maps and planned out several routes around my area. The routes that I planned-out both were designed to avoid freeways and maximize two-lane roads.

Total Distance: 179 miles
Driving Time: 6 hours 23 min

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I woke-up early (for me) this morning, had a quick breakfast, and hit the road by 8:30am. I wanted to be well into my trip before the rains started. I stopped at the corner gas station and topped-off the tires to 35psi (OnStar had reminded me that the left side tires were at 33psi the other day). After making sure everything was ship-shape (whatever that means) I was off!

A few weeks back I did the drive from Dublin to Sunol on Foothill Blvd. (something I will do again now that I have the G8 GT), so this time I wanted something a little different. I was happy to find Pleasanton-Sunol Rd. which parallels I-680S. It’s a nice wide two-lane road that runs along a set of railroad tracks. There were a few bikers out, but with a nice shoulder on the road it wasn’t a problem. When I reached Sunol I headed toward Hwy-84 E, which has been turned into an expressway compared to the windy road it was just a year ago. Pulling on to Hwy-84 I found myself stuck behind a slow motorist… I’m talking barely 40mph in a 50mph zone (which should be at 55mph)… I sat back and waited. When the road straightened-out a little the double-yellow broke into a passing opportunity. I put the foot the floor and pulled-out for the pass, the ‘alter-ego’ of the G8 GT woke-up and off I went! I’m sure I could have made the pass in my Grand Prix, but it wouldn’t have been done with nearly as much style. At this point I figured that I’d head out towards Mines Rd.

I have been wanting to drive out Mines Rd. all week. I have driven a few miles that direction several times before, but I recently learned of a route that continues all the way to Pattterson (or San Jose via Mt. Hamilton). This was one of the routes that I had mapped-out last night.

My biggest concern with this route was the long sections of one-lane roads, but it turned-out to not be a problem. The first part of Mines Rd. is a nice two-lane stretch that runs on the wall of a canyon. There are a nice mix of sweeping and wide turns, and the traffic (both on-coming and bicycle) was very light today. I found myself behind a pick-up at one point, but he quickly pulled over and let me pass. After about 10 miles the road turns into one lane with several blind corners (the area I was concerned about).

The one-lane section was a lot of fun to drive, but you really do have to be careful in making the blind corners. There is often room to move over and have two cars on the road, but it could get ugly if both cars were trying to be in the same place at the same time. After a little while the road moves from being on the wall of the canyon to the bottom, including two ‘river’ crossings. This time of the year there was lots of green and even some flowers. About 28 miles up Mines Rd. you reach ‘The Junction’ to Hwy-130… Right takes you to San Jose and Left takes you on Del Puerto Canyon Rd. towards Patterson.

I really enjoyed the drive up Mines Rd. and kept thinking to myself, “if this was only a one-way road”. I think there should be a rally type event here…. call it “One-Way for a Day” and have cars set-off 10 minutes apart. The speed limit on the road is 45mph, more than fast enough through most parts, so people wouldn’t even be speeding while driving ‘spirited’. Knowing that you could take a corner at a safe speed (for the corner) and not worry about finding yourself face-to-face with another vehicle, would make the drive very enjoyable (not that it wasn’t anyhow… just more so).

The G8 GT really handled the corners well. I have the 19″ wheels and summer-only performance tires that came with the Sport package… but I was still impressed for a 4-Door car weighing over 4300lbs. Despite some dirt/gravel on the road I never had any slippy moments. Coming from the front wheel drive Grand Prix, the lack of overstear (especially under heavy acceleration) was a joy! I had the G8 in ‘Sport Mode’ the whole time, and while there were a few places that I wish it had not down/up shifted, it did a great job overall. I was also really impressed with the seats as, despite hard left/right turns, I never found myself moving around.

A quick note: I had been planning on stopping at ‘The Juntion‘ for a quick break, but was ‘in-the-groove’ of driving so kept going. But it is nice to know that you can be out in the middle of no where and still grab something to eat/drink mid-drive.

Del Puerto Canyon Rd. starts out as a very nice two-lane road and continues 24 miles to Patterson. The start of the road is generally well maintained, but there were a few pine cones or other debris in the road to watch for. About 8 miles in there is a off-road park, so you may need to watch out for trucks hauling dirt bikes. Going East I didn’t have anyone in my way (they all appeared to be coming from Patterson to get to the park), but you never know what you’ll find. While I’m talking about people on the roads, I came across quite a few bicyclists once I got on Del Puerto Canyon Rd. Everyone was friendly, but something to be thinking about.

I stopped a few places along the road and took some photographs of the G8 GT in an environment other than a parking garage. I’m sure I got a few strange looks from the passing motorists as I went climbing-up a hill to get a different angle. After I finished with the photos I set back out on the drive.

Somewhere in the middle of Del Puerto Canyon Rd. things got a little narrow and the road was quite dirty (orange-ish colored dirt on the roads from the rains). Again, nothing the G8 couldn’t handle, but I did take it a little slower just in case. One of the really nice things about the end of this road is the canyon opens up and you get into more open grassy hills (compared to the dirty/rocky ones higher-up). It makes for a lovely spring drive. I’m sure in the summer this route would have less dirt/water on the roads, but the brown wouldn’t be as scenic.

I stopped in Patterson to get some lunch then headed back up I-5 towards Tracy. The second route I had planned called for me to go out Corall Hollow Rd., but I decided that Mines Rd. would be more fun. Well, Corall Hollow Rd. is only a few miles up I-5 from Patterson… and goes directly back to Livermore. PERFECT… Two great curvy roads in one day!

While Corall Hollow Rd. had some great curves, it also has more traffic. There is another off-road park here and there were many trucks heading that way. The speed limit is also a bit low for ‘spirited’ driving. I took this opportunity to relax a little and just drive along. Oh yeah, this is a good time to point out that the XM Radio didn’t loose connection on this entire drive! There were a few places where it spotted in/out for a second, but I was surprised it didn’t go out completely for long periods of time.

At this point I was really happy to see that the rain had not arrived. I decided to take a spin around the hills to the east of Livermore. These are all two-lane and have some nice curves/elevation changes. Not many cars, but quite a few bicycles. I did the reverse direction of the road my Father test drove my car on and it was fun. Once I hit Altamont Pass Rd. I figured I’d take it out towards Byron and check-out the windmills. This is a very driver friendly road with unique views here and there. Not really long enough, but something nice other than I-580E.

I turned off of Altamont Pass Rd. (which turned into Grant Line Rd.) on to Mountain House Rd. This is a straight shot towards Byron and what use to be a really cool photo location. At the end of Mountain House Rd. there is a set of train tracks that has had old train cargo containers just sitting there (it’s even in the Google Street View). When I arrived there I was shocked to see that the train cars had all been removed! Ug, so much for those photos.

After the disappointment of not seeing the train cars I decided that I would head towards home. Rather than just taking Altamont Pass Rd. back, as I had planned the night before, I decided to head North a little farther to Vasco Rd. Vasco Rd., like Hwy-84, is one of those roads that use to have great curves but was changed to an expressway for safety. It does make for a relaxing drive, if you are after that sort of thing, but is quite bland compared to what it use to be. Wow… I sound like an old fart talking about the ‘good ole days’.

The sky had started getting darker, so I figured the rain would be arriving soon. I still felt like driving so when I reached the roads towards the North side of Livermore I decided to take the ‘long way’ back home (rather than just jumping on I-508W). I looked these roads up the other day at work (dreaming of driving the G8 at lunch has become a common thing). On my way home I came across a Turkey Vulture in the middle of the road feeding on a fresh squirrel. I so wish I had my long lens with me, the shots would have been great… then again, as I was driving around the curves all day it would have been getting thrown around my trunk, so probably it for the best that I didn’t have it with me.

I stopped by my parent’s house to share the tales of my trip (and pick-up some literature my Father printed out about the Active Fuel Management system on the G8 GT). When I reached their house I took a moment to review my fuel economy for the day, and I was shocked… 21.2mpg! I was seriously impressed that a full day of driving up and down hills with the car in sport mode and I was still able to manage over 20mpg! Way to go G8 GT!

After a long, 6 and 1/2 hour drive (heck, I could have made it to LA!), I felt really good. I’m very impressed with the overall feel of the G8 GT. Even after many hours of being thrown around curves neither I, or the car, were tired! I can’t wait until the next weekend without rain. Nor can I wait until the summer when some of the coastal roads are less hazardous.

Friendly Drive

There were a few drizzles this morning, but I wanted to show my new car to a friend. I drove by her house and picked her up for a ‘quick’ spin. I had planned on a nice loop along Palomares Rd. from Fremont up towards Dublin. I checked things out the night before on Google Maps and it looked to be some nice curves and mostly two lanes.

Total Distance: 53.3 miles
Driving Time: 1 hours 17 min

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I drove down to Fremont on the freeway and stopped at my friend’s house. I had to do the customary ‘show off the car’ for the family. Everyone was very impressed. We headed out towards Niles Canyon Rd. I was trying to be really reserved with the throttle, as I wanted to show the conservative/refined side of the G8 GT. Once we hit Niles Canyon I gave it a little more, but the speed limit is a little low for how smooth/flowing the road really is. The road runs at the bottom of a nice canyon paralleling a river and some railroad tracks. It is a really nice and relaxing drive for being right in the middle of the SF Bay Area. Unfortunately I missed my turn-off for Palomares so just kept going all the way to Sunol before turning around. This time I kept an eye out for the turn (just past a large railroad bridge) and snapped the car around the tight (>90deg) right-hander… and to my surprise there was a minivan driving towards me in my lane! To give him (or her) credit, there was a fallen tree limb in the road, but it did require me to slow. In hindsight that probably was a good thing… the winter rains (despite not being nearly enough) left the road scattered with rocks. After a few more turns one lane was closed briefly due to a landslide… and not far after that another rockslide spilled across my lane. We decided to turn around, as I didn’t want to find myself running into anything too damaging. I dropped my friend off and headed home. Getting on I-680N from Mission Blvd. gave me an opportunity to give the G8 GT some more throttle and it responded perfectly. I happened to be on the phone at the time (hands free of course) with my friend and she was like, “I heard that”.

The few turns of Palomares I was able to drive were nice and the loop I was looking to drive seems perfect for a quick outing… This is a road I’m surely going to try again in the summer!

The Drive Home

I picked-up my new G8 GT this morning from Hilltop Pontiac! After taking care of the final paperwork, it was time to say goodbye to the Grand Prix and hello to the G8 GT. It was raining all morning so I got a little wet transferring things between cars, but I’m not a witch (or warlock?). The sales person who helped me yesterday walked me through the controls in the driver’s compartment and went over a few more items on the rest of the car. It was a nice touch, as I didn’t think ahead and bring home the owner’s manual last night to read. After activating OnStar I headed off for home. I had decided the night before to take a more scenic route home than just I-580E.

Total Distance: 97.2 miles
Driving Time: 2 hours 47 min

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I started out going north to get to Hwy-4… basically the same route I took on the test drive (minus the loop around the mall). Hwy-4 was a nice change from the 5-lane freeways I normally drive on. Being ‘winter’ in California the hills are nice and green, so the scenery was very pleasant. There was a consistent sprinkle of rain, which gave me the chance to learn the windshield wiper controls. Once I got to I-680S it was back to the multi-lane concrete jungle that is California.

When I reached Sycamore Valley Rd. I took the exit and drove around some rural roads on a back way to Dublin. The roads were all two lanes with sweeping curves, but not much of a challenge. I was fortunate to not get stuck behind and slow traffic, so that helped keep it enjoyable. When I popped-out in Dublin I figured rather than going home I’d show my parents the new car. I used this excuse to drive to Livermore and try out some of the back roads off North Livermore Ave.

I am quite familiar with these roads, as I often go out that way for quick photo shoots and to release squires. The rain had stopped for a little so I figured I could grab a few quick photos… with my camera phone (oh the disgrace). None of the phones turned out to be anything that I’d ever want to show to anyone, but what can I expect from a camera phone.

After the photos I wanted to see how the G8 GT handles starts and stops. I did a few stops and really liked the brake feel and how stable things felt. I also put some throttle into it… WOW! The best way I can describe this car is a split personality… really, two cars in one. There is a nice and reserved 4-Door sedan for moving people and cruising around town… and then there is the car that reviles its self when you give it more than half-throttle. This 6.0-liter V8 can really put your butt in the seat!

I made it to my Parent’s house and showed-off the car. My Father saw a G8 GT in Magnetic Grey Metallic and one with the 19” sport rims, but not my exact combination. My Mother had never seen a G8 and was really impressed with the whole package. I took her for a little trip around the corner… the only thing she didn’t like was the very small area the windshield wipers miss (directly in her view). I then went out for a longer drive with my Father. After driving up to the top of the Altamont Pass, I pulled-over and let my Father take the G8 GT back home.

We drove back on S. Flynn Rd., a route that my Father has ridden his bicycle on several times. The road was a little damp, but nothing too bad. The G8 handled the tight curves perfectly and when my Father put in some extra throttle turning onto Patterson Pass Rd. the traction control came in nicely. He was generally very impressed.

After some delicious French Onion Soup for lunch I headed home. The G8 GT took the first trip into my parking space. I like the turning radius when it comes to maneuvering around the tight spaces of the garage. One of the mods that I’m really looking forward (or backwards?) to is the Video in Motion (VIM) upgrade and a back-up camera.

The G8 GT is home… I can’t wait until the rain goes away and I can get it (her?) out onto some curvy roads!

Valentine’s Day: Falling in Love

Valentine’s Day was very memorable this year. It was the first time I drove a G8 GT (after sitting in a few over the past two weekends). I knew that Hilltop Pontiac had the exact car that I wanted (2009 G8 GT, Magnetic Grey Metallic, Premium & Sport Packages with all-Onyx interior, and no sunroof). I’d actually been avoiding this dealer because of this… I didn’t want to find myself persuaded into a deal solely by the color/options I know I want. I sent an email to the internet sales people requesting a quote and was really impressed by the numbers… basically $2k more than the used 2009 G8 GT that I sat in two weeks ago.

The previous times I had sat in the G8 I never noticed how large the A-pillars are, but when it came to driving it they really stood out. Also, the smaller side mirrors (that I had read about and looked at last week) took some getting use to. It didn’t help visibility that there were a few stickers on the windshield (right next to the already large A-pillars) as well as the window sticker on the back window creating a large blind-spot on the driver’s side.

Once I got the G8 GT off the lot I was really being careful to not push too hard on the throttle. Coming from a 3.8L V6 that I need to give some throttle to, the gas peddle of the G8 was something I wanted to be gentile with. Even trying to be easy on the throttle, the first time accelerating through second caught me by surprise… I didn’t go peeling-out or anything, but it definitely put my butt in the seat and my head back.

Total Distance: 13.7 miles
Driving Time: 29 min

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The test drive started-out by making a loop around Hilltop mall. When I first pulled onto the ring and accelerated to a comfortable speed I was shocked to see that I was going 40mph in a 25mph zone. I was really impressed just how smooth the G8 was on the road. One thing that did stand out to me was the 6-speed automatic transmission. I’m familiar with Grand Prix’s 4-speed automatic, so the low gear in the 6-speed caught me off-guard. There is just an extra shift point much sooner than I am use to. In combination with trying to be gentile on the throttle this quick shift (typically before I even got through an intersection) I’m sure the sales person was having a jerky ride. I got a bit smoother over the course of the test drive and knew that it was me and not the car.

After finishing the loop around the mall I headed out to the freeway. Due to some construction we had to take a short detour that resulted in us having to make a U-turn. I was impressed with the tight turning radius of the 4-Door sedan. Pulling onto the freeway there was a minivan in my way for merging (right in that blind spot caused by the window sticker), but just a little blip of the throttle and it was no longer a problem. I loved the feeling of having power on-tap for when it is needed.

Unfortunately there were quite a few cars on the road, so I couldn’t get up to 80mph like I wanted to. The traffic also made lane changes or any other activities less than easy. I did like how smooth the car tracked and how quiet the road noise was. Pulling off the freeway and turning-back to the dealership I found myself behind an old pick-up truck spewing black smoke. The sales person turned on the recirculation feature of the heating/cooling system, which is very cool. So, I found myself behind a slow car (again) and gave the throttle a little blip (again)… bye bye slow truck… it didn’t even need to down-shift. I never even went past half-throttle and this car has serious get-up-and-go!

I wanted to take the car over some rougher roads, so we headed back through the detour area by the freeway (this time with me paying attention). I could hear when we hit bumps, but I couldn’t feel anything harsh in the wheel or peddles… it was nice. I had wanted to get a feel for the car during quick starts/stops, but there were too many people around to do anything too aggressive. I did put a little more into the last acceleration from a stop sign, but again barely half-throttle and I was already impressed.

After the test drive there was nothing standing-out in my mind that would be a deal breaker. The car felt good, was the right color and had all the desired options. One thing that was not in the car was a sunroof… before negotiations I wanted to sit in a car with a sunroof. As expected, it was not something that I was interested in.

After talking with the sales people about the specifics of the deal, it just seemed right. After going through the paperwork I was the proud owner of a 2009 G8 GT! I had planned on waiting a day or two to buy the G8 GT so had not cleaned-out the Grand Prix totally. The dealer wanted me to drive the G8 GT home, as did I, but since I needed to return the next day with the title for the Grand Prix anyhow, I figured that I’d take one last ‘Goodbye’ drive.

I return tomorrow to trade-in the Grand Prix and drive home in my new G8 GT!