[KevinGS]

Made it to Mt Rainier today. One side of the mountains was partly sunny (with bad roads, lumpy and uneven for miles), the other side was filled with low-lying, daytime clouds, in a fog at times...but the road conditions were damn-near perfect. Again, the southwest side of the mountain with the low-lying clouds was a great drive with lots of hairpins and smooth pavement...had a blast exiting the mountain, chasing a 997 GT3 and 981 Boxster GTS (and barely keeping up). I could reel them in on the straights, but they separated in the tighter turns. Agility and litheness matter when the roads get quite twisty. But loads of fun nevertheless.

[BryanCO]

Great trip! Thanks for sharing!

[Needsdecaf]

That 997 GT3 taking advantage of smooth pavement. 997's do not handle bumpy pavement well when loaded up....ask me how I know!

[KevinGS]

The below maps are the totality of my cross country trip, though I'm stuck in St. Louis right now, waiting for tires. Front inners are bald. Dealer says my Michelins should be here tomorrow. No worries here, as I get to spend extra days with goddaughters. I stopped into get an oil change as the car said it was time, and they caught my inner fronts looking quite bad. I was thankful for that.

I should be home by Saturday, September 14th. And I left August 1st.

What a trip...so much more respect for the beauty of America. I left Seattle and went to Salt Lake City, by way of Oregon and Idaho, which were both quite nice. The last 80 miles into Salt Lake City was great scenery, towns and suburbia running alongside the base of a mountain.

And though I wasn't able to spend much time in Colorado, the western side of Denver blew me away, spending time driving in 13,000-foot mountains on some amazing roads. The vistas were surreal, so high in the sky. I'll post a few pix.

Eastern Colorado heading into Kansas was the polar opposite. No mountain, just flat farmland. Hec, I thought Kansas was even more interesting than the eastern part of Colorado.

Top map was the trip west, bottom map is the trip back home...generally speaking. I took lots of detours and back roads heading west, often avoiding highways

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by KevinGS

The below maps are the totality of my cross country trip, though I'm stuck in St. Louis right now, waiting for tires. Front inners are bald. Dealer says my Michelins should be here tomorrow. No worries here, as I get to spend extra days with goddaughters. I stopped into get an oil change as the car said it was time, and they caught my inner fronts looking quite bad. I was

I'm really surprised at that. Sounds like you had an alignment issue from the factory? Is your suspension modified?

I had this issue with my 2017 GTi. Blew down to the cords on the front tires inside in under 11k miles. Car was clearly mis-aligned from the factory. Dealer told me it wasn't warrantable and tried to somehow blame me for it, yet both front tires were exactly the same. I did get them to align the car for free and it was HORRIBLY out of alignment.

Suggest you have yours checked while you're there. Unless you're running aggressive camber plates, no reason why your front insides would wear down like that.

[azlightning213]

I recently traveled across the country as well. SF Bay Area to Miami (in bucket seats too!). Unfortunately, my trip stopped short, where my car was broken into in Houston, TX. That was probably one of the most frustrating days of my life... anyways stay safe and enjoy the trip!

[KevinGS]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

I'm really surprised at that. Sounds like you had an alignment issue from the factory? Is your suspension modified?

I had this issue with my 2017 GTi. Blew down to the cords on the front tires inside in under 11k miles. Car was clearly mis-aligned from the factory. Dealer told me it wasn't warrantable and tried to somehow blame me for it, yet both front tires were exactly the same. I did get them to align the car for free and it was HORRIBLY out of alignment.

Suggest you have yours checked while you're there. Unless you're running aggressive camber plates, no reason why your front insides would wear down like that.

Just got the car back. Yes, they said it was clearly out of alignment. My car has like 90,000 miles on it, so I couldn't claim it was from the factory. I just need to keep a better alignment. Oftentimes when I get new tires in MD, I go to my trusted tire/rim shop because of their superior balancing skills and equipment...but they don't do alignments. So I don't get regular alignments.

Nevertheless, heading home tomorrow, should arrive back in MD in the next few days, and I left August 1st. What a journey, what a country.

Originally Posted by azlightning213

I recently traveled across the country as well. SF Bay Area to Miami (in bucket seats too!). Unfortunately, my trip stopped short, where my car was broken into in Houston, TX. That was probably one of the most frustrating days of my life... anyways stay safe and enjoy the trip!

Oh man, this is so sad to hear. I left my car overnight in all kinds of rinky-dink towns along the way, in various neighborhoods, as I stayed in a lot of Airbnb's. I try to be as judicious as possible where I park, but you still never know what will happen overnight.

But I always use this "secondary" alarm system, which I have in both of my M cars (the other is a convertible, and even though it's a hardtop, it's still susceptible to break-ins). I put the below on my dash every night when I'm away, no matter where I park, (and sometimes even during the day when I'm simply in questionable neighborhoods), and my cars have never been tampered with. I've been using this sign in all my cars for over 15 years now...and I've parked in some questionable areas, in NYC, in Miami, in Baltimore and DC, you name it. And in my previous cars, I had no such camera watching them...but they don't know that. In my G82, I actually have a front/rear Blackvue camera system.

So, if you want a scare tactic, maybe make a similar sign and use it whenever your gut tells you to.

Good luck moving forward.

[KevinGS]

Reflecting on this cross country journey I've taken as my trip winds down, and I return back to MD in the next few days from St. Louis, this has been an eye-opening, breathtaking and spiritual trip. This country we live in is stunning. And for those of us fortunate enough to be born in this country, we should be thanking the universe for that good fortune. And for those that have immigrated here from wherever you're from, good choice. America certainly isn't perfect, but we're forever marching toward a "more perfect union" of all the diversity of thoughts and lifestyles in this one place we all call home.

I'm not as patriotic as most though, primarily because I believe in the sanctity of all life, no matter which country one was born or where one resides. I believe the lines drawn to establish countries matters little...as all life needs to be protected and cherished. And truly, for so many of us Americans, we simply got lucky...lucky that we were born and raised in this country with established freedoms and rights. I'm forever humbled, because I had nothing to do with that good fortune. I could have been born in Syria or North Korea, where the idea of driving a sports car across the country is trivial compared to what they have to endure on a daily basis.
They simply dream of freedom, freedom to even leave their country for a better life somewhere else.

So glad I was fortunate enough to take this trip, and spend time with people all over this great country. So many different ways of life, so many different perspectives, but so many good people. I was never worried about my car "breaking down" in some remote place, and many times, I had no cell phone coverage, many miles from towns or concentrated civilization. I always trust that somebody will stop and help, if I need it...as sometimes I stop and help. Hec, I picked up a hitchhiker on this trip, and drove them 80 miles to the town they were trying to get to. And, oh what a story he had to share.

But that's who we are as Americans. We have compassion, we unite, we share...and we help.

"We are a nation of many nationalities, many races, many religions - bound together by a single unity, the unity of freedom and equality." – Franklin D. Roosevelt

[KevinGS]

Moose or Elk playing in the mountain road at like 11,000 ft in Colorado, locking horns, before finally walking towards my car....and then veering off. I was nervous at first as they approached me in the car, and then they just sauntered off onto the shoulder. "Open Range" in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana truly means animals have free reign. Buffalo, deer, elk, moose...you could encounter anything in the road or on the shoulder.

[KevinGS]

Park City, Utah, a major ski resort an hour from Salt Lake City in the mountains. Utah was surprisingly beautiful, though I didn't see much of it.

[KevinGS]

In the Colorado mountains, a sunset, and driving around at like 13,000 ft. From that 11,796 foot sign, the road kept ascending. It was actually quite crazy how high up we were. And it was hard to breathe at those heights, when I got out of the car to wander around and take pix. Amazing views. Colorado was more beautiful than I expected...as I trekked across Rt. 40 from Salt Lake City to Denver. East of Denver is nothing but farmland and flatlands, so a stark contrast to what you see west of Denver in the Rockies.

I definitely want to go back and spend more time in Utah and Colorado, and I want to return to Wyoming, Banff and Vancouver.

[Tano22]

Here's a random question. Did you notice any change in car performance with changes in altitude and/or temperature?

[showmatic]

Super jealous. I'm on the east coast as well (DMV) and I would love to take a trip like this in my G82 since I have a remote job as well that I could easily do on the road. Though I'd have to do it with a wife, which is not an issue for me, but I'd have to consider her comfort level over that massive distance lol. We did do the Grand Circle Roadtrip in an RV though, and I agree, Utah is GORGEOUS. More than I would have ever guessed. Definitely a place I could see myself living. May do a road trip like this one day, but chances are, it'll be in an RV.

[KevinGS]

Originally Posted by Tano22

Here's a random question. Did you notice any change in car performance with changes in altitude and/or temperature?

Nope, not at all. And the west doesn't have 93 octane like many places along the east coast...so it was mostly 91 octane. Didn't matter. The car still felt super quick at every altitude.

Maybe if I was racing others up there in the mountains, I would have noticed. The G8X is so much faster than many other cars you normally encounter, and the rapid acceleration is often astonishing (for those around you as well). It feels especially fast when the road narrows, and then the trees or the wall of rocks whizzing past the windows become a bit blurry too quickly. The S58 is truly an engine masterpiece, even with it's low-RPM turbo lag.

[KevinGS]

Originally Posted by showmatic

Super jealous. I'm on the east coast as well (DMV) and I would love to take a trip like this in my G82 since I have a remote job as well that I could easily do on the road. Though I'd have to do it with a wife, which is not an issue for me, but I'd have to consider her comfort level over that massive distance lol. We did do the Grand Circle Roadtrip in an RV though, and I agree, Utah is GORGEOUS. More than I would have ever guessed. Definitely a place I could see myself living. May do a road trip like this one day, but chances are, it'll be in an RV.

My trip was centered around finding the best roads in each area I visited, so the trip was focused on the drive itself. Having said that, I was blown away with the scenery, and I long to go back...back to Wyoming, Banff, Vancouver, Utah and Colorado. So in the next 2 years, I want a Cross Country Trip Part II that focuses on these states. Soooo many great roads and vistas to explore in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming, most with little traffic since those areas aren't well-populated. I didn't have time to stop since I had to get home, but I could see some really great roads off some of the highway exits into the barren mountains and valleys...where there would be almost no cars and just amazing vistas around every turn.

And I want to rent a 4WD truck or something for a few days in a few of these states, because the unpaved roads take you to some really desolate places with blow-you-away views. An outdoorsman's dream.

And sometimes, the roads just suddenly go from paved to gravel or dirt, and when that happened, I just turned around, even if it took a 40-point turn. I had plenty of time since these places were often desolate, so there was no traffic. I did have to do it one time in Colorado in Rocky Mountain Park where it was kind of busy with tourists and tourist buses...but they understood. They saw my car, gave me a thumbs up, and let me take my time to turn around...because they knew what I was driving was not meant to be driven for miles on unpaved terrain. It was all part of the adventure, I loved it. I often just got out of the car, walked around and marveled at how well these areas have been preserved for the animals and nature itself...sometimes a hundred miles from any real civilization. It didn't even feel like I was in America, with animals just walking around like you're on a safari.

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by KevinGS

My trip was centered around finding the best roads in each area I visited, so the trip was focused on the drive itself. Having said that, I was blown away with the scenery, and I long to go back...back to Wyoming, Banff, Vancouver, Utah and Colorado. So in the next 2 years, I want a Cross Country Trip Part II that focuses on these states. Soooo many great roads and vistas to explore in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming, most with little traffic since those areas aren't well-populated. I didn't have time to stop since I had to get home, but I could see some really great roads off some of the highway exits into the barren mountains and valleys...where there would be almost no cars and just amazing vistas around every turn.

And I want to rent a 4WD truck or something for a few days in a few of these states, because the unpaved roads take you to some really desolate places with blow-you-away views. An outdoorsman's dream.

And sometimes, the roads just suddenly go from paved to gravel or dirt, and when that happened, I just turned around, even if it took a 40-point turn. I had plenty of time since these places were often desolate, so there was no traffic. I did have to do it one time in Colorado in Rocky Mountain Park where it was kind of busy with tourists and tourist buses...but they understood. They saw my car, gave me a thumbs up, and let me take my time to turn around...because they knew what I was driving was not meant to be driven for miles on unpaved terrain. It was all part of the adventure, I loved it. I often just got out of the car, walked around and marveled at how well these areas have been preserved for the animals and nature itself...sometimes a hundred miles from any real civilization. It didn't even feel like I was in America, with animals just walking around like you're on a safari.

Helluva a trip and story, KevinGS. You managed to pack several trips that I've done into one - plus the east/west transit to get out to the mountain west. Hats off to you. I've been going to these places all my life and each time my most recent trip becomes my favorite - I never, ever get tired of driving the roads or seeing the same sites. Over and over and over. (Although, it did become way more fun in a BMW.)

Glad you're planning to come back out for more fun. I've popped off several (11) travel threads in these areas that might give you some good ideas - and some are places you've just been to. We were in Jasper/Banff last summer and was saddened to hear about Jasper getting kinda wiped out. It looks like the Ice Field Highway opened up for you to make it all the way. Banff to Jasper is the most scenic road in North America. You are not wrong.

Hope you enjoy:

1. 2019 Utah Parks (BMW M5) (My first, possibly my favorite)
https://f90.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1784425

3. 2021 Devils Tower, Mt Rushmore, Badlands, Rockies (BMW M5)
https://f90.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1865068

5. 2022 Colorful Colorado, some Utah (BMW M850) (The best pics - CO just doesn't quit)
https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1966646

7. 2023 Canadian Rockies & Whistler (BMW M850) (Awesome area)
https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2034508

8. 2023 Yellowstone & Glacier (BMW M850)
https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2056615

10. 2024 Mt. Rainier Day Trip (BMW M850)
https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2118007


My goal is to some day get out of my car in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I may have to do a South Carolina pickup to make the mileage and time more doable. We'll see.

Happy motoring and safe travels.

[KevinGS]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

Helluva a trip and story, KevinGS. You managed to pack several trips that I've done into one - plus the east/west transit to get out to the mountain west. Hats off to you. I've been going to these places all my life and each time my most recent trip becomes my favorite - I never, ever get tired of driving the roads or seeing the same sites. Over and over and over. (Although, it did become way more fun in a BMW.)

Glad you're planning to come back out for more fun. I've popped off several (11) travel threads in these areas that might give you some good ideas - and some are places you've just been to. We were in Jasper/Banff last summer and was saddened to hear about Jasper getting kinda wiped out. It looks like the Ice Field Highway opened up for you to make it all the way. Banff to Jasper is the most scenic road in North America. You are not wrong.

Hope you enjoy:

1. 2019 Utah Parks (BMW M5) (My first, possibly my favorite)
https://f90.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1784425

3. 2021 Devils Tower, Mt Rushmore, Badlands, Rockies (BMW M5)
https://f90.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1865068

5. 2022 Colorful Colorado, some Utah (BMW M850) (The best pics - CO just doesn't quit)
https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1966646

7. 2023 Canadian Rockies & Whistler (BMW M850) (Awesome area)
https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2034508

8. 2023 Yellowstone & Glacier (BMW M850)
https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2056615

10. 2024 Mt. Rainier Day Trip (BMW M850)
https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2118007


My goal is to some day get out of my car in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I may have to do a South Carolina pickup to make the mileage and time more doable. We'll see.

Happy motoring and safe travels.

Many thanks for sharing.

I definitely want to come back to the west and spend more time in Banff, Vancouver, Utah, and Colorado. And I'll probably dip into California and then may come back home through the southern part of the country. It will likely be a 10- to 12-week trip, as I'll just park myself in Santa Barbara, CA for a bit and stay with my friend for 3 to 4 weeks, giving me and the car a rest.

That Utah trip looks amazing, so that will likely be the route I'll take in Utah. We were definitely on many of the same roads, towns and sites, in the Badlands, Devil's Tower, Yellowstone, Glacier and Mt Rainier. So many scintillating roads and incredible vistas west of the Mississippi. The rugged and often barren terrain in the west is so surreal at times, and oftentimes breathtaking. Soooo glad I took the trip, and will plan Part 2 for 2025 or 2026.

You definitely do a much better job taking pictures along the way. Sometimes I tire of stopping and trying to capture the moment, I just let my naked eyes soak it all in. But since you've taken so many, and shared them, now I can show my friends and families some of your pix and simply say, "This is how it looks, I was right here too" So thank you in advance, Snow.

You're Yellowstone and Glacier thread is beyond epic, and brings back so many recent memories, as I just drove so many of those same roads, oftentimes back and forth...since the vistas change depending on the direction one's headed. I thought the Going To The Sun road was a bit frightening and absolutely epic, until I made my way through Colorado when heading home and passed through Rocky Mountain National Park, where the peaks were higher, and the roads were even MORE dangerous. But I loved it...I had never been so high, at like 13,000 feet. Whew!

When I'm back out west, I'll let you know when I'm coming, maybe we can do a mini-road trip together.

Happy travels, on to the next adventure...

[KevinGS]

So, at the end of this trip, when I was almost home, while gassing up in West Virginia 5 hours from home, someone at a gas station struck up a conversation with me, which led to me sharing that I was returning home from this long trip. And he asked me how many states I had been in, and I didn't know, I had never thought about it.

I got asked again today, and I decided to figure it out. So, I've been to every state except:

Wisconsin
Oregon
Arizona
New Mexico
Alaska
Hawaii

And of the 44 states I've been to, 90%+ of them I've driven to or through. Pretty crazy, when I stopped and thought about it.

So, as much as I'm a car enthusiast, the proper car is mostly just an instrument so I can indulge in my real passion: DRIVING.

[BryanCO]

Great trip! Only thing better is to enjoy those great roads on a motorcycle.