Great Road Trip Car Too!
09-25-02, 01:35 PM
#1
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Great Road Trip Car Too!
We just finished a two week, 4,000 mile long road trip along the west coast in the SC430 and I can't say enough good things about the car. Even covering 800 mile in one day the comfort level was exceptional. It is a fantastic mix of sportiness and luxury for touring. Storage space was perfect for the two of us (and a couple cases of wine on the way back up from Napa.) Upon arrival at each destination, we just unloaded the car and had fun with the top down. Loads of complements and looks for the car all the way up and down the coast. PCH around Santa Cruz was just pure pleasure in the SC.
Going through a small Oregon town, I heard a thump, thump, thump of another car's sound system. Looked back and was surprised to find a shiney red Carrera. For some reason, Carreras often go nuts when confronted with the SC. I guess it is still a mystery machine against which to establish dominance. The driver had the look of someone with the town's hottest ride and was out showing off for a gal in his passenger seat. The thing that really got us laughing was the huge "Kenwood" across the top of his front window. It wasn't a C4 so I knew we had a little surprise for him. Probably hadn't run across an SC430 before if he was going to pick on one. Out of town, he noisily passed and positioned himself in front of me. Yep, another mere car put in its place by a Porsche. At the next passing lane he both took off. I'm sure he was expecting to leave me in the dust. Instead, I easily stayed up as he accelerated. Once he saw me, I heard his high engine whine ever higher as he downshifted to get away. Horror of horrors, that unidentifiable silver thing was overtaking on him. I wasn't even pushing down on the peddle all the way. What fun! Well he couldn't out accelerate us, so he tried getting away through some curves. Oh my! We're still on his tail. At the next passing lane, he pulled to the slow lane to let us by. That was the end of his showboating. He stayed way way back after that. Saw him in the next town. He had to come up behind us to find out what the heck we were. Hehehe - we're debadged. I just love batting Carreras around.
The SC430 is a shock and surprise for anyone who expects it to behave like just a normal car. It's got a surprising amount of kick and is a luxury cruiser as well. Definitely this is the car we'll be taking on trips from now on. Our Boxster would have been too fatiguing. The SC430 combines the comfort of a living room with the fun of performance. Heck, 4,000 miles in two weeks and I still feel like driving it.
Going through a small Oregon town, I heard a thump, thump, thump of another car's sound system. Looked back and was surprised to find a shiney red Carrera. For some reason, Carreras often go nuts when confronted with the SC. I guess it is still a mystery machine against which to establish dominance. The driver had the look of someone with the town's hottest ride and was out showing off for a gal in his passenger seat. The thing that really got us laughing was the huge "Kenwood" across the top of his front window. It wasn't a C4 so I knew we had a little surprise for him. Probably hadn't run across an SC430 before if he was going to pick on one. Out of town, he noisily passed and positioned himself in front of me. Yep, another mere car put in its place by a Porsche. At the next passing lane he both took off. I'm sure he was expecting to leave me in the dust. Instead, I easily stayed up as he accelerated. Once he saw me, I heard his high engine whine ever higher as he downshifted to get away. Horror of horrors, that unidentifiable silver thing was overtaking on him. I wasn't even pushing down on the peddle all the way. What fun! Well he couldn't out accelerate us, so he tried getting away through some curves. Oh my! We're still on his tail. At the next passing lane, he pulled to the slow lane to let us by. That was the end of his showboating. He stayed way way back after that. Saw him in the next town. He had to come up behind us to find out what the heck we were. Hehehe - we're debadged. I just love batting Carreras around.
The SC430 is a shock and surprise for anyone who expects it to behave like just a normal car. It's got a surprising amount of kick and is a luxury cruiser as well. Definitely this is the car we'll be taking on trips from now on. Our Boxster would have been too fatiguing. The SC430 combines the comfort of a living room with the fun of performance. Heck, 4,000 miles in two weeks and I still feel like driving it.
10-01-02, 06:27 PM
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Seattle SCone, what are some places that you recommend people seeing on the west coast? this last summer I had a cross country road trip with my mom in my sis's RX300, we just drove around but we spent most of our time in Cali visiting relatives. glad you had a good trip.
~Jesse
~Jesse
10-09-02, 07:19 PM
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Jesse, sorry not to get back to you sooner. Been in the Cook Islands for phase 2 of our four week vacation travels. THERE is place which makes you forget that Hawaii exists. If you want to see the South Pacific in a more unspoiled splendor definitely do the Cook Islands. Definitely visit Aitutaki and enjoy a clear, fluorescent blue, warm lagoon that stretches almost from horizon to horizon.
Now for the west coast, it depends on what you're after. A few places come to mind.
The California coast at Monterey Bay is a wonderful place to wander. Santa Cruz is quieter and less commercial/touristy. Accomodations at West Coast Santa Cruz are great. While in Santa Cruz, be sure to breakfast or lunch at Gayle's bakery - it's a remarkably joyous bakery and delicatessen experience. The coastline there is great to see. Point Lobos and the Montery Bay Aquarium are also must sees. Sunset on the Pacific highway is a top down experience for the SC 430.
The high desert and Sierra Nevada's are another option. The little town on Bishop, CA is a great jumping point to beautiful scenery in the high desert and mountains. That is probably the place I'd call my home town and it really is a friendly place to stay and see life in the countryside. Real Americana as one so rarely finds. Pleasant Valley in which it sits is appropriately named.
The Northern California and Oregon Coast is another segment of driving for the SC. You can visit the Redwoods near Cresecent City.
Now the Olympic Peninsula in Washington offers rugged coastline and the Ho rain forest. Lots of pretty scenery there.
There there are is Mt Rainier. I always love going up to Paradise on Rainier. Just spectacular vistas and wonderful smelling high mountain air are enough reward. Once down the mountain, dine at Alexander's Country Inn and Restaurant and find a surprisingly good restaurant which features fair which is definitely locally made with skill and care. DO have their pie. We take some home with us for a nice reward at end of a day trip.
Nappa, Alexander and Sonoma Valleys are the place to explore your wind palate. I'd recommend staying several days at least and soaking in the sun as well as the wine. The place to base yourself would be in Calistoga. That puts you strategically in reach of all three valleys. Yountville is also a good choice. The countryside there is lovely and you should take the Oakville grade from Sonoma to Napa in the evening with your top down. It was what our SC430 was built for.
--- Begin Rant Mode -----
While I remember, I do have to say that without a doubt our stay at the Roratongan Beach Resort in the Cook Islands FAR surpassed our experience in Napa's Mariott. The rooms were nicer, had refrigeration, a safe which were lacking in the much stuffier Mariott. Staff in the Roratongan showed personal friendliness and genuine care in making sure everything was perfect for our stay. In contrast, Mariott's staff was distant and always left the impression of someone just doing their job and just plain insensivity to problems. There we arrived to find the wrong bed type, changed rooms to find a broken toilet, changed to yet another room only to find that the wrong light bulb fixture had been installed in a lamp. That had burned a two inch scortch into the lamp shade. The coffee maker was also broken. After bringing the fire hazard to the attention of the night staff, we were awakened early in the morning by a knock then a ring.
I went to the desk later expecting to discuss the burnt lamp problem, but instead was faced with an officious and rude sound young clerk who demanded, "was there an amenity in your room?"
I was perplexed as to what "amenity" there might be be since the room had nothing to distinguish itself from a Holiday Inn express. No safe, no refrigerator, no bar, no nothing special clued me in as to what she was babbling about about.
"Was there an AMENITY? We need it back," she repeated.
Let's see, I just probably saved them from a fire hazard condition that was probably in multiple rooms and they were happy to wake me up early in the morning and demand something from the room? I finally figured out it was the pathetic little bag with wine and trail mix which she was referring to as an "amenity."
I was not happy and needed the manager. She was helpful, but never seemed genuinely concerned over how badly her functionaries had erred. It was very much a beaurocratic play acting which I felt. While she did reduce our first night's cost and arrange for an unremarkable bottle of wine, it was not enough to erase the sense that the hotel realy didn't care about delivering the "grand" experience its own in room brochures touted. A genuine, verbal apology would have gone much farther.
I did take pictures of the burned lamp shade to the local fire station. The fireman was aghast at the photos and assured me that all the rooms would be inspected. I probably saved Mariott's from a fire, but instead of their gratitude I remember being awakened so they could retrieve something ill called an "amenity" from an already minimally equipped room. Thumbs very far down.
On the other hand, we go to Roratongua Beach Resort in the Cook Islands and get royal treatment, a better room with lagoon view, room safe, refrigeration, staff that bends over backwards with a smile. Wow - a much superior hotel experience in a 3rd world country than in Napa, CA's Mariott - a place that pretends to deliver a "grand" hotel experience but fails miserably. Even the Crescent City Best Western was a better experience than the Napa Mariott.
Sorry for the off top rant, but I consider it a public service.
---- end rant mode ------
Now for the west coast, it depends on what you're after. A few places come to mind.
The California coast at Monterey Bay is a wonderful place to wander. Santa Cruz is quieter and less commercial/touristy. Accomodations at West Coast Santa Cruz are great. While in Santa Cruz, be sure to breakfast or lunch at Gayle's bakery - it's a remarkably joyous bakery and delicatessen experience. The coastline there is great to see. Point Lobos and the Montery Bay Aquarium are also must sees. Sunset on the Pacific highway is a top down experience for the SC 430.
The high desert and Sierra Nevada's are another option. The little town on Bishop, CA is a great jumping point to beautiful scenery in the high desert and mountains. That is probably the place I'd call my home town and it really is a friendly place to stay and see life in the countryside. Real Americana as one so rarely finds. Pleasant Valley in which it sits is appropriately named.
The Northern California and Oregon Coast is another segment of driving for the SC. You can visit the Redwoods near Cresecent City.
Now the Olympic Peninsula in Washington offers rugged coastline and the Ho rain forest. Lots of pretty scenery there.
There there are is Mt Rainier. I always love going up to Paradise on Rainier. Just spectacular vistas and wonderful smelling high mountain air are enough reward. Once down the mountain, dine at Alexander's Country Inn and Restaurant and find a surprisingly good restaurant which features fair which is definitely locally made with skill and care. DO have their pie. We take some home with us for a nice reward at end of a day trip.
Nappa, Alexander and Sonoma Valleys are the place to explore your wind palate. I'd recommend staying several days at least and soaking in the sun as well as the wine. The place to base yourself would be in Calistoga. That puts you strategically in reach of all three valleys. Yountville is also a good choice. The countryside there is lovely and you should take the Oakville grade from Sonoma to Napa in the evening with your top down. It was what our SC430 was built for.
--- Begin Rant Mode -----
While I remember, I do have to say that without a doubt our stay at the Roratongan Beach Resort in the Cook Islands FAR surpassed our experience in Napa's Mariott. The rooms were nicer, had refrigeration, a safe which were lacking in the much stuffier Mariott. Staff in the Roratongan showed personal friendliness and genuine care in making sure everything was perfect for our stay. In contrast, Mariott's staff was distant and always left the impression of someone just doing their job and just plain insensivity to problems. There we arrived to find the wrong bed type, changed rooms to find a broken toilet, changed to yet another room only to find that the wrong light bulb fixture had been installed in a lamp. That had burned a two inch scortch into the lamp shade. The coffee maker was also broken. After bringing the fire hazard to the attention of the night staff, we were awakened early in the morning by a knock then a ring.
I went to the desk later expecting to discuss the burnt lamp problem, but instead was faced with an officious and rude sound young clerk who demanded, "was there an amenity in your room?"
I was perplexed as to what "amenity" there might be be since the room had nothing to distinguish itself from a Holiday Inn express. No safe, no refrigerator, no bar, no nothing special clued me in as to what she was babbling about about.
"Was there an AMENITY? We need it back," she repeated.
Let's see, I just probably saved them from a fire hazard condition that was probably in multiple rooms and they were happy to wake me up early in the morning and demand something from the room? I finally figured out it was the pathetic little bag with wine and trail mix which she was referring to as an "amenity."
I was not happy and needed the manager. She was helpful, but never seemed genuinely concerned over how badly her functionaries had erred. It was very much a beaurocratic play acting which I felt. While she did reduce our first night's cost and arrange for an unremarkable bottle of wine, it was not enough to erase the sense that the hotel realy didn't care about delivering the "grand" experience its own in room brochures touted. A genuine, verbal apology would have gone much farther.
I did take pictures of the burned lamp shade to the local fire station. The fireman was aghast at the photos and assured me that all the rooms would be inspected. I probably saved Mariott's from a fire, but instead of their gratitude I remember being awakened so they could retrieve something ill called an "amenity" from an already minimally equipped room. Thumbs very far down.
On the other hand, we go to Roratongua Beach Resort in the Cook Islands and get royal treatment, a better room with lagoon view, room safe, refrigeration, staff that bends over backwards with a smile. Wow - a much superior hotel experience in a 3rd world country than in Napa, CA's Mariott - a place that pretends to deliver a "grand" hotel experience but fails miserably. Even the Crescent City Best Western was a better experience than the Napa Mariott.
Sorry for the off top rant, but I consider it a public service.
---- end rant mode ------
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