Batalha

Hey guys! I want to do a nice Mountain run with my IS-F somewhere near San Diego.

Anyone have any suggestions for some nice roads to unleash its potential...I saw Palomar Mountain Rd. seems to be the most popular.

Also any advice/tips for mountain driving would be nice too (trac on/off, manual or auto, psi?)

Thanks

mmarshall

I don't live there, but from what I know about the road, it is quite dangerous. At the top, it is nearly a mile above sea level, so, at that altitude, it won't really be a test of the engine's potential, since normally-aspirated power plants steadily lose power with altitude. The computer's ECU can only compensate for that so much.

TerrySmith

Tons of beautiful roads to drive in the coastal ranges of California but you're too far south for me to give an specific recommendations. I did supply some pix of places further north.

But I do have advice / tips:

1. On every blind corner, assume that waiting just around the bend maybe 40 feet ahead but out of sight are 3 or 4 bicycles taking up your lane, a car coming in the other lane, a rock wall on one side and a cliff on the other. There is no good outcome in such a case and anything could be around that corner (big tree across both lanes, etc.). So, you should be going slow enough to stop before hitting the (possible) bikes / trees / stalled truck or whatever on every blind corner. After 50 or so blind corners with nothing in the way, you can get complacent and convinced that number 51 is also clear, but it only takes 1 bad corner. If you have trouble remembering this tip, try to image peeling a bicyclist off of your smashed grill and how the rest of your life will go after such an incident. Eyes on the road and drive safely according to conditions and how far ahead you can clearly see.

2. Keep your traction control / stability control totally on full. Remember, rock wall on one side, cliff on the other. You have no run-off room for any screw up / slide / drift on a mountain road (or most public roads).

3. Keep it in manual and in lower gears. This will help check your speed with engine braking on the down-hill and give you more control going up and around. You will use more gas, though.

4. DO NOT race or speed on any public roads ever - it is unsafe and stupid. If you want to go fast in your IS F, go do a track day with an instructor like this:





Mulholland Highway north of LA:



Angeles Crest Highway east of LA:



North Pacific Coast Narrow Gauge abandoned railroad bridge at Keyes Estuary, US 1, Sonoma County:

Batalha

Awesome pics and thanks for the tips!

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

These canyon runs are not about being the fastest, but enjoying the curves and twisties.

As mentioned above, you have to be careful because there will be motorcycles also, along with keeping an eye out for oncoming cars that might come into your lane or you coming into theirs if you push it too hard.

I love cruising Ortega Hwy 74 meeting down to Palomar Mtn.

Don't forget the road to Big Bear Mtn. and Lake Arrowhead

There's some nice road in Malibu Canyon.

KahnBB6

iTrader: (5)

^^^ VERY wise advice above. I agree and I've driven some of these. You *always* have to assume that another car is around the bend coming in the opposite direction and that a bicyclist is just out of view. It isn't about carrying the most speed possible through roads like these-- which can get you intro all manner of trouble very fast. Spirited to a point maybe but generally it's about the fun of knowing and responding to curvy technical sections. And no, there is *nothing* to save you if you overdrive a section, have to brake or counter-steer suddenly or lose traction for any reason. Oh-- and let's not forget the occasional boulder that has fallen just to the outside of the inmost lane. It's not common but I've seen this in front of me just enough times to have yet another reason be wary of those blind corners.

On the note of traction control... I don't have any at all in my car unless you count the mechanical limited slip differential and good tires. Not skimping on essential maintenance and knowing your vehicle's handling characteristics and limits... *and your own*... is essential. Especially if you don't know those limits, don't push them on public mountain roads. Don't push limits on public roads in the first place. Again, it really isn't about carrying the most speed you can or taking unnecessary risks. It's about learning and mastering these roads to make driving them second nature.

Bottom line: all of these roads are a lot of fun to drive on and very rewarding to learn but always keep the advice posted in this thread in mind and practice safety for yourself and the other travelers around you.

I will add to this list: some sections of Latigo Canyon Rd. It is a low speed road but plenty technical to have fun on at least in some places.

oldcajun

My favorite was Angeles Forest Highway between Pasadena and Palmdale. I had an early RX-7 when I lived in the high desert and it was a blast to drive on this road. It was small enough that it did not fill the lane so it left a bit of room if I missed the apex on a curve. The most dangerous part of the drive was the motorcycles. I was near what I thought was flat out around a curve when one of them passed me on the outside like I was parked! Be very careful on uphill stretches, there are motorhomes up there for the scenery who can't maintain 30 mph uphill.
Steve

mk416

Agreed on Ortegay Hwy for the Southerners, but watch out for newbies driving out of their experience level.

Big Bear has some fun twisty roads, though not advised on weekends because there are a lot of cars going up/down.

Malibu Canyon - Santa Monica Canyon, and you will pass through the Snake - good place to chill and watch people knee/elbow drag.

ragingf80

Sounds like you haven't been yet! My words of advice: take it slow at first. I think you will quickly learn that the potential of your car is greater than the potential of it's driver: you. The turns are unpredictable as far as oncoming traffic, debris, rocks, bikers and slower traffic. If a turn is blind, treat it as such, SLOW DOWN. This isn't a race and you aren't there to reach the max potential of your car unless you want to crash it. That's what the track is for with runoffs. There are practically no runoffs here, just rock faces on one side and death on the other. Enjoy the drive!!! But you don't go to "find" the car's limits. That being said, canyon runs are really fun. Start as early as you can, I prefer to be at the bottom before sunrise and start when the sun starts to come up. Don't forget to let your tires warm up, especially after breaks. Make sure they are properly inflated and are in good condition. BE SMART. If there are a lot of bikers on the road, assume there is one just beyond the apex of the next turn. SLOW DOWN.

I would leave traction control on. Watch that blinking light. You will learn how much traction control is preventing you from disaster by how often that light blinks. I think you will be surprised! Firm up your steering, tighten the bolsters, and adjust your seat more upright than normal. You aren't cruising here, visibility and reaction time are more important, and it's easier when you can see and when you can move that wheel faster.

I just went to The Snake yesterday, but I actually like the drive TO the snake more than the snake itself. Watch out on the weekends though, too many drivers for my tastes. Sunday afternoons it calms down, but I got tagged by 5-0 for no front plate there. From San Diego, Ortega is nice, and if you are willing to go further up, San Gabriel Canyon Rd, and The Angeles Crest are the best.

You can check out a list of spots around the world here:

http://www.porsche.com/microsite/gts...x#/menu/filter

and here:

http://www.motorcycleroads.com/

Me yesterday on a smaller road off Mulholland:




A few months ago. It can get really beautiful up there:




Angeles Crest:



In my old car over NoHo Mulholland (a shorter ride than the Malibu side)



San Gabriel Canyon Road last year: