8000km (5000mile) trip from Barrie Ontario (rtrn) to the Florida Keys. Great Trip. Not a bit of trouble from the Cat. Ran like the Luxury sports car she is. Two tanks at 30 mpg and one at 31. Mostly 27/28 mpg. 10.4 L/100km.
We crossed the twistiest road I've ever encountered, #250 across Virginia, took curves at speeds my 2000 GT Mustang could only dream of.
Then down #15 to Savana. Did the Keys, gators and Emerald Coast then back to Charleston, then up the Blue Ridge Parkway thru Pittsburg and home.
I waited too long to call Brian for an arrival estimate and since he has a life, we missed him. Thanks for the pizza anyway Brian. It was great. You live in a beautiful place.
And thanks guys for the tips on the routes. They made the trip. For those of you South of the border, you live in a fantastic country folks!

I've posted a few pics in my Florida album.

 

Sounds like fun! If you ever do it again you need drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia. My wife and I go up there several times each summer. This will be the first summer in the Jag, though.

Here's some info on the BRP if you're not familiar with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Parkway

 

Hi Roger,
Congratulations on completing such a monumental automotive odyssey! I'm so glad that you had no problems on the road, especially with the scare that you had just prior to leaving. Great memories!
Regards,
Brian

 

Right you are Rev. I typo'd. It was and is the Blue Ridge. Great drive if you have time. I also enjoyed the side roads along it since they had the towns and local colour to see.

 

sounds like a great vacation! I hope our citizens were nice you to you on your travels. ok, next time, you must do more documentation...jag pics (ok, you in them once in awhile) at all the stops and interesting places. We love pics of jags on trips.

 

Well, I took about 1500 pics that were whittled down to 300 keepers. Last year's trip, all my friends and relatives razzed me about my nice car pics with some scenery in the background so I toned down the car pics this year. I still have about 50 or so but the 6 in the Florida album were among the best. I'll throw a few more in when I get time.

BTW, folks were very kind everywhere we went and I think the drivers were more polite and much less agressive than those in the Toronto area. That said, it is a shame that USA cars don't come with turn signals.

 

Hey RJAG, if you do the BRP thing again, there is a side road that you absolutely HAVE to drive. Here's a video of it that I recorded in my Z3. The camera is mounted on the windshield with a suction cup mount, so you only hear wind noise, but the drive is an absolute blast. It's just switchback after switchback. The first few seconds are on the BRP. The rest of the video is NC-80.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHlIEuQox9s

And here's a map of the road. As you can see, nothing but twists and turns.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...,0.181789&z=13

 

You know you'd never get that treatment from us!

Yah, that's my pet peeve, apparently, that's now optional when driving.

 

Where did you go in the Emerald Coast?

 

Hi Kevin D. We took 41 across from Florida City after the Keys then headed up, following the water all the way. Up through Naples and on to Pensacola which had, in my opinion, the most fantastic beaches I've ever seen. It was great to see how much of it was open to the public as well. I did find it humerous to see nothing but billboards around Napels for luxury cars and cosmetic surgery then later on, up further, signs for bailbondsmen and lawyers.

All beautiful just the same.

 

RJAG, I was wondering if you remembered this.



RJAG, my two recommendations are the drive over the Smokey Mountains, from Gatlinburg over the top to Cherokee,

http://www.blueridgeparkway75.org/

Then, when you are in Florida, don't take I-10 all the way across to Pensacola. You need to take in The Emerald Coast, which begins in the Panama City area. These are some of the most beautiful beaches in America, and there are areas where you can ride alone for miles and miles, looking out at the Sugar Sand and the Emerald Green water. Of course, there are a lot of great places to visit, stay, and eat. Sounds like a great trip. Wish I had the time to do one. Good luck!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Coast

 

I did it all as you recommended and then some. You were right on for scenery and local colour. I'd go back in an instant. Thanks for the advise.

After Pensacola, we angled back over to Savana for the second time then up to Charleston for the Plantation tour and when we left there we angled back and caught the Blue Ridge North as you suggested.

 

That was a GREAT trip. I have traveled a lot of the Eastern US, and flown to some of the Western, but never driven the Western. Hopefully, one day I will get to.

 

Wow RJAG, sounds like a really cool trip! Makes me jealous!

But I am even more jealous of your MPG. Up to 31 MPG in a 2002 XKR? The best I have ever eeked out of my 2001 XKR is 22 MPG.

I would like to know your secret...Or else determine if I need to start figuring out what is wrong with my car!

 

That sounds like an awesome trip. Roadtrips in a fine automobile are one of my favorite means of travel.

I must add that I have had the opportunity to drive from Oregon to Anchorage Alaska through British Columbia and the Northern Territories, that was the most beautiful country I have ever seen. The Canadian Rockies are fabulous! If you haven't traveled west on a trip similar to the one you just took to Florida, I would highly recommend it!

 

White XKR, I wouldn't worry too much on your gas mileage. Remember that we Canadians have bigger gallons (amongst other things)

One Canadian gallon (imperial) = 1.2 US Gallons.

When I was hitting 30 mpg imperial, that would convert to 25mpg US.

 

ahhh, that makes sense, canadian gallons... now I understand.

I hope one of my Acronymn FAQ thread builders will pick up on this conversion and add it.