Hey everyone, Still kinda new to California and looking for some good twistie roads, and maybe a few folks to drive them with this weekend.
I have been looking on google maps the last couple of days at some roads south of Hollister area. Chualar Canyon rd as well as a few others that it meets up with. Does anyone have any experience driving them? the last time I tried to follow Google maps I ended up at a dead end with no twisties.
I'm In Monterey right now but anything within an hour or so of here would be nice, maybe somewhere through south bay area?

 

We aint taking 17, we are taking the twisties.

https://my350z.com/forum/northern-ca...z-bbq-run.html

 

You can always hop on the 1 south and go down towards big sur

 

Ive done that a couple of times now, Its just hard to get away from the traffic especially when its sunny, old grandpa up ahead wants to do 20 around the corners!

@ Cali- I'll take a look at that link when I get off work. I didnt see a date on the forum when I looked the other day and all the facebook stuff is blocked at work when I normally get online. I'll hopefully be able to join up with you (though I might have a couple of tag along STi)

 

Best time to hit up the twisties is 6am or after 10pm.

 

A few weekends ago I drove up through Mt. Hamilton on 130. It was nice, especially around sunset. Some parts of the roads are rough with a lot of bumps, but after you get over the mountain and head towards Livermore, it was smooth and no traffic. Made me miss my bike.

 

Laguna Seca. I know they have track days at this AMAZING track. Ever hear of the world famous corkscrew???

http://www.mazdaraceway.com/


Talk to some of the locals in the regional forums for info on track days, you won't be sorry!!!

 

There are no twisties at Laguna. Just a blind turn off a hill and a downhill hairpin.

 

How about the left hander off the start finish line going into a right left combo climbing the backside of the hill, hmmm maybe I thought the OP was looking for a once in a lifetime challenge.

 

Blah, not the same....

I dont condone street racing, and by no means do I encourage anybody to drive ***** out on Mt Hamilton, but no way in hell is thunder hill or laguna seca better than the back roads other than emergency response being available if you f-up.

 

OP, if you are confident of your driving skills and dont mind roads with no side rails.... Mt Hamilton to Mines Road, I would rate this as advanced skills needed (through Mt Hamilton).

 

Tracks though are made for going fast in a car. Roads are not necessarily built for speed/high cornering. Do not get me wrong, I love a spirited drive on NorCals back roads, but you cannot drive you car at the limit on some road compared to a race track like Laguna. Germany's autobahn is built for high speed/high speed turns but that is a different story. Stay safe.

Just my 2 cents.

 

We go to Laguna Seca a few times a year. Want to take a ride with me in video?

(I'm driving the silver Z with the snort hood, but I didn't make the music mix. The final minute may be the best part of the vid)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFuOcX4MQ_U

Part 2 of that same session:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoN3DDjpfOg

Another perspective from a different session:

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

An old video at Seca right after I bought the car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV3B4SrZcjY

 

usually go threw patterson pass then threw mines rd twice month usually roll out with couple of friend to have fun with twistie cali-darkness when next time myte goto mt hammy? have couple of video me friend messing around the roads but not at the house ryte now posted video when get home

 

I havent been up in a while. I need to adjust my ride height for that, Im dumped right now.

 

Nice vids Scott, that red 370 looked solid. What recorder where you using on the first vid?

 

Hey SilentMed if you’re in Monterey you are adjacent to what the NorCal porsche guys (I’m a Z girl but from time to time I’ve gone slumming) think is one of America’s best sport car roads. Some years ago, I would often drove from San Francisco to LA and when the coast hwy was clogged with tourist traffic, I would cut off at Watsonville and catch this superb detour.

Work your way about 35 miles inland to Hollister and pick up the oddly named Airline Hiway. It runs south for about 50 miles passing by Pinnacles National Monument. The notorious San Andreas Fault (gaping open in places) parallels the road on one side, with the Diablo Mt Range on the other.

This is a perfect sports car road. In addition to the multitude of twisty turns, sweepers and hairpins, it also lacks the two things that attract the attention of the California Highway Patrol. Bars/taverns (drunk drivers) and such, and all night donut shops, an engraved invitation to 'let er rip'.

When the road abruptly ends at a tee intersection, turn right on to the Mustang Grade and drop down about 15 miles to join highway 101 and back to Monterey.



 

Appreciate all the input so far, Ill take take a look at the above suggested roads.
As far as Laguna goes, I would have no hesitation to drive it should the availability come, Ive seen HOD doing some events there and at thunder hill. But generaly speaking, I am looking more for just fun roads to cruise on a lazy saturday The tracks are a bit more expensive then the price of gas for an hour or two

 

Tracks are fun but its not the same. Sometimes you just want to take that long drive on the open road. Setup a drive through Mt Hamilton or that one recommended above through highway 25, and I'm sure people would be interested. I would be!

 

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