The Deal of the century

I kind of wish that we had a "poll" option:

On Thanksgiving Day Kelly and I are hopping a flight from Detroit (DTW) to Atlanta (ATL) to pick up a car from Paul. We are scheduled to arrive in ATL about midnight and do the car deal essentially in an outlaying parking lot then drive back to DTW to get the car we left there.

So here is my dilemma

I'm thinking of driving home via Route 129 through Deals Gap... at sunrise... the day after Thanksgiving... in a "new to me" car... that has a splitter and economy tires and probably is still wearing GRM $2016 Challenge stickers... with the woman I love...

So this route will likely take two hours more.

Am I wrong for just saying "Baby, let's do this, it's going to be amazing!"?

Not wrong..If you've never driven it do it. If you have done it, do it again.

In reply to John Brown:

Your wife must be a lot different than my wife!

Deal's Gap is a great road. Riding it in an untested car on 300 TW tires is sketchy. Unless, your goal is to have a great story for the adventures topic.

Deals Gap is about 3 hrs from ATL. You gonna stop somewhere, or drive through the night? I wouldn't drive the Dragon at 3 AM in an untested car.

You never told me what airline you are flying...

If that discount flight was on Spirit Air, I wouldn't plan on leaving ATL for at least 3 extra hours!

Make sure you AAA Plus is paid up.

SVreX wrote: You never told me what airline you are flying... If that discount flight was on Spirit Air, I wouldn't plan on leaving ATL for at least 3 extra hours!

Yes it is Spirit, which is why I said I'd be getting to Deals Gap at sunrise

I think it's more of a "let's make this the stuff of legends" idea... which let's face it, I'm all about... I wouldn't be pushing it regardless, as Joey48442 one inferred, I am better as talking ballast.

You understand that this car has never driven any longer than an autocross course, right? lol!

You could also be to Lookout Mountain a little quicker, and more direct.

Good views vs. twisty road.

BTW, there are 2 GRM bumper stickers on the car and the windshield banner, but the rest of the Challenge stickers are gone.

I mounted them on magnetic sheet, and removed them right after the Challenge

In reply to John Brown:

So we're not driving down? Sorry, but I don't do Facetube anymore...

From cop magnet to under the radar in 2.7 posts

John Brown wrote: Am I wrong for just saying "Baby, let's do this, it's going to be amazing!"?

Yes, that's very wrong. She could say no. I'd surprise her and go with "I don't know why stupid Google is routing us this way. Must be an accident on the interstate or something."

wae wrote:

John Brown wrote: Am I wrong for just saying "Baby, let's do this, it's going to be amazing!"?

Yes, that's very wrong. She could say no. I'd surprise her and go with "I don't know why stupid Google is routing us this way. Must be an accident on the interstate or something."

She's down with the idea.

She's a terribly good enabler

The one and only time I've driven it was in a pickup truck full of scaffolding. You'll be fine.

Just remember the saying "The adventure starts when the plans go wrong."

If it'll make it home it'll do the Dragon. All the more reason to drive it at 7/10 which is really the acceptable speed on that road anyway.
Drive, have fun, take pictures, tell us about it.

TenToeTurbo wrote: The one and only time I've driven it was in a pickup truck full of scaffolding. You'll be fine.

This. Some of my best drives have been in "wrong" cars. Beautiful rural roads of eastern Connecticut in a 4x4 pick up, 9W outside of NYC in an automatic accord on snow tires.

YOLO

Raze wrote: YOLO

Throatpunch to anybody that actually uses this phrase near me in real life. Then I just say yolo.

Come up through my neck of the woods and we'll go over next year's car

Honestly, the first time I drove Deal's Gap I didn't realize it until I got to the end. It's a fun road, but it's only one of a bunch of fun roads in the area. Don't restrict yourself.

The restriction is really in being back for work at 5-6am Saturday. I'm all for making a 12 hour drive a 15 hour drive if it means making memories and having some fun!

I posted the idea on FaceBoobs and she is rather excited about it.

Kinda works out nicely, I can get the bucket list Dragon sticker I need for the car and complete another step myself

How is this even a question? Our forefathers set off for the West Coast, facing months of hard travel through Indian territory just to chase the dream of a better life. People trekked to the north pole with nothing more than wool coats and sled dogs. This is a two hour diversion in pursuit of an epic adventure. Do you want to lay on your deathbed someday and tell your grandkids you almost went to Deals Gap but skipped it because you were worried about your tires?

Are we talking formula car or sports racer, or Brass Era car? I'd mention '50s bus, but no one would be crazy enough to drive one of those a thousand miles .

Should be very little traffic at that time, so if it holds together long enough to get you to the area, and your wife likes the idea, take the road less travelled for a couple hours.