Re: 740i vs 911 for 8 hour drive?

["Ken Ross" <Kdross@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The one pleasant memory I have of driving from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh on
the PA Turnpike is the one span of road you described.  I was in my '87 325
(sunny fall day, 70 degrees, sunroof open, and radio on) driving with about
5-6 other cars doing about 90 MPH for about 5 - 10 minutes when we entered
the curves.  When I was about to enter the final curve which is totally
blind (you can't see completely around the curve; and neither can your radar
detector!!!) my radar detector went off full blast and I slammed on my
brakes.  Upon rounding the corner we all saw 3-4 state troopers as we
entered a very sneaky  radar trap that reeked of entrapment.  Why the police
never pulled us over I will never know, but I know for a fact that they saw
6 cars all nose dive as they came around the bend close to 100 MPH (maybe
they didn't get us on radar in time???).  Apparently, the police just sit on
the side of the road waiting for the first car enthusiast to round the
corner at a speed which is almost always above the posted speed limit.
Enjoy the ride but avoid the sneaky PA state troopers.


Ken Ross
Kdross@domain.elided

Hey Steve,
I live in the Pittsburgh area, and did the DC-PGH drive last week for
probably the 50th time.  Like you said, it's right around 4 hours, and it's
a nice drive, it does very quickly.
My recommendation?  Take the Porsche... which might seem like an unusual
suggestion, because (a) it's a highway drive, and (b) Pittsburgh's roads,
well, suck.  But:
There is one section of the turnpike that, if you're not in the Porsche,
you'll be kicking yourself.  It's right about 100 miles before you hit
Pittsburgh, maybe 50 miles past Breezwood?  It's a long (maybe 5 miles)
hill, with the eastbound and westbound lanes completely out of sight from
each other.  The hill is about an 8% grade, so it's a heavy throttle 5th
gear hill...  *but* the best part is the curves.  The road will suddenly
open up to a width of 5 lanes (3 are for travel, one on each side are to
pull over, or.. <ahem> correct a skid) and you're treated to sweeping left
after sweeping right after sweeping left.  It's my absolute favorite stretch
of interstate in all of Pennsylvania... I generally cruise up it around 80,
using all 3 travel lanes to smooth out the curves. At the top, you pop into
a tunnel that exits on the downhill side of the mountain.
If you've ever been on this stretch of road, you'll remember it.  You will,
unfortunately, also remember that the PA Beaurocrat assholes marked it as a
55-zone, and I know 3 people who lost their licenses at triple-digit speeds
on that stretch... So, enjoy it, but don't go too crazy. :)
Have fun!
Jason


At 12:13 AM 4/8/99 , you wrote:
> I've been immensely enjoying the digest these past few months, as flames
>have been reduced greatly and everyone seems more civilized as of late.
>Going to Pittsburgh tomorrow and can't decide whether to take the 95 740i
>or the 88 911 Coupe... I've been agonizing over it!  The BMW is more
>comfortable but not great on the curves of the Pennsylvania turnpike (body
>roll - urghh) , and the 911 is way more fun, but not as comfortable on the
>grinding roads of the highway after a few hours...(it's a four hour trip
>each way from Wash DC to see the Andy Warhol museum!).  It's nice to have
>tough decisions like these - being an adult isn't that bad. Any advice on
>either topic?

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