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Mountain Run, Anyone?!

19K views 205 replies 17 participants last post by  Gettysburg150 
#1 · (Edited)
I helped my brother scout out a used Dodge Rampage for a project that he'd found listed on Turbo-Dodge... the route we took up to the seller was an incredible journey through some of the craziest, most technical roads I've seen outside a video game! So many tight and sweeping twisty roads, bluffs and great views of the mountains; and we were not in Focus! We both agreed that a trip back needed to happen with better wheels under us!

I've chatted briefly with the denizens of this site and another Focus-centric forum as well regarding an end-of-summer run through a route I found with my brother a few months ago. It's kinda out there, but the condition of the roads, beautiful scenery, and remote locations should provide ample opportunity to snap pictures and enjoy our cars for what they were made for!

Details will be forthcoming and plentiful after my brother and I do a dry-run this Sunday to map the route and take notes. I'm hoping to get some serious involvement from my fellow focus-nuts from the Mid-Atlantic region to help rep the little Fords! A friend of mine is also helping with planning, staging, and 'marketing'... he's a moderator for the Mid-Atlantic Cobra Association (MACA). Those guys are the ones responsible for a burgeoning car show scene in the Gaithersburg, MD area, and they come out in-force! They're promising 20 or more Cobras, Mustangs, Vettes and other assorted badassery will join the fray. My brother has also alerted some of the heavy hitters from 6 Speed Online and another guy from a Super car forum from DC. Dates and such will get hammered out after I figure out what route it is we (brother and I) took all those months ago. Tentatively it's looking like the end of this month and another run in mid-October.



The bridge is out along the route, so I'm talking to the construction company and the state about dates for the reopening: a fall run may need to be re-routed, or we wait for spring to run the route in all it's completed glory...

If you're from this area and recognize the locations in the photos DO NOT DISCUSS LOCATION PUBLICLY!!! I can't stress this enough! I'm arranging lodging at a chain local (within 10 minutes) of the starting point, and logistics with a number of car clubs and forum members. We could have a serious representation of well-prepped Focus', Mustangs, Muscle cars, and exotics attending the rally. I need to play the details real close to my vest until we get closer to an actual run-date.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
We'll be running with these guys:
http://www.facebook.com/MACACARMEET
The list may grow as I get the work out.

Some rules for the thing:
·Obey all 'rules of the road' and state laws! Nothing kills the fun faster than a mass-traffic-stop!
·No jackassery will be tolerated! If you can't be a responsible driver, stay away... the route has some seriously dangerous stretches (especially) if you can't keep calm.
·Rural areas, townships, villages, and towns are scattered all over the countryside. Be safe and respectful to the denizens of these areas! We're guests, and we want to be welcome back.
·Raise your suspension if you're coilover'd! I didn't and scraped so many times it started seriously worrying me.
·Pre-Run checks must performed
-new brake components should be utilized. A semi-aggressive pad material would be ideal... crap pads are gonna fade and endanger us all!
-undercar inspections should be thorough; make sure EVERYTHING is in good working order beforehand!

Updates will follow as I get more info!
 
#6 ·
·Obey all 'rules of the road' and state laws! Nothing kills the fun faster than a mass-traffic-stop!

·Pre-Run checks must performed
-new brake components should be utilized. A semi-aggressive pad material would be ideal... crap pads are gonna fade and endanger us all!
these 2 things confuse me. as cool as this is (and i wish i could go) if we're going to follow the rules of the road, why do we need more aggressive brake pads if we were to just do the speed limit?
 
#4 ·
This is gonna be quite the undertaking! Coilover'd cars are gonna have to raise 'em up! StanceWhores may just wanna show for pictures. Some supercars may be joining in on the trip... they're gonna get bashed up if they're too low.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBX8OmCYD10&list=UUAOwMf-KhlqSx3SRjxrcAXA&index=1&feature=plcp

The camera is super shaky because the road surface in this stretch is real choppy, and a storm rolled through that morning. We got there around noon and you can see the debris washed across the road.
 
#5 ·
If you're from this area and recognize the locations in the photos DO NOT DISCUSS LOCATION PUBLICLY!!! I need to play the details real close to my vest until we get closer to an actual run-date.
I really hope some of you come with! PM me if you're familiar with these areas; you'll be extremely instrumental in getting this thing off with as few hitches as possible!
 
#7 ·
Because if you're not careful, you could get badly hurt! There are some dangerous sections (it's part of the beauty and fun of this) The grade changes rapidly, and there have to be a couple hundred corners through the route... luck tends to favor the prepared! The elevation and angle on some of the 'highlight' corners is extreme! The tight corners have 40-60ft of elevation change on each of them. Pictures don't really do it justice! There are also stretches on high passes with no gaurdrails...

No need for confusion, Sir; we all know if you're enjoying a spirited/enthusiastic jaunt through the hills it's not inconceivable that you could get slightly carried away!

And I don't see why you couldn't go! This could be anywhere from one to six months away from happening; I can't reach anyone in the state-highway administration on a holiday weekend. I'll also have to talk to a local hotel and see if a club-rate can be arranged as well. I drove two and a half hours to get there from Frederick, MD; and you're definiitely gonna want to be fresh to drive this!
 
#9 ·
The bridge construction could be a while (still looking into that), so no hurry. We could rendezvous on 30 and caravan up... But I'm definitely going to see about lodging up there the night before. It's a long drive and I wanna be fresh for the drive.
 
#11 ·
Posted via FF Mobile
Where exactly is this run happening.
To a road near you!

We actually saw a motorcycle club doing the exact same thing we were up there scouting for; I've found them on the web too. They run a different route than the one I chose so we will have a good portion of it (mostly) to ourselves.
I wanna keep the route under wraps until I can get concrete dates for the end of construction and the road opening up again. There's a number of farms real close to the road, one of them less than 20 feet, and a gaggle of loud/modified vehicles could really raise hell.

I'm not saying we couldn't all be respectful and responsible; but I'm afraid of one rogue ass hat going up there and souring the area to cars running past their livelihood... The area is gloriously devoid of police: and the need for them.

My plan is to meet and roll out for a day as a group. As I said in the first post, there will be members from multiple forums and car clubs attending so we won't be alone. There isn't much traffic there.
 
#13 ·
Okay, now I've seen the topic.

Couple things...

--Never made it out to a focus meet-up when I HAD the focus, but wouldn't mind cruisin' with some in the GTI. I'll be keeping an eye on this topic for more concrete info, and hoping I can make it.

--How have I never seen your car around?!

Sounds like a good time. I'm game if for nothing else than to try to take some pictures of some good lookin' cars.
 
#15 ·
Just spent two and a half hours combing through the DOT websites and google results looking for completion dates for that bridge's reconstruction... nothing!

I'm now going through the construction company's directory and corporate HQ to reach a project manager to find said date... fingers crossed!
 
#17 ·


This farm is SUPER CLOSE to the road, that's my #1 concern for planning. There's a feeding barn for the cows less than 30ft from the road and a startling noise could scare these things into hurting themselves or damaging the building... As long as we respect the farmer and his livelihood and make this section a low-decible section; we'd just need to be safe from dumb driving that might put someone off the side!

Here's the livestock feeding area:


It's gonna have to be very civil through here!
 
#20 ·
I've only been on that road a few times, I played around out of the car both times; There isn't a whole lot of traffic to begin with... you may be right though. I'd still rather err on the side of caution though!
 
#25 ·
Sorry all: the bridge is still out.

Until I can get an official word from the companies associated with the project I'm going to call this one for the spring. It's gonna be freezing hanging out for footage and it may be best to avoid roads that may be slick with leaves. The Catoctin rally is next Sunday, if you have an itch to scratch; that should whet your appetite and stave off the Epic Rally until then!
 
#26 ·
im good for spring run since its gettin cold out just wanted an update to be shure spring time. thanks
 
#27 ·
Sorry for the inactivity, I've been doing a lot of communicating for this in PMs!

This one's gonna be set up for the spring. That should give me sufficient time to talk to local PENNdot & construction peeps, get a dry-run in, and get club rates at the local hotel.
 
#29 ·
GoPro Christmas!!!

Things are going to start ramping up now that we're into the new year; I'm gathering details and trying to find someone local to the route to scout the bridge... Anyone seen the pics and kinda knows where they're at?! If so; don't say anything publicly... hit me up, we gotta talk!
 
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