Alaskossie Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 JohnCh, Your idea sounds like a great kickoff for planning an extended westbound/northbound "moveable feast!" Perhaps, if it develops, we can move it to a separate "event" site on the USA7s site. It would be great to meet and drive with Seven owners who live along my route -- advance planning is the key. My tentative plan is to drive from Colorado to California, visit my son and a friend in LA, also rendezvous with Pierats and Sean and Slomov and others in California if possible, then head northward into Oregon and Washington, then angle eastward into Idaho and western Montana, then head northward to Banff in Alberta. There is a National Forest road outside Boise that I recall from years ago that I really want to drive in a Seven (mainly to see if my memory of it is accurate), and I'm tentatively planning to rendezvous with my wife at Banff, Alberta for a conference in the third week of July. After that, I would head for Dawson Creek, BC, and start up the Alaska Highway to Anchorage. I picked up a spiral-bound Rand McNally highway map book for Colorado, and to my amazement it shows mountain roads in enough detail to indicate whether they would be curvy enough for spirited Seven driving. I plan to pick up similar maps of the other states I would be driving through, to try to hit "the best of the best" along the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenntwincam Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 we drove many incredible mountain roads while attending LOG 27 . you have to be careful because CDOT doesn't spend a lot of money on armco or do as the locals " drive fast -pass on curves" . sounds like a great trip !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 I grew up in Colorado, so know many of the mountain roads well (but not from the driver's seat of a Seven). During the 2005 "How the West was Driven" UK Sevens Tour, bsimon and I drove the entire ascent of Red Mountain Pass in the passing lane, simply flying past all the dawdlers and strugglers! No slowing for the corners in his Seven..... quite thrilling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegoat Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Very nice. I like the silver with the carbon accents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slomove Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 ........My tentative plan is to drive from Colorado to California, visit my son and a friend in LA, also rendezvous with Pierats and Sean and Slomov and others in California if possible, then head northward into Oregon and Washington......... Hello Tom, that sounds like a plan. To be more precise a fabulous plan. I am envious. If you can, make sure to have a day or two available for the local mountains here in LA. Not the Rockies (although 7000 ft isn't too bad) but just fabulous roads: small and curvy and no traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayseven Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 You have a beaut of a car there. However, I would strongly suggest not thinking about driving through BC to Alaska in such a vehicle. Admittedly it's been a few years since I've done it, but a large part of the trip used to be unpaved, with lots of unforgiving trucks, rocks etc, which would do wonders to your CF parts in about 5 seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southwind25 Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Gorgeous 7... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7veloce Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Tom, I met you at Skip's BBQ. Jeff B. and you talked about your long 7 project. Now, it is almost done and looks great! I m so happy for you. Please do a test drive up to Fort Collins to meet with Howard and I (both of us have 7) before you take a long trip to CA. We will love to see your 7 and take a drive with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 7veloce, Let's plan on it! I intend to come down for some shorter shakedown drives in northern Colorado, as soon as the car can hit the road under its own power, and my schedule permits -- like in February or March. You, Howard, bsimon, Derek, Jeff, and scannon are all in the plans. How are you enjoying your own Seven? Let's all stay in touch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 ayseven, The Alaska Highway is all asphalt now -- I last drove it in 1998 in a low-clearance Escort Cosworth, and had no problems. There will be sections under repair or reconstruction, of course, but I hope to find out where in advance, and perhaps drive these sections at night when the traffic is lighter -- no motorhomes, etc. I first drove the Alcan in 1967, and it was 1200 miles of dirt road from Dawson Creek, BC to the Alaska border (though I was able to get my '67 Volvo up to 90 mph in a few places!). The paving of the entire Alaska Hwy. has admittedly taken a bit of the adventure out of the trip, but I'm sure there is enough left to make it interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7veloce Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Tom, I drove my 7 often till late November. It is fun and fast, but not as fast as Skip's 7 with 300 hp. Let me know when you ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersportsp Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 I am in for the PNW part of the tour, perhaps the Idaho and MT portions as well. I spoke with JohnCH about it already. Love the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskossie Posted January 6, 2010 Author Share Posted January 6, 2010 Supersportsp, That's great! We're looking at the last week in July, and early August, as a tentative period to work around. Please contact JohnCH to get into an e-mail loop for more detailed plans as they develop. Wen we get something worked out trentatively, we can post it in the Events section of USA7s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancylad Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 What a beautifull machine, a culmination of dreams, now you get to drive the dream. When you do your run thru the Banff area I would love to tag along for a while, get to see your pride and joy,( in the flesh,so to speak). We are just south of Calgary so a trip to the Banff area would be awesome. I will watch for updates on your plans. Our Westfield will be arriving sometime next week, so I should have her fettled and ready for mountain runs well before your event takes place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 The car is now sitting in my shop. I picked it up from Nathan this morning and trailered it here. Zero miles showing on the odometer. Tom is flying in this afternoon and the first drive of the car will happen this evening to tomorrow. The car is simply gorgeous. Nathan's workmanship and attention to detail is exceptional. This is a very special Seven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancylad Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Looking foward to seeing it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Here's a picture of Tom's and my Sevens side by side in the shop. Not the best of pictures as it was bright outside and dark in the shop. I'll post more pictures tomorrow after the Gathering is over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancylad Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 :drool::drool::drool::drool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 More pictures of Tom's car and of the Gathering of Colorado Sevens are at http://www.usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?p=40127#post40127 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegoat Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 That car is the finest seven I have ever seen - it has the fit and finish of a manufactured car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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