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08-09-2019, 11:49 PM | #1 |
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M4 Cross Country Road Trip – 6000 Miles – 21 States – 14 Days – Advanced M School
Featured on BIMMERPOST.com Hi all! I just finished a cross country road trip (and back) in my 2018 M4. I had Advanced M School at VIR booked since February and had been going back and forth on whether to drive. I’ve really wanted to do something like this in a cool car like an M4. Ultimately this was sort of a tribute to my Dad, who passed away in May. He was a huge road trip guy and would have loved this. Since I’ve had a rough year, I decided (the night before for certain) screw it, let’s drive. Here’s the day-by-day! Photos included! I’ve done selfie-journals and GoPro videos and given my college try at getting each day in and edited. Day 1 - July 24 I left my office in Downtown LA and went up through Pasadena and then on to Mammoth Lakes for dinner with friends and overnight at my condo. Day 2 - July 25 Early morning run and then across Nevada via US 6 through Tonopah and Ely before joining I80 at Wendover. Salt Lake City overnight. Note that this route is out of the way for cross-country trip, however, car needed to service and I wanted to do this as early as possible (if you service early every time, you get an extra free service). So, I ran her in 6th instead of 7th for most of the first two days and the light came on literally as I was driving into Salt Lake. Highway 6 through Nevada is absolutely stunning and much greener than expected. Some serious time-making and low MPGs in this stretch. Take that as you will. Day 3 - July 26 Third service at Murray BMW – new spark plugs and an alignment for under $200 – try that in LA! There were two M5Cs in showroom - one is Rosso Corsa! Then it was more US 6 down to Price, Utah and then on to join I70. This stretch of US 6 was insanely beautiful with a great storm and lightning show with rain so hard this Californian thought the windshield would crack! Going through Grand Junction involved quite a show by practicing Blue Angels - I managed to get the Blue Angels right in front of my on the GoPro! Then the fun ended. I’ve made three attempts in my adult life to get through I70 corridor to Denver side and all three have failed. This time it was a massive mudslide that closed the road about 3 miles west of the Glenwood Springs turnoff for Aspen, which was my 3rd night to-be stay. So, I had to back track to Colorado Route 13 and then up to Steamboat. The plus was that this was an amazing road and the rains had finally stopped so it was fresh air and about 70 degrees from 5-7 pm. Even had a 6-vehicle pass...three cars one truck with camper trailer and two semis...stunning drive! Day 4 - July 27 Glorious morning run along the Yampa in Steamboat. Then up over Rabbit Ears pass, down to I70 and up and down Loveland Pass. Unfortunately missing Aspen meant I had to miss Independence Pass. Came back down from Loveland and went on to Denver and then on to Salina, Kansas for the night. Day 5 - July 28 I70 from Salina, KS to Clayton, MO, a St. Louis suburb where there’s a great restaurant called The Crossing, which unfortunately is closed on Sundays! Most people think Kansas is boring, however, I found the drive incredibly fascinating as you progress from Eastern Colorado into and through Kansas. You can see the transition from the high plains to lush, green Midwest before your eyes. There were also entertaining signs and rolling coal trucks! Day 6 - July 29 St. Louis through Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee to Gatlinburg for the night. I had never been to Kentucky, so I picked up a state…2 to go! I also got off the interstate for about 25 miles due to construction and took old US 25. This was an incredibly beautiful drive. Then I got to the hotel in Gatlinburg…and scratched the passenger side splitter while parking…well actually while adjusting the parking job to leave the perfect amount of space and not create a non-spot spot for someone to jam into. UGH! Time for M Performance CF splitters I guess! Day 7 - July 30 This day was probably the best of the outbound. Started with drive through Great Smokeys on US 441. Insane…until we joined the Blue Ridge Parkway…can’t even describe how much fun this was. It was an empty Tuesday morning, not too hot and sun-shining. Glorious, just glorious! Took North Carolina 151 down into Asheville from Blue Ridge Parkway…this is a crazy little road…it was like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride…about as wide as two M4s…no shoulders and totally canopied. From there it was on to Greensboro to pick up two buddies at the airport and on to VIR for M School! Unfortunately, they aptly pointed out that I drove 3300 miles and was 15 minutes late. Arrival dinner and drinks at Connie’s pub and tavern. I brought a good Dunn Howell Mountain for Donnie Isley willwin2day and Laura Hayes (instructors) and I to enjoy! Day 8 - July 31 Advanced M School time! Morning was skidpad and some section/partial course training. Afternoon were some laps. I got my first real experience in the M5C…I can’t even describe…what a beast. Dinner at Connie’s pub and tavern…we find out all wines are included and I proceed to order two bottles of the Caymus before Matt Mullins (head instructor) cuts us off! I came from California, we had a guy drive his I8 from Wisconsin, a GTS from Virginia and a freshly and completely restored '73 bus that came from Nebraska! Day 9 - August 1 All day lapping. Morning was M4Cs on small patriot course for recon for timed sessions in afternoon and M2Cs and M5Cs on big track. Afternoon was M2Cs on Patriot Course for more practice and M4Cs and M5s on big track. The M5C is just a beast, so fast and yet so easy to drive because of the AWD. I am getting to the point where I’m converted on the AWD. M4C probably best all-around for the big track. However, in my personal opinion, the M2C is the best BMW, if not the best car, BMW makes. It is just so playful and so willing. It’s MDM mode is extremely limited in its interventions and really lets you have a blast. The car is also far more linear than the M4/M4C’s surge and does sound a better. For $60k, you really cannot get a better BMW. Timed laps were interesting as about half of us went off the track…including me. Unfortunately, I didn’t get footage of that…but I do have the car in front of me going off in the practice session…I almost followed him! Dinner at a shockingly decent Italian place about 20 minutes from VIR with the instructors…lots of fun and then sad farewells. Those of us that drove our BMWs get a picture below the gantry at end of pit lane! Day 10 - August 2 Super early rise to get buddies to GSO for their 8:15 am flight. This actually gave me a decent early start and allowed me time to check out the BMW Performance Center in South Carolina en route to Fultondale, Alabama for the night. During M School, they told us not to run the AC too high and cold as it will freeze up in the heat and humidity…this happened to me in my car going through Eastern Alabama! Had to roll the windows down and run the heat for about 5 minutes and sure enough it came back…weird! Had great dinner with Aunt, Uncle, Cousin and his wife in Alabama. Day 11 - August 3 Stunningly beautiful run on old Stouts road in Fultondale (outside Birmingham). This is an old stage coach highway. It was hot and humid at 7 am though, that’s for certain. Then drove northwest up I22 to Memphis to join I40. Gas is $2.89 for premium in Mississippi! Then on through Arkansas to the border of Oklahoma for overnight in Van Buren, AR…to find out that it was a DRY COUNTY…I was like excuse me? Thankfully, Colton’s Steakhouse served alcohol and I got a giant local IPA, peanuts, these semi-sweet rolls with butter and honey, salad, bacon-wrapped fillet and sweet potato fries for $36 including tax and 20% tip! Nuts! Day 12 - August 4 I drove from Van Buren, AR through Oklahoma, panhandle of Texas on to Santa Rosa, New Mexico. All I40 and eventually historic route 66. This drive is incredible as you literally see the change from Ozarks/almost Midwest green outside of Oklahoma city to plains to desert southwest in about 350-400 miles. Stunning. Also incredible is going from 90% humidity to bone dry in the same span. Santa Rosa, NM is a bit of a Route 66 ghost town and a little sad, if I’m honest. No restaurants were really open and the pizza place I ended up at was not great. It was entertaining though. This Native American guy was drinking at the bar a couple seats down. Disappeared. Then about 30-45 minutes later returns…with the pizza delivery bag. He was delivering the pizzas…with a couple rounds in between! Unfortunate, but also a bit funny. Day 13 - August 5 Early morning run through Santa Rosa…loving the dry air. Then I went to the “Blue Hole” which is a natural aquifer about 80 feet wide and 100 feet deep. It’s got a constant inflow/outflow of 3000 gallons per minute of fresh water and is a constant 61-62 degrees. A novelty and nice cool off. Then it was I40 to Flagstaff then I17 and Arizona state routes down to Prescott for the final night. Very cool little town. Day 14 - August 6 Last day. Super early drive down a very interesting and windy Arizona state route 89. The sunrise is stunning. Traffic into LA is light and I’m home in about 6 hours. I know I’m home when gas in Blythe is over $4, the pump spills all over the place and Starbucks guards the straws with serious force. Yes, I should have gotten a tank in Arizona, but that would involve two stops. Arrive home to the serene Pacific Ocean around 11:15 am. It’s a calm, comfortable 70 degrees. I am a biased, 6th-generation Californian, and you can't change me. This is home and this is, in my opinion, the best place on earth. Got her washed up and was happy to find not as much damage as I had expected! Summary I covered just a hair over 6000 miles in 14 driving days, 13 nights. I averaged 25.23 miles per gallon over the whole trip. This is much better than I expected and better than I’ve ever done in this car on trips to Mammoth/Yosemite I’ve done before. This country is so vast and varied and incredibly beautiful. People are, for the most part, incredibly warm, welcoming and nice. The M4 is just a great, great car. It really is probably the best M car if you want the performance for the track/spirited driving but also some comfort. The long wheelbase really helps on long trips vis-à-vis the M2. I don’t have the M4C, but the M4 really is great in base form. It goes like a scared rabbit, sounds like an angry trumpet and has the soul of Darth Vader…what more could one want in a fast coupe? Overall, I cannot recommend more highly the quintessential American Road Trip…and going all the way across the country and back is just a spectacular experience. Hope y’all enjoy!
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Last edited by Fugly M3; 08-15-2019 at 10:59 PM.. |
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08-10-2019, 12:07 AM | #2 |
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Wow great post/adventure! Thanks for the fun read and great pics.
Very sorry about your father. |
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08-10-2019, 12:20 AM | #3 |
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Thank you...days 7-14 videos still to come!
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08-10-2019, 06:51 PM | #6 | |
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Thanks!
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08-10-2019, 08:19 PM | #7 |
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Awesome trip. We have very similar taste in music too, we probably could roll together. I really want to do an M School, they just dont seem to fall on my weeks off (I work an unusual schedule). I need to get out east as I do not have much experience out there or past eastern Utah much. Great shots and you didn't bore me on the videos! Plenty of huge American flags in the south and heartland. I was wondering if you were going to come across Texas on your way back but see you chose Oklahoma and just crossing the panhandle. There are some areas of I20 and I10 where you can really open it up.
Cool trip and one you will remember for a very long time. Really awesome you got to see the good in America with generally good people along your way. It was also interesting to see your amazement of prices of food and gas in the central US. Really what is interesting to me is how people in CA accept the atrocious prices there. But I'm glad you enjoy your home in LA. California is nice to visit but it's not for me. |
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08-10-2019, 10:13 PM | #8 | |
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All the videos have now been uploaded so post is relatively complete. Enjoy!
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08-10-2019, 10:40 PM | #9 |
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All videos now loaded!
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08-11-2019, 11:34 AM | #12 | |
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Thanks...sch? Shipping car home? Anyway...drove 'er back!
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Last edited by Fugly M3; 08-11-2019 at 04:06 PM.. |
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08-11-2019, 04:06 PM | #14 |
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Edit...all videos should now be free of youtube copyright blocking!
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08-18-2019, 06:10 AM | #17 |
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Epic Road trip! Reminds me when I picked up my M3 2000 Miles away and drove it back.
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08-18-2019, 10:49 AM | #18 |
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Thanks! I actually already follow you on ig!
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08-22-2019, 11:38 AM | #19 |
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What a wonderful post. I'm sure your dad is looking down at you and is very proud.
I've always wanted to do something like this before, at least just once.
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08-22-2019, 12:51 PM | #20 |
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Just go do it! Totally recommended!
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08-22-2019, 01:07 PM | #21 |
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Excellent post and thanks for sharing.
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