I think I’ve tortured everybody enough with my various dream road trips whether in France, Italy or Western Europe in general. There’s only been one in the U.S., but even that involved furrin cars and -women.
So am I going to quit? Hell, no!
Today’s trip is going to be All-American, in that the choice of car and female companion will feature no foreign entanglements* of any kind.
The trip?
Actually, you have a choice there too: U.S. 1 (and 1A where available) along the East Coast, from Miami – Bar Harbor ME:
…and U.S. 101 (the Pacific Coast Highway/PCH) along the West Coast from San Diego to Seattle:
The East Coast trip is nearly 400 miles longer, and if you wish, you could skirt NYFC (or add to your pain by doing a loop around Long Island).
You can do the trip north – south or vice-versa (please specify which), and at a time of year which suits you (do tell). The only hard and fast rule is to avoid interstate highways wherever possible. The goal is to keep the shoreline on the side of the car as much as you can. You may go through any of the cities you wish, but you can also skirt those which would make you homicidal with rage (NYFC, LA, Boston etc.) while trying to deal with the traffic and congestion.
As always with these scenarios, assume you’ll have trouble-free motoring en route, and a (shall we say) willing partner of the female persuasion in the passenger seat, and she will be as pictured. Also assume that you are of an age which would do the driving and overnight stops, so to speak, justice.
Now the fun part: the cars and companions. I’ve tried to avoid listing any of the cars and the women in earlier posts, which has made it quite difficult. Here we go, and remember: no substitutions.
1. 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz and Angie Harmon
2. 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk and Candace Cameron
3. 1957 Corvette and Katherine Lanasa
4. 1957 Chevy Bel-Air and Mary-Louise Parker
5. 1957 Ford T-Bird and Téa Leoni
6. 1954 Kaiser-Darrin Roadster and Marg Helgenberger 
7. 1956 Chrysler Imperial and Daisy Fuentes
(*I know, Daisy was born in Cuba. Shuddup or she’ll be replaced with Whoopi Goldberg.)
Let’s go a little earlier, car-wise:
8. 1935 Auburn 851 Speedster and Nancy Wilson
9. 1936 Cord 810 and Eva Amurri
10. 1932 Duesenberg SJ and Dana Delaney 
11. 1940 Packard Super-8 and Lynn Russell
12. 1933 Lincoln KB Victoria and Lisa Edelstein
That’s my delicious dozen. If you’re unfamiliar with any of the options, you know where to look (duckduckgo).
Oh wait! A wild card!
13. 1958 Chevy Apache and
Dolly!
My choice will be among the last of the Comments.
Afterthought: the only part of either trip I’ve ever done was Boston – Bar Harbor on US 1/1A, and the memory thereof inspired this post.
What a set of choices! Not a bad one in the lot. Personally, I had trouble getting past number 1. That would be my choice, but if I had a willing Angie Harmon at my disposal for a few days, I wouldn’t be spending it in the car, I can assure you.
I’ve done most of the West Coast a few times. My family took a trip from Silicon Valley to Victoria BC for the World Expo in the year I graduated from high school (in a crew cab Power Wagon towing a trailer) and then about 8 years later up to Seattle, thence to Spokane, before returning back home.
That said, I’d love to do the East Coast trip North to South, and though I have a fondness for Mopars, the idea of a trip in a pick ’em up with Ms Parton is very VERY appealing. 2nd choice would be riding in the Duesy with Ms Delaney (’cause redhead).
I would add swinging out to Deal’s Gap TN to ride the Tail of The Dragon (US Route 129), swinging West on I-85 to I-40.
Those choices of cars and companions would be mine as well , North to South – early October. We do the Boston to Bar Harbor trip every year but Never on route 1 because we would rather not spend 10 hours to do a trip we can do in 4 1/2 . Rt 1 is a two lane road most the way in Maine and NH. I’ve done sections of the southern half as well.
But , I’ve never done the west coast ( except LA to San Diago ) so that needs to be on my bucket list.
…… and Bar Harbor is actually 15 miles off route 1 since it’s on an Island. Route 1 continues to Machias and on into NB toward Prince Edward island. I would recommend adding that section on as well . and then maybe continuing on to do the loop around Nova Scotia as well even though that not technically RT 1 but it is a lightly traveled coastal road.
Angie in the El Dorado. Seriously, putting her (and the Caddy) first wasn’t fair, because while all the rest were certainly worthy, they were instantly demoted to “also-rans”.
As for the route, it would be northbound PCH. Say what you will about Crazyfornia (and Oregon) (and Washington), it’s the most beautiful part of the Lower 48. My former job took me to 45 of them and the drive was breathtaking. I’d like to do it again without the pressure of a delivery deadline so that I could take my time and really see it. (Northbound so that the sun wouldn’t be in my eyes.)
I’ve always had a soft spot for Lynne Russell, who had the good taste to pose sitting on the hood of a BMW. East coast please, I got the hell out of the Pacific West as soon and fast as I could.
10 – I’d spend more time in bed than in the drivers seat – trip would take at least 2 weeks if not a month
I’d go with Dana Delaney but her politics would have me ralphing all over the interior of that fine ’32 Dusenberg.
Dolly Parton would probably be the most interesting to ride with and that ’58 Apache is rather cool.
I think Delaney, Parton and Helgenberg and Fuentes are the only women from the list that I have heard of.
When I got to PA, I’d take a detour out towards Carlisle and head down a route parallel to I-81. That brings you through the Shenandoah Valley. I’ve driven that route numerous times and it is beautiful with some wonderful restaurants, vineyards and breweries. There’s a wonderful German restaurant called Edelweiss in Staunton, VA. Visiting the battlefields of Jackson’s 1962 Valley Campaign definitely remains on the bucket list although I’ve visited quite a few of them.
JQ
I love that Shenandoah Valley trip myself. Also, that part of the Atlantic coast isn’t that special, so I could go for your suggestion.
My first instinct is to pick the Deusy and Dana Delaney, but not for the reason you think: I was a huge Superman fanboy as a kid, and Dana was the voice of Lois Lane in Superman: The Animated Series in the mid-90s. I grew up watching the show and, I confess, had something of a crush on the character.
I know, I know.
But that said, I think riding with Dolly in that Apache would be a HELL of a lot more fun!
I’d drive U.S. 1. Did 101 from LA to San Francisco (with a detour inland because part of the highway was closed thanks to wildfires) after I graduated from high school. It’s a BEAUTIFUL drive, but I’ve no desire to visit The Crazy Coast ever again. Though I’d detour a bit west through PA to drive through beautiful Lancaster County, and again through New York State to avoid the socialist shithole that NYFC has become.
Two words: China Beach.
Angie…
Téa and Marg would be a tie for second.
Either way, there might be some occasional driving.
The Deuce & Dana.
The only question is ? The summer ? better driving hours, the winter ? longer nights. Please note that any mention of politics would résult in a spanking.
“Please note that any mention of politics would résult in a spanking.”
D’accord, Pierre.
Angie and the Eldo, US-1, South to North, Early Fall to whenever.
I’ve driven San Francisco to San Diego and Charleston to Key West. So, I’d do either side north to south summer to winter. My choice would be #9 if her politics aren’t the same as her mother’s or #10 if she left politics out of the discussion. At the end of the day you couldn’t go wrong with #13-Dolly and the truck and all her instruments.
Angie for the win.
Dolly for show
Dana to place.
A road trip with Dolly would probably be a hoot!
I’ve made most of that West Coast drive in chunks over the decades but never all at once. The scenery is (or was) spectacular and I even know of a few good places to stop if they still exist. Making it a road trip driving a ’57 Bel-Air in the company of Mary-Louise Parker sounds like a good way to round out my mostly uneventful life. No time limit or budget is imposed so I’d start at the Del Coronado Hotel in San Diego and probably end up at the Edgewater Hotel in Seattle. In between I can think of at least five or six places to stop for a day or two.
Cord, Duesenberg, Packard and Auburn up to Bar Harbor would be incredible, the chance to drive some of the best the US had to offer in the best era of early car makers they are all fitting for the hottie in the right seat.
I prefer pickups so I guess it’s the Apache and Dolly. Sounds like fun.
The Apache/Dolly choice was a ringer. The ’57 Apache is, hands down, the most uncomfortable ride I’ve ever had, and I doubt the ’58 was any better. After 10 miles I was calling for a kidney belt, or the coup de grace. Not even Dolly could overcome that, for 1,500 miles.
I’d take the 1940 Packard and Lynn Russell, by several country miles. America’s first true sports limo, and that voice talking to me for days (okay, weeks) on end… and as she’s a U.S. Marshal, she’d be as well-armed as I would be.
Hubba hubba.
Bit of advice on that West Coast trip, you really want to go from Seattle to San Diego instead of the other way. Traffic on PCH tends to move fast and it is much easer (and safer) to make right turns into the coastal viewpoints and back onto the highway instead of making a left turn during breaks in traffic.
Your map of Rt 1 is a bit confused over RI and CT. It should basically be I95 or a close parallel through those 2 states. But I’d give RI a miss or at least Providence since one of the major commuting bridges is down for the count and it will take a while before the replacement is built. Likewise the Goldstar between Groton and New London over the Thames (pronounced as spelled, not “Temms”) is dodgy; they are starting very major work on the North bound span, and a single bad accident can close southern NE for a day (see the oil truck fire on the southbound last spring). I’d be inclined to recommend picking up 20 in Boston to I84 until you are in NY, detouring around Hartford if it’s commuting hours. That also lets you skip the worst of NYC roads.
I haven’t driven the highways in NYC in decades, but I doubt they’ve improved. Your kidneys and bones will appreciate not taking the abuse.