{"id":8531,"date":"2017-01-16T10:27:10","date_gmt":"2017-01-16T18:27:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.corksport.com\/blog\/?p=8531"},"modified":"2018-09-13T13:06:44","modified_gmt":"2018-09-13T21:06:44","slug":"bucket-list-west-coast-drives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/bucket-list-west-coast-drives\/","title":{"rendered":"Bucket (Seat) List: 10 Must-Drive Roads of the West"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s nothing worse than being all dressed up with nowhere to go, right? Whether you\u2019re itching to try out <\/span>your Mazda 6\u2019s new added power<\/span><\/a>, your <\/span>Miata\u2019s updated handling<\/span><\/a>, or you simply need a more scenic background to snap a new photo of <\/span>your Mazdaspeed 3\u2019s dope hood scoop<\/span><\/a>, sometimes a trip down the road to the grocery store just doesn\u2019t cut it. If you\u2019re as passionate about the roads you drive as you are about the mods you install, or you\u2019re simply looking to vary your daily driving route, this list of some of the best roads in the West will inspire you to take your Mazda to new frontiers. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Historic Columbia River Highway, Oregon
\n<\/span><\/h2>\n

Since the Pacific Northwest is near and dear to our hearts, we\u2019ll start with an amazing drive that\u2019s close to home. Hop on U.S. Route 30 in Troutdale to begin the 75-mile journey to The Dalles that features a bit of everything that makes this area of the country stunning: tall trees, Columbia River views, waterfalls, and Mt. Hood. The winding, curvy road is a dream to drive, and you can stop along the way at sites like Multnomah Falls and Bridge of the Gods for photo ops with your Mazda.<\/span><\/p>\n

Highway 101, Oregon<\/span><\/h2>\n

One of the few gorgeous natural features Oregon is known for that you can\u2019t find along the Columbia is the ocean, but this coastal drive takes care of that. Some folks may take this route to tour historic lighthouses, but we love 101 because it allows you to trace the sweeping curves of Oregon\u2019s rugged coastline from Astoria all the way to the California border. You\u2019ll enjoy fresh salty air, great seaside driving, and <\/span>loads of Oregon breweries to check out<\/span><\/a> if you want to stop for the night and sample the local flavor. Remember that it takes a few days to do the drive even cruising speedily in your modded ride.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Three Rivers Highway, Oregon<\/span><\/h2>\n

Whether heading to or from the coast and Highway 101, the Three Rivers Highway (aka Oregon Route 22) is a twisty, curve-laden, extremely fun drive. It\u2019s not the best when it\u2019s dark and rainy, as visibility can get bad, but this trip from Salem to the ocean is a great ride to test your handling on. It\u2019s also located right in the heart of CorkSport\u2019s local region!<\/span><\/p>\n

Olympic Peninsula Loop, Washington<\/span><\/h2>\n

Head north up I-5 for one of the most rustic scenic drives you can conquer without four-wheel drive. You can enjoy the great outdoors no matter which Mazda you\u2019re in! This 330-mile trip features beaches, lakes, hikes, and camping as you circle Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest. Sometimes you just have to get away from it all. All of it, except your Mazda, of course!<\/span><\/p>\n

State Route 1, California<\/span><\/h2>\n

One of the most iconic American roads, right up there with Route 66, is the 655-mile route that stretches most of the length of California. On this journey, you\u2019ll hit San Francisco, Los Angeles, and all the stunning coastline in between \u2014 the road even goes over the Golden Gate Bridge. The Pacific Coast Highway section through Malibu is another highlight you won\u2019t want to miss on California 1! And it\u2019s a great place to show off your ride to California girls, naturally.<\/span><\/p>\n

State Route 12, Utah<\/span><\/h2>\n

Also known as \u201cA Journey Through Time\u201d Scenic Byway, this meandering desert drive gets you out of those tree-lined Pacific Northwest roadways and ocean drives and into some staggeringly impressive canyons and rock faces. Crossing through Bryce Canyon National Park<\/a> as well as the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, this road won\u2019t simply allow you to put your handling to the test; it offers scenery perfect for that new profile pic of you and your Mazda you\u2019ve been meaning to take.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"State<\/p>\n

Million Dollar Highway, Colorado<\/span><\/h2>\n

Though you can take U.S. Route 550 all the way from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Montrose, Colorado, it\u2019s the stretch between Silverton and Ouray in Colorado that will really wow you. The guardrail-free drive through Uncompahgre Canyon features narrow roads with steep drop-offs, so exercise caution. But hugging these mountain curves is definitely a thrilling drive. The road is often closed in winter, so check conditions before you prepare to zip through these bends. After this drive, if you feel like continuing the road trip, Route 50 through the Curecanti National Recreation Area is another great drive that winds along with the Gunnison River.<\/span><\/p>\n

Going-to-the-Sun-Road, Montana<\/span><\/h2>\n

What better drive to take than the route along the first road built by the National Park Service specifically for automobile-using tourists? Following the Continental Divide through Glacier National Park, this strip of pavement winds its way around, and even through, the Rocky Mountains. Offering great views and engaging driving, isn\u2019t it about time to convince your lady to take that educational vacation to a National Park she\u2019s been begging for \u2026 so you can drive your Mazda through these sick curves?<\/span><\/p>\n

The High Road to Taos, New Mexico<\/span><\/h2>\n

Looking for a drive that feels like you\u2019re in a foreign land, but don\u2019t want to worry about shipping your Mazda to Spain? The High Road to Taos, aka State Road 503, needs to be on your list. A 56-mile scenic route through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, this road features loads of great, twisty driving, but watch your speed as you\u2019ll head through villages along the way. If you want to skip the slowdowns, check out the \u201cLow Road.\u201d State Highway 68 is a quicker route, but it follows the Rio Grande and delivers some great views!<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sea to Sky Highway, British Columbia<\/span><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s not forget the asphalt of our neighbors in the Great White North! Picking up west of Vancouver by Horseshoe Bay, the Sea to Sky Highway follows Highway 99 all the way to Pemberton. Formerly a bit dangerous, the road has been improved so you can safely zip through the craggy Canadian coast up into the snow-capped mountains. If you\u2019re feeling more ambitious, you could always opt for Highway 1, aka the Trans-Canada Highway, which takes you all the way to the east coast. But we\u2019ll stick to recommending the easier-to-reach Sea to Sky HIghway for now! <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This list should get you started on some exhilarating Western drives to add some fresh scenery and fresh curves to your Mazda driving. If you have other great western drives, drop your recommendations in the comments. And if you follow up on these recommendations, <\/span>tag us with #CorkSport when you post to Instagram<\/span><\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s nothing worse than being all dressed up with nowhere to go, right? Whether you\u2019re itching to try out your Mazda 6\u2019s new added power, your Miata\u2019s updated handling, or you simply need a more scenic background to snap a new photo of your Mazdaspeed 3\u2019s dope hood scoop, sometimes a trip down the road … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Bucket (Seat) List: 10 Must-Drive Roads of the West”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8532,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[277],"tags":[37,543,34],"class_list":["post-8531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mazda-mazdaspeed-lifestyle","tag-cool-stuff","tag-lists","tag-mazda"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8531"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8531\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corksport.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}