road trips (56)

On Nov 26, 2010, Maryel and me set out to explore a dirt road, leading east from Campos do Jordão to the Br-459. I had been wanting to check out this road for a long time, so I was glad we finally found some time to do it. Since we had no idea what to expect, we took our dirt bikes, and that turned out to be the right call, because the trail is not really an easy one, but for anyone who would like to do a +/- 90km enduro ride, it’s perfect. As a special bonus, the views of the surrounding Serra

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Lincoln Highway display at the Joliet Historical Museum
                      

If you live anywhere along the Lincoln Highway  you probably are aware that this year marks its 100th anniversary. It was the first paved coast to coast highway, an idea conceived by a man named Carl G. Fisher, an automobile and racing enthusiast who built the Indianapolis Speedway.

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CCCA Grand Classics on Tour

East of the Mississippi River the terrain was relatively easy to traverse and roads were in decent shape, but ou
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photoAs I started to plan our family’s big summer road trip yesterday, I recognised a giddy sensation I hadn’t felt in a while: it was the happy feeling I get whenever travel plans begin to take shape. Budget constraints mean this year’s trip will involve driving rather than flying – but with the spectacular Pacific Northwest in our backyard, this is no hardship. Our family includes two children, aged 6 and 3, plus dog and cat (both of whom will thankfully be staying behind).

Roadtripping has become
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Portugal is a popular summer destination, mostly due to its great weather and amazing beaches. It also doesn't hurt that this southern European country makes for a relatively economical holiday. If you are driving in the Algarve this summer, there are a few things you should know about the A22, the highway which runs across the region, connecting most main cities.

The A22 is also known as "Via Infante de Sagres", or more commonly as "Via do Infante". It was originally built as part of the country

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Many adventure travelers says there’s no better way to see a country than getting on a motorcycle and going on a tour.
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Gettng on a motorcycle and going on a tour
There is a silence on a motorcycle, even amid the low rumble of the engine. The wind on your face and the new smells. A leisurely pace through the countryside and the ability to stop when the impulse strikes and see things on your own terms.
Driving conditions can be dangerous in many South East Asian countries, so there is certainly some
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Italy is a great summer destination, bringing together amazing weather, world-famous food, and countless cultural treasures. If you hire a car in Italy for the summer, there are some things you should know, the most important of which is that there's a thing called the ZTL that you should keep an eye out for. Nothing gets foreign drivers fined more quickly in Italy than accidentally wandering into a ZTL.

ZTL stands for Zona a Traffico Limitato, and it's an area in the centre of the city in whi

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We started you off on a cross-country road trip with Summer Travel Part 1. Now we're revving our engines for the next leg, which sees us passing through the“Cradle of American Culture” to the Badlands out West.

"Cradle of American Culture": Tour the Mississippi Delta to see the roots of much of American culture. Visit historic private homes in Vicksburg and Memphis, and enjoy a coffee reception at Mont Helena Manor, a magnificent example of Colonial Revival architecture. You can also tour the Del

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A Dirt-Road Motorcycle Adventure in Brazil

Dirt road motorcycle adventure in Brazil

I came to Brazil to start organizing adventurous motorcycle tours, so I needed to get out there and explore. This is the story of how a casual afternoon ride turned into a two day adventure…

End of may 2009 I set out with my brand new Yamaha XT660R, and ended up entering a 4x4 trail that would take me from the BR155 (the road from Barra Mansa - Volta Redonda to Angra dos Reis) to Bananal crossing the Serra da Bocaina, which is part of the “Serra do Mar”, a

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FROM ALICANTE TO MALAGA. The journey starts with a heavy walk. I am in Alicante, the south Spanish city along the Mediterranean, which has an old fortress looming on a hilltop, which I attempt to climb. The fortress is called Castillo Santa Bárbara. And the air is hot.

Being May, summer is already well under way in this part of Europe. But the wind is blowing nicely and the view up here on the hill over sea, city and the mountains beyond is incredible. Down below, narrow streets and alleys are wi

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Stuff We Say on Vacation

 So you are finally on vacation. You left the office. Your automated email is in full swing. Your voice mail informs callers to dial reception or the poor soul who is left with your calls while you are away.

You’ve packed the car. You still aren’t’ sure if you brought enough clothes for the hot days or the cooler nights. You know you forgot something but can’t remember what. You couldn’t decide whether to wear your flip flops in the car or your running shoes so you took both.

You are 10 minute

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For folks of a certain age, “See the USA in your Chevrolet” and “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” were anthems inspiring us to experience the thrill of zipping along the nation’s highways, seeing new sights, eating new foods, and venturing from our home turf – in short, go road tripping!

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It was 1961. For me, high school graduation was past, college was months away, and the ink was barely dry on my new driver’s license. I had saved for years to buy my first car – a magic carpet that would take me to p

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Tips For Driving In Ireland

9008711679?profile=originalFor travellers bound for the Emerald Isle, picking up a car hire in Ireland can be a great way to explore, particularly if you wish to go out into the countryside and not be confined to a single location. Now, driving in Ireland can seem like a no brainer. After all, how different can it possibly be from driving in the UK? The main language spoken is the same, people drive on the same side of the road (the left!), and there's no reason to suppose that driving in Ireland would be any more difficu

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Mix Tape: Songs For A Road Trip

Road trips the perfect travel format as far as I'm concerned. They give you flexibility and a glorious sense of independence and freedom. Whether you're driving across America like someone out of a Kerouac novel or touring Europe, driving is the way to go. But no road trip is ever complete without a matching soundtrack. A mix CD is the heart and soul of any half decent road trip. Here are some songs that need to be in any mix cd.

 

1. 500 Miles, The Proclaimers - The ultimate road trip song. It's

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Tips for Conserving Fuel on Road Trips

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The rising cost of fuel is a topic that we are all familiar with and it can affect us both in our daily life plus our holiday travel plans. It is not just the UK that is facing this problem; it is a common factor all over the world and with many of us choosing to book holidays that involve a car hire it helps if we know a few ways of conserving the fuel we have and getting the most from it.

Before you depart on your journey you need to make sure your vehicle is in an overall good condition. It’

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Travel as we know it has changed in the last few years. We now get our trip recommendations from travel social networks, and upload our holiday snapshots in real-time. When renting a car to drive in the U.S., there are plenty of apps designed to help you make the best of your trip. Feel free to add your favorites in the comments section!

9008708654?profile=originalGas Buddy: This community-based free app promises to find the cheapeast and closest gas stations. Gas Buddy rewards users who report gas prices and gets great re

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Driving seems like a straightforward enough business. You get behind the wheel, turn on the car, and then proceed to go places. Most driving laws, while varying slightly from place to place, are no more than common sense, and most people will have no difficulty driving in countries other than their own. However, there are some obscure (and some not so much) corners of legislation where common sense goes to die. Here are some of the world's most bizarre driving laws.

Here a whale, there a whale, e

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Tips For Driving In Spain

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Spain is one of Europe's most popular destinations, receiving thousands upon thousands of tourists every year. Some people like it so much that they actually decide to stay, and statistics show that foreign residents are something like 10% of the population.

Driving in Spain doesn't present too many difficulties, but there are several things drivers should be aware of. First of all, and this one is a big one for British drivers, traffic in Spain drives on the right-hand side of the road.

Not left,

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Parking In Lisbon: A Survival Guide

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If you have ever driven to any main European city, you should be well aware of all the dangers facing the unaware driver. Not the least of which that you often can't find parking without pulling a Faustus (and even then, no guarantees...). Lisbon is no exception.

Popular knowledge dictates that the best way to visit a city is by using public transportation, and that's sensible enough. But Portugal is a relatively small country, so having a car available does have its advantages, and you'll be abl

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From quirky museums to must-see oddities, the Americana road side experience has become so popular that it even got its own smartphone app and a website with tips and stories from travelers. If you're booking a car rental in the U.S., planning your road trip should get a lot more exciting with some of these attractions:

Biosphere 2, Oracle (Arizona): located at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, this spaceship-like glass facility was named by Time Life Books as one of the 50 must-see Wonde

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