[Silverlining_m2]

Absolutely epic. What a trip. Consider me jealous... and planning. Congrats on the car too!

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by AtlantisF80

Great photos! You must have a nice camera. Or you just know how to take them. Haha

Several people have asked about my camera. I've had several great cameras and lenses over the years. Used to mess with f stops and exposures and what not. Went to the small digital types for awhile, then the big digital type. Got tired of lugging them around. Cell phone cameras got better. Then a lot better.

Alas, I use my Galaxy S10 phone. 12 megapixels with 3 lenses, including a wide angle and a zoom. Great photo editing capabilities. I always say "Just get the photo, crop the crap out later. Concentrate on the composition." If I want more, I send it to my ipad.

Sorry to disappoint. But it seems to do pretty well.

[floridaorange]

Thanks for the great photos, I'm a photographer these are great shots!

What's the craziest moment you've had while driving? Generally speaking - something you witnessed during all those miles. How fast have you gotten it up to? Subway sammiches are terrible, unless you're on a road trip, then they are awesome!

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by ttimbo

One of, if not THE best posts I've seen on this forum. For someone Downunder, it makes me want to hop on a flight, buy a suitable Bimmer, and follow this trail, with a couple of trusty cameras to hand. COVID means I can't, and this is certainly the next best thing. Thank You 🙏

Wow, thanks!

Don't forget to see the Grand Tetons


Or Yellowstone


And definitely Yosemite

[///MB ///M3]

Wow...just wow! Incredible journey and one i'd love to do one day! Moab has a special place in my heart. I've been there a handful of times, usually on off-road / hiking trips. I absolutely love all the surrounding beauty & national parks.

I made the mistake of reading this on the john, and now my bum is sore. TMI, I know...

Thanks for sharing!

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by ///MB ///M3

Wow...just wow! Incredible journey and one i'd love to do one day! Moab has a special place in my heart. I've been there a handful of times, usually on off-road / hiking trips. I absolutely love all the surrounding beauty & national parks.

I made the mistake of reading this on the john, and now my bum is sore. TMI, I know...

Thanks for sharing!

Best response so far. You made my day.

[jab23]

Thanks for taking the time to share. This is really amazing.

[Merlin_83]

Cool post ! And great pics, I'm over in Bethany- my E92 M3 ZCP is tucked away for winter, although on rare dry days I take her out.

Anywhoo awesome trip bud!

Cheers,
Merlin

[Lual]

Spectacular trip
spectacular pics
spectacular car

[lixiang7349]

What was the fastest you went?

[DrivenByE30]

I did something similar about a decade ago with my E36, going from Southern California to Four Corner and back...

I definitely want to do it again, like you did too...

Thanks for Sharing your epic drive... Nice car !!

[jaylazy2020]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

Plenty of stations. My longest day was 450 miles and I can get close to 500 miles on a tank, depending on how much the speed limit may, or may not, have been exceeded.

Amazing range. Really shows that the M5 is the ultimate all rounder.

Love the colour combo with black wheels.

Your trip makes me want to do another one as I did 3500 miles round trip from Dublin to Barcelona and back and the return trip on my own through the night was some of the best driving ever until blowout of right front tyre at 110mph!!!

Four hours through France on a 50mph space saver was painful! [IMG][/IMG]

[redblaze]

The roadtrip and pictures are fabulous.

One question, how did you manage to drive the M5 back home when you leased it in San Diego instead of having to ship it back? When I leased my BMW in Bay Area I was told by the dealer I had to ship it since I was leasing out of state.

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by redblaze

The roadtrip and pictures are fabulous.

One question, how did you manage to drive the M5 back home when you leased it in San Diego instead of having to ship it back? When I leased my BMW in Bay Area I was told by the dealer I had to ship it since I was leasing out of state.

I initially wanted to buy it. I was going to get off the leasing merry go round. the F90 seemed to be a keeper. They told me if I bought it and drove it home I'd have to pay 7.25% CA sales tax. Oregon has no sales tax. So I arranged for shipping. I flew down with just the clothes on my back to do a test drive, sign the paperwork and get back to the airport in 3 hours.

On the way down I got buyers remorse: What if I didn't like it after I bought it? Would I tire of it in 3 years? I didn't have my calculator, but then factored in the $5000 lease incentive, tried to do the math in my head (for 2 hours) and landed with the plan to lease it. I was told earlier that leasing it will allow me to drive it home (unlike your story). So that's what I did. And paid no tax.

As it so happened, I only had the car 18 months. I've turned into one of "those" guys. Sheesh.

[evanescent03]

I've been to a number of those sites when my parents took us on a couple cross-country road trips. Suburban and pop up camper so a little different experience, but still cool. There are also a lot of cool spots I have never heard of.

Epic journey. Thanks for sharing and so glad you enjoyed the trip so much!

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by jaylazy2020

Amazing range. Really shows that the M5 is the ultimate all rounder.

Love the colour combo with black wheels.

Your trip makes me want to do another one as I did 3500 miles round trip from Dublin to Barcelona and back and the return trip on my own through the night was some of the best driving ever until blowout of right front tyre at 110mph!!!

Four hours through France on a 50mph space saver was painful! [IMG][/IMG]

Now, there's a trip. And, you get to throw in a couple of ferries and a Chunnel crossing. Too bad about your tire.

Drove and trained around parts of Ireland 20 years ago. That's some spectacular scenery......I don't care what you Europeans say. Good stuff.

[redblaze]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

I initially wanted to buy it. I was going to get off the leasing merry go round. the F90 seemed to be a keeper. They told me if I bought it and drove it home I'd have to pay 7.25% CA sales tax. Oregon has no sales tax. So I arranged for shipping. I flew down with just the clothes on my back to do a test drive, sign the paperwork and get back to the airport in 3 hours.

On the way down I got buyers remorse: What if I didn't like it after I bought it? Would I tire of it in 3 years? I didn't have my calculator, but then factored in the $5000 lease incentive, tried to do the math in my head (for 2 hours) and landed with the plan to lease it. I was told earlier that leasing it will allow me to drive it home (unlike your story). So that's what I did. And paid no tax.

As it so happened, I only had the car 18 months. I've turned into one of "those" guys. Sheesh.

Damn, I knew the dealer fooled me! Did you get a temp registration and plate when you drove the car out of dealer's door?

Yea, I sometimes even think 3 year lease is too long. Mine is 2 but I began to look for next one since 12 month...

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by redblaze

Damn, I knew the dealer fooled me! Did you get a temp registration and plate when you drove the car out of dealer's door?

Yea, I sometimes even think 3 year lease is too long. Mine is 2 but I began to look for next one since 12 month...

I got a short term temp registration, no plate. Got a new temp registration in OR and plates a couple weeks later.

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

Thanks for the great photos, I'm a photographer these are great shots!

What's the craziest moment you've had while driving? Generally speaking - something you witnessed during all those miles. How fast have you gotten it up to? Subway sammiches are terrible, unless you're on a road trip, then they are awesome!

Originally Posted by lixiang7349

What was the fastest you went?

As a thoughtful and careful BMW driver, it would be foolish and irresponsible to exceed twice the posted limit on a public road. And it probably would not even be noteworthy on the autobahn.

[jaylazy2020]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

Now, there's a trip. And, you get to throw in a couple of ferries and a Chunnel crossing. Too bad about your tire.

Drove and trained around parts of Ireland 20 years ago. That's some spectacular scenery......I don't care what you Europeans say. Good stuff.

The tyre blowing might have been a blessing as I was hooning initially and after the blowout I just had to cruise.

As my first ferry was docking in Portsmouth I found a tire shop that had a Pirelli P zero and he actually changed it with in ten minutes and I was back on the road towards Wales!

If anyone if ever in Spain and crossing to France.

The C25 or the "Eix" as the locals call it is amazing as it three lanes of high grip asphalt but some amazing sweeping bends going up and down the mountain.

It must have been that sustained load that made the tyre blow as despite being almost new it was some cheap brand that stupidly es only €50 cheaper than the correct P Zero but the previous owner had only just put it on having a gotten a puncture a week before I bought the car off him.

Lesson learnt is I'll never skimp on tyres again!

I sent this photo to some friends asking if an inflation mousse kit would fix it!!

[admranger]

Heh, my phone screen saver is a pic of my wife and me at Twin Falls. Beautiful area.

Great travelogue. Really enjoyed the dialogue and the pics.

[floridaorange]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

As a thoughtful and careful BMW driver, it would be foolish and irresponsible to exceed twice the posted limit on a public road. And it probably would not even be noteworthy on the autobahn.

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

As a thoughtful and careful BMW driver, it would be foolish and irresponsible to exceed twice the posted limit on a public road. And it probably would not even be noteworthy on the autobahn.

that's how fast i've been on a public road in an m5 - scary how confident it is at 160