I drove my mommy's car today!

[JCH13]

She has a 2007 Volvo S60R.

I drove it up Pike's Peak in Colorado.

It was around 40F at the base where I started the 20-mile drive to the top. Wound through the treeline all the way up to 14,110ft where it was -10F with 50+mph wind gusts. The average grade of the road isn't too bad, in fact there aren't too many really steep parts. But there's about .1 miles of guardrail on the 20-mile road, and there is basically a sheer drop off the side of the road in most places. It's now paved top-to-bottom and is super-smooth the whole way through. It was a really fun, nervy, drive with some amazing views.

I highly recommend the drive is you're ever in Colorado.

At the base.

Winding my way up the mountain...

1-2 miles from the top we stopped for a panorama. It was already goddamn cold.

Some of the switch-backs near the top (viewed while descending).

At the top with my old man! It was bitterly cold, but had great views.

Some of the views on the way up/down/at the top.

This view is from inside the car... no road shoulder, just a nice long fall. Still, great view!

Might have some video to post up soon too!

 

[Fenixgoon]

awesome! i really should construct a "to do list" for places i'd like to drive. i already want to make a run in the Isle of Man TT (though i need to find out how much it costs)

 

[JackBurton]

Man, I haven't been to Pike's Peak ever since I was a kid. I'd like to go back.

 

[JCH13]

awesome! i really should construct a "to do list" for places i'd like to drive. i already want to make a run in the Isle of Man TT (though i need to find out how much it costs)

I think I'm going to work out the same list, including race tracks and real roads.

 

[manimal]

awesome! i really should construct a "to do list" for places i'd like to drive. i already want to make a run in the Isle of Man TT (though i need to find out how much it costs)

The wife and I have a list like that and we do 2-3 places a year. This next summer we are getting a car in berlin and spend a few days driving the valleys. Our destination will be the nurburgring!!

We hope to spend our 20 Euros happily for a few runs!!

 

[satyajitmenon]

Wow. That looks like a fun road to drive. Especially in summer I'm sure.

 

[TehMac]

manual?

 

[JCH13]

manual?

Nope, but it has the bump-shifting option which worked well.

 

[TehMac]

Nice, well either way, the newer Volvos are actually pretty cool cars, and the s60r is turbo'd and has an output of 300bhp. Not bad.

 

[JCH13]

Nice, well either way, the newer Volvos are actually pretty cool cars, and the s60r is turbo'd and has an output of 300bhp. Not bad.

Yeah, it can haul some butt, that's for sure. When it is running in the 'manumatic mode' it feels like the torque converter is locked out, which makes it nice and responsive. It has Brembo brakes, and electronically adjustable shocks too. It's quite a nice little car.

 

[jlee]

:awe:

 

[punjabiplaya]

definitely adding to the list

all I've really done is the dragon

hopefully Three Sisters sometime in the spring/summer

 

[Toastedlightly]

I have an S60R w/ the 6 speed. Fun car. I wish there was something interesting to see in MN... 🙁

 

[NutBucket]

Bah, sucks that the road was paved. Its just not the same.....

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I have an S60R w/ the 6 speed. Fun car. I wish there was something interesting to see in MN... 🙁

Construction 😀
Seriously, I have to go to Keeler Hall at the U of M every so often and right now it is a giant PITA.

 

[Raduque]

I hate driving my mother's car - you can't feel the clutch disc bite through the stupid hydraulic system.

 

[JCH13]

Bah, sucks that the road was paved. Its just not the same.....

I'm okay with having pavement under my car when I'm on the side of a mountain. It will make the race driving less entertaining, though it will be faster and more dangerous.

 

[ballmode]

I've only driven N/A cars in high altitude. Would a turbo make a huge difference?

 

[KentState]

I've only driven N/A cars in high altitude. Would a turbo make a huge difference?

Turbos do better with high altitudes compared to N/A.

 

[JCH13]

I've only driven N/A cars in high altitude. Would a turbo make a huge difference?

They do. Turbo cars can still build most or all of their sea-level boost pressure, but intake charge cooling (intercoolers) don't work as well. All said and done they maintain power a lot better than NA cars do in my experience.

After 3 years of living in Colorado my parents will only buy turbo-charged cars, having recently sold two NA cars (Volvo S70 and Ford Crown Victoria). The difference in hauling ass up through mountain passes at 10,000+ feet is immense.

 

[TheHashmaster]

wow, that looks amazing. sounds like an awesome experience.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

Definitely visiting that place for sure... OMG. Utah is pretty close to Colorado, I presume..

 

[HarryLui]

I've only driven N/A cars in high altitude. Would a turbo make a huge difference?

Huge difference.

In 1918, General Electric engineer Sanford Alexander Moss attached a turbo to a V12 Liberty aircraft engine. The engine was tested at Pikes Peak in Colorado at 14,000 feet (4,300 m) to demonstrate that it could eliminate the power loss usually experienced in internal combustion engines as a result of reduced air pressure and density at high altitude.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbocharger

 

[skyking]

Bah, sucks that the road was paved. Its just not the same.....

yeah ,that is too bad. Some of those cars from the 80's and 90's were beasts.

 

[zCypher]

beautiful pics. thanks for sharing !