The Road To Top Gear...

[x-hobo]

Hey guys,

A mate and I are heading up to Sydney to catch Top Gear Live in a few weeks, and we thought it would be blasphemy to fly somewhere to get to Top Gear so we'll be doing a mini-road trip. However, we're keen to avoid the interminable boredom of the Hume Hwy, so was hoping you guys might have some suggestions of good routes to take.

We're planning to leave late afternoon/early evening Friday, have a stop-over somewhere, and then be in Sydney by about 12pm Saturday. Then probably leaving Syd almost straight after the show, another stop over, and then home some time on the Sunday. Accordingly the trip up has to be reasonably short, but the trip back can be a little longer. I was thinking maybe drive up inland and hit up some mountains/twisties and then return via the coastal roads for some scenery (and maybe more twisties? ).

Any advice (including good places to stop over) would be appreciated!

Cheers.

P.S. I did attempt a search but was surprised to come up with nothing, forgive me if this is my own failure at search.

[Phatboy]

so we'll be doing a mini-road trip.

I was thinking maybe drive up inland and hit up some mountains/twisties and then return via the coastal roads for some scenery (and maybe more twisties? ).

Yikes! WHat's a full-size road trip then? The full M1?

What you suggest would be what you want. Fastest way there is Hume, scenic way back is coastal.

[FrangaR33]

Yass or Gundagai are generally the best spots to stop over for the night as they are about half way and thats where most people go so its not just some one horse town like some on the hume. Personally I cant just stop after 6 hours I just wanna get where I'm going and just keep driving. I've done the run a couple of times now, was gonna stop in Yass, couldnt be bothered so I just kept driving all the way to Sydney. If you do decide to do it in one go, take plenty of Coca Cola and chocalate bars to keep you perked up. And if you got in car screen put on a movie or something to keep you awake and have an "i'm really f**kin tired" cd full of really loud techno or rock to keep you awake, worked for me. Also do some speeding for me, when I did the last run I had a mattress on the roof of my car for 14 hours straight couldnt drive faster than 80km/h without the bloody thing trying to fly off

[Ant97GTR]

No question the Hume will get you there fastest but is boring at batshit. The best way would be the coastal route - for the most part well maintained and has some good twisty bits but takes much, much longer.....you might struggle for high octane fuel as well.

[adznight]

Mmmmm plane goodness, I'll be in the pool with a beer at my hotel while you're sweating it out in your car hehe!

[Leewah]

I'll be flying up. None of this 9 hours of useless crap for me. Get me to the hotel ASAP and hook me up with a comfy bed.

Road trips are only cool if you get to drive something UBER cool which I don't have access to right now

[saff_cossie]

The g/f and I are heading up for this, via plane. Adz/Leewang, where are you staying? The email is generating much interest and need to book something ASAP.

Thinking of Fri night after work and Sunday morning fly back.

[R31Nismoid]

FYI - being i drove back last week from Syd - go up overnight.

There is fken painful, and i mean to the tune of 1-1.5hrs of delays worth of Roadworks going on in about half a dozen sections of the Hume.

As for the coastal route, forget that, its a two dag slog up past Merimbula, Eden and so on, its i think double the length as you go right out and being the time of year it is, you'll run into caravans and all sorts of crap IMO.

So just get some good CD's, and do the Hume - @ night.

Thats what i think

[Leewah]

I'm staying at the Marriott in the city with Rossco, Matt Lowth, Barney and the boys from Import Monster.

Not sure where Adz, Mav and others are staying.

The g/f and I are heading up for this, via plane. Adz/Leewang, where are you staying? The email is generating much interest and need to book something ASAP.

Thinking of Fri night after work and Sunday morning fly back.

[shepo]

if you are going up for top gear, why not do "top gear" style...

some of you can drive up, and the others do it via busses, trains and plane. then see who wins...

just a thought

[NickR33]

that would be one contest the car would NOT be winning... even if you did it in a Veyron and didn't care about your license

is the Top Gear show sold out?

[adznight]

Dunno where we are staying yet mate, plane is booked. Havn't book the accomo yet.

[N1GTR]

Come on guys the Hume isnt "that" bad, besides its a highway not a mountain run

Ive lost count of the times ive used it last year.

I cant stress enough how important it is to know the usual hangouts for the HWP on that road if you plan on doing anything you shouldnt.

Also if you're going off the whereis.com.au time frame from Melbourne to Sydney - ignore it, that trip can be safely done about 2 hours 15 mins less than it quotes if needed.

[DNGRUS]

my partner and I are going up too, havnt figured out weather were driving up or flying up, most likely flying up

[x-hobo]

Thanks for the replies guys - must admit I'm surprised at all the negativity though, for a car forum Are there really no good routes? Even taking the hume part of the way and branching off for some more interesting bits? Going straight down the hume both ways kind of kills the whole idea of the trip as far as I'm concerned...

Oh and top gear race sounds awesome - I'm thinking me in the car, my mate in a canoe. Sound fair?

[Mavric]

I booked my flights today... heading up on the 6th....

not sure where im staying yet

[saff_cossie]

Mav/Adz, what time are your flights? I need to lock them in too. Somewhere central would be good and happy to head up on the 6th for a few quiet beers in Sydney, spot of sight seeing on Saturday before the event, then home some time in the morning on the Sunday

[Rekin]

What accommodation is everyone taking? Thinking of going up there but my notepad calculations arent agreeing with my student wages

[chopobo]

heading up on the 7th coming back on the 8th

staying at aspire hotel $105 for the night

in Ultimo close to Central station

[N1GTR]

If you guys are coming up and having beers/whatever, give me a call and ill tag along