The Trans-Am .... a Classic Challenge
The Route Outline - Day-by-Day
Click the image to open a zoomable map of the Trans-Am Challenge in a separate window
9th May - 12th June 2012
LEG 1 - New York to Vancouver 22 days
Day 1: New York
Today we collect the vehicles for those crews who have shipped them in, followed by safety checking, documentation and competitor briefing for all entrants. The evening will feature a welcome cocktail reception and gala dinner.
Day 2: New York to Gettysburg PA 220 miles (355 kms)
The first day on the road sees the event leave New York for the fairly short journey to Gettysburg in time for lunch, allowing the afternoon free to visit the various battlegrounds and museums in the area.
Gettysburg was the scene of the most famous battle in American Civil War history, where for three days from 1st-3rd July 1863 165,000 soldiers of the Union and Confederate forces fought each other, with devastating casualties on both sides. There are over 40 miles of battlefield roads to explore.
Day 3: Gettysburg PA to Charleston WV 380 miles (610 kms)
Leaving Gettysburg we continue to follow the civil war route via Harpers Ferry where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet. The town is also famous for being the scene of John Brown’s raid on the armoury and the subsequent battles in the civil war.
We then head into the Shenandoah National Park, part of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, using the scenic Skyway Drive where some may be lucky enough to see a black bear, or even a mountain lion, before heading west through the Monongahda National Forest and past Summersville Lake, the largest lake in West Virginia.
Our overnight halt tonight is in Charleston, the capital of West Virginia.
Day 4: Charleston WV to Knoxville TN 340 miles (550 kms)
From Charleston we head south west, crossing into Kentucky before our lunch stop at Pikeville. We leave Pikeville heading through the Daniel Boone National Forest, named after the famous frontiersman, and the only forest to allow only muzzle loaded firearms to be used.
We continue on through the Cumberland Gap, a pass through the Cumberland Mountain region of the Appalachian Mountains, through which many pioneers made the journey west to the frontiers of Kentucky and Tennessee. Our stop for tonight is in the town of Knoxville, Tennessee. Knoxville was named after the first Secretary of War, Henry Knox.
Day 5: Knoxville TN to Birmingham AL 350 miles (565 kms)
Today is a day of many states. We begin by heading south into the Great Smoky Mountains and enter North Carolina. The Great Smoky Mountains are part of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the route goes through the Newfoundland Gap, which at 5,048ft offers some spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. The National Park has a large population of black bear and has recently re-introduced the red. After North Carolina we cross into Georgia for lunch at the wonderful Blue Ridge Scenic Railway Museum in the Chattahoochee National Forest.
The route continues to head south west leaving Georgia and entering Alabama via Lookout Mountain and Fort Payne, “The Official Sock Capital of the World”, then into Birmingham and our overnight hotel. Birmingham was one of the main centres of the struggle for Civil Rights in the 1960’s, but today is seen as one of the top cities in the American South for income growth.
Day 6: Birmingham AL to Memphis TN 230 miles (370 kms)
We plan to start the day with a trip to a local race-track where crews in the Sporting category will complete a number of timed laps. Crews entering the Touring category can have a late breakfast and join the others on the road.
Today though is really dedicated to “The King”, as we visit both the birthplace of Elvis Presley in Tupelo and then Memphis and Gracelands. We will stay overnight in Memphis so there should be plenty of time to look around Gracelands for those who wish to do so.
Day 7: Memphis TN to Fort Smith AR 310 miles (500 kms)
We start today with the short trip into Arkansas, then continue west skirting Little Rock and on to Hot Springs for lunch by the lake in the beautiful Ouachita Mountains.
After lunch the route heads north through the Ouachita National Forest, the south’s oldest national forest. This wilderness of 1.6 million acres offers magnificent views and wonderful roads to drive before we arrive at our home for the next two nights in Fort Smith.
Day 8: Fort Smith AR Rest Day
“Where the New South meets the Old West” is the slogan for Fort Smith and is a lovely venue for our first, well earned, rest day. Fort Smith has a wide range of activities to keep everyone happy on the rest day, assuming you are not working on your car.
Play a round of golf, enjoy a spa treatment, visit some of the historic sites, the air museum or take a guided tour of the Knoble Brewery. You can have a wander around the shops, a quiet lunch or cosy dinner in one of the many restaurants the town has to offer.
Day 9: Fort Smith AR to Amarillo TX 420 miles (675 kms)
Today is the longest day so far as we continue our journey west. We begin by heading through the Sans Bois Mountains, the name means “without wood”, and is a frontal belt of the Ouachita Mountains.
We continue into the land of the Seminole people passing towns with exotic names like Shawnee and Tecumseh, named after the great Shawnee chieftain. We keep south of Oklahoma City to avoid the traffic and head for lunch at one of the many museums of the Native North American tribes located around Anadarko.
After lunch the route heads west, crossing into Texas and our halt for the night in the town of Amarillo. Known as the “Yellow Rose of Texas”, the city takes its name from the Spanish word for yellow, although it is probably best known for the song by Tony Bennett and the one place on the route that we meet the legendary Route 66.
Day 10: Amarillo TX to Colorado Springs CO 340 miles (550 kms)
Day 10 begins by heading north away from Amarillo for a stop at the “Window on the Plains Museum” and a short tour of the amazing exhibits of life in the Texas Panhandle in the late 19th and early 20th Century. We can also grab a quick cup of coffee to keep us going.
Our route continues via the magnificent Comanche National Grassland, using mainly dirt roads to cross this little known part of the state of Colorado. Lunch will be in the town of Lamar, located on the old Santa Fe Trail, a major trade route critical to the westward expansion of America. We continue, again mainly on dirt roads, to our overnight halt in Colorado Springs at the foot of the infamous Pikes Peak, visible from as far away as Denver and the Kansas border.
Day 11: Colorado Springs CO to Moab UT 360 miles (580 kms)
We start today with a drive up the famous Pikes Peak Hill climb road, for those crews who want to, before heading west and into the Rockie Mountains. 155 hairpin bends, all dirt, AWESOME!
We cross the Trout Creek Pass at 9,346ft and head even higher over Independence Pass at 12,093ft, above the tree line, before dropping down into the beautiful resort of Aspen for lunch and maybe a little “retail therapy” in some of the many designer stores. In the afternoon we continue through the breathtaking scenery of the Rockies, then over the 8,755ft high McClure Pass, before crossing the amazing and unique landscape of the Uncompahgre Plateau with it’s beautiful coloured canyons. We cross into Utah for our overnight halt in the town of Moab, which sits at the foot of the Arches National Park.
The Arches National Park features some of the most incredible natural sandstone arches to be found anywhere in the world, and some of you may wish to take the time to visit the park when you arrive in the evening.
Day 12: Moab UT to Flagstaff AZ 410 miles (660 kms)
Today will be remembered as one of the most magical days of the event as we head south away from Moab, through Navajo and Hopi tribal lands, and into the truly breathtaking Monument Valley.
This area provides some of the most enduring and definitive images of the American West. The isolated red mesas and buttes surrounded by empty desert have been seen in countless Western movies, but it is only by visiting the real thing can you truly experience the colour and majesty of the area. We intend to stop in the town of Goulding around which are grouped the most famous landmarks, before continuing south into Arizona and our hotel for the next two nights in Flagstaff.
Flagstaff is surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside in the west from the Coconino National Forest and the San Francisco Peaks to the Red Rocks of Sedona and, of course, the Grand Canyon National Park.
Day 13: Flagstaff AZ Rest Day
Rest, relax or repair - the choice is yours today - or you may decide to take a flight to see the Grand Canyon in all its majesty. Many people who have visited the canyon come back and say the very best way to fully appreciate the enormity of it is to see it from the air. Helicopter and fixed wing flights are available from Flagstaff. If you are feeling even more adventurous you could take a day trip to Las Vegas and help swell the profits at one of the many casinos in the famous desert gambling location. Vegas is only 250 miles away from Flagstaff and is an easy drive or short flight away.
Day 14: Flagstaff AZ to Page AZ 180 miles (290 kms)
A short day today, first stopping for coffee at the “Planes of Fame” museum to view the amazing collection of aircraft on display, then on past the southern edge of the Grand Canyon to the town of Page for lunch and our overnight halt.
The early arrival in Page has been planned to allow everyone the chance to take a boat out onto the magnificent Lake Powell, the 2nd largest man-made lake in the USA. There are 96 major canyons to explore and boats are available from many locations in Page. There is also another chance to visit the Grand Canyon as helicopter flights to the canyon are also available from Page.
Day 15: Page AZ to Salt Lake City UT 335 miles (540 kms)
We leave Arizona and cross into Utah and then drive through the incredible Bryce Canyon National Park. The park features a number of horseshoe shaped amphitheatres where erosion has carved the limestone into thousands of spires, fins, arches and mazes. Collectively called “hoodoos”, these unique formations are tinted with colours too numerous and subtle to name. We next cross the Wasatch Plateau, a forested island which provides refuge for an incredible array of animals. Among these are endangered species - Bald Eagles, Canadian Lynx and the Utah Prairie-Dog. Finally we head north to our overnight halt in the Utah capital of Salt Lake City, still the home of the Mormon Church.
Day 16: Salt Lake City UT to Idaho Falls ID 320 miles (515 kms)
Today we begin by heading north past the Great Salt Lake, the largest salt lake in the Western Hemisphere. The route then crosses the Bear River Range, part of the Wasatch Mountains, before our lunch stop in Garden City on the shores of Bear Lake. The lake has been called the “Caribbean of the Rockies” due to its unique turquoise-blue colour, the result of suspended limestone deposits in the water. After lunch we continue north crossing into Idaho and through the Caribou National Forest where you can see the west face of the Teton peaks in the distance. Our halt for the night is in Idaho Falls which owes its existence to the railroad, and later became a resting place for travellers on their way to the many national parks.
Day 17: Idaho Falls ID to Great Falls MT 475 miles (765 kms)
Leaving Idaho Falls we head east and enter Wyoming, the least populous state in the US, but maybe the most enlightened as it was Wyoming who first allowed women the vote and also the right to hold public office. Crossing the 8,431ft Teton Pass we enter the beautiful Yellowstone National Park via the southernmost entrance. We will travel via the Craig Pass and Old Faithful Geyser to leave at the northern exit. Yellowstone was the first National Park created in March 1872, and is most famous for it’s wildlife and geothermal features, especially the geysers.
Most of the park lies at an altitude above 7,500ft, so the weather can change very quickly. Crews should be prepared for a colder day than normal and 20mph speed restrictions. Leaving Yellowstone, we continue to head north on little used roads through the Big Belt Mountains and on to Great Falls in Montana for our overnight stop. Great Falls is named for a series of waterfalls that the Lewis and Clark expedition took 31 days of hard work to portage around. It is also known as “Electric City” due to the five hydroelectric dams that are nearby.
Day 18: Great Falls MT to Couer d’Alene ID 380 miles (610 kms)
Leaving Great Falls the route heads northwest stopping for coffee at the “Museum of the Plains Indians” before entering the incredibly beautiful and not to be missed Glacier National Park.
We plan to use the famous “Going to the Sun Road”, one of the most scenic roads in the whole of the United States, which goes through the 6,646ft Logan Pass and crosses the Continental Divide. After leaving the beauty of the park behind we stop for lunch in the town of Whitefish and then through the Cabinet Mountains into Idaho and our home for the next two nights the resort town of Couer d’Alene.
Day 19: Couer d’Alene Rest Day
There is so much to do and see in Couer d’Alene that the rest day is a must. Enjoy a round of golf at one of the local courses, some sunbathing or a spa treatment at our hotel or be more adventurous and take a sea plane flight over the breathtaking beauty of Northern Idaho. If you really want to relax, maybe enjoy a peaceful fishing trip on Lake Couer d’Alene.
Day 20: Couer d’Alene ID to Osoyoos BC 290 miles (470 kms)
Today we leave the US behind and head into Canada, but first the route goes north away from Couer d’Alene through the Priest Lake State Forest and passing the lake of the same name before turning west and crossing into Washington State. We lunch in Colville then cross the Columbia River at Kettle Falls and on over the 5,575ft Sherman Pass and 4,310ft Wauconda Summit before turning north again and entering Canada. Our hotel for the night is in the town of Osoyoos, located in the heart of Desert Wine Country so there should be a good wine list with dinner.
Day 21: Osoyoos BC to Vancouver BC 260 miles (420 kms)
An easy final day for those crews taking part in the New York to Vancouver leg, as we use roads close to the US border to arrive in Vancouver in time for a late lunch and a chance to explore the downtown area before dinner.
Day 22: Vancouver BC Rest Day
For those crews joining the rally for the Vancouver to Anchorage leg today will be taken up with checking of the cars, documentation and event briefing before everyone meets up for dinner in the evening. The dinner will be a welcome for those joining us and a farewell and prize giving for those crews who are doing only the New York to Vancouver leg. Those crews going the “whole way” can just enjoy a nice free day and leisurely dinner.
LEG 2 - The Klondike Rush - Vancouver to Anchorage 11 Days
Day 23: Vancouver BC to Quesnel BC 390 miles (635 kms)
So much to see, explore and savour
From Vancouver we head north into the wide open spaces of British Columbia. We pass Horseshoe Bay and take Highway 99, the “Sea to the Sky Highway” through Whistler, the venue for the 2010 Winter Olympics, before taking to gravel roads some of our journey to the overnight halt in Quesnel.
Located in a quiet valley surrounded by beautiful green mountains and lush forests Quesnel was the last stop on the Fraser River for gold prospectors to stock up on provisions.
Day 24: Quesnel BC to Smithers BC 360 miles (580 kms)
The planned route for today uses mainly smooth gravel roads to a lunch halt at Fraser Lake. This town was originally a fur trading post established in 1806 and is the easternmost point the Lake District, a land dotted with lakes, rivers, mountain ranges and valleys. After lunch we head west towards Houston and then join the Yellowhead Highway to our overnight stop in Smithers. The town of Smithers rests at the foot of Hudson Bay Mountain which will provide a truly spectacular backdrop for your evening pre-dinner cocktail.
Day 25: Smithers BC to Terrace BC 290 miles (470 kms)
A shorter day today as we continue to explore some more of the beautiful British Columbian countryside via the Babine Mountains and Babine Lake, the longest freshwater lake in British Columbia. We then drive through the Seven Sisters Provincial Park, named for the spectacular set of peaks visible from the highway between Hazleton and Terrace, and into the town of Terrace for our evening halt. We should arrive early enough for the adventurous to try a spot of salmon fishing or just a little exploring of this “town built in a forest”
Day 26: Terrace BC to Watson Lake YT 520 miles (840 kms)
The longest day of the rally faces us today as we head even further north into gold rush territory. We leave Terrace on little used side roads through the Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park, which was only established in 1992, and is jointly managed by the Nisga’a people. The park has waterfalls, cinder cones; lava tubes and even a lava dammed lake. We re-join the scenic Cassiar Highway at Cranberry Junction and will stop for lunch at the Tatooga Lake Resort near the Kinaskan Lake Park. After lunch the long journey continues leaving British Columbia and entering the famed Yukon Territory and onto our hotel for the next two nights in the town of Watson Lake.
Day 27: Watson Lake YT Rest Day
After such a long day you will all need a rest and Watson Lake, known as “Yukon’s Gateway”, is the perfect place to relax and catch your breath before the final few days of the rally. The golfers can play at a local course; the adventurers can go boating on Lake Liard, hiking through the numerous trails that surround the town or go and view the world famous Sign Post Forest. One other highlight is the Northern Lights Space and Scientific Centre which offers daily shows about the myths and mysteries of the Northern Lights in it’s 100 seat theatre.
Day 28: Watson Lake YT to Whitehorse YT 435 miles (700 kms)
Our journey today takes us up the Campbell Highway to the picturesque town of Ross River. This is a wide, fast gravel road through stunning scenery of rivers and mountains. After lunch we head south down the Canol Road, built during the construction of the North American Pipeline to the Arctic oilfields. We re-join the Alaska Highway at Johnsons Crossing and then head west to Whitehorse and our hotel for the night.Often called the “Wilderness City”, Whitehorse is the capital of the Yukon, nestling on the banks of the Yukon River surrounded by mountains and clear mountain lakes, and home to some of the most spectacular scenery in Canada.
Day 29: Whitehorse YT to Dawson YT 370 miles (600 kms)
Today’s route continues through the wilderness of the Yukon and even further into gold rush territory as we head north using the Klondike Highway. After a lunch stop in the town of Carmacks we will pass a number of abandoned old mining towns before crossing the Yukon, Pelly and Stewart Rivers and arriving in Dawson for the night halt. Dawson was where gold was first discovered in 1896, which triggered what was arguably the world’s greatest gold rush as nearly 100,000 people descended on the territory looking to find their fortune. The town retains a feel of the Wild West with raised wooden walkways and saloon swing doors on many original wooden buildings.
Day 30: Dawson YT to Dawson YT Loop 100 miles (160 kms)
A short gravel road loop out of Dawson today for those crews in the Sporting Category, although any tourers may join us if they wish to. The route runs through the Bonanza Creek gold discovery area before returning to Dawson for lunch and an easy afternoon. Those crews in the Touring Category who do not want to join in today can choose to take advantage of the day to explore the town or even try a little gold prospecting of their own.
Day 31: Dawson YT to Fairbanks AK 395 miles (635 kms)
Today we cross back into the USA following the “Top of the World Highway” and then join the excellent gravel roads of the Taylor Highway through the town of Chicken, one of the few remaining true gold rush towns, and a chance to get a cup of coffee and world famous cinnamon roll at the café. We will stop for lunch in Tok, a town that started as a camp during the construction of the Alcan and Glenn Highways in the 1940’s, before we head up the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks. Fairbanks is called the “Golden Heart of Alaska”, a reference to the character of the people, and is only 188 miles south of the Arctic Circle so the days during summer are very long and surprisingly warm.
Day 32: Fairbanks AK to Anchorage AK 380 miles (610 kms)
For the final day of the rally we head south to our finish venue in the city of Anchorage. We use the George Parks Highway, passing Denail National Park and Mount McKinley, which offers unparalleled views of the Alaskan landscape.
A lunch stop is planned about halfway along the highway to enjoy the views and a final rest before the run in to Anchorage and the finish. Anchorage is a truly wonderful place in which to complete such an adventure as the city is embraced by mountain ranges and with a maritime climate that makes the evenings very pleasant indeed. This evening is a last chance to relax with your new found friends and colleagues and swap “tales of derring-do” from the rally. We plan to have our gala dinner and prize giving tomorrow morning so no-one has to rush or worry about missing out on collecting any hard-earned trophies.