I just completed a cross-country drive from New England to WA and took a few pics of the V along the way. I only had a chance to run the car through a car wash once, so the car doesn't look so purty in most of the pictures, but such is life. With the cruise set from 80-85mph I averaged somewhere around 22-22.5mpg - I think driving gradually uphill across the entire damn country until you drop off the west side of the Rockies doesn't help the ol' mileage.

For the first couple days of the trip I didn't stop to do any sight-seeing or take any pretty pictures. Once I got out into the Midwest, though, and was making good time I had a chance to make some stops. So here are some shots in the order I hit things along the way...

First I diverted off I-90W to drive the Badlands Scenic Loop (Rte 240), which passes through the northern part of the Badlands National Park. Some pretty impressive scenery along the way...
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40580&stc=1&d=1206242070

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40583&stc=1&d=1206242333

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40584&stc=1&d=1206242333

For the most part the scenery is very mono-chromatic through the Badlands (as you can see in the shots above) unlike, say, the Grand Canyon where you see all different shades of rock in the layers of strata. Right at the end of the Scenic Loop I came across one section where there was finally some color:
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40579&stc=1&d=1206242069
(The yellow and pink tones were more vibrant in real life. My poor digital camera is on its last legs.)

After the Badlands I got back on I-90 and then diverted off again to get to Mount Rushmore. I just took one picture with the car in the frame as I was leaving the park:
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40581&stc=1&d=1206242333

Rolling on from Rushmore my next stop was Devil's Tower.
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40585&stc=1&d=1206242333

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40588&stc=1&d=1206243141

The next day I stopped in at the Little Bighorn Memorial Battlefield Park. There wasn't a whole lot to take pictures of there, but as I turned to walk back to my car from the Reno-Benteen Battlefield portion of the park I thought this was a pretty cool shot:
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40578&stc=1&d=1206242333
(Note that that morning I had finally had a chance to get the car washed :).)

On the last day of the trip I pulled off I-90 into this scenic overlook over the Columbia River:
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40582&stc=1&d=1206242333

And a shot from somewhere in Montana, limited by the V-rated snow tires, of course:
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40587&stc=1&d=1206243141

Great pics. How do you like the 452's

My kind of pics.. :thumbsup:




I was wondering about those speed racer tires...

Hmm, if Picturetrail would let me upload, I'd show you some pics that are very similar...

Great pics. How do you like the 452's
Just to clarify, I had my Dunlop M3 SSSSSSST winter tires on the car for the trip.

However, I do like the FK452s. They're the only summer tires I've had on the car thus far, though, so I don't have any reference to compare them to. They're quiet, have a smooth ride, and seem to do well wet or dry. I auto-x'd on them once, the only time I've auto-x'd this car. I thought turn-in and cornering grip was quite good for a street tire, particularly considering the FK452 is not a "top dog" street tire (like the Advan Neovas or Potenza RE01Rs that rule the street tire classes). It was pretty easy to blow them off with the go pedal coming off the corners, but that's probably true of just about any street tire on a car with 400hp! :D

Pics are awesome. I like the one with Mt Rushmore. Glad to see you made it safe!

Pretty sweet pics. You've just inspired me for my vacation starting tommorrow in my V. Vegas> Death Valley>Sequioa>Yosemite>S.F.>L.A.> back home to Vegas! All on brand new 452's, great tires for the money!!

Dude, awesome, just awesome! Is that a CT tag I spy? Where ya from?

Great road trip, great pics! Thanks for sharing.

Ahh, so that's what Mount Rushmore looks like. I did part of this same route in Dec 2006 bringing the V back from Ohio. I got to Mt. Rushmore just as it was dark and could hardly see anything. The custer battlefield wanted $10.00 to park so I just continued on. I did get a couple of souvenirs though. Sat afternoon in Mitchel SD and 8:30AM Sunday morning in Wyoming just me and the highway patrol. Good thing I wasn't doing a high speed run like you.
The V is a wonderful road car, I'm taking it to Vegas in May and looking forward to it.

They are great pictures makes me want to go on a cross country trip

Dude, awesome, just awesome! Is that a CT tag I spy? Where ya from?

Great road trip, great pics! Thanks for sharing.
I'm A Navy brat, so I grew up in SE CT near the Sub Base.

Ahh, so that's what Mount Rushmore looks like. I did part of this same route in Dec 2006 bringing the V back from Ohio. I got to Mt. Rushmore just as it was dark and could hardly see anything.
Apparently my brother-in-law visited a few years ago and it was so foggy you couldn't see anything. I had no such worries - weather was perfect!

I did get a couple of souvenirs though. Sat afternoon in Mitchel SD and 8:30AM Sunday morning in Wyoming just me and the highway patrol. Good thing I wasn't doing a high speed run like you.
I managed to make it the whole way without getting stopped. My V1 clued me in a couple of times, but really there weren't even any close calls. The last time I did this, going from CA to CT in December '05 in my Subaru, I managed to make it alllll the way to the vicinity of NY City and I finally got nailed. I was ticked - after 7 days of driving (I did a lot more sight-seeing that time) they got me about 90min from home! :(

The V is a wonderful road car, I'm taking it to Vegas in May and looking forward to it.
I particularly enjoyed the torque climbing the mountains - 6th gear, 80-85mph, never had to downshift, just let the gobs of torque pull me right along. :cool:

I hope you don't think I'm threadjacking. I just love to remember the cross country trip in mah V...

http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/309887328.jpg



http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/309887329.jpg

In case you didn't notice, I was in the Badlands just before Bike Week in Sturgis.

This picture was taken on the way from Rushmore to Devil's Tower. If you went SW out of Rushmore and stayed off the Interstate, it would bring you past this place...

http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/234205830.jpg



http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/309887330.jpg

Look similar?


Beartooth Pass on the Montana/Wyoming border. This leads to the NE entrance of Yellowstone...

http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/234205846.jpg



http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4959539/63038741.jpg



http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/309890376.jpg

Here's a few more...

http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/299978756.jpg

That was waiting for the road to be re-opened. I think they were moving lumber. The following is taken at Jackson, Wyoming.

http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/309890388.jpg



http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/309890383.jpg

That's the best shot I've got the V and Mt. Ranier. Well, maybe I have a better one...

http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/309891639.jpg



That's what I've got of 1/3 of my cross country trip. I've got Crater Lake, the Redwoods, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, and tons more. Best trip of my life, probably. Anywho, I've got tons of pics that are better but without the V. So these are the only one relevant...

Being this was the summer of '04, few people had seen a V. And as a non-biker type, it was interesting to see all the Harleys heading towards Sturgis. We started seeing convoys of Harleys in Wisconsin and saw them all the way to the Pacific Northwest and California. But I found quite a few asking about the Caddy. It was definitely a hit with the biker crews...


http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/309914559.jpg


http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/309914561.jpg


http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL555/2287429/4482063/309914564.jpg

Awesome pics, Jim! SAFECO Field is a phenomenal park. I was living in Seattle when they made the transition to the new park, and the company I was with had a box at the time. That pic brings back memories. Good stuff!

Good stuff, bigjim. :thumbsup: A couple of those definitely look familiar!

Good stuff, bigjim. :thumbsup: A couple of those definitely look familiar!We had 9 days to get from MA to CA. We went to the Badlands, Wall Drug, Mt. Rushmore, Devil's Tower and then hauled ass to Billings. All in one day. And, actually, we spent a good amount of time at each. Just a great trip...

Awesome pics, Jim! SAFECO Field is a phenomenal park. I was living in Seattle when they made the transition to the new park, and the company I was with had a box at the time. That pic brings back memories. Good stuff!SAFECO was a great place. SBC Park or PNC or PacBell, whatever, in SF, was actually my favorite park of the ones we went to. We went to see games in Seattle, San Fran and Wrigley.

As being a Red Sox fan who actually would love to see a new park someday, I loved SBC. It had a classic look and was comfortable. And being on the water is pretty slick.

Nice pics!

Those are great pics. They should be entered into next years calender selection.