h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is possibly a uniquely American thing, but my favorite sort of summer holiday is a meandering road trip with stops at every one of the truly odd tourist sites we can find. For example, "The World's Largest Palace Made of Entirely of Corn" or "The Volkswagen-eating Troll Under the Fremont Bridge". I love a trip like this. For one, you're not dealing with the unrealistic expectations and subsequent let-down that people so often experience on a summer holiday to a big theme park or resort. There's a lot of scope for the imagination, and for silliness, and you can get some amazing pictures to remember it all by. Plus, think of all the tourist-trap keychains you could buy with the money you save!


Mikey

I like to get in the car with my bf and just let him drive anywhere will do just as long as we are together and exploring.

I agree, one of my favourite vacations was driving one Summer many years ago all over Washington State (just south of here) looking for interesting things and places with the top of my old MGB down and my gf of the time lounging beside me in the sun. There seems to be a trend to theme some of the towns down there to reflect immigrants' original homelands or past times:

http://www.winthropwashington.com/winthrop/

http://www.leavenworth.org/

http://www.laconner.net/chamber.cfm

(LaConner is the home of author Tom Robbins *Even Cowgirls Get The Blues* and I actually got to meet him in a tavern there)

http://www.toppenish.net/

All delightful little tourist *traps* surrounded by miles and miles of spectacular scenery, great fishing and near to some incredible beaches near the Olympic Peninsula.

http://www.pacific101.com/washington/washington.htm

Lots of little motels and older hotels so you can just keep driving until you see that neon *Vacancy* sign. Lots of things to discover and the odd brewery or winery to tour although I would not recommend the *Olympic* brewery for anything other than their garden. My favourite hotel was a converted boarding house in Port Townsend where they have a wooden boat festival every year- you can see the harbour from most rooms and they're furnished with period furnishings. The other old converted boarding house in LaConner that has two rooms with hot-tubs next to the king size beds was interesting...

My favourite drive back is Chuckanut Drive-

http://www.chuckanutdrive.com/

and my favourite restaurant on the drive home for the *Last Supper* is The Oyster Bar for seafood (and ice cold Essencia Muscat for dessert)

OK, that's it. I know where I'm going for my holidays this year!

Yup, I love Leavenworth and Port Townsend.

We had a great fortnight touring Brittany, France in an MGF (open-topped sports car). The French were nice to us - they seemed to like the car!

Mikey, I was quite serious about going there again this Summer. Writing it down made me remember one of the best times I can remember. Do you agree about the Olympia brewery? Although a nice cold US lager is great on a summer day, they need a little more variety. (Not to say I didn't take advantage of the freebies.)

JK, I haven't encountered the MGF, only the TC, A and B. The MGB is my particular addiction, I've had 6 and I'm convinced the next will be my last.

Lucky 7!!

cl zoomer,

Here is a lovely gold version of the MGF:

http://www.mgcars.org.uk/pics/loselymgf.jpg

Ours is white with red leather seats.

Sweet. Obviously I have not been keeping up with this line - I see there have been some improvements.

This is the lineage as far as I know:

Old No 1
Bullnose
PA
N typ
J type
K type
TC Midget
TD Midget mk's 1 & 2
TF Midget (1250 i believe)
TF Midget 1500
YA Saloon
YB Saloon
YT Tourer
ZA Magnette
ZB Magnette (two tone)
1500 Magnette Mk 3
Farina Magnette
MGA 1500
MGA 1600
MGA twin cam
MG Midget mk 2 (Frogeye sprite was mk 1)
MG Midget Mk 3
MG Midget 1500
MG 1100 (Mk 1)
MG 1300 (Mk 2)
MGB Roadster Mk 1
MGB Roadster Mk 2
MGB Roadster Mk 3
(This was when US safety and Pollution laws severely changed design)
MGB Roadster Mk 4 (rubber bumper)
MGB Roadster Limited edition (bronze)
MGB GT
MGB GT Anniversary
MGB GT Mk 4
MGB GT Limited edition (pewter)
MGB GT V8
MGC Roadster
MGC GT
MGD *design only*
MG Metro 1300
MG Metro Turbo
MG Metro 6R4 clubman spec
MG Metro 6R4 international spec
MG Maestro 1600
MG Maestro EFi (mk 1)
MG Maestro 2.0i (mk 2)
MG Maestro Turbo
MG EXE
MG Montego EFi (mk 1)
MG Montego 2.0i (mk 2)
MG Montego Turbo
MG RV8
MGF 1.8i
MGF VVC
MG EXF (MG 253)
MGF Super Sports
MG 255
MGF 75th Annivesary SE
MGF Mark 2

...and the *F* is never to be sold in North America!

What about the newer MG's that were for sale before MG rover collapsed,

MG ZR
MG ZS
MG ZT
MG ZT-T

and finally the magnificent monstrous MG SV-R which was hugely over priced and only sold a few!