458 Awesome Appalachian Adventures

wthensler · Nov 19, 2020

SoFLFerrari said: ↑

Wow! You rock! Your wife rocks! You are now my hero! How many hours a day did you drive? Did the seat become at all uncomfortable for you or your wife?
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Some days we spent 10 hours in the car, but that included stops, lunch, etc. Neither my wife nor I had any complaints or discomfort - nothing. I must say that the car started to feel a bit like a GT, however. Kinda weird.

Anyone capable of doing something like this should go ahead and do it. It was a bit impromptu, but there’s not much I’d have done differently, perhaps spent a bit more time in southern VA. And we missed some great roads in other states, but now I know where they are - for next time.

ARMBARBI48 · Nov 20, 2020

Wonderful trip!!!I would like me too with my little 208 Turbo...of the 80th..!!!but it is only a dream!!!best regards from Italy....Armido and Elena
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09Scuderia · Nov 20, 2020

Absolutely sign up with these guys for their Porsche GT drives. I had a GT3RS and the experience incredible. Top 5 car experience to be sure. https://www.appalachiandriving.com/the-experience.html

Rick Weston · Nov 21, 2020

wthensler said: ↑

I recently completed a fall extravaganza tour of 7 states in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast portion of the Appalachian Mountains in the 458 Spider. With my wife as navigator, we covered just under 3,000 miles in some of the most beautiful parts of NC, TN, VA, WV, SC, KY and GA.

We encountered some of the loveliest and most challenging roads along the Appalachian mountains and through forests which included Monongahela, George Washington, Jefferson, Pisgah, Mount Rogers, Cherokee, Nantahala, Chattahoochee-Oconee, the Canaan Valley and The Great Smoky and Shenandoah National Parks.

On our journey, we viewed incredible mountain vistas, beautiful flora and wildlife, flowing mountain streams and rivers, dramatic waterfalls, witnessed fall foliage in multiple states, and spent 8 nights on the road. Our travels took us through some of the most beautiful areas of nature and to some of our most elegant resorts, to the poorest regions of Appalachia, and of course, the tallest peaks east of the Mississippi.

I've never tested the 458 on challenging roads - e.g., the very twisty, curvy and steep mountain kind. But I kept a Carrera up in the Blue Ridge Mtns. for years, and consider myself a fairly experienced mountain road driver (hillbilly certificate).

One of my objectives was to find some of the most awesome, challenging roads, have a Ferrari experience of a lifetime, give the car a real workout, and hopefully, arrive home unscathed. So, sorry if it's a bit long, but here goes....

I already posted about the trip in the North Carolina and VA Sections, and won't go into too much detail about the trip here. Instead, I wanted to post my observations of the 458 and my impressions of how it did under more challenging conditions....

Open Roads and Blue Skies
We planned the trip to coincide with the fall foliage which, admittedly, was a bit off this year in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast region. With the exception of one partially rainy day in WV, the weather was excellent, and about 80% of the trip was top down! The roads varied from long, open stretches at elevations up to 6,000 feet and with spectacular views, to rolling hills, to extremely challenging tight, twisty, winding roads (sometimes banked the wrong way) with abrupt changes in grade, long mountain passes and dark tunnels, and many, many blind curves. In most cases, roads were clear, dry, well signed and the tarmac was in good to very good condition (not always, however).

Surprisingly, many of the best stretches of roads had little traffic - we had them all to ourselves - both long open roads and tight, twisting mountain passes - a dream come true!

We had a few close calls and minor incidents, and didn’t come came out completely unscathed (had to re[lace two tires from a downed rock), but the ‘events’ were minor, and in three short weeks we created memories to last a lifetime……

In no particular order, we explored....

Shenandoah National Park (SNP) and West Virginia
I would skip SNP (too crowded and 30 mph speed limit), but do not miss Wild, Wonderful West Virginia! WV is sparsely populated, the roads free of traffic, and it boasts some of the best scenic driving available - even more so in a Ferrari! Roads are well signed, the tarmac well maintained (with few exceptions), the scenery (especially rock formations) beautiful, and the drivers are fast and confident. Our trip took us up and down the eastern portion of the state, into the rugged portion of southern WV, then onwards into eastern KY. WV has some of the prettiest rock formations in the east, hands down! Seneca Rocks, Pinnacle Rock, and another (whose name I can’t remember) were amazing!

SR-33 run deep into the state, and the Seneca Trail (SR-219) will take you down WV's belly all the way to Bluefield, where we picked up SR-52 and concluded our WV portion by running the famous Head of the Dragon. Be prepared - this entire area is quite rugged, the roads are not well marked, cell phone service is spotty, and it’s easy to get lost or turned around! Many of these roads are very tight, twisty, two lane country roads -and a very challenging stretch - frequently winding through deep rock caverns in blind, long sweeping curvy roads. Race Mode with the Kline exhaust literally made this ride a blast. Almost indescribable at RPMs above 4,000!

Many of these roads do however, go through small towns, and you’ll need to be vigilant of your speed and especially, your surroundings.

We ventured into Eastern Kentucky towards Pikeville. This is real coal country, and it was a bit unsettling to see the detrimental aftereffects strip mining had on the environment and you will see some of the most impoverished parts of the country. We got lost on very poor marked roads at one point, no cell service, nearly running out of gas. More about WV and northern VA here....

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/blue-ridge-parkway-2020.630645/

Southern VA and TN
We also drove through some of the most beautiful regions of southern VA, eastern TN and western NC. We passed by Mount Rogers (5,700 ft), the highest peak in VA and were greeted with gorgeous, roaring, crystal clear mountain rivers and lush forests. Driving with the top down, the signs, sounds and smells - and the sheer beauty of the area - are almost indescribable. But the endless, tight, winding roads that make this ride come alive! I was far too absorbed in driving to count, but The Snake is said to offer 489 curves, crossing 3 mountains and one beautiful valley. I won’t soon forget the tight, twisty roads heading into Damascus (VA), or our stop at the world’s shortest tunnel (Backbone Bridge) to explore one of the prettiest sites in the Cherokee Forest. We continued onwards to some almost unbelievable switchbacks out of Shady Valley (TN) with danger at every turn. The never ending guardrails coupled with steep elevation changes are a bit unnerving, allowing very little room for error. Don’t ever lose your concentration or your confidence on this run! Another adventure not to be missed!

Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP)
An absolutely beautiful stretch of road that runs 470 miles from Cherokee, NC to Afton, VA (near Charlottesville). For much of the ride, we were riding directly on the ridge itself, at elevations between 2,500 and at some points, above 6,000 ft. I can’t say enough about the scenery, the general condition of the road, the varied terrain, and the open and twisty segments of road as well as tight switchbacks and curves. It can be a great Ferrari road (and no fee to ride the BRP) but it is a 45 mph speed limit, and is more heavily traveled with cars pulling into and out of numerous overlooks.

We did virtually the entire BRP in two segments - our first being the very long drive from the Sparta, NC entrance all the way to the northern end, then the southern section.

Some of the best BRP driving is the ride from Cherokee to Asheville (about 90 miles). Just incredible! It has over 20 tunnels, the longest of which is 1,400ft - and many are curved. Going from brilliant sunlight to complete blindness was a bit overwhelming at times. But driving along open stretches of thin mountain ridge over 4,000 feet with panoramic views on both sides is an experience not to be missed!

Cherohala Skyway and Tail of the Dragon
These two classic roads were the most challenging days of mountain driving! If I had to pick ground zero of some of the best driving on the trip, it would start at the Tapoco Lodge in TN, where we spent three marvelous nights. From there, it’s easy access to a full 138-mile route (we did it clockwise), deviating a bit to include The Hellbender (SR 28),then the severely challenging SR 143 until it meets the Cherohala Skyway. Don’t miss the 43 mile long Skyway! - it’s a more open, relaxed drive, and you can stop along the way (we did). The Skyway eventually plugs directly into SR 165, and once you’ve on it, take the six mile deviation to visit Bald Falls, an outstanding work of nature and a great place to chill for a bit (well worth it!)

On the return we hit the infamous Tail of the Dragon, an 11-mile section of US 129 that’s known for its 318 curves. After crossing over the Cheoah River at the base of the Cheoah (aka Fugitive) Dam begins The Tail - and 11 miles of heaven (or hell). This ride is unique because it borders Great Smoky National Park, and there are no interfering driveways or intersections on the entire stretch. Be forewarned - If you’re going to drive The Tail hard, it takes utmost concentration, and you will be exhausted! Dragon’s curves end at Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort on the North Carolina and Tennessee state line. Deal’s Gap has a “Tree of Shame,” with its Christmas-tree-like ornaments of motorcycle parts recovered from riders who tempted the Dragon and paid the ultimate price.

I ran the Dragon (sometimes hard) a total of ten times in both directions, but in Race Mode I noticed the electronic nanny comes holds the car back under duress. I could really feel the tires and electronics working, but found pockets of brake dust on the rear wheels after each run. Almost too late, realized what was happening and upped the Mannetino setting a notch(!)

There’s more about Great Smoky National Park and TN/NC here....

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/awesome-appalachian-adventure.631990/

My experience with the 458
It's more bark than bite….sure, the car sounds fantastic, especially with aftermarket exhaust, like a Ferrari should! But, I found the low end grunt to be a little lacking, especially accelerating out of severe turns. Keeping above 4,000 helped, Race Mode (see below) probably didn’t, but......I’m not overwhelmed. If you're waiting for the 458 to pin you to the back of your seat upon throttle up, you’ll be waiting a while.

The brakes, or more accurately, brake modulation (e.g., how they come on) is a bit disappointing under normal driving conditions. I’d like to see more linear control and found myself thinking about them a lot when driving. Maybe it’s just my car (good because then it’s fixable), I don’t know. Under more aggressive circumstances they’re better, but I’m not a ‘braker’ by nature and tend hold the line as opposed to taking any steps that destabilize the car, so I don't brake much and can’t say for sure.

Race Mode is a bit too nanny-ish; it overly impedes the car in very tight curves, especially when accelerating out (my experience). The good news is - it does work - i could feel it!

The front end gets a bit light upon rapid accelerations. Maybe I’m imagining, or due for some suspension work (again, a good thing), or perhaps a design artifact of mid engine and too much air getting funneled under the flat bottom (ever peek under the 458?)

The car could use wider tires for spirited mountain driving. I constantly felt them working in tight turns. I’m running new Michelin PS4S tires and they’re great, there’s just not quite enough of them on these kind of roads (my opinion).

Ergonomics are fantastic - line of sight, lack of blind spots, shifter paddles, driver position, comfort (we spent long hours in the car) are all great. Wonderful job, Ferrari!

PDK shifting and gear ratios are fabulous under strenuous conditions. Top notch. Whether dumping gears or shifting up quickly, I’ll never miss slush boxes again with double clutch shifts of the 458. On some of these roads you will need both hands on the wheel at all times!

The 458 has a Jekyll and Hyde personality which really comes alive under more aggressive conditions. Driving in a spirited fashion, you will really feel at one with this car! A true pleasure and most special feeling! Enjoy it; it is one of the true pleasures of owning a 458.

The Ferrari garnered lots of attention wherever it went - whether by comment, question or someone wanting to goad me into racing. It was almost too much - and not all of it pleasant. I know, it comes with the territory. I did my best as self appointed Ferrari ombudsman, spokesperson, color commentator, head of relations, etc.

Spider versus coupe. I mentioned we spent 80% of the trip with the top down. You’ll want a Spider for this adventure, trust me. Enough said.

A smaller steering wheel would be beneficial under aggressive driving conditions (learned observation).

Well, That’s about it...but the problem is.....I have no barometer by which to assess its performance.

What I can’t know
Would I have tried this in the more modern, faster 488? Absolutely. But most times I don’t think I could’ve used the extra power and torque, still….would’ve been cool to experiment.

How about a brand new Pista or F8? No way, no how, at least not what I did (unless it’s @buddyg’s with them fancy mats. LOL!). Those long, sweeping, blind curves - where I didn’t know what lay ahead - downed tree, buffalo or UFO - I wouldn’t have survived the stress in a car 2-3x more expensive.

Why did I write this?
First, to provide one person’s opinion of the sublime 458 Spider after running it in the great wilderness. Second, other than one at the Greenbrier ( parked), or fellow member AD211 (Andy was on the BRP in his 488 and we tried to meet up), I didn’t see a single Ferrari on the road. Not one! C’mon guys, these cars aren’t meant to be garage queens. You have no idea what you missed! No idea! Get out there!

What's next?
This car doesn’t burn or leak oil, coolant or other fluids, but the oil is pretty dirty after 3,000 miles of this driving. So - needs an oil change, gotta drop the front lower panel to remove leaves that collected inside the grill on the radiators, replacing the flimsy side mirror button I snapped off (I had to use toilet paper to hold the mirrors in position as they don’t lock LOL!), and perhaps some rear brake pads at some point.

And finally, some pics from our trip…………
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Rick Weston · Nov 21, 2020

That is a great story and the pics are awesome. So...you go there with your wife and you drive your 458 on the knife's edge on scary roads? That would never happen in my family and she's a car girl! You must be some driver because I find my 458 quite the performance machine and the best sports car I've ever owned. I hope to take that drive soon. Thanks again for the info.

wthensler · Nov 21, 2020

Rick Weston said: ↑

That is a great story and the pics are awesome. So...you go there with your wife and you drive your 458 on the knife's edge on scary roads? That would never happen in my family and she's a car girl! You must be some driver because I find my 458 quite the performance machine and the best sports car I've ever owned. I hope to take that drive soon. Thanks again for the info.
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Thank you, and I hope you do indeed take a trip like this. Part of the reason I wrote about it is to encourage others to get out there.

3POINT8 · Nov 23, 2020

very cool thanks for sharing!

GT2goneF · Nov 27, 2020

wthensler said: ↑

Minor stuff, but I had no less than three people who wanted to ‘take me on’ and were quite aggressive in their driving. Two drivers passed me on very dangerous roads. The first one lost control of his car and hit a guardrail, the second foolishly ended up on oncoming traffic, almost causing an accident, the third ran off the road, but didn’t hit anything.

And at Clingmans Dome, someone put their hands on the car to look inside. When I told him to stop, has asked me to pop the hatch so he could see the engine......
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It is unfortunate, but these things do happen. And I just can't understand where these people come from that they have the liberty to touch private property and/or demand actions without even knowing the owner. It is a crazy world. No respect or courtesy.

bernieb · Nov 28, 2020

You're no slouch with the camera...great post!

wthensler · Nov 28, 2020

bernieb said: ↑

You're no slouch with the camera...great post!
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Thank you, but actually I am.

Wife took all except the action pics, which were taken by either killboyz or 129photos. These guys set up camp along Tail of the Dragon, risking life and limb for suckers like me who buy their pics, LOL!

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