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The Weekly Driver On The Road: (Tour de) Georgia On My Mind

A couple of years ago, I passed a quarter-century milestone. I reported on my first bicycle race in 1981, the Nevada City Classic. Greg LeMond won the race for the third straight year.

I didn’t know much about cycling, but I liked LeMond and I like what I watched. I’ve stayed with the sport since. And since 1986, five years after I started reporting on the sport, I’ve now covered at least one stage race every year since 1986 — the Coors Classic, the Ore-Ida Women's Challenge, the Tour DuPont, the Tour de Trump, Tour of California and Tour of Missouri.

Many of the races are now a blu, but as I've said for the past several years, the travel component of cycling is still appealing. It’s driving through small towns, meeting people and seeing familiar faces in pressrooms that make the races worth it for me.

In the past several years, I’ve also had the opportunity to test drive cars during events like the Tour de California, Tour of Missouri and for the second year, the recently completed Tour de Georgia.

This year’s race began in Tybee Island, Ga., and concluded seven days later in Atlanta. I drove a 2008 Kia Optima, start to finish. The media can travel on the same route as the cyclists or on alternate routes in order to work early and be firmly situated when the cyclists arrive.

Most often, I take the latter route, and I did so during the Tour de Georgia. On interstates, four-lane highway and country roads, I drove the four-door sedan Optima slightly less than 1,100 miles. (I'll review the Optima soon.)

With the exception of the steep climb to Brasstown Bald Mountain, (the highest point in Georgia at 4,783 feet) when many other cars also trained negotiating the steep, switchback climbs, the Kia handled the week’s task well.

As I mentioned, bike races are sometimes indistinguishable. It's the open road, small towns, like Dahlonega and Hiawassee at the Tour de Georgia, that always make the journeys worthwhile.

For the past two years, the race entourage has stayed at Ramada Lake Chatuge Lodge in Hiawassee. I took these images from my hotel room the morning I left for Atlanta.

If the 2009 Tour de Georgia returns to either city, count me in.





The Weekly Driver On The Road: Cheap Gas Prices In Georgia, Not!

Five days into the Tour de Georgia, I’ve finally driven the roads that remind me why I appreciate bicycle racing.

The route for stage 5 took the field from Suwanee to Dahlonega, and at 133 miles, it was the longest day of the weeklong race. The alternate route from Lake Lanier Island (where the entourage stayed after stage 4) to the finish was much shorter — only a 90-minute drive.

I took the roads less traveled. The freeway ended after 35 miles with a sudden left-hand turn onto Duncan Bridge Rd.

Farmlands with twisting single-lane roads featured ideal scenery — abandoned, weather-beaten barns, rusted farm equipment, country stores advertising boiled peanuts.

This week, I’m driving a Kia Optima, the Korean manufacturer’s mid-level sedan. It negotiated the roads well, cornering nicely and accelerating short, steep inclines with little effort.

About 15 miles from the finish, I drove through an intersection and right past a small gas station that prompted a double-take. About a mile down the road, I turned around to further investigate what appeared to be phenomenally low gas prices.

And, of course, it was too good to be true. The building was vacant, with a large, front window revealing a trashed interior. The gas pump cords were slashed, and yet the gas price signs of yesteryear remained. No one was around to ask how long the station has been closed or whether Thomas’ Deer Cooler is still open for business.

Toyota, Tata Motors Named Among World's Most Innovative Companies

The automotive industry has plenty of global problems. But innovation is not one of the issues — at least according to BusinessWeek magazine.

In its list of the world’s 50 most innovated companies, Toyota and Tata Motors of India are both in the top-10 list.    

Apple, which debuted the iPhone and the MacBook Air in the past year, was named the world’s most innovative company.

Here’s the list of  the top-10:

1. Apple; 2;.Google; 3. Toyota; 4. General Electric; 5. Microsoft;  6. Tata Motors; 7. Nintendo; 8. Proctor & Gamble; 9. Sony; 10. Nokia.

The Weekly Driver On The Road: Small Roads, Big Sights On The Way To Monterey

One of my favorite car review testing routes is the estimated 200-mile drive from Sacramento to the Monterey Peninsula.

I’ve mentioned the high-speed trek along the congested city stretches, open agricultural farmlands and rolling fields along Interstate 5 . And I’ve written about how in Gilroy, the road changes for a short stretch onto highway 101 and then onto two mall connecting 152 and 156 routes as the peninsula and Pacific Ocean appear on the horizon.

It’s these secondary roads I enjoy the most. Form the hectic nature of Interstate 5, the road abruptly changes onto an oddly cambered route past San Luis Reservoir and through a winding downhill section. It snakes past ranch-style homes, old barns, fruit stands and a variety grazing animals.

Last week, I drove a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz along the route, and unlike some sport utility vehicles, the Hyundai had little difficulty accelerating or descending tight corners. I maneuvered along the technical sections almost carlike.

And on two briefs occasions, I also drove the Veracruz off-road, although just in the dirt and gravel in driveways and roadsides to take this blog’s images.

Like lots of folks, I like old barns. This dilapidated example has somehow remained erect for the past 25years I’ve driven to the Monterey Peninsula. It’s just off the road a few miles past the San Luis Reservoir.

The image of the horses almost didn’t happen. I’ve seen horses along the same route many times, but I’d never before seen a foal. But the moment I notice it, was out of vision.

A few miles later, I couldn’t resist. Traffic was steady in both direction, but I looked for a quick opening, made an abrupt by safe U-turn and headed back to capture an image of mother and child.

DRIV, A New Luxury Car Club, Prepares For San Francisco, Las Vegas Debut

For several months, Brad Johnson and Darren Matte have been steadily advancing plans for DRIV, a luxury car club. It’s a private members organization, based in San Francisco and Las Vegas, offering a portfolio of vehicles — Ferrari F430 Spider to Bentley Continental Flying Spur sedan.
 
Last week, DRIV had an evening launch reception in Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco. Greg Soderland and I made the drive from Sacramento and enjoyed the warm, outdoor gathering hosted inconjunction with Cellar 365.
 
It’s not the first luxury car club, but DRIV’s desire, according to its literature, is to offer members “a simple point system that allow members to create a personalized driving experience.”
 
Utilizing the point system and an included mileage ‘bank’, members can borrow any of the luxury and exotic vehicles to drive in a club “that relieves you of the burden of outright ownership.

Depreciation, servicing, detailing and storage all cease to be of concern.”
 
DRIV will begin its program, according to company literature, with three vehicles each of the San Francisco and Las Vegas locations. It’s targeting six vehicles in both locations by the end of 2008.
 
DRIV also has a series of Arrive and DRIV functions scheduled throughout Northern California. During these gatherings, groups limited to 15 can “further learn about membership while gaining complimentary seat time behind the wheel of a few different cars from the collection.”
 
The Arrive and DRIV sessions are scheduled: Presidio (San Francisco), May 14; The Carneros Inn (Napa), June 4; Woodside (Peninsula/South Bay), June 25; Lafayette (Park Hotel & Spa), July 16.
 
For additional information, contact DRIV, via telephone, 866-539-8680, or visit the company web site, www.clubdriv.com.


TheWeeklyDriver.com Adds Two New Auto Columnists, Car Review Videographer

TheWeeklyDriver.com has recently expanded its staff with two new columnists and a videographer.

Veteran journalist Jeffrey Weideld of Roseville, Calif., has been a regular contributor for several months. A vice president of Halldin Public Relations in Roseville, Calif., Weidel has written the syndicated car review column, Weidel on Wheels, for more than a decade. More than a dozen of Weidel's 2007 and 2008 model car reviews are posted on TheWeeklyDriver.com.

Eric Bonneman of Miami, Fla., is a mechanic who has worked for Hyundai and Acura dealerships, independent mechanic shops and owned his own business. He's now a stay-at-home dad who assists automotive consumers and builds import show cars.

Bonneman’s first three columns, discussing dealers to mechanics, are posted in the section called The Auto Garage.

Bruce Aldrich of Sacramento, Calif., is the web site’s videographer. A long-time automotive enthusiast, Aldrich’s passions include the restoration of a 1959 Volkswagen Bug his father bought new. A dozen of Aldrich’s new car videos are featured in TheWeeklyDriver.com video review section. His restored VW is featured below.

TheWeeklyDriver.com is edited and published by veteran journalist James Raia of Sacramento, Calif.

Raia has written the syndicated new car review column, The Weekly Driver, since 2003. He also contribute sports, business and travel articles to several publications, and he also publishes the free electronic newsletter, The Weekly Driver.

For more information about the site and its content, contact editor/publisher James Raia via e-mail: James@ByJamesRaia.com

Seattle Going "Green" On Garbage; Volvo Debuts Green Refuse Fleet In Sweden

It’s not often garbage truck make news in the automotive world. But Seattle and Sweden are at the forefront of a new movement to help refuse trucks’ emissions problems.

Seattle has addressed the issue by using ultra-low sulphur diesel and a B20 blend of biodiesel. It has also retrofittied trucks to improve emissions controls.

In Sweden Volvo has launched "two hybrid refuse trucks into trials in regular daily operations in Sweden."

The trucks feature a seven-liter, 320 horsepower engine and use lithium-ion batteries.
 
The hybrid system supports all-electric drive for accelerating from a standstill and increasing to 12 mph. At higher speeds, the diesel engine is activated. When the truck stops, the diesel engine automatically switches, avoiding idling. The batteries are recharged via regenerative braking.

The hybrid refuse trucks are expected to reduce fuel consumption by up to 20 percent and thus cut carbon dioxide emissions by a corresponding amount. The truck with the extra battery pack for the refuse compactor is expected to produce reductions of up to 30 percent.

OnStar, MapQuest Union: Nirvana For Marriages And Directionally Challenged?

Maybe it'll finally mean marital driving bliss? Or a new confidence boost for the directionally challenged?

General Motor's OnStar division has signed a deal with online company MapQuest.

The new service, OnStar eNav, will enable subscribers to have directions sent from their computers to specially-equipped vehicles.

Once the directions have been sent to the user's car, they can then be accessed via voice-guided commands.

In 2009, under the terms of the agreement, eNav users will be able to download directions directly to their vehicle’s screen-based navigation system.

OnStar has also announced a new service, Destination Download, where subscribers with screen-based navigation systems can press a button and be connected to an advisor.

This advisor will then find the driver's location, send it to the system and an icon will pop up on the car's screen prompting the driver to input where he/she wants to go.

Once the system is notified of a final destination point, it then sends turn-by-turn directions and drivers can continue on their journey.

Sacramento Bee Debuts New Advertising Auto Section; Auto Album Canceled

It’s no secret the print media — all media for that matter — is in transition. That’s the kind way of saying the industry has hit tough times.

In some circles, the trend is called “slicing and dicing,” and no areas of the newspaper — news to sports, automotive to real estate, travel to food — are sacred.

Correspondingly, layoffs, buyouts, heavier workloads and the shrinking editorial space hasn’t help newsroom morale.

In recent months, some newspapers have made drastic moves. The Orange County Register recently stopped printing a business section, opting to transfer its business content online.

And on Wednesday, April 2, an advertising automotive section replaced the Sacramento Bee’s long-time editorial automotive section.

Mark Glover, a veteran automotive reporter who contributed car reviews and industry articles for the former twice weekly section, Wheels, has been reassigned to the newsroom. His status with the new section is unknown.

The new twice weekly section, Drive, is being produced by the newspaper’s advertising special sections department under the direction of Lisa Padayao-Butt, former automotive editor of the Vacaville Reporter.

The debut section is four pages, including a front-page advertorial on the Hyundai dealership in Roseville, Calif. The back page is a full-page advertisement for the Roseville-Lincoln (Calif.) dealership.

The syndicated Click & Clack column, written by Tom and Ray Magliozzi, remains as an editorial feature. Discontinued are the popular syndicated feature Auto Album by Tad Burness and Question of the Month.

The debut section has a total of five advertorial and editorial articles, a welcome message from the new editor and 2 1/2 pages of classified and display advertising.

Personally, I’ll miss the Auto Album column. An “Old-School”  feature, the concise piece featured an illustration and a brief historical text account of a classic, often-defunct vehicle. Burness, author of nearly 30 automotive books, produced the text and illustration.

The Auto Album was also discontinued several months ago, but was reinstated following hundreds of inquiries to the newspaper. It will be missed.

Safety Institute Determines 2007 Buick Rendezvous Most Dangerous Car In Crashes

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) evaluates automobile safety via front and side-impact protection, stability control and rollover risk.

For the 2007 model year, the minivan-based Buick Rendezvous, the Sport Utility Vehicle promoted by golfer Tiger Woods, was ranked as the most dangerous car to be in during a crash.

The four-door Rendezvous had an abysmal three-star (out of five) NHTSA frontal impact rating. The 2008 Buick Enclave, a crossover SUV with a full roster of standard safety equipment, replaced it.

Here’s the list of the most dangerous cars to be in during a car crash in 2007, according to IIHS. It’s an organization that represents the interests of the insurance industry.

1. Buick Rendezvous SUV
2. Ford Ranger/Mazda B-Series
3. Nissan Frontier
4. Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner
5. Toyota Yaris
6. Hyundai Accent
7. Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe
8. Kia Rio
9. Chevrolet Aveo
10. Suzuki Reno/Forenza
11. Ford Focus
12. Jeep Liberty
13. Dodge Dakota
14. Chevrolet Cobalt/Pontiac G5
15. Nissan Xterra
16. Saturn ION
17. Chrysler PT Cruiser
18. Honda S2000
19. Toyota Scion tC
20. Mazda3

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