Come celebrate my last days with my RX-8 by going up to some of the great farm roads around Houston for some curvy driving. If your RX-8 has lived in Houston this entire time then you are doing it an injustice by not driving it on an exciting road.

I haven’t completely decided on the route yet, but the way I went last weekend was great and I will probably repeat it.

Go up to Montgomery, Texas, go North on 149 to Anderson. Once in Anderson take the 90 North to the 244 and then come back down the fun-to-drive FM3090 to Navasota and then take the 6 back to Houston. All-in-all it is around 150 miles, and if we leave in the morning should be back early afternoon. I had a lot of fun doing it last weekend, and if anyone else would like to come just send me a PM or post here to find a meeting spot in Houston.

I am thinking about going tomorrow morning, but don’t mind going on Sunday if a few people would rather go then instead.

Here is a Google aerial photo of FM3090:
Fm3090

 

It is a great drive lots of slow, mid, (and if you want to be dangerous high) speed corners that really let you explore the RX-8's boundaries. I didn't see any cops last time, and the roads were pretty much empty most of the way

 

Oh yeah, I got the driving route from the Monthly Miata/RX drive last weekend (don't want to steal anyone's funrun)

 

Houston area my *** - that's closer to College Station than Houston.


Plus, I just got a ticket in Grimes county 5 weeks ago...

...and I was already on probation...

...and I was only going about 3˝ mph faster than the truck next to me...

...so I'm steering clear of Grimes for a while.


Have fun & be careful

 

whats happening to ur car?

 

Another thing guys.. be very careful for bicyclists.... this is the time of year everyone is training for the MS150 and those roads (especially FM149) see lots of bikers on occasion.

Be safe, have fun.

 

Yah, I saw a lot of people on bicycles out there last time. It probably is closer to College Station but it is the closest thing I have been able to find for driving fun in this sorry-***, concrete-filled, straight-road place that is Houston.
If anyone knows of anything closer, fill me in!

 

You live anywhere near Fondren and Westheimer area of town?

 

yes, about 2 miles closer to the Galleria off of Westheimer. Why do you ask?

 

Me and my 8 got ticketed in Friendswood driving behind an SUV.

I don't usually volunteer comments to cops who pull me over, but I made an exception for that one. I told him that he must not like pulling over SUVs. He came back with a reply just as smart, saying that he clocked the SUV at 1mph slower than me.

I have no idea how the town of Friendswood got its name, but I'm fairly certain that this dude didn't have much to do with it.

 

By the way, I'm leaving flat, straight Houston for some twisties in the Hill Country early tomorrow morning. Out past San Marcos. Sad to say that I'll probably be a little light on the right (foot). After my last tag I need to give my license a rest. Not for fuel economy, although that should be a minor consolation.

 

Sorry to necro, but for anyone in the Houston area that's looking for some fun roads where you can really let your tires squeal around and NOT speed at the same time, I've got some GOLDMINES discovered in the Woodlands.

Apparently when they built the roads around here they wanted to preserve every tree, lake, creek, and puddle they could, so some of the roads are twistier and sharper than those you see on most comercials. The bad news is that most of these roads have speed limits of 30-35. The good news is most of the turns couldn't be taken (safely) much faster than that anyways.
Plus, there's still an ASSLOAD of "proposed" roads that are still at the infant stages of development, so you'll find quite a few right turn only lanes that extend all the way across the soon-to-be median. Once again, the bad news is that you're turning from a 45mph speed limit road onto another 45mph speed limit road. Good news, again, however, going 45mph over a bumpy, somewhat dusty, 110 degree sweeper is plenty enough to get a nice chirp or two from your tires.

I'm a wuss, I'll admit, and once I start pushing the .85g line above 55mph I get more scared than excited. I get my kicks by getting thrashed side-to-side violently, which is pretty easily (and safely) doable between 35-45mph. If that sounds like you and you'd like to see a few of these turns for yourself, PM me. I'd rather not liter a dead thread with routes & turns that most people here would consider tame appetizers.

 

With a name like " ˝mv˛ " I would have had you pegged as a 150+mph SPEED DEMON. Heh!

But your route sounds like fun. I'm sure a bunch of Houstonians would appreciate it if you would just start a new thread and post it there, with hybrid GoogleMaps links and all!

 

I used to be...

then I got a ticket
then I got another 2 months later, and was put on probation
then I got another 3 months later


I've learned to use cruise control since then...
...and I've also learned that cops respond to the excuse "I wasn't running from you - I always drive like that, and I didn't see you chasing me," by politely smashing your cheekbones through your hood while they handcuff you...




Yeah... cruise control is my friend...

 

Yah I would love to see/drive those roads. I was tooling around Bunker Hill really late a few weeks ago on some right, twisty roads and had a great time. The fact that you have to stay close to the speed limit makes it even better

 

Someone mind explaining how to create links to specific locations via google maps? I don't know the addresses of these places - I just create a marked point on my GPS everytime I find a fun section, and then name it according to what it was like "S-bend", "Gravel sweeper", "lakeside chicanes", and the like.

How do I create a marked point on a google map? and how do I create an html link so that others can view the sections I've marked?

 

The easiest way is to find a street closest to the center of section of the map you want to highlight. In fact you don't even have to type in an address to send a link to someone, just set up the screen to show the roads you want. Once you have the screen exactly how you want someone else to see it, click the “link to this page” button, found right above the hybrid tab in the top right corner. Then just copy and paste the new website address.

 

Another thing to be careful of besides the cops and bicyclists are packs of very slow Harleys. Honestly, these guys are the worst. They putt around, make way too much noise and never split their groups up making it difficult to pass.

I live in Montgomery and can vouch for the packs of pseudo bikers that invade this area almost every weekend the weather is nice.