The Best Road Trips In The USA

We wanted to present to you some ideas for a great road trip!

1. The Pacific Coast Highway:
 

1,700 miles along the Pacific Coast from southern California to Washington's Olympic Peninsula. The scenery is breathtaking with stops that include Hearst Castle, Big Sur, San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore, Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and Olympic National Park. Open the windows and enjoy the fresh air as you drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and watch giant container ships glide underneath. 

 2. Florida State Highway A1A and the Overseas Highway:

 

This 600-mile trip traces Florida's Atlantic coastline from northeast of Jacksonville to Key West. Interesting stops along the way include St. Augustine, the oldest town in the U.S. (sort of); Daytona Beach, where you can drive on the beach; Canaveral National Seashore; and the John F. Kennedy Space Center. Highway A1A meets U.S. Highway 1 in Miami. Thus begins the scenic 127-mile drive on the Overseas Highway that boasts 42 bridges, including famed Seven Mile Bridge.

3. Newfound Gap Road/Blue Ridge Parkway/Skyline Drive:
 

This seamless, leisurely drive through three national parks offers some of the East Coast's most scenic landscapes. Newfound Gap Road (32 miles long) cuts across Great Smoky Mountain National Park and connects with the Blue Ridge Parkway (469 miles), which connects with Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive (105 miles). This wonderful drive is void of billboards, traffic lights, roadside trash, and speeding 18-wheelers.

4. U.S. Highway 2: 

The northernmost U.S. highway zigzags through mountain ranges, traverses the northern Great Plains, and swings around lakes as it connects Everett, Wash., with Houlton, Maine. The entire route, including a 700-mile stretch in Canada, covers 3,300 miles. In the West it crosses the North Cascades and the Rocky Mountains. In the East it meets the Green and White mountain ranges. In between it passes through small towns with local museums and inviting coffee shops. 

5. U.S. Highway 395: 

Connecting southern California with the Canadian border, this 1,300-mile drive traverses high deserts and mountain valleys through a large portion of the scenic West. The highway runs in a north-south direction through some of the most beautiful, but uncrowded sections of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. The best portion is arguably California's Owens Valley, which bisects two major mountain ranges.  

Courtesy of USA Today: http://usat.ly/1l5LsuP

Why Proper Wheel Alignment Is Important

Improper wheel alignment can effect driving performance as well as cost you money. Total alignment sets all four wheels positioned straight ahead and parallel. Yearly maintenance is recommended. The following are some benefits of wheel alignment:

·         Improves gas mileage. In the recent economy and a year of outrageous gas prices, everyone is looking to better their gas mileage to save money. By having your vehicle aligned properly, it decreases any resistance while rolling which increases your gas mileage. It is also important to make sure that your tires are properly inflated as this will help gas mileage as well.

·         Reduces tire wear. Premature tire wear can be costly. One of the signs of wheel misalignment is excessive or uneven tire wear. If your vehicle is not aligned properly, your tires can show wear more quickly due to their not rolling straight and being dragged in the wrong direction. You will have to replace them more often, costing you more. Proper alignment can save you money in the long run.

·         Improves the handling of your vehicle. Other signs of improper alignment pertain to the handling of our vehicle. These signs can be if your steering wheel pulls to the left or right, if it is not centered when driving straight ahead or if it vibrates or shimmies. Steering wheel vibration can also indicate tire wear or if they have not been inflated properly. While driving, your vehicle can also have a feeling of looseness or wandering. All of these signs can be corrected with total alignment which can absorb any road shock and provide a smoother ride.

·         Improves safety. Proper wheel alignment can help you drive more safely by improving steering and tracking problems. The improved handling and control of your vehicle can help you prevent or avoid accidents.