Longest Drivable Road

d.d.s. · Postby **d.d.s.** » March 1st, 2021, 9:58 pm

Came across this. Searched and got nothing before posting so I decided to share.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-American_Highway#:~:text=According%20to%20Guinness%20World%20Records,America%20with%20conventional%20highway%20vehicles.

The Pan-American Highway (French: (Auto)route panaméricaine/transaméricaine; Portuguese: Rodovia/Auto-estrada Pan-americana; Spanish: Autopista/Carretera/Ruta Panamericana) is a network of roads stretching across the American continents and measuring about 30,000 kilometres (19,000 mi)[1] in total length. Except for a rainforest break of approximately 106 km (70 mi) across the border between southeast Panama and northwest Colombia, called the Darién Gap, the roads link almost all of the Pacific coastal countries of the Americas in a connected highway system. According to Guinness World Records, the Pan-American Highway is the world's longest "motorable road". However, because of the Darién Gap, it is not possible to cross between South America and Central America with conventional highway vehicles. Without an all-terrain vehicle, the only way to safely navigate this stretch is by sea.

The Pan-American Highway passes through many diverse climates and ecological types – ranging from dense jungles to arid deserts and barren tundra. Some areas are fully passable only during the dry season, and in many regions driving is occasionally hazardous. The Pan-American Highway system is physically mostly complete and extends in de facto terms from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in North America to the lower reaches of South America. Several southern highway termini are claimed, including the cities of Puerto Montt and Quellón in Chile and Ushuaia in Argentina.

West and north of the Darién Gap, this roadway is also known as the Inter-American Highway through Central America and Mexico. There it splits into several spurs leading to the Mexico–United States border.

*KRONIK* · Postby ***KRONIK*** » March 1st, 2021, 10:02 pm

Tuner road trip

VexXx Dogg · Postby **VexXx Dogg** » March 1st, 2021, 10:10 pm

yea rumshop talk about this and apparently the whole central america segment real sketch

Dohplaydat · Postby **Dohplaydat** » March 1st, 2021, 10:17 pm

Try this first nah...

VexXx Dogg · Postby **VexXx Dogg** » March 1st, 2021, 11:05 pm

^ that's a nice drive! 4x4 or SUV tho. Plenty stops along the way to make it a sweet weekend trip. Have resort down icacos and toco that you could overnight and drive back home fresh

Dohplaydat · Postby **Dohplaydat** » March 1st, 2021, 11:16 pm

VexXx Dogg wrote:^ that's a nice drive! 4x4 or SUV tho. Plenty stops along the way to make it a sweet weekend trip. Have resort down icacos and toco that you could overnight and drive back home fresh

Did both fairly recently and yes unless you want a flat you'll definitely need a 4x4 or good SUV.

But never did think about doing both in one long drive. Perhaps overnight somewhere up Grand Reverie or Matelot on a Saturday and then use your Sunday to head to down icacos.

Postby **eliteauto** » March 2nd, 2021, 7:18 am

That drive ( local) can be done with any good road going vehicle, you might prefer an SUV or 4x4 but it's not a requirement

Seeker · Postby **Seeker** » March 2nd, 2021, 7:30 am

Did this drive with my B15 with my family. It was exhausting.

MG Man · Postby **MG Man** » March 2nd, 2021, 8:45 am

VexXx Dogg wrote:^ that's a nice drive! 4x4 or SUV tho. Plenty stops along the way to make it a sweet weekend trip. Have resort down icacos and toco that you could overnight and drive back home fresh

did it in a MINI Cooper...twice

Habit7 · Postby **Habit7** » March 2nd, 2021, 9:23 am

Is the road between Guayaguayare and Basse Terre driveable?

matix · Postby **matix** » March 2nd, 2021, 9:25 am

Same here. Since lockdown we’ve been exploring Trinidad using an E25. Once it have road leading somewhere. We on it!

SMc · Postby **SMc** » March 2nd, 2021, 9:59 am

Habit7 wrote:Is the road between Guayaguayare and Basse Terre driveable?

I would like to know this too- I dunno why I always thought it was closed off after BPTT (heading west from Guaya) they have some mud volcanoes and stuff along the route.

I think ive done pretty much every other route - but never the Matelot to Icacos in one go. Last time i went Icacos I was out the house early (still dark) and went via Todds road-> Bonne terre for a bit of a change (i get lost), that was almost a full day starting in Maraval.

matix · Postby **matix** » March 2nd, 2021, 10:23 am

Habit7 wrote:Is the road between Guayaguayare and Basse Terre driveable?

Yes it is but it’s closed sometimes. If there’s a lot of rain it’s a bit sketchy.

K74T · Postby **K74T** » March 2nd, 2021, 10:26 am

SS Erin Road from Duncan Village to Erin is a nice drive

Dohplaydat · Postby **Dohplaydat** » March 2nd, 2021, 10:51 am

matix wrote:
Habit7 wrote:Is the road between Guayaguayare and Basse Terre driveable?

Yes it is but it’s closed sometimes. If there’s a lot of rain it’s a bit sketchy.

Drove half of it about a decade ago. Most parts are fairly decent gravel road, some parts quite sketchy if rain fell recently though.

There used to be a Petrotrin office right before the road starts, those guys usually had the key to the gate. Back then it wasn't a public road, and you'd need Petrotrin's permission.

*KRONIK* · Postby ***KRONIK*** » March 2nd, 2021, 1:00 pm

I was wondering this weekend as i drive up to that point and turned back
Edwards trace is the road, heard some trees fell, didnt wanna risk it

Habit7 wrote:Is the road between Guayaguayare and Basse Terre driveable?

madman_devin · Postby **madman_devin** » March 2nd, 2021, 3:14 pm

Some friends and I did a 4 corners drive back in 2017, its an average of 610kms and took around 13 hours to complete. Thats with very little stops to eat and not much liming at the end points, it was pretty epic to say the least.

stev · Postby **stev** » March 2nd, 2021, 4:48 pm

I think that drive from north to south America is impossible at the moment (i stand to be corrected)

goalpost · Postby **goalpost** » March 2nd, 2021, 6:28 pm

*KRONIK* wrote:I was wondering this weekend as i drive up to that point and turned back
Edwards trace is the road, heard some trees fell, didnt wanna risk it
Habit7 wrote:Is the road between Guayaguayare and Basse Terre driveable?

Edward's Trace it is. Used to be there frequently a few years ago, from what I understand a bridge collapsed since probably 2019 so you can't make the entire journey. Not sure if it's fixed.

Dohplaydat · Postby **Dohplaydat** » March 2nd, 2021, 6:57 pm

Isn't/wasn't Edward Trace a Petrotrin Oilfield road?

Speaking of rural raods.....allyuh ever drive up to Platanal Village up Cumaca?

Rovin · Postby **Rovin** » March 2nd, 2021, 7:12 pm

google say narrowest path of d panama canal is 30 miles so how u driving on that

i tort d longest continuous walkabout land road was from d bottom of africa to d far east of russia ? ... i just google it & it is indeed so

https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/commen ... africa_to/

agent007 · Postby **agent007** » March 2nd, 2021, 10:53 pm

Guys, is there a dirt road linking Blanchisseuse from after the cable bridge to matelot? Is it passable with a 4x4 pickup?

*KRONIK* · Postby ***KRONIK*** » March 2nd, 2021, 11:12 pm

Ohhhh ok
Cuz it was showing up on the map, but i wasnt sure what was up, cuz i heard the same: tree fell, bridge collapse form other persons

goalpost wrote:
*KRONIK* wrote:I was wondering this weekend as i drive up to that point and turned back
Edwards trace is the road, heard some trees fell, didnt wanna risk it
Habit7 wrote:Is the road between Guayaguayare and Basse Terre driveable?

Edward's Trace it is. Used to be there frequently a few years ago, from what I understand a bridge collapsed since probably 2019 so you can't make the entire journey. Not sure if it's fixed.

*KRONIK* · Postby ***KRONIK*** » March 2nd, 2021, 11:13 pm

Not yet.....
Plan to do it soon
Once i get some good company to roll

Dohplaydat wrote:Isn't/wasn't Edward Trace a Petrotrin Oilfield road?

Speaking of rural raods.....allyuh ever drive up to Platanal Village up Cumaca?

*KRONIK* · Postby ***KRONIK*** » March 2nd, 2021, 11:14 pm

Growing up, i heard about it, but never seen it or heard anybody making it thru

agent007 wrote:Guys, is there a dirt road linking Blanchisseuse from after the cable bridge to matelot? Is it passable with a 4x4 pickup?

adnj · Postby **adnj** » March 2nd, 2021, 11:50 pm

*KRONIK* wrote:Growing up, i heard about it, but never seen it or heard anybody making it thru
agent007 wrote:Guys, is there a dirt road linking Blanchisseuse from after the cable bridge to matelot? Is it passable with a 4x4 pickup?

I was there in a 4x4 pickup and turned around. That looked more like a dirt bike trail to my eyes - a single track with tall grass on both sides. Maybe I was wrong.

Back to the OP:

I once spent a week driving from Seattle to San Diego along the Pacific Coast close to that route. It was only about 30 hours behind the wheel but many places to see along the way. Some very heavy traffic in places but I don't remember a single pothole.

agent007 · Postby **agent007** » March 3rd, 2021, 1:04 am

Thanks Kronik and adnj.

Adnj, I did Phoenix -> Tucson -> LA -> San Francisco -> Vegas -> Hurricane, UT -> Phoenix. I was exhausted but would do it again in a heart beat. Seattle to San Diego sounds like fun.

I don’t mind driving from Panama City all the way to Anchorage and or vice-versa, the problem is with what vehicle? A rental? How you dealing with Insurance, Registration and Customs etc. seems like a logistical nightmare. What about evading corrupt officers who want to tax you? Cartels?

stev · Postby **stev** » March 3rd, 2021, 2:41 am

there's also the other option of longest drivable road:

POS to San Fernando at 4.30pm Monday to Friday

SMc · Postby **SMc** » March 3rd, 2021, 3:39 am

*KRONIK* wrote:Growing up, i heard about it, but never seen it or heard anybody making it thru
agent007 wrote:Guys, is there a dirt road linking Blanchisseuse from after the cable bridge to matelot? Is it passable with a 4x4 pickup?

Definitely not possible, I've done the walk from mateot to blanchisseuse and the majority of the trail from Matelot to the Grotto is impassable by vehicle, not to mention very steep clipbes between grand and petit tacarib.

Plus I like the bush nice and the way it is now so keep your bikes home

adnj · Postby **adnj** » March 3rd, 2021, 5:59 am

agent007 wrote:Thanks Kronik and adnj.

Adnj, I did Phoenix -> Tucson -> LA -> San Francisco -> Vegas -> Hurricane, UT -> Phoenix. I was exhausted but would do it again in a heart beat. Seattle to San Diego sounds like fun.

I don’t mind driving from Panama City all the way to Anchorage and or vice-versa, the problem is with what vehicle? A rental? How you dealing with Insurance, Registration and Customs etc. seems like a logistical nightmare. What about evading corrupt officers who want to tax you? Cartels?

If it's a rental, you have to rent a few different cars along the way. You can drive from Alaska through BC and back into the US but you can't drive a rental into Mexico.

If you have the cash, it's much easier to fly in and ship your car ahead, especially if it's in the US and Canada.