I drove my daughter to a job interview in York, PA several years ago. Decided to drive old US 30 from Pittsburgh.
Let me tell you, even if you THINK you are prepared to challenge the mountain goat terrain and hairpin turns....you’re not. It was truly a nerve-racking drive. There’s a reason more people don’t do it.
Now I’m really ready. I love roads like that. Sadly, I just got rid of my five speed.
A couple years ago, I was up that way with my sons. We were bombing down a steep hill with a 130 degree 15 mph hairpin at the bottom. As I reached the turn, I jammed the brakes, hit the clutch and dropped into second gear, popped the clutch, engine braked for a bit and floored it. As I was shifting, I looked at my boys and said “That gentlemen is why you drive a five speed.”
My favorite road was a one lane dirt road that went up a mountain pass in Colorado. Huge dropoffs, no guardrails and 2 way traffic. Actual had to back up to let other cars go past the other way.