Saturday, July 19, 2014

Roads BEST travelled! The world's most awe-inspiring stretches of asphalt from Bolivia's Death Road to Norway's Road to Nowhere

Roads BEST travelled! The world's most awe-inspiring stretches of asphalt from Bolivia's Death Road to Norway's Road to Nowhere 


There's no such thing as a 'travel day' when you take on some of the most extreme, scenic and daring roads on the Earth - erase forever the notion that an entire block of your travel time could be written off as a long and loathsome car ride. 
For below these very words is evidence that it's often the journey rather than the destination that offers the most lasting memories. 
From the stunning ancient red sandstone formations of Arizona's Valley of Fire and Patagonian mountains to the man-made marvels of the Florida Keys and Norway, these roads must be driven. 
Valley of Fire Road: No prizes for guessing why this vibrant stretch got its name - it winds through the Valley of Fire State Park famous for its red sandstone formations
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Valley of Fire Road: No prizes for guessing why this vibrant stretch got its name - it winds through the Valley of Fire State Park famous for its red sandstone formations
Ruta 40: Or National Route 40 in Argentina's Patagonia spans over 3,000 miles the length of Argentina, and goes through 20 national parks, but it's all about the view forward to Monte Fitz Roy here
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Ruta 40: Or National Route 40 in Argentina's Patagonia spans over 3,000 miles the length of Argentina, and goes through 20 national parks, but it's all about the view forward to Monte Fitz Roy here
Storseisundet Bridge: Dubbed the road to nowhere, this is the longest of the eight bridges that form the  Atlantic Road, or Atlanterhavsveien in Norwegian
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Storseisundet Bridge: Dubbed the road to nowhere, this is the longest of the eight bridges that form the Atlantic Road, or Atlanterhavsveien in Norwegian
Troll's Footpath: The intriguingly named Trollstigen is a popular tourism route in Norway. The modern car-worthy road with 11 hairpin turns took the horse and cart path's place, but that old track is still perfectly visible
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Troll's Footpath: The intriguingly named Trollstigen is a popular tourism route in Norway. The modern car-worthy road with 11 hairpin turns took the horse and cart path's place, but that old track is still perfectly visible

 


North Yungas Road: This road leading from La Paz to Coroico in Bolivia has lots of names, including Grove's Road, Coroico Road and Camino de las Yungas, but the most memorable is Death Road - guess why...
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North Yungas Road: This road leading from La Paz to Coroico in Bolivia has lots of names, including Grove's Road, Coroico Road and Camino de las Yungas, but the most memorable is Death Road - guess why...
Chapman's Peak Drive: A front row seat to South Africa's southwestern tip is found on the route between Noordhoek and Hout Bay on the Atlantic Coast near Cape Town
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Chapman's Peak Drive: A front row seat to South Africa's southwestern tip is found on the route between Noordhoek and Hout Bay on the Atlantic Coast near Cape Town
Karakoram Highway: China likes to do things bigger and roads are o different, but here they share the title of world's highest paved international road with Pakistan. The stretch of asphalt crosses the Karakoram mountain range through the Khunjerab Pass at 15,397 feet above sea level
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Karakoram Highway: China likes to do things bigger and roads are o different, but here they share the title of world's highest paved international road with Pakistan. The stretch of asphalt crosses the Karakoram mountain range through the Khunjerab Pass at 15,397 feet above sea level
Linn Cove Viaduct: Thanks to this concrete bridge we get glimpses of the Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina like this - it's park of the Blue Ridge Parkway and winds through an earthy-coloured rainbow in autumn
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Linn Cove Viaduct: Thanks to this concrete bridge we get glimpses of the Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina like this - it's park of the Blue Ridge Parkway and winds through an earthy-coloured rainbow in autumn
Interstate 70: Utah at its finest from here as the highway cut through the San Rafael Reef (right) and the San Rafael River turns its immediate vicinity green (bottom left) - that's the Henry Mountains in the background on the left
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Interstate 70: Utah at its finest from here as the highway cut through the San Rafael Reef (right) and the San Rafael River turns its immediate vicinity green (bottom left) - that's the Henry Mountains in the background on the left
Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road: This road leads to the Jebel Hafeet Mountain, the UAE's second-tallest mountain
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Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road: This road leads to the Jebel Hafeet Mountain, the UAE's second-tallest mountain
Florida Keys: The Overseas Highway is mainland Florida's connection to the Florida Keys - 42 bridges making up 113 miles over overseas road make it a sight to behold, especially as sunrise or sunset
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Florida Keys: The Overseas Highway is mainland Florida's connection to the Florida Keys - 42 bridges making up 113 miles over overseas road make it a sight to behold, especially as sunrise or sunset
On foot: Runners cross the water during the Seven Mile Bridge Run in Marathon, Florida, which has been conducted since 1982
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On foot: Runners cross the water during the Seven Mile Bridge Run in Marathon, Florida, which has been conducted since 1982
The Cabot Trail: The super scenic highway around the northern tip of Canada's Nova Scotia has to be seen to be appreciated
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The Cabot Trail: The super scenic highway around the northern tip of Canada's Nova Scotia has to be seen to be appreciated


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