Driving Outside the Lines: California

As a Texan, it pains me to say this. BUT – Texans and Californians have more in common than either of us would probably admit. We both carry an almost obnoxious level of pride in where we come from. And we’ll defend our home states like our lives (or brisket) depend on it. We poke fun at each other’s faults, boast about our own strengths, and secretly admire a few things the other side has to offer.

Don’t get me wrong though – I’m biased… 

Don’t mess with Texas. Texas has many strengths & no weaknesses. Okay, maybe a couple. But as someone who drives across this country more often than most, I have to admit some of the most stunning, jaw-dropping, and unforgettable roads are in California. The kind of beauty that makes gas prices feel irrelevant – at least until you fill up again (with 91 at best).

What makes California truly wild is how quickly the scenery shifts… 

One moment you’re rolling through the scorched, surreal landscape of Death Valley. Where the road feels like it was carved through another planet & it’s 110 degrees in the middle of the night. And before you know it, you’re hugging the coast near San Diego – windows down, sun melting into the ocean. Keep going North, and you’ll slide through wine country. Where the hills get softer, the air gets cooler, and the two-lanes start whispering “Sunday cruise.” Keep pushing even further, and it’s like you’ve stepped into a cathedral made of trees. Towering redwoods and ancient sequoias, quiet & massive, like the earth’s original meditation sanctuary.

Then there are California’s mountain ranges… 

The kind that separate climates, personalities, and driving styles. On one side, you’re in a sun-soaked paradise with perfect temps year-round. The kind of weather where a hoodie can be worn anytime of year (my kind of weather). And on the other side, you’re fighting for grip in the snow with chains on your tires, staring out at jagged peaks that look like they’re from a movie scene.

It’s in this diversity… 

Amongst the climates, the landscapes, and the roads themselves… that you start to understand why California birthed such rich car culture. It didn’t just happen – it was shaped by the environment. The endless backdrops, the coastlines, the dry lake beds, and the winding canyon roads. California is the kind of place where car culture wasn’t just accepted – it thrived. And it still does… even if the state seems hellbent on outlawing everything with a soul & an exhaust note.

You wanna know what makes California car culture so unique? 

It’s not just the cars – it’s the roads as well. California is built for driving. Not traffic, not commuting… but driving. The kind of stuff that makes your hands grip the steering wheel & your brain dial into every corner. You’ve got Mulholland Drive – one of the most legendary stretches of tarmac in Los Angeles. Where film crews, YouTubers, and tire smoke all seem to coexist. A little further out, you hit the Angeles Crest Highway. Twisties for days, elevation changes that mess with your ears, and vistas so good they make you forget you’re only 45 minutes from downtown chaos. And then there’s the drive through Pyramid Lake. Where the terrain goes from jagged-to-serene in a matter of miles. It’s like every kind of driving experience you could ever want… packed within a two-hour radius.

That’s why so many vehicle comparisons & reviews are shot in California… 

There’s just something about the California backdrop. The way the light hits the roads, the mix of elevations, weather, and scenery. It just works. Want to test a GT3 RS? California. Want to compare a Tesla to a Lucid? California. Want to film a lowrider gliding past a mural in East LA? Or a bagged VIP scraping its way through San Fernando? California.

And then you’ve got the events… 

Not just your average cars-&-coffee type stuff, though those happen on every block. I’m talking about ‘the events’. The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – a once-a-year display of rolling art that draws collectors, celebrities, and manufacturers from around the world to the Monterey Peninsula. A gathering where history breathes through restored coachwork and every vehicle has a story… and is insured for more than your house.

But that’s the thing about California – it’s never just one flavor… 

LA alone is like a buffet of automotive subcultures. JDM, American classics, lowriders, lifted trucks, rat rods, exotics, donks, and Ferraris on forged wheels all sharing the same stoplight. And if you’ve got a car that doesn’t fit into any box? Don’t worry – there’s a box for that too. And maybe you’re like me. You’ll hit a meet every once in a while, but you’d rather just drive. No crowds, no cameras, no Instagram. Just breaking free on a route with some curves.

Not long ago, I found myself in Hollister, California… 

I had to head out to Santa Cruz, and I was in my lifted F-150. Now, logic might say a lifted truck isn’t exactly built for carving through tight mountain roads. But that drive? Man – it was worth every second. The switchbacks, the elevation changes, the trees practically hanging over the road like some kind of Lexus-like advert backdrop. It was the kind of drive that makes you forget about the destination. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. And actually, I plan to. There are roads I’ve driven in California that still linger in my mind like a favorite song. I find myself craving them – plotting how to get back. Maybe in something sportier, maybe not. Doesn’t really matter.

Because California isn’t just a place with good roads…

It’s a place that is built for the driver. From the coastline to the canyons… from farmland to forest… and from traffic-choked LA to lonely desert highways. California offers a variety of driving experiences within close range that you just can’t replicate anywhere else. You don’t need a supercar, you don’t even need a plan… you just need to go.

I think this is gonna be a series… 

And it’s not just about California. It’s about the celebration of driving. About rediscovering the joy of the open road. And the freedom of getting behind the wheel and not knowing exactly what’s around the next bend. California happens to be a prime example, because its scenery grabs you, shakes you, and reminds you why you fell in love with driving in the first place. But this isn’t exclusive to the Golden State.

The whole country is filled with backdrops waiting to be discovered… 

Flatlands in the Midwest that go on forever. Coastal highways where the ocean kisses the edge of the road. Mountain switchbacks that’ll make your palms sweat. Farmland that glows gold at sunset. Forest roads that feel like secret passages. Cityscapes that blur past your window at midnight. It doesn’t matter where you are – there’s beauty hiding in plain sight. You just have to go look for it. That’s what this series is about. 

It’s not the destination… 

And it’s not the build. It’s not the followers. And it’s not the badge. It’s just the drive. The journey… and the experience. A reminder that the best roads aren’t always in your backyard, and neither are the best memories. Sometimes the only way to find them, is to step outside your bubble, fill the tank, and go.

Article by David S. Windsor