New Record For Fastest "Clinch" of Pan American Highway

[Grzrd]

11 days, 17 hours, and 22 minutes: http://www.tdi-panamericana.com/live.php

[Alps]

It's not a true clinch until they close that gap. Wonder how their car was shipped from Colombia to Panama - regularly scheduled ferry or special chartered boat? I think any legitimate clinch needs to use the former.

[NE2]

Sorry, not clinched. The entire Interstate Highway System has been part of it since 1966, and there are a number of different routes south from the US-Mexico border.

[Grzrd]

It's not a true clinch until they close that gap. Wonder how their car was shipped from Colombia to Panama - regularly scheduled ferry or special chartered boat? I think any legitimate clinch needs to use the former.

I agree it is not a true clinch (hence the use of quotation marks around the word).  I was wondering about how they handled the Darien Gap, as well.

At risk of straying off-topic, what IS the world's longest clinch-eligible road?

[english si]

AH1 (Asian Highway 1) is 12,845 miles, but I'm pretty sure it's not continuous road yet, let alone driveable road. It goes through the DMZ, for instance.

E 40 from Calais to the Chinese border is over 5000 miles and is, AFAIK, the winner in the 'roads you can drive end-to-end category'.

[mtantillo]

AH1 (Asian Highway 1) is 12,845 miles, but I'm pretty sure it's not continuous road yet, let alone driveable road. It goes through the DMZ, for instance.

E 40 from Calais to the Chinese border is over 5000 miles and is, AFAIK, the winner in the 'roads you can drive end-to-end category'.

The E routes go into Asia??  Interesting...

[mtantillo]

It's not a true clinch until they close that gap. Wonder how their car was shipped from Colombia to Panama - regularly scheduled ferry or special chartered boat? I think any legitimate clinch needs to use the former.

I don't think there is scheduled ferry service from Panama to Colombia.  AFAIK, you have no option but to ship your vehicle on a freighter.  Freighters typically run on somewhat of a regular schedule (I know because I helped someone arrange to ship a vehicle to Hawaii), but the problem is that you have to ship the vehicle empty (so your luggage and belongings come on the plane with you, not in the car).  But I suppose if that's the only way to do it, its more legit than flying and renting a car on the other end. 

[Grzrd]

It's not a true clinch until they close that gap. Wonder how their car was shipped from Colombia to Panama - regularly scheduled ferry or special chartered boat? I think any legitimate clinch needs to use the former.

I don't think there is scheduled ferry service from Panama to Colombia.  AFAIK, you have no option but to ship your vehicle on a freighter.  Freighters typically run on somewhat of a regular schedule (I know because I helped someone arrange to ship a vehicle to Hawaii), but the problem is that you have to ship the vehicle empty (so your luggage and belongings come on the plane with you, not in the car).  But I suppose if that's the only way to do it, its more legit than flying and renting a car on the other end.  

From December 3, 1971 until June 10, 1972, a group of Range Rovers drove from Anchorage, Alaska (pre-construction of Trans-Alaska Pipeline and its accompanying road) to the southernmost tip of Tierra del Fuego.  They "drove" through the Darien Gap, at the rate of approximately three miles per day (foregoing freighter service).  Not a clinch, but still a noteworthy accomplishment.
http://www.range-rover-classic.com/Home/range-rover-darien-gap

[english si]

The E routes go into Asia??  Interesting...

As they are a product of the UNECE (UN Economic Committee for Europe), they cover the former Soviet states out of history. Turkey is also covered by the E road network, so there's another area of Asia with E roads.

The AH1 enters Europe, reaching the Bulgaria/Turkish border as Turkey is in the Asian UN body as well as the European one, but the 'wrong continent' problem is far less on the Asian Highway network.

[Grzrd]

AH1 (Asian Highway 1) is 12,845 miles, but I'm pretty sure it's not continuous road yet, let alone driveable road. It goes through the DMZ, for instance.
E 40 from Calais to the Chinese border is over 5000 miles and is, AFAIK, the winner in the 'roads you can drive end-to-end category'.

Wikipedia indicates Trans-Africa Highway 4 (Capetown to Cairo) is 6,355 miles and has sections that are not paved, but are passable during certain conditions.  Egypt-Sudan border is closed and a ferry must be taken, but otherwise it appears that the entire length could be driven.

[Bickendan]

AH1 (Asian Highway 1) is 12,845 miles, but I'm pretty sure it's not continuous road yet, let alone driveable road. It goes through the DMZ, for instance.

E 40 from Calais to the Chinese border is over 5000 miles and is, AFAIK, the winner in the 'roads you can drive end-to-end category'.

Australia 1 takes the cake: 9000 miles long.

[agentsteel53]

Australia 1 takes the cake: 9000 miles long.

I had thought of that, but its topology isn't exactly "end to end".  It's a full circle, with a disconnected segment on the island of Tasmania.  kinda like a dismantled letter "Q".

it is, indeed, the longest route with a single number on the planet.

[mtantillo]

Actually, the mainland part of Australia Route 1 begins in Darwin, goes all the way around, and ends at itself a few hours south of Darwin.  So its an upside down Q with a disconnected portion in Tasmania.

I lived 2 blocks from the beginning of Australia 1 for two weeks when I studied abroad.

[Grzrd]

It's not a true clinch until they close that gap. Wonder how their car was shipped from Colombia to Panama - regularly scheduled ferry or special chartered boat? I think any legitimate clinch needs to use the former.

This article indicates that they flew the car over the Darien Gap:
http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/aug/26/border-hopping-vw-visits-city/

"Rainer Zietlow and two other drivers braved snow, heat and border checkpoints -- not to mention exhaustion -- to set a world record in driving 16,000 miles from the southern tip of South America to the top of Alaska.

Piloting a Volkswagen Touareg TDI clean diesel sport utility vehicle, Zietlow made the trip in 11 days, 17 hours and 22 minutes -- carving three days off the old record, he said in Chattanooga on Thursday ...

He said extra diesel fuel tanks were added along with special tires to handle the often severely potholed roads. The SUV was fitted with satellite phone equipment, Zietlow said.

He said he used no caffeine, but mostly drank Gatorade and ate subs. Stops were made to refuel at designated points where diesel fuel was brought in earlier along the route. In addition, passing through 14 countries, border checks were common, Zietlow said.

He said that in South America, the SUV was loaded onto a ferry to pass over the Strait of Magellan. Also, because the road doesn't connect between Columbia and Panama because of druglords, Zietlow said, the SUV was loaded onto a plane and flown over the border ..."