FAQs

We are driving enthusiasts with a love of all sports cars. We would be thrilled if you bring your favorite fun car, but we also know that some journeys require flying in and getting a rental. No worries. Just rent something that can get around a corner okay and won't leave you stranded. Most rental car companies offer some form of more spirited vehicle. Some even offer exotics. Turo rentals are also an option, but be sure to have a back up plan in case the host has a last minute issue with their vehicle.

At a predetermined time (usually after breakfast), we gather at a designated spot near our cars for a brief description of the days planned travels. The routes are designed so you can just settle in and enjoy the drive. We typically plan no more than 90 minutes of driving at a time between stretch breaks or bathroom stops.  We incorporate scenic stops for photos and exploring, food breaks, and of course some spirited driving which eventually brings us back around to our event HQ hotel.  Some Adventure days include stops at local attractions such as museums or other well-known regional places of interest.  Check out the itineraries of some of our past events for examples.

No. We encourage you to do so because it's what you have paid for and the itineraries are a lot of fun, but if you feel tired and need to head back to the event HQ hotel early, just let us know. We prefer the groups stay together as much as possible for safety and organizational reasons, but accommodations can be made in special circumstances. Just talk to us. Everyone is given an event program with the itinerary and drive route maps so you'll always know where you are in the Adventure.

Our Adventures range anywhere between 85 and 200 miles a day depending on the tour and nature of the route. Overall, we try to maintain a relaxed schedule each day. We normally start the day at about 9:00am. The guided routes will have plenty to see and several stops are scheduled for you to take in the scenery, snap some pictures, and socialize with the group. Our goal is to arrive at our hotel before 6:00pm. Some drive days will end earlier than others, depending on what is involved in our route plan.

We are enthusiasts and may be prone to a somewhat more spritely pace, but we do try to accommodate everyone's comfort level. We structure our drives with a drive leader and a tail. The leader sets the pace and the tail makes sure that everyone stays with the group.

Our drives tend to be spirited where applicable, but in some places (like National Parks, for instance) the pace is necessarily much more subdued. We are on public roads, after all, which we are sharing with other drivers and occasionally the local wildlife as well. The key is to never exceed your own comfort level and to always communicate with your drive group leader if you feel you need to make any adjustments. 

That stated, we do not recommend our drives for someone who just got their drivers license last week, or who consider tight switchbacks an unpleasant part of driving. If you are the kind of person who sees a "curves ahead" road sign and thinks, "Bring it on!" then I think you'll love our Adventures. 

For safety reasons and to provide participants with a high-quality experience, we limit total participants to 40 and maximum total number of cars to 20. Every event is unique, but the average number of vehicles is typically between 12 and 17.

Our attendees are friendly sports car enthusiasts looking for fun multi-day driving events with other sports car enthusiasts. If you are friendly, like sports cars, and enjoy driving, you will fit right in! Although we have many repeat participants, every Adventure is unique and the mix of participants changes from event to event.

We do not post a list of participants on our web site, but we do have a Facebook discussion group where participants frequently chat about the upcoming Adventures. We encourage participation there in advance of the Adventures where you can make connections with others who plan to attend. Some Adventurers arrange to caravan together to our events. Facebook Discussion Group

Check the weather forecast for the region of the event and pack accordingly. Be prepared for the possibility that Mother Nature may decide to change things up with no notice. A fold-up rain poncho takes almost no room in a duffle bag or a corner of your trunk, and a couple of long sleeve shirts layered or a light windbreaker can keep you warm in case of a cold snap. Comfortable shoes for both driving and some walking are always recommended. Sunscreen is a must and we always recommend a hat with a visor or brim. If you or your passenger are prone to motion sickness, then bring along some Dramamine.  

Got walkie-talkies?  We use GMRS/FRS radios to keep everyone appraised of road hazards or upcoming course changes. We recommend the Midland  X-Talker T71VP3. More on that in a separate Q/A below.

We also strongly recommend a good break-down kit.  We'll cover that in a separate Q/A.

Every vehicle should have an emergency supply kit in the trunk. Kits should be checked every six months, and expired items should be replaced regularly. Vehicle emergency supply kits should include:

• A properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod jack

• Jumper cables

• Tool kit and/or a multipurpose utility tool

• Flashlight and extra batteries

• Reflective triangles and brightly colored cloth to make your vehicle more visible

• Compass

• First aid kit with gauze, tape, bandages, antibiotic ointment, aspirin, a blanket, nonlatex gloves, scissors, hydrocortisone, thermometer, tweezers and instant cold compress

• Nonperishable, high-energy foods, such as unsalted nuts, dried fruits and hard candy

• Drinking water

• Reflective vest in case you need to walk to get help

• Car charger for your cell phone

• Fire extinguisher

• Duct tape

• Rain poncho

It's also a good idea to keep family and emergency phone numbers, including your auto insurance provider and a towing company, in your phone.

We use the GMRS channels to communicate with other drivers on our Adventures. These channels operate at a higher wattage and result in longer transmission range. Our lead drivers typically use a Midland MXT275 MicroMobile 15-watt radio. These units are hardwired in the cars so the drivers never have to worry about running out of battery power. 

For those who do not want to wire the radio into the car, we recommend the Midland X-Talker T71VP3 series of handheld radios. Also good is the Midland GXT1000VP4, but those do require an FCC license to use them legally.  You can order radios direct from MidlandUSA.com (there is frequently a discount code available on Midland's website) or from Amazon.  An FCC license is easily obtained for only $35, is good for 10 years, and the online processing time is typically less than 24 hours.

How do you get an FCC license for GMRS use?  

1. First you need to apply for your FCC Registration Number (FRN). Go to this link to register for your FRN: https://apps.fcc.gov/coresWeb/publicHome.do. If you already have a FRN, you can skip this step.

2. Go to https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsEntry/licManager/login.jsp and log in with your FCC Registration Number (FRN) and password.

3. On the left side of the page, click the Apply for a New License link.

4. Choose "ZA - General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)" from the radio service drop down list.

5. Click Continue to navigate through the application.

Then follow the remaining steps on the FCC web site to certify, complete, and pay.

No. We are not a club, although it feels similar in some ways. We all share a love of our vehicles and of driving them enthusiastically in scenic environments. Many Adventurers are repeat attendees and we all look forward to seeing each other. We create life-long connections. So those are the similarities, but this is not a club with committees and red tape. We have one goal: create the best damn Adventures for driving enthusiasts that we possibly can. And along the way to that goal, some great memories, lasting friendships, and good times are bound to follow.

Our current structure is not that of a club with membership fees or subscriptions. Adventurers register for each event which they are interested in attending and they pay for that event. Every Adventure you attend counts towards the Frequent Adventurer program (details in the Discount Pograms section of the FAQ). If we acquire many major sponsors and a change in structure to a subscription based model would better serve everyone involved, then we may do that. But right now, no.

Pricing is per Adventure, and each Adventure includes information about all costs associated with that specific event. Every Adventure is a little different, so the costs may vary. However, we make every attempt to plan well in advance –typically a full year– and do our best to maintain consistent prices for the events so that attendees can plan ahead and budget accordingly for having some much-needed fun. We try to give you as much information up front as possible. 

And since everyone loves a good discount, we offer Early Bird discounts, Refer a Friend discounts, a Frequent Adventurer Program, and a Tailgunner/Sweeper promotional offer as well.

Each participant benefits from the services being provided and is an active participant in the Adventure, so pricing is calculated per participant. By taking advantage of our couple/co-driver option, a passenger or co-driver in one vehicle is added at a discounted rate over the normal single-driver registration. 

• A fun-filled itinerary of sights to see on sinuous roads winding through truly beautiful country, many of which will put to good use the performance capabilities of your car.

• Happy hour registration meet & greet gathering – soft drinks and beer provided by your hosts

• Event logo'd wearable (example: shirt, hoodie, or light jacket)

• Event logo'd vehicle/refrigerator/toolbox magnet

• Keepsake-grade printed event program

• Nametag and lanyard

• After-event hardcover photo memory book created with photos taken during the event

• Giveaway items provided by event sponsors

• Membership in the OA Frequent Adventurer program

• And the priceless part: Memories of an awesome roadtrip Adventure

We find the best roads for our Adventures. We find the most appropriate hotels for our Adventures. We do all the advance research. We make the calls, we negotiate the rates, we map out the routes and do reconnaissance runs wherever possible. We locate the best gas station and car wash options, and in some instances we arrange for the hotel to provide a wash station specifically for our group. We know what driving enthusiasts want in a good scenic drive, and we do everything we can to make the Adventures include all of that. And we are constantly monitoring the status of our routes in case adjustments need to be made. In short, we put a lot of hours into making sure our Adventures are good ones which create long lasting friendships and a lot of great memories. You just show up and have a good time with other Adventure-seeking drivers just like yourself!

As more sponsors are added for various Adventures, we will be able to offer more gifts, goodies, and perks and we will list those in each Adventure. And at the end of the year, we send everyone who has attended an event our Overdrive Adventures wall calendar celebrating the entire year of Adventures. 

Lodging and meals are not included in the Adventure cost. Overdrive Adventures will negotiate a group rate for the event, but all attendees reserve and pay for their hotel rooms separately. We do all of the advance research and choose good locations which will have all the amenities appropriate to our Adventure and situated near everything we could want. We host a Happy Hour for arrival night of every event which is included in the fee you pay, and some events will have sponsors who will cover some lunches or dinners. Those will be advertised with each Adventure.

We may do that at some point, but right now we are not. It's a "next level" kind of thing that we are looking at, but haven't quite gotten to yet.

Early Bird Discount: Receive a 10% discount on your Adventure if you submit payment within the first three (3) weeks of registration using the advertised discount coupon code during checkout. Cannot be combined with any other discounts.

Refer a Friend Discount: Receive a 15% discount for both you and your friends. You may refer friends to Overdrive Adventures by clicking on the “Refer a Friend” menu button on the Overdrive Adventures website (coming soon!). Your friends will receive an offer for 15% discount on their first Adventure registration. Referee offer valid to first time Adventurers only. Once your friend registers for an Adventure, you (the referrer) will receive a 15% discount code for your next Adventure. Discount codes are valid for one (1) year. Referees may not already be members of the Overdrive Adventures mailing list or members of the Overdrive Adventures FaceBook Group. Cannot be combined with any other discounts.

To participate in the Refer a Friend discount program you may need to submit some personal information about yourself and your friends, such as names, address, and e-mail addresses. All information collected, stored and/or shared through this program shall be subject to our Privacy Policy. Your participation in this program is an agreement to the collection and use of your personal information by Overdrive Adventures and is an acknowledgement that you have read and accepted our Privacy Policy.

Frequent Adventurer Program: Attend five (5) Adventures and get your sixth (6) Adventure FREE. Discount codes are valid for eighteen (18) months from your fifth (5) Adventure. Cannot be combined with any other discounts.

Tailgunner/Sweeper Promotion: Have you got our back? Are you good on radio communications? Are you interested in being eyes for the leader at the tail of our crew and keep our intrepid group of roadtrippers all together? Volunteer to be a tailgunner and, if you are deployed as a tailgunner on one of our Adventures, you will be eligible for an Overdrive Adventures gift valued at $100. Email us to request consideration to be a tailgunner.

We take organizing our Adventures very seriously so that you don't have to. That level of organization definitely comes at a cost. We chose to become a formal business entity, maintain an accounting system, and report income and expenses to both state and federal authorities as required. We want you to know that we are not fly-by-night, that we have put in the effort, and we care about creating long-term relationships with everyone we encounter on our Adventures.

As far as overhead costs go, there are many more expenses which we encounter than most people realize: CPA, legal counsel, insurance, credit card processing service, banking, web hosting, communications hardware including loaner radios, name tags, lanyards, professional grade printed materials, photo memory book binding services, wearables, promotional items... the list is really long. And that doesn't include our time for prep work, vehicle maintenance, and tires. 

With every Adventure we create, we do it knowing that 30-40 people are trusting us and relying on us to pick an awesome route and create an epic Adventure for your vacation get-away. Well, we take your trust very seriously and we put a lot of effort into meeting your expectations.

CANCELLATION: Requests to cancel for a full refund –minus any non-recoverable transaction fees– will only be accepted up to forty five (45) days from the date of your Adventure. Cancellation requests submitted within the forty five (45) day period prior to your Adventure are eligible for a 50% refund of your registration fee, less any non-recoverable transaction fees. Cancellation requests within seven (7) days of your Adventure are non-refundable, but the registration fee can be transferred to a future Adventure. 

RESCHEDULING/EVENT CREDIT: If you must cancel your scheduled Adventure, and want to secure your spot in a future Adventure, you are entitled to an eighteen (18) month credit to be applied to any Adventure within that time frame. Requests to reschedule and arrange for an Adventure credit will be accepted up to forty five (45) days or more from the date of your registered Adventure. A rescheduling fee of $100 will be charged for any rescheduling requests less than forty five (45) days from the date of your originally registered Adventure. Event credits are not refundable for cash.

NO-SHOWS/FLAKE: Spaces for Adventures are limited, and last minute cancellations and no-shows negatively impact others who want to attend the Adventure. Please be courteous and notify the organizers as soon as possible if your plans change and you are no longer able to attend your registered Adventure. In the event that you or your guest are a "no-show" or "flake," you and/or your guest may be restricted from registering for future Adventures.