Welcome to Autocars Blog. I’m Evan Brooks, and this is a space for people who find as much meaning in the miles as they do in the map. Over the years, I’ve logged thousands of miles across the American West, and I’ve come to believe that the drive itself can be the best part of any trip. This blog is my way of sharing what I’ve learned—routes that reward the effort, cars that keep you comfortable when the highway stretches out, and the quiet details that turn a good road into a great one.
Autocars Blog isn’t about horsepower or 0-to-60 times. It’s about how a car feels after four hours, where to stop for coffee that isn’t awful, and which backroads make you forget the interstate exists. I’m not a mechanic or a racer. I’m a driver who pays attention. If that sounds like your kind of road, you’re in the right place.
What You’ll Find Here
I’m aiming to cover five main topics: weekend routes, driver’s notes, car and comfort, travel gear, and destination stops. Weekend routes will focus on scenic drives you can do in a day or two—think Colorado’s Peak-to-Peak Highway or Utah’s Burr Trail—with timing advice, road condition notes, and honest verdicts on whether the drive is worth the fuel. Driver’s notes will be more personal: reflections on road culture, the rituals of packing the car at dawn, and why some highways feel meditative while others just feel long.
Car and comfort posts will get into the real-world stuff. I’ll rate seats after three hours, talk about cabin noise at 70 mph, and compare cupholder layouts because that matters more than any spec sheet admits. Travel gear will cover the practical side: coolers, chargers, coffee kits, and the one bag that actually fits behind a passenger seat. Destination stops will highlight small towns, diners, overlooks, and roadside motels that are worth pulling over for.
Why I Started This Blog
I’ve been taking road trips seriously for about a decade now—mostly around Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Along the way, I noticed that most of the advice out there either comes from glossy travel magazines that don’t tell you about the potholes, or from gear sites that assume you’re building an overland rig. I wanted something in the middle: practical, honest, and written by someone who’s actually made the drive.
Autocars Blog is that middle ground. It’s personal, but not preachy. It’s detailed, but not obsessive. I write for drivers who treat the car as a tool for seeing the country, not as a trophy or a problem to solve. Some roads are worth slowing down for, and this blog helps you find them.
A Few Things You Should Know
First, I’m based in Denver, so a lot of the routes I cover start there. But I travel as often as I can, and I’ll include drives from other regions too. Second, I’m not sponsored by any car company or gear brand. If I mention a specific vehicle or product—like the Subaru Outback’s seat comfort or a Yeti cooler’s ice retention—it’s because I’ve used it and formed an opinion. I’ll be clear when something is worth the money and when it’s not.
Third, this blog is for everyday drivers. You don’t need a lifted truck or a sports car to enjoy the content. My current car is a Honda CR-V, and it has taken me everywhere I needed to go. The drive matters as much as the stop, and you can feel it in any vehicle that’s reliable and comfortable.
The First Route I’d Send You On
If you’re new to Autocars Blog and want to hit the road tomorrow, start with Colorado’s San Juan Skyway. It’s a 236-mile loop through the San Juan Mountains, and it earns every mile. Leave Durango early morning, stop in Silverton for breakfast at the Avalanche Building, then push on to Ouray and Telluride. The passes are high, the air is thin, and the views are ridiculous. By the time you loop back to Durango, you’ll be tired and grateful. That’s the feeling I want this blog to capture.
Welcome to Autocars Blog. The drive starts now.
A Quick Checklist for Your Next Road Trip
Before you head out on a long drive, a little preparation goes a long way. Here’s a short checklist I use every time:
- **Check your car’s fluids and tires.** Oil, coolant, windshield washer fluid, and tire pressure (including the spare). A quick glance under the hood can save you a breakdown in the middle of nowhere.
- **Pack a cooler with real food.** Granola bars get old fast. Throw in sandwiches, fruit, cheese, and plenty of water. It saves money and keeps you alert.
- **Download offline maps.** Cell service dies in canyons and mountains. Google Maps lets you download whole regions—do it before you leave Wi-Fi.
- **Bring a physical road atlas.** Yes, really. When the GPS fails and the phone battery dies, a paper map gets you home. I keep a Rand McNally in the door pocket.
- **Carry a basic emergency kit.** Jumper cables, a flashlight, a first-aid kit, and a blanket. You don’t need to go full survivalist, but these few items have bailed me out more than once.
- **Plan your audio.** Long stretches of highway sound better with a good podcast or playlist. I curate a driving playlist for each trip—it becomes part of the memory.
This list isn’t exhaustive, but it covers the essentials. Stick to it, and you’ll spend less time worrying and more time enjoying the road. Autocars Blog will have deeper dives into each of these topics later, but for now, this gets you rolling.
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