Was at the Music Academy of the West listening to a piano masterclass last Monday. After the master class, I tried to drive home but got a bit lost. I wasn't in a rush or anything so just followed the nice roads and all of a sudden found myself on a twisty road that I had been on before (but with a friend driving). Turned my geogrpahic disorientation into a little driving trip and eventually found myself back at the music academy after burning up a gallon of gas keeping the car at 4k+ RPMs mostly in second gear.

The road is called East (and West) Mountain Drive and is located in Montecito. You can see where it gets twisty and how to get on to it with a quick Google map but I've highlighted the main section above (click for a larger pic). It's very windy with plenty of blind 120-almost 180 degree corners to be taken at 15MPH max (20 for the brave and quick of steering). Few chances to really open up 2nd (about 60 max) and even when you do, you won't get more than a second of it before you have to stomp on the brakes. Parts of it are right on the side of a mountain so there's no run off area, just a cliff. Recommended to drive East to west since then you're on the mountain (and not the cliff) side of the road. A fun 15-20 minutes of high intensity steering if you're into that sort of thing.