Originally Posted by CDTraveler

...you will likely come to see that the "base" idea is not workable. Going to and from the "base" will mean driving the same less-than-exciting stretches of road repeatedly and spending time in an area with nothing to recommend it. Going point to point will allow you to spend more time at each point, no backtracking, less sitting in traffic, less time on nausea inducing mountain roads, etc.