 sj |
||
|
||
BS: U.S. Numbered Highways
|
|
|
Subject: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Joe Offer Date: 29 Oct 14 - 03:00 AM I've spent many of my vacations the last 20 years, traveling two-lane U.S. highways. I live on old U.S. 40, the Lincoln Highway; and I've traveled it in Nevada and California, and in Maryland and West Virginia. I've traveled most of both coastal highways, 1 and 101; and I've driven much of the Dixie Highway, Hwy. 41. I've seen the eastern and western parts of U.S. 50, whose Nevada portion is "The Loneliest Road in the U.S." (and absolutely beautiful). I've done lots of parts of U.S. 66, and I hope to drive it from L.A. to Chicago some day (hey, they have new Burma-Shave signs...) These historic highways have taken me to some wonderful places. This fall, I drove U.S. 1 from North Carolina to Florida, and U.S. 41 back. These highways take me through wonderful little towns, and almost every mile I drive is interesting. I have rules for travel, rules I've followed most of my life: stay on the two-lane highways, stop whenever anything looks interesting, and don't drive at night unless the area is really boring. It has taken me on some great adventures. I'd like to follow the "blue highways" practice of William Least Heat Moon, but I've never found a map with highways printed in blue - and I didn't read his book. I did read Steinbeck's Travels With Charlie in the 1970s, and that book is what started me on my lifelong adventure. Anybody else share my love of two-lane highways? Got any highways to recommend to me? -Joe- |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: GUEST Date: 29 Oct 14 - 09:07 AM I have long wanted to do the Oregon trail. I read somewhere that there are places where the ruts made by the wagon trains are still visible. Hopefully I will get around to it sometime before I shuffle off. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Rapparee Date: 29 Oct 14 - 09:07 AM Well, there's US 30, the Lincoln Highway.... Try US 20. Or US 57. US 1 in Maryland is kind of interesting, if you like lots of cars. Out of the US, BC 1 to its end is a great drive and has lots of interesting places along it. US 1, Fort Kent, Maine, to Miami, Florida: Atlantic Highway US 11, Rouses Point, New York, to New Orleans, Louisiana US 21, Cleveland, Ohio, to Jacksonville, Florida (where it met US 1) US 31, Mackinaw City, Michigan, to Mobile, Alabama US 41, Copper Harbor, Michigan, to Naples, Florida: Dixie Highway US 51, Hurley, Wisconsin, to New Orleans, Louisiana US 61, Canadian border north of Grand Marais, Minnesota, to New Orleans, Louisiana US 71, International Falls, Minnesota, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana (where it met US 61): Jefferson Highway US 81, Canadian border north of Pembina, North Dakota, to Laredo, Texas: Meridian Highway US 91, Great Falls, Montana, to south of Las Vegas, Nevada US 101, Port Angeles, Washington, to San Diego, California: Pacific Highway US 2, Houlton, Maine, to Bonners Ferry, Idaho US 10, Detroit, Michigan, to Seattle, Washington: National Parks Highway US 20, Boston, Massachusetts, to Newport, Oregon US 30, Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Astoria, Oregon: Lincoln Highway US 40, Atlantic City, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California: Victory Highway US 50, Annapolis, Maryland, to Wadsworth, Nevada (where it met US 40) US 60, Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California US 70, Morehead City, North Carolina, to Holbrook, Arizona (where it met US 60) US 80, Savannah, Georgia, to San Diego, California: Dixie Overland Highway US 90, Jacksonville, Florida to Van Horn, Texas, (where it met US 80): Old Spanish Trail I bet you'd LOVE US 2. Most of the above is from Wikipedia. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 29 Oct 14 - 09:11 AM True, it has its charm, but the two-lane highway is the killer highway. I hope you keep your lights on at all times, and I'm happy to hear you avoid driving at night. My friend Lydia was killed on a two-lane highway. Her wheels went off the right side, and she corrected too fast and too soon. A wheel was torn off the car, which went out of control. But there's a simple answer to this. If your wheels go off, take your time, let the car slow down, and get back on gently. I can think of lovely two-lane highways I have driven in the Midwest, but few of them come anywhere near you, Joe. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Bill D Date: 29 Oct 14 - 10:10 AM Almost anything in West Virginia.... the one I've done many times is 219 both North & South out of Elkins (Elkins is home to Davis & Elkins college, where The Augusta Heritage Center holds music workshops.) 219 runs from I-64 in the South into Elkins. Then, at Elkins one can go several ways....North, East...or even Westish... Then, if you really want ideas, contact Charley Baum, the Getaway chairman, who is a human road map. He KNOWS almost every highway in the US, and has driven amazing numbers of them.... especially in the East. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: GUEST,sciencegeek Date: 29 Oct 14 - 10:13 AM two lane highways are quite common in my neck of the woods... you get to play "deer dodge 'em" or follow the white line in fog or a storm... In good weather and daylight, they often have great scenery and make for a relaxing drive... unless you get stuck behind that fully loaded logging truck creeping up that steep hill... LOL or more often I get stuck behind a large tractor pulling oversized farm equipment on its way to the next field. :) I guess I'm just not a big fan of driving.. period. beam me up, Scotty... |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: GUEST,Barbara Shaw Date: 29 Oct 14 - 10:24 AM To your list of rules I would also add a detour to "Main Street" whenever the opportunity arises, to get a better look at what the passing towns are like. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Ebbie Date: 29 Oct 14 - 11:36 AM In Oregon I like both US 97- on the east side of the Cascades- and US 99W on the wet side. The 97 runs down through lots of small western towns and the 99W winds through farming country interspersed with tidy towns. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Backwoodsman Date: 29 Oct 14 - 12:20 PM Joe, my band-mate wrote a song called 'Blue Highways', inspired by WLH Moon's book. I have a recording the band made of the song, but I can't link to it because it's not on the web anywhere. If you'd like to hear it, PM me with an email address and I'll send you an MP3. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Rapparee Date: 29 Oct 14 - 02:12 PM Problem is,so much of the US infrastructure is falling apart. Two lane roads, and even Interstates, are going without needed maintenance because politicians won't act. And it's not just roads and bridges, it includes sewers and water systems. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Joe Offer Date: 29 Oct 14 - 02:27 PM Another favorite is U.S. 7, especially along Connecticut's border with New York. I've been on lots of pretty parts of that highway in Massachusetts, too - but I haven't seen the Vermont part yet. When I was in fourth grade in Detroit, Detroit history and geography were part of our curriculum. We had to memorize the names of the major streets that went out from downtown Detroit like spokes of a wheel. I think every one of them was a U.S. highway, heading to places I'd dream of - by that time, I hadn't been beyond Michigan and Ontario. Rapparee referred to U.S. 30 as the Lincoln Highway, and he's right - but in the West, it split and was U.S. 40 and U.S. 50. U.S. 30 goes to Astoria, Oregon - but I don't think it's known as the Lincoln Highway in Oregon. U.S. 40 goes right past my house. The "Historic U.S. 40" signs are a hot target for thieves. -Joe- |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: gnu Date: 29 Oct 14 - 03:48 PM I miss one lane woods roads where ya gotta pull into the alders when ya meet another vehicle and ya travel as slow as ya can. Different kinda touring but just sayin eh? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Ebbie Date: 29 Oct 14 - 03:55 PM That brings up a major wish of mine. In these 'troubled' times why not allow each state to draw interest-free or very-low-interest loans from the federal government to put their people to work on repairing/restoring/creating infrastructure? We would have near-zero unemployment for 5 or 10 years and we could end up with brand new or refurbished systems. When Reagan was President he always talked about the good times we were having- I always wondered, if times were so good, why we didn't tackle some long-neglected projects? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Joe Offer Date: 29 Oct 14 - 04:30 PM You're right about "Main Street" detours, Barbara. As I was driving south on U.S. 1 in Georgia, I found that almost every town had a bypass for the highway. I make it a point to take the Business Route. In many of those towns, the main street is lined with beautiful homes with perfect gardens and big, green lawns. This Californian got "green shock." I think my best discovery on my last trip was the town of Cheraw, South Carolina, proud to be the birthplace of Dizzy Gillespie. It's on U.S. 52 and the Great Pee Dee River. This trip was the second time I've been to Macon, Georgia, which has areas that are just spectacular. -Joe- |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Janie Date: 29 Oct 14 - 06:43 PM I was also going to suggest US 219, Bill. Also US 17, which runs from Punta Gorda, FL to Winchester, VA. Have you seen this website, Joe? US ends. US Ends .com The primary purpose of this site is to provide photos and descriptions of current and historic US highway endpoints, and to provide maps that show each US highway in the context of its "route family" (click here for more details). There's also a fair amount of secondary content, most of which can be accessed from the Explore page. - See more at: http://www.usends.com/index.html#sthash.sFuyMEaJ.dpuf |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: GUEST,Padre Date: 29 Oct 14 - 09:18 PM US 220 from Rockingham NC to Waverly NY The part from near Martinsville VA to Cumberland MD has some really beautiful scenery although it is a bit tricky between Covington VA and Hot Springs VA us Warm Springs Mountain. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Mrrzy Date: 29 Oct 14 - 10:56 PM Are we talking the ones with the big blue and red shield signs, or smaller outlines of shields in black and white? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Joe Offer Date: 30 Oct 14 - 12:42 AM Not the Interstates, Mrr. NEVER!! The black-and-white-signed roads. Some of them have become four-lane or six-lane behemoths lined with Big Box stores, but many of them are beautiful, well-maintained, two-lane country roads, with wide lanes and wide shoulders, and with passing lanes on occasion. You can usually drive 55 miles an hour on them, with little traffic. Much easier driving than the Interstates, and much more scenic. -Joe- |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Richard Bridge Date: 30 Oct 14 - 02:38 AM Nobody mentions Route 66. I know it's mostly gone, but that's a shame. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: GUEST,nickp (cookieless) Date: 30 Oct 14 - 04:06 AM And what about that old Lee Highway... I think it's US11 |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Joe Offer Date: 30 Oct 14 - 05:23 AM Hi, Richard - My wife and I went most of the way from Kingman to Flagstaff, Arizona, on Route 66 in May of this year. It's a beautiful alternative to Interstate 40, and it has lots of brand-new Burma-Shave signs. Many of the towns along the way are full of Route 66 memorabilia and restored cars from the 1960s. Looks just like the Disney-Pixar Cars movie. -Joe- |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: GUEST,DaveRo Date: 30 Oct 14 - 08:10 AM This thread reminds me of a line in Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance describing which roads are good to cycle on. The best ones always connect nowhere to nowhere and have an alternative that gets you there quicker. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Bill D Date: 30 Oct 14 - 08:44 AM Janie... that US ends website is amazing! I could get lost in it for hours.... and adding in Google Earth one can actually 'drive' most of those places. In 1975, I drove US 50 from Wichita to Washington DC... pretty easy drive-- until 1/2 mile inside W. Virginia- then *whoosh*... up and down little & big hills and sharp curves for hours, it seemed. I was supposed to arrive at a friend's place in Maryland for supper, but the 'interesting' topography thought otherwise. I was heading down one steep hill, looking ahead to the climb going up the next hill where they had added a lane for 'slow moving vehicles'.... like mining trucks... when 2 very large, fully loaded trucks pulled out of a road at the bottom, took BOTH the regular lane and the passing lane, and proceeded to 'drag race' up the hill at ...oh... maybe 5 MPH. I was behind them for 20-30 minutes with no place to pass. My friends had supper ready for me when I arrived about 2 hours late. Yep.. them 2 lane roads sure are interesting... |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Mrrzy Date: 30 Oct 14 - 10:29 AM Lee Highway is mostly US 29 here in Virginia. 11 runs parallel to I81, pretty much all the way down the mountains. And I like that 64 is pretty much 250 which is pretty much 3-Notched Road, that the natives used to walk from the beach to the mountains across what is now Virginia. Follows an even older deer-trod. Someone mentioned Route 66 up in the original post, which is what confused me, as 66 (the interstate) runs DC to Front Royal here in Va, so I didn't see how you could get to Chicago on it. What amazes me driving in America is that the roads are paved, even when they go from nowhere to nowhere through nothing. And if you're in Big Sky country the oncoming headlights are visible for what seems like hours before you actually pass anyone. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Rapparee Date: 30 Oct 14 - 12:32 PM I drove US 50 once from Clarksburg to Blackwater Falls State Park in West Viginia. At night. In the rain. When I finally got to the park I not only had to clean the driver's seat, but before that I had to back up for a mile and half to unscrew myself and car from the ground. Twisty it was! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: ChanteyLass Date: 30 Oct 14 - 09:36 PM My dad always said he wanted to go from the East Coast to the West Coast and back, one way on US Rt. 6 and the other way on Rt. 44. It looks like Rt. 6 still goes across the US but that Rt. 44 doesn't anymore. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Janie Date: 30 Oct 14 - 11:13 PM US 301, 401 and 501 through many parts of the south are still good drives. Takes some love of maps and research to figure out how to take the alternate routes to stay off interstates, decide when to take the business routes and when to take the by-passes. Haven't had the opportunity to travel, much less to travel leisurely, as have you Joe. State routes are good choices in some states. North Carolina state routes are often wonderful alternatives when traversing the state. Same is true for some parts of Virginia. But topography and state budgets do matter, in addition to whether one has a schedule and how tight that schedule is. Also, if one has the option of sleeping in the truck along the side of the road or not. I love maps, especially local and topo maps. Some of the worst blasts I got from my ex-husband were related to him thinking I was looking for the next interstate exit to take on our way somewhere to a craft show in Florida, for example, while I was looking for interesting drives through Wyoming, should we ever head that way. US 58 through Virginia is a lovely drive, especially if you have time to take the business routes through small, old, towns. From just west of of Martinsville to the coast it is now 4 lane, but not freeway. Runs the entire length of the southern border of Virginia from the Virginia side of the Cumberland Gap to Norfolk/Virginia Beach. An interesting east coast Mountains to Sea route. Strongly recommend exploring the business routes through old, very small towns and also some side trips on state roads that follow along for several miles and then join up with the US route. That can be said of a lot of traverses across the country, I expect. Don't know what it is like these days, but up until 20 years ago, loved it when we had the time to take US 27 through the center of Florida instead of I-95 on our way to Miami and Florida Keys for a winter schedule of craft shows. Introduced us to a Florida we did not know existed and also great stopping places to kayak and bird watch along inland Florida rivers. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: pdq Date: 31 Oct 14 - 10:18 AM From a Westerner's point of view, US6 starts in Bishop, heart of the Owens Valley in far western California. From Bishop, it goes 75 miles north to the Nevada border, then east for about 100 miles, turning NE at warm Springs, meeting US50 at Ely. From there to Denver you are on US50. US6 diverges again, allowing you to head NE for I80. From Denver to the Atlanic Ocean, US6 seems to wander aimlessly, between important main arteries, with no real serious purpose of its own. The Bishop to Ely portion is a real nice 289 mile scenic drive. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: pdq Date: 31 Oct 14 - 10:26 AM "far eastern California" it should read |
|
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Numbered Highways From: Joe Offer Date: 31 Oct 14 - 01:27 PM U.S. 395 from Reno, NV, to Bishop, CA, is Ansel Adams territory. It's a wonderful place for photographing the Eastern Sierra. I don't know the rest of that highway - I wonder if it has other wonders to behold to the north. I don't think there's much south of Ridgecrest, the China Lake Naval Weapons Station. I've been on parts of 395 south of that, and didn't find much to interest me. Looked like typical Southern California suburbia. -Joe- |
