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American Road Magazine
Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!
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Introduction


Alex Burr - hester_nec

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Hello. Tho I am new to this media, blogging, I am not new to American Road. I've been around since the beginning. I do have a road trip web site, but decided to give this blog a try to post my rather infrequent road trips in the Memphis, TN, area.

 

Being nearly 73 years old I'm old enough to remember the good old days of 2-lane road travel. Indeed, I went with my folks in the late 40's and early 50's on several trips from southern Maine to the Dayton, Ohio, area to visit friends and relatives. I look back and think, good old days?? Hot summer days on the road in a 10 year old Chrysler with no AC?? Motels that were more cabin than motel and usually not air conditioned?? Greasy spoon diners - tho most were pretty good. But, it was still exiting for a 10 year old to see what was around the corner. Kids miss so much today on vacation trips on the interstate. And there's not much new around the corner - or down the road, either. Got a Mickey D's in your home town - you'll find many along the road - along with BurgerKing, Wendy's, shopping malls with the same stores. No, kids today miss a lot.

 

Back in 1953 I was crazy enough to go to the west coast, from Maine, with a buddy of mine, on 20 to the mid-west where we picked up 66 to California. Then 101, more or less north to Oregon and Washington, then home to Maine, mostly on 20, but some on 30, 6 and 2. We were celebrating the big transition from child-hood to adult-hood - getting our drivers licenses. At the time, in Maine, you could get a license at 15 - Maine was largely rural and farm land so 15 year olds were expected to drive the family farm equipment, trucks, etc. Can you imagine two 15 year olds driving across country today?? Probably wouldn't get out of the state, to start with.

 

So, I'll probably be posting more on my new blog as time goes by. Won't be every day, won't be ever week. We'll try to find something to add at least inside a six month window.

 

Happy, and safe, travels everybody.

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Great post Alex. I love the part about driving the family farm equipment. I can relate. I learned to drive on my grandfather's tractor (they had a dairy farm). What an adventure to experience, and at 15!

 

Looking forward to reading more of your posts.

Becky

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Alex, great story. You were fortunate to have grown up in a simpler time. I often think I was born about 30 years too late, but it is what it is. So what part of southern Maine are you from? I lived in Lisbon and Lisbon Falls for 3 years while staioned at Brunswick Naval Air Station back in the late 80s/early 90s. I look forward to seeing more blog posts from you. Mike

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Thanks Alex. I would love to do an interview with your for our American Road Trip Talk podcast which you will find under blogs on this site and linked off the homepage. I usually interview people about stories on the magazine but this is a great one inspired BY the magazine.

 

Please get back to me through my email if you are interested: fosterbraun@hotmail.com.

 

Keep posting and I look forward to the interview.

 

Foster

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