Alex Burr - hester_nec

Seems to work quite well - is a little difficult to get a good idea of a given area, because of having to blow it up so far to even begin to make out road numbers, etc. And I haven't yet figured out if it's possible to save the file. Other than that I found it easy to navigate down a given road. Interesting to note the route numbers were apparently local numbers - I think a later map in one's lap would be of assistance in figuring out that Route 3 east of Indianapolis, for example was renumbered U S 40. Thanks for the effort in putting this venue out for us to study. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Great Pics - love hearing about other peoples trips and seeing their pictures. Ain't as good as being there, but it's 2nd best. Thanks for sharing - enjoyed the trip. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis TN

I visited the LeMay collection back in 2001, when I went out to Seattle for the Hudson National meet. At that time it was housed in a collection of ramshakle barns and buildings. Even the house was full of stuff. It was enough to give one the willy's - all these beautiful cars, some rare, and there was no sprinkler systems, not even an alarm system. The buildings were really fire traps. There was some talk at that time there was to be a new building, a musuem really, to be built to showcase the cars. It appears that was more than talks. I remember someone saying that LeMay, who started out as a trash collector, by the way - wound up collecting trash all over that area - had a London double-decker bus. He'd have somebody drive the thing while he sat up top looking into peoples back yards for old cars. Thanks for easing my mind. I have often thought of those rickety building and the wonderful collection - LeMay didn't just collect cars. There was a lot of other stuff here and there. And thanks for the great photos. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Great report Jim. Tho I couldn't write a report on it, I've been to, or around, Peru a couple times. Way back around 1976 I was on my way to Effingham, IL, to reunite with my oldest daughter whom I'd lost for 16 years (but that's another story) and I stopped overnight at a friends place in Peru. I took 31 south to Indy and I-70 over to Effingham. A couple other times I've been by the place, my friend there passed away several years back, so I didn't stop, headed east on U S 24 on my way back to New England after visiting friends in Decatur, IL. I've found it's a better way to go (24 to 30) than taking I-70 east out of Indianapolis. Great pictures too - those early morning shots are really great. Hope your camera isn't to badly damaged. Safe Traveling Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Saturday (15th) the phone rang at 7am - who's awake at 7am, except maybe God, and he never sleeps. I stumbled across the living room and heard this cheery voice saying "you going to the car show down in Tunica". Huh!!! It's one of my Hudson (car, not name) buddies. I'm not even awake yet and he's raving about going to a car show in Tunica (43 miles south of Memphis, give or take a couple cotton fields. So I say, yeah, whatever, maybe. Oh sure. Maybe I'll see you there Cloyd (Yeah, that's a real name). Now it's about 10am and I'm chatting with KC telling her about this 7am phone call. I'm more or less awake, and she's asking me when I'm going to leave. I hesitate - and she talks me into it. Ok, put on the walking shoes, grab the camera (hint for going to any place - make sure you take spare batteries for the camera, didn't.) wallet, oh, yeah, keys to the car and off we go. Headed down the I-240 on the west side of Memphis and when we see Elvis Presley Blvd turn off we remember we were supposed to take the I-55 west ramp to U S 61. Aww, to heck with it. We've heard the new I-69 connector is finished between 55 and 61 - we'll go that way. And that's what we did - here's a trave tip. I know, I know, it's an interstate. But, if you find yourself headed for the casinos in Tunica (actually they're in Robinsville, but who the heck knows where Robinsville is??) take I-55 south about 20 miles, then take the I-69 extension over to U S 61 - you can't miss Sams Town and the Hollywood resorts. The extension takes you right to the front door - now, you think maybe the casino owners influenced this road, just a little!!! Anyway, we get to the show and there's got to be somewhere near 1000 cars all over the place. About 95% are street rods, but there are some beauties that recall the days of the open road - like an drop dead gorgeous 1932 Studebaker street rod, but the body is original - man is that thing huge. Probably have trouble getting it into the garage!! - along with a 1935 Ford pickup that is, I think, original. We also spotted a beautiful 1940's Lincoln Continental convertible - I think that also was a street rod - next to a late 40's Packard, a beautiful early 50's Caddy and several Corvettes from the Route 66 era TV program. Buzz might have been hanging around, but I didn't see him. I could go on all day about all the cars - 'cudas, Packards, hot rod Fords and a chopped, lowered and mean looking '41 Willys coupe. Fortunately I was able to get some pics before the camera died completely. Just had to wait about 10 min between shots for the batteries to recover. I'm going to post them over on my web site - just as soon as Freewebs gets back to me and tells me why I can't upload pics. Anyway, I had considered a run back to Memphis up 61, but one look at the traffic decided to make this an Interstate run. Could have come back up old 61, no traffic on that one, but been there done that. Another day with somebody else sometime, maybe. I'll let everybody know when I get the pics up on site. And before you ask, yes I tried a couple other pages on the site and got the same problem. Ok, I put some of the pics I took, up on the web site @ http://www.freewebs.com/yankeetraveller/ - Click on Car Show - Tunica, MS - Some I tried to post didn't, but what's there is not to shabby. Enjoy. Safe traveling. Hudsonly, Alex Burr MemphisTraveller

It probably would - if I could remember back that far!!!!!!!!!!! LOL Honestly - I've looked at tons of pictures from Rt 66. Denny put a couple up that rang a bell for me - but most don't. It's just changed so much over 50 years. It's like U S 40 between Wheeling and the Dayton turn-off. Go back to 1948-1951 we went out there to visit friends and relatives in the Dayton area once a year - and took U S 40, as it was all there was to take. I've driven it 2 or 3 times in recent years - absolute blank. Oh, well, memories of what was fade over time, I guess. Hudsonly, Alex B

I remember some of those around Carthage from when KC and I went thru there on our way back to Memphis from our trip to South Dakota in 2002. We were headed east for Springfield on MO 96 before I realized we were on the 66 alignment. Enjoyed the pics - takes me back a little. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Found this tidbit on Yahoo! News this morning - I'm sure some of you have seen it - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20070910...tee_pee_motel_1 A google search turned up the following site: http://www.texasescapes.com/Preservation/T...arton-Texas.htm Safe traveling. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Great write-up. That was the area KC and I traveled thru on our South Dakota trip in 2002. We drove 20 between Chadron and Valentine, and there are, as the man wrote, miles and miles of nothing. Speaking of signs in windows. I remember the note posted on the door to the motel we stayed at in Valentind: "There will be no cleaning of game or fish in the bathrooms!!!" LOL How empty is that country out there. We left Valentine around 5am headed south on U S 83 bound for North Platte. Somewhere south of Valentine, it was still darker than the inside of a bruised crow, but the eastern sky was beginning to show signs of light. All of a sudden these little pin pricks of light showed up in the road ahead of us. We managed to stop before we ran into 6 or 8 cows headed northbound in the southbound lane. Let's see you find THAT in the middle of Illinois or Indiana!!! LOL Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Recently I passed another milestone - I turned 70. Hard to beleive I've been agitating people that long and nobody's shot me - yet. Anyway, I rcvd several emails from American Road folks with Happy Birthday and continued Good Health wishes. I just want to thank all of you for thinking of me. As for turning 70 - I look at it this way. Next year I can turn "17". Y'all have a good one now, hear. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

The 1941 AAA Western edition Tour Book doesn't show Hamilton either. So, it was probably dead by then. A great trip report. That's another trip I'd like to make someday, across U S 50, but probably never will make it. I have a copy of Wulf Berg's excellent account of his trip across U S 50 - "U S 50 - Coast to Coast" - no mention of Hamilton there. Nor does Wendell Trogdon in his book "Lonely is the Road - U.S.50: A Journey Across America" , tho he does mention Ruth, to the west of Ely. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

In January 2004 I went out to Alma, AR, to spend a couple days with a friend of mine. When I left his place I took U S 64 east to Little Rock (and 70 to Brinkley - still got to finish that Brinkly to Memphis stretch). Anyway, just east of Alma, I spotted a set of Burma Shave signs. Most likely they are privately owned - I would say they were at this late date. I did get a picture of them - but not a good one. Didn't want to trespass. What little I did get is posted on my web site @ http://www.freewebs.com/yankeetraveller/index.htm Click on Arkansas Ramble Part 1. Safe Travels all. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

You ever get desperate for space drop me an line - we'll discuss price. I got Volume 2 - Middle Atlantic and Southeastern - 1922 blue book. Safe Travels Alex Burr hester_nec@yahoo.com

How did we ever get from point A to point B without GPS. Well, maybe there weren't as many roads back in 1953!!! LOL ROF Safe traveling. Hudsonly, Alex Burr PS I can still "read" a 1932 tour book!!!! LOL

A news report this morning produced some disturbing news. Apparently a bridge pier on the I-40 bridge across the Mississippi River at Memphis has some problems. For those of you traveling east or west, at least for now, I'd recommend a detour either norh thru Dyersburg, over the I-155 bridge and go from there; or go south on U S 61 to south of Tunica and take the U S 45 bridge. I-55, the only road bridge now in operation, is handling 50,000 + cars a day - expect delays!!!! Incidentally, the I-55 bridge was built in the late 1940's to replace the board roadway wings on the Harahan Railroad Bridge - built in 1916. Both the Harahan and I-55 bridges, depsite their ages, seem to be holding up quite well, thank you. Full story here: http://www.commercialappeal.com/ - click on Hernando DeSoto Bridge closed due to pier inspection The Associated Press Originally published 12:00 p.m., August 27, 2007 Updated 01:09 p.m., August 27, 2007 The Hernando DeSoto Bridge that carries Interstate 40 traffic between Memphis and Arkansas was closed this morning after a bridge pier in a construction zone settled overnight. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Here in Memphis, Streets & Trips has a quirk - look for Summer or Union Avenues (two that I've noticed) and typing in Summer Avenue will get you Summer Terrace in the middle of nowhere. Typing in Union Avenue will get you Union - but only west of Danny Thomas Blvd. East of there, if you click on Union Ave all you'll get are U S Route numbers. U S 51 north of, and coming down into, downtown is the same way - and not even labled as Danny Thomas Blvd (or Thomas Avenue further out). Hudsonly, Alex Burr I have one of those Goodrich Tour Books, like the one shown on the Cleveland Library site - mine is New England North. Having until recently having lived in the Kennebunk area, was interested in how things have changed - for one thing the trolley tracks mentioned in some of the routings are no longer there. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

I have a 1923 Blue Book - Voume 2, 1923 - and it runs about 750 pp. Covers the east coast from Pennsylvania to Florida, west to Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia. It says there were 4 volumes. The directions are turn by turn. Unfortunately any maps that came with it, aren't. So you have to use the index and look up the areas you are looking for by city/town names. There are three maps New York and Vicinity, one of which is a pretty good map of New York and Newark, the other of Staten Island (in greater detail), two North Carolina Highway System maps, one South Carolina highway system and one State Highway Department of Georgia system of state roads. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Guess if you can't make the trip on your own, for whatever reason, these great trip reports, and a little imagination, make up for it. Thanks so much for sharing - looking fwd to more. Who was it said "Always leave ''em wanting more!!!" Hudsonly, Alex Burr http://www.freewebs.com/yankeetraveller/index.htm

After working my way thru 2 digital's (I used Minolta 35mm's for years) I finally found one I really like - a Kodak EasyShare C533. Gives me Album, crop, slide show and multi-up options, 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.4 (3.2), and 5.0 MP options - plus a bunch of other stuff. Once you take a picture you can zoom in on it on the view screen to get a better idea what you have. It also has a zoom feature for picture taking. I paid about $125 for it, as I recall, but I also got a $40 1 gig storage card for $20 with it. It takes great pictures and is compact enough to fit in a back pocket, if you need your hands free in a hurry. Oh, yeah - takes two double A batteries and doesn't seem to chew them up to quickly. That has always been one of my "must have" for a digital camera - you can find AA batteries anywhere - not so for some of the more exotic batteries. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

I have a 1941 AAA Tour Guide book that has a good map of the Indy-South Bend route up U S 31. I can post it on here if I can figure out how to do it. The strip map shows the streets to travel in Indianapolis, Kokomo, Peru and South Bend. Also shows, but does not name, streets in Rochester and Plymouth - but does show the street alignment. Or email it to somebody. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

My family made several trips between Maine and the Dayton, OH, area from 1948 to 1952. I remember the anticipation, as only a 10, 11, 12 year old can have, not for the next Mickey D or Burger King around the corner, for there were none of these, but for that marvel, the George Washington Bridge and the greatest marvel, the Pennsy!!! We drove it from Harrisburg to New Stanton and I can remember looking forward to the long tunnels. Sure, we had a "turnpike" in southern Maine, where we came from, but it sure didn't have any tunnels like on the Pennsy - the Maine Turnpike doesn't have any tunnels at all. I recently purchased, on ebay. "The Pennsylvania Turnpike - A History" by Dan Cupper. This excellent work covers in depth the evolution of the road, from it's conception to the 1990's, plus early history of the route itself. After an absence of many years, I had occasion to drive it myself around 1990, on my way out to visit my daughter in eastern Ohio. I thought to myself, something's missing here. I remembered 7 tunnels, but there were only 4 left. I never really dug into it, until recently I came across the link you posted - and found even more in Cuppers book. There is a copy of this book currently on ebay @ http://cgi.ebay.com/Pennsylvania-Turnpike-...VQQcmdZViewItem or you can go to amazon.com. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Let me add my welcome Bob - and to congratulate you on your great web site. Another site I'll have to make time to wander thru. This is a great group of people, as you may already have realized. Everybody seems to have something interesting to offer - and there's a lot of great web sites too. I, myself, and fairly new to the website idea - Denny Gibson got my interest started in that angle with his great road trip reports. So drop in from time to time - and watch for announcements for chat nights on the forum chat page. The last one was a hoot. Safe Traveling. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN http://www.freewebs.com/yankeetraveller/index.htm

One of the reasons I was glad to leave Maine is the 'skeeters up there. Won't say they were big but when Loring AFB was in operation up to Limestone, the boys pumped 8,000 gallons of jet fuel into a skeeter without realizing what it was. The radar lines up there were always issuing scrambles for fighters - skeeters kept showing up on the radar screens and everybody thought they were Russian Bear bombers. hehehehe Have a good one. Hudsonly, Alex Burr