Alex Burr - hester_nec

Ok, you're halfway there - one of the routes did use a ferry in Delaware, but it was further south. Here's another hint - the route numbers follow each other in sequence, ie, 1, 2 or 15, 16 Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Was doing some research today and ran across this item - so I turned it into a trivia question. At one time two, and only two, U S marked highways had to use a ferry. Which two were they?? Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Tunnel is marked, at least on the Google Earth version I have, by a blue dot just west of where that possible old alignment comes back to the current road. I show it at 42º 40' 31.91" N, 73º 12' 44.12" W. On the Google version I have if I place my cursor on the blue dot it says Hoosac Tunnel. Not sure where the other end goes - or even if it's still in use. I don't see any railroad tracks in the area. I sure as hell wouldn't want to be in any semi going down that switch back!!!!!! I was looking as MS Streets and Trips - that seems to show an almost entirely different routing for that possible old alignment I mentioned earlier. Shows it, going east, first as Strykers Road, changing to Central Shaft Road, changing to South County Road and coming out in Drury. Ok, ok. I got it now. What Streets and Trips doesn't show is that the segment starting just east of the summit coming out by the Hoosac Tunnel. What Streets and Trips does show is that the old tunnel has been bypassed by an overland route. It's all a little confusing trying to look at one map and co-ordinate it with Google. That's my look at it tho. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Keep The Show.... wrote "......I didn't spot evident straightening or other major mocifications." I was looking at the road using Google Earth and couldn't help wondering about the road to the right just after coming to the summit of the hair pin as you head east. This road could well have been an original alighment as it runs parallel to the current road down to just east of the Hoosac Tunnel where it rejoins. It is obviously a "used" road as there are houses and buildings along it. Just a thought. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Yeah, that hairpin turn is something else - road is carved out of the side of the mountain. I've been over that road numerous times, but the one that really sticks in my mind was the time I was following what had to have been something in the order of a 30 foot motor home. Folks, if you've never driven the Mohawk I'm here to tell you it is NOT the road to run a big motor home over - or at least it didn't used to be, unless they've improved the road. I havn't been over it in a long time. I could see thru the back windows of the thing as they rolled up hill and down - Mama was running about madly trying to keep cabinet doors closed, the kids were bounding on the beds and there was a black cat in the back window doing his damndest to get out of that thing and turning white at the same time!!!! LOL ROF That said it is, as has been said here, a very, very beautiful drive. Nearby is the famed Housac Railroad Tunnel - an engineering marvel of its day when it was built. Yeah, it looks like a big hole in the side of a mountain, but it was this tunnel that opened up the mid-west and western states to the Boston market. More @ http://www.hoosactunnel.net/ . So if you ever get up into the Massachusettes area look up MA Route 2 - and follow the Mohawk and enjoy. By the way, as you drive - ponder this little historical tidbit. Back in the Revolutionary War this was the route that Henry Knox and his Colonials dragged the massive cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston - in the dead of winter. The result was these cannons, placed on Dorchester Heights, drove the British out of Boston. You will go away shaking your head and wondering just how the hell they did it - and a better appreciation of the sacrifices men will make for freedom. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

I subscribed - back in the day when #1 came out. I do have a slight problem tho - I can't decided if American Road is my favorite, or my car club publication, The White Triangle News. They run neck and neck in my reading habits. Smithsonian magazine (while I like the articles) is a far distant 3rd in my magazine reading. Safe traveling everybody and have a great day. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

I also came from a small town - in southern Maine. And it also has the distinction of being the only town in the world with the name Kennebunk. When I was growing up in the 40's and 50's the population of this town along U S 1 was between 1500 and 2000 - in the winter time. In the summer time we could boast a roaring population of 12,000 to 15,000. Come Labor Day the town retreated into it's winter mode. We had the usual small town diner - in our case over by the river - called Jones Diner. This was the place everybody came for breakfast (and lunch and dinner) - a rite of passage in our town was the morining Dad said "Come on son, breakfast at Jones and I'll take you on to school after." You got to eat breakfast with the "boys". During the 50's, when I left this sleepy little town by the Mousam River, and went traveling with my Uncle Sam (those were my Navy days - later I joined the Coast Guard) I found many of these little small town diners on my travels to various assignments - got to travel down 66, again, to Oklahoma City to my first station in Norman (yeah, I know - what was the Navy doing in Oklahoma). And when I was going with my oldest daughers Mama - I was stationed in Jacksonville - she was going to college in Columbus, MS - I made more than a few runs between Jax and Columbus on weekends I was off. Saw the insides of lots and lots of those old diners. Good food, in most of them, and cheap prices. (By the way - those of you old enough to remember the old "if a trucker's stopping at a place it must be a good place to eat". Not always - sometimes it was because of extremely friendly waitresses picking up a few bucks out back.) Makes me wonder - you look at the food we ate back then. By todays standards it should have killed us years go - but we're still here. Think about it: greasy food, burgers, fries, bacon, eggs - all the GOOD stuff we used to love. I've rambled down this old memory highway far to long - so y'all have a great day and a better day tomorrow. Really enjoyed your trip report. Mine are on my web site, if you got a minute or two, @ http://www.freewebs.com/yankeetraveller/index.htm Still got some work to do on the thing. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Rossville Junction - oh yeah, on TN 57 just west of that speed trap they call Moscow. My daughter got nailed in Moscow - we were following a pickup truck out of town, yakking with each other - we get stopped for 6 over the limit and the pickup goes on his merry way. You get down to Memphis way - drop us an email and we'll be glad to show you some of the sights in town. Hudsonly, Alex Burr hester_nec@yahoo.com

Apparently that idea was not isolated to that bridge. Here in Memphis we have the Harrahan Railroad bridge, built in 1916. In 1926 wings were added to each side, covered with wooden planking and provided auto traffic an east/west access. Routes that used this bridge were 61, 64, 70 and a couple others (my reference material is at the other house). At one time part of the roadbed burned, set fire from sparks from a locomotive. At 108 feet in the air I think I'd rather swim the river!!!! You can read more on my website @ http://www.freewebs.com/yankeetraveller/index.htm - click on "Memphis Day Trips" and scroll down to the 2nd entry, "1 January 2007. Safe travels. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

I got both U. S. 40 books (Stewart & Vale) from Alibris - I've found a lot of interesting books over there. But, then, I haunt old book's stores, and that's just what Alibris is - only on-line. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

I have a number of these guidebooks - sometimes they are a bit hard to follow. I have them for most sections of the country; New England and northeast states out to Illlinois seem to have been the most numerous. I have two southeastern states (east coast to the Mississippi River south of Maryland to Illinois) - took me a long time to find those. I have a Goodyear - or is it Goodrich, whatever - from 1918, northern New England. Try following those directions. Then on up the line I have 1922-1923, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932-1933 and 1933 ALA green books, all Northeastern. The Southeastern states are 1936 and 1938. Finally I have 1941 Vol 1, Northeastern and 1941 Vol II Western states AAA books. The earlier ones are of interest as they list the state and U S Highways in both the US and Canada, along with listings of various signs that were used back in the day. Very interesting - especially the ads. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

In the early 1990's I used to go over to Decatur, IL, to visit friends. Many times, rather than use the Interstate west out of Indianapolis, I would take 36. It is very pretty out to the IN/IL line - but it's a bowling alley from there to Decatur!!!! LOL Made as good time on 36 as I could on I-74/72. And, yes, I did stop one time in Dana to see the Ernie Pyle home/museum/memorials. Quite a reporter was Ernie - he earned total and complete respect from all military men during his WWII reporting days, and that is rare for a reporter. He rests among his comrades at the National Memorial Cemetary on Oahu. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

You has met the "grump!!" LOL ROF Hudsonly, Alex Burr

I followed your suggestion and put a post in the suggestion box. I did add that I could add a link to other roady sites on my web page - as I've done for Hudson members web sites on my Hudson web site (which is THE best site on the web, by the way. hehehehehe - just joking, every site is the best!!!) Hudsonly, Alex Burr

I came across an interesting site that pertains to our two lane adventures, more or less, @ http://www.shorpy.com/ the other day. So I posted it on American Road. Then I had the bright idea to have our great friends at American Road add another category to the forum list - perhaps something like "web links to photo sources" or something of that idea. I know a lot of us stumble around the net and trip over sites like this - might prove interesting to have one place to put the links to them. "Keep-The-Show-On-The-Road suggested that I post this idea here to let folks post their thoughts and comments on it. He also mentioned members could link their travel sites to the forum here. I know I've got a bunch of sites bookmarked - my fault that I havn't grouped them into a sub-folder yet. So a central repository would be good, I think - what do you think??? Or I could add them to my travel web site, as I have done on my Hudson site for Hudson owners web sites, for that matter Hudsonly, Alex Burr

I would almost suggest that our great friends at American Road add another category to the forum list - perhaps something like "web links to photo sources" or something of that idea. I know a lot of us stumble around the net and trip over sites like this - might prove interesting to have one place to put the links to them. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Came across an interesting photo @ http://www.shorpy.com/ On the right hand side, scroll down to "Navigation" and click on "Rural America". Hudsonly, Alex Burr

After looking over the site, not all the song lyrics in that list are C. W. McCall - when you open on, the name of the artist appears at the top. A better site may be this one - as it lists the songs in the albums they appeared in. http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/c/cwmccall971.html Safe Travels everyone Hudsonly, Alex Burr

I also found the current issue of American Road to be outstanding - so much so I have already dropped an email letter to ye mail room!!! So to speak. You people just keep getting better and better and better with this magazine. What really got my attention this time was not one, but TWO, of my favorite subjects - Route 61 and C. W. McCall. Briefly, from my letter to the editor, C. W. McCall (Bill Fries) in my opinion was one of the driving forces behind the CB craze in the 1970's and he produced a bunch of "road" songs (Convoy, Old '30, Wolf Creek Pass, Black Bear Road) and more. Convoy got everybody out buying CB radios, the IM of it's day. Yee-haw! merciful sakes alive! you wanna be one a them cbers, you gonna learn how to ratchetjaw! pay attention now; Im only gonna explain it to ya once. And away we went. LOL If you want to see the lyrics from C. W.'s collection go to: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/c.w.+mccall/ You can also find my Rt 61 road trip a while back between Memphis and Clarksdale on my web site @ http://www.freewebs.com/yankeetraveller/ - click on Mississippi Road Trip. Meantime, good buddies, just keep on truckin' on down that long lonesome highway!!! Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Everybody in the 1970's who discovered C. W. McCall knew about Mavis Davis. A lot of people thought they (C. W. and Mavis) were real people. And they were - in the form of their alter egos. Those of us who had CB's certainly knew about C. W. and Mavis. So I think Jeanie deserves a spot on our web site. As Bill "C. W." Fries wrote of Mavis - "Not much upstairs, but from there on down DISNEYWORLD!!!!" Mavis Davis Passes Away From The Paris News (Paris, Texas): Jean “Jeanie” McBride Capps Wear, loving wife, mother and grandmother passed away peacefully Saturday, June 9, 2007, in Paris. She was born Aug. 10, 1938, in Dallas, to Frances Dale and Joseph Murrow McBride. She graduated from Highland Park High School in 1956 and attended SMU for three years majoring in drama and Spanish. She was a stewardess with American Airlines before marrying John Hatcher Capps on Dec. 24, 1959. They had four children, Mary Frances, Cynthia Louise, Linda Susan and John Hatcher. An accomplished actress on stage and in numerous commercials and films, she won two prestigious CLIO awards for her role as ‘Mavis Davis’ in a series of commercials. While in Dallas she worked at Brook Hollow Golf Club, Lincoln Property Company — where she won various sales awards — and earned her real estate license.

Not sure if this is the proper place to post this, but this site showed up on the ushwys egroup. Couple of fellows doing a series of road trips. http://www.anothermotherroad.com/index.html Quite interesting. Safe Travels everybody. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Denny, by the time you hit your ninth decade you have to wonder if there will be any roads to drive on!!!!!!!! Let's see - at the current rate gas should be up around $8 to $10 a gallon; a new car will cost $80,000 to $90,000 (a good used car will cost around $50,000); and retiree's will STILL be about $30,000 behind the curve!!!!!!!! hehehehe Hudsonly, Alex Burr

My reason for loving the old two lanes is actually 2 reasons: One I grew up on them since in the 1950's when I got my drivers license (1952) that's about all there was to drive on. The other reason is I've always had a curiosity about what was on down the road a piece. I joined the Navy in 1955 - that gave me the opportunity, when traveling from one station to another on being transferred I drove mostly on 2-lane roads. My trip with a buddy to CA and back in the summer of 1953 (I don't remember it being uncomfortably hot in that 1938 Dodge Coupe we had - today for some reason it's hotter) going out on 66 and coming back on Routes 2 and 20 after driving up the west coast on 101 added more yearning to travel. Yes, these days I do used the interstates more often than I'd like to - but 1400 miles between Maine and Memphis was a long haul on 2-lanes, tho I did it back in 1956. But we're planning more road day trips out of Memphis in the near future. Maybe when I get the AC recharged in my '97 Caddy Sedan. Safe travelling and y'all take care, hear. Hudsonly, Alex Burr

Another one that comes to my mind is "Old 30", another of C. W. McCall's recordings. She was mud and sand and concrete Mixed with water made a tears From the rivers runnin down the great divide She was three thousand miles Of rockin, rollin highway A million memries long and two lanes wide Now the interstate goes screamin through the backyard of her life But it just dont send those shivers down my spine So before I take that exit To the highway in the sky Im gonna take old 30 one more time ( lyrics @ http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/c.w.+mccall/o...0_20026630.html ) Hudsonly, Alex Burr I was scrolling down thru the posts on this one and I stopped to look at my post - and it struck me. Isn't "A million memories long and two lanes wide" what being a roadie - and American Road - all about. ab

Having been born in 1937 I was a tad young to remember WWII gas rationing. However, I do remember the windshield stickers which told the station how much you could buy. I remember my dad having big rototiller - one (or maybe 2) cylinder engine on the front with big roatating tines on the back bottom. Used to plow up ground for gardens. Because he used it for the gardens, and had a rather large one, he got a lot of extra gas, despite the fact the machine didn't use all that much. So much in fact he couldn't have used it all if he'd left the 'tiller running 7/24. So, occasionally, we had the treat of a Sunday drive "up-country", as we called it back then in southern Maine. Another story of rationing, but not to do with gasoline (I had some ration books for a while a time back). My grandmother went wild one day in 1942. Just had to have a new pair of shoes. So she took her ration book, walked downtown (not far from where they lived) and bought 2 pairs of shoes!!!! Used all of her ration for 1942 and probably half of 1943!!!! But as she said, according to my mother, "A lady needs new shoes!!!" LOL Safe traveling everybody. Hudsonly, Alex Burr