Jennifer

Meandering in mid-Ohio Short road trip long on interesting things to see By Steve Stephens THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Sometimes a traveler just wants to hit the road and follow it to the end. Ohio 95 is one such road, stretching 91 miles through some of the loveliest and most historic parts of Ohio. The road meanders from the Marion County village of LaRue, passing through Marion and Mount Gilead and the Mohican region and winding up on the outskirts of Wooster. "It’s not very long, but along the road are some of the most interesting places in Ohio," said Jim McCormac of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. To read the complete article, click here: Meandering in mid-Ohio: Short road trip long on interesting things to see

Couple keeps busy with store, stable By Annette Beard Staff Writer SIMS, Mo. — The days begin early for Bob and Donna Muehlebach, owners of Sims Store just across the Arkansas / Missouri line on Missouri Highway E north of Pea Ridge. Five days a week the couple opens their general store at 6 a. m., serving coffee, selling gasoline and other essentials to their customers, both regulars and some newcomers. On Saturdays and Sundays, they open a bit later — 8 a. m. Throughout the day, they take turns working the counter, answering questions, making sandwiches or serving ice cream. Bob also runs a riding stable, so if he’s gone, Donna works the store. To read the complete article, click here: Couple keeps busy with store, stable

Astoria charms: Gem of a getaway only a couple of hours down the road has tons to do, see By Cindy Yingst The Olympian Lewis and Clark had a lousy stay in Astoria, Ore., 200 years ago, but the town has been going out of its way to make folks feel welcome ever since. Consider the banner above the entrance to the Columbia River Maritime Museum: "Welcome cruise ships!" To read the complete article, click here: Astoria charms: Gem of a getaway only a couple of hours down the road has tons to do, see

In the Keweenaw Peninsula, beauty comes loded with history By Alan Solomon Chicago Tribune COPPER HARBOR, Mich. - The distinguished gentleman was standing a few yards south of what remains the largest mine hoist ever built, the steam-powered hoist at the shuttered Quincy Mine. The hoist, designed to carry rocks and men, is, to swipe a label from Esquire, a dubious achievement - events made it quickly obsolete - but that unfulfilled hope nuzzles at the heart of what makes the Keweenaw Peninsula fascinating. To read the complete article, click here: In the Keweenaw Peninsula, beauty comes loded with history

Sounds like an interesting read! Cross Country

This is an interesting article...I love this Steak n' Shake in Springfield, Missouri on Route 66. We took some cool photos of it on our way back from the Tulsa Route 66 Festival back in June 2004 (scroll down a little into the page): Springfield, MO - Steak n' Shake ************************** Link to Route 66 could land eatery on historic register by Jenny Fillmer, News-Leader Not many people can say they've worked in the same building since they were 14. Even fewer can say it still looks pretty much the same. Gary Leonard, owner of five Steak 'n Shake restaurants in Springfield, is the exception, making it a point to keep up the retro-style diner his family built downtown in 1962 at St. Louis Street and National Avenue. To read the complete article, click here: Link to Route 66 could land eatery on historic register

I'd like to (again) welcome all of our members to the new American Road forum, whether you're brand new to us, or have been a member since the beginning. I started this topic so that we might briefly introduce ourselves....I'll start! Like most folks, I always enjoyed road trips as a child growing up in Connecticut, though most of mine were confined to the northeast. Pennsylvania & New York were the most popular destinations for us, though we sometimes ventured a little farther south into Virginia. I remember my dad having tons of travel brochures and postcards, and it always was intriguing to see these previews of what seemed to be such "far away" places. I had wanted to take a trip on Route 66 after picking up a few 66 books in 1993, but too many obstacles stood in the way. Finally, by August 2000, I had my chance - and after that, I was totally bitten by the "travel" bug. So much so, I decided to move to the midwest (Romeoville, Illinois). Before doing so, Laurel Kane introduced me to Pat (from Indy)...one thing led to another and here we are!

That's cool! We have heard of that twine ball as well. But last November, after hearing Weird Al Yankovic's ode to quirky roadside attractions in "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota", we made a 600-mile weekend trip to see the famous twine ball. They have actually coined it "The World's Largest Twine Ball Made By One Man", since Francis Johnson was the only person who made this twine ball.

Cristy, The route has been added! Happy voting!

That congrats goes to the writer of the article...but someday I would like to drive that route. The sad thing is I'd like to drive all US highways, but when you think about it, it isn't feasible in most people's lifetimes, barring a win at Lotto and nothing to do but crisscross the country 365 days a year!

Daylight at tunnel’s end Last week daylight beamed through the Oneonta Tunnel for the first time since 1948. The tunnel, just east of Multnomah Falls, was built in 1913 as part of the Columbia River Highway. Plugged with rubble in 1948 when it became too narrow for modern-day traffic, the tunnel and the bridge leading up to it – called “the bridge to nowhere” – are being reclaimed as part of the restoration of the Historic Columbia River Highway. To read the complete article, click here: Daylight at tunnel’s end

Autumn in Maine: So Much to Fall For -- A Fall Foliage Guide From the Maine Office of Tourism AUGUSTA, Maine, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Planning a fall foliage trip to Maine? Here's what you need to know. The leaves show their color first in the extreme north, then in the western mountains and central valleys, and lastly in eastern, coastal and southern locations. When does foliage reach its peak? That's up to the weather, which can speed up or delay the transformation of leaf pigment due to a number of factors. To read the complete article, click here: Autumn in Maine: So Much to Fall For -- A Fall Foliage Guide From the Maine Office of Tourism

Society extols the virtues of Route 89 Having just returned from bicycling the length of U.S. 89 as it makes its way through Utah, I was pleased to open yesterday's mail and receive honorary membership in the U.S. Route 89 Appreciation Society. Until I opened the mail, I wasn't aware there was a U.S. Route 89 Appreciation Society or that it would extend an honorary membership to someone such as myself. Which I have to say was flattering. The last time I was offered membership in something, it involved selling cleaning products to 10 of my closest friends. To read the complete article, click here: Society extols the virtues of Route 89

Bypassed towns still like U.S. 117 Since the new U.S. 117 four-lane opened last week, more motorists are taking advantage of the high-speed corridor. That has relieved some of the congestion on the old two-lane U.S. 117. But leaders of the small towns that are now being bypassed say they hope that doesn't mean fewer people passing through and spending money. And they say they are looking at developing areas near the new highway to capture some of that traffic. To read the complete article, click here: Bypassed towns still like U.S. 117

Orphaned asphalt: Beartooth Highway the road everybody loves, but nobody claims COOKE CITY - A flag person halts cars on the eastern edge of this tiny mountain town for several minutes, waiting for a pilot car to return from the 10-mile round trip through a highway reconstruction project that - on this particular segment, at least - is nearing its end. For the complete article, click here: Orphaned asphalt: Beartooth Highway the road everybody loves, but nobody claims This sounds like a great route to take...during the summer, anyway!

Columbus may see benefit from new interest in Lincoln Highway Columbus businesses could be among the beneficiaries of a recent decision to name U.S. Highway 30 part of the Nebraska Byway System. Highway 30 is commonly referred to as the old Lincoln Highway. Started in 1913, an improved, hard-surfaced road was envisioned that would stretch almost 3,400 miles from coast to coast, over the shortest practical route. Earlier this year, Lincoln Highway/Highway 30 was designated as the Lincoln Highway Scenic and Historic Byway. The designation will be celebrated on Thursday in Elkhorn with the unveiling of the new Nebraska Byway signs. To read the complete article, click here: Columbus may see benefit from new interest in Lincoln Highway

New 2007 Chrysler PT Street Cruiser Pacific Coast Highway Edition New Chrysler PT Cruiser model breezes in to kick off annual Woodward Dream Cruise. Chrysler kicked off the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, making a huge splash with the introduction of the new 2007 Chrysler PT Street Cruiser Pacific Coast Highway Edition — a special-edition PT Cruiser dedicated to one of the most picturesque driving routes in the United States, the Pacific Coast Highway. Announced in conjunction with Detroit’s famed Woodward Dream Cruise, the Pacific Coast Highway Edition will be available later this summer as a limited-production version of the 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser. To read the complete article, click here: New 2007 Chrysler PT Street Cruiser Pacific Coast Highway Edition

Rolling on the River Road Wisconsin's portion of the scenic byway is meant to be experienced, not just traveled. Winding along the Mississippi River, beneath towering limestone bluffs, the Great River Road traverses 250 western Wisconsin miles, offering bikers, cyclists and RVers a serene, scenic and often spectacular road trip. To read the complete article, click here: Rolling on the River Road

Great bridges make great cities. For most of the past few centuries, some of the most important structures constructed in many of the more memorable places in the world have been bridges. In fact, the bridge often becomes a veritable symbol of the city itself. The Golden Gate in San Francisco, the Brooklyn Bridge in New York and London Bridge come to mind. To read the complete article, click here: The Broad Street Bridge: An icon for a bygone era

These are the kinds of signs we could use Ladybird Johnson to get rid of!

Thanks for sharing, Chris. I never saw any "Giant Women" before, whether in real life or on the Internet. So, I checked the definitive source for giant humanoids, Roadside America, and found a section on these fiberglass females, officially dubbed "Uniroyal Gals." Giant Women - Uniroyal Gals

I hope that works out for you, Denny. At this point, we *should* be able to attend the 66 festival in Clinton, but we probably wouldn't make this unearthinn in Tulsa as well...so we'll look forward to your report!

How cool is that...they're going to unearth it next year on June 15th! If anyone here from Tulsa (and there ought to be several...) should attend and take photos!

I agree! I enjoy your trip photos and slide shows. Thank you for sharing, Toshio!

Three years ago, we drove around Parke County and I took some nice photos of the bridges, including Bridgeton: Parke County Covered Bridges