Roamndav
-
Posts
34 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Blogs
Calendar
Posts posted by Roamndav
-
-
Just to expound a little, though true that the exit is being reworked, we want folks to kknow that the vast majority of this loop is blissfully untouched from its last major re-alignment work back in the Thirties and remains a wonderful time capsule - not to be missed. Rolling hills through a mesquite studded terrain, pebbly outcroppings and roadcuts; the historic 1921 Cienega Creek arch bridge and it's high and long neighboring Union Pacific RR trestle make this additional 15 minute side trip a worthy excursion for those that are aware of it!
-
Hi all, we recently had the pleasure and awe of spending a week in Yosemite and Sequia/King's Canyon. While there, filled up at the STILL WORKING gravity feed pumps at the King's Canyon Lodge. I've added a gallery to show off these beauties, and to have you add pics of other still functional pumps. Please let all of us know where they are located so we can patronize those establishments that maintan them in working order.
Cheers!
Jeff in Tucson
bygonebyways.com
-
Hi all...had to get away from the heat in Tucson and took a weekend jaunt to see the cousins in San Diego. Here are a few good & bad observations from that trip. Starting in Arizona...
>The old Texaco and General Store in Sentinel appears to have been purchased. They have painted over the classic old-style Texaco sign (the pre-green star version). Can you believe it?? I would have taken that off of their hands!
>After conversations with Steve Varner and Chris Wray who have meticulously plotted out the most probable course of the original Bankhead Highway (BH) alignments between Arlington and Wellton, it came up That we could see old bridge remnants via satellite imagery where the old road crossed the Gila River NE of Wellton. So when passing through the area, I ventured to Antelope Hill northeast of Wellton and came across a fantastic 1/4 mile long 1925 RR trestle bridge and remnants of the original 1916 BH bridge over the Gila River. Fine photo ops for those so inclined and not far off of the interstate. Unfortunately, I came across no remaining evidence of the old road where it veered SW on its way into Wellton. This is an extremely heavily irrigated farming valley and any old road would have been plowed over long ago.
> Bad news...I don't know if due to flooding or just general structural issues, but 1 of only 2 remaining 1934 concrete bridges (the one immediately east of Ligurta and west of the All-American canal bridge) is being replaced by a typical modern ho-hum no sense of style type of bridge.
In California
>The old Even Hewes highway north frontage between Gordon's Well to just west of Brock Research Station Road is undergoing massive work due to the huge canal relocation/repair work. At this point in time, it is unclear if the frontage will be rebuilt to connect these two points as the old road has been completely torn up/removed.
>Mountain Springs. Good news in that the land EAST of the interstate appears to have been bought from the Indian Tribe so it is accessible and is a fantastic exhibit of vintage 1927 concrete along with a couple of older bypassed curves cut out of the rocks. Be careful of the fallen boulders and one can take their car almost all the way to the edge where I-8 blasted its way through far below! Bad news in that it has been bought from the Indian tribe! As it now has for sale signs on it and may soon become inaccessible private property again!
>The old Flynn Springs General Store appears to be in the process of being converted to blah office suites. So its good that the site is still with us, bad in that it has lost much of its charm.
That's it for know...we'll pass on roadie reports as we come across them.
Jeff in Tucson
-
Excellent news! Roberta and I have been conversing for a couple of years here and there about my project and her project. She made me promise to keep it quiet, so I'm glad to see she has finally announced it is finished getting published! I can vouch for the fact that this project will contain many photos never before seen by the general roadie public. i too am reserving a copy today.
Jeff in Tucson
Roberta Serface recently published a book on the Broadway of America, entitled
Broadway of America: The Forgotten Highway.
http://www.thebroadwayofamerica.com/home
Serface, a former Lordsburg, New Mexico resident inherited the photographs of
Col. Willard E. Holt, a Lordsburg booster. During the 1920s and 1930s, Holt, as a leader
of the Lordsburg Chamber of Commerce, promoted the town vigorously.
This included boosting highways that came through Lordsburg, including the
Borderland and Old Spanish Trail, but with the most energy, the Broadway of
America.
Holt's photographs, many depicting the 1928 Broadway of America motorcade to
Memphis, are priceless.
-
Hey, who would laugh?!
We all have intersting experiences and stories to share. And Dave, as you know better than most, I just had my 224 full color Broadway of America book published, so if desired, I could elaborate on the process I ultimately ended up using and I can give you a breakdown of the software needed, publishes I investigated and ended up using, etc. But right up front, the I can certainly tell you, a full-color project will be 3-4 times the costs of a B&W project. If color is desired, costs could be reducd if you just had say one section of color, or say a series of color pages at an easily identifed hard-break page segments of the book such as the end of chapters etc. Something where you could tell a publisher that "the book is B&W except for pages 120-124, 180-185 and 220-230 which are to be full color". Somehting I learned the hard way, but I wanted mine to be full color to show off my photography, but boy, do you pay for it! Jeff in Tucson
bygonebyways.com
I have a thought....don't laugh! Several here have great road stories. Suppose I fronted the money to self publish a book...not too fancy....that included some of the gang's photos and stories. If it sold, after the costs of production were covered (translated, Dave got his money back), we could donate the net proceeds to the American Road Foundation.
Reactions, advice, etc. I'm on the road for a few days, but I'll get back to your replies ASAP.
Dave
Keep the Show on the Road!
-
Folks, it's here!
I've added several pages to my bygonebyways.comwebsite that highlight - BY STATE - the pages of this 1922 Bankhead Highway Tourist Guide. This will be a terrific resource for roadie researchers across the country a the level of detail is great! It really helps either verify one's theories or open up whole new possibilities of the old roads alignment as this guide depicts the Bankhead as it existed in 1921. The pics are rather large so they could be a little slow-loading, but I know people will really want to be able to zoom in on the detail.
From Virginia to California, I hope this provides one with hours of new exploration and discovery.
Cheers,
Jeff in Tucson
bygonebyways.com
-
Folks, it's here!
I've added several pages to my bygonebyways.comwebsite that highlight - BY STATE - the pages of this 1922 Bankhead Highway Tourist Guide. This will be a terrific resource for roadie researchers across the country a the level of detail is great! It really helps either verify one's theories or open up whole new possibilities of the old roads alignment as this guide depicts the Bankhead as it existed in 1921. The pics are rather large so they could be a little slow-loading, but I know people will really want to be able to zoom in on the detail.
From Virginia to California, I hope this provides one with hours of new exploration and discovery.
Cheers,
Jeff in Tucson
bygonebyways.com
-
That would have to be Chuy's (since 1959) at the west end of town. Sorry to say, I was on such a time constraint that I didn't stop in. Online reviews are mixed as to the food/service quality, but I'd stop in for the historical factor alone and check it out myself.
-
The little lady was on a family visit to MO a couple of weeks ago, so I took a whirlwind trip to west Texas to search out some possible old alignments hinted at in the recently acquired 1922 Bankhead Tourist Guide (which I'll post soon on my bygonebywyays.com site). I made it to Van Horn, TX the first night late. The next morning, imaginie my pleasant surprise to see the large El Capitan neon glowing in a pre-dawn sky. A drive by shows that it has been recently re-purchased from a bank which was recently housed in there and refurbished/re-opened. A glance in the lobby shows what appears to be a very nicely done effort and I would advise anyone travelling through the area to give it a chance! Remember that this is a vintage hotel, similar to say the El Rancho in Gallup or somehting like that, so the rooms will be small compared to today's rooms, and there will be train noise, but that is part of the roadie experience.
I really enjoy the Van Horn-Allamoore-Sierra Blanca segment of old 80 in far wets Texas. These are true, pure travelers towns with many roadie relics remaining. Sierra Blanca in particular, though hit hard by the interstate, almost reminds me of say Glenrio, TX on Route 66 with its many remaining stations, motels, diners and even theatre sitting forlorn and abandoned. Though sad, terrific photo ops abound.
If in the Sierra Blanca area, I tried to check out the historic 1939 Sierra Lodge, btu it was undergoing renovation/repair which is a good sign. The El Camino down the street also appears quiet and may be a possible future spot. I'll hopefully let you know soon, or someone else can enlighten us.
Cheers,
Jeff in Tucson
-
Just a quick update. Well, due to the canal work, we have lost a few snippets of old road west of the I-8 rest stop where the old 1926 asphalt had re-appeared just immediately north of the interstate and paralled it for a brief spell. Since this was essentially inaccesible anyways due to I-8 safety reasons, no major loss there. On the positive, it DOES appear as if a couple of those partially sand-buried snippets norht of the interstate viz as one climbs the large, curving hill west of the rest stop remain intact with the new construction/access road a few feet to the north! This new road when complete will provide the hopelessly and insatiably curious such as myself a way to get in there and take a closer look at this remaining segment of 1926 asphalt. I'm trying to find a contact there in the BLM that is working with this project. Perhaps we can get them to them to add one of those 'interpretive kiosks' there.
Jeff in Tucson
(roamndav)
bygonebyways.com
-
Hi John, I did receive your order and your book went out last week so you may be getting it even as we write! I hope you enjoy it and if you like the layout/quality, I can certainly help answer any questions regarding pricing, publisher, etc that you may have. I've bookmarked your website BTW, and can't wait to see what you're working on.
Michael, your book has also gone out. I sure hope you enjoy it as this is the perfect time of year to do some exploring around the SW!
quote name='yttrailman' date='02 April 2010 - 01:31 PM' timestamp='1270233078' post='14558']
Good Morning,
I ordered your book through PayPal. But I am not sure you received the order. Any encouraging words? We are anxious to see how you handled the layout and printing in as much as we are preparing a similar book for the Yellowstone Trail in Wisconsin.
John Ridge
jridge@yellowstonetrail.org
-
As promised and in time for the Spring and Summer driving/vacation season, I'm proud to announce that the book version of my Highway 80 guide is here! From the Texas/New Mexico border to San Diego, you won't miss a thing. This incorporates the newest information I've been able to come across which includes detail from the recently acquired 1922 Bankhead Highway Tourist Guide!
For those that shied from a CD version, this is a large 8.5X11 222 pages full-color coilbound format so that the guide will stay open to the page you want. Each page has a footer for notes and one can read along the narrative or just follow the detailed turn-by turn maps in the back if you like. These macro and detail level maps ensure as much or as little detail as one could want.
This has been a long labor of love, and I look forward to sharing this with everyone and feel this will be a valuable addition to your collections. Availalble through my website: bygonebyways.com
Cheers, and see you on the road!
Jeff in Tucson
bygonebyways.com
-
As promised and in time for the Spring and Summer driving/vacation season, I'm proud tovannounce that the book version of my Highway 80 guide is here! From the Texas/New Mexico border to San Diego, you won't miss a thing. This incorporates the newest information I've been able to come across which includes detail from the recently acquired 1922 Bankhead Highway Tourist Guide!
For those that shied from a CD version, this is a large 8.5X11 222 pages full-color coilbound format so that the guide will stay open to the page you want. Each page has a footer for notes and one can read along the narrative or just follow the detailed turn-by turn maps in the back if you like. These macro and detail level maps ensure as much or as little detail as one could want.
This has been a long labor of love, and I look forward to sharing this with everyone and feel this will be a valuable addition to your collections.
Cheers, and see you on the road!
Jeff in Tucson
bygonebyways.com
-
Hi all:
Many of you are familiar with my Highway 80 explorations and my bygonebyways.com website. I have some good news that has come from my Highway 80 explorations. I have found a contact at the National Archives that is copying for me THIS WEEK, that elusive snipe of all maps - the 1922 Bankhead Highway Tourist Guide which chronicles the Bankhead Highway from Washington, D.C. to San Diego as it existed in 1921! I expect to have this in my greasy little palms by mid-month.
The Bankhead highway was touted as the best all-weather southern route from coast to coast and overlaid many other auto trails (especially out west)such as the Broadway of America, the Dixie Overland, the Old Spanish Trail, the Lee Highway and even portions of the very early Ocean to Ocean and Borderland Route. So I imagine, that this docuiment will bring many hours of fieldwork and research to all areas of the country!
As the owning company has long gone and with the age of the document, I foresee no real issues with photocopying this and adding scans to my webpage so that all fellow roadies may begin to explore the Bankhead for themselves. However ,if anyone out there knows more about copyright than I do, please chime in. Else, I look forward to being able to soon share this treasure with all of you soon.
Jeff in Tucson
-
I'm happy to announce that a book version of my Highway 80 guide will be availalble as soon as the middle of this month (March). I'm proud of this activity, and this guide features the absolute latest in updates as we are always learning more about the old road eveyr week. I am in frequent contact with several extremely knowledgeable roadie colleques such as Steve Varner, John Murphy, Dan Smith, Joe Specht and numerous others as we share maps, hash out ideas and sound off about the latest info and discoveries.
For those that shied from a CD version, this is a large 8.5X11 full-color coilbound format so that the guide will stay open to the page you want, each page has a footer for notes and one can read along the narrative or just follow the detailed turn-by turn maps in the back if you like.
This has been a long labor of love, and I look forward to sharing this with everyone and feel this will be a valuable addition to your collections.
Cheers, and see you on the road!
Jeff in Tucson
-
I concur...I had the pleasure of actually being able to contribute a couple of postcards to her fine 'That Ribbon of Highway' series. I miss the NW and the brief time I spent exploring old 99 held jus tas much interest for me as TRoute 66 ever did. The country 99 travels through cannot be beat and I hope that Jill's columns can further enlighten me on this old road.
-
I've been watching with trepidation over the lasrt couple of years as badly needed Al-American repair work and actual canal relocation work has inched closer and closer to original Hwy 80 remnants in the Imperial Dunes area. Visiting the San Diego cousins over turkey day, I can now sadly officailly report that we have lost snippets of orignal Hwy80 blacktop remnants theat exisitng just on the north side of I-8 immediately west of the Grey's Well rest stop. These fragments were very important as they were remnants of the firts attempt to 'lock' the dunes in place by pouring asphalt over the tops of them. This was done in 1926 and the then new road replaced the movable plank road that preceeded it. This became original Hwy 80 later that year.
Fortunately, it appears that the strip of original 80 to the right (north) of the big curving hill just west of the rest stop appears to be intact and out of danger as the makeshift construction access road lies just north of it. I wa safraid they would rip it up. After this construction is finished, it may be possible to access this small bypassed segment as they plan on improving the off road vehicle access to the norht side dunes in this stretch.
Further west, a relocated All-American Canal has forever changed the landscape and view between Gordon's Well and Brock research Station Road. The embankment for the canal walls lies literally on the north shoulder of the Evan Hewes Highway and has buried numerous 1927/1930's/1960's geodetic markers and numerous c-blocks. The embankment is high enough that it has destryoed the view as swell.
I realize that the relocation/repair work had to be done, but sad to see vintage roadbed gone forever regardless...
Jeff in Tucson
-
Hi all...I see there is some confusion, but it's understandable! Yes, Gray's Well Road on the south side of the road *IS* old 80...at least the segment west of the point where it swings away to the SW away from I-8. That was the 1932 improvement. But the part I am talking about is the original asphalt highway that was laid down in 1925-26 that became original 80 in 11/26. Remnants of this asphalt can be glimpsed in the median of the interstate just immediately west of the rest stop...it gradually crosses to the north side where bits and pieces can be occasionally glimpsed. Just as I-8 starts up the big hill west of the rest stop, a good 100 yard section or so of this original asphalt is still viz to the north of I-8 (also viz in satellite views). This is the segment right smack dab in the middle of this new construction.
I actually have found a Dept of the Interior document that describes the improvements being made, so I'm trying to contact some of the folks listed. As Denny indicated, trying get get a bureaucracy to change the plans will be virtually impossible, the only really viable option will be to try to make them aware of what they have and maybe get it incorporated into the design. I'm actually looking forward to some of the improvements. Maybe eventually a regular vehicle will be able to get access to that area and see this asphalt up close & personal! Of course, that would only be exciting to a roadie nut such as myself...
-
Hi all, the Dept of the Interior is adding new OHV recreational facilities on the NORTH side of I-8 west of the exisiting rest stop at Gray's Well. This activity is threatening the remants of original 80, portions of which can be glimpsed as a ribbon of asphalt running through the dunes on the north side of I-8 west of the rest stop.
Anyone have any clue as to whether or not the Dept of the Interior has any plans for old 80 or is even aware of its importance???
-
at a half mile long, I think the old bridge is a real *must see* for any auto enthusiast. It is by MM 22-23 (22 miles north of Gila Bend), so it is an hour detour for those in the Gila bend area, but I think it is still worth the trip! The Gila River there is bounded on one side by a lava flow, so there are some really neat geographical aspects there too.
As of the Winter of 2008-9, the bridge is still open, but it is in DIRE need of upkeep, so I'm not sure that it will be open much longer. Budget cuts and rumblings from AZDOT indicate that it may go the way of the Chain of Rocks bridge and become part of a bike trail and off limts to vehicular traffic soon.
-
Hi Jason, though not apparently maintained, this old site has several...
http://academic.marion.ohio-state.edu/schu...al/natlist.html
also, I purchased on E-bay a 1920's national auto trail map that has several auto trail logos on it. Try there as well.
Hi Everyone,Does anyone have an Auto Trails Survey Or Clason's or similar Atlas that has a page denoting the pole markers used for the old auto trails? Like this:
For a project this winter, I'd like to paint up some full size versions to hang in my garage with my other stuff. I have been looking for one online and haven't been able to aquire one yet. If anyone has one and wouldn't mind sharing and scanning a copy I would be extremely appreciative!
Thank You in advance,
Jason
-
Thanks Denny! I'll be sending American Road the two copies for review. And in the meantime, if you or any of your acquaintances have any leads on publishers that specialize in small niche runs like this, I sure would appreciate any direction you might give. The book would be 223 pages, full-color and I want it coil bound so the map pages saty open.
This has been quite the journey!
Jeff in Tucson
-
HI all: Jeff Jensen from Tucson here. I've dropped off the boards for a couple of years because I was working on this:
The Broadway of America: the Bankhead and U.S. 80 Highways across the American Southwest The drive guide is here!
Folks, I've done the research, I've done the roadwork, I've taken the pictures and I've drawn the maps. All you have to do now is come along for the ride! I've uploaded a sample to the web. I invite you to visit and take a peek at my website here:
http://bygonebyways.com/the_boa_thru_the_sw.htm
or at my main bygonebyways.com website.
I really believe that this will become a MUST have for any serious roadie and I'm really excited to be able to share this with you. As the owner of literally dozens of guides, I've taken what I feel are the best ideas and combined them into one guide for old Highway 80. Some of these ideas include:
>easily accessible 'tours' which are not defined by a set number of miles etc or county lines, but logical entry and exit points onto other major roads.
> color coded 'factoid' boxes that accompany the text but don't intrude into the text. You won't get bogged down in too many details...unless you want to.
>description of roadside attractions and nearby sightseeing tours.
>literally hundreds of my own color photos, antique postcards, vintage advertisements, etc. You'll feel like you've been there!
>written in an east to west manner, there is also a west to east segment.
>and most importantly, in the back, a 'just the facts, ma'am' map section. No distracting narrative, just extremely detailed maps which utilize a consistent color-coded system that allows one to see at a glance the evolution of the old auto trails and Highway 80 through any given area.
>within each map, numbers identify specific points or items of interest such as bypassed alignments, abandoned bridges, roadside attractions, etc. You won't miss a thing!
I look forward from hearing from all of you and receiving feedback on my efforts.
Cheers,
Jeff in Tucson
-
HI all: Jeff Jensen from Tucson here. I've dropped off the boards for a couple of years because I was working on this:
The Broadway of America: the Bankhead and U.S. 80 Highways across the American Southwest The drive guide is here!
Folks, I've done the research, I've done the roadwork, I've taken the pictures and I've drawn the maps. All you have to do now is come along for the ride! I've uploaded a sample to the web. I invite you to visit and take a peek at my website here:
http://bygonebyways.com/the_boa_thru_the_sw.htm
or at my main bygonebyways.comwebsite.
I really believe that this will become a MUST have for any serious roadie and I'm really excited to be able to share this with you. As the owner of literally dozens of guides, I've taken what I feel are the best ideas and combined them into one guide for old Highway 80. Some of these ideas include:
>easily accessible 'tours' which are not defined by a set number of miles etc or county lines, but logical entry and exit points onto other major roads.
> color coded 'factoid' boxes that accompany the text but don't intrude into the text. You won't get bogged down in too many details...unless you want to.
>description of roadside attractions and nearby sightseeing tours.
>literally hundreds of my own color photos, antique postcards, vintage advertisements, etc. You'll feel like you've been there!
>written in an east to west manner, there is also a west to east segment.
>and most importantly, in the back, a 'just the facts, ma'am' map section. No distracting narrative, just extremely detailed maps which utilize a consistent color-coded system that allows one to see at a glance the evolution of the old auto trails and Highway 80 through any given area.
>within each map, numbers identify specific points or items of interest such as bypassed alignments, abandoned bridges, roadside attractions, etc. You won't miss a thing!
I look forward from hearing from all of you and receiving feedback on my efforts.
Cheers,
Jeff in Tucson
A Little Time On Old U S 80
in Old Spanish Trail / U.S. 80 / U.S. 90
Posted
Denny, I'm glad that you got the chance to take the trip and I hope that my little project made the jaunt a little more enjoyable and interesting.
CHeers,
Jeff in Tucson