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

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Guest Alex Burr

Hey Jim,

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU - AND

 

MANY, MANY MORE.

 

 

 

Hudsonly,

 

Alex B

 

 

 

Jim Conkle <jim@cart66pf.org> wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

Being that my birthday is also October 2, although a few years older then

 

two, I am honored to share the date with an icon of America. Hopefully we

 

will celebrate many more in the future.

 

 

 

Thanks Pat and Jennifer and all American Road E-groupers. Of all the groups

 

that I belong to this is one of the best.

 

 

 

Take care and see you on the road,

 

 

 

Jim Conkle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James M Conkle

 

 

 

Executive Director & Chairman of the Board

 

 

 

California Route 66 Preservation Foundation

 

 

 

P O Box 290066

 

 

 

Phelan, CA 92329-0066

 

 

 

760 617 3991 cell

 

 

 

760 868 3320

 

 

 

760 868 8614 fax

 

 

 

HYPERLINK "mailto:"jim@cart66pf.org

 

 

 

www.cart66pf.orgVOTE for Hampton Hotels Save-A-Landmark program for the 2004

 

Smithsonian Magazine/TCF Sustainable Tourism Award. You can vote every day

 

till October 31, 2004. www.sustainabletourismawards.com/index.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Guest Jennifer

>

 

> Thanks for the tip, Jennifer. I know I've already thanked you on

 

another

 

> list but one can never be too appreciative of moderators;-)

 

>

 

 

 

You're welcome, Denny! I enjoyed reading your trip report and

 

checking out the photos. The store looks pretty neat - is it really

 

an operating store? It's hard to believe from the appearance. I went

 

to their website and it says it is, I'm curious. Might have to take a

 

road trip too!

 

 

 

Jennifer

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Guest Jennifer

--- In AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Conkle" <jim@c...> wrote:

 

>

 

>

 

> Being that my birthday is also October 2, although a few years

 

older then

 

> two, I am honored to share the date with an icon of America.

 

Hopefully we

 

> will celebrate many more in the future.

 

>

 

> Thanks Pat and Jennifer and all American Road E-groupers. Of all

 

the groups

 

> that I belong to this is one of the best.

 

 

 

 

 

You're quite welcome, Jim...I'm happy you think out little group is

 

one of the best! :)

 

 

 

I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

 

 

 

Jennifer

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Guest Jim Conkle

Thanks Alex, Chet & Jennifer. I spent the day with my family. Our daughter’s

 

baby, a boy, is due at anytime and I was hoping for a really great birthday

 

present. But alas it did not happen although I did offer to take her on a

 

bumpy ride down old Route 66 to help her on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James M Conkle

 

 

 

Executive Director & Chairman of the Board

 

 

 

California Route 66 Preservation Foundation

 

 

 

P O Box 290066

 

 

 

Phelan, CA 92329-0066

 

 

 

760 617 3991 cell

 

 

 

760 868 3320

 

 

 

760 868 8614 fax

 

 

 

HYPERLINK "mailto:"jim@cart66pf.org

 

 

 

www.cart66pf.orgVOTE for Hampton Hotels Save-A-Landmark program for the 2004

 

Smithsonian Magazine/TCF Sustainable Tourism Award. You can vote every day

 

till October 31, 2004. www.sustainabletourismawards.com/index.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

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Guest Alex Burr

Jim, sad to relate the bumpy road treatment is a myth.

 

:>(

 

 

 

Hudsonly,

 

Alex B

 

 

 

--- Jim Conkle <jim@cart66pf.org> wrote:

 

 

 

>

 

>

 

> Being that my birthday is also October 2, although a

 

> few years older then

 

> two, I am honored to share the date with an icon of

 

> America. Hopefully we

 

> will celebrate many more in the future.

 

>

 

> Thanks Pat and Jennifer and all American Road

 

> E-groupers. Of all the groups

 

> that I belong to this is one of the best.

 

>

 

> Take care and see you on the road,

 

>

 

> Jim Conkle

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> James M Conkle

 

>

 

> Executive Director & Chairman of the Board

 

>

 

> California Route 66 Preservation Foundation

 

>

 

> P O Box 290066

 

>

 

> Phelan, CA 92329-0066

 

>

 

> 760 617 3991 cell

 

>

 

> 760 868 3320

 

>

 

> 760 868 8614 fax

 

>

 

> HYPERLINK "mailto:"jim@cart66pf.org

 

>

 

> www.cart66pf.orgVOTE for Hampton Hotels

 

> Save-A-Landmark program for the 2004

 

> Smithsonian Magazine/TCF Sustainable Tourism Award.

 

> You can vote every day

 

> till October 31, 2004.

 

> www.sustainabletourismawards.com/index.htm

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> ---

 

> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.

 

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> (http://www.grisoft.com).

 

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>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

 

> removed]

 

>

 

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Guest Russell S. Rein

Hi folks,

 

 

 

Lots o' stuff today:

 

 

 

You are invited to the Indiana Chapter of

 

the Lincoln Highway Association fall meeting

 

at the Studebaker National Museum, in South

 

Bend, IN on Saturday, October 16, 2004 at

 

2:00 pm. I will be presenting a program - A

 

Postcard Tour of Indiana's Lincoln Highway.

 

Members are invited to bring updates on the

 

LH in their area, and the public is invited.

 

There will be a brief chapter business

 

meeting following the program. Hope to see

 

you there!

 

 

 

Bev Looker's e-mail address doesn't work

 

anymore, nor does the link for the Ohio LH

 

Chapter website - any update on this?

 

 

 

In downtown Coatesville, PA progress may

 

mean demolition of historic buildings:

 

http://xrl.us/db5w

 

 

 

Mike Lester sent this one of a "lawn chair"

 

trip on the LH in NE & IA:

 

http://xrl.us/db5z

 

 

 

Third part of a series looking at the historic

 

Lincoln Highway/U.S. Route 40 in Solano

 

County, CA:

 

http://xrl.us/db6i

 

 

 

The Boone, IA LH welcome arch:

 

http://xrl.us/db6j

 

 

 

The National Parks Service Study of the LH

 

from the Green River, WY perspective:

 

http://xrl.us/db6m

 

 

 

A report on the Ohio Lincoln Highway

 

Heritage Corridor:

 

http://xrl.us/db6n

 

 

 

A story on Dekalb, IL's LH Festival last

 

weekend:

 

http://xrl.us/db6o

 

 

 

A story on PA LH Heritage Corridor's

 

drive-thru museum from the Arizona

 

Republic:

 

http://xrl.us/db6q

 

 

 

LHA member Cynthia Ogorek's book

 

on the Calumet River area is out. Look for:

 

ALONG THE CALUMET RIVER by

 

Cynthia L. Ogorek

 

Arcadia Publishing

 

ISBN 0738533440

 

$19.99

 

http://xrl.us/db7q

 

 

 

When I first started collecting LH postcards

 

in the early '90s, Brian Butko offered the

 

following strategy - don't tell any postcard

 

dealers about the LH because they will sort

 

out the cards and charge much more for them.

 

Well - the following auction results indicate

 

it's too late for that - much too late. LH

 

ephemera is hot, and not just with LHA

 

members. Here's some recent auction results

 

from ebay:

 

 

 

From the Tom Lutzi estate:

 

 

 

Lincoln Highway Motometer - $265.38

 

http://xrl.us/db6t

 

 

 

Lincoln Highway 1915 Road Guide -

 

$861.99

 

http://xrl.us/db6x

 

 

 

Lincoln Highway 1916 Road Guide -

 

$152.50 (Ok - I bought it as an upgrade.

 

If you come to the LHA Conference in

 

Ely, NV next year you can buy my other

 

copy)

 

http://xrl.us/db6y

 

 

 

Some other recent ebay LH auctions:

 

 

 

A real photo postcard of the hairpin turn on

 

the 17% Meyers Grade Below Echo Summit,

 

Lake Tahoe area, CA - $161.02 (An

 

evocative but essentially scenic view with one

 

auto!)

 

http://xrl.us/db65

 

 

 

A real photo postcard of the Placerville, CA

 

Graystone Hotel - $188.87

 

http://xrl.us/db66

 

 

 

A '40s - '50s era frosted decorated glass

 

mug of the Grand View Ship Hotel in PA -

 

$177.50

 

http://xrl.us/db68

 

 

 

A real photo view of the LH in Belle Plaine

 

from a railroad tower - $132.50

 

http://xrl.us/db7b

 

 

 

A 9 inch octagonal embossed steel Lincoln

 

Highway sign from NE - $321.00 (Never

 

saw this "L" sign before, for the buyer's

 

sake I hope this isn't a left trun sign!)

 

http://xrl.us/db7g

 

 

 

See you in South Bend,

 

 

 

ypsi-slim

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Guest Dave Settle

BlankI cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg.

 

 

 

The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde

 

Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer inwaht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny

 

iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The

 

rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is

 

bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a

 

wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt!!

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Guest Denny Gibson

Yes, I really enjoyed Jerome when I visited there in September

 

(http://www.dennygibson.com/ariz092003/day02). This time I had already

 

decided that I would be heading pretty much in the opposite direction.

 

 

 

--Denny

 

 

 

P.S. 2nd day up at http://www.dennygibson.com/ariz112003

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----

 

From: [mailto:Chetnichols@aol.com]

 

Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2003 12:26 PM

 

To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Phoenix again

 

 

 

 

 

Denny,

 

 

 

BE SURE to visit the little mountain town, Jerome. It's quite a

 

hoot.....it's

 

west of Phoenix and south of Cottonwood......

 

 

 

Unkle Chesty

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Guest Alex Burr

You could be right Tom. I agree with the Ballad

 

being a great road song. Good thing they hadn't built

 

the tunnel at that point. Some how "he shot the gap

 

at Cumberland Tunnel........." just doesn't have the

 

same ring as "he shot the gap at Cumberland and

 

streamed by Maynordsville........"

 

 

 

Mitchum wrote and produced the film, and his son,

 

James played the part of his brother.

 

 

 

There is, however, another "road" picture that is

 

not only a cult film, but is, I think, right up there

 

with Thunder Road - that is "Two Lane Blacktop", which

 

starred James Taylor (in his only film) as the driver

 

of a souped up 1955 Chevy, and his mechanic Denis

 

Wilson of the Beach Boys, driving cross-country in the

 

1950's challenging all comers at drag racing.

 

Interestingly, in this film the charecters had no

 

names, except for Warren Oates whose name is given

 

simply as G. T. O. While not an outstanding film,

 

acting wise, it did convey the rootlessness of a lot

 

of young people in that era, much as does Kerouacs "On

 

The Road" - indeed "Two Lane Blacktop" could almost be

 

taken as a film from "On The Road".

 

 

 

Having grown up in the 50's, I look back at it as a

 

wild time for youngsters - a transition from a

 

relatively quiet, slow time to the frenetic rush of

 

today to go ------ where and do what????

 

 

 

Hudsonly,

 

Alex Burr

 

 

 

--- egyptianzipper@aol.com wrote:

 

 

 

>

 

> In a message dated 10/31/04 8:42:37 PM Eastern

 

> Standard Time,

 

> hester_nec@yahoo.com writes:

 

> Especially in the middle of

 

> the night running hard and fast - I'll leave it up

 

> to

 

> your imaginations what we were doing.

 

> Running moonshine? The reason I say that is because

 

> of one of the best road

 

> songs of the 20th Century, "Ballad of Thunder Road."

 

> It was a 1962 hit for

 

> Robert Mitchum who also starred in the movie by the

 

> same title.

 

>

 

> The song traces Mitchum's flight from Harlan, over

 

> Cumberland Gap, through

 

> Maynardville and Knoxville, and finally out Kingston

 

> Pike where he "left the

 

> road at 90, that's all there is to say."

 

>

 

> Tom Hoffman

 

> Pearisburg VA

 

>

 

>

 

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

 

> removed]

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

__________________________________

 

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Guest rwarn17588

I cannot, in good conscience, recommend "Two Lane Blacktop." It's a

 

terrible movie, with no discernable script whatsoever. I know some

 

folks compare it to "Easy Rider," but "Two Lane Blacktop" is so

 

disjointed and meaningless that "Easy Rider" seems like "Citizen

 

Kane" in comparison.

 

 

 

Ron Warnick

 

Tulsa, OK

 

 

 

>

 

> There is, however, another "road" picture that is

 

> not only a cult film, but is, I think, right up there

 

> with Thunder Road - that is "Two Lane Blacktop", which

 

> starred James Taylor (in his only film) as the driver

 

> of a souped up 1955 Chevy, and his mechanic Denis

 

> Wilson of the Beach Boys, driving cross-country in the

 

> 1950's challenging all comers at drag racing.

 

> Interestingly, in this film the charecters had no

 

> names, except for Warren Oates whose name is given

 

> simply as G. T. O. While not an outstanding film,

 

> acting wise, it did convey the rootlessness of a lot

 

> of young people in that era, much as does Kerouacs "On

 

> The Road" - indeed "Two Lane Blacktop" could almost be

 

> taken as a film from "On The Road".

 

>

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Guest Alex Burr

I didn't say it was an outstanding film - merely

 

compared it with Kerouac's "On The Road".

 

 

 

Each to his own - and it still is a cult film.

 

 

 

Hudsonly,

 

Alex B

 

 

 

--- rwarn17588 <rwarn17588@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

 

 

>

 

> I cannot, in good conscience, recommend "Two Lane

 

> Blacktop." It's a

 

> terrible movie, with no discernable script

 

> whatsoever. I know some

 

> folks compare it to "Easy Rider," but "Two Lane

 

> Blacktop" is so

 

> disjointed and meaningless that "Easy Rider" seems

 

> like "Citizen

 

> Kane" in comparison.

 

>

 

> Ron Warnick

 

> Tulsa, OK

 

>

 

> >

 

> > There is, however, another "road" picture that

 

> is

 

> > not only a cult film, but is, I think, right up

 

> there

 

> > with Thunder Road - that is "Two Lane Blacktop",

 

> which

 

> > starred James Taylor (in his only film) as the

 

> driver

 

> > of a souped up 1955 Chevy, and his mechanic Denis

 

> > Wilson of the Beach Boys, driving cross-country in

 

> the

 

> > 1950's challenging all comers at drag racing.

 

> > Interestingly, in this film the charecters had no

 

> > names, except for Warren Oates whose name is given

 

> > simply as G. T. O. While not an outstanding film,

 

> > acting wise, it did convey the rootlessness of a

 

> lot

 

> > of young people in that era, much as does Kerouacs

 

> "On

 

> > The Road" - indeed "Two Lane Blacktop" could

 

> almost be

 

> > taken as a film from "On The Road".

 

> >

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

 

 

 

 

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Guest Greg Laxton

Two Lane Blacktop isn't my favorite by a long shot, but for the "vintage" road

 

shots and the GTO Judge (I'm a GTO owner), it's worth a look in my book. Still,

 

plenty of other better road movies out there.

 

 

 

Greg

 

----- Original Message -----

 

From: rwarn17588

 

To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 2:27 PM

 

Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: La Cita in Tucumcari to close - now gas prices, &

 

Dix...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I cannot, in good conscience, recommend "Two Lane Blacktop." It's a

 

terrible movie, with no discernable script whatsoever. I know some

 

folks compare it to "Easy Rider," but "Two Lane Blacktop" is so

 

disjointed and meaningless that "Easy Rider" seems like "Citizen

 

Kane" in comparison.

 

 

 

Ron Warnick

 

Tulsa, OK

 

 

 

>

 

> There is, however, another "road" picture that is

 

> not only a cult film, but is, I think, right up there

 

> with Thunder Road - that is "Two Lane Blacktop", which

 

> starred James Taylor (in his only film) as the driver

 

> of a souped up 1955 Chevy, and his mechanic Denis

 

> Wilson of the Beach Boys, driving cross-country in the

 

> 1950's challenging all comers at drag racing.

 

> Interestingly, in this film the charecters had no

 

> names, except for Warren Oates whose name is given

 

> simply as G. T. O. While not an outstanding film,

 

> acting wise, it did convey the rootlessness of a lot

 

> of young people in that era, much as does Kerouacs "On

 

> The Road" - indeed "Two Lane Blacktop" could almost be

 

> taken as a film from "On The Road".

 

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit our homepage at: http://www.mockturtlepress.com

 

 

 

To subscribe to AMERICAN ROAD magazine, PHONE TOLL-FREE 1-877-285-5434 WITH

 

YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

Or send payment to: Mock Turtle Press, PO Box 3168, Lynnwood, WA 98046-3168

 

SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

 

1 year (4 issues) for $15.95

 

(save $3.85 off the newsstand price!)

 

2 years (8 issues) for $27.95

 

(save $11.65 off the newsstand price!)

 

 

 

 

 

For questions about the list, contact: AMERICAN_ROAD-owner@yahoogroups.com

 

 

 

To SUBSCRIBE to this group, send an email to:

 

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Guest Pat B.

One of the '55 Chevies used in Two Lane Blacktop (there were 3 of

 

them used during filming) was later slightly altered and was the

 

black '55 "Bob Falfa" drove in American Graffiti.

 

 

 

Pat B.

 

 

 

--- In AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com, Alex Burr <hester_nec@y...>

 

wrote:

 

> You could be right Tom. I agree with the Ballad

 

> being a great road song. Good thing they hadn't built

 

> the tunnel at that point. Some how "he shot the gap

 

> at Cumberland Tunnel........." just doesn't have the

 

> same ring as "he shot the gap at Cumberland and

 

> streamed by Maynordsville........"

 

>

 

> Mitchum wrote and produced the film, and his son,

 

> James played the part of his brother.

 

>

 

> There is, however, another "road" picture that is

 

> not only a cult film, but is, I think, right up there

 

> with Thunder Road - that is "Two Lane Blacktop", which

 

> starred James Taylor (in his only film) as the driver

 

> of a souped up 1955 Chevy, and his mechanic Denis

 

> Wilson of the Beach Boys, driving cross-country in the

 

> 1950's challenging all comers at drag racing.

 

> Interestingly, in this film the charecters had no

 

> names, except for Warren Oates whose name is given

 

> simply as G. T. O. While not an outstanding film,

 

> acting wise, it did convey the rootlessness of a lot

 

> of young people in that era, much as does Kerouacs "On

 

> The Road" - indeed "Two Lane Blacktop" could almost be

 

> taken as a film from "On The Road".

 

>

 

> Having grown up in the 50's, I look back at it as a

 

> wild time for youngsters - a transition from a

 

> relatively quiet, slow time to the frenetic rush of

 

> today to go ------ where and do what????

 

>

 

> Hudsonly,

 

> Alex Burr

 

>

 

> --- egyptianzipper@a... wrote:

 

>

 

> >

 

> > In a message dated 10/31/04 8:42:37 PM Eastern

 

> > Standard Time,

 

> > hester_nec@y... writes:

 

> > Especially in the middle of

 

> > the night running hard and fast - I'll leave it up

 

> > to

 

> > your imaginations what we were doing.

 

> > Running moonshine? The reason I say that is because

 

> > of one of the best road

 

> > songs of the 20th Century, "Ballad of Thunder Road."

 

> > It was a 1962 hit for

 

> > Robert Mitchum who also starred in the movie by the

 

> > same title.

 

> >

 

> > The song traces Mitchum's flight from Harlan, over

 

> > Cumberland Gap, through

 

> > Maynardville and Knoxville, and finally out Kingston

 

> > Pike where he "left the

 

> > road at 90, that's all there is to say."

 

> >

 

> > Tom Hoffman

 

> > Pearisburg VA

 

> >

 

> >

 

> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

 

> > removed]

 

> >

 

> >

 

> >

 

> >

 

> >

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> __________________________________

 

> Do you Yahoo!?

 

> Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page.

 

> www.yahoo.com

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Guest Bob Reynolds

OK, here's the write-up of Susan's and my daytrip to

 

Chattanooga. In a perfect world, I would have my own webpage and

 

would simply send y'all there, but since I don't, I'll refer you to

 

the photos I've placed in my <Babyboomerbob> directory.

 

 

 

TRAVELING WITH GHOSTS

 

 

 

There are all kinds of road trips. But the one with the

 

most danger is the kind where you try to go back to your old

 

stomping grounds. You know it won't be the same, but there's always

 

a surprise or two, and it's rarely the good kind. Be warned, if you

 

try to go home, you will be traveling with ghosts.

 

 

 

Susan and I started by picking up US 11 at Philadelphia, a

 

town that has seen better days. There are plenty of remnants of the

 

past, but they are getting pretty beat up. <PhillyTN01-03> As we

 

stopped to take the last picture, there was a local lady walking her

 

dog who shot me a look as if to ask what the hell we thought we were

 

doing:)

 

 

 

We headed south to Sweetwater. Downtown has a whole block

 

of antique stores, and even a trendy coffee shop. There's a nice

 

gazebo in the heart of town, along with a little greenbelt park with

 

a flock of ducks. I sometimes go there and walk along Sweetwater

 

Creek. <Sweetwater01-04>

 

 

 

All the way down we looked for older alignments. It would

 

have been a bit easier had I looked at the Delorme Atlas disc before

 

we left. Looks like I missed a couple:) I need to check out the

 

route through Athens a bit better later.

 

 

 

As we crossed the Hiwassee River I sighed for the old

 

camelback truss bridge that has now been replaced. Such is

 

progress. And as we entered Chattanooga I noticed the bridge over

 

S. Chickamauga Creek had been replaced too:(

 

 

 

A short distance from the Chickamauga Creek Bridge,

 

sandwiched between two shopping malls lays a small cemetery, the

 

sole remnant of David Brainerd's mission to the Cherokees. I had

 

hopes to get some close up photos of the stones, but the site

 

sported a new chain link fence that was locked up tight:( I took

 

what pictures I could, and then went on. <Brainerd01,02>

 

 

 

We were getting much closer to my old neighborhood as we

 

passed through the Missionary Ridge tunnel <Tunnel01> Just beyond,

 

i noticed the alignment of US 11-64 had been changed, running it

 

down Dodds Avenue, right through Ridgedale, the neighborhood where I

 

grew up. We ignored this new alignment for now, continuing to head

 

for downtown. We paused briefly at Warner Park. The park wasn't in

 

particularly good shape, so we didn't stay long. When I was a kid

 

it was the place where the local fair was held. One thing I

 

particularly remember is the movies they showed in the field house

 

showing the dangers of smoking. The film always ended with graphic

 

footage of lung surgery, warning this is what our lungs would look

 

like. A bunch of us boys would always go in together, and anyone

 

who didn't pass out or get sick was a man:) That' how we measured

 

our machismo back then:) But what do you expect from a bunch of 10

 

year olds?

 

 

 

On past the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where I

 

encountered some friendly ghosts at the old public library building

 

<Library01-03>. I always was the bookish sort and warm memories

 

washed over me as I once more stood at the door to the children's

 

section <Library03> that I used as a portal to all sorts of

 

wondrous places, especially Oz. Then later through the main door

 

<Library01> where I was introduced to Robert Heinlein, Arthur

 

Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and lots of other great sci-fi writers.

 

 

 

Before long, I realized why the alignment had been changed.

 

Road construction downtown. All of downtown has been going through

 

some splendid renovations in the last few years. This spring I plan

 

to do another day trip just to feature the riverfront and the

 

downtown bridges. We made our way to Market Street (Bus. US 27) and

 

headed north, crossing the John Ross Bridge, continuing up Cherokee

 

Blvd to the Stringer's Ridge tunnel <tunnel02>. This tunnel has a

 

date marker over the entrance--1909. A real oldie but goodie:)

 

While we were there, I took a long shot of the downtown bridges, the

 

John Ross bridge in the foreground, and the Walnut Street bridge

 

behind <Ross Bridge>. Better pictures next time.

 

 

 

It was getting to be lunch time, so we hopped the interstate

 

and went around the toe of Lookout Mountain. We exited at Cummings

 

Highway (US 41-64-72). There's a place called Mullins' Cove where

 

the Riverside Catfish House sits overlooking the Tennessee River

 

<Catfish>. After a good helping of catfish and some key lime pie,

 

we were ready to hit the road again.

 

 

 

While we were in the area, we checked out the old bridge

 

over the Tennessee <US 41 Bridge01,02>. As I drove over the two

 

laner, I couldn't help noticing how narrow it was:) I was happy all

 

the semis were over on the I-24 bridge:)

 

 

 

Back downtown on the interstate after making a brief detour

 

across the Georgia line to get gas. The price is *significantly*

 

lower there. We began our return trip, following Martin Luther

 

King Blvd. past the Bessie Smith Museum. Gotta check this out some

 

time. Continuing on Bailey Avenue we decided to drop into the

 

National Cemetery<NtlCem01-05>. I made a beeline for the Andrews'

 

Raiders Monument.

 

 

 

In 1862, the Union Army sent a band of raiders led by James

 

Andrews deep into Confederate territory. They boarded a train in

 

Atlanta, headed north to Chattanooga. At Big shanty (now Kennesaw),

 

they stole the train and headed on north, planning to tear up the

 

tracks, cut telegraph lines and burn bridges as they went. They

 

caused some havoc, but really didn't acomplish their mission when

 

they were assailed by the Confederate cavalry. Some escaped, and a

 

few were exchanged for southern prisoners, but most were take to

 

Chattanooga, tried and hanged as spies. The monument features a

 

bronze image of the General, the locomotive they stole. The fact

 

that Andrews is buried here with the rest of the raiders is unusual,

 

since he was a civilian. <NtlCem01, 02>

 

 

 

We then drove to the original entrance to the cemetery

 

<NtlCem03, 04>. Finally we swung around again to get the last

 

picture. This one's special for me. The stone in the foreground

 

marks the final resting place of my great grandfather, Berry

 

Reynolds who fought for the Union Army.

 

 

 

Once we reached the end of Bailey Avenue, we headed south on

 

Dodds Avenue right through the heart of my old neighborhood. Right

 

by my old house, in fact. Here the ghosts began wailing. The house

 

has been abandoned. I drove on without stopping and don't plan to

 

go back:( Ironically, the old place is on the new (and presumably

 

temporary) alignment of US 11-64.

 

 

 

One more stop before we called it a day. We followed US 41-

 

76 up the foot of Missionary Ridge to get a picture of the Bachman

 

Tubes <Tunnel03>. Many's the time I've driven through this tunnel,

 

accompanied by the honking of other drivers:) By this time we were

 

getting worn out, so we got on the interstate and headed home.

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Guest Brian Butko

We just watched American Graffiti last night ­ thought we?d better introduce

 

the kids to it while they still think our tastes are cool. I remembered the

 

Two Lane Blacktop connection when when we saw the ?55 roll. TLB used three

 

?55 Chevys: one for interior shots, one for exterior, and one at a repair

 

shop. The last two were used two years later in America Graffitti: Harrison

 

Ford drove the TLB exterior one, and the one he rolled was from the TLB

 

repair shop.

 

 

 

Seeing American Graffiti over the years always left a fun and colorful

 

impression, but last night, the more serious themes jumped out more now that

 

we?re older. And I really like Two Lane Blacktop ­ quirky but cool, and the

 

sparse, stilted dialog makes sense in a film about the gulf between people

 

and how they come together.

 

 

 

Brian

 

www.brianbutko.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: "Pat B." <roadmaven@aol.com>

 

Reply-To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com>

 

Date: Thu, 04 Nov 2004 20:07:43 -0000

 

To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com>

 

Subject: Spam:[AMERICAN_ROAD] Two Lane Blacktop '55 Chevy

 

Factoid--WAS...whatever that thread had grown into

 

 

 

 

 

One of the '55 Chevies used in Two Lane Blacktop (there were 3 of

 

them used during filming) was later slightly altered and was the

 

black '55 "Bob Falfa" drove in American Graffiti.

 

 

 

Pat B.

 

 

 

 

 

--- In AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com, Alex Burr <hester_nec@y...>

 

wrote:

 

> You could be right Tom. I agree with the Ballad

 

> being a great road song. Good thing they hadn't built

 

> the tunnel at that point. Some how "he shot the gap

 

> at Cumberland Tunnel........." just doesn't have the

 

> same ring as "he shot the gap at Cumberland and

 

> streamed by Maynordsville........"

 

>

 

> Mitchum wrote and produced the film, and his son,

 

> James played the part of his brother.

 

>

 

> There is, however, another "road" picture that is

 

> not only a cult film, but is, I think, right up there

 

> with Thunder Road - that is "Two Lane Blacktop", which

 

> starred James Taylor (in his only film) as the driver

 

> of a souped up 1955 Chevy, and his mechanic Denis

 

> Wilson of the Beach Boys, driving cross-country in the

 

> 1950's challenging all comers at drag racing.

 

> Interestingly, in this film the charecters had no

 

> names, except for Warren Oates whose name is given

 

> simply as G. T. O. While not an outstanding film,

 

> acting wise, it did convey the rootlessness of a lot

 

> of young people in that era, much as does Kerouacs "On

 

> The Road" - indeed "Two Lane Blacktop" could almost be

 

> taken as a film from "On The Road".

 

>

 

> Having grown up in the 50's, I look back at it as a

 

> wild time for youngsters - a transition from a

 

> relatively quiet, slow time to the frenetic rush of

 

> today to go ------ where and do what????

 

>

 

> Hudsonly,

 

> Alex Burr

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Guest Rudyard Welborn

I actually bought the movie (which I lent to Ron and Emily so they could

 

"enjoy" it)...and I have to concur completely with Ron's assessment;

 

furthermore, what 66 that is in the movie is overshadowed by the acting of

 

people like James Taylor and Dennis Wilson who--thankfully for them--did not

 

quit their day jobs (I give Warren Oates credit for trying)! just puttin my

 

two cents out there and respectin' opinions other than my own! Tsingtao,

 

Kip----- Original Message -----

 

From: "rwarn17588" <rwarn17588@yahoo.com>

 

To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com>

 

Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 1:27 PM

 

Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: La Cita in Tucumcari to close - now gas prices,

 

& Dix...

 

 

 

 

 

>

 

>

 

> I cannot, in good conscience, recommend "Two Lane Blacktop." It's a

 

> terrible movie, with no discernable script whatsoever. I know some

 

> folks compare it to "Easy Rider," but "Two Lane Blacktop" is so

 

> disjointed and meaningless that "Easy Rider" seems like "Citizen

 

> Kane" in comparison.

 

>

 

> Ron Warnick

 

> Tulsa, OK

 

>

 

> >

 

> > There is, however, another "road" picture that is

 

> > not only a cult film, but is, I think, right up there

 

> > with Thunder Road - that is "Two Lane Blacktop", which

 

> > starred James Taylor (in his only film) as the driver

 

> > of a souped up 1955 Chevy, and his mechanic Denis

 

> > Wilson of the Beach Boys, driving cross-country in the

 

> > 1950's challenging all comers at drag racing.

 

> > Interestingly, in this film the charecters had no

 

> > names, except for Warren Oates whose name is given

 

> > simply as G. T. O. While not an outstanding film,

 

> > acting wise, it did convey the rootlessness of a lot

 

> > of young people in that era, much as does Kerouacs "On

 

> > The Road" - indeed "Two Lane Blacktop" could almost be

 

> > taken as a film from "On The Road".

 

> >

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> Visit our homepage at: http://www.mockturtlepress.com

 

>

 

> To subscribe to AMERICAN ROAD magazine, PHONE TOLL-FREE 1-877-285-5434

 

WITH YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

> Or send payment to: Mock Turtle Press, PO Box 3168, Lynnwood, WA

 

98046-3168

 

> SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

 

> 1 year (4 issues) for $15.95

 

> (save $3.85 off the newsstand price!)

 

> 2 years (8 issues) for $27.95

 

> (save $11.65 off the newsstand price!)

 

>

 

>

 

> For questions about the list, contact: AMERICAN_ROAD-owner@yahoogroups.com

 

>

 

> To SUBSCRIBE to this group, send an email to:

 

AMERICAN_ROAD-subscribe@yahoogroups.comTo POST a message via e-mail, send it

 

to: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

>

 

>

 

> Yahoo! Groups Links

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

>

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Guest Rudyard Welborn

...anybody who wants to ferret their way through the Ozarks via many of

 

missouri's finer state highways (21, 51, 19, 8 just to name a few) will find

 

a few curves, a few hills, and a lot of reasons to go green in the gills!

 

Tsingtao, Kip

 

----- Original Message -----

 

From: "Mike Ward" <flyboy1946@hotmail.com>

 

To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com>

 

Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 9:57 AM

 

Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: The Dragon's Tail (MAP)

 

 

 

 

 

> I'll add another stretch of road to the list. U.S. Highway 191, formerly

 

known as U.S. Highway 666, between Clifton and Alpine, Arizona. It's almost

 

90 miles of mountain curves. The posted speed limit rarely gets above 30

 

mph for the entire stretch.

 

>

 

> Mike

 

> ----- Original Message -----

 

> From: rwarn17588<mailto:RWarn17588@aol.com>

 

> To: <mailto:AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com>

 

> Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2003 7:21 PM

 

> Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: The Dragon's Tail (MAP)

 

>

 

>

 

> --- In

 

<mailto:AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com>, "Bob

 

Reynolds" <roustabout@s<mailto:roustabout@s>...>

 

> wrote:

 

> > --- In

 

<mailto:AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com>, Alex

 

Burr <hester_nec@y<mailto:hester_nec@y>...>

 

> > wrote:

 

> > > Then there's U S 40 west of Denver headed up thru

 

> > > Berthoud Pass............

 

> > >

 

> > > Hudsonly,

 

> > > Alex B

 

> > >

 

> >

 

>

 

> I'm not sure this is still driveable, even with a monster SUV, but La

 

> Bajada Hill north of Albuquerque has to be a contender. Old 66 there

 

> has 23 hairpin curves in a little more than two miles. Emily and I

 

> elected to hike it instead of driving it. It was a bit tiring in 95-

 

> degree heat, but it offers hellacious views. We left there just in

 

> time, too. A thunderstorm rumbled through less than two hours after we

 

> left.

 

>

 

> Some other favorites for fun, curvy driving:

 

>

 

> -- The road that goes through the Smoky Mountain National Park.

 

> -- The road that goes through the Badlands park.

 

> -- Lower Terre Haute Road in far eastern Illinois.

 

> -- Just about any road you find in Jo Daviess County in northwestern

 

> Illinois.

 

> -- That scary ascent up the mountain on Highway 104 northwest of

 

> Tucumcari, leading to Las Vegas, N.M.

 

>

 

> Ron Warnick

 

> Belleville, IL

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor

 

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ault?mqso=60178338&partid=4116730>

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> Visit our homepage at:

 

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>

 

> To subscribe to AMERICAN ROAD magazine, PHONE TOLL-FREE 1-877-285-5434

 

WITH YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

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>

 

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>

 

> To subscribe to AMERICAN ROAD magazine, PHONE TOLL-FREE 1-877-285-5434

 

WITH YOUR ORDER TODAY!

 

> Or send payment to: Mock Turtle Press, PO Box 3168, Lynnwood, WA

 

98046-3168

 

> SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

 

> 1 year (4 issues) for $15.95

 

> (save $3.85 off the newsstand price!)

 

> 2 years (8 issues) for $27.95

 

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>

 

>

 

> For questions about the list, contact: AMERICAN_ROAD-owner@yahoogroups.com

 

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Guest Butko, Brian A.

A good road for stomach-dropping hills and dips is Roller Coaster Road

 

between East Liverpool and Lisbon, Ohio. It's the original Lincoln Highway

 

and so is parallel to modern Route 30. The name says it all. It's one lump

 

after another, and even at slow speeds, it's scary topping each hill, not

 

knowing what awaits you.

 

 

 

Brian "already sick of winter colds" Butko

 

 

 

 

 

From: "jenniferrt66" <jabremer66@aol.com>

 

Reply-To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

Date: Fri, 05 Dec 2003 14:39:18 -0000

 

To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: LETS GO!!!

 

 

 

This is a general feeling of driving along a road, and it's something

 

that is found on roads in many areas - I love roads with lots of

 

hills and dips. You don't have to be going too fast, of course, but I

 

like when you're going over a little hill and you get airborne for a

 

second...an extra bonus is when you get that feeling like your

 

stomach's in your throat! Kinda a throwback to when you were a

 

little kid!

 

 

 

Jennifer

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Guest Alex Burr

Now that yu mention it Brian - yes. I've driven

 

that part of old 30 when my daughter lived down in

 

that area.

 

 

 

Best way to enjoy winter - join me in a trip to

 

Memphis. I'll be back in New England, unfortunately,

 

the end of January. But I won't be out of touch with

 

everybody - my daughter is on-line, and since she

 

works during the day, well..............

 

 

 

Somebody, misguided to say the least, did tell me

 

that "Hey, it gets cold in Memphis, too!!" To which I

 

replied "Unlike New England, it don't last no 8

 

months!!!"

 

 

 

Everybody have a great holiday season, an even

 

better 2004 and pray that cow doesn't land on your

 

roof. Heck of a way to get a new computer.

 

 

 

Hudsonly,

 

Alex B

 

 

 

--- "Butko, Brian A." <babutko@hswp.org> wrote:

 

> A good road for stomach-dropping hills and dips is

 

> Roller Coaster Road

 

> between East Liverpool and Lisbon, Ohio. It's the

 

> original Lincoln Highway

 

> and so is parallel to modern Route 30. The name says

 

> it all. It's one lump

 

> after another, and even at slow speeds, it's scary

 

> topping each hill, not

 

> knowing what awaits you.

 

>

 

> Brian "already sick of winter colds" Butko

 

>

 

>

 

> From: "jenniferrt66" <jabremer66@aol.com>

 

> Reply-To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

> Date: Fri, 05 Dec 2003 14:39:18 -0000

 

> To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com

 

> Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: LETS GO!!!

 

>

 

> This is a general feeling of driving along a road,

 

> and it's something

 

> that is found on roads in many areas - I love roads

 

> with lots of

 

> hills and dips. You don't have to be going too fast,

 

> of course, but I

 

> like when you're going over a little hill and you

 

> get airborne for a

 

> second...an extra bonus is when you get that feeling

 

> like your

 

> stomach's in your throat! Kinda a throwback to when

 

> you were a

 

> little kid!

 

>

 

> Jennifer

 

>

 

>

 

>

 

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

 

> removed]

 

>

 

>

 

 

 

 

 

__________________________________

 

Do you Yahoo!?

 

New Yahoo! Photos - easier uploading and sharing.

 

http://photos.yahoo.com/

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Guest roadmaven@aol.com

The Dixie on US 36 in Tuscola, IL has been closed for a couple of

 

years now, at least it was while driving through there in September.

 

I don't recall there ever being a Dixie in Indiana.

 

 

 

BUT, there is a place that serves up a wicked plate of fried mush on

 

US 40 in Greenfield, IN, about 20 miles east of Indianapolis. The

 

place is called Riley House Restaurant and is on 40 not even a mile

 

west of SR 9 on the north side of 40. My dad's Model A Ford club eats

 

there frequently & that's all he'll get...with some sausage, I

 

believe. I had it once & it was just like ma used to make!

 

 

 

Happy Eating...

 

 

 

Pat in Speedway

 

http://roadtripmemories.com

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Guest drivewdave@aol.com

Dave here, listening to a NPR radio news feature about the improvement

 

to the road from Kabul to Kandahar, travel time has been

 

reduced from 14 hours to 7 hours with a 'California standard'

 

ribbon of asphalt replacing a bumpy rollercoaster.

 

 

 

the benefits are immediate and obvious, quicker travel time

 

to hospitals, trucks can now make the run in one day instead

 

of two, patrols have easy access to the mainstem of the area.

 

 

 

the upgrade was speeded along after being made a priority.

 

 

 

The undertone of the story was how the opening of the

 

road was something to celebrate and was important and

 

they had to explain why that was so, in other words we

 

in the US take our roads for granted and don't understand

 

how important they are (except for us roadies of course)

 

 

 

The situation seems similar to the early days here when

 

opening a new road was a big deal. Here is an example,

 

the object to hand, an old postcard postmarked

 

 

 

Grand Island Nebr. Jul 23 10-30A 1915

 

 

 

(the message)

 

other side represents a village scene

 

last Sat morning

 

Note the firewagon

 

& the jitney-yours

 

humbly was there on

 

the corner but she

 

don't show-

 

 

 

(addressed to) Mrs. H. Bohm

 

Auburn N.Y.

 

2 Westlake Ave.

 

 

 

The card is a realphoto showing a brick street, two story

 

brick buildings, people and flags and cars and the two trucks,

 

the caption reads

 

 

 

Lincoln Highway Day, Grand Island Nebr. July 17-1915

 

 

 

obviously a locally produced card, probably only a few

 

hundred were made, it was important enough for

 

someone to save it until it found its way to me.

 

 

 

From my personal experience I remember when the

 

state of Washington had an opening ceremony for the

 

freeway connecting I-5 to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge,

 

this was in the early 70s. They had a portable stage on

 

a trailer for the important guests speak from.

 

The part that stuck with me is when a clergyman

 

gave a prayer, he quoted the bible where Jesus said

 

something to the effect of 'thou shalt level the

 

hill and fill in the valley' and the minister said

 

that is what we have done here, we have leveled

 

the hill and filled in the valley. Quite a moment.

 

 

 

 

 

by the way since our tax dollars paid for the Kabul

 

to Kandahar road in Afghanistan in a sense it

 

would seem to be an American Road...

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Guest Russell S. Rein

C'mon Dave,

 

 

 

Don't tease us - we want to see the card.

 

You can paste a low-res image right it

 

with your message.

 

 

 

slim

 

 

 

 

 

> Grand Island Nebr. Jul 23 10-30A 1915

 

 

 

> The card is a realphoto showing a brick street, two story

 

> brick buildings, people and flags and cars and the two trucks,

 

> the caption reads

 

>

 

> Lincoln Highway Day, Grand Island Nebr. July 17-1915

 

>

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Guest jabremer66@aol.com

> by the way since our tax dollars paid for the Kabul

 

> to Kandahar road in Afghanistan in a sense it

 

> would seem to be an American Road...

 

 

 

And if anyone ever travels that road, be sure to post a report and

 

photos! LOL

 

 

 

Jennifer Bremer

 

http://www.roadtripmemories.com

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Guest drivewdave@aol.com

Jennifer, Slim, posting the Lincoln Highway Day card is a moot

 

point since I don't have the scanner up and running yet and it's

 

been a year and a half since it was given to me.

 

 

 

This by way to show my lack of interest in programming:

 

 

 

My lame AOL browser window has been nonfunctional for

 

months now leaving me only e-mail, yesterday I finally

 

got fed up and halfway fixed it after three calls to tech support.

 

The third call resulted in the suggesting that I dump the entire

 

AOL program and reload it again, the threat of doing this seems

 

to coincide with its mysterious return to sluggish functioning.

 

The first call had me increase virtual memory and the second

 

had me trash a bunch of preferences and at first neither made

 

any difference but apparently something changed overnight.

 

 

 

The highway opening ceremony I attended was essentially

 

a media event, less than one hundred people attended and

 

most of them were politicians or media types. I pictured

 

the stage/trailer being trucked all over the state for

 

similar exercises in official obligatory pomp.

 

 

 

Nowdays people don't seem to get too excited over

 

a new road opening, they just want to drive on it

 

to get somewhere else.

 

 

 

But not us roadies, we often drive our beloved roads

 

for the sheer joy of it.

 

 

 

A little while ago Arizona Jeff mentioned lots of old

 

original cement to be seen alongside US80 in the CA

 

desert, while this is nice to see I would much rather be

 

driving on it, I suppose it could be fun to cruise

 

it from the air too and that could well be a good

 

way to scout old alignments.

 

 

 

Popular legend has it that some of the pioneer

 

trails, the Oregon and the Santa Fe for example,

 

were rediscovered by early airline pilots.

 

 

 

The earliest 'road' over Snoqualmie Pass here in WA

 

(more recently served by the Sunset Highway, US 10

 

and I-90) is a centuries old trail a yard wide and a yard

 

deep and if you know where to look you too can still

 

walk in those ancient footsteps. Since the US Forest

 

Service isn't telling where it is you have to do

 

your research. The early wagon road is not very

 

visible but there used to be a sign for it from a

 

hairpin on a switchback on former US10. I have

 

a hunch that the foot trail might be visible from

 

the air. It was an important trade route for

 

untold millenia.

 

 

 

enough for now, dave

 

 

 

PS was slightly disillusioned to learn recently that

 

the Great Wall of China is not visible from the moon

 

after all. Seems that some writer made it all up.

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