Guest David G. Clark Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 An American Road Story Every year when I was in my early teens, my family would take a month- long vacation. We would travel from our Northern Indiana home in large circles, stopping off at state and national parks along the way. Our rig was a Buick Electra pulling a pop-up tent-trailer. The destinations were different each year: Florida, Yellowstone, Smokey Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Maine and New England. Before I get to the heart of the story about driving on a mountain road full of switchbacks and hairpin turns on the edge of cliffs--with no brakes-- I need to tell you a bit about my father. My father was born the year that the Titanic sank. He grew up on a farm near Joliet, IL and learned to drive in a Model T Ford when he was 10 years old. He related the story to me once that as a young boy he had seen the cars for sale in the newspaper. There was an address in the ad, so my father wrote a letter asking for a catalog of information. His name was Homer, same as my grandfather (different middle name, no not technically Homer Jr. and Homer Sr.) Much to his surprise, a few days after he mailed his letter, a man drove up to the family home in a shiny, brand-new Model T. The driver walked up to my grandfather and asked if he was Homer Clark. The elder Homer nodded, and the man said, "Well, Mr. Clark, here's the new car you ordered!" In the confused moments after that statement was made, my father's letter was produced. After my grandfather, not known as a gentle soul, invited the salesman to get the hell off the premises, he turned his attention to my dad. In his own way, the old man imparted to my father the lesson that you don't give your personal information to an automobile salesman if you're not in the market for a new car. So my father learned a painful lesson early on that may partially explain why he spent so many years dealing only with used cars. He also learned how to work on them. In the days before computerized cars, anybody with a little know-how, time to spare and a five dollar repair manual for your particular model could take care of their own vehicle. It was not unusual for my dad to buy two cars of the same type--one to drive, and one to harvest for spare parts. So, sometime in the late 1960s, we were on a family vacation in our 1960 Buick Electra, towing our trailer, as we headed up a two-lane mountain road to a campground in the higher elevation. There were 6 of us in the car: My father driving, my sister next to him, and my Mother on the passenger side in the front seat; I was in the middle seat in back between my two brothers. My mother noted that my father was taking a few of the turns at a speed that was a bit excessive. That's when my dad let us in on a little secret: for the past few miles, the brakes had been getting less and less effective. He surmised that we must have been leaking brake fluid. There was no shoulder to pull over onto, there was no way to turn the car around on the narrow road and head back to the nearest town. He had no choice but to press on. Though the logic of his position was undeniable, the sum of the facts was still enough to put my mom in a bit of a stir. She said something like "We've been driving without brakes and you didn't TELL ME?" as she grabbed the dashboard with both hands and started slamming the imaginary brake pedal she wished she had on the floor in front of her. Her imaginary brake was no more effective than my dad's real one. Our predicament was not all that dangerous, since we were heading mainly uphill, so dad kept the speed of the rig to a minimum and let gravity help slow us as needed. He also utilized the parking brake whenever things got a little dicey. We made our way up the mountain at a slow pace, causing some traffic to stack up behind us. More than one reckless soul passed us--clearly not a good idea on such a winding road. We made it to our campsite just in time to prevent permanent damage to my mother's psyche. But as soon as we got the trailer un-hitched from the car, my dad was crawling under and determined that a cracked hose was the cause of our trouble. He announced that he was driving back down the mountain to the nearest town to get a replacement part. Normally my dad was methodical, not impulsive, but he seemed to sense that his best move at this point was to just get in the car and go about the required business. This was going to be a much more dangerous task that driving uphill had been. He was going to have to rely much more on low gear and the mechanical parking brake, since now gravity would be working against him. So, off he went, leaving my mom to wonder why she hadn't packed any cooking wine. Though my dad was back in just over an hour, the minutes went by with the speed of a tree sloth being chased by a one-legged turtle. He had purchased the hose needed to fix up the brake line, but instead of fixing it in town, or paying someone to put it on, he drove back up the mountain, still with no brakes, in order to cut down my mom's worrying time. Now he slid under the car to do the repair, keeping to his credo of never paying someone else to do something that he could do better himself. I wish I could tell you what state or national park this was, or the name of that road, but that information has faded from my memory. But any of us that have traveled in the mountain areas should be able to picture a road like this one, climbing through the forested mountainside, snaking in and out the carved-out path, up and up, passing through the dense forest, emerging from time to time to breathtaking vistas. What strikes me now is that the vivid memory I have is not of the destination--one of many campsites in one of many campgrounds--what I remember are my parents, the car, and, of course, the road itself. I can still see this road, though nameless in my childhood ignorance of such things, when I think about that day. I can feel the car move slowly forward, and see my mother's grip on the dashboard tighten every time the car slid outward on a hairpin curve that was a bit sharper than my dad had anticipated. I can hear the metal-on-metal screech when my dad would mash in the parking brake, then the heavy clunk as he pulled out the lever to disengage it. This is my earliest memory of an American Road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Austing Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 David: I have similar memories, only of my grandfather (mother's dad). We'd take two vacations a year; Dad would take my mother, my sister and I on a one week vacation camping, usually to Cave Mountain, VA (by Buena Vista) or to Keystone State Park, east of Pittsburgh, PA. Then, in August, Grandpa would take us, Grandma and my mother on a 1-2 week vacation, usually down US Hwy 25 into TN or NC. We were headed down Skyline Drive out of Front Royal, VA, when HIS brakes started going bad. Grandpa was of the old school, according to him, Grandma didn't know a thing about autos. The car started making noises from under the hood area, Grandma was telling him, "Why didn't you get it checked back in Front Royal?", they started bickering back and forth! My sister and I were about having fits in the back seat, giggling at the two of them. We stopped at a roadside rest to use the facilities and my grandmother stormed out of the car and started walking down Skyline Drive. I don't know where she thought she was going, but I can still remember her clomping down the road in her big brown brogans! It took Grandpa almost an hour to convince her to get back in the car! Another memory is of coming down the Uniontown Hill on US Hwy 40 in PA. For those of you who recall this area, you REALLY gain speed coming down the hill if you're not particularly careful! It's extremely easy to lose control of whatever you happen to be driving. That trip was my first experience in seeing the "runaway lanes" for truckers. Each trip we made down it usually resulted in seeing one or two wrecks and one or two (or more) 18 wheelers bogged down to their axles in the runaway lane. God, I miss the "old roads"! Today, in my job as Resident Damage Appraiser for Ohio Mutual Insurance Group out of Bucyrus, OH for SE Ohio, I still get to travel US 40, US 22 and most of the old state highways. We have some beautiful scenery in SE Ohio and it really brings back memories! Mike Austing New Philadelphia, OH -------Original Message------- From: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com Date: Monday, October 07, 2002 7:18:22 AM To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] A Road Story from my Childhood (A little long, but stay with me) An American Road Story Every year when I was in my early teens, my family would take a month- long vacation. We would travel from our Northern Indiana home in large circles, stopping off at state and national parks along the way. Our rig was a Buick Electra pulling a pop-up tent-trailer. The destinations were different each year: Florida, Yellowstone, Smokey Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Maine and New England. Before I get to the heart of the story about driving on a mountain road full of switchbacks and hairpin turns on the edge of cliffs--with no brakes-- I need to tell you a bit about my father. My father was born the year that the Titanic sank. He grew up on a farm near Joliet, IL and learned to drive in a Model T Ford when he was 10 years old. He related the story to me once that as a young boy he had seen the cars for sale in the newspaper. There was an address in the ad, so my father wrote a letter asking for a catalog of information. His name was Homer, same as my grandfather (different middle name, no not technically Homer Jr. and Homer Sr.) Much to his surprise, a few days after he mailed his letter, a man drove up to the family home in a shiny, brand-new Model T. The driver walked up to my grandfather and asked if he was Homer Clark. The elder Homer nodded, and the man said, "Well, Mr. Clark, here's the new car you ordered!" In the confused moments after that statement was made, my father's letter was produced. After my grandfather, not known as a gentle soul, invited the salesman to get the hell off the premises, he turned his attention to my dad. In his own way, the old man imparted to my father the lesson that you don't give your personal information to an automobile salesman if you're not in the market for a new car. So my father learned a painful lesson early on that may partially explain why he spent so many years dealing only with used cars. He also learned how to work on them. In the days before computerized cars, anybody with a little know-how, time to spare and a five dollar repair manual for your particular model could take care of their own vehicle. It was not unusual for my dad to buy two cars of the same type--one to drive, and one to harvest for spare parts. So, sometime in the late 1960s, we were on a family vacation in our 1960 Buick Electra, towing our trailer, as we headed up a two-lane mountain road to a campground in the higher elevation. There were 6 of us in the car: My father driving, my sister next to him, and my Mother on the passenger side in the front seat; I was in the middle seat in back between my two brothers. My mother noted that my father was taking a few of the turns at a speed that was a bit excessive. That's when my dad let us in on a little secret: for the past few miles, the brakes had been getting less and less effective. He surmised that we must have been leaking brake fluid. There was no shoulder to pull over onto, there was no way to turn the car around on the narrow road and head back to the nearest town. He had no choice but to press on. Though the logic of his position was undeniable, the sum of the facts was still enough to put my mom in a bit of a stir. She said something like "We've been driving without brakes and you didn't TELL ME?" as she grabbed the dashboard with both hands and started slamming the imaginary brake pedal she wished she had on the floor in front of her. Her imaginary brake was no more effective than my dad's real one. Our predicament was not all that dangerous, since we were heading mainly uphill, so dad kept the speed of the rig to a minimum and let gravity help slow us as needed. He also utilized the parking brake whenever things got a little dicey. We made our way up the mountain at a slow pace, causing some traffic to stack up behind us. More than one reckless soul passed us--clearly not a good idea on such a winding road. We made it to our campsite just in time to prevent permanent damage to my mother's psyche. But as soon as we got the trailer un-hitched from the car, my dad was crawling under and determined that a cracked hose was the cause of our trouble. He announced that he was driving back down the mountain to the nearest town to get a replacement part. Normally my dad was methodical, not impulsive, but he seemed to sense that his best move at this point was to just get in the car and go about the required business. This was going to be a much more dangerous task that driving uphill had been. He was going to have to rely much more on low gear and the mechanical parking brake, since now gravity would be working against him. So, off he went, leaving my mom to wonder why she hadn't packed any cooking wine. Though my dad was back in just over an hour, the minutes went by with the speed of a tree sloth being chased by a one-legged turtle. He had purchased the hose needed to fix up the brake line, but instead of fixing it in town, or paying someone to put it on, he drove back up the mountain, still with no brakes, in order to cut down my mom's worrying time. Now he slid under the car to do the repair, keeping to his credo of never paying someone else to do something that he could do better himself. I wish I could tell you what state or national park this was, or the name of that road, but that information has faded from my memory. But any of us that have traveled in the mountain areas should be able to picture a road like this one, climbing through the forested mountainside, snaking in and out the carved-out path, up and up, passing through the dense forest, emerging from time to time to breathtaking vistas. What strikes me now is that the vivid memory I have is not of the destination--one of many campsites in one of many campgrounds--what I remember are my parents, the car, and, of course, the road itself. I can still see this road, though nameless in my childhood ignorance of such things, when I think about that day. I can feel the car move slowly forward, and see my mother's grip on the dashboard tighten every time the car slid outward on a hairpin curve that was a bit sharper than my dad had anticipated. I can hear the metal-on-metal screech when my dad would mash in the parking brake, then the heavy clunk as he pulled out the lever to disengage it. This is my earliest memory of an American Road Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ADVERTISEMENT 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.com To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an email to: AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Frankovich Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 This magazine and group are truly great things. While we all have our favorite roads that mean so much to us, we can still appreciate and learn about other roads. I hope we can come together to help preserve all the great historic highways that criss cross our great country. I have already promoted the group to the two highway groups that I moderate (Highway99 and LincolnHighway). I added the link to the American_Road group on the links page of both groups. I hope that everyone will spread the word. I actually started the Lincoln Highway group because I wanted to learn more about the Lincoln Highway. Mike Frankovich Moderator Highway 99 group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/highway99 Moderator Lincoln Highway group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lincolnhighway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest roadmaven Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 Mike, Same here! I sent notes to both the Route 40 list and the Great Lakes Roads list (two great lists everyone should join!). We're already up to 49 members here at AR, so it won't be long before this is THE place to be! Pat...high above old US 31 on the 11th floor...in Indy --- In AMERICAN_ROAD@y..., "Mike Frankovich" <mfrankovich@y...> wrote: > I have already promoted the group to the two highway groups that I > moderate (Highway99 and LincolnHighway). I added the link to the > American_Road group on the links page of both groups. I hope that > everyone will spread the word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alex Burr Posted July 10, 2002 Report Share Posted July 10, 2002 In 1958 I found myself (1) with about a year to go on my hitch in the Navy, (2) stationed in Kingsville, TX and (3) had, what we thought was a very rare and desireable 96 hour liberty. Which leads to our story. One of the fellows I was stationed with had recently gone to New Hampshire and gotten married; however, the blushing bride was still in residence - in Portsmouth, NH. She was going to take the bus to Texas in the near future. Ok. Let's put this all together; 96 hour liberty, bride in NH, groom in TX and, to complete this little tale, I had at the time a 1956 Olds 88 2door hardtop - with a 1957 Olds 98 tri-power engine. Are you beginning to get a glimmer of what is to come. NOTE: Sailors, especially young ones, are not known for their sterling brillince, right!!!! Right. So our groom, Bill, and I, got 2 other great pretenders - one of whom lived in Hartford, the other in Newburyport, MA - and (here we put the ingredients together) we decided to drive to New England, pick up said blushing bride, and return to Texas!!!! Oh, sure!!!!!!!!! So we dug out road maps and started figuring - finally came up with a route as follows: US 77 Kingsville to Victoria, Rt 59 thru Houston to US 79 into Shreveport, US 80 over to Alabama where we picked up US 11 (running a mountain route thru TN and western VA, at night, at speeds in the neighborhood of 65 and 70 is NOT for the faint hearted - but then who said we were sane) to Harrisburg. Then it was US 22 to New York, the Merritt Parkway to Hartford where we dropped off our first passenger. We followed the Wilbur Cross (15) up to Sturbridge and US 20 to Route 1 into Newburyport, drop off great pretender #2 and on to Portsmouth to drop off the eager groom - and I went 30 miles north into Maine to say hi to the folks. I spent about 3 hours and then headed south to do the whole thing in reverse, picking up the others as we headed south. The fellow we dropped off in Newburyport had had his girl friend pick him up at a parking lot on the edge of town - when we picked him up she was, for some reason, smiling - must have been glad to see him. He told us later they never got out of the lot. But he wouldn't tell us why she was smiling!!!! Coming north we covered the route (around 2200 miles) in 47 hours, non-stop, except for gas and "pit stops". We got it down to a routine; one would fill the tank, 2 would make it for the mens room, and the 4th would find something that was quick and ready to eat. Then the sandwich man and the gas man would hit the rest room while the other two checked the tires, oil and belts, etc. We drove in 4 hour segments, with the relieved driver moving to the passenger seat and acting as navigator while the other two slept in back. If, like when we got to US 11, we had a long stretch then the navigator would catch a nap (back then we learned early on to grab sleep whenever we could - we could sleep thru hurricanes if we had to. On board aircraft carriers I've curled up on the deck next to a cartload of bombs and thought nothing of it.) Going back we covered pretty much the same route, except now we had 5 drivers - we made it back in 42 hours. I remember going west on US 80 at 1 in the morning - I was in the passenger seat, grabbing a nap and the blushing bride was driving. I woke up briefly, noted she was doing 85, and went back to sleep!!!!!! And remember - there weren't that many interstates in 1958. The big construction had barely begun. End of the story - not quite. Upon our arrival back in Kingsville, after placing the blushing bride in a motel until other arrangements could be made, we went back to the base to find somebody had goofed - we hadn't had a 96 hour pass. We were supposed to have had a 72!! Uh oh. It is a measure of the Chiefs we had back then that ours stood up before the skipper and told him it was his fault - he hadn't told us we only had a 72. So we got away with it - but not quite. In our training squadron we had approximately 110 F9F-8T's (these were the trainer type of F8F Cougars in use by the Navy at the time.) We were about to go merrily on our way figuring we got lucky this time. Uh uh, said the Chief - we ended up washing every loving one of those airplanes over the next couple of days!!!!!!!!! But, the Chief was right there washing planes with us - he said I screwed up not telling you, so it's partly my fault. I'm here to tell you - that is LEADERSHIP - and that's a man you'd follow into hell and back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dinermuseum Posted July 11, 2002 Report Share Posted July 11, 2002 Here is the link to the upcoming Diner Lecture & Tour "Diners of the Blackstone Valley" from Providence, Rhode Island to Worcester, Massachusetts. Enjoy some of New England's finest diners and diner food. http://www.americandinermuseum.org/events.html ** EVENT UPDATE: Besides joining us on the tour, Author Gary Thomas will be available following the lecture to discuss and sign copies of his new book "Diners of the North Shore". Detailing the history of Diners on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Gary is a founding member of the American Diner Museum and an antique and diner restoration specialist, he has aided in the removal and preservation of numerous diners in the northeastern United States. Mr. Thomas is the Roadside Curator of the Walker Transportation Collection at the Beverly Historical Society. American Diner Museum www.americandinermuseum.org 401-723-4342 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tesg Posted July 11, 2002 Report Share Posted July 11, 2002 ...And I just joined your 99 group as a result of your promoting it here. I do the website for the 99W Drive-In in Newberg (and all of the Newberg theatres), and we have a showtimes list Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/99w/ for those in the Pacific Northwest. (I'm a Portland native, but actually live in Iowa about 30 miles south of the LIncoln Highway now.) tesg ------ NEWBERG Movies Online http://www.99w.com tesg's DRIVE-IN PICTURE SHOW http://www.99w.com/pictureshow tesg's LAME PERSONAL WEBSITE http://www.99w.com/evilsam ------ > -----Original Message----- > From: Mike Frankovich [mailto:mfrankovich@yahoo.com] > Sent: Monday, October 07, 2002 11:43 AM > To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Talkin' bout that American Road > > > I have already promoted the group to the two highway groups that I > moderate (Highway99 and LincolnHighway). I added the link to the > American_Road group on the links page of both groups. I hope that > everyone will spread the word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Gassmann Posted October 10, 2002 Report Share Posted October 10, 2002 Hey Gang, I'm heading to Dubuque, Iowa for the Tri-State (IL, IA, WI) Main Street Program conference the first week of November. My first thoughts are to visit the World's Largest Strawberry and the Field(s) of Dreams in Iowa, and I was also wondering if that giant ice cream cone building is still in Peoria, IL... or am I thinking of someplace else...? Any other roadside suggestions? T'anks, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest roadmaven Posted November 12, 2002 Report Share Posted November 12, 2002 It was on this day 76 years ago the Federal highway numbering system was adopted. Take a look at Robert Droz' excellent highway website to see if your favorite 2-lane slab was "born" in 1926: http://www.us-highways.com Regards, Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest roadmaven Posted November 12, 2002 Report Share Posted November 12, 2002 Greetings from snowy Indiana! I just wanted to pass along a little nugget of info to keep in mind. The original 119 foot long manuscript of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" will soon begin a 5 year tour to various libraries throughout the country. I'll be sure to "check it out" when it comes to IU-Bloomington next month, so I'll do my best to take some pics and post them to the list. Here's more info: http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/4/0...4-2974-092.html Pat in Indy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Ross Posted December 13, 2002 Report Share Posted December 13, 2002 Pat, Thanks for the info. about Kerouac's manuscript. I would love to see it. I've always been amazed at how fast he wrote that book. Now, if I can just find writers like that . . . ;-) Jim R. ----- Original Message ----- From: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 9:02 AM Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number 23 > 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.com > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an email to: > AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > There is 1 message in this issue. > > Topics in this digest: > > 1. On the Road > From: "roadmaven <>" <roadmaven@aol.com> > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > ________________________________________________________________________ > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 12:59:43 -0000 > From: "roadmaven <>" <roadmaven@aol.com> > Subject: On the Road > > Greetings from snowy Indiana! I just wanted to pass along a little > nugget of info to keep in mind. The original 119 foot long manuscript > of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" will soon begin a 5 year tour to > various libraries throughout the country. I'll be sure to "check it > out" when it comes to IU-Bloomington next month, so I'll do my best > to take some pics and post them to the list. Here's more info: > http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/4/0...4-2974-092.html > > Pat in Indy > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alex Burr Posted December 13, 2002 Report Share Posted December 13, 2002 If anybody is interested in reading "On The Road" there are usually copies up for bid on ebay - there is one due to go off shortly that was around $3 the last time I looked. Hudsonly, Alex B --- Jim Ross <pathfinder66@earthlink.net> wrote: > Pat, > Thanks for the info. about Kerouac's > manuscript. I would love to see it. > I've always been amazed at how fast he wrote > that book. Now, if I can just > find writers like that . . . ;-) > > Jim R. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> > To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 9:02 AM > Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number 23 > > > > 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.com > > > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an email > to: > > AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > There is 1 message in this issue. > > > > Topics in this digest: > > > > 1. On the Road > > From: "roadmaven > <>" <roadmaven@aol.com> > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > > Message: 1 > > Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 12:59:43 -0000 > > From: "roadmaven <roadmaven@aol.com>" > <roadmaven@aol.com> > > Subject: On the Road > > > > Greetings from snowy Indiana! I just wanted > to pass along a little > > nugget of info to keep in mind. The original > 119 foot long manuscript > > of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" will soon > begin a 5 year tour to > > various libraries throughout the country. > I'll be sure to "check it > > out" when it comes to IU-Bloomington next > month, so I'll do my best > > to take some pics and post them to the list. > Here's more info: > > > http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/4/0...4-2974-092.html > > > > Pat in Indy > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > 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.com > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an email > to: > AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > ===== "We has met the enemy, and he is us" - Pogo Possum __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Frank Brusca Posted December 13, 2002 Report Share Posted December 13, 2002 Kerouac wrote that version of OTR in a drug-induced frenzy. They don't call it speed for nothing. I think it was his eighth attempt at writing the book. He took a few more stabs at the story after the "scroll" including the posthumously published Visions of Cody. I can't wait to see it myself. Some people claim it was a real teletype scroll, other say it is just typing paper scotch taped together. Frank Brusca -----Original Message----- From: Jim Ross [mailto:pathfinder66@earthlink.net] Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 7:36 PM To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number 23 Pat, Thanks for the info. about Kerouac's manuscript. I would love to see it. I've always been amazed at how fast he wrote that book. Now, if I can just find writers like that . . . ;-) Jim R. ----- Original Message ----- From: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 9:02 AM Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number 23 > 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.com > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an email to: > AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > There is 1 message in this issue. > > Topics in this digest: > > 1. On the Road > From: "roadmaven <>" <roadmaven@aol.com> > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > ________________________________________________________________________ > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 12:59:43 -0000 > From: "roadmaven <>" <roadmaven@aol.com> > Subject: On the Road > > Greetings from snowy Indiana! I just wanted to pass along a little > nugget of info to keep in mind. The original 119 foot long manuscript > of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" will soon begin a 5 year tour to > various libraries throughout the country. I'll be sure to "check it > out" when it comes to IU-Bloomington next month, so I'll do my best > to take some pics and post them to the list. Here's more info: > http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/4/0...4-2974-092.html > > Pat in Indy > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > 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.com To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an email to: AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mockturtlepress <americanroad@mo Posted January 2, 2003 Report Share Posted January 2, 2003 Greetings to All: I have been pleased to see this AMERICAN ROAD group growing more active over the past few weeks. In fact, it has kept me inspired as we put the finishing touches on our first issue. As to the mention of Keeler's Korner; yes, we do have some information about that. Keeler's Korner remains for sale. The asking price is $1,700,000. A historical site, to be sure. There are still hopes that someone interested in preserving the building will step up the to plate—and put in an offer. Currently, the highway in front of the station is undergoing roadwork that extends northward to the Court of Monte Cristo and beyond. I feel I should address comments noting highways themselves often take a back seat to the roadside's colorful icons. AMERICAN ROAD will not champion one "side" over the other. We are just as interested in the roads themselves as we are interested in their ornaments. Keeler's Korner is a good example, as moving through space and time down the Pacific Highway in 1927 would have found Keeler's Korner taking its place as part of the experience. Here in the Northwest we are blessed with a good share of classic highways (including two very different alignments of the Yellowstone Trail and a nice portion of the National Park to Park Highway). However, we are losing highway icons left and right. This is a national epidemic. Hopefully, AMERICAN ROAD will raise awareness. In a short time, I will be posting an official welcome to our starting line-up of Contributing Editors and Consultants for AMERICAN ROAD. Yes, I know it is common knowledge that Michael Wallis stands with us. But our goal has always been to build a network that is national in scope. I believe we are off to a fine start. As evidence, I would like to welcome one of our Contributing Editors now—simply because I see he has found his way to this list: Frank Brusca, whose in-depth research will grace the AMERICAN ROAD department we call "Our National Road." Welcome, Frank! Thomas Repp Executive Editor American Road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest drivewdave@aol.com Posted January 2, 2003 Report Share Posted January 2, 2003 Thomas, thanks for the update on Keelers Korner. Let's hope that it will still be around for road fans of the future. The old buildings are the only intact visual link with the past as the pavement itself undergoes transformation which is almost always the case. Here is what I am trying to get at with the idea that highways take a back seat to roadside icons. I dearly love the landmarks we see on our roads and I always have. I have always had a love for the roads themselves too. In a sense you cannot separate the roadside from the road, they are all of a continuum. When I go take a spin through a book whose subject is a highway (typically Rte 66) I don't see very many pictures of what the view looks like on the road from behind the wheel. There are many intriquing road features have little or nothing to do with the roadside. Roadside culture can be a catagory unto itself with the highway just the way to get from one hotspot to the next. The highways are fascinating enough on their own, just look at all the car commercials on TV showing desert and mounain roads and of course a fast car. And there is another point, almost ironic in a way. The best way to have an authentic vintage driving experience is to get on a section of road that never had commercial development, out in the open country in other words. The manmade roadside continually remakes itself but the landscape is slower to change. I expect Frank is well aware of this with his (Stewart's) US 40 update project. Here is one of my favorite examples. The Tacoma-Bremerton highway was completed in 1927. Motorists took the ferry from Titlow Beach at the foot of 6th Ave. across The Narrows to Point Fosdick and then drove north through Gig Harbor to Purdy and Port Orchard over the latest in pavement technology, a 20 foot double slab of cement concrete. This road from Point Fosdick to Olympic Village was rendered obsolete by The Tacoma Narrows Bridge and it survives in its original form, no AC overlay, no widening, and up until a few years ago it was still posted at 50 mph, the original design speed. Nowdays the limit is 40 mph and you see a lot more traffic on it (lots of SUVs) but when you drive around the bends and through the trees there is very little to remind you what year it is. There are a few more houses and the gas station/store at the junction with the Wollochet Bay Rd is all modern and the third growth trees are taller and there has been some slumping of the fill where the roadbed crosses ravines making for a few bumps and patches but other than that you are essentially driving a 1927 highway and a damn good one too, fast and smooth with banked curves. No matter how many times I drive it I am still amazed that such a fine road has served for 75 years without any need for improvement, I was amazed 25 years ago when it was only 50 years old. The segments north of Olympic Village to Gig Harbor and beyond were repaved two decades ago but the Point Fosdick road survived on account of its low traffic volume. I am hard put to think of other locations where you can still drive on several miles of 1920s 'high type' pavement. The great pleasure I get from that road is almost entirely of the road itself thanks to some now dead forward thinking highway engineers and politicians. I would like to think that you could have a similar experience in other parts of the country where old concrete was bypassed but is still in service in original condition. Here in western Washington most of the old concrete is covered over. This makes the Point Fosdick road even more special. Here is another example, about fifteen years ago I drove my folks over Chinook Pass to Naches intending to return to Tacoma over I-90, most people would go into Yakima and either take the old Yakima Canyon highway or the new freeway up over the hill to Ellensburg, I have not yet been on that freeway but the views are said to be spectacular; I hear some of the truckers still prefer the canyon route for its easy grade. However on this trip I headed north from Naches through Wenas over Manastash Ridge on a graded 'improved' dirt road, not even gravel, some washboard but not bad, 30 or 40 mph mostly. Sure it was dusty but we only met a few cars. A few years later I came across an old strip map and learned that the Wenas road was the main route between Yakima and Ellensburg before the canyon road US 97 was built, it has a nice fat line on the map. So it turned out that I had an early style driving experience without really knowing it. The only difference is that they might be grading the road a little wider and there may have been gradual improvements with slight realignments but essentially I was driving the old old Yakima-Ellensburg highway in its original form. The countryside is entirely deserted consisting of rangeland and scrub brush, very few trees and no culture. That's not entirely true, there was a little sign for the turnoff to the U of W astronomical observatory. I have a postcard showing US 97 through the canyon with a nice modern concrete bridge but no pavement yet, late 20s. When they paved it they did it right, cement conrete, now no longer visible due to AC overlay. North of Cle Elum there is a former segment of US 97 that is well known to road enthusiasts and even the general public from occasional mentionings in newspapers and magazines, the 'old' Blewett Pass highway. I have a postcard showing the Summit Inn which was a log building but there were no buildings up there 25 years ago, they were already gone. They call it the 'old' Blewett Pass Highway since the new highway over Swauk Pass is still called the Blewett Pass Highway. When you are up on the mountain it might as well be some other indeterminate year depending on what you happen to be driving and what tunes you are listening to. It's on USFS land so development (and maintainance) is minimal. The last time I was there I was driving a Volvo 544, the old fastback like a shrunk1946-8 Ford. Early freeways are getting to be antique too, there is talk of historic preservation status for the 1939 Arroyo Seco Parkway from Pasadena to Los Angeles. Here in Seattle the Alaska Way Viaduct and the accompanying Battery Street Tunnel are pretty much unchanged since they were built in 1951 (with one onramp so short that drivers freeze on it routinely.) There is a federal US 99 shield overhead on the southbound 1st Ave ramp that is leftover from the 1960s when desdesignation occured, it's a favorite with the roadies who are into signage. Even I-5 through Seattle is getting old, though it was not finished until the 60s it was designed in the 50s and when you drive it you can sense that from the archaic converging and diverging lanes and from some of the bridge design details. I say this because I see a lot of rapture over the old two lane roads and how you have to get off of the interstate. It ain't necessarily so, there are plenty of locations on the interstate system that are just plain spectacular. Even flat parts of the interstate can have their attractions despite popular opinion to the contrary. Take for example some pictures of abandoned freeway exits in Louisiana, they sure do look mysterious...I ran across them on a now forgotten website. And what about the thousands of miles of four lane and early divided highway that predate the interstate. You cannot write them off just because they are not two lane, in fact some of them are real favorites. It's kind of a spooky thing to run across an abandoned stretch of four lane, it's just kind of funny how big and empty it is and there is a real sense of lost former glory, moreso than with the typical unused two lane. It has to do with the scale I think. A four lane road downsized to two lanes can have a similar feeling. It's kind of like two lane roads good-interstate bad. If you are a professional driver you might have more to say about this. A big reason we can enjoy the old two lane roads is because the interstates took a lot of the pressure off of them. And consider the part of your commute where you are sitting in traffic and think of how this was the typical metropolitan driving experience before freeways. I keep reading about how interstates are boring, if I lived somewhere else that might be more true but here in Washington that is not the case at all, there is plenty to see. So if the road proper takes a back seat to the roadside much of the time, it would seem that the freeways are stuck back there strapped in a babyseat until they get older. One of the colorful Route 66 books mentions how at times local vehicles on a sideroad would have to wait as much as a half an hour to enter or cross the stream of traffic on 66. Being stuck behind a truck on a long hill was also no fun. This suggests that those good old days we like to think we are getting a glimpse of were not always so rosy and innocent. I will wind down with an idea that came to me some years back when I-5 from Tacoma to Seattle was widened from six lanes to eight. Not far away was four-lane US 99 from 1927 and a few miles away was the two-lane pre WWI Pacific Highway. One time when driving old 99 it occurred to me that what had happened was they doubled the Pacific Highway, two lanes in each direction. Then one day on I-5 the idea occurred that I was looking at the equivalent of two US 99 highways, they doubled it again. This somehow gave me a new appreciation of the freeway. There is a huge ninety degree bend on both 99 and I-5 east of Fife. The freeway lanes are banked separately of course but what is interesting is the four US 99 lanes are treated as two separate roads, in other words the four lanes do not bank continuosly from the inside to the outside but from the inside to the center, then a flat three foot paved median and another bank from the center to the outside, this really gave me the sense of two two-lane roadways. Early photos show the three foot median was unpaved at first which means it literally was two two-lane roads. Of course that is what much of our interstate system is, two two-lane roads with a good sized median, US 99 with its narrow three foot median is effectively a four-lane road except now in many places it is a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane and wide shoulders, the early four-lane road is scarcer. I think I heard tell there are freeways in LA that are 16 lanes wide, hard to believe... Robert Heinlein postulated a future where the transcontinental highways are five miles wide in each direction...the inside lanes are for cars doing five hundred mph and of course you don't drive, you are on autodrive. If there is a wreck a big patrol vehicle comes along and scoops it up into it's belly. It is said that LA is where you can see the future, in that case let's hope they do the right thing by the Arroyo Seco Parkway. In the meantime, Happy Motoring, Dave just got news of the space shuttle reentry breakup, a sad day for US transportation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alex Burr Posted January 2, 2003 Report Share Posted January 2, 2003 I have a couple of photos I took last Sept of the Missouri/Arkansas arch - when I remember where I put them, I'll post them somewhere and let everybody know. Hudsonly, Alex B --- Rudyard Welborn <r.welborn@worldnet.att.net> wrote: > My alternative highway to Route 66 is U.S. 61, > ramblin from (now) Wyoming MN to > Louisiana...the arch at the Missouri Arkansas > border is something to behold and if I had a > computer that could put the pic on line I would > do so! It was built in 1925 prior to the > certification of 61 by the Mississippi County > AR highway department...if you can get a hold > of, of all people, the Liquor Control Board for > the state of Missouri, they did an article on > it...more later on this...Kip > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Rudyard Welborn > To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 7:12 PM > Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number 39 > > > i didnt know there was a group to join till a > couple of days ago---wexcellent; and in time > for kent and mary sue sanderson's sweetheart > cruise down us 40! tsingdao aqnd excellent > travels down ALL the old highways...kip, quinn > and natalie kay > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Jim Ross > To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 7:27 PM > Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number > 39 > > > Welcome Nicole! Good to have you on board > at American Road. I think all of > us are going to learn a lot about our > country's great vintage highways as > time goes by. Feel free to contribute > anytime about any highway. > > Jim R. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> > To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2003 4:31 AM > Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number 39 > > > > 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.com > > > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an > email to: > > AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > There is 1 message in this issue. > > > > Topics in this digest: > > > > 1. Hi all! > > From: "Nicole > <arizona66nms@yahoo.com>" > <arizona66nms@yahoo.com> > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > > Message: 1 > > Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 19:28:06 -0000 > > From: "Nicole > <arizona66nms@yahoo.com>" > <arizona66nms@yahoo.com> > > Subject: Hi all! > > > > Hi guys! > > > > I finally joined! Glad to be a part of > another "roadie" group.....it > > will be interesting to learn about all > the other great road trippin > > roads there are out there. Route 66 will > always have my heart....but > > there really is so much more to explore > out there. > > > > Thanks for the sending the info on how to > join Pat! > > > > Nicole > > > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > ADVERTISEMENT > > > > > 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.com > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an > email to: > AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the > Yahoo! Terms of Service. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > ADVERTISEMENT > > > > > 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.com > === message truncated === ===== "We has met the enemy, and he is us" - Pogo Possum __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rudyard Welborn Posted January 2, 2003 Report Share Posted January 2, 2003 If you could I would appreciate it...someday I will get a computer that can do that...if anybody else knows of any arches across our blue highways, let us know! Kip Welborn ----- Original Message ----- From: Alex Burr To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, February 01, 2003 7:38 AM Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number 39 I have a couple of photos I took last Sept of the Missouri/Arkansas arch - when I remember where I put them, I'll post them somewhere and let everybody know. Hudsonly, Alex B --- Rudyard Welborn <r.welborn@worldnet.att.net> wrote: > My alternative highway to Route 66 is U.S. 61, > ramblin from (now) Wyoming MN to > Louisiana...the arch at the Missouri Arkansas > border is something to behold and if I had a > computer that could put the pic on line I would > do so! It was built in 1925 prior to the > certification of 61 by the Mississippi County > AR highway department...if you can get a hold > of, of all people, the Liquor Control Board for > the state of Missouri, they did an article on > it...more later on this...Kip > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Rudyard Welborn > To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 7:12 PM > Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number 39 > > > i didnt know there was a group to join till a > couple of days ago---wexcellent; and in time > for kent and mary sue sanderson's sweetheart > cruise down us 40! tsingdao aqnd excellent > travels down ALL the old highways...kip, quinn > and natalie kay > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Jim Ross > To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 7:27 PM > Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number > 39 > > > Welcome Nicole! Good to have you on board > at American Road. I think all of > us are going to learn a lot about our > country's great vintage highways as > time goes by. Feel free to contribute > anytime about any highway. > > Jim R. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> > To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2003 4:31 AM > Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Digest Number 39 > > > > 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.com > > > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an > email to: > > AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > There is 1 message in this issue. > > > > Topics in this digest: > > > > 1. Hi all! > > From: "Nicole > <arizona66nms@yahoo.com>" > <arizona66nms@yahoo.com> > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > > Message: 1 > > Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 19:28:06 -0000 > > From: "Nicole > <arizona66nms@yahoo.com>" > <arizona66nms@yahoo.com> > > Subject: Hi all! > > > > Hi guys! > > > > I finally joined! Glad to be a part of > another "roadie" group.....it > > will be interesting to learn about all > the other great road trippin > > roads there are out there. Route 66 will > always have my heart....but > > there really is so much more to explore > out there. > > > > Thanks for the sending the info on how to > join Pat! > > > > Nicole > > > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > ADVERTISEMENT > > > > > 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.com > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an > email to: > AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the > Yahoo! Terms of Service. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > ADVERTISEMENT > > > > > 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.com > === message truncated === ===== "We has met the enemy, and he is us" - Pogo Possum __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ADVERTISEMENT 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.com To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an email to: AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anthony Poole Posted January 3, 2003 Report Share Posted January 3, 2003 Not sure if anyone here had seen this one-here's the link: http://money.cnn.com/2002/05/13/pf/saving/...s_route_66/inde x.htm Anything being planned for 2006 on Route 66? I'm curious to see if anything will happen for the 80th anniversary-I'm looking at doing Thunder again that year as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Ward Posted January 4, 2003 Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 Here's a link to an interesting article in the April Road and Track that talks about Route 66, American roads and road maps. http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?se...;article_id=503 Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Denny Gibson Posted January 6, 2003 Report Share Posted January 6, 2003 On June 30th, the Corvette turns 50 and that fact is being celebrated by General Motors in Nashville and by the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. In addition, the museum has taken the lead in again organizing a nationwide network of caravans. Of course, many of you already know that and some of you will be participating in these events yourselves. When the National Corvette Museum celebrated its fifth anniversary in 1999, I made it to the party by following a group from Southern California. That was so much fun that, at the risk of appearing to be unimaginative, I'm going to try the same thing in 2003. Of course, before I can follow those Californians to Tennessee and Kentucky, I have to get to LA and, like 1999, I'll be doing that on Route 66. The schedule calls for leaving Chicago around June 14th with eight days to go through St. Louie, Joplin, Missouri, Oklahoma City, and several other fine places. The Southern California Caravan (SoCalCar, naturally.) will depart California Speedway in Fontana at 8:30 on June 22nd. Traveling east will be much better organized than the west bound journey (won't take much) and will be less leisurely. Five days are allotted with overnights in Flagstaff, Tucumcari, Oklahoma City, & Little Rock. I'll also be doing another thing that started with that 1999 trip - posting daily (or something similar) progress reports at http://www.dennygibson.com/rt66in03 and I've added a forum this time just for something different. Drop by from time to time to see how it is going. If you're part of the caravan, maybe we will meet somewhere between LA & BG. Denny Gibson Cincinnati, OH Carmine & Oak, 1998 Roadster (DG 405) NCM #4580 Eastgate Corvette Club C5R #W0407 (ret.) eMail:RoadTrip@DennyGibson.com Web:www.DennyGibson.com I have sent this announcement to everyone in my address book that I thought might be interested including a couple of groups & lists to which I belong. If you have no such interest, please accept my apologies and hit delete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rudyard Welborn Posted January 7, 2003 Report Share Posted January 7, 2003 In regard to 61 from Memphis north, it was what is now SR 77 from West Memphis (4-5 miles from Memphis) up to the intersection of US 63 and 61 approx 26 miles North of Memphis (you get to go through Jericho if you go this way; we came across a herd of baby pigs crossing the highway there one time)...you can then take US 61 North from there to the Missouri Border...US 61 doesnt rejoin the Interstate till you are north of Steele, MO (approx 9 miles north of the Mo Ark border)...Tsingtao. Kip ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Carnachan" <robcarn@msn.com> To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 3:05 PM Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: Favorite drives > Allen, > > I drove U.S. 61 from LaCrosse, WI to New Orleans in 1996 and thoroughly > enjoyed the trip. My favorite sections included the stretch from Davenport, > IA south to Hannibal, MO; the section south of Crystal City, MO that follows > the Mississippi River; and, of course, the drive through the Mississippi > Delta country (with Robert Johnson on my stereo). Although I did it on a > different trip, the section from LaCrosse north to Hastings, MN is fantastic > as well. > > One thing to note, back in '96 when I did my trip, Iowa was in the process > of building a new 4-lane expressway for 61 in the Maquoketa area and south > to the Quad Cities. I drove the old alignment but this is now surely > bypassed. You might look for some older road maps of Iowa to follow the old > route, which is now probably signed as a county road. Same thing in > southern Mississippi south of Natchez -- except there, the new 4-lane > appeared to be following the old alignment and may have incorporated it. > They were just in the grading stages at that time so I'm not sure what it > looks like now. > > A few other notes: > > - The "historic" southern terminus of 61 is at the intersection of Broad and > Canal in New Orleans (not the current one at Tulane and Broad) -- this was > shifted sometime in the 60s I think > - US 65 used to be signed along 61 from Natchez all the way to New Orleans, > as did US 51 from LaPlace, LA to New Orleans > - The original alignment of 61 through Baton Rouge follows Government Street > into downtown and Scenic Highway north from downtown > - 61 disappears under I-55 from the Memphis river crossing north into > Arkansas -- the old road was buried and there are no signs to guide you, > though the old road might exist as the north/east side frontage road in > places (I haven't researched this fully yet); rejoin the old road where I-55 > curves to the northeast > - 61 took some different routes through St. Louis in the earlier years; I > believe the original alignment linked with US 66 through downtown, then > followed the original US 40 west to Wentzville -- I'm certain that the 2nd > alignment continued on Lindbergh to the original US 40 at St. Charles Rock > Road instead of turning west on the I-64 freeway as it does today > - I think the old road from Wentzville north to the Hannibal area can still > be driven and is east of the current 4-lane expressway; not sure on where it > is as I haven't researched this yet > - I'm pretty sure that the old highway can be driven in its entirety from > St. Paul north to Duluth, MN and that most of it is signed as county route > 61 > > Have a great trip! > > Cheers, > Rob Carnachan > > > >From: "airfrogusmc" <abphoto7@attbi.com> > >Reply-To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > >To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > >Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: Favorite drives > >Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 19:53:28 -0000 > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail > > > > > > > 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.com > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an email to: > AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > To POST a message via e-mail, send it to: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rudyard Welborn Posted January 7, 2003 Report Share Posted January 7, 2003 As far as 61 through St. Louis goes: by 1933, twould appear that 61 was following Grand Ave up to Forest Park ave...it then jogged to the NW following Vandeventer, then Lindell, then Union, then Page, then Pennsylvania and Finally intersecting with US 40 at St. Chas Rock Road...After 1935, it followed Lindbergh to St. Charles Rock Road...the South Grand neighborhood (which would have been on the 33 alignment), between Arsenal and Gravois, is one of the coolest multiethnic neighborhoods in St. Louis and is worthy of a visit, especially if you like Thai or Vietnamese food--there is also the South City Diner which serves up a pretty good breakfast.... 61 is 61 till just north of the twin cities in MN, then it is, I believe, SR 361 to Duluth, where it becomes SR 61 from Duluth, along the North Shore, to Thunder Bay...want a reason to take the whole route? the North Shore drive is one of the coolest drives you will ever take! That is all I have to offer; thank you for giving me the opportunity to yak about 61...tsingtao, Kip Welborn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Carnachan" <robcarn@msn.com> To: <AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 3:05 PM Subject: Re: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: Favorite drives > Allen, > > I drove U.S. 61 from LaCrosse, WI to New Orleans in 1996 and thoroughly > enjoyed the trip. My favorite sections included the stretch from Davenport, > IA south to Hannibal, MO; the section south of Crystal City, MO that follows > the Mississippi River; and, of course, the drive through the Mississippi > Delta country (with Robert Johnson on my stereo). Although I did it on a > different trip, the section from LaCrosse north to Hastings, MN is fantastic > as well. > > One thing to note, back in '96 when I did my trip, Iowa was in the process > of building a new 4-lane expressway for 61 in the Maquoketa area and south > to the Quad Cities. I drove the old alignment but this is now surely > bypassed. You might look for some older road maps of Iowa to follow the old > route, which is now probably signed as a county road. Same thing in > southern Mississippi south of Natchez -- except there, the new 4-lane > appeared to be following the old alignment and may have incorporated it. > They were just in the grading stages at that time so I'm not sure what it > looks like now. > > A few other notes: > > - The "historic" southern terminus of 61 is at the intersection of Broad and > Canal in New Orleans (not the current one at Tulane and Broad) -- this was > shifted sometime in the 60s I think > - US 65 used to be signed along 61 from Natchez all the way to New Orleans, > as did US 51 from LaPlace, LA to New Orleans > - The original alignment of 61 through Baton Rouge follows Government Street > into downtown and Scenic Highway north from downtown > - 61 disappears under I-55 from the Memphis river crossing north into > Arkansas -- the old road was buried and there are no signs to guide you, > though the old road might exist as the north/east side frontage road in > places (I haven't researched this fully yet); rejoin the old road where I-55 > curves to the northeast > - 61 took some different routes through St. Louis in the earlier years; I > believe the original alignment linked with US 66 through downtown, then > followed the original US 40 west to Wentzville -- I'm certain that the 2nd > alignment continued on Lindbergh to the original US 40 at St. Charles Rock > Road instead of turning west on the I-64 freeway as it does today > - I think the old road from Wentzville north to the Hannibal area can still > be driven and is east of the current 4-lane expressway; not sure on where it > is as I haven't researched this yet > - I'm pretty sure that the old highway can be driven in its entirety from > St. Paul north to Duluth, MN and that most of it is signed as county route > 61 > > Have a great trip! > > Cheers, > Rob Carnachan > > > >From: "airfrogusmc" <abphoto7@attbi.com> > >Reply-To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > >To: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > >Subject: [AMERICAN_ROAD] Re: Favorite drives > >Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 19:53:28 -0000 > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail > > > > > > > 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.com > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this group, send an email to: > AMERICAN_ROAD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > To POST a message via e-mail, send it to: AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest brownwho63 Posted January 7, 2003 Report Share Posted January 7, 2003 --- In AMERICAN_ROAD@yahoogroups.com, "Rob Carnachan" <robcarn@m...> wrote: > > - I think the old road from Wentzville north to the Hannibal area can still > be driven and is east of the current 4-lane expressway; not sure on where it > is as I haven't researched this yet > Old 61 between Wentzville and Hannibal exists in only a few short alignments. There is one just north of Troy that runs for a couple of miles and then returns to the 4 lane. North of Bowling Green there are a couple of short shots as well, including a nice drive through Palmyra. Alex mentioned the drive you can pick up just south of LaGrange and it's really worthwhile. Runs north all the way through Canton (MO) to a few miles south of Keokuk, IA where you have to rejoin the 4 lane. Nice river road drive. Old 61 south of St. Louis is lengthy and runs all the way to Jackson, then through Cape Girardeau, then back to the 2 lane all the way south to Portageville, another lengthy cruise on the 2 laner. Rejoin a few miles south again at Haiti and run to the grand MO - AR 1920's arch. Kip is the expert on MO 61, though, and led several of us roadies on a cruise to that part of the country last year. Still Cruisin', Bliss > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail > > > Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rob Carnachan Posted January 8, 2003 Report Share Posted January 8, 2003 Kip, Thanks for the corrections regarding U.S. 61. I was working only from memory as I didn't have any of my maps in front of me. Looking at the historic topos of the route north of Memphis, I see what I did wrong back in '96 -- heading south on 61 past Meneshea, AR, I followed the modern road where it bends west over to the I-55/US 63 interchange instead of continuing straight on the old alignment next to the RR tracks through Stacy to Turrell and the merge into current SR 77. I ended up at the 55/63 interchange and just assumed that the old road had been buried by the interstate from there to the Mississippi River bridge. Now I'll have to go back and do that section all over again!! Which is OK as I also know I missed a section of original US 51 between Carbondale and Cairo, IL that same year when I drove the entire length of US 51. Cheers, Rob Carnachan _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest roadmaven@aol.com Posted January 8, 2003 Report Share Posted January 8, 2003 Evening folks! While preparing for this weekend's trip to the Bluegrass State, I was doing some surfing for the Wigwam Village Motel in Cave City. As you know, when you're surfing, you'll come across some interesting websites. I found a couple here that are essential for any roadgeek. Enjoy! <A HREF="http://www.eccentricamerica.net/index.cfm">EccentricAmerica.net</A> <A HREF="http://www.agilitynut.com/roadside.html">Roadside Architecture</A> Pat in Speedway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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