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

Welcome - Please Introduce Yourself!


Jennifer
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I was lucky enough to spend a lot of my childhood on the road - my parents both being travel-addicts. We traveled all over the East Coast (from Quebec to Miami), the Midwest, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, and California. In addition, we've gone on lots of road trips all over the world - from Ireland to Thailand to South Africa. I love traveling - there is nothing quite like it. I consider the road a better school than any the U.S. offers.

 

This forum amazes me with the number of like-minded folks who have an incredible amount of knowledge of specific routes, roads, and byways - I have so much to learn! My road trip planning website is all about my passion for road trips and I plan on taking lots of trips and reporting back. My all-time favorite road so far is Rte 1 up the California coast between Cambria and Monterey - particularly in the Big Sur area.

 

Happy Trails :)

Tara

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I was lucky enough to spend a lot of my childhood on the road - my parents both being travel-addicts. We traveled all over the East Coast (from Quebec to Miami), the Midwest, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, and California. In addition, we've gone on lots of road trips all over the world - from Ireland to Thailand to South Africa. I love traveling - there is nothing quite like it. I consider the road a better school than any the U.S. offers.

 

Welcome Tara,

It sounds like you will be a great asset to our little band or road addicts here. I look forward to hearing your input added to the many other knowledgeable members here. Thanks for joining!

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I was lucky enough to spend a lot of my childhood on the road - my parents both being travel-addicts. We traveled all over the East Coast (from Quebec to Miami), the Midwest, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, and California. In addition, we've gone on lots of road trips all over the world - from Ireland to Thailand to South Africa. I love traveling - there is nothing quite like it. I consider the road a better school than any the U.S. offers.

 

This forum amazes me with the number of like-minded folks who have an incredible amount of knowledge of specific routes, roads, and byways - I have so much to learn! My road trip planning website is all about my passion for road trips and I plan on taking lots of trips and reporting back. My all-time favorite road so far is Rte 1 up the California coast between Cambria and Monterey - particularly in the Big Sur area.

 

Happy Trails :)

Tara

 

Tara,

 

Welcome!

 

I visited your well done web site. I hope it is a great success! Anyone promoting road trips is my kind of “infopreneur.” Do you plan to offer “custom” trip planning?

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

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Tara,

 

Welcome!

 

I visited your well done web site. I hope it is a great success! Anyone promoting road trips is my kind of “infopreneur.” Do you plan to offer “custom” trip planning?

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Thanks, Dave, and everyone else for your warm welcome. :happyguy:

 

Dave - custom trip planning is a great idea! Road trip maps showing recommended routes seem to be the order of the day as well. I need to find a good tool to create these for people, so if you hear of anything, I'd love it if you'd let me know. :D

 

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Thanks, Dave, and everyone else for your warm welcome. :happyguy:

 

Dave - custom trip planning is a great idea! Road trip maps showing recommended routes seem to be the order of the day as well. I need to find a good tool to create these for people, so if you hear of anything, I'd love it if you'd let me know. :D

 

Tara

 

I know at least one of my mapping programs, probably Delorme will produce custom strip maps for any trip, so that someone could make a route folder for a client, perhaps with annotations.

 

Since half the fun of a trip is sharing it with friends and relatives, you might also look into producing post trip photo portfolios (think wedding folios) for computer illiterates…sort of a trip scrapbook that could be posted or printed on the web.

 

With many folks traveling with laptops, maybe the client would like someone to feature their trip on Google Earth.

 

For a modest cost a client can be tracked with SPOT so everyone in the office and at home knows where they are minute by minute. Of course they can turn it off! You just provide them an ID and go to the SPOT website. Maybe you could buy and lease a SPOT to travelers as part of a custom package.

 

I would design a “travel preferences profile tool.” Think dating service. Ask a series of questions answered on a “strongly agree to strongly disagree” scale for each person in the travel group. Each preference should be “weighted” by a second scale from “deal maker to somewhat important.” If you got real fancy, you could even catalog and categorize sights and places according to preferences, and trigger a matching sight with a preference. In any event, you could be sure there is something for everyone each day. In worst case, at least you know whether the travelers enjoy history, big cities, quiet dinners, forests, beaches, etc.

 

Just a few free thoughts, worth every cent you paid for them!!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

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Hi there!

 

Just stumbled across this forum and wish I had found it earlier.

 

As a kid, my family traveled around Pennsylvania and down the shore quite a bit - even to Florida and New England once. But as an adult, I've taken it to a whole new level.

 

In the past 10 years, I've hit all of the lower 48 states. I've traveled Route 66 from Chicago to LA three times over four trips in four years - the last being done as part of a 11,000 mile trip on a Vespa scooter. I blogged about that here.

 

My focus is on history and specifically on abandoned sections of highways. In and around Pennsylvania that could mean Lincoln Highway, National Highway and older ones, like Braddock's Road.

 

I've recently moved to Seattle and have taken up a little obsession with the Yellowstone Trail.

 

I can't stay put for too long and sooner or later, another large trip will come up. I need to visit my son in Miami in the next year or so - the "Hypotenuse Trail" looks mighty tempting. :)

 

-Eric

 

 

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Tara

 

I know at least one of my mapping programs, probably Delorme will produce custom strip maps for any trip, so that someone could make a route folder for a client, perhaps with annotations.

 

Since half the fun of a trip is sharing it with friends and relatives, you might also look into producing post trip photo portfolios (think wedding folios) for computer illiterates…sort of a trip scrapbook that could be posted or printed on the web.

 

With many folks traveling with laptops, maybe the client would like someone to feature their trip on Google Earth.

 

For a modest cost a client can be tracked with SPOT so everyone in the office and at home knows where they are minute by minute. Of course they can turn it off! You just provide them an ID and go to the SPOT website. Maybe you could buy and lease a SPOT to travelers as part of a custom package.

 

I would design a “travel preferences profile tool.” Think dating service. Ask a series of questions answered on a “strongly agree to strongly disagree” scale for each person in the travel group. Each preference should be “weighted” by a second scale from “deal maker to somewhat important.” If you got real fancy, you could even catalog and categorize sights and places according to preferences, and trigger a matching sight with a preference. In any event, you could be sure there is something for everyone each day. In worst case, at least you know whether the travelers enjoy history, big cities, quiet dinners, forests, beaches, etc.

 

Just a few free thoughts, worth every cent you paid for them!!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

:banana:

Thanks, Dave! These are some fantastic ideas! I wasn't thinking along the terms of clients originally, but when I think about all these potential services, it seems like a perfect addition to my website's offerings. What is Delorme? I haven't started looking into mapping programs yet, so I'm really wide open to suggestions.

 

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:banana:

Thanks, Dave! These are some fantastic ideas! I wasn't thinking along the terms of clients originally, but when I think about all these potential services, it seems like a perfect addition to my website's offerings. What is Delorme? I haven't started looking into mapping programs yet, so I'm really wide open to suggestions.

 

Tara,

 

I posted a reply under "Trip Planning" here.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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  • 1 month later...

B) Hello, I'm a new subscriber to the magazine! This appears to be a growing "hobby", with a lot of info to share. I grew up in Frostburg, MD. on the National Road (1960's-70's), our family's house overlooked the road at a major intersection in town. Later we lived on top of a hill which allowed me to see Alt US 40, 'New' US 40, and I-68 (aka US48).

Besides an interest in all kinds of transportation, I have been a lifelong railfan/photographer, and for about 20 years I have been a serious fire apparatus photographer. I have had 2 fire service histories published by Arcadia Publ., along with several other magazine articles/photo features.

I really like exploring old highway alignments, and also infrastructure, from bridges to gas stations. My 2 favorites would have to be the Natl. RD., and the Lincoln Highway, but I have found many interesting routes in both MD., and PA. My photo efforts have been dormant lately, but in 2001 and 2004 I did try to photo-document the Nat'l RD./US40 from Middletown,MD., to Town Hill.

My screen name is a tribute to a great product/co., which not only enjoyed my family's loyalty for years, but also provided a career to a relation. "The Man who wears the Texaco star" was a familiar sight in our neighborhood and wherever we traveled. (Who could forget Texaco road maps!)

I would be interested in discussion of anything National Road related especially.

'Texaco Fire Chief'

Warren W. Jenkins

Thurmont,MD.

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Warren, a hearty welcome from a fellow National Road fan. I live a few miles north of the Road in Indianapolis, and have now driven it from Baltimore to Wheeling, and from I-75 north of Dayton, OH to Vandalia, IL.

 

I look forward to your contributions here! And if you have published your National Road materials online, I'd love to see them.

 

Peace,

jim

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Welcome indeed, Warren. I was in your old home town over the weekend. I spent Saturday night there then passed through about 11:00 this morning on my way home from Cumberland. Love that area. Sounds like you'll fit in nicely and, as Jim said, if you've something on line, point us to it.

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One more before I call it a night...

 

Just so happens that I photographed the following while exploring old US 50 in Illinois today.

 

post-2019-1243307198_thumb.jpg

 

Lots of juicy stuff to share from this trip. I'll write it up as soon as I can.

 

 

 

Your gas pump photo prompted me to post a shot of a restored gas station on the National Road in, I believe, Martinsville, IL. Could be Casey but I think it's Martinsville. This was taken recently on our way east to attend Pat and Denny's awesome Spring Cruise.....Bliss

 

 

http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=497

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It's Casey. http://www.jimgrey.net/Roads/NationalRoadI...is/06_Casey.htm

 

A fellow who grew up in Casey found my page and wrote me about this particular gas station:

 

The other gas station with the old signs across from Roosevelt school at one time was considered to be the "finest Standard Station" between Indianapolis and St Louis--it closed while I was in grade school and was a radiator repair shop owned by one of my classmates fathers'(his mother was our Cub Scout den leader in 1961-1963.)

 

Casey is a super nice town on the road. I was really impressed with it.

 

 

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  • 4 months later...

I have been watching The National Parks on PBS this past week as I assume a lot of us have been. There was mentioned a (proposed) National Parks Highway to make a circle around/through most/all of the then existing parks, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, California, etc. This was proposed in 1916/7.

 

Did it ever happen, what are the roads/highway...? My wife and I have hit Yosimite, Yellowstone, Glasier, Arches, but would like to redo the circle and hit those again plus the ones we missed.

 

Any ideas/suggestions?

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I have been watching The National Parks on PBS this past week as I assume a lot of us have been. There was mentioned a (proposed) National Parks Highway to make a circle around/through most/all of the then existing parks, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, California, etc. This was proposed in 1916/7.

 

Did it ever happen, what are the roads/highway...? My wife and I have hit Yosimite, Yellowstone, Glasier, Arches, but would like to redo the circle and hit those again plus the ones we missed.

 

Any ideas/suggestions?

 

You have come to the right place! Welcome!

 

I suggest that you click on the banner at the top of the forum, "Paving the Way." It will take you to the story of the highway you are interested in, the National Park to Park Highway. It was a circle route.

 

The National Parks Highway is not the same. It ran between Chicago and the west coast via Glacier, Yellowstone, Rainier and Crater Lake, and did not follow the circle you mention. The National Parks Highway was created in the period you mention, but the National Park to Park Highway came in the 20's...as I recall.

 

We are probably headed to Glacier in the next couple of days, in part on the National Parks Highway. It is a great time for a northern parks visit, with fall colors reaching their peak soon.

 

 

Again, WELCOME, and please share your experiences on the American Road with all of us!

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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You have come to the right place! Welcome!

 

I suggest that you click on the banner at the top of the forum, "Paving the Way." It will take you to the story of the highway you are interested in, the National Park to Park Highway. It was a circle route.

 

The National Parks Highway is not the same. It ran between Chicago and the west coast via Glacier, Yellowstone, Rainier and Crater Lake, and did not follow the circle you mention. The National Parks Highway was created in the period you mention, but the National Park to Park Highway came in the 20's...as I recall.

 

We are probably headed to Glacier in the next couple of days, in part on the National Parks Highway. It is a great time for a northern parks visit, with fall colors reaching their peak soon.

 

 

Again, WELCOME, and please share your experiences on the American Road with all of us!

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

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That is - indeed - the road I was asking about. How/where do you get a map?

 

LJ

 

I am not at all an authority on the National Park to Park Highway, but there is a period map at the following link I found by searching Google for National Park to Park Highway.

 

http://theplaygroundtrail.com/Playground/M...rk-to-Park.html

 

The folks who provide that web site are also writers for American Road Magazine which regularly runs stories and articles on the route.

 

I'm confident they would do their best to help you in any way possible to explore the route!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road

 

 

 

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LJ

 

I am not at all an authority on the National Park to Park Highway, but there is a period map at the following link I found by searching Google for National Park to Park Highway.

 

http://theplaygroundtrail.com/Playground/M...rk-to-Park.html

 

The folks who provide that web site are also writers for American Road Magazine which regularly runs stories and articles on the route.

 

I'm confident they would do their best to help you in any way possible to explore the route!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road

 

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  • 2 months later...

Hello!

My name is Steve Colby and I live in Cumberland, MD.

Cumberland is the town steeped in transportation history. It's where the Cumberland/National Road began (Back in 1811), following trails blazed and cut by Nemacolin and Christopher Gist, George Washington and Gen. Braddock (1755). It's the western terminus of the C & O Canal and, for ten years, was the western terminus of the B & O Railroad (1840s-50s). I live about two blocks from the original alignment of the Cumberland/National Road (Greene St. to Gwynn's Tavern) and the city street I live on was Nemacolin and Gist's trail and Gen. Braddock's road. (A block and a half away is the route of the colonial road that closely followed Braddock's road.)

 

I was born in Cumberland but grew up in Prince Georges County, near Washington. DC. My family traveled to Cumberland often, during the 1950s and 1960s, via Route 40 and the B & O to see relatives.

 

My wife and I moved back to Cumberland about 5 years ago after falling in love with the grand old city. Without previous knowledge of it's history, we contracted to buy a downtown commercial building. After some research, I found it had been owned by my great grandfather in the late 1800s.

 

I have a passion for history. Spurred on by our historic surroundings and the upcoming 200th anniversary of the start of the National Road, I started a website, The Cumberland Road Project, to document the Cumberland/National Road and the communities that grew up alongside.

 

I invite you all to join in and contribute photos and historical commentary on America's first federally funded interstate highway.

 

Steve

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B) Hello, I'm a new subscriber to the magazine! This appears to be a growing "hobby", with a lot of info to share. I grew up in Frostburg, MD. on the National Road (1960's-70's), our family's house overlooked the road at a major intersection in town. Later we lived on top of a hill which allowed me to see Alt US 40, 'New' US 40, and I-68 (aka US48).

Besides an interest in all kinds of transportation, I have been a lifelong railfan/photographer, and for about 20 years I have been a serious fire apparatus photographer. I have had 2 fire service histories published by Arcadia Publ., along with several other magazine articles/photo features.

I really like exploring old highway alignments, and also infrastructure, from bridges to gas stations. My 2 favorites would have to be the Natl. RD., and the Lincoln Highway, but I have found many interesting routes in both MD., and PA. My photo efforts have been dormant lately, but in 2001 and 2004 I did try to photo-document the Nat'l RD./US40 from Middletown,MD., to Town Hill.

My screen name is a tribute to a great product/co., which not only enjoyed my family's loyalty for years, but also provided a career to a relation. "The Man who wears the Texaco star" was a familiar sight in our neighborhood and wherever we traveled. (Who could forget Texaco road maps!)

I would be interested in discussion of anything National Road related especially.

'Texaco Fire Chief'

Warren W. Jenkins

Thurmont,MD.

 

Warren,

I share your passion for the National Road and created a website to document the history of the road and the communities that grew up alongside. (Cumberland Road Project) Be it destiny or fate ;), in the last 30 years I have lived on Alt. Route 40 in Frederick, MD, N. Potomac St. Hagerstown (About 4 blocks from Rt. 40) and in Cumberland, MD (About 2 blocks off of the original Cumberland Road and on Gen. Braddock's Road).

 

I invite you to join the collaborative efforts to document the Old Road and it's communities. (The Frostburg Photo Gallery)

 

Steve Colby

 

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