DaleS Posted August 28, 2012 Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 (edited) Thanks to knightfan for posting a Lincoln Hwy map. I had been riding the first 4.5 miles of the old hwy on my dirt bike for the last five years and didn't know it was old Lincoln Hwy. There is about a 15 miles piece of the of the 1913 Lh south of Hickison Summit starting in the west about one mile east of where the where the old Hwy 50 meets the new highway at 39 25.135 n 116 45.418 w. In the photo of the map below, Hickison Summit is at the farest point north and the green line is the 1913 Lincoln Hwy. About two miles to the east is the old summit, now a two track dirt road. Looking west from the summit. At 39 24.222 n 116 43.981 At the summit there is an old pole that had a sign at one time. Now it is laying down with a pack rats nest at the bottom of it, On the road east of the summit the present day dirt road is next to the washed out old road. At about four and a half miles the old hwy crosses Grimes Ranch Road and continues east. At about five miles a creek has washed out the old hwy so only a jeep, quad or dirt bike can pass. I went another five miles to Grimes Flat Well. About .2 of a miles is the site of the old Grimes Ranch, I could see nothing there and didn't go as there is on road now to it. The old hwy went about another five miles, which I didn't go. Dale S Oh yes Dave, the hamburgers are still good at the International Cafe,in Austin and too big to finish. Edited August 28, 2012 by DaleS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Dale, Good to see you “on the road again!” Very interesting post, and sharp photos. Are you venturing any opinions on the sign post? I recall the Lincoln Highway Association convention in Ely a few years ago. We stopped at a post like that near Tippets (sp?) Ranch and the local experts described it as "original." How they knew is anyone's guess, but it would seem yours has an equal, if not better claim to "original." I was glad to get the update on the International's burgers. Thankfully, some things don't change! Looks like great weather for road tripping. Dave Keep the Show on the Road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleS Posted August 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Hey Dave, I have been on the road, just not the "good ones". Only thing I can say about the post is, there are a few hole at the top that could have held a sign. Looks like it had rocks to hold it up, packrat's nest was an added extra. I'll take a better look at it tomorrow and get more pictures of it for you. Dale PS, the beer was real cold too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennyG Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 Great stuff. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleS Posted August 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 (edited) Today I rode back to the summit on the old Lincoln Hwy and took some pictures. First the end of the pole showing two holes that were drilled for a sign and two other holes from bullets Now a photo of the other end of the pole, notice on the right side a piece of pottery and a neck of a bottle Now a closer look at the pottery and bottle neck. I looked at the bottle neck and it was hand blown. Lots of old cans around the area. Now a better look at the packrat's nest entrance and the rocks that helped hold up the post. Amazing this has been there almost 100 years. I had a packrat hitch a ride on top of my motorhome engine last year, it took a while but I made a "good" packrat out of him. Nice to hear from you Denny, thanks Dale Edited August 30, 2012 by DaleS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 Dale, Gees, I love these little roadside mysteries!! You didn't disturb the base of the post, and I respect that. I wonder if it had rusted off, or had cement clinging to it. If the post and bottle were discovered by an archeologist he/she would date it to the hand blown bottle....as I suppose you have. A really interesting find! The presence of those artifacts near the pole probably isn't random. It didn't look much like a former campsite, did it? I have told this story elsewhere here, but we were looking for the site of a deserted hotel/ post office on the old National Parks Highway a couple of years ago, and I found a piece of broken plate stamped “Hotel” on the bottom. But the great find was a 1916 license plate sticking out of the sand. It is those tiny glimpses into the past that make it worthwhile. You added to my day!! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleS Posted August 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) Dave, I used to collect bottles and I would guess it is early 1900's. They started making bottles by machine in 1906 (or 8) but not all bottles were made by machine then. I didn't want to dig through the packrat's nest, it takes them too long to make one and they use them for generations. But one on top of my Cummins engine has to go. Lots of lunches or camping in the area, there were many old sardine and other kinds of rusted cans around. Dale Edited August 31, 2012 by DaleS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 Dale, Funny what people took on picnics & camping in the “old days.” Lots of canned milk, sardines, ….and beer. I'm sure I could find among my “stuff” a guide to camping food in the teens or twentys. I'll have to do that one of these days. Again, a great post! Dave Keep the Show on the Road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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