30 replies to this topic

[mobilene]

Also, in spite of fairly detailed preplanning on his part, some of the highlights were true surprises.

Yeah, more like despite obsessive-compulsive preplanning on his part...

Which makes the surprises all the more remarkable!

[DennyG]

Ain't serendipity cool?

Attempting to eliminate surprises is to be admired but complete success is to be pitied.

[mausting]

Don't feel bad; BOTH my vehicles were wrecked within an hour of each other at the same location here in New Philadelphia, OH. My wife's was first; we had dropped it off to get a new head gasket-while parked at the garage, someone creamed the driver's door Causing $1,200 damage. I went over to meet with the guy who did it to trade insurance info. As I was leaving, another fellow hit my '08 Impala in the left front and did $6,000 damage!

My sons and I are back from our vacation along the NR. We started with 2 days in DC to see the sights, and then we drove up to Baltimore to start our journey across the NR.

I am in love with the Maryland portion of the road. Except for a couple confusing places where they rerouted the road around I-70 or I-68, it is a charming and lovely drive, alternating between historic towns and beautiful countryside. There are even a few breathtaking views.

It's funny how the road in Pennsylvania lacks much of the charm it had in Maryland.

The road doesn't spend much time in West Virginia, but Wheeling is worth seeing as a real diamond in the rough. It's an old town, with roots to the 1700s, and its happiest days seem to be behind it. But a great deal of interesting architecture remains, waiting for restoration funds to come along.

We had planned to tour Ohio as well; it was to be the second day of our trip. But just as we crossed from Wheeling to Bridgeport, OH, I ran a red light and was T-boned. We all walked away from the accident, but my poor little car was totaled. We spent the day in Bridgeport waiting for a rental car, which didn't come for several hours. We climbed on I-70 and headed straight home.

I'll post pics to Flickr and my blog eventually.

Peace,
jim

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

Jim,

I have been so involed with other things, I am only now catching up on your National Road blog entries.

I didn't realize there was so much good stuff still satnding! When you see it in bits and pieces you don't get the same impression as with a longer series. Of course the bridges are amazing, but the city scene early on was my favorite.

Thanks for the great trip reports!

Dave

Keep the Show on the Road!

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

Don't feel bad; BOTH my vehicles were wrecked within an hour of each other at the same location here in New Philadelphia, OH. My wife's was first; we had dropped it off to get a new head gasket-while parked at the garage, someone creamed the driver's door Causing $1,200 damage. I went over to meet with the guy who did it to trade insurance info. As I was leaving, another fellow hit my '08 Impala in the left front and did $6,000 damage!

First, WELCOME!

It sounds as though you got the really big Double Whammy!

Well you lived to tell the tale, and hopefully with a smile!

Dave

Keep the Show on the Road

[mobilene]

mausting, sounds like you had one whale of a bad day there. Certainly sorry about your terrible luck. jim

[Texaco Fire Chief]

Very nice photo-journalism!
I am fairly sure the Gilpin Rd. section of the Nat'l RD. was signed as MD. 144 until at least the opening of the I-68 segment known as the "missing link" around 1990. I do not know why it is in such good shape, but I'm grateful!

[mobilene]

Warren,

I'm not surprised to learn that Gilpin Rd. was signed as 144. According to Wikipedia, for what it's worth, Gilpin Rd. is still maintained by the state and is "unsigned" MD 144AE.

jim

[mattinwilmington3]

Holy cow, of course the toll house I shot isn't the one in Stewart's book. The scene looked deceptively the same, but yes, of course, Stewart shot a brick toll house. Remarkable to me that the two toll houses are so similar in design despite the different building material.

I believe I actually missed Brownsville. I think I missed the turnoff and thus followed 40 around town, and didn't know it until you mentioned the town, Mark. Bummer. I was following Christopher Busta-Peck's excellent maps, and he had the route through Brownstown marked, too. I did see Braddock's Road, but too late, and by that time my rule was "no turnarounds" so I could get to Wheeling before dark.

I was surprised to learn that Ellicott City is one of the wealthiest areas in the nation.

I did note a fair number of what I guessed were probably taverns on the NR in PA. I also enjoyed the S bridge very much, even moreso now that I didn't get to see the ones in OH.

Here's an aerial-map link to the abandoned alignment west of Hagerstown:

http://maps.live.com...&...1&encType=1

The thing I always wonder about, Jim, is why did a roadbed this short not get covered by the newer US 40? Made a nice driveway entrance for the people owning the house on the left though, huh...heh, heh.

[mattinwilmington3]

The thing I always wonder about, Jim, is why did a roadbed this short not get covered by the newer US 40? Made a nice driveway entrance for the people owning the house on the left though, huh...heh, heh.

I meant on the right, as we look at it from the overhead.

[mobilene]

The thing I always wonder about, Jim, is why did a roadbed this short not get covered by the newer US 40?

No kidding!