To Flight 93 National Memorial.
We have now traveled 60 miles from our home to the Bridge in 1hour 15 min.
From the bridge we have 300 miles / 500 km miles to our next destination which can take 5 hours if ridden non stop. Then again ride 135 miles further in two and a half hours to reach our hotel. That means the car has to cross New Jersey and the entire length of the big state of Pennsylvania and then 12 more miles to Ohio to reach our hotel Comfort Inn & Suites in the Town of Wheeling.
We have selected Wheeling for the halt tonight as it fit comfortably by distance to tomorrows destination; Dayton Air force Museum and next day's halt at Danville, which again is well seated for day after tomorrow's stop at Lincoln Home. Having decided to move fast during the initial days of the journey we will take the Interstate Highway 70- the fastest option.
At the middle of the bridge you leave New York and enter New Jersey. Continuing further on I 278 we re-enter I 95 on which we began our journey to New York city. Then using I 276 we shall get on to I 70 and ride fast and non stop to the first place of visit., The total distance to be covered today is 500 miles/800 km.
We stop for gas ( petrol). Interstate highways have no shops or petrol or anything. As Americans say, there is no nothing- on it's sides except the intermittent exits to and entrance from towns and cities the highway way passes.That is why these roads are fast.
Pedestrians cyclists and slow moving vehicles are not allowed. But as it goes through forests and wilderness you have to look out for deer and wild-life crossings. There will be ample road signs. Hitting one at 70 or 80 miles can be dangerous. But wild life is seriously protected in this country and allowed to roam free in its habitat. Humans are considered as the trespassers. In Yellowstone we along with hundred of cars waited patiently for a herd of wild buffalo to get off the road. No horns or shouting, the only sound was the clicks of the cameras.
Stopping on the sides is not encouraged except for emergencies. If you stop then hazard lights has to be on. And you can expect police to stop by, asking you if you need help. So speed limit of 70 means you will actually move 70 miles every hour you are on the road.
We need petrol. Using google maps to find a convenient town ahead, we take the exit to it. On the exit ramp speed comes down to the town's speed limit - usually 35. Towns as usual, will have shops and services, for the locals. They also expect some highway traffic to come in, which is good for business.
There will be numerous gas stations. These gas stations - next to each other has different prices- that are exhibited on high electronic boards for every on to see from far. Price per gallon can vary and it is wise to look for cheaper ones. I wonder who would fill up at 20 to 30 cents higher for gallon, from adjacent pumps. It belies logic. Yet all pumps have ample business. People have good purchasing power and may be they don't care.
We drive into one that offers lower price. All most all pumps also have something like a super-market, the size of our "More" or " Reliance fresh". Additionally it may also serve some food and coffee and stuff like that. It has rest rooms ( toilet) too.
We fill up gas, go to the rest room and grab some snacks. We also take some ice and ride off. As we get back on I 70, to our surprise fifty minutes have gone. That rings an alarm bell. We have cut our time so fine that if such stops re-occur our total plans will go awry. We have decided to avoid night driving. Today we were expecting to be at our hotel by 7 pm. Now it will be 8. As sun sets early in winter we have to now ride more than 2 hours with the lamps on. If we stop, two times a day, in 16 days we would need 32 hours extra meaning a loss of about one and a half days. If such variances are continued to be allowed our tour design will have to be recast.
So a decision was made. It was Mathew's idea- military-precision stops. One will fill up. Another will buy what is needed, and another go for ice or anything else, and only if necessary would one take extra time. From then on we could cut down the stop and re--entry time by half.
On and on we went on, on I 70. Then at Bedford we interchanged to US Route 30 to go to the village where the jet came down on 9/11. US Routes are also good roads, but compared to Interstates they are the poor cousins - with regard to its speed and design. Routes haves reduced speed limits and stops and lights in towns.
US 30 has some history. Before the Interstates were built in 1950's ( to provide mass employment to Americans who returned from II world war ) the Routes were the nation's chief motor ways. Route 30 on which we are riding now was one of the longest cross continental roads of America from 1913 on wards. Its old name was Lincoln Highway. Like most things in this country it was a private enterprise. The road begins in San Fransisco, California and ends at Times Square in New York. Even though the routes remains today, some part of the Route is upgraded and forms part of interstates and run concurrent. Other parts were later upgraded and remain as routes and we are on one such stretch. The century old Lincoln Highway.
--------------------------------------------
Road trips are part and parcel of American culture. As early as 1910 when cars began to be common - old horse trails were converted into motor ways. Now people could go longer and faster. They began to travel for fun. While researching for this trip I read about old US routes and road trips on it.
In 1916, Emily Post was commissioned by Collier's magazine to cross the United States on the Lincoln Highway and write about it. Her son Edwin was the driver. Her story was published as a book, "By Motor to the Golden Gate". It made her a famous and the story was a hit, inspiring more people.
In 1919, author Beatrice Massey, and her husband traveled across the America on the Lincoln Highway. When they reached Salt Lake City, Utah, instead of continuing on the Lincoln Highway they took the more rough and remote route around the north end of the Great Salt Lake. Owing to the severe hardship of that trip the couple had to abandon their road trip in Nevada.They paid $196.69 to load their car on a train to travel the rest of the way to California.
Beatrice Massey wrote in her 1919 travelogue - here is a passage.
"It Might Have Been Worse: You will get tired, and your bones will cry aloud for a rest cure; but I promise you one thing—you will never be bored! No two days were the same, no two views were similar, no two cups of coffee tasted alike...My advice to timid motorists is, "Go".
Americans - go they did. And to this day they do. May not always be, cross country. But road trips are a part of their culture.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are passing through picture post-card villages of rural Pennsylvania. Fall is here. All the leaves are now glowing red or bright yellow. Extremely beautiful landscape. In few more days they will all fall. The peaceful village life gently goes by.
This peace was shattered on the morning of September 11, 2001. One of the jet liners, hijacked and turned to Washington DC was brought down by the passengers, before it reached the intended destination. During hijack they had called home to say good byes and learned of the attack on the twin towers, over mobile phone. Both the pilots were already killed. The passengers and crew decided to fight the hijackers. As in such situations a leadership evolved. And fight they did. The memorial is erected in honor of those brave passengers and crew who perished in a beautiful field.
------------------------------------------------------------
Journal of a Road Trip .. Part 4... to be continued....
We have now traveled 60 miles from our home to the Bridge in 1hour 15 min.
From the bridge we have 300 miles / 500 km miles to our next destination which can take 5 hours if ridden non stop. Then again ride 135 miles further in two and a half hours to reach our hotel. That means the car has to cross New Jersey and the entire length of the big state of Pennsylvania and then 12 more miles to Ohio to reach our hotel Comfort Inn & Suites in the Town of Wheeling.
We have selected Wheeling for the halt tonight as it fit comfortably by distance to tomorrows destination; Dayton Air force Museum and next day's halt at Danville, which again is well seated for day after tomorrow's stop at Lincoln Home. Having decided to move fast during the initial days of the journey we will take the Interstate Highway 70- the fastest option.
At the middle of the bridge you leave New York and enter New Jersey. Continuing further on I 278 we re-enter I 95 on which we began our journey to New York city. Then using I 276 we shall get on to I 70 and ride fast and non stop to the first place of visit., The total distance to be covered today is 500 miles/800 km.
We stop for gas ( petrol). Interstate highways have no shops or petrol or anything. As Americans say, there is no nothing- on it's sides except the intermittent exits to and entrance from towns and cities the highway way passes.That is why these roads are fast.
Stopping on the sides is not encouraged except for emergencies. If you stop then hazard lights has to be on. And you can expect police to stop by, asking you if you need help. So speed limit of 70 means you will actually move 70 miles every hour you are on the road.
Road Traveled, Day 1
We need petrol. Using google maps to find a convenient town ahead, we take the exit to it. On the exit ramp speed comes down to the town's speed limit - usually 35. Towns as usual, will have shops and services, for the locals. They also expect some highway traffic to come in, which is good for business.
There will be numerous gas stations. These gas stations - next to each other has different prices- that are exhibited on high electronic boards for every on to see from far. Price per gallon can vary and it is wise to look for cheaper ones. I wonder who would fill up at 20 to 30 cents higher for gallon, from adjacent pumps. It belies logic. Yet all pumps have ample business. People have good purchasing power and may be they don't care.
We drive into one that offers lower price. All most all pumps also have something like a super-market, the size of our "More" or " Reliance fresh". Additionally it may also serve some food and coffee and stuff like that. It has rest rooms ( toilet) too.
A typical highway exit from interstate.
We fill up gas, go to the rest room and grab some snacks. We also take some ice and ride off. As we get back on I 70, to our surprise fifty minutes have gone. That rings an alarm bell. We have cut our time so fine that if such stops re-occur our total plans will go awry. We have decided to avoid night driving. Today we were expecting to be at our hotel by 7 pm. Now it will be 8. As sun sets early in winter we have to now ride more than 2 hours with the lamps on. If we stop, two times a day, in 16 days we would need 32 hours extra meaning a loss of about one and a half days. If such variances are continued to be allowed our tour design will have to be recast.
A village gas station with its store and price board. National flags- it is everywhere- just like religious icons in India.
So a decision was made. It was Mathew's idea- military-precision stops. One will fill up. Another will buy what is needed, and another go for ice or anything else, and only if necessary would one take extra time. From then on we could cut down the stop and re--entry time by half.
On and on we went on, on I 70. Then at Bedford we interchanged to US Route 30 to go to the village where the jet came down on 9/11. US Routes are also good roads, but compared to Interstates they are the poor cousins - with regard to its speed and design. Routes haves reduced speed limits and stops and lights in towns.
US 30 has some history. Before the Interstates were built in 1950's ( to provide mass employment to Americans who returned from II world war ) the Routes were the nation's chief motor ways. Route 30 on which we are riding now was one of the longest cross continental roads of America from 1913 on wards. Its old name was Lincoln Highway. Like most things in this country it was a private enterprise. The road begins in San Fransisco, California and ends at Times Square in New York. Even though the routes remains today, some part of the Route is upgraded and forms part of interstates and run concurrent. Other parts were later upgraded and remain as routes and we are on one such stretch. The century old Lincoln Highway.
--------------------------------------------
Road trips are part and parcel of American culture. As early as 1910 when cars began to be common - old horse trails were converted into motor ways. Now people could go longer and faster. They began to travel for fun. While researching for this trip I read about old US routes and road trips on it.
In 1916, Emily Post was commissioned by Collier's magazine to cross the United States on the Lincoln Highway and write about it. Her son Edwin was the driver. Her story was published as a book, "By Motor to the Golden Gate". It made her a famous and the story was a hit, inspiring more people.
In 1919, author Beatrice Massey, and her husband traveled across the America on the Lincoln Highway. When they reached Salt Lake City, Utah, instead of continuing on the Lincoln Highway they took the more rough and remote route around the north end of the Great Salt Lake. Owing to the severe hardship of that trip the couple had to abandon their road trip in Nevada.They paid $196.69 to load their car on a train to travel the rest of the way to California.
Beatrice Massey wrote in her 1919 travelogue - here is a passage.
"It Might Have Been Worse: You will get tired, and your bones will cry aloud for a rest cure; but I promise you one thing—you will never be bored! No two days were the same, no two views were similar, no two cups of coffee tasted alike...My advice to timid motorists is, "Go".
Americans - go they did. And to this day they do. May not always be, cross country. But road trips are a part of their culture.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are passing through picture post-card villages of rural Pennsylvania. Fall is here. All the leaves are now glowing red or bright yellow. Extremely beautiful landscape. In few more days they will all fall. The peaceful village life gently goes by.
This peace was shattered on the morning of September 11, 2001. One of the jet liners, hijacked and turned to Washington DC was brought down by the passengers, before it reached the intended destination. During hijack they had called home to say good byes and learned of the attack on the twin towers, over mobile phone. Both the pilots were already killed. The passengers and crew decided to fight the hijackers. As in such situations a leadership evolved. And fight they did. The memorial is erected in honor of those brave passengers and crew who perished in a beautiful field.
Photo, of the first image of the crash at the Memorial.
------------------------------------------------------------
Journal of a Road Trip .. Part 4... to be continued....
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