Traveling the "Red" Roads

Todays Photo - The Glade Creek Grist Mill in Babcock State Park, WV.

By the way, it has been snowing for over 100 hours straight in Syracuse, with an official 58.2" since the start of the storm. Wonder why I love to travel?

Although I don't mind flying, with my camera gear and the way airlines treat their customers, I've pretty much given up on traveling by air. Of course there are places to visit that there is no choice. Although I have managed to travel to all 50 states, a return to Hawaii doesn't have a lot of options other than flying. And I do have this urge to drive the Hana Road.

As to travel in the rest of the US, going by automobile is my preferred method. I also prefer the "Red" or "Blue" roads, that is, the non interstates. Don't get me wrong - the interstates are a great invention. When you need to get from here to there as fast as possible in your vehicle, the interstates offer a great solution. The problem - well, as John Steinbeck wrote: "When we get these thruways across the whole country, as we will and must, it will be possible to drive from New York to California without seeing a single thing." By the way, another favorite of mine kinda stole this - Charles Kuralt: "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything."

In any case, there is still a wonderful experience available traveling the US & state routes available throughout most of the country. So far I have made multiple trips across the country on US 2, 20, and 50, as well as many of the sections of other US & state routes that wander through some of the most beautiful parts of our country. A couple of favorites? - Well, my all time favorite road is the "Going the the Sun Highway" through Glacier National Park. Others include the Beartooth Highway (US 212 outside Yellowstone) The Chief Joseph Highway in Northwest Wyoming, Highway 12 & 24 in Utah, NY 28 through the Catskills & the Adirondacks , as well as NY 30, and NY 3 in the Adirondacks, and WA 20 in Washington state. There are many more, and, I'm sure, hundreds I have yet to discover. That's the great thing about getting off the interstates & taking the time to explore.

More next time...