tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67383122093756217792024-02-18T22:24:04.752-08:0048 No InterstateHomespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-29488472213436305262017-07-06T07:39:00.006-07:002017-07-07T17:24:50.875-07:00So What is a Back Road, Anyway?<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Have you ever wondered about the roads you drive on every day? How they got the numbers you know them by? How road signs got their shapes? You're in the right place. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacFZYvQczQULbd6ClYywCjr7UXyM36ZIMuIiWATC3JIHXkDvWuuEsUqqVOXLAOMxXWk5Yp8OgY3MRVV9B8b2F4iJ198z01U26HTlcJwH4-IYf1HaKuhOMXVirolDnVk_xKU9mPFFPWtg/s1600/cover001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacFZYvQczQULbd6ClYywCjr7UXyM36ZIMuIiWATC3JIHXkDvWuuEsUqqVOXLAOMxXWk5Yp8OgY3MRVV9B8b2F4iJ198z01U26HTlcJwH4-IYf1HaKuhOMXVirolDnVk_xKU9mPFFPWtg/s400/cover001.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Here's a brief history of the highway system we know today so you understand how it came to be and can easily find your way out on the open road.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">American Roads: From Carriage Paths to Interstate Highways</span></b><br />
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Once upon a time, Americans (well, everyone) traveled on foot, horseback, or carriage on dusty or muddy roads, whose conditions varied greatly depending on the weather. At the turn of the 20th century, the "horseless carriage" was invented and became a popular way for the wealthy to travel. After the introduction of the economical Ford Model T in 1908, average families started being able to afford the luxury of a car, and the number of cars on the roads began to increase. With more cars on the road than ever before, roads needed to be better maintained. In 1916, President Wilson signed the Federal Aid Road Act. Development of roads had previously rested with each individual state or by trail associations, and many were in very poor shape - especially in rural areas, where it was difficult to reach a town to send or receive mail, access fresh water, or buy and sell goods. This act allowed for the federal government to oversee and pay for a portion of projects planned and completed by state-run highway departments.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WfKIHhEUQIErD9QsjBRCo4iose6dxUtB5yPlzp8l0xPNIpG6IxhZitym2uzy4ToMJTsrTwgMOLdkSrpdC_6goj_Mc8vwutNqZ4rOPHFTZ-4HBfEpiYlrzuJJ6njckyiqwYxUQ2Bn6EE/s1600/backroads037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="1600" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WfKIHhEUQIErD9QsjBRCo4iose6dxUtB5yPlzp8l0xPNIpG6IxhZitym2uzy4ToMJTsrTwgMOLdkSrpdC_6goj_Mc8vwutNqZ4rOPHFTZ-4HBfEpiYlrzuJJ6njckyiqwYxUQ2Bn6EE/s640/backroads037.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">I found this old photo of a scenic early 1900s dirt road </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">at an antique shop in Waco, Texas</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Another Federal Aid Road Act followed in 1921, but roads were still a mess. The Joint Board of Interstate Highways was formed in 1925 after it became apparent that the existing confusion of roads needed to be transformed into a system of interstate highways. You may remember from middle school vocabulary that the prefix 'inter-' means 'between' or 'among'; therefore 'inter-state' highway refers to a road that travels between the states, allowing people and goods to travel more freely and does not refer to the Interstate Highway system that exists today. The most famous example of a road that was born as a result of the 1926 changes to the highway system is Route 66, which starts in Chicago, Illinois and ends in Los Angeles, California after passing through a total of eight states, maintaining the same identifying number throughout its nearly 2,500 miles.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXXqYVIJoyx5I2nM3UtXXsaHBwvxgaG3hAPaEBf-TlQarq6797RWP9sWx2sLJiReSyubR_x9NDdAwoni-v8S7GjkmO2gWIKmkh6WS5H1Ykc9HhIDhP8icoFmc0SmfW2BYhCZVUfMbRQc/s1600/1926+US+Highways+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="1926 map of US Highways" border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="800" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXXqYVIJoyx5I2nM3UtXXsaHBwvxgaG3hAPaEBf-TlQarq6797RWP9sWx2sLJiReSyubR_x9NDdAwoni-v8S7GjkmO2gWIKmkh6WS5H1Ykc9HhIDhP8icoFmc0SmfW2BYhCZVUfMbRQc/s640/1926+US+Highways+Map.jpg" title="1926 map of US Highways" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">1926 Map of US Highways</span><br />
<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_System_of_Highways_Adopted_for_Uniform_Marking_by_the_American_Association_of_State_Highway_Officials.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We're going to fast-forward 40 years and briefly talk about our present Interstate Highway system. By the 1950s, the number of cars on the road had multiplied tremendously and strained the existing highway system, making travel and trade between states more difficult. As a young Army officer in the early 1900s, President Eisenhower traveled across the United States on a military convoy and witnessed firsthand the sad state of the roads. During World War 2, he experienced the German Autobahn and wanted to create something like it in the US. He signed the <i>Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 </i>to create better and more reliable roads for interstate commerce - 41,000 miles of limited-access Interstate Highways, to be exact. This Interstate Highway system changed the way Americans could travel, transport goods, and conduct business for the better, but they also bypassed small towns through which the previous highway system fed potential customers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And there you have it: a (really) brief history of American highways in three paragraphs. If you're interested in more, check out the Sources at the end of this post.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All Over the Map</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You'll get the most out of this post if you have a map of some sort to look at. I'd recommend pulling out your road atlas. If you're not familiar with such old-fashioned things, you can learn more about <a href="http://www.itstactical.com/skillcom/navigation/the-lost-art-of-reading-a-road-atlas-and-hitting-the-open-road/" target="_blank">how to read a Road Atlas</a>, from the meaning of different color roads to measuring distances without a GPS (you can also check the handy Key at the front of your Atlas for this information). If you don't have an atlas, then a maps app will work, too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Have you ever wondered why different roads have different icons on them? If you're using an iPhone, highways are labeled with an icon identical to the sign you'll see on that particular road: Each state has a unique design for its state highways; US highways feature the familiar black-and-white shield, and Interstate highways are designated with the red-and-blue shield.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T-ujNcp2qiZKgzSLgMJ_pI30XwfSnoV06icdYk1hy-ww9lu33VC-7Hz6q8nKrNgy9s5cdIwRIXQaf251YnnnDc-B9XPilLJgsz_PffVVqtPR3gTZF0Zi-udPtCJF-5UayrgaWaAtrHg/s1600/backroads036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T-ujNcp2qiZKgzSLgMJ_pI30XwfSnoV06icdYk1hy-ww9lu33VC-7Hz6q8nKrNgy9s5cdIwRIXQaf251YnnnDc-B9XPilLJgsz_PffVVqtPR3gTZF0Zi-udPtCJF-5UayrgaWaAtrHg/s400/backroads036.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Note the difference between Michigan and Indiana's state road signs, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you're using Google maps, roads are labeled with the black-and-white shield for US numbered highways, a black-and-white circle for state highways, and a blue-and-red shield icon just like the Interstate sign for the Interstate highway. Both of my atlases (atli?) are labeled like this, too.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So What is a Back Road, Anyway?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our definition of a Back Road here at 48 No Interstate is any road that is not an Interstate. A Back Road passes THROUGH cities and towns, linking them together, instead of BY them. It allows drivers to be flexible with where they enter and exit the road instead of limiting them to the on/off ramp (also known as a controlled or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled-access_highway" target="_blank">limited access highway</a>). A Back Road has stop signs, railroad crossings, and stoplights, and can be found in a variety of sizes, with speed limits varying from 20 to 75 mph. Anything from a quiet two-lane country road meandering through farmland to a route that has become so vital it has four lanes and a divider in the center is a Back Road in our book.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45gh5kkxYA77O3Iy57n5RhfxlewZ_2pPAOr2aGZEvvlNh6NTtDHpvG2F0LcKkAhh06b3x5jRhdOHc5CFBg7RtBCiZyB1AL0fMHCZmgGaeC2CuGIt418TGZbUjJeGc0w9rcCGMRpHWXVE/s1600/backroads009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="1600" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45gh5kkxYA77O3Iy57n5RhfxlewZ_2pPAOr2aGZEvvlNh6NTtDHpvG2F0LcKkAhh06b3x5jRhdOHc5CFBg7RtBCiZyB1AL0fMHCZmgGaeC2CuGIt418TGZbUjJeGc0w9rcCGMRpHWXVE/s640/backroads009.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">You can't beat a Texas back road. With speed limits up to 75 miles per hour, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">friendly drivers who move into the shoulder to allow faster drivers room to pass, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">and vast views of varying terrain, they're among the best in the country. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back roads introduce road trippers to areas they otherwise wouldn't know about, or would zip right by on the Interstate. Traveling the back roads - and enjoying them - requires a little bit of a shift in your mindset; you have to be OK with taking a roundabout route to get from place to place. A back road may increase your travel time to three hours instead of just two, but you're less likely to come to a standstill as a result of an accident or construction, making it a more enjoyable three hours. The phrase 'the journey is the destination' sums it up quite nicely. The focus shifts from <i>getting</i> to a particular location to <i>enjoying the process</i> of traveling to that location.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Have you seen the Disney/Pixar movie Cars? It shows viewers the impact that the arrival of the Interstate Highway had on a fictional small town on Route 66. This clip perfectly sums up our thoughts on why back roads are so awesome!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The effect of the Interstate System was seen in towns across America after it was constructed in the 1950s - not just those on Route 66. These often sleepy old towns are the ones I love passing through most on a back roads road trip. Whether it's close to home or across the country; whether it's a run-down town that's seen better times or one that's seen a resurgence and oozes charm, these off-the-beaten path locations are wonderful places to stop for a stroll down main street, a great local meal, or to peruse a small shop. Across the country, many downtowns are growing into vibrant business districts with local shops and restaurants, apartments, and offices moving back into them, just waiting for you to visit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9bfwOuZxd41IsHMJIWpwD0g01n3JDDK5N92y66tP-1g8YGEhyphenhyphenO4NDp_55TiQurARM4jjryiVvv4E7TNpQUuOnzdccthWB8rP2ffcF0E-HQi3t9DJnLIrfAH1rqw81FPtDBZR8ohuM24/s1600/ColatoDC14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9bfwOuZxd41IsHMJIWpwD0g01n3JDDK5N92y66tP-1g8YGEhyphenhyphenO4NDp_55TiQurARM4jjryiVvv4E7TNpQUuOnzdccthWB8rP2ffcF0E-HQi3t9DJnLIrfAH1rqw81FPtDBZR8ohuM24/s400/ColatoDC14.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I-95 runs more or less parallel to US 1 and diverts travelers away from great downtowns like Fredericksburg, VA (above) and Annapolis, MD (below).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSNNjdOuYkbB9lJRncKjYvsq19k4q5KGI_T4Ofh7QCr2GWblyCnafiC8yb6o9H5FT41YrvvgilAkLNMZFuAC2z2oOs_n2oOTG9V2yuQwEnlToKOZGc7ODnyIMvvsDFpWzY57YvsWQDR0/s1600/DCtoPhilly005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSNNjdOuYkbB9lJRncKjYvsq19k4q5KGI_T4Ofh7QCr2GWblyCnafiC8yb6o9H5FT41YrvvgilAkLNMZFuAC2z2oOs_n2oOTG9V2yuQwEnlToKOZGc7ODnyIMvvsDFpWzY57YvsWQDR0/s400/DCtoPhilly005.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's a Numbers Game</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>You drive on them every day as you commute to and from work, the grocery store, or the kids' soccer practice. You might even live on one. But do you know how the roads got the numbers that are assigned to them?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On November 11, 1926, following two years of meetings to determine the best way to introduce consistency and clarity to our roads, the US numbered highway system was adopted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Prior to the implementation of the numbered highway system, roads were known by names only: the Lincoln Highway, the Kings Highway, the Pacific Highway, the Old Spanish Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, the Dixie Highway, and more. Local trail associations would mark these highways by painting on barns, telephone poles, or any other structure that drivers would be able to see from the road.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieS7007dJgiJZs-TMCDYCyuc7CDu0iFUTUki2uZ46Xt3oJ6Gxwnz8fyC65cBmdBF_nS7xQ3m0lAa_4opatfiMi5NCWgYRo9Ds5ep1seNjU6snMVQ5M75o0q7bj3HObTWLOQbjZFQ_KQBc/s1600/backroads041.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieS7007dJgiJZs-TMCDYCyuc7CDu0iFUTUki2uZ46Xt3oJ6Gxwnz8fyC65cBmdBF_nS7xQ3m0lAa_4opatfiMi5NCWgYRo9Ds5ep1seNjU6snMVQ5M75o0q7bj3HObTWLOQbjZFQ_KQBc/s640/backroads041.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">A monument to the <a href="https://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/map/" target="_blank">Lincoln Highway</a> sits in downtown Valparaiso, Indiana.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiat1QBJVoZoTJ6cCAtQhDtiK0M2bqbev_oeRoWUj2y3oIPPuk3qg5Au7-MvshoSFDQTsD_cjuR6uzfla3h4rHFVCRrxWnz06tEeH9v7ktVwa9-75ga-GmfBcHUpCPFgeJzDDaBiBJ-O-c/s1600/backroads040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiat1QBJVoZoTJ6cCAtQhDtiK0M2bqbev_oeRoWUj2y3oIPPuk3qg5Au7-MvshoSFDQTsD_cjuR6uzfla3h4rHFVCRrxWnz06tEeH9v7ktVwa9-75ga-GmfBcHUpCPFgeJzDDaBiBJ-O-c/s1600/backroads040.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">The marker above is one of many that was placed </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">along the route by Boy Scouts in 1928 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">(also in Valparaiso, IN).</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To add to the confusion, directional signs varied from state to state prior to 1926. The new numbered highway system didn't just introduce consistent names to identify these roads; it also introduced clear and consistent signage to mark them. Not only did US highways get a new black-and-white shield logo for their signs, but other signs began to look like the ones we know today: octagonal stop signs, round railroad crossing signs, diamond-shaped warning signs, and more.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nSEoA3SEitN6ZyR5JHzSjj70cIj67RHJG8kuUr-BJ0irQA-sX5vEgB9amtevvwGvv2oM33R2SQltURjmHFu02GNBx97d-3KXtbaWeLxlU4xwpxl6L5N8k8nwFqqJorBGx4bSP3Pdah8/s1600/backroads015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nSEoA3SEitN6ZyR5JHzSjj70cIj67RHJG8kuUr-BJ0irQA-sX5vEgB9amtevvwGvv2oM33R2SQltURjmHFu02GNBx97d-3KXtbaWeLxlU4xwpxl6L5N8k8nwFqqJorBGx4bSP3Pdah8/s640/backroads015.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Many roads are still marked with signs featuring these historic names, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">like this one on the Santa Fe Trail in Kansas</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To help you orient yourself on numbered US highways,</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Odd-numbered roads run North-South.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Even-numbered roads run East-West.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And as a reminder, the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. If you mean to be traveling East to Memphis from Flagstaff and you find yourself driving into a sunset, you might want to pull over and check the map. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFo5x_R6HmWiV70l1Hl1-72KioEICQ9hpmeTVtoA36KWrJlyQ0Yhyphenhyphen7C6g8tKXVl2b4tryccqEJoGDXHq206LukO6b_cfGOBB7Uma-GMjCyKOYoAMWNR26XEwS1eS0nuobINmGqY5M-GFw/s320/backroads003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="320" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">US 90 near the Mississippi-Louisiana state line</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFo5x_R6HmWiV70l1Hl1-72KioEICQ9hpmeTVtoA36KWrJlyQ0Yhyphenhyphen7C6g8tKXVl2b4tryccqEJoGDXHq206LukO6b_cfGOBB7Uma-GMjCyKOYoAMWNR26XEwS1eS0nuobINmGqY5M-GFw/s1600/backroads003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now that you can tell what direction you're heading just by knowing what road you're on, let's talk a little more about those numbers. The main continuous routes that span large portions of the country typically consist of two digits: Route 66, US 50, and US 101 are a few that may ring a bell (Weird fact: US 101 is technically considered to be two digits, with the '10' being counted as a single digit).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNfOnjsPWr6yiKCPwu_GfE_asPrapKdZDopDmP7fH5D5GrTZGZOyrj1WsI7-UgiVjAnzOtLdm4wBI2oKsymOVY4QpIeiBZxaxs5zJBT9lEWWXuhlQAiZPcmkP_h-ynZO2kznJ8mPIdD8/s1600/backroads005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNfOnjsPWr6yiKCPwu_GfE_asPrapKdZDopDmP7fH5D5GrTZGZOyrj1WsI7-UgiVjAnzOtLdm4wBI2oKsymOVY4QpIeiBZxaxs5zJBT9lEWWXuhlQAiZPcmkP_h-ynZO2kznJ8mPIdD8/s320/backroads005.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">We happened to travel on Route 66 in 2016, its 90th year!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">East-West routes ending in '0' (with the exception of US 2 along the Canadian border) are transcontinental, or close to it. East-West route numbers begin with the lowest in the north - US 2 - and the highest in the south - US 90 - which covers the distance from Florida to California along the southernmost states.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi243zENBrwCcRFbG75ugZOuS-8wIsjwqaOyIJtiWD3ugkNqdmXEW_FRclXHywcUvpjiT5Q4pdWKZX-jHm_22jA_FhBRPm8HkQ-dAcJUFNgcKBDAQuFc5P6a9wgc4r_lPDYnHAHp6WU88/s1600/backroads019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi243zENBrwCcRFbG75ugZOuS-8wIsjwqaOyIJtiWD3ugkNqdmXEW_FRclXHywcUvpjiT5Q4pdWKZX-jHm_22jA_FhBRPm8HkQ-dAcJUFNgcKBDAQuFc5P6a9wgc4r_lPDYnHAHp6WU88/s320/backroads019.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">US 50 cuts across the middle of the country, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">terminating near Sacramento, CA</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The main North-South routes end in '1' and run mostly the full height of the country. US 1 is the Easternmost North-South route along the Atlantic states, and US 101 is the Westernmost, winding through California, Oregon, and Washington.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5IkH0pivoZueayJuZx9LkzNsXe-Z_9cpxszpOorLJ0cOlnJbT8Koo7Ee_D6zzaOovwlgTEnUvD9O5GKvlQMi6eJ54kuv4YeKqdb7r3luCs3aeNhaJgGtpEHv41qwA4Z7twjSkLrPw5w/s640/backroads022.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="426" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">CA 1 ends in Northern California and US 101 continues along the coasts of Oregon and Washington</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5IkH0pivoZueayJuZx9LkzNsXe-Z_9cpxszpOorLJ0cOlnJbT8Koo7Ee_D6zzaOovwlgTEnUvD9O5GKvlQMi6eJ54kuv4YeKqdb7r3luCs3aeNhaJgGtpEHv41qwA4Z7twjSkLrPw5w/s1600/backroads022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You'll often find that one road might have two or three different numbers assigned to it; usually this is when a state or county road and a US highway intersect for some distance. Or, sometimes a US highway joins with an Interstate highway.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1mw7Ybx4l2DtTWEmNNvZpDb03dDuWF5wPZ-bDlZ2wEwbmlwMcy3TWi9ChXUlsLyCGPdZYjylc-DVlV3Ji-FE_mIb-2JfgDYLdHVq7rAef9cKClZYwUpqe5bULG8NMX6ycvEPlQEOq_U/s1600/backroads029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1mw7Ybx4l2DtTWEmNNvZpDb03dDuWF5wPZ-bDlZ2wEwbmlwMcy3TWi9ChXUlsLyCGPdZYjylc-DVlV3Ji-FE_mIb-2JfgDYLdHVq7rAef9cKClZYwUpqe5bULG8NMX6ycvEPlQEOq_U/s640/backroads029.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">US 14 and SD 34 merge for some time near Pierre, South Dakota</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The highway system continues to grow and change today, with new bypasses and interstate highways popping up in heavily traveled areas. Next time you plan a road trip, take to the back roads, see more of America, and enjoy the journey!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1BgEFQvIu6eyXY2uhs6XFy20fYP9UVwpLkic3y_TMm9W1XC5QEfKJNRYz-eV_hbpJdQKyieJr6jP74u4_yMj4o-xlXdXwYYKja9wOh-0EjHOLb-jS_iyiffJ-WimVfV0b9AvlyvVp60/s1600/0813002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="1947 Rand McNally US road map" border="0" data-original-height="1162" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1BgEFQvIu6eyXY2uhs6XFy20fYP9UVwpLkic3y_TMm9W1XC5QEfKJNRYz-eV_hbpJdQKyieJr6jP74u4_yMj4o-xlXdXwYYKja9wOh-0EjHOLb-jS_iyiffJ-WimVfV0b9AvlyvVp60/s640/0813002.jpg" title="1947 Rand McNally US road map" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">1947 Rand McNally US Road Map</span><br />
<a href="http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~23824~920008:Rand-McNally-road-map-United-States?trs=589&sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&mi=40&qvq=q%3Aroad+map%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1#" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now that you know how to navigate the American highway system without having to constantly pull out a map, you're all set for some scenic back roads travel! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxJLYE5il5d6MBCzrRM-zKtrs_c1EL7auacOTbuRtWN363FoG-MmyNEeRAPRw4Uu8pYTosvTWFNLukGCbS8Tku39O-49xkrGWd7fX2TPylBHe3wqNY8tBXWkjKU4bnklY07AE6P0WdvY/s1600/backroads010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxJLYE5il5d6MBCzrRM-zKtrs_c1EL7auacOTbuRtWN363FoG-MmyNEeRAPRw4Uu8pYTosvTWFNLukGCbS8Tku39O-49xkrGWd7fX2TPylBHe3wqNY8tBXWkjKU4bnklY07AE6P0WdvY/s640/backroads010.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">US 60 near Magdalena, New Mexico</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed learning about the development of our modern road system in the United States - and how to navigate it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://ctt.ec/JZ2Vo" target="_blank"><img alt="Tweet: What is a back road? What do highway numbers mean? @48nointerstate answers these #travel questions and more! https://ctt.ec/JZ2Vo+ #ttot #roadtrip" src="https://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-4.png" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2QJQSmtbGku9okTWa2xcSdnvU6x-Rd5Ib5AfI1xXxapqpDMRf_FR6M4CGTTtF0u1i99K2-Bd5tmQ87m_FSDifbgeTJyxesO1PGCr5I4WPRWft6QB8W_1QQ3SvvfZPyYLtoJn0NhmG6Q/s1600/cover001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2QJQSmtbGku9okTWa2xcSdnvU6x-Rd5Ib5AfI1xXxapqpDMRf_FR6M4CGTTtF0u1i99K2-Bd5tmQ87m_FSDifbgeTJyxesO1PGCr5I4WPRWft6QB8W_1QQ3SvvfZPyYLtoJn0NhmG6Q/s400/cover001.jpg" title="What is a back road? Informed travelers are able to navigate the back roads of America, preventing lost time on the road and more time enjoying their vacation! This history of highway system and the numbers identifying our roads will prepare you for your next road trip." width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Check out these groups for more travel inspiration!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwnC5drQ4LmK_4V6qkdi0xIfsjooPoj6b4r0oj5ZNAVISk9m18yMRq7zkt2fgbD3KOUD5pyLZPIQ1Afu2AfC-4tfpXGggbEsJlTnSnNLBVOgEWvDl9zPWM9sBg4ilKre3nE2kHlu4ISE/s1600/weekend+wanderlust+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwnC5drQ4LmK_4V6qkdi0xIfsjooPoj6b4r0oj5ZNAVISk9m18yMRq7zkt2fgbD3KOUD5pyLZPIQ1Afu2AfC-4tfpXGggbEsJlTnSnNLBVOgEWvDl9zPWM9sBg4ilKre3nE2kHlu4ISE/s200/weekend+wanderlust+image.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkJI7YXspCVk0CnGhxX_xgKDiGfGLB4XERiWMnEIIafIsmVUJLHhdznMccflPFrQ8lJsVfKi0dky1V9XlqE7hjZ8UqAVslYoN8Hympn0tVFE4tk1_1PihX0tiC1ps59t39i8xfW0_rIU/s1600/weekend-travel-inspiration-350x350.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkJI7YXspCVk0CnGhxX_xgKDiGfGLB4XERiWMnEIIafIsmVUJLHhdznMccflPFrQ8lJsVfKi0dky1V9XlqE7hjZ8UqAVslYoN8Hympn0tVFE4tk1_1PihX0tiC1ps59t39i8xfW0_rIU/s200/weekend-travel-inspiration-350x350.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust</a> <a href="http://www.albomadventures.com/grand-mosque-oman/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sxR505hwrLBL3G91QxPq6hUSeu9OVzctqu2BSsTadZU1eSTejb-nr3V7rJ1RJDM1ukOfmO0aC1yi_U-nroJgbiF-Su0uOCOfORTXkNuIHXjYRS2hFQoeOdB8HwfvAGa3pnSgoGSVQ8s/s1600/TheWeeklyPostcardBadge1-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sxR505hwrLBL3G91QxPq6hUSeu9OVzctqu2BSsTadZU1eSTejb-nr3V7rJ1RJDM1ukOfmO0aC1yi_U-nroJgbiF-Su0uOCOfORTXkNuIHXjYRS2hFQoeOdB8HwfvAGa3pnSgoGSVQ8s/s200/TheWeeklyPostcardBadge1-3.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sw9QjM84CVxVd-cJLxQFxSVIARI74SjNiZ_YMMwMIaNYmHHP0AvQy-omccizXIH1w7aULdD1vd3PKtPrDU2fC7fsjav2EZStJVV3hv9q0AucfFHL0G8gPtsgzfuB6xCWpeebFDcjMIc/s1600/feetdotravel+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sw9QjM84CVxVd-cJLxQFxSVIARI74SjNiZ_YMMwMIaNYmHHP0AvQy-omccizXIH1w7aULdD1vd3PKtPrDU2fC7fsjav2EZStJVV3hv9q0AucfFHL0G8gPtsgzfuB6xCWpeebFDcjMIc/s200/feetdotravel+image.jpg" width="182" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.twotravelingtexans.com/discovering-wineries-niagara-lake-canada/" target="_blank">The Weekly Postcard</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; text-align: start;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">If you liked this article or found the information to be helpful, let us know! </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We appreciate your comments, pins, shares, tweets, and likes!</span></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">SOURCES</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you're interested in reading many more paragraphs on this subject, check these sources. I personally found them fascinating, but they may not be for everyone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Federal Highway Administration:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/96summer/p96su2.cfm" target="_blank">Federal Aid Road Act of 1916: Building the Foundation</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/highwayhistory/landmark.pdf" target="_blank">Federal Aid Road Act of 1916: Creation of a Landmark</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/numbers.cfm" target="_blank">From Names to Numbers</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/highwayhistory/us1.cfm" target="_blank">US 1: Fort Kent, Maine to Key West, Florida</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Wikipedia</span><br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Numbered_Highway_System" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Numbered Highways</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">AAA (American Automobile Association)</span><br />
<a href="http://www.aaa.com/aaa/074/centennial/webpages/maphistory.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A Journey in Road Maps</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Map Images</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://collections.lib.uwm.edu/cdm/ref/collection/agdm/id/1477" target="_blank">1915 road map</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~23824~920008:Rand-McNally-road-map-United-States?trs=589&sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&mi=40&qvq=q%3Aroad+map%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1" target="_blank">1947 road map</a></span></div>
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48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-49879402283600847522017-06-16T09:34:00.001-07:002017-06-23T08:29:33.532-07:00Q & A: Back Roads Cross-Country Travel<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Have you ever wanted to jump in the car and drive across the country? Last year, we did just that, and we're here today to share answers to some of the questions people commonly ask us about this crazy trip.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpiU-KmBpEmo0jfbic6J4T_VmNJo-J-e5l-TEpYX3GlcuMmbQDkrOeQ1_CneYHf62i3m7S7KiXWU5lfRGrbM1dytogC-4Mke9oKeoz4JUckJZk8qlz1RdjaS1pkXFTBNAF50EvctVS1E/s1600/IMG_8437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel Loneliest Highway Nevada US 50" border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="1533" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpiU-KmBpEmo0jfbic6J4T_VmNJo-J-e5l-TEpYX3GlcuMmbQDkrOeQ1_CneYHf62i3m7S7KiXWU5lfRGrbM1dytogC-4Mke9oKeoz4JUckJZk8qlz1RdjaS1pkXFTBNAF50EvctVS1E/s400/IMG_8437.JPG" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel Loneliest Highway Nevada US 50" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you missed last week's <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/06/photo-tour-of-back-roads-cross-country.html" target="_blank">photo tour of our 22,000 mile cross country road trip</a>, start there before reading this post.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">How did you plan it?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The answer might shock you: we did very little planning. Over the course of two or three weeks, we wrote down a list of things we would probably need to take with us and thought about places we'd like to visit. Then one day we packed our suitcases, tossed them in the car, and left - about two hours later than planned, because we kept thinking of last-minute things we needed to take care of or grab.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3Oa-eJL99MoKGSRaZZE8Ak0n_E6Q-nlSNvW5ZLBUWHXLPCtFIsEsXwzycXWqu1Fc59uTNRlaw1ub-ipR1W7Phtiaod8x8vu1UiRHmUPRcVP83Kek47UyJsp4Cu-VrddfPptxicSXdek/s1600/howtoprepthecar006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3Oa-eJL99MoKGSRaZZE8Ak0n_E6Q-nlSNvW5ZLBUWHXLPCtFIsEsXwzycXWqu1Fc59uTNRlaw1ub-ipR1W7Phtiaod8x8vu1UiRHmUPRcVP83Kek47UyJsp4Cu-VrddfPptxicSXdek/s320/howtoprepthecar006.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">We documented the moment of departure with a car selfie in our garage</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Did you have a specific route? </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We started with a blank map of the US like you might have been handed in geography class for a quiz on labeling the states. Starting from home in South Carolina, we <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/02/how-to-create-road-trip-itinerary.html" target="_blank">mapped out a plan</a> by drawing a line through the approximate areas we wanted to pass through in each state. We knew we would break the journey down into a 3-week trip followed by an 8-week trip after a week at home for previously planned commitments. We didn't really refer back to our drawing much after sketching it but roughly followed the original path we created.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_oWCiAE3-cClR9X2aEAkZ95xGgW-KSRgju3BqVO1ftM9XloD67C5CTY-2enm20oWFWFvREHwg_LRThZj89oR9v8YzsbjJd_srJi3bT6fu_-g7zUFenWjl8BvjmYZS93y3Y9tEZKaxV4/s1600/48+Trip+Route48+Trip+Route.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel route map" border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1600" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_oWCiAE3-cClR9X2aEAkZ95xGgW-KSRgju3BqVO1ftM9XloD67C5CTY-2enm20oWFWFvREHwg_LRThZj89oR9v8YzsbjJd_srJi3bT6fu_-g7zUFenWjl8BvjmYZS93y3Y9tEZKaxV4/s640/48+Trip+Route48+Trip+Route.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel route map" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">How did you know which roads to take?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The short answer is, we just picked roads that went from where we were to where we wanted to be. Sometimes this was a direct route, and other times it wasn't (usually on purpose; a few times by accident). Sometimes we planned out our route in advance, and other times we just drove in the direction we wanted to go - West out of San Antonio, North out of Detroit, East out of Seattle, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We both enjoyed looking at our big atlas and checking routes on the phone as we planned our days.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjLwG53LqY7S9whS8k7aQLeW1JCe_3jzf11rWiRalhmEFA64TEbQVw40Kq9US2t-qG1PFnCwsOGwOv3K97BjsV4N6hsPmzT-WF5kkFiRB_7kg309KvoEmFAxn8GMyty4q-2iGLBxe5ZA/s1600/highlights101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjLwG53LqY7S9whS8k7aQLeW1JCe_3jzf11rWiRalhmEFA64TEbQVw40Kq9US2t-qG1PFnCwsOGwOv3K97BjsV4N6hsPmzT-WF5kkFiRB_7kg309KvoEmFAxn8GMyty4q-2iGLBxe5ZA/s640/highlights101.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Driving toward Death Valley</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What about hotel reservations?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For simplicity, most of our nights were at somewhat inexpensive chain hotels that included a free breakfast and a refrigerator in the room - and earned us points toward free nights. Like with our routes, sometimes we planned our hotels out a few days in advance; other times we'd make a reservation while at lunch or dinner - or even as we rolled into town. When you're staying in a different hotel night after night, your standards can drop some, and we didn't necessarily seek out the nicest hotels for most nights.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQbQVZePRC-u64Y6bapmnrugygbHGGm1rfghN7D7BPtuySussXnMFEGSxd1SRbrAhgvVtRaX28kPCf40iS7vU2NK0TxazNA1Z0_stdbUiIqcdVm_PboNaF36Nh6b0F7c-IOZWdQYosxw/s1600/week5010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel Betsy's B&B - Bed & Breakfast Montpelier, Vermont" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQbQVZePRC-u64Y6bapmnrugygbHGGm1rfghN7D7BPtuySussXnMFEGSxd1SRbrAhgvVtRaX28kPCf40iS7vU2NK0TxazNA1Z0_stdbUiIqcdVm_PboNaF36Nh6b0F7c-IOZWdQYosxw/s400/week5010.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel Betsy's B&B - Bed & Breakfast Montpelier, Vermont" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Betsy's B & B in Montpelier, Vermont was among our favorite hotels.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Checking reviews on websites is helpful in making sure you're not headed to a no-tell motel. We chose hotels that were rated at least 3 out of 5 stars on various websites (usually <a href="https://www.choicehotels.com/" target="_blank">Choice Hotels</a>, but sometimes <a href="https://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/reservation" target="_blank">IHG</a> or <a href="https://www.priceline.com/" target="_blank">Priceline</a>) and found that they were pretty consistent with their ratings. Nice hotels are best when you have time to settle in and enjoy the place you're paying so much for, and a trip where seeing the country is the object, you don't have a lot of time to chill in a fancy hotel room. We splurged some: a Marriott on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, a Holiday Inn Express two blocks from Hollywood Blvd (which doesn't seem like it should fall into the 'splurge' category, but in LA the prices are insane; throw in parking fees and you've reached about 25% of your monthly mortgage for one night in the city!), and Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. On occasion, we found great prices at local inns and bed & breakfasts, and on those occasions we enjoyed the change of pace from a chain hotel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>How did you pack for a three-month long trip?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When it was time for this trip, we <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/01/how-to-pack-for-road-trip-doing-laundry.html" target="_blank">packed our suitcases</a>, threw them in the <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/01/how-to-prepare-your-car-for-road-trip.html" target="_blank">car</a>, and pulled out of the driveway. That sounds much easier than it was, though. We tried to strike a balance between having everything we needed and packing our entire house into the back of our SUV. There were certainly things we took that never made it out of the car (so many books and magazines, some clothes and shoes) and others that we couldn't have made the trip without (laundry supplies, snack stash, road atlas, rain boots, rain jacket, umbrellas (there's a theme developing here), etc.). We had to <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/01/how-to-pack-for-road-trip-doing-laundry.html" target="_blank">do laundry in hotels</a> several times, which is certainly different from doing it at home but certainly better than walking around in disgusting, smelly clothes for weeks on end.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUh_R57OTsSNnCfk0TteN9M8FDFxmTiLMhMNTIXIraTX50T9rwbcFe7kE229Z-teN282-leQ12-khXDFvjl9w19BerYVUCsfDkvLVVutdSFXsFq_0NXcrpq4zM-FWbV1sKfaRxV7D05I/s1600/wk4003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - laundry in a hotel - Michigan" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUh_R57OTsSNnCfk0TteN9M8FDFxmTiLMhMNTIXIraTX50T9rwbcFe7kE229Z-teN282-leQ12-khXDFvjl9w19BerYVUCsfDkvLVVutdSFXsFq_0NXcrpq4zM-FWbV1sKfaRxV7D05I/s400/wk4003.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - laundry in a hotel - Michigan" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">We somehow managed not to take a picture of all our luggage, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">so here's a shot of our most interesting hotel laundry experience.</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">How did you know where to eat?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We didn't! Further complicating our decision-making process was the fact that we chose to avoid restaurants we could find at home. To explain our reasoning, let me take you back to SAT prep for a minute.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back Roads : Interstates :: Local Restaurants : National Chains</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Do you remember how to read an analogy? It goes like this: back roads are to interstates as local restaurants are to national chains. Just as a back road allows you to see the unique characteristics of individual cities, counties, states, and regions across the country more clearly, a local family-owned restaurant is often going to provide greater service, tastier food, and an overall better experience than the chain restaurant on the corner. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmiIcP86J_QZObpbyKp0LpEDRkhayfbzJzh2zkSodFZx3kBqbPBhDhFWzTYQvSU4XDJ5HPvgC_KvwNU7syCkA9Fo8-cuiE4TxPjzZyMX3kPXoMv2yMfzAkirm4OEnJbb9uV7F-k-gzTQ/s1600/Restaurants001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Mi Tierra in Historic Market Square, El Mercado - San Antonio, Texas" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmiIcP86J_QZObpbyKp0LpEDRkhayfbzJzh2zkSodFZx3kBqbPBhDhFWzTYQvSU4XDJ5HPvgC_KvwNU7syCkA9Fo8-cuiE4TxPjzZyMX3kPXoMv2yMfzAkirm4OEnJbb9uV7F-k-gzTQ/s640/Restaurants001.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Mi Tierra in Historic Market Square, El Mercado - San Antonio, Texas" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Mi Tierra - San Antonio, Texas</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There are also chain restaurants like Potbelly, In-N-Out, and Shake Shack that we love to visit when we find them since their closest locations are hundreds of miles from our home. They are not the same as those local family-run places, but they still provide a unique opportunity to try something different instead of the same old meal you can get any day at home. It's usually no more expensive to eat local than it is to eat familiar, so we recommend giving it a shot!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSsxU24ZKhnCsgurUlNLDoQ5asrnGUs8-PM3na30ycJM7mwyIB4_P-oy0Q92BLEh7nQpgDaxWuXF79ZkgxKRykV_yc2qv8-J8rJFsvhVc0IOfdr7X7nsbvQJzZzk3RZeJ_kbC2NS7wK0/s1600/highlights109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - In-N-Out Los Angeles, California" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSsxU24ZKhnCsgurUlNLDoQ5asrnGUs8-PM3na30ycJM7mwyIB4_P-oy0Q92BLEh7nQpgDaxWuXF79ZkgxKRykV_yc2qv8-J8rJFsvhVc0IOfdr7X7nsbvQJzZzk3RZeJ_kbC2NS7wK0/s640/highlights109.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - In-N-Out Los Angeles, California" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">In-N-Out employees cut potatoes into fries before dropping<br />them into the deep fryers, so you know you're getting fresh food!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If I haven't convinced you yet to avoid the chains while traveling, then I probably won't be able to, but I'll give it one more shot. We shared our methods for finding great local restaurants, regardless of the size of the town in a post on our </span><a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/02/our-favorite-restaurants-in-america.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;" target="_blank">favorite road trip restaurants</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUtu4l4lbnR6J1LdjXMfasWbo2EDcv5QVhHtXCYFqnAVNn0QNh388ejKcBo_Z6nfahf0kQ_1mSN638VoEkp9TIj5DmWtmon3FvQ8oGfuTKxwcIFdkbeEeSlNBjr84TRalXlisZ3ahHfs/s1600/Restaurants022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Home of the ho-made pies at Thunderbird Restaurant near Zion and Bryce National Parks in Mt. Carmel, Utah" border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1600" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUtu4l4lbnR6J1LdjXMfasWbo2EDcv5QVhHtXCYFqnAVNn0QNh388ejKcBo_Z6nfahf0kQ_1mSN638VoEkp9TIj5DmWtmon3FvQ8oGfuTKxwcIFdkbeEeSlNBjr84TRalXlisZ3ahHfs/s640/Restaurants022.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Home of the ho-made pies at Thunderbird Restaurant near Zion and Bryce National Parks in Mt. Carmel, Utah" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.zionnational-park.com/hist.htm" target="_blank">Thuderbird Restaurant</a> - Mt. Carmel Junction, Utah</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Breakfast was taken care of at most hotels, and we tried to keep it healthy (as in, we resisted the Belgian waffles, biscuits, grits, and donuts most days). At home, I cook most nights, so shifting to eating at restaurants daily concerned me, but I found that while traveling, having a good breakfast similar to what I would eat at home prevented stomach problems that could arise from a such a sudden and prolonged change in diet. When we weren't eating at local restaurants for lunch, we (I) spread up the road trip staple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, and occasional stops at grocery stores for yogurt and fruit provided better options than potato chips most days (though fruit doesn't keep well in a hot car or on ice in a cooler so it must be bought in small quantities and consumed pretty quickly).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgZ0YDzH-nPmeUzCsHKaTXN4Lr7Oenj3IY6fGWpfhxUBbcf2fzaVUAqU-Je9aCIhuCdvQkqIGCrpGkMXIBNp8BAKahrMxB2lSLaKggDFqZQwgKRnUyUNHo1aheC4GeVvJxoECCdA5jcY/s1600/goolrick%2527s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - soda fountain and restaurant in Goolrick's Pharmacy, Fredericksburg, Virginia" border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgZ0YDzH-nPmeUzCsHKaTXN4Lr7Oenj3IY6fGWpfhxUBbcf2fzaVUAqU-Je9aCIhuCdvQkqIGCrpGkMXIBNp8BAKahrMxB2lSLaKggDFqZQwgKRnUyUNHo1aheC4GeVvJxoECCdA5jcY/s640/goolrick%2527s.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - soda fountain and restaurant in Goolrick's Pharmacy, Fredericksburg, Virginia" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Goolrick's Pharmacy - Fredericksburg, Virginia</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b><b>What about your house, pets, jobs, bills, etc.?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We are very lucky to have family members who love our dogs almost as much as we do and were willing to keep them for us so they didn't have to go to the kennel for three months. We thought about taking them with us but couldn't quite figure how that would work - they wouldn't be able to go with us to lots of places (museums, national parks, etc.), and while some restaurants will allow animals on their patios, we don't think they'd want ours. They're loud and excitable, and just not a good fit for an extended trip. Nick's sister and her dog were able to 'move in' to our house for the majority of our trip and hang out with our dogs, taking care of the two biggest question marks of our trip. She was also able to glance through our mail for anything that seemed important, which was incredibly helpful. Jobs were easy; the company Nick worked for had sold, and we planned this trip during the four-month break he took before starting a new one. I went part-time at my job a few years ago and was able to cover my commitments during our travels. Bills were mostly set to auto-draft, and I created reminders in my phone to handle the ones that weren't.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88mAnxa3Qp4unwXOKM5qwDoIpLKWePNt95-w3Zgw8k3vhrbX-5rB7O16Znq0slQfSGZ41aofXzJSgdK2ati2T6ns2wB8ZcG65Bvg04KwFc8vMt6LRTvWu1v8rrx_HFpL0E-Dgcd-eDDM/s1600/highlights099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88mAnxa3Qp4unwXOKM5qwDoIpLKWePNt95-w3Zgw8k3vhrbX-5rB7O16Znq0slQfSGZ41aofXzJSgdK2ati2T6ns2wB8ZcG65Bvg04KwFc8vMt6LRTvWu1v8rrx_HFpL0E-Dgcd-eDDM/s400/highlights099.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Arriving home after being gone from these two sweet pups<br />for such a long time was a very joyful occasion for all.</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But what do you do in the car for all that time?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">See the world! Or, see a lot of one country. The point of being in the car on a back road is not to find something to DO; it's about observing your surroundings, regardless of whether it's a long cross-country trip or an afternoon drive not far from home. Whether it's some bizarre roadside attraction that grabs your attention or comparing different styles of barns across the country, there's always something to see. Even in Kansas, whose reputation of being a long, flat prairie precedes it, there are sights to see.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iRIkNs2p7HkVa_-BEhX5ogLgqwJutxVXGR6EmWVpd8pB6bh0VTHGDopGjYhzjxBZjVp5K1HWDjkDwZK-Pzwp4tftJ34wYhYuvNM6kiLjXFKlBEzoaPe0D55DOScgfpraA0QD2Hurn00/s1600/highlights098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Historic Route 66 Cars on the Route - Galena, Kansas" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iRIkNs2p7HkVa_-BEhX5ogLgqwJutxVXGR6EmWVpd8pB6bh0VTHGDopGjYhzjxBZjVp5K1HWDjkDwZK-Pzwp4tftJ34wYhYuvNM6kiLjXFKlBEzoaPe0D55DOScgfpraA0QD2Hurn00/s640/highlights098.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Historic Route 66 Cars on the Route - Galena, Kansas" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">On <a href="http://www.kansastravel.org/4womenontheroute.htm" target="_blank">Route 66 in Galena, Kansas</a>, you'll find the truck that's said to be the inspiration for Tow-Mater.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Here's our advice for passing the time on the road: We (I think Americans especially) live in a society where there's always something to be done - or we're sharing with the world our thoughts on this or that or a photo of what we just did or ate - and we don't take much time to slow down and enjoy the present as we should. Forget about staying busy. Just sit - without staring at your phone. Look up; it's better for your neck, anyway. Turn on music or an audiobook. Take pictures of the scenery or that weird roadside statue. Look for license tags from different states. Chat. Or just stare out the window in (companionable) silence. Be present where you are. Pictures can be shared later, but you can't get back the moment you're in. Check out more tips for <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/01/10-tips-for-enjoying-your-next-road-trip.html" target="_blank">enjoying a road trip</a> here.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5m-IbNbYT-ydg8rwxf3NGX4hQTJMenwbu1C6xKd5E1f0ICfQkAsUd5sE6tdvqpX2D_tkKfk7czHp4Py2hzscG8TePGK0Fx0q4xV9OtgecZd-AeMNOkvK1BFCIZMn_4wK-iMGV5eaq-Dw/s1600/highlights070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - strange roadside attraction - Big Boy statue in Wyoming" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5m-IbNbYT-ydg8rwxf3NGX4hQTJMenwbu1C6xKd5E1f0ICfQkAsUd5sE6tdvqpX2D_tkKfk7czHp4Py2hzscG8TePGK0Fx0q4xV9OtgecZd-AeMNOkvK1BFCIZMn_4wK-iMGV5eaq-Dw/s640/highlights070.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - strange roadside attraction - Big Boy statue in Wyoming" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Speaking of weird roadside attractions: How about a Big Boy statue in </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">the middle of the wilderness near Yellowstone National Park? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">I googled it for you so you can <a href="http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/40364" target="_blank">add it to your itinerary</a>. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>How are you still married after that much time in the car together?</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our answer to that is...why wouldn't we be? We happen to like each other (often a precursor to the whole marriage thing), we have a lot of shared interests, and it just worked. It probably helped that Nick's previous job was fairly demanding on his time, so our first 8 years of marriage were different than most people's - we never fell into a normal daily routine like most of our friends did, and on this trip we were able to share time together without an unpredictable schedule and phone calls at all hours.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GEq20Ra6c1uVJHsXAeyQB5Rws8KREG8Qy-D6P3DfSFX7SwT0ECMpQI9EmdflLVDHr68zLHHn-K0XmWKba8uunmg-7j_3MQL31Gz18wpnO-rbS8hSjVsMMureNKY8IL0T7y6ekn71ZGs/s1600/highlights098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GEq20Ra6c1uVJHsXAeyQB5Rws8KREG8Qy-D6P3DfSFX7SwT0ECMpQI9EmdflLVDHr68zLHHn-K0XmWKba8uunmg-7j_3MQL31Gz18wpnO-rbS8hSjVsMMureNKY8IL0T7y6ekn71ZGs/s400/highlights098.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">We got pretty used to seeing only one side of each other's faces.</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Can you really travel the country without taking the interstate? </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yes. It it absolutely possible to visit all 48 states without using an interstate highway. There are some sections of the country where you have to get a little bit creative to do this, though, most notably in the West where roads are more spread out than in other areas. Between Salt Lake City and San Francisco, for example, we jumped on I-80 for about 120 miles because we wanted to visit the Great Salt Lake, which is west of SLC. Because there are fewer road options in western Utah, the most sensible back roads route would have required us to backtrack too much to meet my brother on time at the airport in San Francisco, where he joined us for a few days. We decided that leaving him to hang out at the airport all afternoon waiting for us so we could stick to the back roads was probably not a great start to his weekend. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkR8rIHxBp8WpE5u-6-ebVPBkfxDFwoJa5UrYyxAIyCelZYGOZ1C3xApujEFObIIHA0sv3ov79NLpMxVwKkdeEW5nwLaknssSVnOf6Rc61kTEq6JjQL7PjyciIZECARljt7W33llK0ZJ0/s1600/week5012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Bonneville Salt Flats Utah" border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1600" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkR8rIHxBp8WpE5u-6-ebVPBkfxDFwoJa5UrYyxAIyCelZYGOZ1C3xApujEFObIIHA0sv3ov79NLpMxVwKkdeEW5nwLaknssSVnOf6Rc61kTEq6JjQL7PjyciIZECARljt7W33llK0ZJ0/s640/week5012.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Bonneville Salt Flats Utah" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Some good did come out of this stretch of interstate, though. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">At the only rest stop for miles, you can access the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://utah.com/bonneville-salt-flats" target="_blank">Bonneville Salt Flats</a>, which was an awesome surprise for us.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Another example is the stretch between Las Vegas and Zion National Park. There are limited options for routes other than the interstate if you're choosing to travel between these two places, and both routes add about three hours to the trip. We wanted to spend a few hours in Zion the day we arrived, so we chose to cheat that day.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEO0M_WLOVXT3yvZI0olCso-2pH9zt7Ixy2qmFY8Xky_DOKT5dZ4qXehZeHHgYE6t91GqXVxxVpGJ5SGA6FgynMhbcVinhwANkUpijND-qmySL3uosk8SMtbbbd_fpR7FFCwBL48LBWys/s1600/highlights011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Utah" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEO0M_WLOVXT3yvZI0olCso-2pH9zt7Ixy2qmFY8Xky_DOKT5dZ4qXehZeHHgYE6t91GqXVxxVpGJ5SGA6FgynMhbcVinhwANkUpijND-qmySL3uosk8SMtbbbd_fpR7FFCwBL48LBWys/s640/highlights011.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Utah" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">This is one of the stunning views we had from I-15 on the drive from Vegas to Zion. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">We know we missed some awesome back roads driving but enjoyed our afternoon exploring Zion.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The most common place where cheating occurred was when crossing bodies of water. Many bridges over large rivers or lakes are interstate highway bridges. Lucky for us, in many places, the interstate has technically merged with a 'back road' US highway, so it was technically not cheating. :-)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPODERsAImaeHJNhE0Lj9KyE6xqCrv-UNr6QqPtc88ga2yWy3iJIeB1pz784ZeqY98Yot3tIYP9NFECi4CxRBHcumw0nZ_mreSg5nMcLLzpJvmErDv_tFR0cjz1nCnveidtowFXxwcDCI/s1600/ColatoDC42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - US 1 Washington, DC - Virginia" border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1600" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPODERsAImaeHJNhE0Lj9KyE6xqCrv-UNr6QqPtc88ga2yWy3iJIeB1pz784ZeqY98Yot3tIYP9NFECi4CxRBHcumw0nZ_mreSg5nMcLLzpJvmErDv_tFR0cjz1nCnveidtowFXxwcDCI/s640/ColatoDC42.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - US 1 Washington, DC - Virginia" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">For example: Crossing into Washington, DC from Virginia on the I-395 bridge, </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: small;">there is a designated US 1 lane. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: small;">If you look into the next lane, you can see the painted logos for both US 1 and I-395.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcCmcMTcpQeUvRVBlalKJvvOXNwCBBWkNZGxr7kuj7xNXfHAzaXC9pOioqy4LjRnzHDpC2edlPESWPfwTGuwWB2fIlo7IHwUm0P8vzvcjUikY-6RVknrdNdYMwiFW7I8qFCxfE-KJAZ8/s1600/highlights100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Mackinaw Bridge - Mackinaw City to St. Ignace, Michigan" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcCmcMTcpQeUvRVBlalKJvvOXNwCBBWkNZGxr7kuj7xNXfHAzaXC9pOioqy4LjRnzHDpC2edlPESWPfwTGuwWB2fIlo7IHwUm0P8vzvcjUikY-6RVknrdNdYMwiFW7I8qFCxfE-KJAZ8/s640/highlights100.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Mackinaw Bridge - Mackinaw City to St. Ignace, Michigan" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">On the other hand, there are no anti-cheating lanes on the Mackinaw Bridge between </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Michigan's 'Mitten' and Upper Peninsula; I-75 is the only option.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The final place where cheating occurred was within large cities, especially Los Angeles. Sometimes it was easier to avoid traffic backups off the interstate, but other times the stoplights would cause such a slowdown that being on the interstate was better. Luckily, it's not only on bridges over water that a US Highway and interstate highway can merge with each other, so again it wasn't always technically cheating.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUgGjBngSSK7t9yvlC3YR3kDEWpGpWg3lpEptbPYQqKTj6VU9TIxx-Lf4OEbLD1ExRImDc-AlnhfmNaGNIEpjGccTz71ReKpX4iU-qi8dT4qpO9Z6ojA7ugr_BPeWO-hvbhFy7ujpah0/s1600/highlights009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Los Angeles Friday afternoon traffic" border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaUgGjBngSSK7t9yvlC3YR3kDEWpGpWg3lpEptbPYQqKTj6VU9TIxx-Lf4OEbLD1ExRImDc-AlnhfmNaGNIEpjGccTz71ReKpX4iU-qi8dT4qpO9Z6ojA7ugr_BPeWO-hvbhFy7ujpah0/s640/highlights009.jpg" title="Back Roads Cross Country Road Trip travel - Los Angeles Friday afternoon traffic" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">There's no good time to arrive in LA, but Friday afternoon has certainly got to be the worst.<br />At that point, the quickest route was the best route.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You should now have a better understanding of what our No Interstate road trip was all about, but there's more to tell! We plan to share tips on navigating back roads in the coming weeks so you'll know what to expect on your own back roads road trip! Plus, you can follow along as we continue to share bits and pieces of our big, amazing No Interstates road trip!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Do you have more questions about back roads travel? Comment below, and we'll do our best to answer them. You can find a more detailed answers to these questions and more in our series on <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/Planning%20a%20Back%20Roads%20Road%20Trip" target="_blank">planning a back roads road trip</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thanks for joining us today!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust</a> <a href="http://www.albomadventures.com/aqueduct-of-segovia/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sxR505hwrLBL3G91QxPq6hUSeu9OVzctqu2BSsTadZU1eSTejb-nr3V7rJ1RJDM1ukOfmO0aC1yi_U-nroJgbiF-Su0uOCOfORTXkNuIHXjYRS2hFQoeOdB8HwfvAGa3pnSgoGSVQ8s/s1600/TheWeeklyPostcardBadge1-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sxR505hwrLBL3G91QxPq6hUSeu9OVzctqu2BSsTadZU1eSTejb-nr3V7rJ1RJDM1ukOfmO0aC1yi_U-nroJgbiF-Su0uOCOfORTXkNuIHXjYRS2hFQoeOdB8HwfvAGa3pnSgoGSVQ8s/s200/TheWeeklyPostcardBadge1-3.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sw9QjM84CVxVd-cJLxQFxSVIARI74SjNiZ_YMMwMIaNYmHHP0AvQy-omccizXIH1w7aULdD1vd3PKtPrDU2fC7fsjav2EZStJVV3hv9q0AucfFHL0G8gPtsgzfuB6xCWpeebFDcjMIc/s1600/feetdotravel+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sw9QjM84CVxVd-cJLxQFxSVIARI74SjNiZ_YMMwMIaNYmHHP0AvQy-omccizXIH1w7aULdD1vd3PKtPrDU2fC7fsjav2EZStJVV3hv9q0AucfFHL0G8gPtsgzfuB6xCWpeebFDcjMIc/s200/feetdotravel+image.jpg" width="182" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.twotravelingtexans.com/best-free-summer-events-nyc/" target="_blank">The Weekly Postcard</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI774TxUHhyrmrHKYzAIs2jzQIcIMvHQO1L-iOHNJ0TuTxGSEoT40tHrQ4mw4YZm92wocEGBHkCvBxvNbC3vQcQXzUZ1VU_fIyOVMNMG4ofO5QYto_pEbWKEakY5ZHcSd-_L4RfHlpfY4/s1600/FAQ+cover+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI774TxUHhyrmrHKYzAIs2jzQIcIMvHQO1L-iOHNJ0TuTxGSEoT40tHrQ4mw4YZm92wocEGBHkCvBxvNbC3vQcQXzUZ1VU_fIyOVMNMG4ofO5QYto_pEbWKEakY5ZHcSd-_L4RfHlpfY4/s400/FAQ+cover+photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-30909934967254449962017-06-10T07:35:00.002-07:002017-06-16T13:58:43.942-07:00Photo Tour of a Back Roads Cross-Country Road Trip<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We refer to last year's once-in-a-lifetime 80-day back roads double coast-to-coast road trip to all 48 continental United States regularly on this blog, but we've never shared an overall account of it with you. We're fixing that now and will share details from the trip over the next two weeks. Today, we're taking you on a photo tour featuring highlights of scenes we encountered along the way. Next week, we'll answer questions people commonly ask about going on such a trip and share our recommendations for others considering something similar.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcjEo8SoG-F_Zq5opA4yCONFXrtCHXQGu1gTxh55iy3x9uEXAkVETM9csalMM27IqcIs0bOfDH9_1bul5WzTGQBC4wcf3ORruNkq0oN-Cz64NnkzuH1U25WYLvjq4wpnjyhNtvJwTyoA/s1600/IMG_6853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcjEo8SoG-F_Zq5opA4yCONFXrtCHXQGu1gTxh55iy3x9uEXAkVETM9csalMM27IqcIs0bOfDH9_1bul5WzTGQBC4wcf3ORruNkq0oN-Cz64NnkzuH1U25WYLvjq4wpnjyhNtvJwTyoA/s400/IMG_6853.JPG" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip " width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our name obviously comes from this crazy trip, appropriately named due to the fact that we visited the 48 continental states on a road trip where the interstate was avoided at all costs (confession: we did have to cheat a few times, but more on that next week!). This idea developed over time after our first back roads road trips to </span><a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/03/favorite-highways-us-1.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Florida</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> and California and a few other much smaller no interstate trips over the years. We would say to each other, "Wouldn't it be awesome to do the whole country on back roads?" Eventually, the opportunity arose, and we took it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The US is the <a href="http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-largest-countries-in-the-world-the-biggest-nations-as-determined-by-total-land-area.html" target="_blank">third largest country in the world</a>, covering 5.98 million square miles (9.63 million square kilometers). It's a unique experience to see the entire country (well, 24/25ths of its smaller units, which you may know as...states) in one 80-day trip. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On one hand, it's the best way to see it because you're seeing a chunk of each state in a short period of time and therefore develop a better mental map or idea of the different parts of that region than you did in your fifth grade social studies class. On the other hand, unless you have unlimited time and resources, there is a constant need to 'save it for next time' and move on to the next town, therefore not fully experiencing any individual place before leaving it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAra5ABOaKvAcJWk7OhP9OQWQ0UYCHv9vD6ftzzjoSoVT3uezozP4FwB6l-S2yIXuoTXOzAj00GJ5nu_RH7LVspCSbYZSI3P6RWllEF4Jchi7bMd_FcNLtGQNCzInDjwDcfhiihdsS5Yo/s1600/48+Trip+Route48+Trip+Route.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1600" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAra5ABOaKvAcJWk7OhP9OQWQ0UYCHv9vD6ftzzjoSoVT3uezozP4FwB6l-S2yIXuoTXOzAj00GJ5nu_RH7LVspCSbYZSI3P6RWllEF4Jchi7bMd_FcNLtGQNCzInDjwDcfhiihdsS5Yo/s640/48+Trip+Route48+Trip+Route.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our route changed very little from the hastily sketched diagram you see above, though there were a few places where we were either forced or chose to take a different route. It reminds me of the <a href="http://familycircus.com/comic_tag/billys-map/" target="_blank">convoluted routes</a> Billy takes around the neighborhood in Family Circus, and in a way it was. Like Billy, we certainly didn't take the most direct route anywhere. Unlike Billy, we covered thousands of miles: approximately 22,000!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Here's a brief photo tour of those 22,000 miles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As we looked across the bay toward Tampa under a stormy sky on the <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2016/04/columbia-sc-to-tampafl-journey-long.html%20" target="_blank">first full day of our road trip</a>, what we were doing and where we were going still hadn't really sunk in.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2SqEvFgn8B9BTuFzhwaZsdnpMRfD1VG_J929X2H3pwCZNI0TKwOWQWVDQUfxFEVipaBeMyrDN0suiDT0F0GxUGCS6vZtmIqV2SiTo8D-qahQbPsnCCoWKVx06-u3jVZWFxtzPzTD4hg/s1600/tampastpete018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Tampa, Florida" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2SqEvFgn8B9BTuFzhwaZsdnpMRfD1VG_J929X2H3pwCZNI0TKwOWQWVDQUfxFEVipaBeMyrDN0suiDT0F0GxUGCS6vZtmIqV2SiTo8D-qahQbPsnCCoWKVx06-u3jVZWFxtzPzTD4hg/s640/tampastpete018.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Tampa, Florida" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Every corner in <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2016/04/panama-city-beach-fl-to-new-orleans-la.html" target="_blank">New Orleans</a> all at once looks the same and different from the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">others. Here, tourists and locals pass through Jackson Square just before sunset.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM55OrZrrtHYxkwFazTSbvDsxsLkBzyBrwzW0Y6DL9MwixBj_dP6p9T7icLCnxTWRxfVtHJwXPD6zBEYVxcZYuHvefyAZUK9h8l_P_epROiYzkyiycDh139Fn1vTXPbbxcroIs_uTdR4U/s1600/NOLA035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Jackson Square New Orleans Louisiana" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM55OrZrrtHYxkwFazTSbvDsxsLkBzyBrwzW0Y6DL9MwixBj_dP6p9T7icLCnxTWRxfVtHJwXPD6zBEYVxcZYuHvefyAZUK9h8l_P_epROiYzkyiycDh139Fn1vTXPbbxcroIs_uTdR4U/s640/NOLA035.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Jackson Square New Orleans Louisiana" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">San Antonio's Riverwalk is a lively and colorful place to spend the day shopping, eating, walking beside and climbing bridges to cross the canal, or taking in the bright colors and activity from a water taxi.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26S21lgicgX3paW4uou7tRTZ63NCBrUzfUANxMeRU5ltdQ2twVVeclvGxXkep7EJO9Ei8-TfgpAhaZ7Evldz-IJjCNsRKPjL4EZwqyu1YbmhZDbI6bo_M_WxkQlscPuCVCyaMbrBnr54/s1600/highlights005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Riverwalk San Antonio Texas" border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26S21lgicgX3paW4uou7tRTZ63NCBrUzfUANxMeRU5ltdQ2twVVeclvGxXkep7EJO9Ei8-TfgpAhaZ7Evldz-IJjCNsRKPjL4EZwqyu1YbmhZDbI6bo_M_WxkQlscPuCVCyaMbrBnr54/s640/highlights005.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Riverwalk San Antonio Texas" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Dry riverbeds abound in Texas; watch out though, the low crossings at small dry creekbeds can easily flood.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnHu6nmq5_MM73Lh6KmI2dejlWaSwpeuV-_p2K2mcewAUt5P5BHG-QeZZ0YB3Hfnb4vL5z13qrn6DwvVsVIIIFRODUjbLAKSGhZ8v9rzQYiel5P1sD2JVx2UBhGKiHjHsvEQL2mPQGdc/s1600/highlights007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip dry riverbed west Texas" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnHu6nmq5_MM73Lh6KmI2dejlWaSwpeuV-_p2K2mcewAUt5P5BHG-QeZZ0YB3Hfnb4vL5z13qrn6DwvVsVIIIFRODUjbLAKSGhZ8v9rzQYiel5P1sD2JVx2UBhGKiHjHsvEQL2mPQGdc/s640/highlights007.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip dry riverbed west Texas" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This was not a Close Encounter of any kind but one of the many gas flares you see on the drive through oil-drilling areas like New Mexico.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5ttRVCxpOJbKyO2NfhAGfoSE_xYhWosOlOJJKop5LVN3Z3awygDlEoPmHePtcMYvk8r5IqWykn8hkeugQkCcBQiNuqb4a_FfHAEnCUcDyd0AujNODCMYQZrBNQcKYHDH17p1HjA9NMo/s1600/highlights008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Texas New Mexico state line gas flare" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5ttRVCxpOJbKyO2NfhAGfoSE_xYhWosOlOJJKop5LVN3Z3awygDlEoPmHePtcMYvk8r5IqWykn8hkeugQkCcBQiNuqb4a_FfHAEnCUcDyd0AujNODCMYQZrBNQcKYHDH17p1HjA9NMo/s640/highlights008.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Texas New Mexico state line gas flare" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sitting at the top of Bell Rock near Sedona, Arizona to watch the sunset was a good decision until we had to walk back to the car in near darkness. Only one small cactus jumped out to attack me as we carefully made our way back to the parking lot.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8_GnOQSqBT61P0gXT0EsCaD3uNEnOIlk6kVZnocTTpJ7sbpPha5utca2m1w_LBK46Q2aezeBXIz4vasnDQRZsMkttA73EQX8yKFh0N8VjCzupvrcFZyG4-YKt4G9kNDjPMTTUEGgLRw/s1600/highlights009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip sunset Bell Rock Sedona Arizona" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL8_GnOQSqBT61P0gXT0EsCaD3uNEnOIlk6kVZnocTTpJ7sbpPha5utca2m1w_LBK46Q2aezeBXIz4vasnDQRZsMkttA73EQX8yKFh0N8VjCzupvrcFZyG4-YKt4G9kNDjPMTTUEGgLRw/s640/highlights009.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip sunset Bell Rock Sedona Arizona" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When you think of California, the image that comes to mind is probably of wide sandy beaches, Hollywood Blvd., or the Golden Gate Bridge. This view down toward a ribbon of road looping its way through the mountains along the Pines to Palms highway between Palm Springs and Los Angeles was not one that we expected.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Xv5dtv1TcJQM2KxFJNUW3y4Ifp90h4ujjT_TSHAhshQs6MrEMVcamLVXew5V92LzyLkeoCzKKig125PEqbrn3w11RWghzQ5tyDXpdRUvxwF_atDQusTfFXHpiehejbTMADkDq2UTYbg/s1600/highlights010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip California mountains Palm Springs Coachella Valley" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Xv5dtv1TcJQM2KxFJNUW3y4Ifp90h4ujjT_TSHAhshQs6MrEMVcamLVXew5V92LzyLkeoCzKKig125PEqbrn3w11RWghzQ5tyDXpdRUvxwF_atDQusTfFXHpiehejbTMADkDq2UTYbg/s640/highlights010.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip California Mountains Palm Springs Coachella Valley" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We hadn't planned to pass Mexican Hat but spotted it as we drove through the red rocks of the Navajo nation in Southeastern Utah.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSzl4TuxGrpid-bLh2L_hAXfaN35tQYz-xzJb5p9IUUzfut2hPoKZ9R79RFD852ZhG3SRdrzQDcfNkaOZawkT-ZKxmZ23IBMTR8t5WiU_CF8EYm3ForagXsiWN-i8i_2QA36-AC7NgmE/s1600/highlights013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Utah red rock Mexican Hat" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSzl4TuxGrpid-bLh2L_hAXfaN35tQYz-xzJb5p9IUUzfut2hPoKZ9R79RFD852ZhG3SRdrzQDcfNkaOZawkT-ZKxmZ23IBMTR8t5WiU_CF8EYm3ForagXsiWN-i8i_2QA36-AC7NgmE/s640/highlights013.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Utah red rock Mexican Hat" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">During an early morning run on a mountain trail in Kanab, Utah near Bryce Canyon National Park, these four deer and a few noisy roosters down in the town seemed to be the only other creatures awake besides me. It was a peaceful, chilly morning with a stunning sunrise.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsM3swaPvn0U1xPumV1Hm4hJqFywhed1du88sOEN4RaKjXd_ylSUPT4e3nKVD1pJntD7WAeZJ9CX6Gx_PtIh5wRfbKEZ0hvhuYX8-C6K26CDVtKzXdwiii1i-sv4WiRR_kLFOqEut6c0/s1600/highlights018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip deer silhouette Kanab Utah" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsM3swaPvn0U1xPumV1Hm4hJqFywhed1du88sOEN4RaKjXd_ylSUPT4e3nKVD1pJntD7WAeZJ9CX6Gx_PtIh5wRfbKEZ0hvhuYX8-C6K26CDVtKzXdwiii1i-sv4WiRR_kLFOqEut6c0/s640/highlights018.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip deer silhouette Kanab Utah" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's hard to fathom the size and expanse of Horseshoe Bend, even when you're standing there looking at it in person. To give you some perspective, find the tiny dot in the river above the second 'E' in 'interstate'. That's a paddle boat. With humans in it. And it's a barely distinguishable dot in the middle of a wide river looping around a massive rock formation. What's possibly more shocking is how close people go to the side of those cliffs (which have no fences or guardrails) to get a picture of their feet at the edge. The closest I went was about five feet away, and that felt about 10 feet too close for me!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtszr0-11nea7i9UaBNnEAZgOwNclsYC3GDJkJwCwtjJjG_oUTfK2eJUFtNaJXrtyfYVSTl-UMqpXco1YmU9TE1JV2YfB0vhPNGK5D4l1PQjZlIdRbcdmL0VZRP5ooP7NZnzVhAS3eww/s1600/highlights002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Horseshoe Bend Arizona" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtszr0-11nea7i9UaBNnEAZgOwNclsYC3GDJkJwCwtjJjG_oUTfK2eJUFtNaJXrtyfYVSTl-UMqpXco1YmU9TE1JV2YfB0vhPNGK5D4l1PQjZlIdRbcdmL0VZRP5ooP7NZnzVhAS3eww/s640/highlights002.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Horseshoe Bend Arizona" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Like Mexican Hat, Shiprock was another of those road trip surprises that comes out of the blue. It rises high above the otherwise flat terrain of the Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico, looking suspiciously like the Wizard's palace in Oz. Except it's not green, and there's no yellow brick anywhere around it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnOn76CVFnj4IfT4S0ncqZ8aCoyvxZwTOIyL7dR6AJXVwkVDgeGHjpo6gW6VGZpL0hMCEMn2jrTEEFTHhIuW6PiI4MXCJOSoILdIbEZ6LG_a9F4y72f-et0Imm0g_gK_TBkkyjT5a63U/s1600/highlights014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Ship Rock New Mexico" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnOn76CVFnj4IfT4S0ncqZ8aCoyvxZwTOIyL7dR6AJXVwkVDgeGHjpo6gW6VGZpL0hMCEMn2jrTEEFTHhIuW6PiI4MXCJOSoILdIbEZ6LG_a9F4y72f-et0Imm0g_gK_TBkkyjT5a63U/s640/highlights014.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Ship Rock New Mexico" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Running out of gas on a road trip is no joke, but for us, the situation was about as ideal as it could have been. As we approached the outskirts of Lubbock, Texas, we had gotten so engrossed in the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin audiobook that we hadn't heard the 'running out of gas' warning beep, and the car suddenly stopped working. Nick shifted into neutral, and we rolled on fumes to exactly 0.5 miles away from the closest gas station. Short of actually making it into the gas station parking lot, this was about the most ideal scenario for running out of gas we could think of. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRjQ0r3c_44ixX56SZ0BZWk3BVwGBteXV41ShXZfYzLEfsHZwU93RdmwtAi9rjNFkV8uHb0fRuldMPoiJGbIx8rzlWp3VKMhb3f_y1U_6zSwCK0rpjcoFy9HN6TO54p0FOQGVsKVR5VE/s1600/highlights015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip running out of Gas Texas" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRjQ0r3c_44ixX56SZ0BZWk3BVwGBteXV41ShXZfYzLEfsHZwU93RdmwtAi9rjNFkV8uHb0fRuldMPoiJGbIx8rzlWp3VKMhb3f_y1U_6zSwCK0rpjcoFy9HN6TO54p0FOQGVsKVR5VE/s640/highlights015.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip running out of Gas Texas" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Crossing the Mighty Mississippi into Memphis from Arkansas, look to the right to see the city skyline or to the left to see a big glass pyramid welcoming you to the city.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIooFoTZHZF05Z1yTYXW2NSudt7yC5nrKVztiOgk-H_Mn5Ee6fmML7JC3LCSHQFqz4rHkTd2JsM1eVnge57JzprOTE7iWEzdV3E7wQOe-UZ80gLOPOHCwzuP7bdlZc_aP874OIJuOutK4/s1600/highlights016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Mississippi River Memphis Tennessee Arkansas" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIooFoTZHZF05Z1yTYXW2NSudt7yC5nrKVztiOgk-H_Mn5Ee6fmML7JC3LCSHQFqz4rHkTd2JsM1eVnge57JzprOTE7iWEzdV3E7wQOe-UZ80gLOPOHCwzuP7bdlZc_aP874OIJuOutK4/s640/highlights016.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Mississippi River Memphis Tennessee Arkansas" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A walk through <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/03/us-1-columbia-sc-to-washington-dc.html" target="_blank">historic downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia</a> makes you feel like you have stepped back in time if you can ignore the modern cars lining the street.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0B7NZMQwojVwSI-L_z2hdpQjlWfQbOZ1lkFkIvDY79V34uKb5P9yFAVHeFjDTmNTS28JLjeNzeasBqwYCa1U5VVXeUCUuySORfj9wJTD809ClhFP1v8_ysvxAZPKXB6b5G7oGPqCxa_8/s1600/ColatoDC14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip historic Fredericskburg Virginia" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0B7NZMQwojVwSI-L_z2hdpQjlWfQbOZ1lkFkIvDY79V34uKb5P9yFAVHeFjDTmNTS28JLjeNzeasBqwYCa1U5VVXeUCUuySORfj9wJTD809ClhFP1v8_ysvxAZPKXB6b5G7oGPqCxa_8/s640/ColatoDC14.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip historic Fredericksburg Virigina" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Not the typical scene you think of when you think of our nation's capital city, is it? Everyone has seen a picture of the White House or Washington Monument, and this city scene seemed like a more appropriate representation of passing through the city on a road trip.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjPbGR_sXvSl9DM87aFeaS_qxf84ebVKcC3sbbG8uM1MFKQoHUnZrHH380x2TXJr2Pq2NUKGmRlKBD-4GF9amb0DX5bhYOe-wLe3ZED1oFZGQO5xvV3ResfD-SEkHJWohyphenhyphenXRggAtOHs8/s1600/highlights021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Washington DC USA capital city" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjPbGR_sXvSl9DM87aFeaS_qxf84ebVKcC3sbbG8uM1MFKQoHUnZrHH380x2TXJr2Pq2NUKGmRlKBD-4GF9amb0DX5bhYOe-wLe3ZED1oFZGQO5xvV3ResfD-SEkHJWohyphenhyphenXRggAtOHs8/s640/highlights021.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Washington, DC USA capital city" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This little red 19th century one room schoolhouse in Maryland brightened up an otherwise wet and dreary day.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkQcRXXnDxZMGpMa6fA5ROUELiivdP_BzQIaRAm6vaVsw0g43U7pLqpGL38vuVYvIxpWLLpvERwPXQG8bvPOoV1YxJy316GbnnG97mTbaawRpKT3llYG08avplyXp8_OfO6pgnOWppzE/s1600/highlights022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Maryland red school house USA" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkQcRXXnDxZMGpMa6fA5ROUELiivdP_BzQIaRAm6vaVsw0g43U7pLqpGL38vuVYvIxpWLLpvERwPXQG8bvPOoV1YxJy316GbnnG97mTbaawRpKT3llYG08avplyXp8_OfO6pgnOWppzE/s640/highlights022.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Maryland red school house USA" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Behind the iron gates sits a marker from the Mason-Dixon line in present-day Delaware (at the time, the land was part of the Pennsylvania colony). First measured by local surveyors in about 1760 and marked by two small stones, a larger stone was put in place after Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon made their measurements in 1764 to solve a land dispute and establish the border between Maryland and Pennysylvania.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXT-elTicGDxb4H_4ZXEAv9qRcCuNvPUlLzfZ8l4WPyyVfNmPxVVzfok54zt9j5cwQGx7BomxKtFMNLl5HLpCImYlYST_RQU0W0vDKcXKD1YOCbYbHP1bSe1zx9n_EuKrFvwQXYX4Al4/s1600/highlights023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Mason Dixon Line marker Delaware" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXT-elTicGDxb4H_4ZXEAv9qRcCuNvPUlLzfZ8l4WPyyVfNmPxVVzfok54zt9j5cwQGx7BomxKtFMNLl5HLpCImYlYST_RQU0W0vDKcXKD1YOCbYbHP1bSe1zx9n_EuKrFvwQXYX4Al4/s640/highlights023.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Mason Dixon Line marker Delaware" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The cupola of Independence Hall peeks over the roof line of the Old City Hall building in the heart of Historic Philadelphia. <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/04/us-1-dc-to-nyc.html" target="_blank">Roaming through the cobblestone streets with no particular destination</a> recalling as much of the history we learned in school as we could was a nice break from the road.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5rHRd5i-hNG5ZW1bWho8gl5hdhhTPGLGTt3bDQyKiLeH2VZNQAIYCXoQhyphenhyphenDwmchzEJRPKtlbnHzkw59WIFquSpwRCw6E8hXbPEdnrke3FvC-nY98RDtIPtHUU16zcVxgcqDWVR5CUxQ/s1600/philly001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip historic Philadelphia" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5rHRd5i-hNG5ZW1bWho8gl5hdhhTPGLGTt3bDQyKiLeH2VZNQAIYCXoQhyphenhyphenDwmchzEJRPKtlbnHzkw59WIFquSpwRCw6E8hXbPEdnrke3FvC-nY98RDtIPtHUU16zcVxgcqDWVR5CUxQ/s640/philly001.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip historic Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The view from our Brooklyn hotel (along with a larger room and more convenient parking) made the long subway rides into Manhattan worth it. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypqQneGP4Jk2ZBOvoLUfB3NM_5yHifAFGH95Zau2dnPT-_nhGp-cwptWYAU3XzbuUOANGKf8kSvNCLV5_LQ7umuxXyWWuJmAkCrUbmWcq1ec92J096noemdhcV1jFPZyv7Uql0UZApF4/s1600/brooklyn001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn New York City NYC" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypqQneGP4Jk2ZBOvoLUfB3NM_5yHifAFGH95Zau2dnPT-_nhGp-cwptWYAU3XzbuUOANGKf8kSvNCLV5_LQ7umuxXyWWuJmAkCrUbmWcq1ec92J096noemdhcV1jFPZyv7Uql0UZApF4/s640/brooklyn001.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Manhattan Skyline from Brooklyn New York City NYC" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">About 60 miles north of the city, the United States Military Academy at West Point boasts some amazing architecture including the protestant Cadet Chapel, nestled in the mountains overlooking the campus and Hudson River far below.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIDf0KeD445mvhESP2mU1kfjXcMjyl6ufGYJXQQSPn1TG9acSzq_WpvxO63zaLg3YFrQac-wNSL-J03RLcqw9FTuHPN__cmx9zoO_PrHOpt8p1LDtKdDDYJLEJDp0_3-Ieno3JLHkvOw/s1600/highlights004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Cadet Chapel West Point New York United States Military Academy" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIDf0KeD445mvhESP2mU1kfjXcMjyl6ufGYJXQQSPn1TG9acSzq_WpvxO63zaLg3YFrQac-wNSL-J03RLcqw9FTuHPN__cmx9zoO_PrHOpt8p1LDtKdDDYJLEJDp0_3-Ieno3JLHkvOw/s640/highlights004.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Cadet Chapel West Point New York United States Military Academy" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Quaint coastal scenes like this one in Rhode Island were common as we drove along US 1 between NYC and Maine.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXi8TbhcaoSoQlln9Q2VGO4dgIhoC1f-_oZmzndmNpizr_3ymQpfkzws8iydJQKHQZo5bdg1FOyG7ZEJtiKvhwuad7N4UOj6MbbKK9sOHwkMrkdNvrErZoH_S9xlme4ncjX79hi3HkBVo/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Rhode Island coast" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXi8TbhcaoSoQlln9Q2VGO4dgIhoC1f-_oZmzndmNpizr_3ymQpfkzws8iydJQKHQZo5bdg1FOyG7ZEJtiKvhwuad7N4UOj6MbbKK9sOHwkMrkdNvrErZoH_S9xlme4ncjX79hi3HkBVo/s640/US1NYCtoMaine023.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Rhode Island coast" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Built in the 1600s, the home of Paul Revere is the oldest building in downtown Boston. In the 1800s, it became unrecognizeable as a result of renovations to turn it into a boardinghouse and later a variety of different shops. It was restored in the early 1900s to the condition it would have appeared when Paul made his famous ride in 1775 and has been open to tourists for over a hundred years!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh542R6W8y8TbG_3R2AnKmctJHgjSY7Q1FDAcj4tPp6uRRAjVJFOaFVKkvbeNYzLRBgLArckTmo0MULIDVghsBx8D60sMOrFOu2UAI29Dok1rA2dvD4d3oilxLjpXn4gWmtgr0HGF63vc/s1600/highlights024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Boston Massachusetts Paul Revere home" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh542R6W8y8TbG_3R2AnKmctJHgjSY7Q1FDAcj4tPp6uRRAjVJFOaFVKkvbeNYzLRBgLArckTmo0MULIDVghsBx8D60sMOrFOu2UAI29Dok1rA2dvD4d3oilxLjpXn4gWmtgr0HGF63vc/s640/highlights024.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Boston Massachusetts Paul Revere home" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It turned cold on us as we <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/04/us-1-new-england-minus-maine.html" target="_blank">traveled US 1 through New England</a>; for several days, it was as chilly and unpleasant (or maybe more so) as it looks in this photo. Though it felt pretty miserable, it made for a uniquely beautiful drive through these coastal towns along an angry ocean under a veil of fog.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscQ5uONlQe9Y6IoCptGIyWDejsn_PANAuApTTueuNA55sZ6Rhsjj3Vihzsew-r9QKBiWE5tKp4CKUdktvYH6TyV5w9JX-e8f0hd6hajx50VyaLPmzbL1Fxp0r2NTB0tiDZbfRZ7lIYPs/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip New Hampshire coast" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscQ5uONlQe9Y6IoCptGIyWDejsn_PANAuApTTueuNA55sZ6Rhsjj3Vihzsew-r9QKBiWE5tKp4CKUdktvYH6TyV5w9JX-e8f0hd6hajx50VyaLPmzbL1Fxp0r2NTB0tiDZbfRZ7lIYPs/s640/US1NYCtoMaine027.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip New Hampshire coast" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There's something about <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/04/us-1-coastal-maine.html" target="_blank">West Quoddy Head Light</a>, the Easternmost lighthouse in the US, that I just love to look at. The red and white tower rising out of the green grass, set against the backdrop of blue-gray water is very appealing to my eyes. It was super cold and miserable in person, though.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaep-Ip7xGS3WrcCM53WGborEIXiz__UO4ZhOYSlGpSlU74Q0mCBdAZZ3aASLFXxDjVvQz36PrwmJmMyzhQrtV_ScbDkgf9xb2Lw9H41p2nuyIYllAUwPoPV8lqRsBdMl2k7gwmNtyRh4/s1600/US1Maine038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip West Quoddy Head light Lubec Maine easternmost lighthouse USA" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaep-Ip7xGS3WrcCM53WGborEIXiz__UO4ZhOYSlGpSlU74Q0mCBdAZZ3aASLFXxDjVvQz36PrwmJmMyzhQrtV_ScbDkgf9xb2Lw9H41p2nuyIYllAUwPoPV8lqRsBdMl2k7gwmNtyRh4/s640/US1Maine038.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip West Quoddy Head light Lubec Maine easternmost lighthouse USA" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I know if you live in the Northeast, this sign near the Maine-New Hampshire border is not that unique. But it was enough to make these two southerners stop for a photo. We never did see any moose, though.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2ELgiAUaC4iLJkrTI4gv_T8rRgIsgIpkNm3dph0g0oLHAQxqkpwXywiqHf8Y1oEboVag8JcMt7HfEw8a4B2UolSlizQz6RdfCuCMh6eWsHsgPq1QZ7EK6FTt2e5-LCdYSpv3nYUZVKQ/s1600/highlights026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip New Hampshire Brake for Moose road sign" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2ELgiAUaC4iLJkrTI4gv_T8rRgIsgIpkNm3dph0g0oLHAQxqkpwXywiqHf8Y1oEboVag8JcMt7HfEw8a4B2UolSlizQz6RdfCuCMh6eWsHsgPq1QZ7EK6FTt2e5-LCdYSpv3nYUZVKQ/s640/highlights026.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip New Hampshire Brake for Moose road sign" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We saw very few of the many <a href="https://www.coveredbridgemap.com/vt/" target="_blank">covered bridges in Vermont</a>, but this particular stretch near Northfield had three in a row, giving us a pretty big bang for our buck!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMekuTA3gJRc3EWEIGm48bnYDOcqVb5Wpb4mY5nMVLWcpSo0_ruJTb9p1BzGaO87C5DzmNBXghURRDV-W33Aqb5PE3_xD9QbSXvWcNogMssNzQ8XFXiFre7P3TZ2lNJD0Rv44xl-wThoM/s1600/highlights029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Vermont red covered bridge" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMekuTA3gJRc3EWEIGm48bnYDOcqVb5Wpb4mY5nMVLWcpSo0_ruJTb9p1BzGaO87C5DzmNBXghURRDV-W33Aqb5PE3_xD9QbSXvWcNogMssNzQ8XFXiFre7P3TZ2lNJD0Rv44xl-wThoM/s640/highlights029.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Vermont red covered bridge" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We crossed the border (the Canadian border guard definitely thought we were suspicious characters when we told him about our road trip in response to his questions about why we were coming to Canada and why we were driving so far from home; he seemed to think we were nuts for doing it!) for a quick international stop. Here, the American falls provide a dazzling backdrop for a garden full of stunning Canadian tulips.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOT-WXCpmcqKz1wkPwLe6eXqITk4qVcEZjpMiJ9N-qJlwM9MsfcwVGQJuhnYFWZGo4tCQEh5kSpJwsej5RYxqZ6SjLLokQf0lazccMjQ-KeCwZ_Y4SrFw16TMU8Fl24v1wy5IEk7hPSw/s1600/highlights028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Niagara Falls Canada New York American Falls tulips" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOT-WXCpmcqKz1wkPwLe6eXqITk4qVcEZjpMiJ9N-qJlwM9MsfcwVGQJuhnYFWZGo4tCQEh5kSpJwsej5RYxqZ6SjLLokQf0lazccMjQ-KeCwZ_Y4SrFw16TMU8Fl24v1wy5IEk7hPSw/s640/highlights028.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Niagara Falls Canada New York American Falls tulips" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Prior to our trip, it for some reason never occurred to me that there would be <a href="http://www.seawaytrail.com/interests/light-houses/" target="_blank">lighthouses near the Great Lakes</a>. The Oswego Harbor West Pierhead light in Oswego, New York was just one of many that we passed on the Great Lakes Seaway Trail.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszWr23FbJ5nf79ahQkdSIHYD0stnGGH3giBFAZYtxlZFL85m3tSY8vttSuV0r8KOQ4AvpBrkHtDVgpiFH2zc7q2j7shDp14W-I7dKykZWi-EjgQ5T6fXxzd3iHiKvncvrW5bI4PG6c6c/s1600/highlights027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Oswego Pierhead light, New York great lakes seaway trail" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszWr23FbJ5nf79ahQkdSIHYD0stnGGH3giBFAZYtxlZFL85m3tSY8vttSuV0r8KOQ4AvpBrkHtDVgpiFH2zc7q2j7shDp14W-I7dKykZWi-EjgQ5T6fXxzd3iHiKvncvrW5bI4PG6c6c/s640/highlights027.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Oswego Pierhead light, New York great lakes seaway trail" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I love seeing barns and farmhouses scattered in the middle of fields as we drive through farmland, like this one celebrating the state's <a href="http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Ohio_Bicentennial_Barns" target="_blank">bicentennial</a> near the Ohio-Michigan border.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNsHZoh7LMijyK8q-FB4KgyOwOWAgVDPIn9bsPRzWcrxoEOKhqUPWlAqwk5nKe_jDo3_yktKJCVf_QarsjzgryevACSg6v9d1TE4LiheZ7CBx47KQXw_XEbIhfAB-huCg_iraLKNHP94/s1600/highlights032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Ohio bicentennial barn farmland" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNsHZoh7LMijyK8q-FB4KgyOwOWAgVDPIn9bsPRzWcrxoEOKhqUPWlAqwk5nKe_jDo3_yktKJCVf_QarsjzgryevACSg6v9d1TE4LiheZ7CBx47KQXw_XEbIhfAB-huCg_iraLKNHP94/s640/highlights032.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Ohio bicentennial barn farmland" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mackinac Island was another place I knew nothing about until we visited it. The absence of cars doesn't mean you can just walk down the middle of the street, though; carriages and bicycles replace them in large numbers, so stick to the sidewalk!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8Pc_AsF-kG10TdjQqIE5mjzdsWsobaMnNjRwGpHC-kq_7uO6ud40L2C7leI5BuFdLM0cqkkzXlB9J_S2Kd7Xk-nautsd31XuvZDX7Ooa3DITazDW8DF7p8sLg0AZhXgZ6iAPmjuslGg/s1600/highlights030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Mackinac Island Mackinaw Michigan" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8Pc_AsF-kG10TdjQqIE5mjzdsWsobaMnNjRwGpHC-kq_7uO6ud40L2C7leI5BuFdLM0cqkkzXlB9J_S2Kd7Xk-nautsd31XuvZDX7Ooa3DITazDW8DF7p8sLg0AZhXgZ6iAPmjuslGg/s640/highlights030.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Mackinac Island Mackinaw Michigan" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">During our tour of Lambeau Field, I got separated from our group when I stepped into the restroom. As a result, I missed the part of the tour that takes visitors through the tunnel and on to the Packers' field. When I finally found the group again the tour was basically over, but the tour guide kindly took us on a private mini-tour of the field. We learned that the guide and his brother had gotten <a href="http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-cliffs-notes/article-1/Kids-had-their-own-section-for-nearly-30-years/b608ceb6-6b5a-480f-8d8e-71450543fb98" target="_blank">tickets in the kids' section</a> behind one of the end zones in the 70s or 80s. When the section was later converted into a regular section, they managed to keep hold of them and still have the same tickets today.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbRUm_zWa2yRqW52LfNZ63mlTBqLB0VxlrrUPFvn7phvnOmeLOdH-6fOxO_4x1el5JAS3-5ANKYq7K4ZQwTaoSNRBpmAIbQqKf7_17FwBkXdKq0kMJYZ-ZK2ZoBw3CoH1odPiUnhTOv8/s1600/highlights035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Lambeau Field Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbRUm_zWa2yRqW52LfNZ63mlTBqLB0VxlrrUPFvn7phvnOmeLOdH-6fOxO_4x1el5JAS3-5ANKYq7K4ZQwTaoSNRBpmAIbQqKf7_17FwBkXdKq0kMJYZ-ZK2ZoBw3CoH1odPiUnhTOv8/s640/highlights035.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Lambeau Field Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Illinois gets two pictures of very different scenes. The first is a city and lake view from the top of the Willis (or Sears, if old habits die as hard for you as they do for me) Tower...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLpJ-S-oJTH2na6Zgqdu7-a2wG_3slkow_5xvGbWGmcncVofItuXCUhI7dFr7oOW9IPIiaLBMb13A2K1x2ZDA9IYMJkVhjI6_NXDfwo0ENXDpsXVLNBMBme3pzDmhCKYkqAw5UXqJ0JA/s1600/highlights036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Chicago city skyline Willis Sears Tower Skydeck" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLpJ-S-oJTH2na6Zgqdu7-a2wG_3slkow_5xvGbWGmcncVofItuXCUhI7dFr7oOW9IPIiaLBMb13A2K1x2ZDA9IYMJkVhjI6_NXDfwo0ENXDpsXVLNBMBme3pzDmhCKYkqAw5UXqJ0JA/s640/highlights036.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Chicago city skyline Willis Sears Tower Skydeck" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> ...the second is a 1.4 mile section of <a href="http://www.il66assoc.org/attraction/original-brick-road" target="_blank">brick road on Route 66</a> laid in 1931 in Auburn, IL, about 200 miles Southwest of Chicago.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGfa6cMNet0uz5QMA0G8UBXFhdfrYeseGLvEa08XpNnxesancKg1TK81CTOze5UsCedL1XHU6Sipjtw0tgma1MNpD-OE4C7PMN3xCB735WxNKs9_yV0YJvoy0Mcv-kWD4jBTQ-CzEWz8/s1600/highlights038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Route 66 Illinois brick road" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGfa6cMNet0uz5QMA0G8UBXFhdfrYeseGLvEa08XpNnxesancKg1TK81CTOze5UsCedL1XHU6Sipjtw0tgma1MNpD-OE4C7PMN3xCB735WxNKs9_yV0YJvoy0Mcv-kWD4jBTQ-CzEWz8/s640/highlights038.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Route 66 Illinois brick road" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Joplin sits on Route 66 in southwest Missouri. Completely by coincidence, we drove through Joplin on the <a href="http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2016/05/21/five-years-after-devastating-may-2011-joplin-tornado-heres-what-city-looks-like/83589110/" target="_blank">fifth anniversary of the EF5 tornado</a> that blew through on Sunday, May 22, 2011, taking with it the lives of 161 people and destroying areas up to a mile wide. It was surreal to drive through and pick out these areas, easily noticed as a result of sudden stretches of new construction or steps going from the sidewalk up to nowhere, on lots where houses had not been rebuilt. For the fifth anniversary, the town held a monthlong celebration, ending with a marathon and a remembrance ceremony the weekend we passed through.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjk2eskwuZ425Xfmf67WCwfhxhDukwKHKBjBjyHdEBRtyZx6iM-q0pksYBVIdTl8FDD9kk3bi56rECuhy4jCTVVwTNXwt5quzOxebT9-IXrFFCEJWggYgSPLFW6L_nc2yl8gBgJS01Zw/s1600/highlights039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Route 66 Joplin, Missouri mural " border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjk2eskwuZ425Xfmf67WCwfhxhDukwKHKBjBjyHdEBRtyZx6iM-q0pksYBVIdTl8FDD9kk3bi56rECuhy4jCTVVwTNXwt5quzOxebT9-IXrFFCEJWggYgSPLFW6L_nc2yl8gBgJS01Zw/s640/highlights039.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Route 66 Joplin, Missouri mural " width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'm glad to know that they've paid their bills, but we'd rather not stay at the <a href="http://www.theroute-66.com/afton.html" target="_blank">Rest Haven Motel in Afton, OK</a>, near the Kansas-Oklahoma border on Route 66.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6RZJRPOimUeikOVPwTI_L0ZiMJj906_rEcboQ-9C13IeUZo4iV81_ZJqa4KZBixq9aF8KCK47cHFEO-LocUoSNglST8iW7l1ExVB1PfQlmxj-EnAoWYtO_oCvRhHXnbxMLzP0o6IwRs/s1600/highlights040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Route 66 Kansas Rest Haven Hotel" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6RZJRPOimUeikOVPwTI_L0ZiMJj906_rEcboQ-9C13IeUZo4iV81_ZJqa4KZBixq9aF8KCK47cHFEO-LocUoSNglST8iW7l1ExVB1PfQlmxj-EnAoWYtO_oCvRhHXnbxMLzP0o6IwRs/s640/highlights040.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Route 66 Kansas Rest Haven Hotel" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Since they're so high up in the air, it's hard to grasp how large wind turbines actually are. Compare the size of a turbine blade lying on the ground to the telephone poles in the photo below, taken as we filled up the gas tank somewhere in western Kansas. Hundreds of blades just like this one were laid end to end at this massive facility.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLcJmSi37nMq0P8PMh1V39cT2tBQzuTDUQyc6zMK0CUcMfLrumMxKjAYCDX-Zt5rHgzxap_ToBOi5FXrGslwcp2glLql2SUzLdVXE8UZ5LFnfXld8s1OlF0p9xstfstEWTAM7nfjehxo/s1600/highlights043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Kansas wind turbine blades" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLcJmSi37nMq0P8PMh1V39cT2tBQzuTDUQyc6zMK0CUcMfLrumMxKjAYCDX-Zt5rHgzxap_ToBOi5FXrGslwcp2glLql2SUzLdVXE8UZ5LFnfXld8s1OlF0p9xstfstEWTAM7nfjehxo/s640/highlights043.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Kansas wind turbine blades" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Along the Colorado River between Denver and Steamboat Springs, CO, US 40 parallels the tracks that carry Amtrak's <a href="https://www.amtrak.com/california-zephyr-train" target="_blank">California Zephyr</a> from Chicago to San Francisco. What a way to see the country!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OQSeGY7TtBgeSmwYGwfXQ9o09tQme9MkUV76zRgKVdGB-YjAUwm2zMaxVQ9hb_zAAr0VtNyCUUgTSPzAFeDY1qz5KOyhHYmP0FrWnBKLJTY4pF8yqqnD9-3mVAiBtjZxLQQvLDROxOM/s1600/highlights046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Amtrack tracks Colorado River California Zephyr" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OQSeGY7TtBgeSmwYGwfXQ9o09tQme9MkUV76zRgKVdGB-YjAUwm2zMaxVQ9hb_zAAr0VtNyCUUgTSPzAFeDY1qz5KOyhHYmP0FrWnBKLJTY4pF8yqqnD9-3mVAiBtjZxLQQvLDROxOM/s640/highlights046.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Amtrack tracks Colorado River California Zephyr" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nearly as tall as the Empire State Building (1,250 feet not counting its antenna), Utah's tallest man-made structure is the <a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705344771/Holy-smokes-Kennecott-smelter-Utahs-tallest-man-made-structure-to-turn-35.html" target="_blank">Garfield Smelter</a> (1,215 feet) at the Rio Tinto mining facility, whose annual production includes tons of copper, thousands of ounces of gold, and millions of ounces of silver. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTCbsyuWPxCGZy2errJw3w4H-yxQPmWsAhnOyxNcYqDBq7v7P8WU9y7tbG1_OuYtIT_uGxrZ7HmAxv_yGxA8ctYUaRwvuYOCOTFLWb2xHJrtiVpI7X_Qf4B3JyZwnRk7eg1LXzuRyd4I/s1600/highlights048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Utah Garfield Smelter Rio Tinto" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTCbsyuWPxCGZy2errJw3w4H-yxQPmWsAhnOyxNcYqDBq7v7P8WU9y7tbG1_OuYtIT_uGxrZ7HmAxv_yGxA8ctYUaRwvuYOCOTFLWb2xHJrtiVpI7X_Qf4B3JyZwnRk7eg1LXzuRyd4I/s640/highlights048.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Utah Garfield Smelter Rio Tinto" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To reach the beach from our cliff-top hotel in Lincoln City, Oregon, we had to take 112 steps down - and back up. A short stroll on the chilly beach was the most time these east coasters have spent in such close proximity to the Pacific.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA27OIHVfUZ9jofSlYAXnbv1CKaFGz9fPc7QAeAMEWmikgE1YFwv1UCqCfGRp_bqdclWlI5XmqaEQAMb4yKV_tcWgS5DXHtUcckJDOEwY5HF1Eu8TbigJThfo0vMTWPLu9o7jrANwjPn4/s1600/highlights094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Lincoln City, Oregon beach Pacific Northwest" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA27OIHVfUZ9jofSlYAXnbv1CKaFGz9fPc7QAeAMEWmikgE1YFwv1UCqCfGRp_bqdclWlI5XmqaEQAMb4yKV_tcWgS5DXHtUcckJDOEwY5HF1Eu8TbigJThfo0vMTWPLu9o7jrANwjPn4/s640/highlights094.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Lincoln City, Oregon beach Pacific Northwest" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Evidence of Washington's cherry industry was present in the form of thousands of crates stacked up by the road as we drove through the northeastern corner of the state. When we came upon the <a href="http://www.restawhilecountrymarket.com/" target="_blank">Rest Awhile Country Market</a> in Pateros, we pulled over for a really quick rest - and to buy some cherry pie for the road. It was amazing!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fv2_QY7YXj-nROe5KY6kBK11bFyhFA7KWF1owsi6w2LL6ZKJcKJ98k2P-eRB1q0bBIjjK4MeZUnMS0BDcw9E_pr0TULuKlMiAFMBEYgYsBugmzec01y9a0ldJ3T_cA6RDPW-FTORbg0/s1600/highlights096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Washington state cherry farm Pacific Northwest" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fv2_QY7YXj-nROe5KY6kBK11bFyhFA7KWF1owsi6w2LL6ZKJcKJ98k2P-eRB1q0bBIjjK4MeZUnMS0BDcw9E_pr0TULuKlMiAFMBEYgYsBugmzec01y9a0ldJ3T_cA6RDPW-FTORbg0/s640/highlights096.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Washington state cherry farm Pacific Northwest" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Passing through the panhandle of Idaho (is it still a panhandle if it runs vertically?) meant we were barely in the state, but this sunset near Sandpoint over the Pend Orielle River and the mountains of the Kanisku National Forest was a beauty.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5vcmooKD4_F_cFZ5S5AUc74s1AWmmndKvrG7Whaucq7N058cg9lvf0E-bpVX6s3dtqh6d2dkquAwGfQp1Uda6_q6zilt9B1qEeyHJmIrsZqqMOxk8ZZuAR4gnmFqVQgVNg8dBR3kbvjo/s1600/highlights057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Idaho panhandle" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5vcmooKD4_F_cFZ5S5AUc74s1AWmmndKvrG7Whaucq7N058cg9lvf0E-bpVX6s3dtqh6d2dkquAwGfQp1Uda6_q6zilt9B1qEeyHJmIrsZqqMOxk8ZZuAR4gnmFqVQgVNg8dBR3kbvjo/s640/highlights057.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Idaho panhandle" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Montana was one of those states that made it incredibly difficult to pick just one picture for this post. This one from our hike along the river in Glacier National Park was the winner.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgArzhQTDL_iR0yLjKe3EiNPNfOkvjFZnThXe8yzDksXrFWeK_0-odVCCUASKTB0aNnKeMWWWjx0vEqiUzZX0CYDPevugOJoLrBjDt3Clmzvjn8N6VN2wjnB5AKzgfNbzWT3ZAnsqtQ3s/s1600/highlights059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Montana Glacier National Park" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgArzhQTDL_iR0yLjKe3EiNPNfOkvjFZnThXe8yzDksXrFWeK_0-odVCCUASKTB0aNnKeMWWWjx0vEqiUzZX0CYDPevugOJoLrBjDt3Clmzvjn8N6VN2wjnB5AKzgfNbzWT3ZAnsqtQ3s/s640/highlights059.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Montana Glacier National Park" width="426" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Prior to the two days we spent in Yellowstone, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I knew nothing about it</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> other than the presence of Old Faithful and the fact that it was the first national park. There were hundreds of pictures of geysers, colorful springs, and wildlife to choose from, but I kept coming back to this one of the beginning of the sunset over a green valley as we left the park to head east across Wyoming.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6ohXuh0xioX9vbv9mhwksUIN1hmP5AiB8aVQMnNjuC7wH5W-yqjWvdiTVNYdOvmHvfiBITZcZkuEsYTD89OlTxc7sgr1jpUfEJQBJh0Z3dzEevh3gmnIcQT3AqbX75KSj_iTs9eLkzc/s1600/highlights065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast r48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Yellowstone National Park Wyoming sunsetoad trip Montana Glacier National Park" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6ohXuh0xioX9vbv9mhwksUIN1hmP5AiB8aVQMnNjuC7wH5W-yqjWvdiTVNYdOvmHvfiBITZcZkuEsYTD89OlTxc7sgr1jpUfEJQBJh0Z3dzEevh3gmnIcQT3AqbX75KSj_iTs9eLkzc/s640/highlights065.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Yellowstone National Park Wyoming sunset" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ignorance can certainly be bliss. The fact that we were unaware of exactly what the Badlands are made them such a surprise to us. An even better surprise was coming across this guy sitting peacefully on a rock, looking out at the vast landscape before him.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQxx_KnN4qZoZ4YYI71AFstkijDlCDc3wW9OP9XMw_9xrv2Q42fdl-TDRc2D4UWEMcQBWe7YyYJC-H17wKZf9WHrz1By0_8NB_r_iKu3oBqq_-k3c3jXeUKTF9W68Sm7FDlcjvfOTyng/s1600/highlights073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Badlands National park wildlife sighting" border="0" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQxx_KnN4qZoZ4YYI71AFstkijDlCDc3wW9OP9XMw_9xrv2Q42fdl-TDRc2D4UWEMcQBWe7YyYJC-H17wKZf9WHrz1By0_8NB_r_iKu3oBqq_-k3c3jXeUKTF9W68Sm7FDlcjvfOTyng/s640/highlights073.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Badlands National park wildlife sighting" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While I don't think I want to visit Minneapolis between October and April because I don't think I could handle the cold, it was beautiful and pleasant for an early June trip. Before leaving town, we took a walk along a short stretch of the <a href="https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks__destinations/parks__lakes/minneapolis_chain_of_lakes_regional_park/" target="_blank">Chain of Lakes</a> and wished we had time to rent a kayak, too.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxVkB-bg21IkfiIar_F3k__cX4Z6SwgmCCHp30W36kNsm57sKyWfyRIrCszF1CP69Epl90O9SThjyQx1UzbX0FhuI3KNjr-7O2k9p1s7uqxx6rbmW_SqPOHiQ2LV62Pu8Zp1dGrY55sw/s1600/highlights074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Minneapolis, Minnesota chain of lakes" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxVkB-bg21IkfiIar_F3k__cX4Z6SwgmCCHp30W36kNsm57sKyWfyRIrCszF1CP69Epl90O9SThjyQx1UzbX0FhuI3KNjr-7O2k9p1s7uqxx6rbmW_SqPOHiQ2LV62Pu8Zp1dGrY55sw/s640/highlights074.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Minneapolis, Minnesota chain of lakes" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We're reinforcing the stereotype of Iowa as being full of farms and cornfields, but I'm a sucker for sunsets and flat stretches of farmland and couldn't resist.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qVqEstrrvIsmRXPltPH97M91wVz_NBrFlKEKEQoRDn6XUaib8sJnS3zF-2Xb6KOWHJWC8pwgFnOtkSL8S6y166paS3ncDQhgSApr9PTk8eQVkmFWCxyNdKpYPbQGnjso3be8PJid34E/s1600/highlights078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Iowa farmland sunset barn" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qVqEstrrvIsmRXPltPH97M91wVz_NBrFlKEKEQoRDn6XUaib8sJnS3zF-2Xb6KOWHJWC8pwgFnOtkSL8S6y166paS3ncDQhgSApr9PTk8eQVkmFWCxyNdKpYPbQGnjso3be8PJid34E/s640/highlights078.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Iowa farmland sunset barn" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Little did we know that when I walked into an alleyway in Noblesville, Indiana to get a picture of its amazing city hall building that nearly a year later, we would be back in that same town for an extended period for Nick's work eating dinner al fresco at an Italian restaurant in that exact alley.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPk4NLtboyP8nhL4KVT7ucXiIrr4fEzHjecfp3KzmtfrIKvCmrcOB5zbVRa3AxY-D8UiLt8FLiqPmfS9Pg0aVOpErBxWLEgrHK_RTq4FvUa1gKUU5kEvOOuqlX_KYmaWV9yYUINK6t2k/s1600/highlights079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Noblesville, Indiana city hall courthouse" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPk4NLtboyP8nhL4KVT7ucXiIrr4fEzHjecfp3KzmtfrIKvCmrcOB5zbVRa3AxY-D8UiLt8FLiqPmfS9Pg0aVOpErBxWLEgrHK_RTq4FvUa1gKUU5kEvOOuqlX_KYmaWV9yYUINK6t2k/s640/highlights079.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Noblesville, Indiana city hall courthouse" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Driving through the lush, green horse country near Lexington, we made one stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail at Woodford Reserve. The tour was fantastic, but it didn't make me like bourbon any better.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkxWTPv03gSe6_7D2nqs2I-ycMr3T9MXdU7AcAda8D3EL4Zu4bYpdizP8G6xfljiAq0iZ4SlOVs6JRHpNjQX4EBKgPov_u5xH_G6xLfdGmyL6maFOYRiAFm1bN6XJjm-f_A5PnM43LJY/s1600/highlights081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Trail" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkxWTPv03gSe6_7D2nqs2I-ycMr3T9MXdU7AcAda8D3EL4Zu4bYpdizP8G6xfljiAq0iZ4SlOVs6JRHpNjQX4EBKgPov_u5xH_G6xLfdGmyL6maFOYRiAFm1bN6XJjm-f_A5PnM43LJY/s640/highlights081.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Trail" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We accomplished our task in West Virginia, state number 48! The only thing we did there was get out of the car to document said accomplishment with a selfie, though.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uwH1iSzMrx549SAsF1uT7FheBvfVdT-nBRTFVJEncff1DEyK9rmuRcwHUGn5Dqwg6StSIG05681JM0Mq13uoE1pCblmcCA26uSs6XlZxgivCEche2f0YDFzNSJ35maXTpLexxi0uqvU/s1600/highlights087-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uwH1iSzMrx549SAsF1uT7FheBvfVdT-nBRTFVJEncff1DEyK9rmuRcwHUGn5Dqwg6StSIG05681JM0Mq13uoE1pCblmcCA26uSs6XlZxgivCEche2f0YDFzNSJ35maXTpLexxi0uqvU/s640/highlights087-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We finished off our trip with a weekend in the Outer Banks, but even though it was mid-June, it was NOT pleasant beach weather! We arrived at </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">the Bodie Island Light Station </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">too late in the day to get tickets for the self-guided climb so enjoyed a scenic walk around its grounds instead.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94rOmS7iUgderkmhIxchHYJlMmQaA-0lCVxFHpHVRKz0e2QjUJv08OsxtTZBBFBFceT_l0duX6d4_ZuknY8KfpuzfsXAx47l53LqwpXSVAREtAfwvqjlPhEFXRiTAdUL5nxWzVe2q3Uk/s1600/highlights088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip North Carolina Bodie Island light house" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94rOmS7iUgderkmhIxchHYJlMmQaA-0lCVxFHpHVRKz0e2QjUJv08OsxtTZBBFBFceT_l0duX6d4_ZuknY8KfpuzfsXAx47l53LqwpXSVAREtAfwvqjlPhEFXRiTAdUL5nxWzVe2q3Uk/s640/highlights088.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip North Carolina Bodie Island light house" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We returned home to South Carolina with a lifetime full of experiences and a long list of places we'd like to visit again slower and more intentionally. It felt strange to walk into our house, and after three months of not cooking, it took me a week or so to get back into the swing of things. It was a fun and amazing experience, and even though we missed a few items on the list of places we wanted to stop, we're so grateful we were able to take the trip and wouldn't change a thing!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgjZxIg-bDSs8L-W7EH2NoHmYDMa-9Ow7i7nSxHD-wR-6_y-kcRMq_iTSw22e9q14G9I4DqKONFaLsyXc3w9werzlEmAmLiYKiKM7gTIrYYRlkMCyUr_Lw2vCMlekM0LhmCVpvp_ODMo/s1600/highlights097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip North Carolina Bodie Island light house" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgjZxIg-bDSs8L-W7EH2NoHmYDMa-9Ow7i7nSxHD-wR-6_y-kcRMq_iTSw22e9q14G9I4DqKONFaLsyXc3w9werzlEmAmLiYKiKM7gTIrYYRlkMCyUr_Lw2vCMlekM0LhmCVpvp_ODMo/s640/highlights097.jpg" title="48 No Interstate back roads cross country coast-to-coast road trip North Carolina Bodie Island light house" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thanks for following along with us on this trip down memory lane. Check out the next post in this series with answers to <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/06/faq-back-roads-cross-country-travel.html" target="_blank">commonly asked questions about taking an extended back roads road trip</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thanks for visiting, and check out these groups for more travel inspiration!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust</a> <a href="http://www.albomadventures.com/things-to-do-in-evora/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.twotravelingtexans.com/neist-point-lighthouse/" target="_blank">The Weekly Postcard</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: start;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">If you liked this article or found the information to be helpful, let us know! </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">We appreciate your comments, pins, shares, tweets, and likes!</span></span></span></div>
48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-78101024310817809822017-04-14T13:19:00.002-07:002017-05-15T09:40:23.421-07:00US 1: Coastal Maine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Welcome to the fifth and final post of our <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/US%201" target="_blank">US 1 series</a></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">! We're covering the roughly 300 mile stretch along the coast of Maine today.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-7qIZy7rGnF5Au6RpIoXt8TFdPzYB3OHkCzpQZFmMNijg1EJbTwA5ABbrgMZY2-VwdNP3kihN-an2GW_ItZvK5dcM16_iAIfdtdT9-NYqEddNyvr3I6YSe-Adl1EVl3D1lGTv2p6prI/s1600/cover02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-7qIZy7rGnF5Au6RpIoXt8TFdPzYB3OHkCzpQZFmMNijg1EJbTwA5ABbrgMZY2-VwdNP3kihN-an2GW_ItZvK5dcM16_iAIfdtdT9-NYqEddNyvr3I6YSe-Adl1EVl3D1lGTv2p6prI/s640/cover02.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">For me, the drive through coastal Maine was one of the highlights of US 1. It was our first time visiting the state, and it just seemed so charming - that being said, I have no desire to visit the place in the middle of February. A few cold days in May were enough for us!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_eCz1lz0LE9f2eeL0Ce8s83aBfuQZ1ZN-JX0tW1nQzHR7AMgPiTc2jdVIsbg5WGUzMkT44D0ktDZt3ffp5BNxejY6TYS-Yc5tLVv78XtC5eBvd8II1gMSsjrEbyEj9S2l2Xe3ZtMkwI/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_eCz1lz0LE9f2eeL0Ce8s83aBfuQZ1ZN-JX0tW1nQzHR7AMgPiTc2jdVIsbg5WGUzMkT44D0ktDZt3ffp5BNxejY6TYS-Yc5tLVv78XtC5eBvd8II1gMSsjrEbyEj9S2l2Xe3ZtMkwI/s400/US1NYCtoMaine052.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Drivers on US 1 cross Memorial Bridge over the Piscataqua River to enter Kittery, Maine from New Hampshire.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CR8fLY6Gy0CiEdmx1nPGCHHNNc0rzq1OawEQ2XNC6AzH_kLSyPjmChYr8INJwuHU0WoU2JT0AsaL8WXO1vBAbH76QGdDIvxUsLVGaS3UyvwruQ4VCYz6tC0Egh8ZgvSHfoe1hS1j1TU/s1600/US1Maine002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CR8fLY6Gy0CiEdmx1nPGCHHNNc0rzq1OawEQ2XNC6AzH_kLSyPjmChYr8INJwuHU0WoU2JT0AsaL8WXO1vBAbH76QGdDIvxUsLVGaS3UyvwruQ4VCYz6tC0Egh8ZgvSHfoe1hS1j1TU/s320/US1Maine002.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUvGVD3UDaz2oqn1qZqg3u1XoEd1rwUMXtiiPDk4y4Q73OCWDIj9_X_EF8_2bDr4tKXjTnVS97UUwoz5PoTAFO4cVK5QA5VnvrckI-qSNXlGQqtC2nUMnU2OFVY8MLWH7enZFqRRsLtc/s1600/US1Maine001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUvGVD3UDaz2oqn1qZqg3u1XoEd1rwUMXtiiPDk4y4Q73OCWDIj9_X_EF8_2bDr4tKXjTnVS97UUwoz5PoTAFO4cVK5QA5VnvrckI-qSNXlGQqtC2nUMnU2OFVY8MLWH7enZFqRRsLtc/s640/US1Maine001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><b>Kennebunk & Kennebunkport</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">From Kennebunk, a 5-mile detour down Maine Hwy. 35 to Goochs Beach in Kennebunkport reveals a shocking number of surfers out on a blustery afternoon. </span></span><br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVbwSVKXNyaGYsiHuYu4GflQWqkytKo2n8bG3LBd26cA_MIKROkg6gfYUJnlGN78DHklD_foEsWkDDVrcT3QIcIXU_JpOZRLvfclcXJ4ZgSVq0_Xcj3_MgLM-GAp_BWJc_Quf8hN-ewM/s640/US1Maine003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="508" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">I bundled up in flannel and a vest for our first cold May Maine day.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeIWlXPvwTLOF7M5HkUevqwgYOygPSadwd0YFt352tOgu9A0NnPDmrZvqnuJeP-EhzyldCoMT-1QXOfA8Y0WV7lZr6kBq9vEAY1wPofrHCClAWZtBr_2pbM3F-X7x_FzevVl1LdHOBMg/s1600/US1Maine005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeIWlXPvwTLOF7M5HkUevqwgYOygPSadwd0YFt352tOgu9A0NnPDmrZvqnuJeP-EhzyldCoMT-1QXOfA8Y0WV7lZr6kBq9vEAY1wPofrHCClAWZtBr_2pbM3F-X7x_FzevVl1LdHOBMg/s640/US1Maine005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMeQAVczj6BmNIsaJBG7QpbTgMA-JYG2i53g8K934CNDbDfHKnc7-uI3OKVa8Ahw19KnytbgOFaxv7ebaIv9ruxsbdDtnhQpzWWJ7JSSp3P1OCi_1Y02-LZaQHWXmRShVE2b0MI4FfSs/s640/US1Maine006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="426" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">I know they're wearing wet suits, but this was just crazy to us.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMeQAVczj6BmNIsaJBG7QpbTgMA-JYG2i53g8K934CNDbDfHKnc7-uI3OKVa8Ahw19KnytbgOFaxv7ebaIv9ruxsbdDtnhQpzWWJ7JSSp3P1OCi_1Y02-LZaQHWXmRShVE2b0MI4FfSs/s1600/US1Maine006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeEJ4L50OQj4rdL5GvI68F5WghqKPbsO8WKIGVae3Vi3YoJqdgggeRnfd3Wch_a1qJ7j34tIADaCT0EP49FYHtcIZnZbIAOPzzo1X5RQMKPfJf6sOvr-UwuH2z2dpAnT7UngIejFKT6s/s640/US1Maine057.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Not everyone was crazy enough to be in the water. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">This father, child, and two huge dogs stayed on dry land.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Back in Kennebunk, drive through the streets off the main road to find cute little houses like these.</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOX8QlOze6PlvrGdCA6DZNI7E471hSVBy4K2MzIacdCBlTryD61rb26sGpDyxS6muIklmfcg3wqVamICFsQRGsa10SpCXwgcpSFLE_YXWEnSxkpwIeKJVLnVxZAyq3oLIkqtRVjtlgA4/s640/US1Maine007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">I'm not sure about the purple front door, but the matching Little Free Library caught my eye.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtow7AqN90vIX188APcdRsL5StjBUz5yd0rY9KEceBqwO_FcIphxyGkU0E1YoG1hOqn1FPz7bYYleMsT-bNpMdKrMRIzv9FSX18vSwsZo_PimrsilYq4AViXZMWaLxGAaAaeLFl0s6QvM/s640/US1Maine008.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Interesting fact: This version of the colonial American flag is nicknamed the <a href="http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/cowpens-flag.html" target="_blank">Cowpens flag</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">after for a major Revolutionary War battle that took place not far from where we grew up!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtow7AqN90vIX188APcdRsL5StjBUz5yd0rY9KEceBqwO_FcIphxyGkU0E1YoG1hOqn1FPz7bYYleMsT-bNpMdKrMRIzv9FSX18vSwsZo_PimrsilYq4AViXZMWaLxGAaAaeLFl0s6QvM/s1600/US1Maine008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Portland</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If you arrive in Portland at mealtime, you're in luck. There are a ton of options in the downtown area. We were in between meals so took ourselves on a quick car tour through town before heading out to <a href="https://portlandheadlight.com/" target="_blank">Portland Head Light</a>, which is technically located in Cape Elizabeth. The self-guided tour through the museum (which is contained within the old keepers' quarters) informs visitors about the history of the city of Portland, the history of the method of using </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">whale oil in lighthouses prior to the introduction of electricity, and </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">the Fresnel lens that ultimately replaced whale oil.</span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkbxYjP3XrIOrp__ooAyxspoqCtL0dZ6FzBHdep1evMXd5ZvCXTyWYCUnS_QrB2bmjPyPSg_Jzdzb8JYxQWuRnrnYQrpPPRKJaNVG7DjhWXcjq1Yqdwe5hitRGMHiy4HdhAWVFRtRqvE/s640/US1Maine010.jpg" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRY7-yX476AbeZsYsJ40DonExTtmshyphenhyphenhriRoEVtXCD0EiascL8vnShpXEY4lNPSYaAZZpnXn2e895Fla4Zc6F7bXcST2L43ksevqv_v6lI4oEArM3dC09DpwB91XSfbeK2aivRfx-KAw4/s640/US1Maine011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">I braved the wind and rain - and lots of puddles - to find this view of the lighthouse.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRY7-yX476AbeZsYsJ40DonExTtmshyphenhyphenhriRoEVtXCD0EiascL8vnShpXEY4lNPSYaAZZpnXn2e895Fla4Zc6F7bXcST2L43ksevqv_v6lI4oEArM3dC09DpwB91XSfbeK2aivRfx-KAw4/s1600/US1Maine011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKW4CTJXgBSfQ-bPCn38xJ_qUeL4PMaYrYVKaMlZ3PZV6aI6TisTWSfmIgf4V-lrOnE9ELhb5JuYQiv_yER48fIcHINO_8kdpNP6HdS-nzxUo_vIuctHvaZgDEJ-xXMlSElGzgHSuQqQg/s640/US1Maine009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">A ship <a href="http://nelights.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-eve-at-portland-head-light.html" target="_blank">crashed into this rock</a> on Christmas Eve in 1886.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzDIZhs2VSQbu9MfRRPf9BJxiHiuovDT6RluVb9-77G2IhgW1XYnUniMzBu81EFSDwil2x9EZJq5OJQfRIwzQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Listen to the roar of the ocean and see the light in action.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><b>Freeport</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">The town of Freeport is pretty much a quaint outlet mall. At first glance, it seems to be a town full of historic buildings, but a closer look reveals the presence of chain shops and clothing retailers housed within those historic buildings.</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCa2YCjRkuUe21DK80x1qthICJliOSsIbf69SXwuH97OXyNhojdj_GVst2KD-ZYAUdzH8p7HSAAY6hFbf4d5Ye8HFr6KxJlevg7PRhJI473F6mZE2eOXpCdcvF90-r_aabXrMrvrFPwU/s640/US1Maine013.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Abercrombie and Fitch used to be the library</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCa2YCjRkuUe21DK80x1qthICJliOSsIbf69SXwuH97OXyNhojdj_GVst2KD-ZYAUdzH8p7HSAAY6hFbf4d5Ye8HFr6KxJlevg7PRhJI473F6mZE2eOXpCdcvF90-r_aabXrMrvrFPwU/s1600/US1Maine013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeFz2jPKDVZS96sdJchPn6LmTYtxNYxE1tv7lkt9Adp4smuE91e3pQfp_5c3OsIS7q2zrvz3jGLlboaIsOlVyHCfPpbEVAqhhs5NE9r7p2tMhDTYZqxd-h3sjrzlBMKRjjXfGOxjXFgc/s1600/US1Maine014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeFz2jPKDVZS96sdJchPn6LmTYtxNYxE1tv7lkt9Adp4smuE91e3pQfp_5c3OsIS7q2zrvz3jGLlboaIsOlVyHCfPpbEVAqhhs5NE9r7p2tMhDTYZqxd-h3sjrzlBMKRjjXfGOxjXFgc/s640/US1Maine014.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp96asQI70A6aN8dEtFhwlKHla9ihA8P7rnt4td7FQ3mmKgQLlgFxYM1-a06NvXKZdlQdumEJvUkr2fbTFa88_orCNJqxlqGM5BRp2IwyVnE-JcHT1HR3rgJkPQkyhwGRPefAqnDZKIR0/s1600/US1Maine015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp96asQI70A6aN8dEtFhwlKHla9ihA8P7rnt4td7FQ3mmKgQLlgFxYM1-a06NvXKZdlQdumEJvUkr2fbTFa88_orCNJqxlqGM5BRp2IwyVnE-JcHT1HR3rgJkPQkyhwGRPefAqnDZKIR0/s640/US1Maine015.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBHNZOnim06ehcejcHIrpnSoGHh1oKt135b62fl1JNENsaehQ4lgO66KHYYJgUx2lmjiShZAL9FjQaSwe8X29jo4mCof1UME1sK9q1uzDnl-FQ_KsN63X0zPD_QXLkk9gBTg3xep3dtU/s1600/US1Maine017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBHNZOnim06ehcejcHIrpnSoGHh1oKt135b62fl1JNENsaehQ4lgO66KHYYJgUx2lmjiShZAL9FjQaSwe8X29jo4mCof1UME1sK9q1uzDnl-FQ_KsN63X0zPD_QXLkk9gBTg3xep3dtU/s640/US1Maine017.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">I'm kind of regretting that we didn't go inside this McDonald's just to see what it looked like.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIsjWr0_H7i9rccEmkrsuskrbKMXA88sLD6S549VYG3iIbvAvMPk_JvRU88FIp3szQC3-bEYljoh79LILj5JIMeFZQCPfXmB9YXnGEWzfK43iId5B6sTPB6fUZuAgXajhpCDWUfYuGNY/s1600/US1Maine016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIsjWr0_H7i9rccEmkrsuskrbKMXA88sLD6S549VYG3iIbvAvMPk_JvRU88FIp3szQC3-bEYljoh79LILj5JIMeFZQCPfXmB9YXnGEWzfK43iId5B6sTPB6fUZuAgXajhpCDWUfYuGNY/s640/US1Maine016.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">I was so excited to taste a Whoopie pie, but after trying a variety of flavors at a few different shops, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">I was disappointed to find out they didn't taste quite like I expected.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The behemoth L.L. Bean <a href="https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/1000001705?page=store-flagship" target="_blank">flagship store</a> stands out like a sore thumb among the small historic buildings of Freeport. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNmrgDjh0Gm-PzmHBUEbNj_9OODOU2VJXkUHlg2AfORDUcSaPY5cH5aY5t-z4fcJSygaMrCT74YnPAUm2p3BrA9vOZUlJh2RB8hv-7viFSidUpYgmxCakfiLjKDlq6NNtOwvfCBJuKMs/s1600/US1Maine047.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNmrgDjh0Gm-PzmHBUEbNj_9OODOU2VJXkUHlg2AfORDUcSaPY5cH5aY5t-z4fcJSygaMrCT74YnPAUm2p3BrA9vOZUlJh2RB8hv-7viFSidUpYgmxCakfiLjKDlq6NNtOwvfCBJuKMs/s640/US1Maine047.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">We stopped for a look around the store before leaving town. I bought a warm sweater to add to the too-few cold-weather clothes I had packed.</span></span><br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKmfYXzC_OZy5aXKgENsUVtjG5rD0bbpAohxLxWQbOigCFTDLKyTZlHJhYNYt8fqx9mF8UdeuOZt805gec2pr6fHTZ_MwhifGi3VZ_SwsCpt5eEN27ckCW_Q-1VMD1w0_P4I9GE9Hq5Q/s640/US1Maine060.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">I was pretty fascinated by the half dome protruding into the aquarium </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">allowing store visitors to 'go inside' and visit with the fishes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Warning: it's pretty hard for even a small adult to squeeze through the opening.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Rockland</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From Virginia to Maine, we traveled for two weeks through gross weather, hoping the sun would reappear one day. We were finally rewarded when blue skies broke through the clouds and a double rainbow appeared at the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rockland Breakwater Light. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoUQpsvYQO-bkYAxuzRaR6b8v9E3miraigbxWg-_zIeXp2uEbADOnGTRzHwwJ99kCDUTlUA0CI5oLROqPunN3bQ78rWcR-4OFYrELEDiI6-Z5CCBVq1xBc-pqbhAMGYCswMKPisu_TK0/s1600/US1Maine018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoUQpsvYQO-bkYAxuzRaR6b8v9E3miraigbxWg-_zIeXp2uEbADOnGTRzHwwJ99kCDUTlUA0CI5oLROqPunN3bQ78rWcR-4OFYrELEDiI6-Z5CCBVq1xBc-pqbhAMGYCswMKPisu_TK0/s640/US1Maine018.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a longer walk than it looks. The 'walk' is more of a cautious hop </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">from rock to rock.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AJg0YoviqseWetx_vc2JaaT_UmXECS3hBxEL1oakxfKw4gcGtKmjGSO_soAPSCAZddGZCjPtk0yyD_cUbP6-Yfo5tD5j11duYWIBcC9Vpv6jl_PtxHpJ6PQKfpDbYiQtbeiHRIP8rDY/s1600/US1Maine052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AJg0YoviqseWetx_vc2JaaT_UmXECS3hBxEL1oakxfKw4gcGtKmjGSO_soAPSCAZddGZCjPtk0yyD_cUbP6-Yfo5tD5j11duYWIBcC9Vpv6jl_PtxHpJ6PQKfpDbYiQtbeiHRIP8rDY/s640/US1Maine052.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCUiEFlZyQrydgzvYLz89AyDOZ0tllKhfo9SECHeqSPRLNu67ry6DeXaVRdWA2VIfmbLwWBUT9T4nAlDebGobUjK7AY9V6LtErYHYVR8XStdXp0PkNHXXNAtLayDRnuRpnJ_hyphenhyphenbIdBoU/s1600/US1Maine019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCUiEFlZyQrydgzvYLz89AyDOZ0tllKhfo9SECHeqSPRLNu67ry6DeXaVRdWA2VIfmbLwWBUT9T4nAlDebGobUjK7AY9V6LtErYHYVR8XStdXp0PkNHXXNAtLayDRnuRpnJ_hyphenhyphenbIdBoU/s640/US1Maine019.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We made it about halfway out the breakwater in the rain before turning back. A few minutes later, blue skies began to shine and we realized that a rainbow was forming behind us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMyOzQEkup8BG1ETvl2ubrhiNyMVJ6WAj7wjzJc8kyqq9x74i9YXVpvrOdZiMKT7krl7wxUUACGPKaE4x7jZcDupViVu23YsokT1VEH981sWSWp1Zb496X66LpobIYWQKSFT5SmgpDNQ/s1600/US1Maine020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMyOzQEkup8BG1ETvl2ubrhiNyMVJ6WAj7wjzJc8kyqq9x74i9YXVpvrOdZiMKT7krl7wxUUACGPKaE4x7jZcDupViVu23YsokT1VEH981sWSWp1Zb496X66LpobIYWQKSFT5SmgpDNQ/s640/US1Maine020.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We followed the rainbow toward our next stop.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKl8lPfBqgxwJUXTm2gKtkxGRriqESJ0FevIc6-dwWWRaY9LuG40nfEP1TRlb_WG7iT5igbnl18ZV283-Vsl3ZFIbn0Vg9jtxSsFUl1yo8ZhTYBoB1dd3ys_-QUQG_ZXPnIAPPnoOG-0/s1600/US1Maine021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKl8lPfBqgxwJUXTm2gKtkxGRriqESJ0FevIc6-dwWWRaY9LuG40nfEP1TRlb_WG7iT5igbnl18ZV283-Vsl3ZFIbn0Vg9jtxSsFUl1yo8ZhTYBoB1dd3ys_-QUQG_ZXPnIAPPnoOG-0/s640/US1Maine021.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Bar Harbor</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The tiny town of Bar Harbor is located on Mount Desert Island, which is also home to Acadia National Park.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We drove through town straight to the Park, which could fill a post of its own, but I'll let the pictures do the talking:</span></span><br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCr-Ny7luMcV72lOJ1LyK_xgEPK0cxWvRbvMe7BlPaJ95CRzyyY2tL12IGw8BoNNMJPFqun2hEqxsR3_2q7JRL6roAlibbKJoEEz001DFKoyB8XjZf9PWVGD9uQ1DC_oDMmh7UqYiVyzY/s1600/US1Maine035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCr-Ny7luMcV72lOJ1LyK_xgEPK0cxWvRbvMe7BlPaJ95CRzyyY2tL12IGw8BoNNMJPFqun2hEqxsR3_2q7JRL6roAlibbKJoEEz001DFKoyB8XjZf9PWVGD9uQ1DC_oDMmh7UqYiVyzY/s400/US1Maine035.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">The innkeeper told us the formation on the shore of Jordan Pond is called 'the bubbles'</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosf1tPBzPkD6OfiSRDfMpnonDpI1EqorGtrRFss49qWnyzeru9VEaQU9kc1ts-62jkcwKKEPvjx1XNz0Bm0Y0bSgq8ta5zalUIPkThqvZK2ck6Yl5N1_5PTs8k1MuyxNclZQJ-fDvkDo/s1600/US1Maine028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">The bubbles again!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLsrPeUtPBqhc8_Rnkd3D_R60fOKDcu3euCEf2cD3vsToNeIbHSk6jEbvnwBHhCo-VAq78kJUnomsj8FFt6I7sDLWWDrPk3lPhjwh2AEFX11B77n-zOmWW1W47EB6sSVBuXR3k8soesE/s640/US1Maine032.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">I'm smiling, but it was SO COLD and very windy on top of Cadillac Mountain. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Notice the layers!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_h4ZktXeUvTGtiA545-QurBepzEYmbavTdQigmsdFfRBsgkoF4PTSQbygp3kEFRpSOo1WBrHENf_-VtUR_akKNrxrtUWMdGOA33UDILCDO4YqB0pzZEPOfCHnFVLwHJv3NStQCqLVRc/s640/US1Maine033.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Looking back toward Bar Harbor from Cadillac Mountain</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">A closer look at town</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You can't leave Maine without having lobster, so we chose <a href="http://www.geddys.com/" target="_blank">Geddy's</a> for our meal here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nick enjoyed his lobster meal, and w</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e devoured the blueberry pie that came with it in no time. Geddy's made the cut when we chose our <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/02/our-favorite-restaurants-in-america.html" target="_blank">favorite restaurants in America</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm not a big fan of shellfish, so I kept my head down while he ate. I made quick work of coloring the placemat and enjoyed a juicy burger - surprising for a seafood place! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVtPROGEsfpblh0S55eSqBXkxHw4D9cWgrQQNFQOCa6JpxijlShxjI1s34EZMAGcfeCSxxJc2ApgKvt-Jsbw5zGw9zMMShosdpq4hqVrPULIX5Axhe25W2gSOnruzEt_w8gxSOf68b3U/s1600/US1Maine059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVtPROGEsfpblh0S55eSqBXkxHw4D9cWgrQQNFQOCa6JpxijlShxjI1s34EZMAGcfeCSxxJc2ApgKvt-Jsbw5zGw9zMMShosdpq4hqVrPULIX5Axhe25W2gSOnruzEt_w8gxSOf68b3U/s640/US1Maine059.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><b>Lubec</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">The </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Easternmost lighthouse in the US is located in </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lubec, Maine,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> the Easternmost town in the US. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXREsfvk7_3z5iVR0Oa4rF5PxHaYW3wCIxdoCCuqNKoikqleBOg7qA2DHKZZ5rXN4B3VMsfNlqO2laMFbBoaV0h58ppEJcejCXd0EO4z3PtYKXUDQJW4m9M2Z3uqFtX40emADtsxNcPJ8/s1600/US1Maine039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXREsfvk7_3z5iVR0Oa4rF5PxHaYW3wCIxdoCCuqNKoikqleBOg7qA2DHKZZ5rXN4B3VMsfNlqO2laMFbBoaV0h58ppEJcejCXd0EO4z3PtYKXUDQJW4m9M2Z3uqFtX40emADtsxNcPJ8/s640/US1Maine039.jpg" width="406" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">West Quoddy Head Light</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> hadn't opened to visitors for the season yet when we passed through, so we walked around and enjoyed the view for a few minutes before moving on.</span></span><br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1CXROC9mVbN4JAxukfKqdHQmPoW4neEjeSrifKDGrRsQI2LmgyvjuIXbWeKQyMDFyFyIvvOZGSouQdCB1IHPAKxszExy12Qn0eh3yXROvA2pvGUbwUyV_pVaub_Qq38lyHy5BkSwQTs/s640/US1Maine038.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">My favorite light house. I love the red and white stripes. </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1CXROC9mVbN4JAxukfKqdHQmPoW4neEjeSrifKDGrRsQI2LmgyvjuIXbWeKQyMDFyFyIvvOZGSouQdCB1IHPAKxszExy12Qn0eh3yXROvA2pvGUbwUyV_pVaub_Qq38lyHy5BkSwQTs/s1600/US1Maine038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><b>Calais</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I mentioned <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/04/us-1-new-england-minus-maine.html" target="_blank">last week</a> that Calais is pronounced like 'callus' by the locals - a fact that quite surprised me. We parted ways with US 1 here after </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">driving toward the border as far as we could before turning around.</span></span><br /><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This <a href="http://bangordailynews.com/2015/08/27/living/award-winning-artist-painting-mural-in-calais/" target="_blank">mural</a> that welcomes visitors entering from Canada was among the last things we saw on US 1. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We headed West on Maine Hwy. 9 toward Bangor instead of continuing North to Fort Kent and the end of US 1.</span><br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMb2GfKBPryJO5z9fmh7gXBVNVJTAjKUvXcIyOslJqopHdYM0adx__nhx_DyctD1OiSzrmabpsGKsCT4Za1Ak-OC8eAwvGHeQW_exj4hsE5o_R8P3od7M-T8Nqlr27GyJkK40vtA1qv8/s1600/US1Maine045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMb2GfKBPryJO5z9fmh7gXBVNVJTAjKUvXcIyOslJqopHdYM0adx__nhx_DyctD1OiSzrmabpsGKsCT4Za1Ak-OC8eAwvGHeQW_exj4hsE5o_R8P3od7M-T8Nqlr27GyJkK40vtA1qv8/s640/US1Maine045.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our journey on US 1 began nearly seven years ago on our <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/03/favorite-highways-us-1.html" target="_blank">first road trip together</a>, and we still have to travel the final 200 miles of it between Calais and Fort Kent, ME along the Canadian border before we can say we've traveled the entire highway. Hopefully there will be </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a sixth post about that stretch of road one day! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust</a> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.albomadventures.com/arc-de-triomphe/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.caliglobetrotter.com/the-weekly-postcard-april-14/" target="_blank">The Weekly Postcard</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-36579733424781063802017-04-07T14:51:00.002-07:002017-06-16T13:50:22.729-07:00US 1: New England (minus Maine)<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">US 1 is a long road, and this week we're focusing on the 300-ish mile stretch between New York City and Kittery, Maine.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgruDiO-YMdtkyVmGyhYUUGHufJytGiZWdY_ta-a3_u4h7ITpF0A1y3r47Q7tnQ-lV6jiku-DWSPf_EHPrBEZIMKiDoIS_E29Gh_1M7ssE-7DVk1HC7sQBq5dlvRL_UvZG_-Bx98IK0U/s1600/cover+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgruDiO-YMdtkyVmGyhYUUGHufJytGiZWdY_ta-a3_u4h7ITpF0A1y3r47Q7tnQ-lV6jiku-DWSPf_EHPrBEZIMKiDoIS_E29Gh_1M7ssE-7DVk1HC7sQBq5dlvRL_UvZG_-Bx98IK0U/s640/cover+photo.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Even though this is a pretty congested stretch of US 1, there is a lot to see along the way: quaint New England towns, large metropolises (or is it metropoli? and is it redundant to call a metropolis large?), and miles of coastline after the road curves back toward the coast for the first time since Florida.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A note on the weather: I've been to the Northeast in May several times, and I can never recall it being so cold and wet for so long on any of those trips. You might have noticed in our pictures that once we got to <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/03/us-1-columbia-sc-to-washington-dc.html" target="_blank">Fredericksburg, VA</a> the sun found a really good hiding place, where it stayed for almost 2 weeks. The damp cold really got to us some days, and we wound up buying some warm clothes on clearance after a week or so of wearing the same ones over and over. I was perpetually in search of a great bowl of tomato basil soup or a cup of hot chocolate to warm myself up. Though it made lousy travel weather, the cloudy skies that resulted from the slow moving system look pretty cool in most of our pictures. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>New York</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Once again, our route strayed from US 1 as we followed the Hudson River out of NYC through Sleepy Hollow to West Point. After a day at the US Military Academy, we continued east, rejoining US 1 just before we entered Connecticut around Greenwich in heavy afternoon traffic. We'll share that detour another time.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjgnm9NYYlU6OPE_oh8qSErbWTvAIQ9vZaSkVo5_0dfqwvfc54z5O4CEONWhPvlWgczTTfE0m1Tu75HMeGlqqxGSXgigYV_jWfrYnIlD-FdoIXIoIasRMrXvbo6eDpC5BgjZalGvX0rQ/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjgnm9NYYlU6OPE_oh8qSErbWTvAIQ9vZaSkVo5_0dfqwvfc54z5O4CEONWhPvlWgczTTfE0m1Tu75HMeGlqqxGSXgigYV_jWfrYnIlD-FdoIXIoIasRMrXvbo6eDpC5BgjZalGvX0rQ/s400/US1NYCtoMaine003.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Connecticut</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In Norwalk, Highway 1 traffic zips by a unique grocery store with a small petting zoo type setup out in front of it. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqugx4_KuUWFbnvb0WUjubf1FrfPA8LWXAfqiVYY3hCwo2LerbJhQewflbaWVSzpaW6mZ2m8Lnzle4eP9Dj-oB80T-Umji9-RgGqtjh9m-hje94XRQaIuM-5rOa6U6aDTGaHRF53YKgEI/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqugx4_KuUWFbnvb0WUjubf1FrfPA8LWXAfqiVYY3hCwo2LerbJhQewflbaWVSzpaW6mZ2m8Lnzle4eP9Dj-oB80T-Umji9-RgGqtjh9m-hje94XRQaIuM-5rOa6U6aDTGaHRF53YKgEI/s640/US1NYCtoMaine005.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I don't know how much fun the animals were having, but it was such an interesting and bizarre sight that we had to turn around and visit the store, <a href="http://www.stewleonards.com/" target="_blank">Stew Leonard's</a>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdlvBJ8gK801wZbVK6TBc4K8VMFPATUtsbv2cQPLykBTrCpIPvc7aPSlv5gySp5l8FhnhyIU2U9tj3spRu_N5TZAc-OXza_IxCSbr-FKcyWTX0ud93zT7uo_tWO5yVcevqM3Afr2wd9E/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdlvBJ8gK801wZbVK6TBc4K8VMFPATUtsbv2cQPLykBTrCpIPvc7aPSlv5gySp5l8FhnhyIU2U9tj3spRu_N5TZAc-OXza_IxCSbr-FKcyWTX0ud93zT7uo_tWO5yVcevqM3Afr2wd9E/s640/US1NYCtoMaine004.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Inside, it was like the Disney World of grocery stores. Animatronic figures (including a Mickey Mouse, if I remember correctly) hung from the ceiling or danced above food displays. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7E1v3hTLcsF0TWCWU4bFCMBSyLHEZj3JzO5VK5mVsaC0xGO8LbGO31dnH7XvnQ8nlp3DnE3mgqe56Iy1PMwerFuaiWsorf3VH4HUcGt7OLJKv7HuD2WqVf-f4gQmbRCwBUfhbrUSp-tI/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7E1v3hTLcsF0TWCWU4bFCMBSyLHEZj3JzO5VK5mVsaC0xGO8LbGO31dnH7XvnQ8nlp3DnE3mgqe56Iy1PMwerFuaiWsorf3VH4HUcGt7OLJKv7HuD2WqVf-f4gQmbRCwBUfhbrUSp-tI/s400/US1NYCtoMaine001.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdtApOADAfsqjF51W8hXH88OAEo5HQ0qZzrA98yapgvE-bTqI0mGF63zxI5ZhgXvuEQiKnt8r8OatAQT4VIyHw1tF_rrbRCBvGzc8OCZHB9GxA32Bg5XZFH4kjVrLSaxvmf64oIVetoA/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdtApOADAfsqjF51W8hXH88OAEo5HQ0qZzrA98yapgvE-bTqI0mGF63zxI5ZhgXvuEQiKnt8r8OatAQT4VIyHw1tF_rrbRCBvGzc8OCZHB9GxA32Bg5XZFH4kjVrLSaxvmf64oIVetoA/s400/US1NYCtoMaine002.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While there, we bought some fresh squeezed orange juice and homemade rice cakes for the road.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKjh8-Wuxlxiuf1kqBtVtTlSoQu8S5OB3b91NMn3JkezHXr2e6T4lJI-dtXOyU4MzClFna_xJZpPZzKij2q5VE7k8Ha9dnVbAQZMCROunqeFHV2GWujpTyl8wShPgs35V5miIojhrMGc/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKjh8-Wuxlxiuf1kqBtVtTlSoQu8S5OB3b91NMn3JkezHXr2e6T4lJI-dtXOyU4MzClFna_xJZpPZzKij2q5VE7k8Ha9dnVbAQZMCROunqeFHV2GWujpTyl8wShPgs35V5miIojhrMGc/s640/US1NYCtoMaine006.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eKOw5UiOYK2XvVmbvhBHjOCcnRjnBeozrXHth5mobKkWP-D3PS6B_0UcFiwURzEGvurHJEgJG-8fq35M5pT9lOU_DowNvqlNuvjayryMutoULlapGFh0sASKA8j21gTZWoUAkya7gSc/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eKOw5UiOYK2XvVmbvhBHjOCcnRjnBeozrXHth5mobKkWP-D3PS6B_0UcFiwURzEGvurHJEgJG-8fq35M5pT9lOU_DowNvqlNuvjayryMutoULlapGFh0sASKA8j21gTZWoUAkya7gSc/s640/US1NYCtoMaine007.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Among the fresh items available at Stew Leonard's are half gallons of milk, bottled right in the store.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you're a fan of the </span><a href="http://www.danpatrick.com/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">Dan Patrick Show</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, you'll probably know that the show broadcasts from an unassuming building in Milford, CT. As we passed through at dinnertime, we took a little walk through town, and found what must be the Man Cave as a result of the large amount of equipment we could see through a window above a little shop. We pass a lot of time on the road listening to the DP show, so it was pretty cool to see where (we think) the show happens.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5F4bRgBELuAzjQDEA55HfzWFbf84PDAL1js67BWJAPuUIh2s97ZPdnKwYE8XSwzeDVczOtm4Lj0ifUPwcxBEAruJU8coPzdOtSSgPfMWnANBIBcqMXwxbZW1BIlOkP-bGK2-7zXt7bfk/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5F4bRgBELuAzjQDEA55HfzWFbf84PDAL1js67BWJAPuUIh2s97ZPdnKwYE8XSwzeDVczOtm4Lj0ifUPwcxBEAruJU8coPzdOtSSgPfMWnANBIBcqMXwxbZW1BIlOkP-bGK2-7zXt7bfk/s640/US1NYCtoMaine012.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7D-Hev6pFLuoP9WWsFNSIaJMtJd8DBi7CecdsFlVAV_9B_wHulF3wfaokVDxG7UQ9BS9DbfYX7ysrWUN0BNpSX41R8bcPGYmTvv7aqMCw_34eQTFnFk01zkSvGNGvhK8RBYXMdxI1dQ/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7D-Hev6pFLuoP9WWsFNSIaJMtJd8DBi7CecdsFlVAV_9B_wHulF3wfaokVDxG7UQ9BS9DbfYX7ysrWUN0BNpSX41R8bcPGYmTvv7aqMCw_34eQTFnFk01zkSvGNGvhK8RBYXMdxI1dQ/s640/US1NYCtoMaine013.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">There are also an awful lot of wires attached to this particular building.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In Westbrook, you'll pass one of our <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/02/our-favorite-restaurants-in-america.html" target="_blank">favorite restaurants in the US</a>. Stop and say hello - and enjoy tasty home cooked food with a great view.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpT-eUPmyZCi2Ij4T1PyyfDtPyQTcv26b-csP37cWzCSONCUZ35JDZ8ItqyKJQR_ee_2LZpuJXhcypuvVfqzOIl4e4QtXhDkudgjoC2TAxLBqFWqvg-ePikQJoodRPvNhZIElc97IUpw/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpT-eUPmyZCi2Ij4T1PyyfDtPyQTcv26b-csP37cWzCSONCUZ35JDZ8ItqyKJQR_ee_2LZpuJXhcypuvVfqzOIl4e4QtXhDkudgjoC2TAxLBqFWqvg-ePikQJoodRPvNhZIElc97IUpw/s640/US1NYCtoMaine014.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A short drive off of US 1 along the Mystic River delivers drivers to </span><a href="https://www.mysticseaport.org/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">Mystic Seaport</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, a museum containing an 1800s coastal town, a shipyard, and hundreds of historic ships and boats.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVsEZYwrZCnuQQvObZfqc2NRjMPBBFod83xVteQoqRmxwflZ_YGYaUDvVqQ1naYCB0M-KRi1q0gArr0kJSn_29zUtnC9TSQ8fd9jbeqlKIs5czQj2502nVnAZI9VivthNSAFv_48TA2Q/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVsEZYwrZCnuQQvObZfqc2NRjMPBBFod83xVteQoqRmxwflZ_YGYaUDvVqQ1naYCB0M-KRi1q0gArr0kJSn_29zUtnC9TSQ8fd9jbeqlKIs5czQj2502nVnAZI9VivthNSAFv_48TA2Q/s640/US1NYCtoMaine017.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I went once with my parents when I was about 12 and thought it was really cool. It was cold and windy and we needed to get back on the road, so we</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> chose n</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">ot to pay the admission to visit on this trip</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> - so we only walked through the free areas and gift shop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Another high point in Connecticut is the lighthouse in Stonington, just off 1A (the offshoot of US 1 that goes through the small coastal towns). It is appropriately made of stone, and with its short tower and attached lightkeeper's residence, it's a unique one. It wasn't open to visitors when we were traveling, but during the summer months you can visit the <a href="http://www.stoningtonhistory.org/index.php?id=7" target="_blank">nation's first lighthouse museum</a>!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgriGlw611AnPKZVRxwwbn_MCbeJUUh90c3NtnCLAziHdhoax2EoyUyjcMX3zcQvO7L6p7BOV1RITOPQEae-9mvSid_ff9ekz-RS5DV1qwMwMf0fOPHxTn8oo3rSIGIuDdOoHeTfp12Y/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgriGlw611AnPKZVRxwwbn_MCbeJUUh90c3NtnCLAziHdhoax2EoyUyjcMX3zcQvO7L6p7BOV1RITOPQEae-9mvSid_ff9ekz-RS5DV1qwMwMf0fOPHxTn8oo3rSIGIuDdOoHeTfp12Y/s640/US1NYCtoMaine019.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Rhode Island</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As the smallest state, it's easy to make quick time through Rhode Island. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMQiAtd3pOXKphj4VYFc93C41NN-8_ez8oHFjWSxLM6pzBuXY1OP5ptL0zl0NMZkzeUWzBtR47w7dx-h25ID2sG3cIkTLgelNMJ8DUUFIXn-t_hwPYHqpOsP6TRmL8C_9Qn9XKR9XXgc/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMQiAtd3pOXKphj4VYFc93C41NN-8_ez8oHFjWSxLM6pzBuXY1OP5ptL0zl0NMZkzeUWzBtR47w7dx-h25ID2sG3cIkTLgelNMJ8DUUFIXn-t_hwPYHqpOsP6TRmL8C_9Qn9XKR9XXgc/s640/US1NYCtoMaine021.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Near Kingston, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">we made the decision to detour from US 1 yet again, which slightly lengthened the amount of time we were in Rhode Island. Neither of us had ever been to Cape Cod in Massachusetts, so we chose to head East on RI 138 toward the Cape on the way to Boston instead of taking the more direct route on US 1. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It started to pour rain as we drove into the coastal town of Tiverton, where we took a short break from the road. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nick went for a run in the downpour while I worked on some blog stuff at a coffee shop. After warming up with a cup of coffee, we continued on our way toward Cape Cod.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Massachusetts</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was slow going in the rain and we didn't even make it a third of a way out on the Cape, turning North on Massachusetts Hwy 130 in Cotuit, a few miles before Hyannis. From Hwy 130, Hwy 3 took us to Plymouth and Quincy before continuing into Boston. We'll go back to Cape Cod sometime when the weather is better!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The shingled houses that line the roads through this area look so inviting. I especially liked these two on opposite ends of the square footage spectrum.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgedxOIRfa8TpeMPCeOxPYsGg8E7GReSexhNi79sHNAwDhuad58inwv5a222tGuwjJY29XlvDUVTnGHyyMcdN6iFbD_hCYT5c6EBQFxhgOtn6XqqF8CYRsCWlTqRVW1Kp18MxxSbjdQ_4/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgedxOIRfa8TpeMPCeOxPYsGg8E7GReSexhNi79sHNAwDhuad58inwv5a222tGuwjJY29XlvDUVTnGHyyMcdN6iFbD_hCYT5c6EBQFxhgOtn6XqqF8CYRsCWlTqRVW1Kp18MxxSbjdQ_4/s400/US1NYCtoMaine026.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOy7elfwMctTCeO55mtjndo-cUsbhQGfJJ15yM9nu5pA9dEdLwFeNcdlXxItFNMaWHOX_BYXjbLx9-bhgyUDeRFKXLSbn78FGKwZY31XdKDuVncPmVEuXP-wlbVIaT3uiqPPVn1xXGc78/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOy7elfwMctTCeO55mtjndo-cUsbhQGfJJ15yM9nu5pA9dEdLwFeNcdlXxItFNMaWHOX_BYXjbLx9-bhgyUDeRFKXLSbn78FGKwZY31XdKDuVncPmVEuXP-wlbVIaT3uiqPPVn1xXGc78/s640/US1NYCtoMaine032.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was still cold (37*F), wet (pouring), and windy (wind gusts up to 23 mph) by the time we reached Plymouth. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRARusuCDvJd48oDs9_1xSYfNoJMWJYG3GcwoWLmKBHDZstb2jghgtPBrikmw7AdRh5nHp6G8X3UEEEfwPxJ-12ZeKP8K3-QQNmYpyYBZG8vSS8RuoF0z3Vf2pOO6aqOSBVO_dQLaNa8/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRARusuCDvJd48oDs9_1xSYfNoJMWJYG3GcwoWLmKBHDZstb2jghgtPBrikmw7AdRh5nHp6G8X3UEEEfwPxJ-12ZeKP8K3-QQNmYpyYBZG8vSS8RuoF0z3Vf2pOO6aqOSBVO_dQLaNa8/s640/US1NYCtoMaine033.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We only took a quick peek at <a href="http://www.pilgrimhallmuseum.org/plymouth_rock.htm" target="_blank">Plymouth Rock</a>, which was getting battered by angry waves, then headed for the warmth of the <a href="http://www.pilgrimhallmuseum.org/index.html" target="_blank">Pilgrim Hall Museum</a>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVJSaugvc2Rz0V2BxgwBZEOUhb7k_bxiSCpLyx2R61R-z5a_3Y7ASVfRjsfbK_CIt6ErzwmVc9N9Inj9NVsBpJE8x0gUP-jcrnoPwzB3ORVULRImTCa_gZsnVjJrBuOd1ponn8k14VqE/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVJSaugvc2Rz0V2BxgwBZEOUhb7k_bxiSCpLyx2R61R-z5a_3Y7ASVfRjsfbK_CIt6ErzwmVc9N9Inj9NVsBpJE8x0gUP-jcrnoPwzB3ORVULRImTCa_gZsnVjJrBuOd1ponn8k14VqE/s640/US1NYCtoMaine025.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The museum features informative displays with artifacts from the Mayflower and Plymouth Colony, and is definitely worth spending a few hours touring on a visit to Plymouth.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluQWW6bmhrSf67TL6IZ2Gw9C1Wtot5sBJ9cL-1U9ks7P31BZPPC7wl6ds9FHcaQmvPMet-lcBZPE5Ah81V_h7QtUNiYkaas35xI7rvYus-J5u3RcecvSrNRc55H11ilE-CEMXngoM7RE/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluQWW6bmhrSf67TL6IZ2Gw9C1Wtot5sBJ9cL-1U9ks7P31BZPPC7wl6ds9FHcaQmvPMet-lcBZPE5Ah81V_h7QtUNiYkaas35xI7rvYus-J5u3RcecvSrNRc55H11ilE-CEMXngoM7RE/s640/US1NYCtoMaine024.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">As we left Plymouth, we pulled over to check our route and caught this seagull taking a little rest.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">About 30 miles up the road in Quincy, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/adam/index.htm" target="_blank">Adams National Historical Park</a> covers the lives of John and John Quincy Adams, the second and sixth Presidents of the United States. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEaDfGs33pulfgQNo84SLTt_4zDfqbr4cT84sgd6dQu2nGKrhL3cbU2-OT0w5Hg6nDl5k0FAESU2_tsufsmtDWeIksgEWmqjvnVx_bbHzKBZ0iRUo-XRL1seB_h6eUAmsrRFe_xT8qAI/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEaDfGs33pulfgQNo84SLTt_4zDfqbr4cT84sgd6dQu2nGKrhL3cbU2-OT0w5Hg6nDl5k0FAESU2_tsufsmtDWeIksgEWmqjvnVx_bbHzKBZ0iRUo-XRL1seB_h6eUAmsrRFe_xT8qAI/s640/US1NYCtoMaine037.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The bus tour includes the birthplaces of both Johns, located a stone's throw away from each other, and the house across town that John and Abigail eventually retired to. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichAxqeKIPuwoIGATKdJci5y3-pQklqR221454cHiE3WsMbmnkgh7yPPspL2iXJpxruXJeomeIFwOZQ6pGNRFIGSSZ0R8pz_8ayyrcU0AUWfozuhZVRcec7Xyfgarr_swHzJJw5z5QNlA/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichAxqeKIPuwoIGATKdJci5y3-pQklqR221454cHiE3WsMbmnkgh7yPPspL2iXJpxruXJeomeIFwOZQ6pGNRFIGSSZ0R8pz_8ayyrcU0AUWfozuhZVRcec7Xyfgarr_swHzJJw5z5QNlA/s640/US1NYCtoMaine035.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Each house is a bit larger and a bit grander than the one before it. It was so interesting to move forward both in time and in means as we moved from house to house. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-FCji6gJLjDhJOMNOgAHtMbGY_866b45fzgFCKcIkbqJpxwr1vOyq9ghJTD5qIH8Z2w-2RvqezZERosAblRgOgv1mrRzEWahWu4iZT0f3XcLb0zVWI87ZTBbd6pHE-jz4vLzGz0X_0Y/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-FCji6gJLjDhJOMNOgAHtMbGY_866b45fzgFCKcIkbqJpxwr1vOyq9ghJTD5qIH8Z2w-2RvqezZERosAblRgOgv1mrRzEWahWu4iZT0f3XcLb0zVWI87ZTBbd6pHE-jz4vLzGz0X_0Y/s640/US1NYCtoMaine036.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A couple months after visiting the park, we watched the HBO series </span><a href="http://www.hbo.com/john-adams" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">John Adams</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, an entertaining and informative series on the lives of John and Abigail and their family. It made our visit to the houses in Quincy really come alive as some of the scenes are shot either at the real places or at excellent backlot replicas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We'll skip our day in Boston for now to keep this post moving, but have no fear: it will appear on the blog in the future! </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>New Hampshire</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">New Hampshire is another quick state to pass through, containing less than 20 miles of US 1.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0VPK1gPKmRsAeQjOLhVetn1ZN9XWJF1b6VyN3pC0FSxod8CY6FMBYwgeE4FROqkdz3l4l9cvE0ebjzZwow3In0r_2GG23iqPF1IHZimnBE7Xk-3mG6rTY-f2Rb5ZxZXv_081Yok0XkU/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0VPK1gPKmRsAeQjOLhVetn1ZN9XWJF1b6VyN3pC0FSxod8CY6FMBYwgeE4FROqkdz3l4l9cvE0ebjzZwow3In0r_2GG23iqPF1IHZimnBE7Xk-3mG6rTY-f2Rb5ZxZXv_081Yok0XkU/s400/US1NYCtoMaine042.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's a noteworthy stretch, though, especially if you divert onto 1A or 1B, which we did. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnIA0kCKxt5kX4mhUe1Pwfq_q4EGVBFXHm9TVSPxkORiTdmvJQhNngN7KswTrhbnHK66g3QBhZQ69z8EtHPumfE6Yo2kRd2C581kskO0IxcL_-5Aytd7pbV3eKrNAFBWh1jg-Vgs_pQw/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnIA0kCKxt5kX4mhUe1Pwfq_q4EGVBFXHm9TVSPxkORiTdmvJQhNngN7KswTrhbnHK66g3QBhZQ69z8EtHPumfE6Yo2kRd2C581kskO0IxcL_-5Aytd7pbV3eKrNAFBWh1jg-Vgs_pQw/s400/US1NYCtoMaine049.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Though the visibility was low and the wind and rain made terrible travel weather, the views were something. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxZwC47QmlnSgBMXbvn0DBBDlFx-Tw5q98FJdYiybAP-xtKwauRf7QXJ6JG-UXNopNGjTus6KiqaW6Mg-4YLFf9MEMUJ4uooTHmuVRkn0VwxOIlVCxqQnHK_e72d1ppwGI42gFUgALyQ/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxZwC47QmlnSgBMXbvn0DBBDlFx-Tw5q98FJdYiybAP-xtKwauRf7QXJ6JG-UXNopNGjTus6KiqaW6Mg-4YLFf9MEMUJ4uooTHmuVRkn0VwxOIlVCxqQnHK_e72d1ppwGI42gFUgALyQ/s640/US1NYCtoMaine027.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Large houses stretched along the road to our left with craggy, rocky shoreline to our right.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgb8esA0sEI_RKmkCPQ5u4kqgC23GdLtUiF8RCNpJa9NWynS4datmB_6RDFcCbxFeWJSPL-wRFaNewdjz3Q9oKtSEE4FRjf_gHVb36zMlfKgEFET_4mSkZ1HYEtdBKiqJR3SQCeoOJnko/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgb8esA0sEI_RKmkCPQ5u4kqgC23GdLtUiF8RCNpJa9NWynS4datmB_6RDFcCbxFeWJSPL-wRFaNewdjz3Q9oKtSEE4FRjf_gHVb36zMlfKgEFET_4mSkZ1HYEtdBKiqJR3SQCeoOJnko/s640/US1NYCtoMaine044.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztV7cfaLPZ47oHWkkwmxVEf7dQ2kdtkonwxDF48Xbq-TgbTIYKRFgKnig7CruCD0yUlPRftiSwYl4iYG-NJMKk3WsNzAjhqy9HC6cigUkIJQ0HveDfApjw3ZPXLievX2e7S3IBmTKxQQ/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztV7cfaLPZ47oHWkkwmxVEf7dQ2kdtkonwxDF48Xbq-TgbTIYKRFgKnig7CruCD0yUlPRftiSwYl4iYG-NJMKk3WsNzAjhqy9HC6cigUkIJQ0HveDfApjw3ZPXLievX2e7S3IBmTKxQQ/s640/US1NYCtoMaine043.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDONpCH0biVXY4Lw8sxEOZQezGBYYI0vAiOi7t5m1poikDw7OO57zI4V_p9nHQ1Tz3Q3WiNYDyJXPNol3L099vvd1uTwN0FIz0g3ZkgpzJp_69sb3gonxOcd8ndMVVhEOvv89KAHrjZA/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDONpCH0biVXY4Lw8sxEOZQezGBYYI0vAiOi7t5m1poikDw7OO57zI4V_p9nHQ1Tz3Q3WiNYDyJXPNol3L099vvd1uTwN0FIz0g3ZkgpzJp_69sb3gonxOcd8ndMVVhEOvv89KAHrjZA/s640/US1NYCtoMaine046.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In spite of the nasty weather, there were a few people out braving the cold to catch a few waves.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCNcl8JG6kh1GCb0PuKP-ecjVdfAwGLHDvCwR-9OJzrOrxzVbPeAmKL1D_1CZ0qFqFQX1IWNPkDtCK6Gu71Yj03HTRJ-HMnSW6CaPRRcr-YgfXjwNjWitrl3JhVoY6QSzoF9zuClKEvY/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCNcl8JG6kh1GCb0PuKP-ecjVdfAwGLHDvCwR-9OJzrOrxzVbPeAmKL1D_1CZ0qFqFQX1IWNPkDtCK6Gu71Yj03HTRJ-HMnSW6CaPRRcr-YgfXjwNjWitrl3JhVoY6QSzoF9zuClKEvY/s640/US1NYCtoMaine045.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJNRV0IzdU-KhWWqySXLQ5wd1gfXmhroewUgHIuy3E_mRfUPvyljIDMrs5MpLWIr-v5PRE7Zz8OppJ_r92sIVWS4yC-QzU10PTyfcs_TqT8reyKV7Vq47Xj_gzc8sJr15vod2l8D60ko/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJNRV0IzdU-KhWWqySXLQ5wd1gfXmhroewUgHIuy3E_mRfUPvyljIDMrs5MpLWIr-v5PRE7Zz8OppJ_r92sIVWS4yC-QzU10PTyfcs_TqT8reyKV7Vq47Xj_gzc8sJr15vod2l8D60ko/s640/US1NYCtoMaine047.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Maine</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Upon reaching the New Hampshire-Maine border, you've only covered roughly half the distance between New York City and Calais, Maine (pronounced by the locals like the callus you get on your foot, not like the name of the town in France for which I assume it's named). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhF8boyttHN59tm4ikYU4PZ5i8We_SDu0pdafDAHN3wWktp1dCJNf34j_zVBAW6iOwY-rwEY-hyD_4lxs9ST8jzZPDi77AunagVPbShShPPDIX_Wk2gbncIcmQIg9-fGakeeOqMnetXw/s1600/US1NYCtoMaine052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhF8boyttHN59tm4ikYU4PZ5i8We_SDu0pdafDAHN3wWktp1dCJNf34j_zVBAW6iOwY-rwEY-hyD_4lxs9ST8jzZPDi77AunagVPbShShPPDIX_Wk2gbncIcmQIg9-fGakeeOqMnetXw/s640/US1NYCtoMaine052.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 through New England: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">The Memorial Bridge carries US 1 across the Piscataqua River into Kittery, Maine. Notice the inscription: it was built in 1923 when WWI was still the Great War.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In an effort to keep you interested in US 1, I'm stopping here. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We'll be back next week to share the <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/04/us-1-coastal-maine.html" target="_blank">drive on US 1 along the coast of Maine</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the meantime, you can catch up on our previous </span><a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/US%201" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;" target="_blank">US 1</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> posts here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thanks for visiting, and check out these groups for more travel inspiration!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust</a> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.albomadventures.com/rainy-auckland-night/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Weekly Postcard<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<br />48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-6558544286715245862017-04-02T07:31:00.000-07:002017-04-05T13:21:14.995-07:00US 1: Washington, DC to New York City<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This week, we're heading from our nation's capital to the Big Apple on <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/US%201" target="_blank">US 1</a>. Starting in DC, you'll move more slowly than you did farther south because i</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">n general, towns in the Northeast are closer together and more heavily populated than those that the highway passes through farther south. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But there is a lot to see along the way: quaint little towns, large metropolises (or is it metropoli? and is it redundant to call a metropolis large?), historic buildings, and national parks . </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5RU1HxkSwbiEoPas3Q52SFesdcT4Q9N9ywvIadECWxGT0uaGqiPTOUP2qag4RphONx-uk3J_FcTgb5y5gpxaTnxvTT-dDXJX8cK9HkSFdifwV4BcfoflaB4RP_2bRbqYGyeAog6aLl0/s1600/coverphoto005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5RU1HxkSwbiEoPas3Q52SFesdcT4Q9N9ywvIadECWxGT0uaGqiPTOUP2qag4RphONx-uk3J_FcTgb5y5gpxaTnxvTT-dDXJX8cK9HkSFdifwV4BcfoflaB4RP_2bRbqYGyeAog6aLl0/s640/coverphoto005.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When you cross into Maryland from DC, your pace will slow down significantly as you enter</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> the congested Northeast</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You will encounter stoplights more frequently than you would on the southern third of the road, and you'll experience slower traffic due to</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> general congestion (and a little bit of construction), especially during morning and evening rush hours. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Maryland</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Since US 1 skips Delaware altogether and our goal was to visit all 48 continental states on this trip, we actually abandoned the highway for a couple of days. We left DC on US 50 and passed through Maryland's capital, Annapolis, crossed the Chesapeake Bay, and entered Delaware for a loop around the state before rejoining US 1 in southeastern Pennsylvania two days later. We'll share our Delaware detour at a later date.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Entering Maryland from DC, we continued through the sprawl of greater DC into suburban and rural towns until we reached Annapolis.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pnN2ctf3HwFpsb2n7-ryMNrWn4Ph4yRh3b036w4roRRytnb48OMO6bYqY-VD46y4t39IItnKeV-S0jBGgmLOLMijuHnU_9itCxlhROr9NbgVXpfYX3-rrJQv7VXj3nw59mjxEQtc1wY/s640/DCtoPhilly008.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="426" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Maryland's Capitol building</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pnN2ctf3HwFpsb2n7-ryMNrWn4Ph4yRh3b036w4roRRytnb48OMO6bYqY-VD46y4t39IItnKeV-S0jBGgmLOLMijuHnU_9itCxlhROr9NbgVXpfYX3-rrJQv7VXj3nw59mjxEQtc1wY/s1600/DCtoPhilly008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQd5KOy-OGdzwMMQ7-7dKxSAln6GeUi1Mym4cPur2SoMRvKJ5ocxVNwjgqw2y-g7hvAKIYYREDOtZNfzzYy2ZwVuOzTwZjWP-AewLRoz8n9BDEx8Ydjawq-sieGDmSKnWrCvB63GhKfDc/s640/DCtoPhilly007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">This cannon on the state house grounds is approaching its 400th birthday!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQd5KOy-OGdzwMMQ7-7dKxSAln6GeUi1Mym4cPur2SoMRvKJ5ocxVNwjgqw2y-g7hvAKIYYREDOtZNfzzYy2ZwVuOzTwZjWP-AewLRoz8n9BDEx8Ydjawq-sieGDmSKnWrCvB63GhKfDc/s1600/DCtoPhilly007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguM1Gkaxm67p22bCEk4oxqd_zwV-xYeD1zRERdNg9pllrmnDWBVoWzJhV7FySME0lju55jnrWK5Ggb4jA-qxgDEIXJLkwBGgyfAXZehbuOG6pkzCPmdxYgK76paJWhtnEylg9v8kbv7q4/s640/DCtoPhilly006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Inscription on the cannon</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Annapolis is a town I'd love to go back to for a weekend sometime. We arrived after dinner, and the town was quiet. The section of town around the state house is laid out like a bicycle wheel, with the Capitol in the center and streets leading out from it like spokes. It felt very inviting and was among the three or four smallest capital cities we visited on our trip.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxTc5DtW1K9eGtITo_OjSJ09m9qLJ7mpCQQhyphenhyphenuFpjMGyQzPZeD6En-4HHqcdYT7UBz7F7dlga2qBGMmgsBZJD1v6HKM0FtNVbtCPpRmO2IsLQXhb2yphTwlEf0lK_MFn25gVDm3iDM88/s640/DCtoPhilly004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="426" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Looking toward State Circle from the state house grounds</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFL24BOIypEkXUscVXdtNKu4RLze6gtexZK2K0Rt62YYlfhNlUdhNH0fZV0JcT_u3_k9KXfUu3Wex-XlhvTIhQ0oRw2GQDk5LVvZC7V_ERXTy5wUt3pQNMPPwzmtaozNaQ7PPCXNmpWTU/s640/DCtoPhilly005.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">One of the streets that radiates out from State Circle</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFL24BOIypEkXUscVXdtNKu4RLze6gtexZK2K0Rt62YYlfhNlUdhNH0fZV0JcT_u3_k9KXfUu3Wex-XlhvTIhQ0oRw2GQDk5LVvZC7V_ERXTy5wUt3pQNMPPwzmtaozNaQ7PPCXNmpWTU/s1600/DCtoPhilly005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The U.S. Naval Academy had already closed to visitors, so we weren't able to visit it, but we walked over to it and saw several midshipmen receiving takeout over the gate from a delivery guy. The Academy may have closed to visitors for the day, but it hadn't closed to pizza and sandwiches.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaMjImeycotPC6Wo2c6JuXN5v7dbBO6Q-e4y6IFygDOc_WoIpQVdKivT6ncpYvVWOic4w8EDm7hj6-AK6_JuWljs7B8pTHlafKSc5wIMqWs-8TSLh-uhr8ME0kRi45Fp-2rP4ggsbl3I/s1600/DCtoPhilly012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaMjImeycotPC6Wo2c6JuXN5v7dbBO6Q-e4y6IFygDOc_WoIpQVdKivT6ncpYvVWOic4w8EDm7hj6-AK6_JuWljs7B8pTHlafKSc5wIMqWs-8TSLh-uhr8ME0kRi45Fp-2rP4ggsbl3I/s640/DCtoPhilly012.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crossing the Severn River on the Naval Academy Bridge took us back to US 50 and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and a $4 toll. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnDWr2XLzjKo_Dydnbkg6EDRU4MO1nu04L5hYshuzHYDNQzTfpycY0v0Hq_vTPJH8dkTEoYheQisEpijRP2dbHWgMWGs0axTfty-Q2519cNgLWflD7R-hH0wsNUMp4qS0uMSV19tJQTk/s640/DCtoPhilly013.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Looking back toward the Naval Academy from across the Severn River</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnDWr2XLzjKo_Dydnbkg6EDRU4MO1nu04L5hYshuzHYDNQzTfpycY0v0Hq_vTPJH8dkTEoYheQisEpijRP2dbHWgMWGs0axTfty-Q2519cNgLWflD7R-hH0wsNUMp4qS0uMSV19tJQTk/s1600/DCtoPhilly013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Pennsylvania</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After our jaunt through Delaware, we returned to US 1 in Pennsylvania, which we entered on a road so small there was no "Welcome to Pennsylvania" sign. Very soon after we rejoined US 1, evidence that we were approaching a large city began to appear, and we hit the outskirts of Philadelphia in the midst of afternoon traffic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like DC, Philadelphia is a town with many options, and we chose only three for our 24 hours in town.</span></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Valley Forge National Park</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/vafo/index.htm" target="_blank">Park Information</a></span></div>
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On the southern bank of the Schuylkill River northwest of Philadelphia lies Valley Forge, a small mill town that built up in the early 1700s around iron processing. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMZOjuWL24o_ACbkcLp3kbCzBjJApw44EcvvWKwr5OwKBAtGYnIYphBGGY9JfuDP4J2-y8uwhueDtRygfrTutBC_YVtT_FH8YiX6e3vgARNYaS1mT8GXdGUGjayfq3wfR21ccmTqgbQA/s1600/DCtoPhilly029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMZOjuWL24o_ACbkcLp3kbCzBjJApw44EcvvWKwr5OwKBAtGYnIYphBGGY9JfuDP4J2-y8uwhueDtRygfrTutBC_YVtT_FH8YiX6e3vgARNYaS1mT8GXdGUGjayfq3wfR21ccmTqgbQA/s640/DCtoPhilly029.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Very few buildings from the original town remain.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXc5yQgpaXPiM39I-MFp-41CHyUnVKru6bIt_id3F7Qyh3thKepd2JJ3HjoWUDYYZldOdAJ4WMTHeCs-Jcz0H7disJD76-4AHjUTxMkJQqwD1aBsyh8yX7AY9yKvd6v2tt48kWCUv3M5E/s1600/DCtoPhilly030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXc5yQgpaXPiM39I-MFp-41CHyUnVKru6bIt_id3F7Qyh3thKepd2JJ3HjoWUDYYZldOdAJ4WMTHeCs-Jcz0H7disJD76-4AHjUTxMkJQqwD1aBsyh8yX7AY9yKvd6v2tt48kWCUv3M5E/s640/DCtoPhilly030.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">During the brutal winter of 1777, Washington and the Continental Army camped here, clearing the land of timber to construct and heat quarters for the men. This is a very simple explanation of the significance of Valley Forge in the Revolutionary War, but I'm no historian so I'll skip the rest so you'll have something to learn when you visit!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNJoeA5cjSuI8DXsrVXnBbiE8R2eUhVbA2A7-BBiNnwsKwbI_KWo9HbPUA36YVxFbjAyUtitWwSTx3-HJrhyphenhyphenEG7rWLAnvcP8z-anufLT0pd0UGlhsEpQE_Djuizhenc36DehGRCudb38/s1600/DCtoPhilly019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNJoeA5cjSuI8DXsrVXnBbiE8R2eUhVbA2A7-BBiNnwsKwbI_KWo9HbPUA36YVxFbjAyUtitWwSTx3-HJrhyphenhyphenEG7rWLAnvcP8z-anufLT0pd0UGlhsEpQE_Djuizhenc36DehGRCudb38/s640/DCtoPhilly019.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXDxkda2nw28-tSy__DiO1kke7nQRruXTJT2xg172F_Czk9UlbDttVKmzkvUWxjnkRQvbxJXwfSGHeEFh1CHM-W-6GXlnqX3rIbl5CGUYQureMkCwegYlPOTcgyh1NI-6wB87KuIF4xc/s1600/DCtoPhilly025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXDxkda2nw28-tSy__DiO1kke7nQRruXTJT2xg172F_Czk9UlbDttVKmzkvUWxjnkRQvbxJXwfSGHeEFh1CHM-W-6GXlnqX3rIbl5CGUYQureMkCwegYlPOTcgyh1NI-6wB87KuIF4xc/s640/DCtoPhilly025.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoo9xCrGq-ONnM9kayG-P_F7JWTHRIGQhEmF0hMggRt1Q2nj6G_QGHhOgoSAU2H1VfEJFfpHoeOPtsHmj07al7s3o-TtZNCa0AhmOBUk2VPUeBZ6zPbJ47ZAgig3afHhQJRzSaY4NAesM/s640/DCtoPhilly022.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Reconstructed cabins like those that soldiers would have built and slept in</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Independence National Historic Park</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/inde/index.htm" target="_blank">Park Information</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Located in the center of Philadelphia, Independence National Historic Park covers many city blocks and includes Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and multiple other historic buildings. You could spend a full day here and still not visit them all. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtRc9yU0nWg21R9wC5Pa880XLPt6_y0S1gWSeUynAOkSS2CI7AIm0CgpRgPpExPlP5MtEHS3K7oXsXrdto4GAKeFbdqNvdfRSts4WPjxha8eAAJpRHTgu7UdLljWPzsGqIF0ZB4-FOsI/s1600/IMG_8105032035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtRc9yU0nWg21R9wC5Pa880XLPt6_y0S1gWSeUynAOkSS2CI7AIm0CgpRgPpExPlP5MtEHS3K7oXsXrdto4GAKeFbdqNvdfRSts4WPjxha8eAAJpRHTgu7UdLljWPzsGqIF0ZB4-FOsI/s640/IMG_8105032035.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We chose to tour Independence Hall and spend the remainder of our time walking around the park. Tickets to tour Independence Hall are free and assign a tour time, so we were able to go explore the area on foot and see some of the historic buildings before returning for our tour.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzj6LBXWr21qyC6tjfaXYcDEddwOaSonlD7pwz8MsmvBNZexPG4npbnxAukcWOw6kZ2MN64I0amygpjguSFs2LN6zAzbPmQoBqIZ4P4wLrApO3Zwxtmgy2bMkxGeezWoB-k4h9jM08LI/s1600/philly001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzj6LBXWr21qyC6tjfaXYcDEddwOaSonlD7pwz8MsmvBNZexPG4npbnxAukcWOw6kZ2MN64I0amygpjguSFs2LN6zAzbPmQoBqIZ4P4wLrApO3Zwxtmgy2bMkxGeezWoB-k4h9jM08LI/s640/philly001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">One of the nearby historic buildings...I don't recall which one it is now.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWAH_-qkjimW_vdukD5gg5H7AX1AA-BVT_GDJlL7LR2okawxmPqJMyD50zC3xBCdt7qeIrCOpPpPvhGpQ3d6IDrgObWhaY4WSbadmkkMcBbyOHSw0NgcPEeohNNtl6MDLZv-xN0tr8j8/s640/IMG_8113035038.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="426" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">These huge and colorful tulips in the garden of one of the nearby historic buildings.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RlqS3y0OFuIZ6oCCRgnaAfnT91fkVjyVxPES7sfo48krXQIP6xo4tkCj4PIvrqDcVSW-hDnTdu6fgP6BMI8uZPulzt_EKl4zlW8yTyJ7zO5z4tGutp3_9LKG6nxx5j3wDDOXU9PgGFI/s640/IMG_8118036039.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">This iron fence surrounds the Second Bank of the United States.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RlqS3y0OFuIZ6oCCRgnaAfnT91fkVjyVxPES7sfo48krXQIP6xo4tkCj4PIvrqDcVSW-hDnTdu6fgP6BMI8uZPulzt_EKl4zlW8yTyJ7zO5z4tGutp3_9LKG6nxx5j3wDDOXU9PgGFI/s1600/IMG_8118036039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The tour of <a href="https://www.nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/places-independencehall.htm" target="_blank">Independence Hall</a> was very enjoyable and informative. Since I'm writing this nearly a year later, I don't recall all the little details, but it was a very well-done tour.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOuVv_dumnAjztACOsY8lCUqMc6iy5jv2FfHtb5rKGy2G8GNvWeMRjo2ufuJZvpzQTZOGQkFb7TxPD4MyjvHPwoSMNZ2oh0hlZ0PsW9x_0LK57j7sivt4f1FDfZYYm33Rm0nWPgI5ODI/s640/IMG_8142043045.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Courtroom of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9doUbrqqoOqCJsega1tyNUYH_Vw_UOA73FD83SXvekeyIvk2g4NseahW2BTc6IDUgeg5OUghQczxA8ninaxPqvmf7fkaaiCp4wLKrUh1xM-u6uC2YmmZEqVhrpRLj_GeA8k6j5J_oMXM/s640/IMG_8148045047.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Assembly Room in Independence Hall</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9doUbrqqoOqCJsega1tyNUYH_Vw_UOA73FD83SXvekeyIvk2g4NseahW2BTc6IDUgeg5OUghQczxA8ninaxPqvmf7fkaaiCp4wLKrUh1xM-u6uC2YmmZEqVhrpRLj_GeA8k6j5J_oMXM/s1600/IMG_8148045047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The line to see the Liberty Bell is long (it doesn't require tickets), and we had both seen it on family vacations as children, so we decided to skip it this time around (and you can see it through the glass, so we did catch a glimpse of it as we walked by).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Reading Terminal Market</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/" target="_blank">Website</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We met some friends who live in Philly for lunch at Reading Terminal Market, housed within the old Reading railroad terminal. It was packed on a Saturday at lunch time but we all managed to order food and meet back up at a vacant table in a reasonable amount of time. There is an abundance of restaurant options to choose from, and afterward, you can walk around (or <strike>shove</strike> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">carefully maneuver </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">your way through the crowd) to find dessert options, kitchen wares, and produce.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbgj5XyGWPuP-68T86VuCNqtVzJGYYLA1ReOxp-aBiu375O3xUwbSCq7dpoaRX1y6GrcnswxmwPYYwwxc_1xPTe6ItwQlfhKKlSbpRdOsYv51aWHRIu5a7h4dKQdb80S3w-TNW8G311w/s640/IMG_0813048031.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">A busy Saturday afternoon at Reading Terminal Market</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbgj5XyGWPuP-68T86VuCNqtVzJGYYLA1ReOxp-aBiu375O3xUwbSCq7dpoaRX1y6GrcnswxmwPYYwwxc_1xPTe6ItwQlfhKKlSbpRdOsYv51aWHRIu5a7h4dKQdb80S3w-TNW8G311w/s1600/IMG_0813048031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>New Jersey</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Like Pennsylvania, there wasn't much of a welcome as we entered New Jersey. Our time here was fairly short and also very traffic-y. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nkLUpiZnCnOQBxLGz6ye1dRP6t5A5vAAp5sFq1NQ3R66MCvHcP-3bgNB-GhXpBk-KAzcWJ4imHLM0sty6tfA-SufhWnuE2mORyxomkXRNCnr2EXrEleUzUDbLy0B1S9QlYw58ObldRM/s640/IMG_8173051050.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Welcome to New Jersey</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nkLUpiZnCnOQBxLGz6ye1dRP6t5A5vAAp5sFq1NQ3R66MCvHcP-3bgNB-GhXpBk-KAzcWJ4imHLM0sty6tfA-SufhWnuE2mORyxomkXRNCnr2EXrEleUzUDbLy0B1S9QlYw58ObldRM/s1600/IMG_8173051050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our main adventure in New Jersey was trying to find the state house in Trenton. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCUEZW8UqH7mVXnjlG65I_UMUyxHNDz3E-1OVo1xBcWIf1W4jdnQJV0Ivf4iHTuLU0nY9TRwGkeMecwPRSP-cPyoeDpEaTkTNSML6tAGC9phnPZmd-8SkB6gnIA7YV6fhyCpSUak0QCk/s1600/IMG_8186055054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCUEZW8UqH7mVXnjlG65I_UMUyxHNDz3E-1OVo1xBcWIf1W4jdnQJV0Ivf4iHTuLU0nY9TRwGkeMecwPRSP-cPyoeDpEaTkTNSML6tAGC9phnPZmd-8SkB6gnIA7YV6fhyCpSUak0QCk/s640/IMG_8186055054.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We never did see it (I'm not entirely sure why, because in looking at the map today, I think we drove right past it), but while looking for it we accidentally crossed the Calhoun Street Bridge back into Pennsylvania, where we got a warm welcome to both states.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipzh6Mc2ap-HJxTMyze0HdXDrgRDpVJWgGMfubB8HET6JbHd9nHZisEyP2mXvNhowjmB4KdQ73k8gLkoU718D5iJL5fU9rZwX0L4-zJQzToK0TLSzOvK6O-m_qWTIdE7NrhLPJjaeUh8/s640/IMG_8176052051.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Yes, that's spray paint on the back of a road sign welcoming drivers to Pennsylvania...</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipzh6Mc2ap-HJxTMyze0HdXDrgRDpVJWgGMfubB8HET6JbHd9nHZisEyP2mXvNhowjmB4KdQ73k8gLkoU718D5iJL5fU9rZwX0L4-zJQzToK0TLSzOvK6O-m_qWTIdE7NrhLPJjaeUh8/s1600/IMG_8176052051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxIx_igG0M8AiMU6XESAS21ORJKaX6bT-XQ_5mzs9XImppfU7pDJ0CEgUdEHarGyoq8iXL9ZMI4cYvu7hXys8Pesbj01ble2y3oYD158naHBRiYvPyiDNTtfN_-sRVK0dvF4kj6tRkU8/s640/IMG_8184054053.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">...and its counterpart on the other side of the bridge.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We left US 1 in Newark or Jersey City then drove toward Staten Island, NYC's most suburban borough, through Bayonne. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB7WLprvKJzV7kWEAIiIcY_-Q5w_ffFyYXFIlsJZm1kxG5RFl65iC282M7OA9ouu9IZvNAx-oT51BYZUFH5ktKnfC_Z0ZSpwg2NpcULRESvL_SoJG3sJBe1Q7vRwG__a_oLOT_MksAWE/s640/IMG_8228056055.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">In Bayonne, we stopped and looked across at the city near the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB7WLprvKJzV7kWEAIiIcY_-Q5w_ffFyYXFIlsJZm1kxG5RFl65iC282M7OA9ouu9IZvNAx-oT51BYZUFH5ktKnfC_Z0ZSpwg2NpcULRESvL_SoJG3sJBe1Q7vRwG__a_oLOT_MksAWE/s1600/IMG_8228056055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Since we stayed in Brooklyn (cheaper hotel AND cheaper parking!), we skipped driving through Manhattan and instead took the more direct and less congested route across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge from Staten Island to Brooklyn.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVhOCmmgZBigIUjmC1yQXR_GQC0bWe95RZRvf3MqrPmkYQhD1Gy01Coa_-Nba3WzBr-ZdmgAcidsMNz9e6pJDJJVMO7hyR6hCzFXYG479_x_P9LN6hWfnIUdK7TVdVMcYLPnEQH9N-50/s640/IMG_8268057056.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">I walked up this part of the bridge with 50,000 other people a few months later to the start of the New York City Marathon</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3wUhLuKUV-ErR_1yrg_qykN4RHrnmJzCYZxhoJKRP4K8xlCH616Ki78BGCJFNQp25naou740bDhfcpb5rRvvaeZ2hR_yGwCDHDr0cRdggukx1Fx0JNeZH6HemtLQMg88PJQs3s8sJfs/s1600/IMG_8270058057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3wUhLuKUV-ErR_1yrg_qykN4RHrnmJzCYZxhoJKRP4K8xlCH616Ki78BGCJFNQp25naou740bDhfcpb5rRvvaeZ2hR_yGwCDHDr0cRdggukx1Fx0JNeZH6HemtLQMg88PJQs3s8sJfs/s640/IMG_8270058057.jpg" title="back roads road trip: US Highway 1 from Washington, DC to New York City through Philadelphia" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>New York</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">US 1 does go through the city, but we didn't stay on it as I mentioned above. If you want to stick to it as you pass through the city, take it all the way to the George Washington Bridge, where it joins with I-95 to cross the Hudson. After continuing as the Cross Bronx Highway for several miles, exit at Webster Avenue just north of E 174th Street, go through the Center of Bronx Park, continuing onto Boston Rd., then Boston Post Rd. as you continue toward Connecticut.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We stayed in New York for the weekend, but like our Delaware detour, it's a story for another day. Next week, we'll pick up with the drive from New York toward Boston and Maine, which will probably need to be broken down into two posts so they don't get long and boring. :-)</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Staying in Brooklyn is cheaper and at least in this case, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">it has a much better view than anyplace we could afford to stay in Manhattan!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Take a look at points of interest along US 1 between DC and NYC here:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thanks for visiting, and check out these groups for more travel inspiration!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust</a> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.albomadventures.com/sintra/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sxR505hwrLBL3G91QxPq6hUSeu9OVzctqu2BSsTadZU1eSTejb-nr3V7rJ1RJDM1ukOfmO0aC1yi_U-nroJgbiF-Su0uOCOfORTXkNuIHXjYRS2hFQoeOdB8HwfvAGa3pnSgoGSVQ8s/s1600/TheWeeklyPostcardBadge1-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sxR505hwrLBL3G91QxPq6hUSeu9OVzctqu2BSsTadZU1eSTejb-nr3V7rJ1RJDM1ukOfmO0aC1yi_U-nroJgbiF-Su0uOCOfORTXkNuIHXjYRS2hFQoeOdB8HwfvAGa3pnSgoGSVQ8s/s200/TheWeeklyPostcardBadge1-3.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sw9QjM84CVxVd-cJLxQFxSVIARI74SjNiZ_YMMwMIaNYmHHP0AvQy-omccizXIH1w7aULdD1vd3PKtPrDU2fC7fsjav2EZStJVV3hv9q0AucfFHL0G8gPtsgzfuB6xCWpeebFDcjMIc/s1600/feetdotravel+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sw9QjM84CVxVd-cJLxQFxSVIARI74SjNiZ_YMMwMIaNYmHHP0AvQy-omccizXIH1w7aULdD1vd3PKtPrDU2fC7fsjav2EZStJVV3hv9q0AucfFHL0G8gPtsgzfuB6xCWpeebFDcjMIc/s200/feetdotravel+image.jpg" width="182" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.twotravelingtexans.com/old-man-of-storr/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" target="_blank">The Weekly Postcard</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-77714200757998706292017-03-26T15:22:00.001-07:002017-03-26T15:22:21.587-07:00US 1: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We're continuing with our <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/US%201" target="_blank">US 1 series</a> this week featuring the drive from Columbia, SC to Washington, DC, with a few stops along the way. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuWpS1NwX4q7FG0-t56i9i7jSfdA0zwJx2jzcRA97XBAQjmpLRnEyocr8j2kO6IhfurFIuqaCtPdim87r306rU4zsG0J19Z3DJ1KWXA2cy4lMY-byztuEQtTnx1LfyMFfAGY3PKmIpzA/s1600/ColatoDC46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuWpS1NwX4q7FG0-t56i9i7jSfdA0zwJx2jzcRA97XBAQjmpLRnEyocr8j2kO6IhfurFIuqaCtPdim87r306rU4zsG0J19Z3DJ1KWXA2cy4lMY-byztuEQtTnx1LfyMFfAGY3PKmIpzA/s640/ColatoDC46.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When driving US 1 south to north, South Carolina is the first state where the highway passes through or near the capital cities of most of the </span><a href="https://www.landofthebrave.info/13-colonies.htm" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;" target="_blank">13 original colonies</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, so it's a perfect route for travelers who want to visit the all the state capitol buildings. In most cases, the Capitol building is directly on US 1. Check ahead for tour information if this sounds like something you're interested in doing along the way.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">US Highway 1</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Columbia, SC to Washington, DC</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">11 hours / 475 miles</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">South Carolina</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Picking up at the South Carolina state Capitol in Columbia, where we started our <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/03/favorite-highways-us-1.html" target="_blank">first ever back roads road trip</a> to <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/03/three-days-in-key-west.html" target="_blank">Key West</a> a few years ago, we drove North through small towns and farmland on US 1.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLivpIpsOn97sOwTTBGVQk6320AzRtk0lb0pAMxrEzBOVIxmnLQg5CngSdAErxQhafx9PGSQA4m9wI7jbJnv1jUljQfKI4dcoapKCSwiKoQR20x4yDGPw8RiH4FJRVIexz68-VnUL1cbI/s1600/US1South052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLivpIpsOn97sOwTTBGVQk6320AzRtk0lb0pAMxrEzBOVIxmnLQg5CngSdAErxQhafx9PGSQA4m9wI7jbJnv1jUljQfKI4dcoapKCSwiKoQR20x4yDGPw8RiH4FJRVIexz68-VnUL1cbI/s640/US1South052.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b>North Carolina</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">US 1 enters North Carolina near the path Sherman's army took as it marched North from Georgia in 1865, and not long after it passes by a Revolutionary War POW exchange site. The second of many state Capitol buildings situated along the route is in Raleigh.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLU6Ec13-g0XTf-_B63DTAebsGY1LxasjMgXswaC3ZL96q9V7RSOkGuVFmHRYA6yWSOROj4-DD-EdC_RDlq6uiVSLCJOmZMq8YWeRNgKaw8n2Q9ACo6l6FL8W23G-p-YGXTZ7sBa5hhNU/s1600/ColatoDC07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLU6Ec13-g0XTf-_B63DTAebsGY1LxasjMgXswaC3ZL96q9V7RSOkGuVFmHRYA6yWSOROj4-DD-EdC_RDlq6uiVSLCJOmZMq8YWeRNgKaw8n2Q9ACo6l6FL8W23G-p-YGXTZ7sBa5hhNU/s640/ColatoDC07.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b>Virginia</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We stopped in Richmond for a few hours to stretch our legs and visit a couple of museums after driving past the third state Capitol building on US 1.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The <a href="http://www.poemuseum.org/" target="_blank">Edgar Allan Poe Museum</a> is located within a house that was once visited by the Marquis de Lafayette, but Poe never lived in it. The museum covers Poe's life: the death of his mother, his adoption by the Allan family, his time in the Army and at West Point, and his career as a writer. The museum's collection contains items that belonged to Poe, letters and manuscripts that he wrote, and even a lock of his hair! Outside, two black cats prowl around the peaceful courtyard inspired by Poe's poem <a href="https://www.poemuseum.org/enchanted-garden" target="_blank">To One in Paradise</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pNs0sFRrIHbTD8W_yVWEgFSxnOMKstAed84aBc9uXiojPMlY8KoryTN7YigJucQUDSPL9Gb2VoaiRidzhuZKrCJo0OKTTcOeYdtKJQ6OA_PzeNc71oB9pprh5m-gjmRJtehWWI-IPUU/s1600/ColatoDC02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pNs0sFRrIHbTD8W_yVWEgFSxnOMKstAed84aBc9uXiojPMlY8KoryTN7YigJucQUDSPL9Gb2VoaiRidzhuZKrCJo0OKTTcOeYdtKJQ6OA_PzeNc71oB9pprh5m-gjmRJtehWWI-IPUU/s640/ColatoDC02.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One cat is named Edgar; I assume the other is either Allan or Poe.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNtbanV_uRaBb2cRLATcZgs507ojXOq4jH1VCM6eNqe6ysalndrtQ3LNSA5kaoLJsLkfOR_W02k74iQxbqBt2dISYR6ubPwLg7H4UsxkKsSKPslSqfI1jSNfNaBFjInQiLRxj6sqvyUc/s1600/ColatoDC04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNtbanV_uRaBb2cRLATcZgs507ojXOq4jH1VCM6eNqe6ysalndrtQ3LNSA5kaoLJsLkfOR_W02k74iQxbqBt2dISYR6ubPwLg7H4UsxkKsSKPslSqfI1jSNfNaBFjInQiLRxj6sqvyUc/s320/ColatoDC04.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The <a href="http://acwm.org/visit-us" target="_blank">American Civil War Museum</a> is located next door to the White House of the Confederacy. It introduces visitors to several Southern generals and covers the major Civil War battles from beginning to end. The exhibit displays Civil War artifacts, including weapons, uniforms, letters, and more. Visitors have the choice of visiting both the Museum and the White House of the Confederacy or just choosing one or the other for roughly half the price. We skipped the White House of the Confederacy so we could pass through the Monument Avenue historic area and get our of town before 5:00 traffic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Monument Avenue is a wide tree-lined street with historic town houses facing a grassy median containing large monuments at various intervals. After a drive to one end, we turned around to get back to US 1 and head North to Fredericksburg, our final stop of the day.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Carl's frozen custard shop was hopping as we drove in to Fredericksburg, <br />so of course we had to stop to see what all the fuss was about!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fredericksburg is possibly my favorite town in Virginia. Its quaint historic district beside the Rappahannock River is full of attractive old houses, commercial buildings, and churches and has a colonial feel that's distinctively different from towns further south. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Caroline Street</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBdBtc1Xje6VC-ZmD2XLdUf0_ngLjuzyFMrmXhZOVfgU6Se5S-iADigdxkmTZUOfaBhbsg_QtdZeRAY-8cRe6QhXgt0ceuwu7430cb8rji3IgVXbzGZ7IRwsM3ipj7K1liX6XniqDZ8E/s1600/ColatoDC14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The Rappahannock River as seen from the William St. bridge</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf70RMZqjDZhYTd3I6b6jeS8gbmKQsHFEFjpqZ_NNQLpoRKpA5MPtJWiJIFdeDOMGg1WCS9wUpeHZgWTACwV-zKJCErQsiEIHyiWFaOPCrBsyqTwQYppIaZ-ieaMgUTaB5rq48UBrT044/s1600/ColatoDC15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Its streets, with names like Charles, Prince Edward, Caroline, and Princess Anne, were named for family members of King George II of England. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EP7A1Abk0aIfB-HGM81QWfUZsgP0JjwEoibTprXJdt2jGZuCviWh0Zoqo8-1BygOO9A5mACZkV7vSwYIPOsedMYnnOBq8_qch-dTxkYduIIyEO73TmKAlxrpT5ovOiuWZWtwYXtT1YY/s1600/ColatoDC01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EP7A1Abk0aIfB-HGM81QWfUZsgP0JjwEoibTprXJdt2jGZuCviWh0Zoqo8-1BygOO9A5mACZkV7vSwYIPOsedMYnnOBq8_qch-dTxkYduIIyEO73TmKAlxrpT5ovOiuWZWtwYXtT1YY/s320/ColatoDC01.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Murals referencing the town's history and geography can be found on the side of several buildings.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcKB9492w9vH_6U18gYNAgoBMYPnuhp6dbDoSmikB1Op7fB2hnz7R6hCz-QAX8YBWl60xqqv-M2E5m05xBxcYucXb0mtePphvFvdX3LhuFgjiAnBhsoRXJpikypW-r0mvicZ46JL_Ucc/s1600/ColatoDC18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcKB9492w9vH_6U18gYNAgoBMYPnuhp6dbDoSmikB1Op7fB2hnz7R6hCz-QAX8YBWl60xqqv-M2E5m05xBxcYucXb0mtePphvFvdX3LhuFgjiAnBhsoRXJpikypW-r0mvicZ46JL_Ucc/s400/ColatoDC18.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYsK9_3Jn_E0qDComvGJlGAlN0tv8QbLKN4mfQCrm-UzPl31M1vvQqWvTRbuWIgF6EKGZu2U0RvsD1OU4fMedD1-rvn_nrvep2Mdx_POW2O6i5vK-g2-wMcTBwD6D3lROnjgwA32BtYI/s1600/ColatoDC21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYsK9_3Jn_E0qDComvGJlGAlN0tv8QbLKN4mfQCrm-UzPl31M1vvQqWvTRbuWIgF6EKGZu2U0RvsD1OU4fMedD1-rvn_nrvep2Mdx_POW2O6i5vK-g2-wMcTBwD6D3lROnjgwA32BtYI/s640/ColatoDC21.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjppHmRGg3eARIUNx0Ei_hWQfEU8vPTuXfyo17fiFhAG7TXGURUY6odcsJgpisnIXNXzrCzsT_l6VuAltLRWR6N8MxO85FlLrmTJOBZ8MPheBv_x0QjAYI8J9dwNp1vUsBNx87-kVRcQ/s1600/ColatoDC38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjppHmRGg3eARIUNx0Ei_hWQfEU8vPTuXfyo17fiFhAG7TXGURUY6odcsJgpisnIXNXzrCzsT_l6VuAltLRWR6N8MxO85FlLrmTJOBZ8MPheBv_x0QjAYI8J9dwNp1vUsBNx87-kVRcQ/s640/ColatoDC38.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Travelers who enjoy antiquing will not be disappointed in historic Fredericksburg: the two antique shops we stopped in were full of interesting finds, but since we had two more months of travel before us, we left with very little.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8J4qCLS2sy3Nx05Vs7rW5OJaKOFwnhjhkx6p8saPOebIbtXThLZ9v26ETE_cbEeAvXLGn8oZRlgWtFDT2EoMKGybjZy1dBK_jCsRswc2iIBKRKTzQH71SUsG8mn8lyL7BySaLCiwBb00/s640/ColatoDC41.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">There were so many vintage postcards with South Carolina scenes on them</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8J4qCLS2sy3Nx05Vs7rW5OJaKOFwnhjhkx6p8saPOebIbtXThLZ9v26ETE_cbEeAvXLGn8oZRlgWtFDT2EoMKGybjZy1dBK_jCsRswc2iIBKRKTzQH71SUsG8mn8lyL7BySaLCiwBb00/s1600/ColatoDC41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">I really liked this owl necklace, but I left without it.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">But I couldn't leave this oversized pair of scissors behind; they belong in my sewing room!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcIkN-YAzOg31VA8GweVOgZTWMV9kvKkcLhEUvPx95H0V4obKqvKSbVaQu_umFdXIQpQ9DC8DsZRHgmTdfxupn1p0UPAnMMMKtTDDfkPYGw_74T_zU7_Zs5bngdmlpp2GxCvG5pcO81M/s1600/ColatoDC16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Lunch at Goolrick's Pharmacy, which turned out to be one of our <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/02/our-favorite-restaurants-in-america.html" target="_blank">favorite restaurants</a> because of its uniqueness as a restaurant and soda fountain in a functioning pharmacy, was our final stop in town before continuing North toward DC.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOchiv0F3ofCBhZASkgKb_D-6xLLHsolTRDk-mA3iNRoRgWjmU5vj_mbI5udVpgOqcgL_cw8NGurRvpVBMfidwoS-aTWGuEJMUrKueLBR_FS_jW2p6KY5Y-K_W0K9FqY-0ykqKves3N_c/s1600/ColatoDC26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOchiv0F3ofCBhZASkgKb_D-6xLLHsolTRDk-mA3iNRoRgWjmU5vj_mbI5udVpgOqcgL_cw8NGurRvpVBMfidwoS-aTWGuEJMUrKueLBR_FS_jW2p6KY5Y-K_W0K9FqY-0ykqKves3N_c/s640/ColatoDC26.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJCWeYZPh6MS1rjb5ggo20HI7Zj4rRiqzAyZ5A2UXUxXnV6ASnvb0gUIt7K1YDKl3qDWUsL1-tSrKo8w6bUYOaX6IzzV_8sGcTFX-aKO3iccRjOpsdVBb8deEH94Va6pJWUzCjquC80E/s1600/goolrick%2527s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJCWeYZPh6MS1rjb5ggo20HI7Zj4rRiqzAyZ5A2UXUxXnV6ASnvb0gUIt7K1YDKl3qDWUsL1-tSrKo8w6bUYOaX6IzzV_8sGcTFX-aKO3iccRjOpsdVBb8deEH94Va6pJWUzCjquC80E/s640/goolrick%2527s.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For an informative history of the US Marines, stop at the <a href="http://www.usmcmuseum.com/" target="_blank">Marine Corps Museum</a>, which is situated between US 1 and I-95 near Quantico. The museum informs visitors of the Marines' part in America's wars, starting with their creation by the Continental Congress in 1775 and continuing with exhibits on each conflict through to the present day. The tour concludes at a wall of photos of every Medal of Honor recipient.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdCs14ycNLm47jqVXPJTQkCPvQcRy_qawNspNJlKBu5Attmg3vrRlpztMOQ4ye9_NgRzczD_7gQYxQWlpOwT0AOgd34XsFzCT8uDbjesXKOEqlvSvC5GQ9sQ-CbS9fO5tpxxgdBFdDTM/s1600/ColatoDC03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdCs14ycNLm47jqVXPJTQkCPvQcRy_qawNspNJlKBu5Attmg3vrRlpztMOQ4ye9_NgRzczD_7gQYxQWlpOwT0AOgd34XsFzCT8uDbjesXKOEqlvSvC5GQ9sQ-CbS9fO5tpxxgdBFdDTM/s400/ColatoDC03.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">About an hour outside of DC, US 1 passes within 10 minutes of George Washington's home at <a href="http://www.mountvernon.org/" target="_blank">Mount Vernon</a>. It's a stop we skipped this time since we had visited recently, but one we'd recommend if you've never visited. The line to enter the house can get long as the day wears on, so arrive early to minimize wait time. The estate is huge, so allow several hours to see the gardens, tombs, and the nearby gristmill and distillery.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcSVLrEW90mXt6gSuXXmoM25R9nofwT1kGc5HVOV9-9U5WuvXTbC4Bi02Gyf0L7K03z4o4aSVc6cQrVDqjLrCvg3kOfk97JNU318k9GTPNsFViUND7QSI3k-NiYVEoxlP7c1sRopJKAE/s640/ColatoDC44.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Visiting Mount Vernon in October 2013</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Washington, DC</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">US 1 passes straight through Washington, DC, but you might have trouble staying on it through town. As it approaches the city, US 1 merges with I-395 to cross the Potomac River and enter our nation's Capital City, where it becomes 14th Street. At some point, it cuts over to 6th Street and eventually leaves town as Rhode Island Ave. Once you get into large cities like this one, don't worry about whether or not you're on the 'right' road. Enjoy your time in them, then find your way back to US 1 as you leave.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJASgB5Bqj5czKJF16MvBbkVToz0cGQ9xDZI6D4JOPCdabbM4pgt-uBC8di8hc9awkPw00AUMMkdkPdx7o-NxpkmCHzvfZbqUreR28RyNyEXkkxJvf7ilgxUvbhGMRmYecXBMWBc6-1Kk/s640/ColatoDC42.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">US 1 merges with I-395 to cross the Potomac, but as you can see, <br />the left lane indicates that we are still technically on a back road :-)</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARGVuDvUvkDrzQ1spidTkO45I_im2cuhzM-wtodhNx0LsXIg6D8NCluYBYvUBhxAe5l_Es7NUADv_BuC5ON72kvB9CIC4C0xqO2t1adz6rZ-1_i2JarW_WKoBbeFjGW_LSMueW4diALk/s1600/ColatoDC22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARGVuDvUvkDrzQ1spidTkO45I_im2cuhzM-wtodhNx0LsXIg6D8NCluYBYvUBhxAe5l_Es7NUADv_BuC5ON72kvB9CIC4C0xqO2t1adz6rZ-1_i2JarW_WKoBbeFjGW_LSMueW4diALk/s640/ColatoDC22.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Stop in DC for an hour or a weekend before continuing on toward Maryland and the rest of US 1. There are so many potential stops to make in DC that we won't even go into them here. We had visited DC twice in the past few years so kept our time in town short to stay ahead of evening traffic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Join us next week as we leave DC and head to the original Capital City of America, Philadelphia, PA.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKAjvnNiIAQwBu4F73rNHRwSyZDhC0oKT_LrogO__7Hf96wnL1YpO7mO5Ptf6pF_rj2dSe_KuEDnWfHUb7UlLG_Xo-gu_iU9q1EJ2ev1AcDgxr7_PdZgCodUZ9L-XksR1gkJ-siWaQtE/s1600/ColatoDC45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKAjvnNiIAQwBu4F73rNHRwSyZDhC0oKT_LrogO__7Hf96wnL1YpO7mO5Ptf6pF_rj2dSe_KuEDnWfHUb7UlLG_Xo-gu_iU9q1EJ2ev1AcDgxr7_PdZgCodUZ9L-XksR1gkJ-siWaQtE/s640/ColatoDC45.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Back roads road trip: Columbia, SC to Washington, DC on US Highway 1 " width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">Check out</span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"> these groups</span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"> for more travel inspiration!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/(http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust</a> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://malaysianmeanders.blogspot.de/2017/03/36-hours-in-miami.html#" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sw9QjM84CVxVd-cJLxQFxSVIARI74SjNiZ_YMMwMIaNYmHHP0AvQy-omccizXIH1w7aULdD1vd3PKtPrDU2fC7fsjav2EZStJVV3hv9q0AucfFHL0G8gPtsgzfuB6xCWpeebFDcjMIc/s1600/feetdotravel+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sw9QjM84CVxVd-cJLxQFxSVIARI74SjNiZ_YMMwMIaNYmHHP0AvQy-omccizXIH1w7aULdD1vd3PKtPrDU2fC7fsjav2EZStJVV3hv9q0AucfFHL0G8gPtsgzfuB6xCWpeebFDcjMIc/s200/feetdotravel+image.jpg" width="182" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-47661522248473619932017-03-10T08:23:00.000-08:002017-04-14T07:53:52.223-07:00Three Days in Key West<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCg6JcNUvpJwkDGky4P9I8GQGXhpk7yGyOUSBz0MZRwPBsDxyQA6jIvNMdGu26fAcXVBNr072zQCHMbLUJihi4Kv22gQTU51dQchPyE7BPzlu6bFkODlng_au4sgosUfZy5DAsiruGcA/s1600/coverphoto_threedaysinkeywest2+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCg6JcNUvpJwkDGky4P9I8GQGXhpk7yGyOUSBz0MZRwPBsDxyQA6jIvNMdGu26fAcXVBNr072zQCHMbLUJihi4Kv22gQTU51dQchPyE7BPzlu6bFkODlng_au4sgosUfZy5DAsiruGcA/s640/coverphoto_threedaysinkeywest2+%25282%2529.jpg" width="456" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Key West is home to the Southernmost Point in the Continental United States, key lime pie, beautiful sunsets, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the End of US 1, and Hemingway's 6-toed cats</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We spent three days there after arriving by way of US 1 and the Overseas Highway</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">, and today we're sharing our recommendations for how visitors to Key West can spend their time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In our previous post, I discusses traveling to Key West on US 1 and shared </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">that this particular trip started everything for us here at 48 No Interstate. In 2009, we packed up the car for our first vacation together - a back roads trip from Columbia, SC all the way to the end of US 1. We had a great time traveling through Georgia farmland and along Florida's Atlantic coast to the Overseas Highway, which deposited us in Key West. You can read more about that trip </span><a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/03/favorite-highways-us-1.html?" style="font-size: large;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6i6wDj7OgOHZ1bS2b1TerFY8NkBSMjGKgYTDzCvl3K4xuBBOjfMZBvgpmJI9oCKRHw9TyPoBQiYBn56vb0Cei8ACU6sAzu12CRe0aqzRqNUZ_0xSgCXvZyQ50J_t4LHJ83_oYXPi3so/s1600/keywest005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6i6wDj7OgOHZ1bS2b1TerFY8NkBSMjGKgYTDzCvl3K4xuBBOjfMZBvgpmJI9oCKRHw9TyPoBQiYBn56vb0Cei8ACU6sAzu12CRe0aqzRqNUZ_0xSgCXvZyQ50J_t4LHJ83_oYXPi3so/s640/keywest005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">View of the old Overseas Railroad bridge from the Overseas Highway / US 1</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Regardless of how you arrive in Key West, there are a few things you'll enjoy doing while visiting this tropical paradise:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>1 - Photo Ops</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While there are many great places in Key West to get great photos, there are two particular locations that you shouldn't miss. They're within walking distance of each other, so you can go ahead and ditch your car!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Mile 0</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When you arrive in Key West by way of US 1 and the Overseas Highway, continue all the way to the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Zivd8JTR36y" target="_blank">Mile 0</a> sign for photographic evidence that you made it to the end! (This particular photo op is of little significance if you fly to Key West.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_x-TIjk8IxMYd7blCUn10OE0eTvCY0Sf8nuLmhhG_9p6pKaLaGhnoNKobgjYnTOBDa3CBoJOTWsXlt4TZOX-SvS1IxQkar9Q3kGENnPM-oZbaxNoWE3TCidjyE-I3JMV_GUJv6XXOdU/s1600/mile+0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglctqFfYe7zmP5KF-5DYfcLzrvS26BwHU4L8C-RQNZVb_x1SifXcSjMK34JmeK1Kk9ePAgHbhAnKyECz2j2yuuxna8tPwI-a_KejAXK46pFTXULv5m_0_Z4QFRG_ttB0D3xqD3H-S4iH8/s1600/US1South041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglctqFfYe7zmP5KF-5DYfcLzrvS26BwHU4L8C-RQNZVb_x1SifXcSjMK34JmeK1Kk9ePAgHbhAnKyECz2j2yuuxna8tPwI-a_KejAXK46pFTXULv5m_0_Z4QFRG_ttB0D3xqD3H-S4iH8/s400/US1South041.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Southernnmost Point</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The second photo op is at the <a href="http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11310" target="_blank">Southernmost Point in the continental United States</a>, located about 3/4 mile from the Mile 0 sign. You'll likely have to wait in a short line here, so there should be someone available to take your photo for you.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcuiUytJilHYZGSyqFE5wki7C7Qteg7pZnxJ_NtxD5OqWD_gHivS7negCdG8kYOOcxFCwTP2F0nj5RUDwW5lMI_iOqHGXuuiDKHBhPUVy2ygRke3Xd6iVWm6L53BssrP23oBo1GgEGjuY/s1600/US1South027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcuiUytJilHYZGSyqFE5wki7C7Qteg7pZnxJ_NtxD5OqWD_gHivS7negCdG8kYOOcxFCwTP2F0nj5RUDwW5lMI_iOqHGXuuiDKHBhPUVy2ygRke3Xd6iVWm6L53BssrP23oBo1GgEGjuY/s400/US1South027.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Just remember to check the photo before you </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">walk </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">away.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> The friendly tourist who took our photos cut </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">part of the monument out of all three of ours!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMTBGig32kFri7C9ab7_fMO_QCOsUtrbDzdFGaaugSRsRX8hkqTZAC2ZQYnuULTopK8d8AJbINoGEoWF_0SGiIvc5z4U_yAXKRWLfiseb4PQBvQk18EkPGxAQKsOydg6Opo-GWvJgHRE/s640/EndofUS1toSouthernmostPoint.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Get <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/JPqmAjaVeHo" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">walking directions</a><span style="text-align: left;"> from Mile 0 to the Southernmost Point</span></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2 - Eat.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Try new things! We tried Cuban food for the first time at <a href="https://www.elmesondepepe.com/" target="_blank">El Meson de Pepe</a> near Mallory Square and both really enjoyed it. Since I tend to stick to a small variety of foods at restaurants, I was surprised by how many items on the menu sounded tasty, and I finally settled on one: ropa vieja (which means 'old clothes' in Spanish - but it is delicious!). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We traveled in late August, and school had started back in the South, so we didn't encounter many crowds anywhere we went. We learned that the busy season i</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">n Key West</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> is during the winter months, and we got lucky that many bars and restaurants were handing out coupons offering free drinks or appetizers to get people in the door.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3- Wander.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Walk or bike around and look at the architecture. Like in many old coastal cities, there is an interesting mix of architectural styles in Key West. Historical markers share the significance of various buildings, like the Old City Hall, which was built in 1890 after the previous structure (which was constructed of wood) burned down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You'll also find interesting tropical trees and flowers in Key West. You don't see trees like this one every day!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpyfXrSKMvEDf7F6UF5FN1y-8GJuMEPAxl4tuu6DSG9bbFRBHc9FAV8t45z2XjOLN7bjQ2Hr2Qv9g5Nng4Xvd9acWc-5X0IyGx2wkiMdTh4cbP06zR4RuucO-hJ5AEcJFTzPGiUm0Ra0/s1600/US1South042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpyfXrSKMvEDf7F6UF5FN1y-8GJuMEPAxl4tuu6DSG9bbFRBHc9FAV8t45z2XjOLN7bjQ2Hr2Qv9g5Nng4Xvd9acWc-5X0IyGx2wkiMdTh4cbP06zR4RuucO-hJ5AEcJFTzPGiUm0Ra0/s640/US1South042.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You can visit the keeper's quarters and climb to the top of the light house <a href="http://www.kwahs.org/museums/lighthouse-keepers-quarters" target="_blank">for a fee</a>, but we just admired it from the street.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjZwblgF3D0ZCyCs2EBm3KrQBc9HF8ecgAXNUAlqxxZsEez_tFkUMP2TaY2Dy91y5R2Jk-uRUz4AqmrFhiRGRkS51lbWO13yMDaa1eXbCX6s03kuiz4r1QScm7lek6J8ZDczW-UXnmC4/s1600/US1South038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjZwblgF3D0ZCyCs2EBm3KrQBc9HF8ecgAXNUAlqxxZsEez_tFkUMP2TaY2Dy91y5R2Jk-uRUz4AqmrFhiRGRkS51lbWO13yMDaa1eXbCX6s03kuiz4r1QScm7lek6J8ZDczW-UXnmC4/s640/US1South038.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">4- Go to a Museum (or two!)</span></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Shipwreck Museum </span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Located near Mallory Square, this museum features items recovered from an 1856 shipwreck off the coast of Key West - and it has air conditioning, which is a welcome relief after a few hours of walking or biking around the island! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lGLWA4gapeV-CwZba3rUJMewRZFYY9mAIQ2PHAE4u1k6yQF3jt7VE1lNVXbLVC1bOcWLw6qfQqjw4Ta3D4ptoHHtVtwJKVeOKirsIk_Nh0Zw_fW4eM0iTi4MLuwjDCxknowfB1AM95k/s1600/keywest002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lGLWA4gapeV-CwZba3rUJMewRZFYY9mAIQ2PHAE4u1k6yQF3jt7VE1lNVXbLVC1bOcWLw6qfQqjw4Ta3D4ptoHHtVtwJKVeOKirsIk_Nh0Zw_fW4eM0iTi4MLuwjDCxknowfB1AM95k/s320/keywest002.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYuGpnVHWz-7CGaDYR6R8aBGBQ0dQSb3YlQqqy54IcSK983sdPgYcM7ywiG49J6DPXLkYJZQnD70PUBFS-kLUxBjrgx4PwgLGu5K3rHQ1qSWVPqvwH2N6DI-oM4xTfz833zAl5saT6eQ/s1600/keywest003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYuGpnVHWz-7CGaDYR6R8aBGBQ0dQSb3YlQqqy54IcSK983sdPgYcM7ywiG49J6DPXLkYJZQnD70PUBFS-kLUxBjrgx4PwgLGu5K3rHQ1qSWVPqvwH2N6DI-oM4xTfz833zAl5saT6eQ/s320/keywest003.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You can also climb to the top of the 65-foot-tall lookout tower above the museum for a birds-eye view of the island. The railings have helpful painted labels so you know what body of water you're looking toward.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsfZjljCsShT1MoYmWNL30i73gnwXFoih-BfIv7X89h5ZSzO3AYhkqW3NErbQXj6Hd47wO_gUdGoguTJjaIsHMs4EqB60c5y_Qej3NdDFnD4Dh-L2bDlbJHgASnHoW1PF868zP2w5jEQ/s1600/US1South035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsfZjljCsShT1MoYmWNL30i73gnwXFoih-BfIv7X89h5ZSzO3AYhkqW3NErbQXj6Hd47wO_gUdGoguTJjaIsHMs4EqB60c5y_Qej3NdDFnD4Dh-L2bDlbJHgASnHoW1PF868zP2w5jEQ/s400/US1South035.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNWBTz1m39kxAfYAz9z_kt4tByvAvw7dta-Kn1FULI-6FLUlxGlLz8u2irDJBDfwK1rcii_20HNUx7wZr-YOoKcCp40168tzeTuRL8pGoyeie2-e5nhCRj1hAHAmygUCPuiw5nrfICyE/s1600/keywest008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNWBTz1m39kxAfYAz9z_kt4tByvAvw7dta-Kn1FULI-6FLUlxGlLz8u2irDJBDfwK1rcii_20HNUx7wZr-YOoKcCp40168tzeTuRL8pGoyeie2-e5nhCRj1hAHAmygUCPuiw5nrfICyE/s400/keywest008.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUejo0KAnUskyukMGJSQB7H8rsKBLXUwMp93s4wReNQCuNMdzc4n5AiYRN1SqtqTWbdwj2EjROfXmmPf3vzRgjd3AL37YGzV0QbeLEZKBmV1zK64Pu3YeMEGv4JJ0O-uJijxW0llMGcLk/s1600/keywest009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUejo0KAnUskyukMGJSQB7H8rsKBLXUwMp93s4wReNQCuNMdzc4n5AiYRN1SqtqTWbdwj2EjROfXmmPf3vzRgjd3AL37YGzV0QbeLEZKBmV1zK64Pu3YeMEGv4JJ0O-uJijxW0llMGcLk/s400/keywest009.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hemingway House</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ernest Hemingway had a house on Key West, and it's open to visitors. You can tour the house and beautiful gardens, including the huge pool and</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> a clutter of Hemingway's famous <a href="http://www.hemingwayhome.com/cats/" target="_blank">6-toed cats</a>.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9twwGODIYHsYViWZQ9YxZ-BWH1el_WsLjSzou-2kvZXDv917j6TUXKFfKdqotkz9xwl0ZS-LoqLizeh5xR9jucmusP4NK-BlRSgghMM5EZDCW7R6E8G2FjUgQjR0z9m7BZ6vj01_H8Wg/s640/keywest004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">The pool was quite a luxury in the 1930s when it was installed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Since Key West is a coral island, it was quite a feat and for </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">some time it was the <a href="http://www.hemingwayhome.com/pool/" target="_blank">only pool for 100 miles</a>! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Make sure to check both museums' websites for hours and ticketing information prior to your visit! </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.keywestshipwreck.com/" style="text-align: start;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Shipwreck Museum</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.hemingwayhome.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hemingway House</span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">5 - Watch the sunset</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.mallorysquare.com/" target="_blank">Mallory Square</a> is situated on the Northwest side of the island and has a wonderful vantage point for the sunset. We were a little late to the party both nights after maximizing our beach time and getting cleaned up, but the sunsets were still quite pretty as the last bit of light disappeared over the horizon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tourists will also find shops, restaurants, a trolley stop, and street performers in the square.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYh4XOpTN6JjTwSTULQoBj_TfLErvBtwCTEKD2yUpba7Gjkb8ser6pXyAtJVv2GIA77nEO9_DTIoONrd6Styn-pwm6eHaeOAgH4o4EjjoaIQaI2nu2lb3ONcqlorrx5pzBk5OnF356fg/s1600/US1South055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYh4XOpTN6JjTwSTULQoBj_TfLErvBtwCTEKD2yUpba7Gjkb8ser6pXyAtJVv2GIA77nEO9_DTIoONrd6Styn-pwm6eHaeOAgH4o4EjjoaIQaI2nu2lb3ONcqlorrx5pzBk5OnF356fg/s640/US1South055.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-DZhruKU0y8BfE8LCeACacnLSNVFA0Kfiujtq3o9hmLBtiXdA9klIzFYp26WC8KQt476raHI1pAWAkrVFNVVh1eGa-s0EjSzZTSZCScU-sbSURuA7e6Mx_qzKakwKQQ8f3enJCQUnmdw/s1600/US1South032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-DZhruKU0y8BfE8LCeACacnLSNVFA0Kfiujtq3o9hmLBtiXdA9klIzFYp26WC8KQt476raHI1pAWAkrVFNVVh1eGa-s0EjSzZTSZCScU-sbSURuA7e6Mx_qzKakwKQQ8f3enJCQUnmdw/s640/US1South032.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">6- Visit a Beach</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Keys are coral islands, so the beaches aren't the wide, white, sandy beaches you'd find in other parts of Florida. You'll find some sand, but the surface underneath is rocky; water shoes or something similar to protect your feet are recommended! You can find information on Key West beach options <a href="http://keywest.com/beaches.htm" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.keywesttravelguide.com/explore-key-west/beaches/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">During the afternoons, we rode our bikes to Fort Zach Taylor since that was the <a href="http://www.fortzacharytaylor.com/beach.html" target="_blank">beach</a> that was recommended to us. Fort Zach is also home to a <a href="http://www.fortzacharytaylor.com/park-and-fort.html" target="_blank">military fortress</a> from the mid-1800s which visitors can tour, included as part of the park's entry fee.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">From its location on the West side of the island, you could also catch a great sunset (but since it closes at sunset, be ready to scoot when the park rangers come around).</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszIWvKa9WV-jZxhV4W-zhRPWwR0cvBjRY4ct6SOrG7TmheBJcwsaKw4bU-7s1BxfcVoiXYLHfAQHHGXu2O25lhRVATRTbKlQ5NMpXFUgb5Dmht5D6PEuWjPQUAuTFvF_Xe8yJuMtXILI/s640/US1South044.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Touring the fortress</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyKqQ__r4o-UCyhp1dP7rPSymCUhkU_VSem9QGGDXi6iQ7lgsvfJ41AmxW7thFBKD3H5oavAwN8XEMpMRtvdAHa4ctYt4AbkxcWM0htWQk6KTIcQBnVAWIgVFWkPdcj-6W3scS5ElwPI/s640/US1South043.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> Clear gulf water at Fort Zach Taylor</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tLTrEh9lZr0wOjtl8iJIXGY9Z7qVJTf3euzADBSognu7JFdGH7CFpavO28FeOvIEiOyJEJqqrkmlLdW-6dZpGuDMlx1HfmF6H-KpbUZ8kVKDz94f8C20XsX9GIPF6fW5LYPprA43rmQ/s640/US1South033.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">We didn't go on any boat rides ourselves but we watched this catamaran <br />go out for its sunset cruise from our shady spot under the trees on the beach.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tLTrEh9lZr0wOjtl8iJIXGY9Z7qVJTf3euzADBSognu7JFdGH7CFpavO28FeOvIEiOyJEJqqrkmlLdW-6dZpGuDMlx1HfmF6H-KpbUZ8kVKDz94f8C20XsX9GIPF6fW5LYPprA43rmQ/s1600/US1South033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Accomodation recommendation</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We loved staying at the <a href="http://www.currymansion.com/" target="_blank">Curry Mansion Inn</a>, located in Old Town within walking or biking distance of everything visitors to Key West could possibly want to do. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQr5GmDnHSVa_LlI1Y1OCnT6pS8-HFnsdDof00vcNztEhikducDm6klhjJ8R05p7cPZYIT7Opnpe0L7RynsvZv5AAbpjmpvqwApWMsZdygQyftXch62K_jg4kGcptzpAB5yYbw0trabI/s640/US1South053.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">This photo was taken on my cell phone at the time, <br />and the quality of the image demonstrates just one of the ways<br />technology has changed in the time since we took this trip.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQr5GmDnHSVa_LlI1Y1OCnT6pS8-HFnsdDof00vcNztEhikducDm6klhjJ8R05p7cPZYIT7Opnpe0L7RynsvZv5AAbpjmpvqwApWMsZdygQyftXch62K_jg4kGcptzpAB5yYbw0trabI/s1600/US1South053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The mansion is a stunning turn-of-the-century white Georgian Revival with a pretty blue ceiling-ed front porch and an equally stunning interior. This was our first bed and breakfast experience, and we absolutely loved it. I didn't want to leave.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYm7aRjiepcH5AsrjrXqGsEReHO4OvSpzA_LymfmrL5_w19NiZmfG3-M4zYj2uYqFMjIR23H4KhcfvjzDE5ehTvGIIY3dr8mb1Nfng11vd4PYzqb7wQfR9AnhbjurH5lPwdKk5r7tBXE/s1600/US1South030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYm7aRjiepcH5AsrjrXqGsEReHO4OvSpzA_LymfmrL5_w19NiZmfG3-M4zYj2uYqFMjIR23H4KhcfvjzDE5ehTvGIIY3dr8mb1Nfng11vd4PYzqb7wQfR9AnhbjurH5lPwdKk5r7tBXE/s640/US1South030.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our room was in the guest wing that wraps around the back of the property looking out toward the central pool, where a homemade breakfast was served every morning, and a laid-back make-your-own cocktail hour with live music (piano, I think it was) was held each evening.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The small pool is built where a <a href="http://if%20you%20read%20about%20the%20history%20of%20key%20lime%20pie%2C%20you%20might%20recognize%20the%20name%20curry%20from%20one%20of%20the%20author%27s%20theories%20about%20the%20potential%20origination%20of%20the%20world-famous%20pie./" target="_blank">cistern</a> was located on the property long ago, but it was never crowded during our visit. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18Exzu-gs_iDPq3_irL9PhDmrKDSj53yNhzX0lkyoql6-bvExV3ZKnWt3_eAFs5_x6_LLiiCdU_BnwHIbdMg0_cnsqLpx_LdUQcYO0txUACz-bGzNd3F9C7_Z9gQKK6DK_f_4hkOvS9o/s640/US1South040.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">The pool is shaded for most of the afternoon by the surrounding buildings.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you're familiar with the history of <a href="http://www.key-largo-sunsets.com/history-of-key-lime-pie.html" target="_blank">key lime pie</a>, you might recognize the name Curry from one of the theories about the potential origination of the world-famous pie. This kitchen is thought to be the </span><a href="http://www.currymansion.com/history.html" style="font-size: large;" target="_blank">birthplace of Key Lime Pie</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">. The brick structure remains from the original 1860s structure. I seem to have left without picking up a copy of the recipe, though...</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">I love the combination of the white cabinets, colorful backsplash, and exposed brick.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3GmQZFuoQ6nysgl15_wvvTX8RU9bVFmi6wPubuKwUZPcwFht9wPGhB8wrGdVZW1uRSZhpBCEjytusu9OxzQ8wWOP-eJueqiMIyCqJxxozn4pt4sQbq01YngvwByF_hfm-5O48GFyGDDk/s1600/US1South047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We took ourselves on a self-guided tour of the mansion before we left. The interior is adorned with beautiful wood details, and the rooms contain amazing antique furniture and decor.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">That is some impressive scrollwork.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The third floor in particular was full of antiques and vintage items, including some ladies' clothes and interesting knickknacks.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXl-bBULeD4NYlzsiRrhMN7A3iJvcXKKhbqZa4m06VjrCEU-Q3_shIlsuJ77cEaQgsjqVDCECtHYGkSoPBJpkX06R4NmCsfIv_-PdRbHzAGPFz9ridHtTsIF7OOdLu0Pdz-3b-n7t_AI/s1600/US1South045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXl-bBULeD4NYlzsiRrhMN7A3iJvcXKKhbqZa4m06VjrCEU-Q3_shIlsuJ77cEaQgsjqVDCECtHYGkSoPBJpkX06R4NmCsfIv_-PdRbHzAGPFz9ridHtTsIF7OOdLu0Pdz-3b-n7t_AI/s640/US1South045.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While this is not a complete list of things to do in Key West, you could certainly fill a few days with these activities. Another major point of interest we'd love to visit sometime is <a href="https://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm" target="_blank">Dry Tortugas National Park</a>, which can only be reached by boat or plane. In addition to touring the historic fort, you can camp, swim, and snorkel!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What are your recommendations for things to do, places to stay, or great restaurants in Key West? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">Check out</span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"> these groups</span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"> for more travel inspiration!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image may contain: text, outdoor and nature" height="200" src="https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16142647_10212288057903142_7678363255743860707_n.jpg?oh=5962ec648c319945aed12b62bdfe7239&oe=591CC143" width="200" /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkJI7YXspCVk0CnGhxX_xgKDiGfGLB4XERiWMnEIIafIsmVUJLHhdznMccflPFrQ8lJsVfKi0dky1V9XlqE7hjZ8UqAVslYoN8Hympn0tVFE4tk1_1PihX0tiC1ps59t39i8xfW0_rIU/s1600/weekend-travel-inspiration-350x350.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkJI7YXspCVk0CnGhxX_xgKDiGfGLB4XERiWMnEIIafIsmVUJLHhdznMccflPFrQ8lJsVfKi0dky1V9XlqE7hjZ8UqAVslYoN8Hympn0tVFE4tk1_1PihX0tiC1ps59t39i8xfW0_rIU/s200/weekend-travel-inspiration-350x350.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/(http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust</a> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.albomadventures.com/interactive-statues/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sxR505hwrLBL3G91QxPq6hUSeu9OVzctqu2BSsTadZU1eSTejb-nr3V7rJ1RJDM1ukOfmO0aC1yi_U-nroJgbiF-Su0uOCOfORTXkNuIHXjYRS2hFQoeOdB8HwfvAGa3pnSgoGSVQ8s/s1600/TheWeeklyPostcardBadge1-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sxR505hwrLBL3G91QxPq6hUSeu9OVzctqu2BSsTadZU1eSTejb-nr3V7rJ1RJDM1ukOfmO0aC1yi_U-nroJgbiF-Su0uOCOfORTXkNuIHXjYRS2hFQoeOdB8HwfvAGa3pnSgoGSVQ8s/s200/TheWeeklyPostcardBadge1-3.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sw9QjM84CVxVd-cJLxQFxSVIARI74SjNiZ_YMMwMIaNYmHHP0AvQy-omccizXIH1w7aULdD1vd3PKtPrDU2fC7fsjav2EZStJVV3hv9q0AucfFHL0G8gPtsgzfuB6xCWpeebFDcjMIc/s1600/feetdotravel+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sw9QjM84CVxVd-cJLxQFxSVIARI74SjNiZ_YMMwMIaNYmHHP0AvQy-omccizXIH1w7aULdD1vd3PKtPrDU2fC7fsjav2EZStJVV3hv9q0AucfFHL0G8gPtsgzfuB6xCWpeebFDcjMIc/s200/feetdotravel+image.jpg" width="182" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.twotravelingtexans.com/la-boqueria-market/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" target="_blank">The Weekly Postcard</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-26155871742351549302017-03-04T10:22:00.000-08:002017-04-10T08:14:56.619-07:00US 1: The Road That Started it All<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To sum up <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/highwayhistory/us1.cfm" target="_blank">US Highway 1</a> in a single, manageable blog post would be a major challenge - both for me to write and for you to read. The highway originates at the Canadian border in Fort Kent, Maine and ends 2,593 miles later in Key West, Florida! This first US 1 post will focus on the southern portion from the State House in downtown Columbia, SC to the Southernmost Point in Key West, FL - only about a third of the highway!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our US 1 story takes place over several years, beginning in 2008 and ending in 2016. After our wedding in 2008, we moved into an apartment on US 1 in Lexington, South Carolina. We traveled on it daily to and from work and errands and at some point we learned that if we just drove past our apartment and kept going, we'd get all the way to Canada or Key West, depending on which direction we headed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In August 2009, we set out on our first vacation together. The first of our many back roads road trips began on a Friday afternoon with 9 days of open road ahead of us. We began in downtown Columbia in front of the South Carolina State House and drove South with the goal of reaching Key West, taking US 1 the whole way.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7x2aLjbbJmYrQ8yecX5Sb9CbqMDgMVNMEFJb_V7P_A7fZ3VjUglEB5oslEzlV2Ta0ZqWW5OrtecpPSSBEzhkR3Xe7Hfid0wIW3UiBatW14ngei_BJ5AIhHD5ai0gCwzkoycAo-BzKlrU/s1600/US1South057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7x2aLjbbJmYrQ8yecX5Sb9CbqMDgMVNMEFJb_V7P_A7fZ3VjUglEB5oslEzlV2Ta0ZqWW5OrtecpPSSBEzhkR3Xe7Hfid0wIW3UiBatW14ngei_BJ5AIhHD5ai0gCwzkoycAo-BzKlrU/s640/US1South057.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Approaching the Georgia-Florida state line</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'll begin this post with a reminder that we took this particular trip several years ago. Technology has changed a LOT in those years. Since this trip took place before the whole computer-in-your-pocket also known as a smartphone was commonplace, we set off armed with our handy Road Atlas, which along with a GPS that we were still learning how to use, helped us to find our way all the way to the Keys and back without the help of Google Maps in our back pocket.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We were smart enough to figure out that we should join a hotel loyalty program and we stayed within that chain for the entirety of the trip, with the exception of our nights in the Keys. A booklet from a hotel lobby containing a complete listing of the chain's locations was our only source for finding hotels along the way. At some point each day, we'd call ahead to make that night's reservation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our lunches were often at fast food chains, but for dinner, we had the goal of eating mainly at local places - or at least ones we don't have at home. It was on this trip that we began to realize there's something special about <a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/02/our-favorite-restaurants-in-america.html" target="_blank">eating local while traveling</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Warning: even though it just covers the Southern third of US 1, this post is a monster. I'd recommend getting a snack and finding someplace comfortable to sit before you continue reading. Now let's get to the fun stuff!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Columbia, SC to Key West, FL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">20 hours / 840 miles</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Take a closer look at the route <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/jhRkgjPXwe42" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Columbia, SC to Augusta, GA</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Approximately 80 miles / 2 hours</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYfH2pJF5moFqwr5v2Uh_yIKxlWQpYhOJ06iEvUk4OkLXxUZPACDJLVADB-xgK7A7kzkv5medYwAKUjt3OVDeCnQ_SpD-OmnklxfsCPpiUzj1X4eYUoIDOaZBW2nSYaiGoeIRG7H3kwg/s1600/04+Cola+to+Augusta+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYfH2pJF5moFqwr5v2Uh_yIKxlWQpYhOJ06iEvUk4OkLXxUZPACDJLVADB-xgK7A7kzkv5medYwAKUjt3OVDeCnQ_SpD-OmnklxfsCPpiUzj1X4eYUoIDOaZBW2nSYaiGoeIRG7H3kwg/s640/04+Cola+to+Augusta+002.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From the State House, US 1 goes through the <a href="http://www.columbiacvb.com/listings/The-Vista/15855/" target="_blank">Congaree Vista</a>, a former warehouse district that's now home to restaurants, bars, apartments, and shops, most of which have been built within the existing 100+ year-old buildings. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HwM8WyczWRVS0cCXqtwZIgEZChhKLuvmZz5bA4MEm7misrr4x0PKHfdasjQfVvmrfFJJE22nme3XS3dFeHStNTQyJueqDVcK-2ptYzvQyH62JPEclX2qWHZXwYwt6vBzMc-ZEAyw3J0/s1600/US1South052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - South Carolina State House" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HwM8WyczWRVS0cCXqtwZIgEZChhKLuvmZz5bA4MEm7misrr4x0PKHfdasjQfVvmrfFJJE22nme3XS3dFeHStNTQyJueqDVcK-2ptYzvQyH62JPEclX2qWHZXwYwt6vBzMc-ZEAyw3J0/s640/US1South052.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - South Carolina State House" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Our starting point, South Carolina's State House</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">After crossing the Congaree River into West Columbia and passing through Lexington (and past our old apartment), the terrain becomes more rural, going past farmland and through several small towns until it crosses the Savannah River into Georgia at Augusta.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Take a closer look at the route from <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/oVvFgzzGA7K2" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Columbia to Augusta on US 1</a>.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Augusta, GA to Jacksonville, FL</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Approximately 250 miles / 5 hours</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWASwqlD9Z3Dqi7QNlSV1zyTCD8XRWxKqGhMXy3VruGDkKs7SOVS3eoSf59ePzk4mkxkEF0vStjiSZcD_t16Fi4aAFCFsgmXD7wrOt-hBL-o20h8Z15_9iwqre69eEvJi5VliY1rw3iA/s1600/05+Augusta+to+Jax004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWASwqlD9Z3Dqi7QNlSV1zyTCD8XRWxKqGhMXy3VruGDkKs7SOVS3eoSf59ePzk4mkxkEF0vStjiSZcD_t16Fi4aAFCFsgmXD7wrOt-hBL-o20h8Z15_9iwqre69eEvJi5VliY1rw3iA/s640/05+Augusta+to+Jax004.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Weaving through more small towns and farmland through central Georgia, two surprises are Vidalia (you might have heard of the <a href="http://www.vidaliaonionfestival.com/" target="_blank">Sweet Vidalia Onion</a>) and Santa Claus.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Instead of trying to remember the details of this trip, I'll share some excerpts from the travel notes I took as we drove</span><span style="font-size: large;">,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">beginning with this one about the drive through Georgia:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We bought two peaches and a jar of peach
preserves at a roadside country store just past Santa Claus. When we
got back in the car I pulled out some of our sourdough bread and spread
some preserves on a piece for each of us. Our snack held us over until we
reached Baxley, where we stopped for lunch. The neat tavern
downtown wasn’t open for lunch, so we ate at the Mexican restaurant across the
street, Mi Sombrero. After lunch, I slept as Nick drove us on toward
the Okefenokee Swamp park. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMvVIClMPIYNzQHIibPoB_M6zM_a0U4-gc1nzlya4HBvlDE9LkE36BpbWPlFdURwu13C5cFPUxHcCBVFwKdTA_BfQpNwxHqAUgnXfhkP8Ow4X4DLho4N0ygDyWw_i7z0DByD8qqz6nkY/s1600/US1South001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMvVIClMPIYNzQHIibPoB_M6zM_a0U4-gc1nzlya4HBvlDE9LkE36BpbWPlFdURwu13C5cFPUxHcCBVFwKdTA_BfQpNwxHqAUgnXfhkP8Ow4X4DLho4N0ygDyWw_i7z0DByD8qqz6nkY/s640/US1South001.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">At Waycross, Georgia, US 1 veers Southeast and grazes the edge of the <a href="http://www.okeswamp.com/" target="_blank">Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge</a> - a stop which we'd recommend making.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A few small raindrops fell as we wandered through the park
along the raised boardwalk looking at the wildlife. Soon, those
small raindrops turned into a huge downpour. When the bottom fell out, we
ran off the boardwalk and found shelter in the Living Swamp display, where
we saw the skeleton of an enormous alligator. After the rain let up, we went
over to the Serpentarium, where we saw some snakes and a nature show. The
presenter, who carried a hiking stick, greeted us and told us that his people
call the swamp the ‘Okeefenagua.’ During the talk, he showed us two
snakes, a 1-year-old little gator, and a two-year-old slightly less little
gator, demonstrating how much they grow from year to year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Immediately after the nature show, we walked over and boarded the
little train for a ride around the park. We enjoyed the ride and learned
about the Indians who had once lived inhabited the area, along with a fire that
happened a few years back that cleared out a lot of underbrush. At the
end of the ride, we got off at a little swamp homestead that had been donated
and moved to the park property for visitors to explore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEz9fLU75A4BQqyIaq9hbQXm8xXT8HR9oyj4jNmSm0t2Ev8zwmGgK8tGbCaB9dDEep6sVqHh-PQJD2_CEjKTOZ-xbK9DkpbeVP7Un0dAvI_Wsk5ca2mF7KZoOD7dSxY78c4tAa1y7eEQ/s1600/US1South002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEz9fLU75A4BQqyIaq9hbQXm8xXT8HR9oyj4jNmSm0t2Ev8zwmGgK8tGbCaB9dDEep6sVqHh-PQJD2_CEjKTOZ-xbK9DkpbeVP7Un0dAvI_Wsk5ca2mF7KZoOD7dSxY78c4tAa1y7eEQ/s640/US1South002.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> Gators!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLl21ifuwzDGU0fuFgTub-YJ6GjoVPshfMuH3oIQUOeaB4FUjbb1nj4FTpbRtLaEUbOXB21CWq9aHoWKwKcUhTQVfsKHLryJq4GkiU1iGXvfwb7GpZcCiFGiH4mvMKcDxcgtdoxTNYpPc/s1600/US1South003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLl21ifuwzDGU0fuFgTub-YJ6GjoVPshfMuH3oIQUOeaB4FUjbb1nj4FTpbRtLaEUbOXB21CWq9aHoWKwKcUhTQVfsKHLryJq4GkiU1iGXvfwb7GpZcCiFGiH4mvMKcDxcgtdoxTNYpPc/s640/US1South003.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> Seeking refuge from the rain</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyk0PQmTxavw9fSPHSwy1AyOonexooFetBMtCcjEBT3Q3n1_dM4YVYel2wMTEDxlp8wy6qEYBnmuPcC3GFbkNHXqmyqRNDN_4SmhJ-clQV4DVST3ifpN4aql_rAAAupVNKNhZ3wyHuQMI/s1600/US1South004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyk0PQmTxavw9fSPHSwy1AyOonexooFetBMtCcjEBT3Q3n1_dM4YVYel2wMTEDxlp8wy6qEYBnmuPcC3GFbkNHXqmyqRNDN_4SmhJ-clQV4DVST3ifpN4aql_rAAAupVNKNhZ3wyHuQMI/s640/US1South004.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> I have to wonder what ate the hole in the speaker's shirt.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_grUvM128_dNTogKNaRbbUeB8G1zq_UFxZHQ9grgOdcWOxA-C4zTjknz3pWOHB1uW6uYnYpxS8pRu4NDxrKAz13PJ7tbermwrRNj8MBAvdKhBY7nBYxjsr3EYjVvUSG0Zlh-PoySYSo4/s1600/US1South005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_grUvM128_dNTogKNaRbbUeB8G1zq_UFxZHQ9grgOdcWOxA-C4zTjknz3pWOHB1uW6uYnYpxS8pRu4NDxrKAz13PJ7tbermwrRNj8MBAvdKhBY7nBYxjsr3EYjVvUSG0Zlh-PoySYSo4/s640/US1South005.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Riding a train through a swamp</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">As you leave Okefenokee, you'll continue to pass through swampland, but it will become less prevalent as you get closer to your next stop. Entering Florida north of Jacksonville, US 1 takes you right through the heart of the city. We'd recommend stopping at Jacksonville Landing for dinner or to stretch the legs.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We decided to eat at Benny’s Steak and Seafood
and were seated outside by the river at Jacksonville Landing. There was a
cover band playing in the center area of the Landing, playing mostly 70s songs,
and lots of people standing around listening. At one point during our
meal, a bride and groom walked through the Landing and disappeared down the
sidewalk into the dark. The groom was wearing his dress military uniform
- I couldn't tell which type from where I was. Our dinner was very good –
and just as expensive as it was tasty. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkjqQnksU8r6h-Ooykim61xpQRrbd1PF0Bcvdi9l5XoI_ovlGUmH2zoinPgsoec9SZXcXcYyisswkVCKq31fSZwLtUmfijuNAd0xXKFQizKN-lPrNMQF-OuP6HIDOKVHMXWez_X6jQnU/s1600/US1South007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkjqQnksU8r6h-Ooykim61xpQRrbd1PF0Bcvdi9l5XoI_ovlGUmH2zoinPgsoec9SZXcXcYyisswkVCKq31fSZwLtUmfijuNAd0xXKFQizKN-lPrNMQF-OuP6HIDOKVHMXWez_X6jQnU/s640/US1South007.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">My great view of the sunset was a nice surprise</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Take a closer look at the route from <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/qH1wyER8AAU2" target="_blank">Augusta to Jacksonville on US 1</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Jacksonville to St. Augustine, FL</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Approximately 40 miles / 1 hour</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDp0ZV5Pqt3AcOXA68FI3n5YYBHGh5ihdOUel1XwgY1kprj25xpjRcLUost1Xu6rDaZ3xvGgJfuU4IVQTxEQUtdUuoI1nUC74ByKZ1ZDJiFfe_CXh49rV8KbVv4wilqx8dVoGEFdc8Gs/s1600/06+Jax+to+St+Aug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDp0ZV5Pqt3AcOXA68FI3n5YYBHGh5ihdOUel1XwgY1kprj25xpjRcLUost1Xu6rDaZ3xvGgJfuU4IVQTxEQUtdUuoI1nUC74ByKZ1ZDJiFfe_CXh49rV8KbVv4wilqx8dVoGEFdc8Gs/s640/06+Jax+to+St+Aug.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">US 1 crosses the St. John's River on the big blue <a href="http://www.visitjacksonville.com/blog/city-of-bridges/" target="_blank">Main Street Bridge</a> as it continues its slightly southeasterly route toward the coast. Less than 40 miles southeast of Jacksonville is St. Augustine. Stop here for an afternoon or stay for a weekend - there's plenty to see and do!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We walked to the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm" style="font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">Castillo de San Marcos</a>, a 400-year-old
structure looking out over the river. It felt strange to be in such an
old building in the US. It felt like we were in another country all
morning, but the feeling was especially strong in the Castillo. I was
disappointed that the moat was filled only with grass, but it was still pretty
neat to see a moat in person. After leaving the Castillo, we decided to
eat at the Tavern on the Bay, on Avenida Menindez, looking out over the
water. We planned to eat outside on the porch, but as the girl led us
through the restaurant, which was converted from a neat old house, we decided
we should sit inside at the window and look out from the comfort of our
air-conditioned table. We enjoyed our lunch – a hamburger and fries
for me, and a crab-burger for Nick – with a great view of the river.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We left the restaurant and walked to the Crucial Coffee Café,
right on an old cobblestone road, for our dessert. It was in a really
neat little old wooden one-room building. I got a waffle cone
OVERFLOWING with two scoops of cookies and cream ice cream, and Nick got an
iced coffee. We walked through the center of town while munching on our
desserts and encountered St. George St. – the pedestrian-only street right in
the center of town. We turned off of St George onto Hypolita St and came
out on Cordova St at Grace UMC – a really beautiful old Spanish-style
church. Because it was Sunday, all the churches were closed to the
public. So we wandered on over to the Flagler Memorial Presbyterian
Church – the first Protestant church in St. Augustine. Diagonally across
the street is<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.flagler.edu/" target="_blank">Flagler
College</a>, formerly a grand hotel, which gives the impression that a
giant crane plucked it up from somewhere in Spain and plopped it down in
Florida. I kind of wish I'd seen this place before choosing what college
to go to! What a beautiful place to spend 4 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p>
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We walked through the small<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://youvis.it/p48fie" target="_blank">campus</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>onto King Street and meandered
through the Saturday morning craft fair in the plaza near where we parked, then
hopped in the car and got moving. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiniS-S47nmLNuHzALok6nLapJMqbaCL5i6MSC4Y4oZI3a0zXmgeAMS1MjFw4gOAwmNoNbVLHJ5k2JjZvnyP3b3bVl6j6P_ZVB5ZOZOF0ZKIjhz_l0LL5wz50Mzm4R1uuvl36v95JFRE/s1600/US1South008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiniS-S47nmLNuHzALok6nLapJMqbaCL5i6MSC4Y4oZI3a0zXmgeAMS1MjFw4gOAwmNoNbVLHJ5k2JjZvnyP3b3bVl6j6P_ZVB5ZOZOF0ZKIjhz_l0LL5wz50Mzm4R1uuvl36v95JFRE/s640/US1South008.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> St. George Street is for pedestrians only!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgcWbueesNfrM3f64sG2abYzn3Fbi1jm5QzCp6z3kqKgntYzpyHH7tb9baYV71UfA650A7WJ55hFspViBot0E6Pv0D0152kMeUoyfOvYKBL4rAq8jmVqzbL6P1J9cptflzqg1-6NwnPE/s1600/US1South009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgcWbueesNfrM3f64sG2abYzn3Fbi1jm5QzCp6z3kqKgntYzpyHH7tb9baYV71UfA650A7WJ55hFspViBot0E6Pv0D0152kMeUoyfOvYKBL4rAq8jmVqzbL6P1J9cptflzqg1-6NwnPE/s640/US1South009.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> The view from the top level of the Castillo looking out on the Matanzas River.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Y44uKetl_O1y4bHBW25S9IjP6QRdGLIi_7CZerIAXyikX-8DQJHKnuGqsFi0lAmMFuEoglRYsW72BCQiVFWgayrqg0J6rEUPO5uuOlz-yBDZePxYovgBHMgQ8Ld4-AUX8dlXSsFu97o/s1600/US1South010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Y44uKetl_O1y4bHBW25S9IjP6QRdGLIi_7CZerIAXyikX-8DQJHKnuGqsFi0lAmMFuEoglRYsW72BCQiVFWgayrqg0J6rEUPO5uuOlz-yBDZePxYovgBHMgQ8Ld4-AUX8dlXSsFu97o/s640/US1South010.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="550" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Inside the Castillo with a Park Service employee in period attire.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31scc9tPaiC4FgjWyL_S_mB06z1mkb6HtqPxRR_28y9FsSoSa6iLf_Za8d0DijoMHhJ641eBxobwvOOUBDqKtNRLZ49PeIzfchRGdj_uORxXxHRlVzCo6ENhcNLqMuuz9_ifrY8FyqSY/s1600/US1South011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Crucial Coffee Cafe, St. Augustine, FL" border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31scc9tPaiC4FgjWyL_S_mB06z1mkb6HtqPxRR_28y9FsSoSa6iLf_Za8d0DijoMHhJ641eBxobwvOOUBDqKtNRLZ49PeIzfchRGdj_uORxXxHRlVzCo6ENhcNLqMuuz9_ifrY8FyqSY/s640/US1South011.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Crucial Coffee Cafe - St. Augustine, FL" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> I'm not sure if it's the camera or the <a href="https://www.visitstaugustine.com/restaurant/crucial-coffee" target="_blank">Crucial Coffee Cafe</a> that's a little crooked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvZJ87wO3KM7VIr-gkG9coNKoFnwr7zcDlAPlJRUeujmf0rGUoKLhJIzD-7u-5JSdEylbM4BCBuTOUPmhZB2m7IPJN7lEAzpbYrp_VEt9OG7RVshzkLXnPtiqgKKTICqn-NFfcTRR9Yo/s1600/US1South029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL" border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvZJ87wO3KM7VIr-gkG9coNKoFnwr7zcDlAPlJRUeujmf0rGUoKLhJIzD-7u-5JSdEylbM4BCBuTOUPmhZB2m7IPJN7lEAzpbYrp_VEt9OG7RVshzkLXnPtiqgKKTICqn-NFfcTRR9Yo/s640/US1South029.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">On the Flagler College campus</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Take a closer look at the route from <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/dttefKniU6N2" target="_blank">Jacksonville to St. Augustine on US 1</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">St. Augustine to Titusville, FL</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Approximately 115 miles / 3 hours</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtLGrH5BVLRw7L6v-_Lm8ss5YdItNJPu4sy5ojHQFojpHWeGI-maESz75k4gKJSzcUKIAcQqaaaLw3okEgGAw8qTyrlYyNFEpqKquj2bCqjOqn-ExdRtU4XRU2v4Sx0uS1_pRkyVsa_A/s1600/07+St+Aug+to+Titusville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtLGrH5BVLRw7L6v-_Lm8ss5YdItNJPu4sy5ojHQFojpHWeGI-maESz75k4gKJSzcUKIAcQqaaaLw3okEgGAw8qTyrlYyNFEpqKquj2bCqjOqn-ExdRtU4XRU2v4Sx0uS1_pRkyVsa_A/s640/07+St+Aug+to+Titusville.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">As you leave St. Augustine, you're faced with a decision: Stay on the true US 1, which goes along the coast but is a bit inland - or take its offshoot, A1A, through beach towns along the coastline. There are several towns along the way where you have the option to move between US 1 and A1A, depending on your mood and the traffic. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you're a NASCAR buff, leaving Daytona Beach (which is about halfway between St. Augustine and Titusville) without first stopping for a tour at <a href="http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Tours/Tours.aspx" target="_blank">Daytona International Speedway</a> is probably not allowed. If that's not your speed, go off-road for a <a href="https://www.daytonabeach.com/things-to-do/the-beach/driving/" target="_blank">drive on the beach</a> before continuing south. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Next up is Titusville, home to the <a href="https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/" target="_blank">Kennedy Space Center</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Kennedy Space Center
wasn’t very crowded when we arrived right as it opened at 9:00. Our first
stop was a ride on the <a href="https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/explore-attractions/shuttle-a-ship-like-no-other/shuttle-launch-experience"><span style="color: blue;">Shuttle Launch Experience</span></a>, which is exactly what
it sounds like: a simulation of a shuttle’s takeoff and ascent into space.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our visit continued with
a tour of a model of a Discovery ship and an informational movie about the
International Space Station - but the highlight was a live briefing of the status
of the launch scheduled for the middle of the night tonight - 1:36 am tomorrow
morning! This was a pretty cool surprise but it did mean that we couldn’t
actually visit the launch pad, which is normally included on the bus tour. We
were still able to visit the Apollo Mission Control room (the real deal!) and
an enormous hangar containing an Apollo rocket, a piece of moon rock, and a few
other exhibits about the Apollo program.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">The next stop on the bus
tour was the International Space Station Center, where visitors can look down
onto the assembly floor to watch teams work on pieces that will eventually
become part of the ISS. The team we saw working was here from Italy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">As the bus took us back
to our starting location, the driver pointed out the Vehicle Assembly Building,
which has what appears to be a normal-sized American Flag painted on its
side. Interesting fact: Each star on the flag is 6 feet
across. It’s not normal-sized at all! The garage-type doors on the
side of the building, are large enough for an upright spaceship to roll
through! We learned that launches take place on top of the very platform
that’s used to transport the shuttles from the assembly building across the
complex to the launch pad - wheels and all! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TK6vpP3uxR2bktGwi3kEuErBfjJWjpMNa77YkGdJWAnuF_PHy9XD5CQqM6o126pWFh6-ypGKh6HM55wKKTSDTk1NJLbG7711Yz_GIp5LMluByVDprADBN1rljejMCDOz_Uw6msI22BE/s1600/US1South013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Kennedy Space Center" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TK6vpP3uxR2bktGwi3kEuErBfjJWjpMNa77YkGdJWAnuF_PHy9XD5CQqM6o126pWFh6-ypGKh6HM55wKKTSDTk1NJLbG7711Yz_GIp5LMluByVDprADBN1rljejMCDOz_Uw6msI22BE/s640/US1South013.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Kennedy Space Center" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSQ9r_-QnAjiFcFGbn_cEGfEwXyLRX0o2zKpG_ciOHIcgMsddvPQ39DhpAi7uSUmxrSjXkuL3LSCmjYta0UKfrExnVooQSOr2Ychr6AqO7ESIHpZBUy0GSZElMYImGWv2Yc39EJ6wYPY/s1600/US1South014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Kennedy Space Center" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSQ9r_-QnAjiFcFGbn_cEGfEwXyLRX0o2zKpG_ciOHIcgMsddvPQ39DhpAi7uSUmxrSjXkuL3LSCmjYta0UKfrExnVooQSOr2Ychr6AqO7ESIHpZBUy0GSZElMYImGWv2Yc39EJ6wYPY/s640/US1South014.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Kennedy Space Center" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> Mission Control Room</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SB5tlBOYpBgMgjdadpdLzmFkfBq2R0z_16UNfuQM9Vwmzmoyp_6RXrQ-0xmcffNLMFgVcl4LK7jyWujMhSr115rmaACGfdILmXJiaIRs1LzYwcHfj_Uy6DscNjPl5RBirdLVbwODWIc/s1600/US1South051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Kennedy Space Center" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SB5tlBOYpBgMgjdadpdLzmFkfBq2R0z_16UNfuQM9Vwmzmoyp_6RXrQ-0xmcffNLMFgVcl4LK7jyWujMhSr115rmaACGfdILmXJiaIRs1LzYwcHfj_Uy6DscNjPl5RBirdLVbwODWIc/s640/US1South051.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Kennedy Space Center" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> Looking toward the launch pad, complete with a spaceship (which is probably the wrong terminology, but I'm no rocket scientist)! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheg4wNeJ_Z8rGXlGTjaBh7H37mMRaozDZNHjd3Gh1Rr5XvHy-uwGyBvFaZ8rbxlwcweKGyHXShP-DAfZF6wjgm3BYXSv2VsssGTl2qxmf72jFGRFLwqyTSThJ9IG_A7_kMAVRuiF_EjGs/s1600/US1South016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Kennedy Space Center" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheg4wNeJ_Z8rGXlGTjaBh7H37mMRaozDZNHjd3Gh1Rr5XvHy-uwGyBvFaZ8rbxlwcweKGyHXShP-DAfZF6wjgm3BYXSv2VsssGTl2qxmf72jFGRFLwqyTSThJ9IG_A7_kMAVRuiF_EjGs/s640/US1South016.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Kennedy Space Center" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">In the Apollo hangar </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We heard on the news the next morning that the scheduled launch had to be delayed due to the weather and were thankful that we hadn't decided to stay up late and try to watch it somewhere. Read more about visiting the Kennedy Space Center on Where Jo Goes <a href="http://wherejogoes.com/2017/03/19/visiting-kennedy-space-center-usa/" target="_blank">here</a> (including a picture of the giant Vehicle Assembly Center).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Take a closer look at the route from <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/1qMxfdxyMsx" target="_blank">St. Augustine to Titusville on US 1</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Titusville to Fort Lauderdale</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Approximately 180 miles / 5 hours</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdkeC1ILZQDLScmAypJ1jHRiS7m0Como54wl__Ox8XRyluWwQ1XYr909J9Krs1Q1BU6BeOQBLMRK5NzMiegeahBCVmbFbd5T58blZq8ye5-xZCO93rByx5XsT0TowC2kBj8ms74qKjRA/s1600/titusville+to+Ft+Lauderdale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdkeC1ILZQDLScmAypJ1jHRiS7m0Como54wl__Ox8XRyluWwQ1XYr909J9Krs1Q1BU6BeOQBLMRK5NzMiegeahBCVmbFbd5T58blZq8ye5-xZCO93rByx5XsT0TowC2kBj8ms74qKjRA/s640/titusville+to+Ft+Lauderdale.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 " width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The route from Titusville to Boca Raton again provides the option of traveling on A1A or sticking to the main US 1. Along this stretch, A1A passes through Jupiter and Juno beaches, which seem appropriate having just left the Space Center. Many huge and fancy houses line the coast road with private boardwalks across the street for beach access. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/cities/fort-lauderdale.html" target="_blank">Fort Lauderdale</a>, the 'Venice of America' is the last stop in this section. The abundant canals provide great opportunity for recreation or for a meal with a view.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmYAooL2w96dx-x2rrYlL-fuhw9b-4MGURp1q1HClDMNmuhQbOvFyq74c4ojE5MD2M5eN6-_geqyAJgG9DxHyyxfmCkXCNOx3FRZWwkoh1-a367L51RDjKONNpFcZPjA9DtDDmP2WWNg/s1600/ft+lauderdale+canals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmYAooL2w96dx-x2rrYlL-fuhw9b-4MGURp1q1HClDMNmuhQbOvFyq74c4ojE5MD2M5eN6-_geqyAJgG9DxHyyxfmCkXCNOx3FRZWwkoh1-a367L51RDjKONNpFcZPjA9DtDDmP2WWNg/s400/ft+lauderdale+canals.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 " width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">That's a lot of waterways!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54NE8JCtlOGxzGQ9tDTViDVnV3IUtfcby4OWbTQThm9bIIb1YfiA6B-i9mE3KVEwrl8JivivvpOueBSVe4yphjjYGPjY4OzIg5Euer3JfGextehZHdVZJeoy4fkZv6VF2XPD2mHT4Xoo/s1600/US1South017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Fort Lauderdale, FL" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54NE8JCtlOGxzGQ9tDTViDVnV3IUtfcby4OWbTQThm9bIIb1YfiA6B-i9mE3KVEwrl8JivivvpOueBSVe4yphjjYGPjY4OzIg5Euer3JfGextehZHdVZJeoy4fkZv6VF2XPD2mHT4Xoo/s640/US1South017.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Fort Lauderdale, FL" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">We found a little marina and stopped to watch the sun set over one of the canals</span></div>
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Take a closer look at the route from <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/fE5R4Z4fmY32" target="_blank">Titusville to Fort Lauderdale on US 1</a>.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fort Lauderdale to Key Largo</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Approximately 80 miles / 3 hours</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGH3bkViUD6hDceIDH0Ng9FUZvtJHlu8dZdGBJiKbFmRhDVV6FUx_cMNVJS3IXpcTu12TYmcVJECv-48daixuK3lQEoJ3TuVs81wk3gncUUhyyhbb_36ZGKAWA0q6SnHMXGK3jMZxr8vA/s1600/ft+lauderdale+to+key+largo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGH3bkViUD6hDceIDH0Ng9FUZvtJHlu8dZdGBJiKbFmRhDVV6FUx_cMNVJS3IXpcTu12TYmcVJECv-48daixuK3lQEoJ3TuVs81wk3gncUUhyyhbb_36ZGKAWA0q6SnHMXGK3jMZxr8vA/s640/ft+lauderdale+to+key+largo.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The first highlight of this drive is the <a href="http://www.coralgables.com/index.aspx?page=167" target="_blank">Venetian Pool</a> in Coral Gables, a neighborhood within the greater Miami area. The pool, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, opened in <a href="http://www.coralgables.com/index.aspx?page=612" target="_blank">1924</a>. It's open to swimmers for a <a href="http://www.coralgables.com/index.aspx?page=617" target="_blank">fee</a>, but if you ask nicely, you just might be able to take a quick peek at it and see some photos from its early days on display in the office area before continuing south. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3pKpEKX3NZcFo_iRR4N6Jg6SnYT_7zHZd-j8i0posua_mpmyJBNPKBIo91a2yVLEZz-pUoQGWnWTV56HJO6IcO8uSgIInJizfatptPj0BuPOFq_qDOhmjmI4MJ6Ov_-dZKfGFz2RrxY/s1600/US1South019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, FL" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3pKpEKX3NZcFo_iRR4N6Jg6SnYT_7zHZd-j8i0posua_mpmyJBNPKBIo91a2yVLEZz-pUoQGWnWTV56HJO6IcO8uSgIInJizfatptPj0BuPOFq_qDOhmjmI4MJ6Ov_-dZKfGFz2RrxY/s640/US1South019.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, FL" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">This looked like an awesome place to go for a swim, but the road called us</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As you approach Homestead and Florida Cities, your last opportunity to fill up the tank or grab a snack before you reach the Overseas Highway, you'll find a hidden gem that has stumped visitors for years. Located right on US 1,the <a href="http://coralcastle.com/" target="_blank">Coral Castle</a> is one man's mysterious labor of love constructed entirely of huge coral blocks. No one quite knows how Ed Leedskalnin built the place, but as the sign at the entrance states, "you will be seeing unusual accomplishment" if you decide to stop here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;">It was really fascinating (and odd) how he just created a little fantasy world out of coral and amazing how he could move and shape it all by himself. We walked around the whole property and were fascinated with all the different pieces that the man came up with. The coral wasn't very comfortable to sit on, but there were several coral benches and chairs included in the courtyard area.</span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlNlRXrEggZrz9xP4LVJ0ORzzomKe6ZCJEco8LbHeoTp22SGFVPmtikKPlUAdO5af-5h-XLkdui2HiGHyKeghZx2Sq2k7UNY5TFU6vt1hWhxBzpqs2zYD3Es_TlHMBBJ5kyrIAOMTRn8/s1600/US1South022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Coral Castle in Homestead, FL" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlNlRXrEggZrz9xP4LVJ0ORzzomKe6ZCJEco8LbHeoTp22SGFVPmtikKPlUAdO5af-5h-XLkdui2HiGHyKeghZx2Sq2k7UNY5TFU6vt1hWhxBzpqs2zYD3Es_TlHMBBJ5kyrIAOMTRn8/s640/US1South022.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Coral Castle in Homestead, FL" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">This doorway leads to the living quarters, built completely of coral</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOsMimc-TgC9jvqPaxrrO9g30BXyZdEPNJqVflD_cplIq2AcSpMLhfHMNrzEKAYAdU9a5l6-oj4aXWoDGsjLpoWw3NcKtafb5Fy9bybNRXFwXeyoeJIVxSNZveiI_kWBibtE9lvdlQR4/s1600/US1South023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Coral Castle in Homestead, FL" border="0" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOsMimc-TgC9jvqPaxrrO9g30BXyZdEPNJqVflD_cplIq2AcSpMLhfHMNrzEKAYAdU9a5l6-oj4aXWoDGsjLpoWw3NcKtafb5Fy9bybNRXFwXeyoeJIVxSNZveiI_kWBibtE9lvdlQR4/s640/US1South023.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Coral Castle in Homestead, FL" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Standing in the courtyard area of the Coral Castle</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBbDwIyfXt8IgGHCzYp5GcKyO6FFNmLv7peO22TOMYvEI6vMqT5S0aRp5eNJmTXBgSbtHfaSvVpVgijC7rsAj0ObdePNqITeJ7JquO4c0aII_8pNTj-idTipHHsFB7G5RNmvoTPamQh8/s1600/US1South021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Coral Castle in Homestead, FL" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBbDwIyfXt8IgGHCzYp5GcKyO6FFNmLv7peO22TOMYvEI6vMqT5S0aRp5eNJmTXBgSbtHfaSvVpVgijC7rsAj0ObdePNqITeJ7JquO4c0aII_8pNTj-idTipHHsFB7G5RNmvoTPamQh8/s640/US1South021.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Coral Castle in Homestead, FL" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">The coral was not very comfortable </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlDPNTP_pdEflquo_nS8utnaPq10ABHFANtIZSEdP46DuanOWD4QXgPtlDF4l0tRoiB5-8EpNhzycWus-p5oS4S7FkAttwCvgYs92g9K_2DTtVTbCYMHbd_CjpS9LJN4E5skGKBHZuME/s1600/US1South020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlDPNTP_pdEflquo_nS8utnaPq10ABHFANtIZSEdP46DuanOWD4QXgPtlDF4l0tRoiB5-8EpNhzycWus-p5oS4S7FkAttwCvgYs92g9K_2DTtVTbCYMHbd_CjpS9LJN4E5skGKBHZuME/s640/US1South020.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Ed's sundial is pretty accurate; I took this photo at 1:23PM!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">If I remember correctly, each un-labeled loop represents the half hour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We'd suggest checking your tires and making sure your tank is full before beginning the trek across the keys to avoid potential car probelms in the middle of the bridge and causing a big traffic delay. The drivers behind you won't appreciate it very much, and you won't have much fun waiting for assistance. :-) And no, this didn't happen to us!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JG-8Zm9BdtwxX8wtPBMi0pvNETzeG0zbfLvmeDs-mARGW7l83Z6u3FfATiXfW78j9XSk9r0_aX-S5RC9ImTssOzGo987qDQ9Fx5AzeXmC6XTx6oxP3q9woxrJf0XNHPtTCq-Zq00FCY/s1600/US1South025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JG-8Zm9BdtwxX8wtPBMi0pvNETzeG0zbfLvmeDs-mARGW7l83Z6u3FfATiXfW78j9XSk9r0_aX-S5RC9ImTssOzGo987qDQ9Fx5AzeXmC6XTx6oxP3q9woxrJf0XNHPtTCq-Zq00FCY/s400/US1South025.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Leaving the mainland!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Take a closer look at the route from <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/GFeNzqaDaEG2" target="_blank">Fort Lauderdale to Key Largo on US 1</a>.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Key Largo to Key West</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Approximately 100 miles / 2 hours</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ym7ytoO3lbuOM1zysDZexqT9FBPWywVHRM0z_jR28OYU1eMfmEr6p7kzGFLObOooXDtG_CSM7IbwA4Lv8AcBd0u5AEsbwFcjble16u1tNiR0IC6G7dTeXvTfvTx7CvHB536cSO2Nj0Y/s1600/10+Key+Largo+to+Key+West.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ym7ytoO3lbuOM1zysDZexqT9FBPWywVHRM0z_jR28OYU1eMfmEr6p7kzGFLObOooXDtG_CSM7IbwA4Lv8AcBd0u5AEsbwFcjble16u1tNiR0IC6G7dTeXvTfvTx7CvHB536cSO2Nj0Y/s640/10+Key+Largo+to+Key+West.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The <a href="http://www.fla-keys.com/the-highway-that-goes-to-sea/" target="_blank">Overseas Highway</a> is the real highlight of the trip - and the great news is that you get to do it twice! Passengers should put down books and phones and games and look out the window at the amazing scenery, which includes miles of ocean dotted with tiny islands - both inhabited and uninhabited - that are unreachable by road. As you continue toward Key West, you'll pass through small towns on several islands that break up the long expanses of bridges. Since this is just a 2-lane bridge each way, there's a good chance you'll wind up in a traffic jam of some sort, but if you're lucky it'll be smooth sailing the whole way.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;">It took me a while to get used to driving on the bridges, but after I realized that we would keep crossing over little islands every few miles, I felt a little more comfortable. We saw the old bridge from Flagler's Folly - the <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-03-08/travel/9803080050_1_flagler-s-folly-henry-morrison-flagler-florida-keys" target="_blank">Overseas Railway</a>, sections of which actually have trees growing out of the middle of them. After miles and miles of beautiful view, we crossed over into Key West. The first part of the island was crowded and commercialized, but after a stop at the bank for some cash to carry us over for a few days, we headed on toward Old Town on the western side of Key West.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I only took a few photos from the Overseas Highway, and they really don't do the view justice. You'll have to make the trip yourself to see just how cool this road is.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJYUA284f8lzOnwgcn_kihkVDVjalskvMzCYIazZ37epZeRGYgZkvN7clcS_EethVrkn6VvwnG_K9oKWj1nCBRgJROPM_K8ktIfnF1e-u7evKWMPXxoWNBQq61F_BhMdAYqp_No3g07E/s1600/US1South036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJYUA284f8lzOnwgcn_kihkVDVjalskvMzCYIazZ37epZeRGYgZkvN7clcS_EethVrkn6VvwnG_K9oKWj1nCBRgJROPM_K8ktIfnF1e-u7evKWMPXxoWNBQq61F_BhMdAYqp_No3g07E/s640/US1South036.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Looking toward the mainland at one of the old bridges</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6PPr92Eq6osyuz8aHMQ2VYD0H71A4XoVb7gWE4lo3rflCt-SYqdff12LhMQvm5bN8uMFhEVFFEB32CFvBF-02sszEB24KTB_KmXnB4e9cONWm_lU3NuguxqpKwIkXMrXV0mPWwBNiNg/s1600/keywest005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio6PPr92Eq6osyuz8aHMQ2VYD0H71A4XoVb7gWE4lo3rflCt-SYqdff12LhMQvm5bN8uMFhEVFFEB32CFvBF-02sszEB24KTB_KmXnB4e9cONWm_lU3NuguxqpKwIkXMrXV0mPWwBNiNg/s640/keywest005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">View of the old Overseas Railroad bridge</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQtk4ApRigAd7az4BJ22jZr4nn5YZX1dncQJXotsOpb5kqz9KLXNPLiJx45_jsv7hbXh-utrGQWgR9fq4h6hkjwL8xFFnj4UMI4BMZ4hGBIJ_4Vr24wUokhg-PTKQ1GBN0dS4MAMzZ_0/s1600/keywest006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQtk4ApRigAd7az4BJ22jZr4nn5YZX1dncQJXotsOpb5kqz9KLXNPLiJx45_jsv7hbXh-utrGQWgR9fq4h6hkjwL8xFFnj4UMI4BMZ4hGBIJ_4Vr24wUokhg-PTKQ1GBN0dS4MAMzZ_0/s640/keywest006.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">One of the islands that can be seen along the way. I wasn't quite sure whether <br />or not this one was inhabited or just a popular place for a day visit.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you're planning a drive to Key West, this link provides great </span><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g34345-c9313/Key-West:Florida:Driving.Us.One.html" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">tips on driving the Overseas Highway</a><span style="font-size: large;"> through the Keys.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3w3u6G3cCzUqTIYSSa_-4D_tI6tfYcvXFvry4rp6TBIYKR6jyXD6UCAD8xT2hQ-0oUa_fLUCM5Pd5eP1wU-J55_DwlrxKDtOSLdIsUKkq8WHRKQ9cryvVaesIcbOBeVjPnWxgrwBguQ/s1600/US1South030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3w3u6G3cCzUqTIYSSa_-4D_tI6tfYcvXFvry4rp6TBIYKR6jyXD6UCAD8xT2hQ-0oUa_fLUCM5Pd5eP1wU-J55_DwlrxKDtOSLdIsUKkq8WHRKQ9cryvVaesIcbOBeVjPnWxgrwBguQ/s400/US1South030.jpg" width="392" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Arriving in Paradise!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Take a closer look at the route from <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/CXByyzP6YQn" target="_blank">Key Largo to Key West on US 1</a>. </span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Key West</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mile 0</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Congratulations - you made it! Key West is home to the Southernmost Point in the USA, <a href="http://www.key-largo-sunsets.com/history-of-key-lime-pie.html" target="_blank">key lime pie</a>, beautiful sunsets, and Hemingway's <a href="http://www.hemingwayhome.com/cats/" target="_blank">6-toed cats</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_x-TIjk8IxMYd7blCUn10OE0eTvCY0Sf8nuLmhhG_9p6pKaLaGhnoNKobgjYnTOBDa3CBoJOTWsXlt4TZOX-SvS1IxQkar9Q3kGENnPM-oZbaxNoWE3TCidjyE-I3JMV_GUJv6XXOdU/s1600/mile+0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_x-TIjk8IxMYd7blCUn10OE0eTvCY0Sf8nuLmhhG_9p6pKaLaGhnoNKobgjYnTOBDa3CBoJOTWsXlt4TZOX-SvS1IxQkar9Q3kGENnPM-oZbaxNoWE3TCidjyE-I3JMV_GUJv6XXOdU/s640/mile+0.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When you get to Key West, continue all the way to the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Zivd8JTR36y" target="_blank">Mile 0</a> sign for photographic evidence that you made it to the end of US 1.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFKOoWksG0przcCb6ZpOw6KU4JXfFWySXz_oc_Qso_to3wSDQTs3SuWmAjqAIv1zQKBxhyphenhypheny-K0QDJfVMmWl2nWIn13UmiU7dF4LcSNwWgieu7-DXaKEDxJ3wnZaEdAnMxsgMVJ5EdHZw/s1600/US1South041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 Mile 0 - Key West, Florida" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFKOoWksG0przcCb6ZpOw6KU4JXfFWySXz_oc_Qso_to3wSDQTs3SuWmAjqAIv1zQKBxhyphenhypheny-K0QDJfVMmWl2nWIn13UmiU7dF4LcSNwWgieu7-DXaKEDxJ3wnZaEdAnMxsgMVJ5EdHZw/s640/US1South041.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 Mile 0 - Key West, Florida" width="512" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We did it!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Upon arrival at your hotel, give your car a break - it's earned one! - and take the opportunity to explore the island by foot or by pedal. We were able to find reasonably priced bike rentals a block or two from our hotel. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We've shared our thoughts on things to do in Key West in a <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/03/three-days-in-key-west.html" target="_blank">separate post</a> to make this monster of a post a little less monstrous. In the meantime, enjoy this beachy scene on the island:</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tLTrEh9lZr0wOjtl8iJIXGY9Z7qVJTf3euzADBSognu7JFdGH7CFpavO28FeOvIEiOyJEJqqrkmlLdW-6dZpGuDMlx1HfmF6H-KpbUZ8kVKDz94f8C20XsX9GIPF6fW5LYPprA43rmQ/s1600/US1South033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Key West, Florida" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tLTrEh9lZr0wOjtl8iJIXGY9Z7qVJTf3euzADBSognu7JFdGH7CFpavO28FeOvIEiOyJEJqqrkmlLdW-6dZpGuDMlx1HfmF6H-KpbUZ8kVKDz94f8C20XsX9GIPF6fW5LYPprA43rmQ/s640/US1South033.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Key West, Florida" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Heading Home</span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We left Key West late in the afternoon so were able to witness one last sunset over a body of water before we were again on real land. The last night of our first road trip was spent back on the mainland in Homestead. One final meal at a little Italian place tucked a few blocks off of US 1 </span><span style="font-size: large;">fueled us up for the long trip home the following day.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://dinecapri.com/" target="_blank">Capri</a> turned out to be one of the most delicious Italian restaurants I've ever had the pleasure of eating at (and as a carboholic, I've experienced quite a few) and is in my top three favorite Italian restaurants in the US. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXiEXbZfVsBwAwE70gHmnY8XmPFx1qRFyvPSLDro_5lsBgzAnW_mjJgdfoIf_1lM4U4k2gKd8dcdgg98wNlNP9AVi3SacIi_aLG9I23asLNqL2HEm9oWaZym8ZK3CICtuxCVGKkMLSsQ/s1600/US1South037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXiEXbZfVsBwAwE70gHmnY8XmPFx1qRFyvPSLDro_5lsBgzAnW_mjJgdfoIf_1lM4U4k2gKd8dcdgg98wNlNP9AVi3SacIi_aLG9I23asLNqL2HEm9oWaZym8ZK3CICtuxCVGKkMLSsQ/s640/US1South037.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Leaving the Keys behind us</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But our fun wasn't over yet. On our last morning, we made one final stop for an air boat ride through the swampland of southern Florida at the <a href="http://www.everglades.com/" target="_blank">Everglades Alligator Farm</a>.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwreo5YdGrindroZxnHtGxDLtGrhSAzJ4x7jP9kG2oE3NLyE6OtLlPkfNifxVyaPI4dA-feYqpzQP-dhXl0dSaKibVl52zQPf_C0LpQy6na4aM40UVf350aUzstGoURzp_NQbCyjfo55c/s1600/US1South048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Everglades Alligator Farm, Florida" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwreo5YdGrindroZxnHtGxDLtGrhSAzJ4x7jP9kG2oE3NLyE6OtLlPkfNifxVyaPI4dA-feYqpzQP-dhXl0dSaKibVl52zQPf_C0LpQy6na4aM40UVf350aUzstGoURzp_NQbCyjfo55c/s640/US1South048.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Everglades Alligator Farm, Florida" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Getting geared up</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyb-IhgLv86s5kfX2L6PtK919mG_c0io0_mr0_PGkqaiVUyOwh_qPgcKpyrx8eETRdzwL8f49D5BXC0vq-SPw9eaJydJRdaN0c9SNW6rbBtyrE7UaF_BCq-RHTg8cL6NM-HAQ8j5kkINs/s1600/US1South050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Everglades Alligator Farm, Florida" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyb-IhgLv86s5kfX2L6PtK919mG_c0io0_mr0_PGkqaiVUyOwh_qPgcKpyrx8eETRdzwL8f49D5BXC0vq-SPw9eaJydJRdaN0c9SNW6rbBtyrE7UaF_BCq-RHTg8cL6NM-HAQ8j5kkINs/s640/US1South050.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Everglades Alligator Farm, Florida" width="584" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Heading out into the unknown</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2Ff8U51QdNSyh5kXGwL_ylaVtjkuwlOo6M31eRYY3hD5zB7HhqUmU0vuBKLgXOevP6CIiY1ElOTkTYT-oOxjnNkZM1bujwkjMBAzeXt_ClMJp9znMg6DhauFc3-mbWkujqUtJtkipL8/s1600/US1South049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Everglades Alligator Farm, Florida" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2Ff8U51QdNSyh5kXGwL_ylaVtjkuwlOo6M31eRYY3hD5zB7HhqUmU0vuBKLgXOevP6CIiY1ElOTkTYT-oOxjnNkZM1bujwkjMBAzeXt_ClMJp9znMg6DhauFc3-mbWkujqUtJtkipL8/s640/US1South049.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1 - Everglades Alligator Farm, Florida" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> We couldn't leave Florida without seeing another gator!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All good things must come to an end, and this is where our very first No Interstates road trip ended. We got on I-95 and shot home on the interstate, but the West coast of Florida was a tempting thought.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Note: </b>If you enjoy taking the scenic route and you have a few extra days, here's an alternate route to return to South Carolina: After leaving the Overseas Highway, US 41 cuts West across Florida to the Gulf coast, then all the way North to Tampa. From there, US 301 meanders North through Florida and Georgia to within an hour of Columbia.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5TIzZ1x7tnpkh9d5rZY9-297ipoMV2_xw7_1zmn556mzGd-PwhDaLEZReFzP7hIZq-AnF_M_4x1oJKle3XibBfBjlTgyUWsZyfXT-IcT-ek4EyPTXhL4NpdOTfxWftuBWqgZIjMNCaU/s1600/alternate+route.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" border="0" height="603" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5TIzZ1x7tnpkh9d5rZY9-297ipoMV2_xw7_1zmn556mzGd-PwhDaLEZReFzP7hIZq-AnF_M_4x1oJKle3XibBfBjlTgyUWsZyfXT-IcT-ek4EyPTXhL4NpdOTfxWftuBWqgZIjMNCaU/s640/alternate+route.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Highways: US 1" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Take a closer look at the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/ZrwM2hJNyJs" target="_blank">alternate route</a> along the Gulf Coast.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">******</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thanks for joining us on this one. This particular stretch of road has a special place in our hearts since it started us off on our road trip adventures. We hope you enjoyed following along as much as we enjoyed reliving it so many years later.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"> </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Check out <a href="https://www.blogger.com/(http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust Facebook group</a>, <a href="http://malaysianmeanders.blogspot.com/2017/02/spy-vs-spy-at-international-spy-museum.html" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel Facebook group</a> for more travel inspiration!</span></span></div>
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48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-16036201944630275312017-02-19T18:46:00.003-08:002017-06-23T08:51:33.848-07:00Our Favorite Restaurants in America<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Traveling long term requires that you dine out quite frequently. Today, I'm sharing our recommendations for finding good restaurants in unfamiliar towns, along with a few of our favorite local restaurants from across the USA.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFF6J65s5FI-Bm-us1tBjss-yhotfCuO36mizCrnsq2nEi9Gt_h8qEg_qkZOzosZDYxtjhbk_gQhGiwCOxuZXL-RRCGfdzso_mRwSMCMH1SXbkvGvlSPpBgsZvwCRsuoeMSV-h8LxGKo/s1600/cover+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFF6J65s5FI-Bm-us1tBjss-yhotfCuO36mizCrnsq2nEi9Gt_h8qEg_qkZOzosZDYxtjhbk_gQhGiwCOxuZXL-RRCGfdzso_mRwSMCMH1SXbkvGvlSPpBgsZvwCRsuoeMSV-h8LxGKo/s400/cover+photo.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">Finding local joints instead of always eating at the Olive Garden or Golden Corral is really a requirement for the best and fullest road trip experience. Generally, these restaurants are family run and many have employees who have worked there for 10, 15, or 20 years. Often, the owner will be present. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the service is above and beyond the average experience at a chain place. It can be a little daunting to cruise into a town you've never heard of and find a restaurant with great food and great service, but we guarantee it's possible!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The two best ways to find great local restaurants in a town you've never visited are:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">1- <b>Talk to the locals. </b> When you check in at your hotel, ask the front desk staff what the best restaurants are. Often in small towns, there's a little local hole-in-the-wall that you, as an out-of-towner, would never find on your own but can gain access to by asking the right person.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">2 - <b>Search online.</b> When locals are unavailable, head to the internet. <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants" target="_blank">TripAdvisor</a> was our favorite website for finding a variety of options regardless of where we were in the country. We also searched for restaurants that had been featured on <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/diners-drive-ins-and-dives" target="_blank">Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives</a>. In small, mid-size, and large cities, we ate some delicious food, thanks to the magic of the internets.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">Now, without further ado, I'm going to share our favorites, in no particular order - mainly because we can't pick which one we love best! </span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Table 87 Coal Oven Pizza</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMt6xt_01ayz9TC2mXa-X2QpSSmew3V-KBh5Vnb_QGmuokpJALZMI3By1sgxqotj-7CC3TAPGMguzbivkssUZpmU1o7sH6JnqZVs1Z_itOi5INAkI6HQjxBt45KXK29maG2UEdI2eVGY/s1600/Restaurants007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Table 87 pizza in Brooklyn" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMt6xt_01ayz9TC2mXa-X2QpSSmew3V-KBh5Vnb_QGmuokpJALZMI3By1sgxqotj-7CC3TAPGMguzbivkssUZpmU1o7sH6JnqZVs1Z_itOi5INAkI6HQjxBt45KXK29maG2UEdI2eVGY/s640/Restaurants007.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Table 87 pizza in Brooklyn" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>473 3rd. Avenue</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brooklyn, New York</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had never had margherita pizza before we stumbled upon Table 87 in the Gowanus neighborhood in Brooklyn on a cold, rainy night in early May. We were famished, so we ordered some kind of a fried eggplant appetizer drenched in marinara sauce and covered in melty cheese to hold us over until our pizza came out. This was my first eggplant, and I have to say I couldn't get enough of it...until a 20" Coal Oven Margherita Pie found its way to our table and was promptly devoured. The restaurant had great decor, too: antique oven doors and cheese graters adorned the walls, the original tin ceiling and a few brick walls were exposed, and the original fireplace next to us topped it off. I was looking forward to returning for more delicious pizza when we were in the city in November for the New York Marathon, but they are unfortunately closed on Mondays, which was the only day we could have gone out to Brooklyn. I suppose I'll have to try their <a href="https://table87.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">mail-order pizza</a> until I can make it back for the real thing.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Best Pizza!!</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: <a href="http://www.table87.com/" target="_blank">www.table87.com</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Edd's Place</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCL09OowAM_CDvPPMjeT-db-0FEtGmUWLcQyHzsn_fnb0vt8IHv0Rau-w_4mzi-Z8kePAKEDBq3UzR_Y0kxtqxqC38reQy_kNaqhWbRt7_idRMTA4Z4wmf7XPkb-sC4ckBnRzmYk40dO0/s1600/Restaurants023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Edd's Place in Westbrook, Connecticut" border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCL09OowAM_CDvPPMjeT-db-0FEtGmUWLcQyHzsn_fnb0vt8IHv0Rau-w_4mzi-Z8kePAKEDBq3UzR_Y0kxtqxqC38reQy_kNaqhWbRt7_idRMTA4Z4wmf7XPkb-sC4ckBnRzmYk40dO0/s640/Restaurants023.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Edd's Place in Westbrook, Connecticut" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">478 Boston Post Rd.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Westbrook, CT</span></b></div>
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Sometimes the best restaurants are the ones you stop at because you just have a good feeling. The hotel we stayed at in this area didn't have breakfast included, so we got in the car and just started driving along US 1, hoping we'd find a good option soon. We passed by several local breakfast joints before we spotted Edd's. Something felt right about it, so we pulled in. We ordered from Edd and his wife in the kitchen building, and a few minutes later they brought our food to us in the nearby enclosed eating area, which has a great view out at a body of water - I think perhaps a marsh. My poached eggs and bacon were cooked just right, and the pancakes were the best I had anywhere in the country on this trip - and I had quite a few. They were cake-y in the middle, crispy on the edges, and just the right combination of sweet and salty - so good they didn't even need syrup!</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Best Pancakes</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Great marsh view!</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: Visit on <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g33977-d658050-Reviews-Edd_s_Place-Westbrook_Connecticut.html" target="_blank">TripAdvisor</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Geraci's</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUOZtUx-FtZT1sqm5VR1JSoyehvu785eF6mrJFOOiEQfvgCUwZzCh22BqyaGwCvBkDbf0D8qrbr9tYjHXGTyk_rNbk-2bY8FTBXqSP6jELZbMjTpeOqieEIfKIX95ags3fKQJ2o0mXiM/s1600/Restaurants015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Geraci's in Cleveland, Ohio" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUOZtUx-FtZT1sqm5VR1JSoyehvu785eF6mrJFOOiEQfvgCUwZzCh22BqyaGwCvBkDbf0D8qrbr9tYjHXGTyk_rNbk-2bY8FTBXqSP6jELZbMjTpeOqieEIfKIX95ags3fKQJ2o0mXiM/s640/Restaurants015.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Geraci's in Cleveland, Ohio" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2266 Warrensville Center Rd.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cleveland, Ohio</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">Geraci's, which was featured on <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/restaurants/oh/cleveland/geracis-restaurant-restaurant" target="_blank">Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives</a>, hands down had the best service by the owner of any establishment we visited in all 48 states - which is actually saying a lot. At Geraci's, we waited for about 20 minutes, as it was a busy Friday night and the place was full of regulars. When the owner came out to seat us, he picked us out as first-time visitors and struck up a conversation with us. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">We gave him the short version of the adventure we were on, and he</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;"> wound up treating us like royalty, bringing us out samples of their different sauces to dip our bread into and checking on us frequently, even introducing us to a couple he seated next to us a few minutes later. The tables were very close together, and we wound up chatting throughout the meal with this couple, who had been eating at Geraci's for over 30 years. At the end of our meal, the owner brought us out a basket of spingi (little Italian doughnut holes) to share with our new friends. </span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Best Service</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Best Marinara Sauce</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: Visit on <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g33977-d658050-Reviews-Edd_s_Place-Westbrook_Connecticut.html" target="_blank">TripAdvisor</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Geddy's</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsLS6zWzeDaNNqeZzzl27GdYF8SV9ZhCwQLRdVLQ_r3Q521QxLKBxJTS4NGPwp0ZGZepkLJU8OUCh8FICmxG1aStLFQWcSH9SfcAhz6VwlZ84l1gs9SvrBaHvx-NHi0ohsOcZWXpklIU/s1600/Restaurants020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Geddy's in Bar Harbor, Maine" border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsLS6zWzeDaNNqeZzzl27GdYF8SV9ZhCwQLRdVLQ_r3Q521QxLKBxJTS4NGPwp0ZGZepkLJU8OUCh8FICmxG1aStLFQWcSH9SfcAhz6VwlZ84l1gs9SvrBaHvx-NHi0ohsOcZWXpklIU/s640/Restaurants020.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Geddy's in Bar Harbor, Maine" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">19 Main Street</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bar Harbor, Maine</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">With a cool seaside + New England atmosphere, Geddy's was recommended to us by the owner of the bed and breakfast where we stayed. He had quite the Maine accent and I wasn't sure at first what he was saying, but after he repeated it I understood it. I'm not a huge fan of seafood, but my burger was delicious - a lot of seafood places tend to serve dry, overdone burgers, but the juicy and delicious burger at Geddy's is an exception. My driver got a lobster meal, which he thoroughly enjoyed. His meal came with a blueberry pie, which is unlike any blueberry dessert I'd ever had in my life (he very kindly shared with me!). The teeny little Maine blueberries were so different from the big, plump ones we have at home, the crust was buttery and crisp, and it was topped with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream. I loved this pie so much I immediately searched online for a recipe, and when we got home 6 weeks later I did some research to find a grocery store in town that carries the right mini blueberries. I have made it two or three times, and though it's not quite the same as the one the good folks at Geddy's served us, it's a pretty close second.</span></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amazing blueberry pie</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: <span style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.geddys.com/index.html" target="_blank">www.geddys.com</a></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Big D's Downtown Dive</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkAGQpnSUxExyhDWeqhyphenhyphen3EO5ZO29-BQf-z_YqMXSeSxXy8Y7Ow5hPdDQKxvMe39T3GJQQV1ETh1apvnvMj2-5piNIRhir9_ox-F9qOIAVkI885v6n91BiF0Ak-9rHptf3_EUddlolBY8/s1600/Restaurants009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Big D's Downtown Dive in Roswell, New Mexico" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkAGQpnSUxExyhDWeqhyphenhyphen3EO5ZO29-BQf-z_YqMXSeSxXy8Y7Ow5hPdDQKxvMe39T3GJQQV1ETh1apvnvMj2-5piNIRhir9_ox-F9qOIAVkI885v6n91BiF0Ak-9rHptf3_EUddlolBY8/s640/Restaurants009.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Big D's Downtown Dive in Roswell, New Mexico" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">505 North Main Street</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Roswell, NM</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Big D's was another find from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and it was by far my favorite. Without a doubt, their burgers are the best in America, in my opinion. The inside of the bun was grilled, creating a nice crunchy bed for the lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, and white cheddar that accompanied the juicy patty - and preventing the bun from becoming soggy. The outside of the bun was nice and soft, and it was served with tasty skinny fries. </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Best burgers in America!!</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: Visit on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bigdsdowntowndive/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Pie Source - Homestead Cafe</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaS_ZJxgQXbVXdmXbbe_eJgkoraIry6__7UXzALn9iXpRB-3YYFc6dhTZprGr52nQBEL5gVzeu1iuJSDP-KdBlMpSq90UfNOvjWu-0BlpkfXiWn_5gUnn4qlenx6zOjXy40Xv-IaYGVBQ/s1600/week3018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Homestead Cafe in Pie Town, New Mexico" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaS_ZJxgQXbVXdmXbbe_eJgkoraIry6__7UXzALn9iXpRB-3YYFc6dhTZprGr52nQBEL5gVzeu1iuJSDP-KdBlMpSq90UfNOvjWu-0BlpkfXiWn_5gUnn4qlenx6zOjXy40Xv-IaYGVBQ/s640/week3018.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Homestead Cafe in Pie Town, New Mexico" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Highway 60</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pie Town, New Mexico</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was about to spread up some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when we came into a place called Pie Town. Very quickly, the notion of eating PBJs in the car passed, and we pulled into the first place we came to for something more exciting. In the little old two-bedroom log cabin with no running water (think Laura Ingalls Wilder's cabin), we had delicious 'potatoe' and bacon soup, which was the only item on the menu and was served with freshly squeezed lemonade. When we couldn't decide on just one pie, we went for pecan pie topped with whipped cream AND warm cherry pie with a scoop of ice cream on the side. When we were finished with lunch we cleared our plates and dropped them in the bins that are used to transport dirty dishes to another location where they can be washed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a room this small, you really couldn't keep to yourself even if you wanted to, and we enjoyed talking with the other customers while we ate. We met a real cowboy (probably actually a rancher), Phil, who wore Wrangler jeans, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat, and enjoys stopping at the Homestead Cafe when he passes through town from his home 40 miles away. There was also a retired couple from Colorado who snowbird in Arizona. Both the cowboy and the couple were intrigued by our no interstates road trip and suggested interesting roads to take and stops to make when we told them about it. We're so glad we saved those PBJs for another day.</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Coolest building</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Best overall experience</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Delicious pie</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: Visit on <a href="http://www.thepiesource.com/index.html" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mi Tierra</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqVdtQ5npVVBijr9KxDE9QLcGucKpv4mUDeikxIlHjECGt7RcPErzaj5Hy4Ueug-C35J9zf9IXcnEJGJ4fjONdnLGAAFTXl5AXQY8-mfrb85vXUXULQMdLGR2NPmrtljjnpY8Qj79VsU/s1600/Restaurants001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Mi Tierra in San Antonio, Texas" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqVdtQ5npVVBijr9KxDE9QLcGucKpv4mUDeikxIlHjECGt7RcPErzaj5Hy4Ueug-C35J9zf9IXcnEJGJ4fjONdnLGAAFTXl5AXQY8-mfrb85vXUXULQMdLGR2NPmrtljjnpY8Qj79VsU/s640/Restaurants001.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Mi Tierra in San Antonio, Texas" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">218 Produce Row</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">San Antonio, Texas</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When the restaurant that was recommended to us by locals turned out to be closed on Sundays, we had to come up with another plan. So we kept walking until we found something suitable. Occupying an entire block in San Antonio's historic Market Square, Mi Tierra has been family owned and operated for over 75 years. Our breakfast there was accompanied by a colorful and festive atmosphere, which included live mariachi music. The 24-hour breakfast menu includes everything: pancakes, a wide variety of breakfast tacos, and all different kinds of huevos. You can sip on a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice or their delicious Mexican hot chocolate.</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Vibrant atmosphere</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Delicious variety</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Great pancakes!</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: <a href="http://www.mitierracafe.com/" target="_blank">www.mitierracafe.com</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thunderbird Restaurant</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPhJdvvY3L46TtlWBf9A7iljGZ5HeYoBrN7EdH8Ix3wkHDRKZQ4y0Ysmp06Al_7_R7bHBQKoGcvOeExi7O-iXDmCERkTFom-jNA33yGeolZnbAcbDPSY4iLRpg_4w-a9Dgp65inFOLtw/s1600/Restaurants022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Thunderbird Restaurant in Mt. Carmel, Utah" border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPhJdvvY3L46TtlWBf9A7iljGZ5HeYoBrN7EdH8Ix3wkHDRKZQ4y0Ysmp06Al_7_R7bHBQKoGcvOeExi7O-iXDmCERkTFom-jNA33yGeolZnbAcbDPSY4iLRpg_4w-a9Dgp65inFOLtw/s640/Restaurants022.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Thunderbird Restaurant in Mt. Carmel, Utah" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jct US 89 & SR 9</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mt. Carmel, Utah</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Perhaps the reason I loved this restaurant so much is that we had hiked over 13 miles through Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks and I was so exhausted I didn't even want to get out of the car to walk into the restaurant. I'm so glad I did, though: I wanted a sticks-to-your ribs meal, and that's exactly what I got. Paired with reasonable prices, great service, and excellent hot chocolate (it had dropped into the 40s and begun hailing as we finished up our final hike, and I was freezing), it was exactly what I needed. I started with the salad bar, which not only included fresh veggies, but also two varieties of soup. I had a small bowl of both the minestrone (great) and vegetable (good) soups. My entree was roast beef and mashed potatoes, which really hit the spot. To finish it off, we shared a strawberry rhubarb 'ho-made' pie with extra ice cream. </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Best home cooking</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Great pies!</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: Visit on <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g57075-d510724-r146406329-Thunderbird_Restaurant-Mount_Carmel_Utah.html" target="_blank">TripAdvisor</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Miceli's</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY89IKktdQQ4LZ_dkcy6_lY0ggfNASwNdipGh9CvAYbs0KUpFyfGHfg3gNWq2CE38hHakUEt-sJMw2BduAMo2lwM9SunP8-K7zny53IkzMbYI0N_STMP2O3Ki7jeCpH9Wh28njCwTZI2Y/s1600/Restaurants010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Miceli's in Hollywood, California" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY89IKktdQQ4LZ_dkcy6_lY0ggfNASwNdipGh9CvAYbs0KUpFyfGHfg3gNWq2CE38hHakUEt-sJMw2BduAMo2lwM9SunP8-K7zny53IkzMbYI0N_STMP2O3Ki7jeCpH9Wh28njCwTZI2Y/s640/Restaurants010.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Miceli's in Hollywood, California" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1646 North Las Palmas Avenue</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Los Angeles, CA</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Steps off of Hollywood Boulevard, Miceli's is either the #1 or #2 Italian restaurant in the US in my book. In addition to red checkered tablecloths and an abundance of wine bottles in baskets hanging from the ceilings and banisters, there was a piano player, and waiters would randomly go stand next to him to belt out Italian songs. Photos of celebrities eating at the restaurant all the way back into the 50s and 60s adorn the walls near the door. My half spaghetti/half ravioli plate was perfection and fueled me for my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BECDw-PIVQ0/?taken-by=48nointerstate" target="_blank">5k on Hollywood Boulevard</a> the next morning, which was the fastest 5k I've run since high school. Thanks, Miceli's!</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Best ravioli</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Awesome atmosphere</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: <a href="http://www.micelis.restaurant/index.html" target="_blank">www.micelis.restaurant</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Bon Ton</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeEeTo8bpMOlnJqTR7i6Sn09fsfYzFUgeLIMI9hrjn9NZYy_1S7xYEBGGohMuciVRh5pqclJGLf81FW_LGiGroTkZQljqxIeLGOovj6McJRqQ5-Q-HcClkOCUT1iXPUxAn6t_F-iP1IA/s1600/Restaurants012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Bon Ton in New Orleans, Louisiana" border="0" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeEeTo8bpMOlnJqTR7i6Sn09fsfYzFUgeLIMI9hrjn9NZYy_1S7xYEBGGohMuciVRh5pqclJGLf81FW_LGiGroTkZQljqxIeLGOovj6McJRqQ5-Q-HcClkOCUT1iXPUxAn6t_F-iP1IA/s640/Restaurants012.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Bon Ton in New Orleans, Louisiana" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>401 Magazine Street</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>New Orleans, Louisiana</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bon Ton, located directly across the street from our hotel, was recommended to us by the staff as a great creole restaurant frequented mainly by locals. I ordered steak, while my driver ordered turtle soup and crawfish etouffee, which I understand were delicious. We headed back to our hotel after dinner to snack on some sinful treats from <a href="https://www.laurascandies.com/" target="_blank">Laura's Candy Kitchen</a>.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Creole delicacies</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: <a href="http://www.thebontoncafe.com/" target="_blank">www.thebontoncafe.com</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Goolrick's Pharmacy</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sYORKDb0uvZO4y4kN6D_ccD8O1dKe6uVIJMMGHGbHETPgAzkGgwPFyafheC1dynvrxXWRpTjOBZWuf0Ey1wqbimgBgXI5wRv6bQET2lDe0g76n1KNMgsqNV2HGvm4_erNcK7icLPnZA/s1600/goolrick%2527s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Goolrick's Pharmacy in Fredericksburg, Virginia" border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sYORKDb0uvZO4y4kN6D_ccD8O1dKe6uVIJMMGHGbHETPgAzkGgwPFyafheC1dynvrxXWRpTjOBZWuf0Ey1wqbimgBgXI5wRv6bQET2lDe0g76n1KNMgsqNV2HGvm4_erNcK7icLPnZA/s640/goolrick%2527s.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Goolrick's Pharmacy in Fredericksburg, Virginia" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">901 Caroline Street</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fredericksburg, Virginia</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This modern pharmacy in Fredericksburg's historic downtown retains a soda fountain and lunch counter. Originally opened in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FredericksburgDowntown/photos/a.1107386789351905.1073741836.689786057778649/1083766148380636/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">the late 1800s</a>, you can order a sandwich, shake, or soda (we shared a cherry Coke, mixed right in front of us at the counter) to enjoy at the counter or one of the few available tables. My BLT was great, and even though the interior of the building doesn't match the historic charm of the exterior, it's a rare experience to eat at a place like this today.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Historic charm</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fresh fountain drinks</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: Visit on <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60824-d117085-Reviews-Goolrick_s_Pharmacy-Fredericksburg_Virginia.html" target="_blank">TripAdvisor</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cattlemen's</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJK7hwgQGyOCVZbgO0__ULLEvbcMxUrnc0VVqBemTIRFG-Ih6ZVj21eybCkqs-ItYfZWZdINGCe0eXAehyM43BDGjBEhY7fVD05DoydWXViiyu4CQYEQP-Ngk-73S6e1riQ16OwQI9VOM/s1600/Restaurants016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Cattlemen's in Oklahoma City" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJK7hwgQGyOCVZbgO0__ULLEvbcMxUrnc0VVqBemTIRFG-Ih6ZVj21eybCkqs-ItYfZWZdINGCe0eXAehyM43BDGjBEhY7fVD05DoydWXViiyu4CQYEQP-Ngk-73S6e1riQ16OwQI9VOM/s640/Restaurants016.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Our Favorite Restaurants in America - Cattlemen's in Oklahoma City" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>1309 South Agnew</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oklahoma City, Oklahoma</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">Cattlemen's has turned me into a steak snob. I no longer want to go out for cheese fries and a steak before a movie unless it's at Cattlemen's (OK, you could probably still get me to Outback for some cheese fries without trying very hard). We looked up the <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2013/07/19/americas-10-best-steakhouses.html" target="_blank">best steakhouses in the US</a> after we were unable to secure a table at a highly recommended steakhouse in Tampa, and then again in New Orleans, and decided Cattlemen's was the one we'd try. We had to wait a month until the road took us to OKC, but it was worth the wait. Man, oh man, it was good. We both ordered the 12 oz. sirloin strip, which was seasoned only with salt and pepper, so you could really taste the meat. It was fresh and tender, and cooked perfectly. Our salads were fresh, the order of mac and cheese we shared was cheesy and delicious and topped with bread crumbs, and the rolls were soft, warm, and tasty. We left full and satisfied, but were nowhere near stuffed.</span></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amazing steak!</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cheesy mac and cheese!</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Perfect rolls!</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Website: <a href="http://www.cattlemensrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">www.cattlemensrestaurant.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">***************</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">In a world where mediocre service has become standard, these 11 restaurants (and many of the ones listed below) stood out from the norm. Every one of these restaurants had good service; most had excellent service. And as you have read, the food at each one was amazing. Even a <strike>picky</strike> discerning eater such as myself can find something delightful without having to resort to a chain restaurant. I even found that my five main food groups of Burgers, BLTs, Steak, Pizza, and Pasta expanded a bit during the course of our travels.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">In re-living our experience at each of these restaurants, I find myself wishing I could return to them! If the opportunity presented itself, I would travel back to any of these cities solely to have another chance to eat at these restaurants - for both the food and the service. Visit them if you get the chance!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Other restaurants we have enjoyed across the country and would also recommend include:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Arizona</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.lumberyardbrewingcompany.com/" target="_blank">Lumberyard Brewery</a> - Flagstaff</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://openrangesedona.com/" target="_blank">Open Range Tavern and Grille</a> - Sedona</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">California</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://melsdrive-in.com/vannessavenue" target="_blank">Mel's Drive-In</a> - San Francisco</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.thebuenavista.com/home/home.html" target="_blank">Buena Vista Irish Cafe</a> - San Francisco</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.fareastcafesf.com/" target="_blank">Chinatown Far East Cafe</a> - San Francisco</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://thepeghouse.com/" target="_blank">The Peg House</a> - Leggett</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Colorado</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/devilsfooddenver/" target="_blank">Devil's Food</a> - Denver</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Connecticut</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.southportbrewing.com/" target="_blank">SBC Brewery</a> - Milford</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Delaware</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.pizzakingde.com/" target="_blank">Pizza King</a> - Seaford</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Florida</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://pinkysdiner.com/pd/" target="_blank">Pinky's Eatery</a> - Tampa</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://leonardosgainesville.com/menuSlice.html" target="_blank">Leonardo's Pizza</a> - Gainesville</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://dinecapri.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">Capri</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;"> - Homestead</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Idaho</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://caponespub.com/" target="_blank">Capone's</a> - Couer d'Alene</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Illinois</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.glazeteriyaki.com/" target="_blank">Glaze Teriyaki</a> - Chicago</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.dryhopchicago.com/" target="_blank">DryHop Brewers</a> - Chicago</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.thepalmsgrillcafe.com/" target="_blank">The Palms Grill Cafe</a> - Atlanta</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shellys-Route-66-Cafe/441234142567765" target="_blank">Sally's Route 66 Cafe</a> - Cuba </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/The-Joplin-Eagle-Drive-In-118417211592269/" target="_blank">Eagle Drive-In</a> - Joplin</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kentucky</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.lyndonhouse.com/" target="_blank">Lyndon House Bed & Breakfast</a> - Lexington</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dairy-Cheer/113612172005034" target="_blank">Dairy Cheer</a> - Pikeville</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Louisiana</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/" target="_blank">Mother's</a> - New Orleans</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.cafedumonde.com/" target="_blank">Cafe du Monde</a> - New Orleans</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://middendorfsrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Middendorf's</a> - Akers (Manchac)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.laurascandies.com/" target="_blank">Laura's Candy Kitchen</a> - New Orleans</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Maine</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.timberkitchenandbar.com/" target="_blank">Timber</a> - Bangor</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.giffordsicecream.com/stands/bangor-ice-cream-stand/" target="_blank">Gifford's</a> (ice cream) - Bangor</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Massachusetts</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://britishbeer.com/location/falmouth/" target="_blank">British Beer Co.</a> - Falmouth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.thewardhurst.com/" target="_blank">Wardhurst</a> - Peabody</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.squealingpigboston.com/" target="_blank">Squealin' Pig</a> - Boston</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Michigan</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.mamamiaslivonia.com/" target="_blank">Mama Mia's</a> - Livonia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.theroyaldiner.com/" target="_blank">Royal Diner</a> - Clarkston</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.pinkponymackinac.com/" target="_blank">Pink Pony</a> - Mackinac Island</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.originalmurdicksfudge.com/our-fudge/" target="_blank">Murdick's Fudge</a> - Mackinac Island</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Clydes-178349385561991/?rf=219099001486072" target="_blank">Clyde's Drive-In</a> - St. Ignace</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Minnesota</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://cossettas.com/" target="_blank">Cosetta Italian Market</a> - St. Paul</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Montana</span></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.scottibellis.com/" target="_blank">ScottiBelli's Italian</a> - Kalispell</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/The-Raven-Grill-1659588290988611/" target="_blank">The Raven Grill</a> - Gardiner</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://yellowstonepizzacompany.com/" target="_blank">Yellowstone Pizza Co</a> - Gardiner</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/YellowstoneGrill/" target="_blank">Yellowstone Grill</a> - Gardiner</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nevada</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.owlclubeureka.com/" target="_blank">Owl Club Saloon</a> - Eureka</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oregon</span></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DonsMainstreetdiner/?rf=207583046037189" target="_blank">Don's Diner and Ice Cream Parlor</a> (and pie!) - Reedsport</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pennsylvania</span></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://thecouchtomato.com/" target="_blank">Couch Tomato</a> - Manayunk</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://readingterminalmarket.org/" target="_blank">Reading Terminal Market</a> - Philadelphia</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">South Dakota</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60865-d1094401-Reviews-Dakota_Cowboy_Inn_Restaurant-Custer_South_Dakota.html" target="_blank">Cowboy Cafe</a> - Custer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://purplepieplace.com/menu/" target="_blank">Purple Pie Place</a> - Custer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.maverickssteak.com/" target="_blank">Maverick's Steak and Cocktails</a> - Aberdeen</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Texas</span></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://bernardstyler.com/" target="_blank">Bernard's Mediterranean</a> - Tyler</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/900degreesmobile/" target="_blank">900 Degrees</a> (pizza) - Waco</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.staygrannylous.com/" target="_blank">Granny Lou's Bed & Breakfast</a> - Bonham</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/theshacklubbockbbq/" target="_blank">The Shack</a> - Lubbock</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.cafeole.us/" target="_blank">Cafe Ole</a> - San Antonio</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Utah</span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.zionpizzanoodle.com/menu.html" target="_blank">Zion Pizza & Noodle Co.</a> - Springdale</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://springdalecandycompany.com/" target="_blank">Springdale Candy Company</a> - Springdale</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<ul>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Vermont</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.sarduccis.com/" target="_blank">Sarducci's</a> - Montpelier</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Virginia</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Carls-73483315111/" target="_blank">Carl's</a> (frozen custard) - Fredericksburg</span></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Washington</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PattysPlace19/" target="_blank">Patty's Place</a> - Mt. St. Helens</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wisconsin</span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.titletownbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Titletown Restaurant & Brewery</a> - Green Bay</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wyoming</span></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.irmahotel.com/" target="_blank">Irma Restaurant</a> - Cody</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Whew! That's quite a list. Congratulations for making it to the end! We'd love to hear your favorites from across the country!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">After thinking about all these restaurants again, I'm starving. It's time to find a snack!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image may contain: text, outdoor and nature" height="200" src="https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16142647_10212288057903142_7678363255743860707_n.jpg?oh=5962ec648c319945aed12b62bdfe7239&oe=591CC143" width="200" /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkJI7YXspCVk0CnGhxX_xgKDiGfGLB4XERiWMnEIIafIsmVUJLHhdznMccflPFrQ8lJsVfKi0dky1V9XlqE7hjZ8UqAVslYoN8Hympn0tVFE4tk1_1PihX0tiC1ps59t39i8xfW0_rIU/s1600/weekend-travel-inspiration-350x350.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkJI7YXspCVk0CnGhxX_xgKDiGfGLB4XERiWMnEIIafIsmVUJLHhdznMccflPFrQ8lJsVfKi0dky1V9XlqE7hjZ8UqAVslYoN8Hympn0tVFE4tk1_1PihX0tiC1ps59t39i8xfW0_rIU/s200/weekend-travel-inspiration-350x350.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Check out the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/(http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust Facebook group</a> and <a href="http://malaysianmeanders.blogspot.com/2017/02/spy-vs-spy-at-international-spy-museum.html" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a> pages for more travel inspiration!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you liked this article or found the information to be helpful, let us know! </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We appreciate your comments, pins, shares, tweets, and likes!</span></div>
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48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-8628863924684787512017-02-02T15:38:00.000-08:002017-03-01T11:37:03.785-08:00How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's the fifth week of our <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/Planning%20a%20Back%20Roads%20Road%20Trip" target="_blank">Planning a Back Roads Road Trip</a> series, and we're sharing suggestions for planning your itinerary, from selecting your destination(s) to finding the route to take you there.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVvPLoHybY25P985DE72jZdCNEl_5FkrUYgRy_N2zxPC8qEwsqImvH9pBk9ljPHxPHS6H5_wpUspXNpMe4RchE6aiLeTDDu2KBevrjGqICZ7QIskqTQjLeJ3UVsj-9Z901GKL4ePXLmg/s1600/Cover+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVvPLoHybY25P985DE72jZdCNEl_5FkrUYgRy_N2zxPC8qEwsqImvH9pBk9ljPHxPHS6H5_wpUspXNpMe4RchE6aiLeTDDu2KBevrjGqICZ7QIskqTQjLeJ3UVsj-9Z901GKL4ePXLmg/s400/Cover+photo.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When planning a vacation, some people like to wing it and leave the entire trip open to surprise. Others plan down to the minute and know exactly what to expect each day of the trip. Still others will fall somewhere in between, which is what we'd recommend for most road trips. You've probably got specific dates that you'll be working with, so you'll want to plan to do and see as much as you can in that time period, while staying on track so you return from your trip on time and having fully enjoyed your time off.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here are our suggestions of things to consider as you plan your road trip:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When do I go?</span></b><br />
<u style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Consider the weather in the location(s) you'll be traveling</u><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> If you'll be traveling in the middle of February, it isn't a great time to visit to Glacier National Park for a drive along </span><a href="https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/goingtothesunroad.htm" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Going to the Sun Road</a>.<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> In July or August, it can be HOT and HUMID in the South. Spring and Fall will generally be a good time to travel most places and you'll avoid extreme or uncomfortable temperatures. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Find out when the high season is in the area you will be traveling</u>. Remember that places like Key West have their busy season in the winter months when the rest of the country wants to escape their cold and snowy weather and will therefore be more affordable and less crowded during the warmer months, and places like Mackinac Island, Michigan or Bar Harbor, Maine will be expensive and overcrowded during the summer.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZurF24fCqEeE9_YthUUjKMFnRv7t60X2tw0aiY15eZp_uvJap96cN2vzPyxWmRYtrz4oJXP8Q9PZsGYSCTCPYBiekZRSoEheRIr3nV_uJEyLzg5JvP7JNfTlVuYQwApguCuj1mJYEqpk/s1600/week5013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZurF24fCqEeE9_YthUUjKMFnRv7t60X2tw0aiY15eZp_uvJap96cN2vzPyxWmRYtrz4oJXP8Q9PZsGYSCTCPYBiekZRSoEheRIr3nV_uJEyLzg5JvP7JNfTlVuYQwApguCuj1mJYEqpk/s400/week5013.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.grandhotel.com/" target="_blank">Grand Hotel</a> on Mackinac Island had just opened up when we visited in mid-May, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">but on the cold, windy day, we had our choice of white rockers on their giant front porch.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGXsK87wfEsVdBlPJknc7miw2tLGUQPjfkmdUNHFvre5W8fxUEv1iLXmiUTrBv7CbQr8FWVzkkEDo3e6ymzcoMamkUrIxoTHXXFRJZTZcWefDbcN1q-RpbmuEiH97-V8YZyFw_3KiGUo/s1600/week5015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Mackinac Island, Michigan" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGXsK87wfEsVdBlPJknc7miw2tLGUQPjfkmdUNHFvre5W8fxUEv1iLXmiUTrBv7CbQr8FWVzkkEDo3e6ymzcoMamkUrIxoTHXXFRJZTZcWefDbcN1q-RpbmuEiH97-V8YZyFw_3KiGUo/s400/week5015.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Mackinac Island, Michigan" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A few weeks later, the <a href="https://www.mackinacisland.org/" target="_blank">island</a> would have been much more crowded!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Check local calendars for events</u>. Also, consider holidays or local events (graduations, parades, festivals, etc.) that may increase the cost or create a shortage of hotel rooms. We were in San Francisco for Memorial Day weekend so didn't have much trouble finding a reasonably-priced hotel at short notice, but had we been in a beach, lake, or mountain town, it may have been harder to secure one without making a reservation far in advance. If you're not traveling specifically to attend an event or for a holiday weekend, you can save money by traveling at a less busy time the week before or after a holiday, if you are able.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Where do I go?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of the joys of a back roads road trip is not knowing exactly what's next and letting the road lead you to your next stop. That being said, you have to start somewhere, and it's a good idea to have a general plan when you begin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Determine points of interest</u>. Think of places you've wanted to go but never have. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Find that box of brochures for interesting looking places and activities you've collected from hotel lobbies over the years (or am I the only one who does that?). </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Look at your <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/48nointerstate/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> travel boards. Grab your 'bucket list'. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now pull out a road map or print out an </span><a href="https://www.teachervision.com/map-0/united-states-map-outline" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;" target="_blank">outline of the US</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> (or whatever country you will be visiting!). </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mark the locations of the places that you would like to include in your itinerary. If there are locations you're unwilling to miss on this trip, mark them in red or with a star so you don't forget about them!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When we pulled out of our driveway to begin our adventure, the only plan we had was to roughly follow this route, making sure to visit each state. We made our reservations for our first stop (Tampa, FL) a few minutes before we left.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtuXAdWK67qHQyA-knByOmRGvsuu3dzUq1l1fAcy7lsZCpZp-iz_ugwYpBjrvh0T2ZY12GGIsEje5bW5YvDC4TZm8ORGhgzG7X28u2uRi2y5Iakd1_QumLA74uBJfbcazRUUr6EXKFgo/s1600/48+Trip+Route48+Trip+Route.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - The Route" border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtuXAdWK67qHQyA-knByOmRGvsuu3dzUq1l1fAcy7lsZCpZp-iz_ugwYpBjrvh0T2ZY12GGIsEje5bW5YvDC4TZm8ORGhgzG7X28u2uRi2y5Iakd1_QumLA74uBJfbcazRUUr6EXKFgo/s640/48+Trip+Route48+Trip+Route.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - The Route" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We really didn't put a lot of time or effort into planning this route,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">mainly drawing it out so our friends and family could visualize our plan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">How do I get there?</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Sketch your route</u>. Now it's time start sketching out a route on your map. Start from your hometown and pass through all the areas you've marked as MUST DOs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Additional attractions</u>: Now consider which additional attractions you would like to visit if time allows. Are they close to the rough route you've just drawn? If so, it's likely you'll be able to add them to your final itinerary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Something I did a few times during our trip was to check <a href="http://www.roadsideamerica.com/" target="_blank">Roadside America</a> for interesting attractions and oddities that would be near our route. That's how we wound up seeing sights like...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/19484" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Grill that cooked the World's Largest Hamburger</a> in Rutland, North Dakota was only two miles off our route.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EwA0__ZYBasvDZTkLoheQtGQc5aAHbAjOFeJja6N496xKpTwST6aWKJVCttDoRRO-sNcYtzyn1ADcmz7rV4gHrtG5R08tn-DqbKpBTb97aOcMRRJvFcsfNuJllZjwZATNctBgFt7dy4/s1600/week5001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: World's Largest Hamburger grill in Rutland, North Dakota" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EwA0__ZYBasvDZTkLoheQtGQc5aAHbAjOFeJja6N496xKpTwST6aWKJVCttDoRRO-sNcYtzyn1ADcmz7rV4gHrtG5R08tn-DqbKpBTb97aOcMRRJvFcsfNuJllZjwZATNctBgFt7dy4/s400/week5001.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: World's Largest Hamburger grill in Rutland, North Dakota" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I love a good jumping picture! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2128" target="_blank">World's Largest Ball of Twine</a> in Darwin, MN. Again, this roadside attraction was just a few blocks from our route. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltCv0_vjdjSpRD0YTzNzh2WtZPIg5cw93xsIYvZHSiXzPXLWCapaJNkFrvhLkM_xuvqkRRPaOyCKsCP-w96-obyIXzg6Waql9WqGf7KXpVTyvXEzvLrDOpLBXZjWFpr5OfrMxs0gMOPo/s1600/week5004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: The World's Largest Ball of Twine in Darwin, Minnesota" border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltCv0_vjdjSpRD0YTzNzh2WtZPIg5cw93xsIYvZHSiXzPXLWCapaJNkFrvhLkM_xuvqkRRPaOyCKsCP-w96-obyIXzg6Waql9WqGf7KXpVTyvXEzvLrDOpLBXZjWFpr5OfrMxs0gMOPo/s400/week5004.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: The World's Largest Ball of Twine in Darwin, Minnesota" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamNpM_fKorz0MyjH9QZPNq1wVHOswzkGD9DBnp8iNLW3G8fnF0W4uCqzYT4tteuMnID7qqstHzYd3qhrvOJnwOkJ9X_sQD45eopwxNowPDVTbmh2vXOoVsVMIt2dy5lk7s5XiRetzUqY/s1600/week5005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: The World's Largest Ball of Twine in Darwin, Minnesota" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamNpM_fKorz0MyjH9QZPNq1wVHOswzkGD9DBnp8iNLW3G8fnF0W4uCqzYT4tteuMnID7qqstHzYd3qhrvOJnwOkJ9X_sQD45eopwxNowPDVTbmh2vXOoVsVMIt2dy5lk7s5XiRetzUqY/s400/week5005.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: The World's Largest Ball of Twine in Darwin, Minnesota" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The filming location of the movie <a href="http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2079" target="_blank">Field of Dreams</a> in Dyersville, Iowa. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When we pulled up, a man was out tossing a baseball on the field with his grandson. In talking to them for a few minutes, we found out that the man had been one of the ghost players in the movie. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This one was a little bit out of the way, so we adjusted the route slightly but still wound up where we needed to go!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifx28OY8qV_96BGN1OdndZ0MmV2KkY5UTagHc-TPRo5XoyHYzWASXWhA0lk80koQunKoJoRLZvJMjEmAXG4CvwR1yjkYzMsg71n_7sZIUM74M8GWKkpQkJNASgSDAJGNzo6FZBCyKg0uk/s1600/week5002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: Field of Dreams film site in Dyersville, Iowa" border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifx28OY8qV_96BGN1OdndZ0MmV2KkY5UTagHc-TPRo5XoyHYzWASXWhA0lk80koQunKoJoRLZvJMjEmAXG4CvwR1yjkYzMsg71n_7sZIUM74M8GWKkpQkJNASgSDAJGNzo6FZBCyKg0uk/s400/week5002.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: Field of Dreams film site in Dyersville, Iowa" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3frKAC4Ln_31Pxd5slxwOGefuvs56asy0v_MkI89nlmMNJjzQKiIBT7dAmHX0uRc4jX1iEZV-s6OX_nAqd5lc-xDhE-10V2hfH6bdSgB4dQAEO-4prj9wUpizMLJ-P3Y2aVV5chygjF4/s1600/week5003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: Field of Dreams film site in Dyersville, Iowa" border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3frKAC4Ln_31Pxd5slxwOGefuvs56asy0v_MkI89nlmMNJjzQKiIBT7dAmHX0uRc4jX1iEZV-s6OX_nAqd5lc-xDhE-10V2hfH6bdSgB4dQAEO-4prj9wUpizMLJ-P3Y2aVV5chygjF4/s400/week5003.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: Field of Dreams film site in Dyersville, Iowa" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33RE9yxJP8HV_ue8FjkzzzIx7tSbZRcFYEgRx-kpSXt6ibtkiY0RpBpOpeUuhOMuyoQ9y9RpGzpVxCgGUoZhSVpWHXjKc0A4k5w4HSlrwtEUImKcXzeBm-r6NvEZq2qWGZaZ4xdr2H6M/s1600/week5006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: Field of Dreams film site in Dyersville, Iowa" border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33RE9yxJP8HV_ue8FjkzzzIx7tSbZRcFYEgRx-kpSXt6ibtkiY0RpBpOpeUuhOMuyoQ9y9RpGzpVxCgGUoZhSVpWHXjKc0A4k5w4HSlrwtEUImKcXzeBm-r6NvEZq2qWGZaZ4xdr2H6M/s400/week5006.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Roadside Attractions: Field of Dreams film site in Dyersville, Iowa" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I kind of wanted to stay and live in the farmhouse, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">which has a great view of the sunset over the nearby cornfields.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I didn't discover this method of discovering nearby attractions/tourist traps until late into our trip and wonder what we else we might have come across had I used it earlier. Checking it as you plan your itinerary would provide options for interesting places to stretch your legs as you travel!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Finalize it</u>! Next, you'll need to use a road atlas or Google Maps/iPhone Maps/GPS to plan your actual route. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of course, we recommend taking back roads because they're more fun. If you're new to road trips or only have a limited time for your trip, you might need to take at least part of the route on the interstate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For a long road trip, it would be overwhelming to do this step all at once. We chose to look at the atlas every few days to figure out what route to take, then we'd repeat the process a few days later. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Destination Road Trip</u>. Is there a large concentration of places you'd like to visit in one part of the country? Do you want to drive the Pacific Coast Highway or Route 66? If the area you want to visit is far away from where you live, your best bet may be to fly to that area and rent a car so you can maximize your travel time, instead of taking several days to reach the area you want to explore. This is the way we explored the Pacific Coast Highway in 2010, and we'd highly recommend it!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRPp9XaKG0HzCwhbUpCzZQ3Zr-SabBM4urv-QW6PIezJ94Ql0k9NZzB5K4XQcSYRNmS2RnNg67nk6z6L6t6M-u9mEmd0ZXoPEZbiIBUzSsjT7bE8m_eJVp18oERzcjGhKZTOVF7QNov0/s1600/week5007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Cool hotels: HMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRPp9XaKG0HzCwhbUpCzZQ3Zr-SabBM4urv-QW6PIezJ94Ql0k9NZzB5K4XQcSYRNmS2RnNg67nk6z6L6t6M-u9mEmd0ZXoPEZbiIBUzSsjT7bE8m_eJVp18oERzcjGhKZTOVF7QNov0/s400/week5007.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Cool hotels: HMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of the highlights of that trip was </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">spending a night on the <a href="http://www.queenmary.com/stay-aboard/stay-aboard/" target="_blank">Queen Mary</a> in Long Beach, CA.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Where should I stay?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This really depends on your budget. A few recommendations:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Choose one or two hotel chains and earn points toward free nights by staying mainly within these brands.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many hotels include free continental breakfasts. We would highly recommend staying at these hotels most nights!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Find a quaint bed and breakfast or two; these are a fun way to meet people you wouldn't normally meet at a big hotel. Plus, their breakfasts are usually cooked to order and very tasty, which is a nice break from restaurant food. Sometimes these will be a splurge; sometimes, they're comparable to the cost of a chain hotel.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We've never used airbnb or similar sites because we're more comfortable in hotels, but of course you may be able to find cheaper options that way.</span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZU87ou7QV8yxzp2824sL2jeYrntw4xRnDZYe13BXx0WiSQijNRwYM6MIZrCxw3RSQOjcGXf_uk5JYzMpQG3nu8U9PRFKWgaa_UsUMot2m4vtDntLalnONMvzHDaVVtYxs4JFbViTyHiA/s1600/week5010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Cool hotels: Betsy's Bed & Breakfast, Montpelier, Vermont" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZU87ou7QV8yxzp2824sL2jeYrntw4xRnDZYe13BXx0WiSQijNRwYM6MIZrCxw3RSQOjcGXf_uk5JYzMpQG3nu8U9PRFKWgaa_UsUMot2m4vtDntLalnONMvzHDaVVtYxs4JFbViTyHiA/s400/week5010.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Cool hotels: Betsy's Bed & Breakfast, Montpelier, Vermont" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Breakfast at </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.betsysbnb.com/" target="_blank">Betsy's B&B</a> in Montpelier, Vermont </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">was delicious </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">we enjoyed talking with the proprietors and other guests while we ate.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">How long will it take?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's hard to judge the exact pace of a back roads road trip. As we've mentioned here before, sometimes our plans for the day change at the last minute as a result of something we come across. Even when this doesn't happen, sometimes you decide you'd like to spend longer visiting a location than you'd originally planned for. When this is the case, you just have to make adjustments for the remaining days in the trip to make sure you arrive home on time. The rough calculation we used was that the back roads took about 1.5x longer than the interstate (this accounts for both slower speed limits and random stops to take a quick picture). Then for every 3-4 hours, add about 20 minutes for bathroom/gas station stops.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>How detailed should my itinerary be?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For your must-do items, make sure you're aware of their hours and the dates they're open. For instance, some restaurants and museums are closed on Mondays. Many places, especially family-owned operations, are closed on Sundays. It's harder to find any kind of restaurant in small towns on Sunday nights, so plan ahead for your Sunday dinner! Also, if you're driving between time zones, remember to take the time change into account! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Beyond that, the amount of detail you include on your itinerary is up to you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>What else?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Make sure not to over-schedule yourself</u>. It's not very fun to rush from one attraction to the next, worrying all along about having enough time to do it all. Decide which ones you'll do and accept that the others will have to wait for the next time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Be willing to cut an item from the itinerary if you decide you'd rather spend longer doing something else</u>. Add the items that get cut to the 'list of things I want to do one day' or forget about them altogether.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>When making reservations in advance, make sure they can be cancelled so you have some flexibility with your time</u>. On Route 66 in particular, we found that our speed slowed to about half our usual rate because we stopped so many times along the way, and as a result our overnight plans changed a couple of times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u>Drive during the day</u>. You'll miss a lot of pretty sights by driving at night, which we had to do a few times, most notably between Los Angeles and Death Valley. We knew we were missing some amazing <a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=631" target="_blank">red rocks</a> as we drove into late evening. More importantly, it's easier to follow unfamiliar roads in daylight!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomre7WF9WCEsovc1qFz7x1-48Zl2bb7CYFY0CbRiWmpfYfipVgJBvslYOaQ-0lWrv7RSSen7lwysQtmsO1xkdGIgRXgzSbuQhcGRL_qW6TZrk3DM8IaztxE1XPqRIdfMsjsWmeOBEW7w/s1600/week5016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Sunset from the road, Utah" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomre7WF9WCEsovc1qFz7x1-48Zl2bb7CYFY0CbRiWmpfYfipVgJBvslYOaQ-0lWrv7RSSen7lwysQtmsO1xkdGIgRXgzSbuQhcGRL_qW6TZrk3DM8IaztxE1XPqRIdfMsjsWmeOBEW7w/s640/week5016.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Create a Road Trip Itinerary - Sunset from the road, Utah" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We saw this colorful sunset outside of Bryce Canyon </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">National Park on the way to our hotel in Kanab, Utah.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The point of a back roads road trip is not to get to your destination as fast as possible; the trip itself is the destination. The idea is to experience the country with your travel buddy(ies). </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Remember to allow time to stop and smell the roses. Get a cup of coffee at a local shop. Take a walk at a park. Enjoy the ride!</span><br />
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48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-6613140629010943692017-01-27T08:52:00.001-08:002017-03-01T11:28:47.810-08:00Long Term Travel: How to Pack / Doing Laundry in a Hotel<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's Week 4 in our <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/Planning%20a%20Back%20Roads%20Road%20Trip" target="_blank">Planning a Back Roads Road Trip</a> series, and we're here to talk about packing your bags to make sure you're prepared for whatever weather comes your way, plus doing laundry on the road when the need arises.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUvzwz4hi3ZP7sqN3LMAZN6uIy2KSSZF_B-IONcgkHtxT_-Mn2kMuqXnUiBpX9DxgEY7F0YWTdMsCud1QsA5Z7tXiGZPHf5-6gZ8Uvy523xpUsMRUlPXMttg0WceWsfjbe8AYbf4aK6A/s1600/cover+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUvzwz4hi3ZP7sqN3LMAZN6uIy2KSSZF_B-IONcgkHtxT_-Mn2kMuqXnUiBpX9DxgEY7F0YWTdMsCud1QsA5Z7tXiGZPHf5-6gZ8Uvy523xpUsMRUlPXMttg0WceWsfjbe8AYbf4aK6A/s640/cover+photo.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="544" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When you're setting out on a long trip, you want to make sure you have everything you'll need without having excess stuff to lug around. Especially if you're traveling as seasons are changing, you'll need to pack a variety of clothing to make sure you're prepared, regardless of what kind of weather you encounter along the way.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgivbLSZJ-5Qdzixl6JaS4CnZA3azXKoJ5d7Qk8K1biWzDmFxS7WVxdrOxzJGpg-F5NoGkD-2gq-gDBmZnTZvdqvrrG3CPCuz9bGkHvjO9a016YBpaDGoycSJb3HfDjowQWQGkZ1jhQ5s/s1600/wk4017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgivbLSZJ-5Qdzixl6JaS4CnZA3azXKoJ5d7Qk8K1biWzDmFxS7WVxdrOxzJGpg-F5NoGkD-2gq-gDBmZnTZvdqvrrG3CPCuz9bGkHvjO9a016YBpaDGoycSJb3HfDjowQWQGkZ1jhQ5s/s400/wk4017.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Cool day at Bryce Canyon National Park. Within minutes after this picture was taken, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">the sky opened up and we were hit by a hail storm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Timing from our trip was fortunate as spring is a great time to travel, both crowd-wise and weather-wise. Kids were still in school so family vacation season hadn't yet begun, flowers were starting to bloom, and in much of the country, it was quite pleasant. The Northeast in May was cold, wet, and uncomfortable, but nearly everywhere else, most days were nice enough that we didn't need a a coat.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDm0KxzE5AtoxUDSQNm2lCcJEZrm1O5AQgzNu8OBvx8bzvP8Ju3-51xMfEqHqLKNWJ_RXuxcuH9-sjQnNtVu85gMnuI_9QeyNenZpl9ayjsM576Oml1GxfBpfHmqcmUBFt4KFzvYMSNY8/s1600/wk4007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDm0KxzE5AtoxUDSQNm2lCcJEZrm1O5AQgzNu8OBvx8bzvP8Ju3-51xMfEqHqLKNWJ_RXuxcuH9-sjQnNtVu85gMnuI_9QeyNenZpl9ayjsM576Oml1GxfBpfHmqcmUBFt4KFzvYMSNY8/s400/wk4007.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our visit to Acadia National Park in mid-May was so cold it required four layers: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">t-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, hoodie, and ski jacket. And I was still cold.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Being from the South, we're used to wearing t-shirts and shorts more or less from March to November (even this January, long sleeves and gloves haven't seen the light of day for the past few weeks!), so packing for a cross-country road trip from March to June was an interesting challenge.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNsh-UjmFldMImfdfQJoIgQnRxqH7sVD3jCSDBGlEBRDGdAQ_hHPjngVEDg9iph3rTXWgKkiZbo9PgXBprnGbWHf8iKec-Zqv8K4N2KMGZHtx-vkROPH9Lwrvbqpof3MgXp0YABFF05Y/s1600/wk4010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNsh-UjmFldMImfdfQJoIgQnRxqH7sVD3jCSDBGlEBRDGdAQ_hHPjngVEDg9iph3rTXWgKkiZbo9PgXBprnGbWHf8iKec-Zqv8K4N2KMGZHtx-vkROPH9Lwrvbqpof3MgXp0YABFF05Y/s400/wk4010.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It was damp and chilly at the Santa Monica Pier in early April.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpsTs5CQQBx-jNhTOvkXe166qiX_xJ3vIn_ZsdzvM17gVmGlY478zPGPhaKIB-NOMd3A7nHj3rxKXj-7qtcpCVi47vbvxk0twszJjQPusk0GFvEcu9D8kP6mZT6jYReutrhlwNNdcyW88/s1600/wk4015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpsTs5CQQBx-jNhTOvkXe166qiX_xJ3vIn_ZsdzvM17gVmGlY478zPGPhaKIB-NOMd3A7nHj3rxKXj-7qtcpCVi47vbvxk0twszJjQPusk0GFvEcu9D8kP6mZT6jYReutrhlwNNdcyW88/s400/wk4015.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For the most part, we were very well prepared. But from the time we left Virginia,</span> all along the East coast to Maine, and across to Michigan (where we saw snow flurries in May!!), we did not have enough of the proper attire to keep us warm day after day. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPI3RILb4kZdzecRkk63oiM_4dz8fA5X2hUpx2zHQXg6NAn4-FPYotSiJvyIHL7B3nk47xzQsySWk1LEAZG431f6mgWF4lomHG9jujsCZU36oD0KbKRcPrmCvl6qSia0K-kCVTK3ilcw/s1600/wk4013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPI3RILb4kZdzecRkk63oiM_4dz8fA5X2hUpx2zHQXg6NAn4-FPYotSiJvyIHL7B3nk47xzQsySWk1LEAZG431f6mgWF4lomHG9jujsCZU36oD0KbKRcPrmCvl6qSia0K-kCVTK3ilcw/s400/wk4013.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Freezing cold 5k in Detroit in late May. It snowed before the race started! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At home, I would have been wearing a tanktop and still would have been hot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We got tired of wearing the same 2-3 long-sleeve shirts over and over, sometimes layering them when one wasn't enough. They started to show signs of being worn for days in a row, so in Freeport, Maine, we stopped in at the L.L.Bean flagship store and bought a few additional winter clothes. We also met my uncle for dinner in his town in Maine and were able to do some shopping at the store where he works. The timing was fortunate as at both stores, their cold-weather clothing was on clearance racks!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2h6xNDGaNp4hL0jAsnxpge1N7Om7k1_0O2Y6kPWtcK8vNrIXER5fVNfBbVeXQ_geH6kc9Gwe3iOysR0usQd7oL6L-jgzcgzb43nV9lOd6MJqb7zd9mc6fiorgf8ipil0K_R5mlw_52Pc/s1600/wk4022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2h6xNDGaNp4hL0jAsnxpge1N7Om7k1_0O2Y6kPWtcK8vNrIXER5fVNfBbVeXQ_geH6kc9Gwe3iOysR0usQd7oL6L-jgzcgzb43nV9lOd6MJqb7zd9mc6fiorgf8ipil0K_R5mlw_52Pc/s400/wk4022.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">L.L.Bean's flagship store in Freeport, Maine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Pack your bags!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Always check the weather before you begin tossing clothes in your suitcase to make sure you'll have what you need. That being said, weather can be unpredictable and it's always a good idea to include a few additional items to make sure you're prepared for any weather that may come your way:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Rain or shine</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You don't want to miss out on touring a city on foot just because it's a little wet. Put a rain jacket or poncho and umbrella(s) somewhere in your car where you can access them easily if needed but where they're not in the way of your daily needs. A good pair of boots will keep your feet dry on rainy days, so pack a pair of comfortable ones you can wear if needed (it felt so weird to me to wear boots in May!). Nobody wants to walk around in a pair of sloshy tennis shoes!</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIzyR0dtilIhWAn0-jZhvcK8ACqWhZrdNFOxt3RsEvXfkRx0_-EGxMMLxAMOfoVAXudvNuJeVo95kEtDIbjGwxuNp8zTCRfzOpyfEm5lUYef0z9TNGu0Ei1GNrb7ZPQCxH6twZNq2tyo/s1600/wk4001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIzyR0dtilIhWAn0-jZhvcK8ACqWhZrdNFOxt3RsEvXfkRx0_-EGxMMLxAMOfoVAXudvNuJeVo95kEtDIbjGwxuNp8zTCRfzOpyfEm5lUYef0z9TNGu0Ei1GNrb7ZPQCxH6twZNq2tyo/s400/wk4001.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Turtleneck, vest, scarf, and rain jacket on a bone-chilling </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">damp day at the DuPont Mansion in Delaware.</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dress in layers</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You'll notice in most of our photos that I wore a lot of layers during our travels. Layering a cardigan and scarf over a short- or long-sleeved shirt was helpful on cool or breezy days so I could adjust as necessary. For the guys, a fleece vest adds some warmth on a cool day and is less cumbersome to carry around than a coat if you get warm.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7hC4SOQeduMHdRZFNKnRKBVuR9v0sn_bjOjk6w9og0aCGjiweorK9V7GdpqhJuEgPp8tT67reum9OyZCSFdrsuDhU8DPvoTCvUFdXj2lhvYwJ5T-hqzkMN0InP0-TYZHmHeByk1wTMQ/s1600/wk4021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7hC4SOQeduMHdRZFNKnRKBVuR9v0sn_bjOjk6w9og0aCGjiweorK9V7GdpqhJuEgPp8tT67reum9OyZCSFdrsuDhU8DPvoTCvUFdXj2lhvYwJ5T-hqzkMN0InP0-TYZHmHeByk1wTMQ/s400/wk4021.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="266" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Wearing the same outfit in NYC a few days after our visit to DuPont. Getting tired </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">of wearing the same clothes...But wearing a different scarf adds some variety.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JZH_vb6aVPIPbXqRBpYTXdAh3ImD9sfk-4ZKeWPfZPBglLrvptFSiHCAl4rIHg9rvMqtpp1cpxp-cn0Qg6y-RTior43zELqsUSHJl1Yrportjb7kf58VeN8U4H7sgbOUeY_GrTVVf-c/s1600/wk4004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JZH_vb6aVPIPbXqRBpYTXdAh3ImD9sfk-4ZKeWPfZPBglLrvptFSiHCAl4rIHg9rvMqtpp1cpxp-cn0Qg6y-RTior43zELqsUSHJl1Yrportjb7kf58VeN8U4H7sgbOUeY_GrTVVf-c/s400/wk4004.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Wearing layers at Valley Forge National Park.</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Don't forget a warm coat! </span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even if you think you won't need it, PACK IT! If you're traveling in warm weather, tuck it under a seat where it won't bother you; you'll be glad you have it on that random cold day. Bonus points if your rain jacket can double as your warm coat! (You might have noticed, I couldn't make a decision and threw about 4 jackets in the back of the car - but I wore them all!)</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_U_dKWedbdOwAYo6rKoleGG5yHaa4e0ETXmPwaeoeaIVPLAUNnenui8gcKHhZVS4V4yTiYOIPajjf8KOCEvvi2g1bnz3kS4WWWAkprGrUQ820mbNu7emnpGg8_WHnUhSbhZaH7-JeuRE/s1600/wk4008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_U_dKWedbdOwAYo6rKoleGG5yHaa4e0ETXmPwaeoeaIVPLAUNnenui8gcKHhZVS4V4yTiYOIPajjf8KOCEvvi2g1bnz3kS4WWWAkprGrUQ820mbNu7emnpGg8_WHnUhSbhZaH7-JeuRE/s400/wk4008.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="266" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So cold at the Easternmost lighthouse in the US that I couldn't stand up straight.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Lubec, Maine</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pants and shorts</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On an unseasonably cool day in the summer, you might find you wish you had a pair of pants, and on a surprisingly warm day in the middle winter, it feels so good to walk around in the sunshine in a pair of shorts! Pack one of each, depending on what time of year you're traveling. </span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8fh501jOS4LjjIO3cRJFrug_K59XH45EG-rn-OTeV8ODJzJd0VoDKxKcZDuJYXDSvPg0Jfj8Kw58FxwFJcyLkINyJ4Q7QDDdGTfayYlP1g4lqjdSWJChVdFYURS21nsmvYnH17MNMCg/s1600/wk4023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8fh501jOS4LjjIO3cRJFrug_K59XH45EG-rn-OTeV8ODJzJd0VoDKxKcZDuJYXDSvPg0Jfj8Kw58FxwFJcyLkINyJ4Q7QDDdGTfayYlP1g4lqjdSWJChVdFYURS21nsmvYnH17MNMCg/s400/wk4023.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My jeans got way more wear than I had anticipated. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our visit to Death Valley gave them a little break.</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Long and short sleeves</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The same goes for your top half: pack a variety of sleeve lengths, making sure you can mix and match!</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWC0Fz61zunrrpCkbpAkCtW1oaRUGvP85IDA0O3IpEhTlMVgyUELXUd840aH-ipOV6dZJfiLYmsLZYj4IkoOQIWSbfGxH8KDZ669VqXh8Z3BHRNudooq7Ydp4-wn2D0sOEKP-ODkd13kw/s1600/wk4024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWC0Fz61zunrrpCkbpAkCtW1oaRUGvP85IDA0O3IpEhTlMVgyUELXUd840aH-ipOV6dZJfiLYmsLZYj4IkoOQIWSbfGxH8KDZ669VqXh8Z3BHRNudooq7Ydp4-wn2D0sOEKP-ODkd13kw/s320/wk4024.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="318" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Layering a cardigan over a sleeveless shirt kept me comfortable</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">walking around San Antonio on a sunny March day.</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Scarf/hat/gloves</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">See above photo regarding scarves. They're great for an extra bit of warmth, especially early in the morning, and are easy to tie around a purse strap when you warm up.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you're traveling in the peak of summer, hats and gloves are unlikely to ever see the light of day, but for 8 or 9 months out of the year, you might find you want them in higher elevations or northern states.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEAUBVDsF_hYyA0noa6KGlq2GQOBnfT3efcwC4fKA9666gM_RiYWVjQaH_qKQHmlND0L8ogAC0y6fcmlXjYayT1Qtk5TTbGfDVod44NvKc2wYsJ0is2N5jW5xytPhsHHGjRnYBDiNitM/s1600/wk4014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEAUBVDsF_hYyA0noa6KGlq2GQOBnfT3efcwC4fKA9666gM_RiYWVjQaH_qKQHmlND0L8ogAC0y6fcmlXjYayT1Qtk5TTbGfDVod44NvKc2wYsJ0is2N5jW5xytPhsHHGjRnYBDiNitM/s400/wk4014.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Keeping my ears warm on the Macinack Island Ferry, Michigan.</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Shoes</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As mentioned above, a pair of boots is a good idea for keeping feet warm and dry, but for sunny, clear days, you'll want a pair of comfortable shoes for walking. I tend to get blisters or foot cramps very easily when wearing sandals for long periods of walking and usually wind up having to switch over to running shoes, which of course, scream, "I'm a tourist!" I was fortunate to find these <a href="http://www.keds.com/en/craze-t-toe/15170W.html" target="_blank">Keds</a> a few weeks before we began our trip and loved them so much I wore them out and have since bought a second pair. They are cute and comfortable - some days we walked over 10 miles, and I never had a problem!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To avoid blisters, make sure you wear any new shoes for a week or so before you leave to break them in if you will be doing a lot of walking on your trip.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDSzDEfbN373rIr5gB6LHp5jqdYZ2dWPVXuZxThVFVxJzSWPxZhE9ZwJGKf0SeLj21uwHAvzIPzlDjiFZPCVcM9Zd9Ak4GF475BQX2bZkue5_0I4OscL6-ZjBMsakaEpCEOgmwQKVMIM/s1600/wk4018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDSzDEfbN373rIr5gB6LHp5jqdYZ2dWPVXuZxThVFVxJzSWPxZhE9ZwJGKf0SeLj21uwHAvzIPzlDjiFZPCVcM9Zd9Ak4GF475BQX2bZkue5_0I4OscL6-ZjBMsakaEpCEOgmwQKVMIM/s400/wk4018.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Such great little shoes! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Tampa, FL</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Toiletries</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To create more space for your clothes, pack your makeup and toiletries as though you're flying and need to fit everything into a carry-on bag. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Keep it simple; your photos will keep your secret, and the additional space will allow for necessities like clothing and shoes.</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Use small bottles for shampoo and conditioner. Unless you're traveling for a very long time, 3-oz. bottles should provide you with enough to keep your hair clean and shiny. If necessary, you can always replenish your shampoo and conditioner with hotel miniatures (some hotels use brands like Pantene or Bath and Body Works, so snatch these up when they're available).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pack your curling iron/straightener, but leave your hairdryer at home. The majority of hotels provide decent hairdryers for guest use. Most of the time, I found great hairdryers, but in a few older hotels, I was stuck with 1250-watt versions, which required a few extra minutes of drying time.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Include only the necessities in a small makeup bag. You don't need four eyeshadows and three lipsticks.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Since a road trip requires that one travel in a vehicle - whether it's your own car or a rental - there is plenty of space to just throw in an extra suitcase if you can't decide exactly what you'll need. Just remember that whatever you pack must be lugged in to and out of every hotel in every city - so do your best to ensure you're only packing the essentials!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dirty Laundry</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now that your suitcase is packed, you're almost there! But your clothes will eventually wind up dirty if you're traveling for long enough, and if you don't want to walk around the country smelling like a dirty hamper, you'll have to do laundry somewhere. Many chain hotels have laundry facilities that guests can use for a small charge. Here are my tips for doing laundry in a hotel:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVbeAoYlUTJwJHv4e0tBSUyiXfT2LKjCYRCqNr7xhgGzRxKzxIAkK9s2DVeuU3McB2i7UHQJ1cG-l6d-fYADRmJMaBwArY3lz5gvKI-BwPE3tpOtYFtvKUgua0Fsb_CfMAM7PStN0ouM/s1600/wk4025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVbeAoYlUTJwJHv4e0tBSUyiXfT2LKjCYRCqNr7xhgGzRxKzxIAkK9s2DVeuU3McB2i7UHQJ1cG-l6d-fYADRmJMaBwArY3lz5gvKI-BwPE3tpOtYFtvKUgua0Fsb_CfMAM7PStN0ouM/s320/wk4025.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I packed all of the following in a small Rubbermaid container so I would be prepared on Laundry Days. The rest of the time, it was stashed out of the way in the backseat.</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Quarters: Put quarters in a used medicine bottle to use for the washer and dryer. You can always get change at the front desk, but you may find yourself waiting for someone to check in before you're able to get your quarters from the front desk staff.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Laundry detergent: Take your own small container of laundry powder or liquid and a few sheets of fabric softener. These are available in vending machines at most hotels with laundry rooms, but they are exorbitantly priced, you're better off providing your own.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pop-up hamper: Include a small pop-up hamper for transporting your clothes to and from the laundry room, then fold it flat when you're finished and put it back in the car until you need to be clean again.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Delicates bag(s): You don't want to lose half of your socks to the dryer monster or drop your unmentionables on the way back to your room! Put all your small clothing items in these bags to keep them all in one place.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBwAtKra_oayA2diABn2dFyunV5Lb0GOs3a3z3QrUMpGa9yx2paIP3XzypDGWZrGmDJKgOKaKZx-MMN_7bHgLKdjizruqjPXghF1dDJTu39R5UFQhEotl8jrRO9U22863Ip24CgKY-EA/s1600/wk4026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBwAtKra_oayA2diABn2dFyunV5Lb0GOs3a3z3QrUMpGa9yx2paIP3XzypDGWZrGmDJKgOKaKZx-MMN_7bHgLKdjizruqjPXghF1dDJTu39R5UFQhEotl8jrRO9U22863Ip24CgKY-EA/s400/wk4026.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="315" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This laundry facility at this hotel didn't have an option </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">for purchasing detergent or softener on site.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While you're at it...</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">DON'T OVERFILL THE HOTEL WASHER OR DRYER. It's probably smaller than the one you have at home. When I washed our clothes in Detroit, I made this mistake and even after two cycles in the dryer, our clothes still weren't dry. We hung them on every available surface overnight, and a few were still damp the next morning. We draped those across the pop-up hamper in the car during the day and overnight at our next hotel, and they were finally dry about 36 hours later. It sounds a little far-fetched, but I am not kidding.</span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOrnq-JzWqBsBdyJELmoD1a7mrXaGpRxIcLdjZM1TPDzT0co0XLPIQAXuDplawMWXK_g8no-Ds7HAxZmtDxGWDhaT_Y1O4hhCiS4v3dvlw7H7SzHUQldIqEtST8JioEMhlHwU-9p-DQQ/s1600/wk4003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOrnq-JzWqBsBdyJELmoD1a7mrXaGpRxIcLdjZM1TPDzT0co0XLPIQAXuDplawMWXK_g8no-Ds7HAxZmtDxGWDhaT_Y1O4hhCiS4v3dvlw7H7SzHUQldIqEtST8JioEMhlHwU-9p-DQQ/s400/wk4003.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Long-Term Travel: How to Pack & Doing Laundry in a Hotel" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our hotel room became a clothesline.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Detroit, MI</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Check the dryer filter before you dry your clothes. Who knows when it was last cleaned out?</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Set aside several hours for laundry. Remember that you may have to wait for the machine, which will add some time to laundry day. While you're waiting to switch your clothes over to the dryer, it's a good time to relax and watch a movie, plan the next few days of your trip, use the hotel exercise room or pool, or take a short nap.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Set a timer. You're sharing a laundry space, so this is considerate to other guests and it will keep you from losing road trip time while your clothes sit there waiting for you to move them. At the hotels where I did laundry, there were signs stating how long the washer and dryer cycles would take, so I used the timer on my phone.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We hope these suggestions will help you as you plan your travels; we'd love to hear your tips in the Comments section below!</span><br />
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48 No Interstatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18315480601415725718noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-35355818707172886832017-01-17T14:51:00.002-08:002017-03-01T11:29:52.435-08:0010 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's Week 3 of our <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/Planning%20a%20Back%20Roads%20Road%20Trip" target="_blank">Planning a Back Roads Road Trip</a> series, and we're sharing some tips for getting the most out of your road trip. We've narrowed it down to 10 suggestions we think will help you be prepared for and enjoy your time on the road.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqV_pCx6_wu4iNiUcmDhlC_thivcDGP3j_GygWYFHBsUBbWsi3FSJqWiQ9wAcPYpeI_GOSknSvclISL7AiE58zTh1kos2bRkvn5DsjzrjJ4tY2Vmlph7MlSABUruWULz6b_sSZI9C7dsM/s1600/blog+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqV_pCx6_wu4iNiUcmDhlC_thivcDGP3j_GygWYFHBsUBbWsi3FSJqWiQ9wAcPYpeI_GOSknSvclISL7AiE58zTh1kos2bRkvn5DsjzrjJ4tY2Vmlph7MlSABUruWULz6b_sSZI9C7dsM/s640/blog+image.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">1</b><b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">- Have a plan, but be flexible!</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You need to know where you're going, so looking at the map to plan out a general route is a good idea. But be willing to turn right instead of left when a sign points out some nearby roadside oddity. Some of the best experiences we had on our road trip were the spontaneous ones, like the day I was pulling out the supplies to make lunch when we drove into Pie Town, New Mexico. How could you eat a PBJ for lunch when you're in a place called Pie Town? So we stopped at the first restaurant we came to and were so glad we did.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyjzSkiqUewv92FipUkbSIRs_fUadOruJjxnTNA0wUwbuEfced0wVSBA_OM2qgvHb56zv7df6RFKfuDEYMri_8dnQbic8Km_WJSTw3V7NYZfStPBDGj2NC3BiswQ1YDQ4p9bQBpQpUyE/s1600/week3018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyjzSkiqUewv92FipUkbSIRs_fUadOruJjxnTNA0wUwbuEfced0wVSBA_OM2qgvHb56zv7df6RFKfuDEYMri_8dnQbic8Km_WJSTw3V7NYZfStPBDGj2NC3BiswQ1YDQ4p9bQBpQpUyE/s400/week3018.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThePieSource/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Pie Source Homestead Cafe</i></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Pie Town, New Mexico</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When we started out, we drew an outline of our planned route, but were no more detailed than that. The way we got from point A to point B each day unfolded as we went. Sometimes, we would plan out 3-4 days at a time, including hotel reservations, but most of the time we'd discuss our route over breakfast or lunch and see where the day took us, making our hotel reservation at some point during the day - sometimes as late as 3 or 4:00! Read more about <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/02/how-to-create-road-trip-itinerary.html" target="_blank">how we created our itinerary</a> in Week #5!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgATi0q3luqsUJeotlkQiMex7-ffk9b-IbueBtoeqIoXqnezxbYvTj86W5Ayl_r_0yKrslCDQ3XjHIyhgmxBccuKHTZfSAR_YvbC2MrelCtngjvqXmRO-eMN1eZ6RJWq7YEGR_i5KUcE/s1600/week3023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><img alt="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgATi0q3luqsUJeotlkQiMex7-ffk9b-IbueBtoeqIoXqnezxbYvTj86W5Ayl_r_0yKrslCDQ3XjHIyhgmxBccuKHTZfSAR_YvbC2MrelCtngjvqXmRO-eMN1eZ6RJWq7YEGR_i5KUcE/s640/week3023.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" width="640" /></i></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The original sketch of our route</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 - Use your Cell Phone as a Resource, not as Entertainment</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Conserve your battery</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Every morning, put your phone on Low Battery mode. It made no difference in the performance of my phone, but it allowed my battery to last MUCH longer each day after I discovered it. You never want to get caught with a dead battery when you're on the road; in the event of an emergency, it may be the only way to get help!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>On an iPhone, go to Settings > Battery</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Internet usage</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Newsflash: Cell phones don't get service everywhere. If you plan to visit a National Park, you'll be disconnected from your Twitter feed for a few glorious hours. Many country roads don't get great service, and we found out early on that when we tried to use our phones for navigation in some of these areas, it ate through our data plan, which we had to increase two or three times during the course of our trip. To make sure you always have access to navigational assistance, you can purchase a GPS system for under $100, extending the life of both your battery and your data plan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">See tips #3, #4, and #10 for more on cell phone usage on your road trip!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3 - Audio Entertainment</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Your radio won't always work, or might only pick up one or two stations when it does! In these areas, it's highly unlikely that your cell phone will be able to connect to Pandora, Audible, etc. Come prepared with music or audiobooks on CDs or MP3 player. We were able to check out audiobooks from our local library and download them with wireless connections in hotels so we didn't use up a bunch of data or cell phone battery each time we wanted to listen to a new book.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4 - Take lots of pictures</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Make sure you have space on your phone for tons of photos! Or, even better, take a good quality digital camera with you to snap pictures of your trip. Your phone battery will drain more quickly when taking lots of photos, and if you're relying on it for navigation or using it as a telephone (shocking!), you want to make sure you don't overuse it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF0T1mjTxrA-ltLBzvpxgDi60pZzmgvkQJC9MLHuEqNl3ZEtplZXEgc2FuxUOLdkej34lAjUJ5Thez29Ly3r-AuKh_MeUk2WRck7v2G2lfoLrFykiJ5WGeasgo7TOVj6hv1OUVAqDkqs/s1600/week3031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF0T1mjTxrA-ltLBzvpxgDi60pZzmgvkQJC9MLHuEqNl3ZEtplZXEgc2FuxUOLdkej34lAjUJ5Thez29Ly3r-AuKh_MeUk2WRck7v2G2lfoLrFykiJ5WGeasgo7TOVj6hv1OUVAqDkqs/s400/week3031.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Outside of Magdalena, New Mexico</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">If you l</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">ook closely, you'll see the crack in the filthy windshield </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: start;">we picked up somewhere between Tampa and San Antonio.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Normally, I wouldn't recommend standing in the middle of the road to take a picture. But you'll find that on some back roads, you have miles of visibility that allow plenty of reaction time to get out of the way!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5 - Write about your trip!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Take a notebook to record your trip. Or create a note in your cell phone for easy access no matter where you are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Each day, take a few minutes to write either a narrative or bullet points about where you went and what you did (but don't let it interfere with tip #10!). You'll want to remember everything, but as the days go by and more experiences flood your brain, it'll get harder to remember what you did yesterday, or if you travel for more than a week, it might be hard to remember what day it is at all.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6 - Limit your driving time</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You're on a road trip, so you will be driving a lot. 😉 But everyone gets tired of sitting after a while and you will be happier with a chance to get out of the car to stretch your legs and burn some energy. When possible, try to keep your driving days to 6 hours or less. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some days you'll have to travel longer. When that's necessary, try to plan a fun activity or rotate drivers. Break up long driving days with stops for gas, restrooms, or fun activities, like a short walk, game of frisbee, or a picnic lunch. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On one long driving day in Nevada, we made a spur-of-the-moment stop for a short walk along a <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/hickison-petroglyph-recreation-area-austin" target="_blank">half-mile trail where ancient petroglyphs are visible on large rocks</a>. We got some fresh air and moved around enough to be ready to spend the rest of the day in the car heading toward San Francisco.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8129Xz7XPeE7Yx7WGg8BQSU7-wAEKqsQmLSyNr2-PDAnzkJWGsX4cWUbMlb2gudbme9TZ9dqJHCgD2Rp-Ukr9Z28FtdXC5tsTFRsWjGJCENA-_SIp5dAq75rkeEQs2DYOyIQZat-Uwpg/s1600/week3004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8129Xz7XPeE7Yx7WGg8BQSU7-wAEKqsQmLSyNr2-PDAnzkJWGsX4cWUbMlb2gudbme9TZ9dqJHCgD2Rp-Ukr9Z28FtdXC5tsTFRsWjGJCENA-_SIp5dAq75rkeEQs2DYOyIQZat-Uwpg/s400/week3004.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>US Highway 50, </i></span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nevada</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My brother flew out to spend Memorial Day weekend with us. When his flight to San Francisco was delayed, we had time to stop for a picnic at Lake Tahoe that included sketching and reading time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>South Lake Tahoe, Nevada</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">7 - Take pit stops when the opportunity arises.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In some areas, you might go for more than an hour without seeing a rest stop, gas station, restaurant - or even another car! Keep track of your location on an atlas and be aware of when you're getting into such an area. Many, but not all, roads will have signs warning drivers that they are about to pass into a sparsely populated area with no facilities. Fill up your tank when you can; many of these areas won't have great cell reception, so you'll be relying on passersby if you get stuck!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">8 - Nobody likes a 'hangry' travel partner!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Make sure you have snacks and water bottles in the car, preferably in a cooler, or at least bundled up under spare blankets/coats to stay cool. You never know when you might run out of gas or take a wrong turn and wind up in need of sustenance. Pretzels, chips and salsa, granola bars, and almonds were in our snack stash and sustained us when we were in need of a pick-me-up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In addition, it's easy to get dehydrated while traveling in hopes of avoiding the unpleasant feeling of needing a bathroom when there are none to be found, but it's important to drink plenty of water while traveling, especially in the dry southwest. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">9 - Eat local!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Don't stop at the golden arches, unless it's to run in to use a clean restroom in the absence of an acceptable gas station! You'll have the opportunity to eat a Big Mac anytime after you return home. There are so many wonderful restaurants in this country, and your road trip is an excellent opportunity to try some of them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We made a point to never eat at a restaurant that we could eat at at home. Mostly, we ate at mom-and-pop joints that looked interesting as we passed by, but we did sometimes search for 'best restaurants in _____', and we were never disappointed. We also had interesting conversations with locals or fellow travelers that wouldn't have happened had we been in an Applebee's. We did visit a few franchised restaurants, such as Shake Shack and In-n-Out, but neither restaurant has a location within 200 miles of our home, and therefore met our requirement. We shared our <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/02/our-favorite-restaurants-in-america.html" target="_blank">favorite road trip restaurants here</a>!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QjatAl7N-DANh4VuOYa4V71qsCM1dQXG_WI1k4kRpWOuYBjjRfXzskzeI0da17aExR9a7789-1E9Mr3I2R4JM2Hjlc5lGcA8gw-58l9T1vyo3L7BSMx0seV9Y9-_9msc-usNeopdSh4/s1600/week3017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QjatAl7N-DANh4VuOYa4V71qsCM1dQXG_WI1k4kRpWOuYBjjRfXzskzeI0da17aExR9a7789-1E9Mr3I2R4JM2Hjlc5lGcA8gw-58l9T1vyo3L7BSMx0seV9Y9-_9msc-usNeopdSh4/s400/week3017.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Two of our favorites were in New Mexico: the aforementioned Homestead Cafe in Pie Town </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">and </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bigdsdowntowndive/" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Big D's Downtown Dive</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> in Roswell (which was a TripAdvisor find).</span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">10 - Watch the world go by.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is the biggest suggestion we have for getting the maximum enjoyment out of your trip. Put down the small screen and look through the big one right in front of you: your windshield. Who needs a phone/movie/video game when the whole country is unfolding before your eyes? There's so much to see; it's why you're taking the scenic route in the first place! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here are a few things we would have missed had we been looking down:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWRVfqPcy6d38Il81dbGYvP9ZPZfbcIGGIi4mcrRBDKQWzfISYdPT3_ALfu_b21NImU4q6Q7MbjhjcdBj3hEHjnJCvmrRbK5JyvXACMBPcK8cbGg1Y6PpKBi5mSlkW3tSqYrbwaG1mXA/s1600/week3003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><img alt="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWRVfqPcy6d38Il81dbGYvP9ZPZfbcIGGIi4mcrRBDKQWzfISYdPT3_ALfu_b21NImU4q6Q7MbjhjcdBj3hEHjnJCvmrRbK5JyvXACMBPcK8cbGg1Y6PpKBi5mSlkW3tSqYrbwaG1mXA/s400/week3003.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" width="400" /></i></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Southern Alabama</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Loneliest Highway, Nevada</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrUgb4QASTNjQV6NKGezQ1cMXXqH-srXfRYygUf5VMa0otJDmg5ujcP0VxrQ5tmoSsFVrGLmzlSORYzTuY-wwJKS4kLvd_cx6-YF7960v-bxGYjbEZuOJ_vyCwKSfyot4jlBCkNXCEU4/s1600/week3026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><img alt="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrUgb4QASTNjQV6NKGezQ1cMXXqH-srXfRYygUf5VMa0otJDmg5ujcP0VxrQ5tmoSsFVrGLmzlSORYzTuY-wwJKS4kLvd_cx6-YF7960v-bxGYjbEZuOJ_vyCwKSfyot4jlBCkNXCEU4/s400/week3026.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: 10 Tips for Enjoying Your Next Road Trip" width="400" /></i></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Grand County, Colorado</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> Goochs Beach</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Kennebunkport, Maine</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> Northern Ohio</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> Snow in late May!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Continental Divide, Colorado Rockies</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Join us next week for more <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/Road%20Trip%20Tips" target="_blank">road trip tips</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Check out the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust Facebook group</a> and <a href="http://malaysianmeanders.blogspot.com/2017/02/spy-vs-spy-at-international-spy-museum.html" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a> pages for more travel inspiration!</span><br />
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-36966503710662894152017-01-10T13:43:00.005-08:002017-06-26T04:29:23.305-07:00How to Prepare your Car for a Road Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Welcome back to our <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/Planning%20a%20Back%20Roads%20Road%20Trip" target="_blank">Planning a Back Roads Road Trip</a> series! This week, we'll share our suggestions for what to do to prepare your car for a road trip and what to pack to be certain you have everything you need.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">When an Eagle Scout and a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient pack a car for a road trip, they tend to pack everything they could possibly need in an effort to 'Be Prepared.' There were few times we found ourselves without an item we needed, and we thought there might be others out there who could benefit from what we learned on our 80-day road trip. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvEdNX92yxLPPoWHueiEO7bzsVu4fju4O82IsKdwoVU2a6-gnzYRkPJCXQaLpcE9tIYkTpQUFPz6JAyAR9OjY7v6DsiuajwGOEmYF9q1EsybiYQsjCi3RNnVvcwJbU9a2idNv6hb1M1M/s1600/cover+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Prepare your Car for a Road Trip" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvEdNX92yxLPPoWHueiEO7bzsVu4fju4O82IsKdwoVU2a6-gnzYRkPJCXQaLpcE9tIYkTpQUFPz6JAyAR9OjY7v6DsiuajwGOEmYF9q1EsybiYQsjCi3RNnVvcwJbU9a2idNv6hb1M1M/s640/cover+photo.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Prepare your Car for a Road Trip" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Traveling can get expensive, and you don't want to drop cash you planned to spend on an experience on something unnecessary or use your limited time in search of something you could have just brought with you. Save time, stress, and $$$ by following our tips on packing and preparing your car for your road trip!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Vehicle maintenance and safety</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm guessing you don't have 'get stuck on the side of the road due to car trouble' on your road trip itinerary. Making sure your car is in good working order is a pretty important step to take before embarking on a road trip!</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First and foremost, make sure your car is up-to-date on regular maintenance: oil, wiper fluid, tires, etc. The manual that came with your car should be in the glove compartment so you can quickly identify whether any lights that show up on the dashboard during your trip require immediate attention or whether you can wait until you get home to address them. If you're renting a car, it should come to you with regular maintenance complete and manual available in the glove compartment.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Make sure you have easy access to your registration and proof of insurance in case it's needed. If it's a rental, put the rental agreement in the glove compartment or center console where you can reach it easily.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don't forget your jumper cables! Tuck them under a seat where they're out of the way but available if needed. Hopefully, you'll never need them!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Travel club membership & Loyalty programs</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Memberships in travel clubs are beneficial, providing discounts and access to free roadside assistance:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">AAA membership card</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">AAA is not paying us to say this, and they probably don't even know we exist other than our having a membership. I've found my AAA membership to be quite a useful tool over the years, but we really benefitted from it on this trip. Primarily, we saved hundreds of dollars on hotels over the course of three months of travel, but many parks, museums, and other attractions also offer a AAA discount. The rate is not always published, so just ask! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another benefit is the roadside assistance - which we were fortunate to not have to use this trip - locksmiths and free towing are the main ones that come to mind at the moment, but if you don't know how to change a tire, they can help with that, too!</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hotel loyalty card(s)</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's another free plug for some companies: Sign up for the loyalty program at a couple different hotel chains to earn points toward free nights. The ones we used most were Choice Hotels (Comfort Inn/Suites, Sleep Inn, etc.) and IHG (Holiday Inn). We got many free nights from Choice, as it was our primary hotel chain, and one or two from the handful of times we stayed at a Holiday Inn. These hotels were clean, reasonably priced and gave us everything we needed: free breakfast, a mini refrigerator, parking (free except for large cities), wireless internet, and comfortable beds. Most also had laundry facilities, which was important for us on such a long trip. We enjoyed staying at a handful of locally owned bed and breakfasts during our trip, too, but primarily staying in chains was most practical as we wound up with free nights 2-3 times per week, keeping our average cost per night well under $100 for our long trip. </span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When combined, these two saved us a ton of green. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWtWvL9tV6KNCpi2aywr4sJhuieFctr-wflC9oocCzCek3ItJc5R44qQJ0UxNkd93_5nrnxR1BEm5wmDKPTSuF9efwRIxGTHz2QCdZtd54SJM-YZblApIRsaKPvVDf-sT-JApvCeaZpA/s1600/howtoprepthecar006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Prepare your Car for a Road Trip" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWtWvL9tV6KNCpi2aywr4sJhuieFctr-wflC9oocCzCek3ItJc5R44qQJ0UxNkd93_5nrnxR1BEm5wmDKPTSuF9efwRIxGTHz2QCdZtd54SJM-YZblApIRsaKPvVDf-sT-JApvCeaZpA/s320/howtoprepthecar006.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Prepare your Car for a Road Trip" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>In our garage, setting out on the first leg of our trip.</i></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Pack the necessities</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On a shorter trip, many items in the list below might seem like overkill. But when you're traveling long term, your car becomes this weird combination of kitchen, living room, and office, and having certain road trip essentials within arm's reach can make your life easier. For a longer trip lasting 10-14 days or more, I would highly recommend considering keeping most, if not all of the items on the list below where you can easily access them:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cell phone chargers</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You never want to be unable to communicate with the outside world in an emergency!</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Extra camera battery</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So you don't miss the perfect photo op! Make sure to charge both batteries at your hotel daily.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Spare change for tolls</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Within cities and on many large bridges across the country, toll roads are common. You don't want to be 'that guy' holding up a line of cars while you search for change, and lines for 'exact change' tend to move more quickly than the ones for drivers who need change. An old prescription canister with the label removed is perfect to fill with quarters and store in the center console.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cash</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are many places in this world that only take cash. Some restaurants, parking lots or meters, or roadside attractions fall into this category. Make sure you have $20-$50 available either in your wallet or in the car (keeping it in the car instead of your wallet keeps you from accidentally spending it). You never know when you'll need it and you'll avoid searching for an ATM by getting it in advance. If your bank doesn't have ATMs in the area you're traveling, you can always get cash back from a purchase at a drug or grocery store to avoid the ATM fee.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Scissors/pocketknife, scotch tape</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You never know when you might need to cut something up or tape something together!</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Notebook, pens/pencils</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To record your thoughts, write a note, create an itinerary, etc.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flashlight</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To use in the dark...hopefully only to check the map - not while stuck on the side of the road! </span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blanket(s)</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In case one of you gets cold. Or you wind up sleeping in your car. I found my blanket helpful in shading my legs from the sun when it was shining in through the window.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Road map/Atlas</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are times when you need more than a 2" x 3" screen. There are also times that you won't have cell phone service. You can buy a large atlas<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=l01d9-20&l=am2&o=1&a=0528015478" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> for under $15 and it will easily slide into the space between your seat and the center console. I traced the route on ours as we went so we'd always be able to look back and see our route.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GPS</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Avoid using your cell phone data and draining your battery by purchasing an inexpensive GPS system<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=l01d9-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B00RVGZRR2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> if you don't already have one. It's also more likely than your cell phone to work in remote areas. It also doesn't count against your data usage, which is helpful if, like us, you don't have unlimited data.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2R2kIrzTD6tOZ7s-NUHv1jHtOKRsGKyglWaSV3DLvzRX_0wffuO9qCK2PPWBKgx892GyHcrj4guELHvTmz_5NWvdLauZk6BYfef9ZPlYHxa8TT51NtoBp-2kKXy9JMZBff_6I9fFg_X8/s1600/howtoprepthecar001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Prepare your Car for a Road Trip" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2R2kIrzTD6tOZ7s-NUHv1jHtOKRsGKyglWaSV3DLvzRX_0wffuO9qCK2PPWBKgx892GyHcrj4guELHvTmz_5NWvdLauZk6BYfef9ZPlYHxa8TT51NtoBp-2kKXy9JMZBff_6I9fFg_X8/s400/howtoprepthecar001.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Prepare your Car for a Road Trip" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Rainy sunset on US 90 along the Gulf Coast in Florida</i></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Spare car key</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">JUST IN CASE you lose your keys, hiding a spare car key somewhere will save you hundreds of dollars and a long wait for a locksmith (Even with a AAA membership, this can be a very expensive and time consuming process if your key is computerized. We didn't have a problem on this trip but did once in the past and it was a pain and also cost an arm and a leg on top of the amount that AAA covered.). </span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A purse or wallet will allow you to keep a spare key with you at all times, assuming you don't lose your purse or wallet - in which case you have a bigger problem! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A magnetic box attached to the underside of the car is another option; I can't say whether it will stay there over thousands of miles, though. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last, you can keep it in a safe place inside the car and use your AAA membership to call a locksmith to unlock your car for free.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sunglasses</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Great for bright days, especially as you drive due West directly into a sunset or due East directly into a sunrise.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sunscreen</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Use it! Even in a car, your arms and face are pretty exposed. If you stop to hike or have a picnic, you'll be glad you have it.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gloves</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In case it gets cold.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First aid kit</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Complete with a few bandaids and a small container of advil/other painkiller, cold/flu and motion sickness medicine, etc. to keep you from having to find a pharmacy or overpay at a gas station if these items become necessary. You could also keep this in your suitcase.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chapstick and lotion</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you're going anywhere in the West, this is a necessity. We're used to high humidity in Columbia, SC, so when we got into west Texas and beyond, my hands and lips dried out and I was constantly lathering up. This is also when it became hard to drink enough water to not be thirsty all the time!</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hand sanitizer!</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are a lot of gross gas stations in the US that don't keep up with refilling their soap dispensers. In middle of nowhere in the west and in many national parks, there are a lot of...outhouses. Keep the hand sanitizer close. You'll be glad you did.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Food. A cooler for the cold stuff. A cardboard box for the rest.</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Taking food with us allowed us to save time and money on lunches most days by eating the roadtrip staple lunch of PBJs. Midmorning yogurt held us over until lunchtime. Tortilla chips and salsa were a favorite midafternoon snack. Having the snacks with us kept us from having to search for food when we got hungry.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We packed a few essentials like yogurt, a couple of soft drinks in case the need for extra caffeine arose, salsa, jelly for sandwiches, etc. At night, we would store these in the hotel mini fridge. We didn't have a problem getting ice at most hotels, though there were a few with signs posted asking guests not to use the ice to fill coolers. On those days, we picked up a bag at a gas station or grocery store. Each time we headed to the store to restock our food supply, we also picked up fruit like grapes, apples, or bananas (a few times we'd take one to go from the hotel breakfast buffet), but they don't last long in the car without getting bruised, so we had to eat them quickly. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the cardboard box, we kept pretzels, sandwich bread, peanut butter, Pringles, almonds, tortilla chips, plastic spoons and knives, paper towels, and a few non-chocolate (hot sun + car + chocolate = disaster) treats. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We used our spare blanket and jackets to cover the cooler and box to keep the sun from shining directly on them as we traveled, helping to keep the cooler cool and protect the pantry items in the cardboard box. Sweaty bread = gross. Also, does peanut butter melt? We didn't want to find out.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Water.</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Save money by buying a large pack of water at a grocery store instead of individually at the gas station. We reused our bottles a few times before opening new ones and kept 2-3 liter bottles of water in the cooler each day to make sure we were never thirsty. If you're a fan of soft drinks, buy them at the grocery store, too, just be prepared to look for restrooms more often!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I also kept a gallon jug of water in the back for JUST IN CASE we got stranded in the middle of nowhere. We never had to use it, though. :-)</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Windshield screen</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hot sun + car = uncomfortable. We only needed ours a few times, and it fit nicely in the pocket on the back of the driver's seat out of the way the rest of the time.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Congratulations for making it through the list! Each item above was carefully considered before making the list, and we never once regretted having any of the items. It took a little longer to pack and unpack at the beginning and end of our trip, but on all the days in between it was great to know we had what we needed and wouldn't wind up having to drop a chunk of change on some item that we could have just packed from home for free, or use up an afternoon in search of some necessity instead of exploring the country, which is, of course, the reason we took the trip in the first place!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTqjHW9271tH0owkqQIk_xxfQaIqTb_jRqpABCSD5TJCGUKQVqEYSaXbvT-8x6EvTPr9RsnZjxw7lhIoM1JrIBze4HhOkuQ9d-zEIRJE9emRAd30SP4JDyI_3mC82DqBOyXd6iG31A_U/s1600/howtoprepthecar003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: How to Prepare your Car for a Road Trip" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTqjHW9271tH0owkqQIk_xxfQaIqTb_jRqpABCSD5TJCGUKQVqEYSaXbvT-8x6EvTPr9RsnZjxw7lhIoM1JrIBze4HhOkuQ9d-zEIRJE9emRAd30SP4JDyI_3mC82DqBOyXd6iG31A_U/s640/howtoprepthecar003.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: How to Prepare your Car for a Road Trip" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Langtry, Texas. That's Mexico in the background.</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">Are there any items you would recommend to other travelers? Share them in the comments section below!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , sans-serif;">Happy travels!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We're sharing this post at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust/" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust</a>, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">where you'll find many great travel blogs and ideas!</span><br />
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If you liked this article or found the information to be helpful, let us know! </span><br />
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-67450448492212750292017-01-03T17:53:00.003-08:002017-03-01T11:29:14.922-08:00Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To our faithful followers, we're sorry we dropped the ball for six months! Life got busy after our travels were over, and the blog got pushed to the back burner. We'd like to fix that now, and we're sharing a road trip planning series in January. Every week this month, we'll post <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/search/label/Planning%20a%20Back%20Roads%20Road%20Trip" target="_blank">tips on preparing for a road trip</a>. In this first post, we'll tell you why we think back roads are best for road trips.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For anyone who's new to 48 No Interstate, here's a quick summary of who we are and what we do: We're Nick and Laura, and we enjoy going on road trips. We have thousands of miles of backroads traveling under our seatbelts, including US 1 from South Carolina to Key West and the Pacific Coast Highway from San Diego to San Francisco, along with many day trips from our hometown of Columbia, South Carolina. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We'd talked for years about 'one day' taking a trip across the entire country on back roads, so when the opportunity presented itself last spring, we set off on an 80-day, 22,000+ mile roadtrip and accomplished the goal of going to all 48 continental states taking all back roads! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Interstates are helpful when you need to get from point A to point B quickly. But have you ever thought about what you're missing as you glide along the asphalt? Ever thought about the small towns that the <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/homepage.cfm" target="_blank">Interstate system</a> bypassed when it was created in 1956? Here are a few reasons we think you should get off the main road and discover a little bit of back roads America.</span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 - It's the best way to see the country. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You'll go for miles and not see a house, a restaurant, or even a stop sign!</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Looking 10 miles into the distance on </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">US 50, </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Loneliest Highway, in Nevada</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <i>US 60 near Springerville, AZ</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>A sign warns motorists approaching Sanderson, TX on US 90 </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>that </i></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>there </i></span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">won't be gas or toilet facilities for 60+ miles.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You'll pass through crossroads that cause you to ask yourself, "Was that really a town?" (or in the case of Langtry, TX, you might intentionally take a detour to one after seeing a roadside sign about it).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Judge Roy Bean Visitor's Center had already closed for the day when we pulled into the almost ghost town of <a href="http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Texas_ghost_towns/Langtry_Texas/Langtry_Texas.htm" target="_blank">Langtry, TX</a>, just across the border from caves high in the cliffs over the Rio Grand in Mexico. We saw no other cars or people during our short visit.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You'll pass through charming small towns.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> The Capital of Vermont, Montpelier</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> Another charming capital city, Annapolis, MD</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i> Carlinville, IL on Route 66</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Noblesville, IN</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You'll pass through large cities.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Boston, MA</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Chicago, IL</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Minneapolis, MN</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 - You never know what's going to happen next!</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you're someone who likes to plan your day down to the second with a detailed itinerary, then a backroads roadtrip might be challenging for you! You can have a plan to do one thing with your day, then something you see along the way compels you to change that plan a the spur of the moment. One of the best things about traveling on the backroads is that you never know what you'll see in the next mile, whether it's...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">...a funny road sign...</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hondo, TX</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7a0escWwPs8p2GxHvcK7cruYYdLK-5xIJcLb8EbG1PJ-bHb1tHYWGTaE55K9tt8M9If_AbQvH3qex6gATO9e_DI0-H393AmJLbDHCcRStSm5FuRKwRYewwuCVmi7mIRs4NkiGR36O-A/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7a0escWwPs8p2GxHvcK7cruYYdLK-5xIJcLb8EbG1PJ-bHb1tHYWGTaE55K9tt8M9If_AbQvH3qex6gATO9e_DI0-H393AmJLbDHCcRStSm5FuRKwRYewwuCVmi7mIRs4NkiGR36O-A/s400/6reasonstoroadtrip031.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">...a <a href="https://301endlessyardsale.com/" target="_blank">100-mile long yard sale</a>...</span><br />
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<i style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCmOmQkQQcjC6HJTZGB1aQG-9hMzlD5hFWKgR5UUTi0ZuhHagireBNF42-zd_AvZ2QM4Ca2C340dcL0i_AxzqwhhyphenhyphenPbZ4thx_vyJV4vNK9xQg8YM86pBu59ZNogQVYkDQpnRq-D1ZUBQ/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip029.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> The 301 Endless Yard Sale, NC and SC</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmh87FZAbcnYdOvDup4FZ2HpDibuTJyOvGqIjLBss7tu-9VK8N1iYeXZTocr5iRIo_E2ma6Sp4t8CnkcAu6w4loDr3VcunwCykLJqup5v0r3SxconVvru7WeK8Cw9Kj5wV7kNGC_6HbE/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmh87FZAbcnYdOvDup4FZ2HpDibuTJyOvGqIjLBss7tu-9VK8N1iYeXZTocr5iRIo_E2ma6Sp4t8CnkcAu6w4loDr3VcunwCykLJqup5v0r3SxconVvru7WeK8Cw9Kj5wV7kNGC_6HbE/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip030.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></i></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">...all kinds of murals...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTM7vDttSkqOkpCNqSuPpvcPdBrFzohFy-YwXRu1pyrW0YbK7fT-fCUxoFwnM64a4-5EABaRE-1Rhqv7CvaES8lgKhV70YQPWsU0TLsiKQVN2cKwrirmhOMln9ZDWIDybFFS5fl2C-Tg/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTM7vDttSkqOkpCNqSuPpvcPdBrFzohFy-YwXRu1pyrW0YbK7fT-fCUxoFwnM64a4-5EABaRE-1Rhqv7CvaES8lgKhV70YQPWsU0TLsiKQVN2cKwrirmhOMln9ZDWIDybFFS5fl2C-Tg/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip022.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Bangor, ME</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSqxJUEY_DIsJa3MEuCb_cyrlelGqGcXFCglgPJ3oYst2cMQhoeK8BYKbyqpXRKFqAlIKnLt9rp_klawKWZ6FR1VRaPzHgNhuokOUHNof4M7XVZN0kEZI3hSEX1Mzgr3x0xoGE9wW4XM/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSqxJUEY_DIsJa3MEuCb_cyrlelGqGcXFCglgPJ3oYst2cMQhoeK8BYKbyqpXRKFqAlIKnLt9rp_klawKWZ6FR1VRaPzHgNhuokOUHNof4M7XVZN0kEZI3hSEX1Mzgr3x0xoGE9wW4XM/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip023.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Cuba, MO, the 'Mural City'</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Route 66</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOx2IbUQHj2CFWN8MKtGbPCqwuhFh6if3LSBVXNu08fCJSt_AJ1EVnd4JuP1qqaJWG0YbKX-qA52F0j3IOnf5NhhBuK5MSxahsNC24SWRTRoCzjbL7dMgk_aYr_6TMdW_fOyHQWXtkkM4/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOx2IbUQHj2CFWN8MKtGbPCqwuhFh6if3LSBVXNu08fCJSt_AJ1EVnd4JuP1qqaJWG0YbKX-qA52F0j3IOnf5NhhBuK5MSxahsNC24SWRTRoCzjbL7dMgk_aYr_6TMdW_fOyHQWXtkkM4/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip026.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Salem, MA</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">...the coolest grocery store known to man...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJAI92SoEsK7B6ptwQLWO9G-j-tk5qCJnw3ecXo6g0G2M5P7j2sG7F3iwZEn_QbRosESQRE9eTuNOdg25lzqAyfY_t0lcbZfX0VIeJmHO8_xvtAN7rvmPqqlYsKsE7G8FM5aqihED1iU/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJAI92SoEsK7B6ptwQLWO9G-j-tk5qCJnw3ecXo6g0G2M5P7j2sG7F3iwZEn_QbRosESQRE9eTuNOdg25lzqAyfY_t0lcbZfX0VIeJmHO8_xvtAN7rvmPqqlYsKsE7G8FM5aqihED1iU/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip021.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>At </i></span><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.stewleonards.com/" target="_blank">Stew Leonard's</a> on US 1 in Norwalk, CT, you can watch </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">milk being bottled and </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">juice being squeezed, among other things! When we saw the mini farm in front </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">of the store, which is in the middle of town, we j</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ust HAD to stop for a quick visit</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's the Disney World of grocery stores.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">...a tiny jail...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjor0ciaC_Y_m_9_UkgxlW8PjiCQzlAKzEH1VTgfc3-9F7SHGQ_x1pVpqVcNDcRzksrv193SSAh4o7Twsqctmz-FRJyvwV6GsB4It1GY08LYibThJB3NzI7vSM-V8L9J_ViYAKeeeuFomo/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjor0ciaC_Y_m_9_UkgxlW8PjiCQzlAKzEH1VTgfc3-9F7SHGQ_x1pVpqVcNDcRzksrv193SSAh4o7Twsqctmz-FRJyvwV6GsB4It1GY08LYibThJB3NzI7vSM-V8L9J_ViYAKeeeuFomo/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip025.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>I caught this jail out of the corner of my eye as we drove through Ludden, ND, </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>and insisted we turn around to take a closer look. Inside, you can see the old cell </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>(and a lot of junk, as it is apparently being used as a storage shed)!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">...and who knows what else! There's never a dull moment when you travel on the back roads.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3 - You can follow historic routes.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Route 66 is no doubt the most famous historic route out there, but there are plenty more! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_y3hrXFJsElnKilKQk670YPZFAVWJPdmbJeRl008-cLjW9QcpigH-2SHRZOQbEjSfGVKXXnL7_sdytzsRZ9V2RvZxJUzpc00lr6F7ttmrq4KmsMGbkRC_V66_-dR5-E2ije5aARnzjQ/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_y3hrXFJsElnKilKQk670YPZFAVWJPdmbJeRl008-cLjW9QcpigH-2SHRZOQbEjSfGVKXXnL7_sdytzsRZ9V2RvZxJUzpc00lr6F7ttmrq4KmsMGbkRC_V66_-dR5-E2ije5aARnzjQ/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip036.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Route 66 begins across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_1" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;" target="_blank">US Highway 1</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> is the nation's longest north-south highway, running from Key West to Maine, passing through most of the East Coast's state capitals, plus Washington, DC and New York City. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1u2PLfeKlWENOQI9BFbKVuEAZJ_pSya7zhmEF4oo-IvH9SBBPAtBNvKcn3jOiMMh2il1gizQRHkUOi078n3uuTydbKaNXyYfn_ldfsBWyRjkxn73sjz6jDlnITz7MpF8shtTg1BDs64M/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1u2PLfeKlWENOQI9BFbKVuEAZJ_pSya7zhmEF4oo-IvH9SBBPAtBNvKcn3jOiMMh2il1gizQRHkUOi078n3uuTydbKaNXyYfn_ldfsBWyRjkxn73sjz6jDlnITz7MpF8shtTg1BDs64M/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip038.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>US 1 in Virginia</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">California Highway 1/<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_101" target="_blank">US 101</a>, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), meanders along the Pacific Coast through San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco before curving away from the coast into the redwoods, then continuing into Oregon and Washington.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGasPcDVwI-Ew54YeF9fSWzoaSPbIUYCDbC1ueLAI9naY3Xi4DZ3i8ZA1UQ513tAYQdqLGK-ZGYtcFBnuAOkCzl_KIM9R1wNKCYO1gialx43X1DhVEEk47AiFeCpWY9w150M4-dsjDyk/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGasPcDVwI-Ew54YeF9fSWzoaSPbIUYCDbC1ueLAI9naY3Xi4DZ3i8ZA1UQ513tAYQdqLGK-ZGYtcFBnuAOkCzl_KIM9R1wNKCYO1gialx43X1DhVEEk47AiFeCpWY9w150M4-dsjDyk/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip039.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>California State Highway 1 ends near Leggett, CA</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Additional historic routes include the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/poex/index.htm" target="_blank">Pony Express Trail</a> and the<a href="http://travelnevada.com/adventures/31498/anything-lonely-nevadas-highway-50" target="_blank">Loneliest Highway in America</a>, both of which are in Nevada. Make sure your tank is full before you turn on to either of these quiet and scenic stretches!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtGO8R5f8-uPhQ-D_EBiBDGpPIfihA3cgwqigPCwVQ_sg7BtoEgFPzPlILiSvgT5TEbh1nLdG4US-b_EW2xJ4pPAh6Q7w9q1ARH61l5jsIQTVbHB5nQUklJzwMtgW6NbPjjqHNxV4gMo/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtGO8R5f8-uPhQ-D_EBiBDGpPIfihA3cgwqigPCwVQ_sg7BtoEgFPzPlILiSvgT5TEbh1nLdG4US-b_EW2xJ4pPAh6Q7w9q1ARH61l5jsIQTVbHB5nQUklJzwMtgW6NbPjjqHNxV4gMo/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip034.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5yAefRx9MpyHTjM3sPDdyZQSUMmJrmOZ6gEDBUSrSvh-k1QVzUj3QVIh_iH4dCrimuIC6nyHVhiAdT2Z0S7Ml2wbgtzD0aY46yrLKOjI_VBzcSy7XYq7uuh5IdvN-xP1JFjaXJ4F1Bo/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5yAefRx9MpyHTjM3sPDdyZQSUMmJrmOZ6gEDBUSrSvh-k1QVzUj3QVIh_iH4dCrimuIC6nyHVhiAdT2Z0S7Ml2wbgtzD0aY46yrLKOjI_VBzcSy7XYq7uuh5IdvN-xP1JFjaXJ4F1Bo/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip035.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4 - You learn the identity of different parts of the country.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Every backroad has its own character, shaped by the history and geography of its location. You'll want to put down your book and stare out the window every minute of your trip to discover the character of each road you travel (But only if you're a passenger. If you're the driver, you shouldn't have a book. Unless it's a book on tape.😁).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/louisiana/riverroad.htm" target="_blank">River Road</a> in Louisiana, huge factories loom over old plantations along the Mississippi River, unlike any other road you'll find. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM76jwD-4HxeSnobx22-8uksop44AnKXig4EbyLt_ygVzibafJbsf7TdYtKvv7l5yUqWnbpf4tTQRE9H-YLcuFNAfdUXg4-pT1rMzq7lzcmRHC_72PpPp1dZZHD_ksXGFFMwKxqoZXmBY/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM76jwD-4HxeSnobx22-8uksop44AnKXig4EbyLt_ygVzibafJbsf7TdYtKvv7l5yUqWnbpf4tTQRE9H-YLcuFNAfdUXg4-pT1rMzq7lzcmRHC_72PpPp1dZZHD_ksXGFFMwKxqoZXmBY/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip044.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Louisiana's River Road</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In Texas, you'll see blue skies set against green, rolling hills dotted with longhorns, bluebonnets, and ranches for miles as you drive along the <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://txhillcountrytrail.com/" target="_blank">Texas Hill Country Trail</a></span>. We got lucky that we were traveling in this area in the peak of bluebonnet season, and it was beautiful. This is one of my favorite areas to drive through in the US. I'd love to go back for a longer trip soon!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJU7W3EQtPP6Rmq7uZO7N9tXJjb79LfLQ8Mz_0MOmFMFRL7I5WxQdqHQqN2PqVPWJvzp-MWM5nPec4L0z-jK1VxdqZyyYBg0btNd1n0UJEJhpy0WlrPv7UbYB7O3MPM6sACgYjgvcM0SE/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJU7W3EQtPP6Rmq7uZO7N9tXJjb79LfLQ8Mz_0MOmFMFRL7I5WxQdqHQqN2PqVPWJvzp-MWM5nPec4L0z-jK1VxdqZyyYBg0btNd1n0UJEJhpy0WlrPv7UbYB7O3MPM6sACgYjgvcM0SE/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip040.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5CWd_lEtq98exkmO-WQGX6G0aqUd9nn76rGZAkCVbO_bb5xsSBULjvuyuArMpyiRErwK2sJkQsQTvI05N1kLkoFP5LU_1er__VKnrw-hycAtYoptfbbuSQInjnkbptwgDXy1AY52PFE/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5CWd_lEtq98exkmO-WQGX6G0aqUd9nn76rGZAkCVbO_bb5xsSBULjvuyuArMpyiRErwK2sJkQsQTvI05N1kLkoFP5LU_1er__VKnrw-hycAtYoptfbbuSQInjnkbptwgDXy1AY52PFE/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip041.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ucnh03AMAMXP6xw4EiuMVkgjAEw_78MZ8p9LeVzOfRzQyhD7Ra_i_xGI3yA-t_P2kfHlR_43ziZGsu68iChcLaYRgzRDMFgBao5E1x5uzG8WFr78usFjINmZskNZcW_inPKguLyBixM/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ucnh03AMAMXP6xw4EiuMVkgjAEw_78MZ8p9LeVzOfRzQyhD7Ra_i_xGI3yA-t_P2kfHlR_43ziZGsu68iChcLaYRgzRDMFgBao5E1x5uzG8WFr78usFjINmZskNZcW_inPKguLyBixM/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip045.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Texas Hill Country Trail rolls through central Texas</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Along the Gulf Coast in Mississippi, US 90 (the <a href="http://www.drivetheost.com/history.html" target="_blank">Old Spanish Trail</a>) takes you through swampland and past antebellum mansions that survived Hurricane Katrina (and have since been restored) on one side, separated from the gulf by a wide beach on the other. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the middle of the divided highway are oak trees, some of which have been carved into art, presumably to salvage them after the hurricane damaged them. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">I somehow managed not to photograph any of the beautiful old mansions.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ikIuILQojLsP-p1NljCUnlBkyRXTApbPMNTyEXXVwEfU0wmDIAD4Qv0EIHzmjVRK7r81gw7LtDDmYZlxefFvTUkNdHyeInkUqPliHeYZXalAQdPs3zJmjbyQKEJ4YswO6vnbQZOAlxU/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ikIuILQojLsP-p1NljCUnlBkyRXTApbPMNTyEXXVwEfU0wmDIAD4Qv0EIHzmjVRK7r81gw7LtDDmYZlxefFvTUkNdHyeInkUqPliHeYZXalAQdPs3zJmjbyQKEJ4YswO6vnbQZOAlxU/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip043.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Long Beach, MS</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8u4CpTUJMFjhEnM2Hb_grkXfCdLUumt6mlE5kYsQkdRTaEvO7so21JxjGidUgKBw6TsBR9S__t-J0laJLXgbGvfksNDFcrCthYPSpYw3RvXwZoGQLnboQrgdHbCArsrgkLeX1Nic9eI/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8u4CpTUJMFjhEnM2Hb_grkXfCdLUumt6mlE5kYsQkdRTaEvO7so21JxjGidUgKBw6TsBR9S__t-J0laJLXgbGvfksNDFcrCthYPSpYw3RvXwZoGQLnboQrgdHbCArsrgkLeX1Nic9eI/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip042.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We'll share more about some of our favorite US back roads, including those I've mentioned today, in the coming months.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5 - You'll spend quality time with your travel buddies.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In our case, this meant we spent a LOT of time together in the car. During our three months of driving, we became very familiar with the sides of each other's faces! At times, conversation was plentiful as we reminisced about where we had been so far and made plans for where we wanted to go next or in other parts of the country; other times, we peacefully stared out the windows and pointed out interesting sights. In the Southwest, we marveled for about 6 days straight about seeing the most stunning sights we'd ever come across, only to be proven wrong the next day by something even more stunning.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB6R54tPoRfTs67CtqCU0dxtpLdqFFYvAHwHDpTTCoEdsJDYTpouq_bb4pnjw4q4jF0jXTnRvab895fI3YdGPizw4USzn6a-poUrvcOuDN1BSzX3U6Ph6JL33EZwI2svzGxGk-lcJltw/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB6R54tPoRfTs67CtqCU0dxtpLdqFFYvAHwHDpTTCoEdsJDYTpouq_bb4pnjw4q4jF0jXTnRvab895fI3YdGPizw4USzn6a-poUrvcOuDN1BSzX3U6Ph6JL33EZwI2svzGxGk-lcJltw/s400/6reasonstoroadtrip044.jpg" title="48 No Interstate: Planning a Back Roads Road Trip series - Six Reasons You Should Take a Back Roads Road Trip in 2017" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6 - You'll avoid SO MUCH traffic! </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Imagine driving 22,000 miles on the interstate. How many times would you come to a standstill? We never got stopped by traffic on this trip. In 80 days over 22,000 miles, there was never roadwork or an accident or a traffic jam so major that we would have preferred being on the interstate. With the exception of rush hour traffic and slow moving through large cities, we cruised across the country on the backroads.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That being said, we did have to pull over once on Highway 50 in Nevada for a giant, mysterious piece of equipment that literally took up the entire road, and we hit heavy traffic in the Northeast on Highway 1, but it always moved along efficiently. The handful of times we were stuck behind a slow car, we had no problems getting around it (especially in Texas, where drivers move over into the wide emergency lane to let faster traffic pass).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>By this point, we had killed a lot of bugs with our windshield.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are many other reasons I could offer for taking a backroads roadtrip this year: You'll save money on airfare (unless you take a flight to get to a certain starting point, in which case you're not only paying for a plane ticket, but you're probably also renting a car). Your car gets better gas mileage on the back roads than it does on the interstate. You'll get lost (this is a good thing!). You'll never be bored. And you'll have the time of your life!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Check out the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/(http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust Facebook group</a> and <a href="http://www.albomadventures.com/alnwick-castle/" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a> pages for more travel inspiration!</span><br />
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-27853237142804182642016-07-29T16:08:00.003-07:002016-07-30T11:01:09.055-07:00Los Angeles to Las Vegas<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">The Journey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One day travel from Los Angeles to Death Valley.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One day travel through Death Valley to Las Vegas.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Los Angeles, Ca <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 14 to Redrock Randsburg Rd to Randsburg, CA </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Trona Rd to Hwy 178 to Hwy 190 into Death Valley National Park </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 190 to State Line Rd to Bell Vista Rd to Pahrump, NV </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 160 to Las Vegas, NV</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Traveling North from Los Angeles past Ridgecrest, CA, you will encounter signs for the "town" of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballarat,_California" target="_blank">Ballarat</a>. Take the short detour down the bumpy 3-mile dirt road to Ballarat, which sits in the shadows of the <a href="http://www.summitpost.org/panamint-range/878647" target="_blank">Panamint Mountain Range</a>. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ballarat was founded in 1897 as a mining town, and in its heyday had over 500 residents and at least seven saloons. The town died when the nearby Ratcliffe Mine was closed in the first decade of the 1900s, and it is now one of many <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_town" target="_blank">ghost towns</a> stranded in the American west. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Over the years, various residents have moved into Ballarat to have a town all to themselves, and a few have left relics which post-date the town's natural life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the 1960's, the infamous <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/groups/manson-family" target="_blank">"Manson family"</a> lived briefly in a secluded ranch just south of Ballarat and left graffiti in the town; in the 1970s, a hippie celebration attended by approximately 2000 people ended badly as nearly 200 of them contracted Hepatitis from bad drinking water.</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The day we visited, there were some temporary residents who had 'moved in.' After using their restroom, it was explained to me that I would need to gather a bucket of water from a tub to pour down and "flush" the toilet. As a guest in their home, I of course obliged!</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From Ballaret, we climbed over the mountains and descended into <a href="https://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm" target="_blank">Death Valley National Park</a>.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*It's a long way down to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/lowest-places-on-earth.htm" target="_blank">lowest & hottest point in the USA</a>.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Death Valley National Park is a diverse desert wasteland. Sand, salt, and <a href="http://digital-desert.com/death-valley/geology/fn2.html" target="_blank">sulfur</a> combine to create a surreal landscape. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> *On the way down into Death Valley you pass by - and go below - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_level" target="_blank">sea level</a>.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Playing with a rock in the Death Valley sand dunes.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Relaxing on an old wooden fence at the old <a href="https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/historyculture/harmony.htm" target="_blank">Harmony Borax Works</a>.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Heading further down</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> *Standing in <a href="https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/furnacecreekarea.htm" target="_blank">Devil's Golf Course</a>, a massive area comprised of large, jagged rock salt formations. Tread carefully around these!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*The white, sandy bottom of Badwater Basin</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*The lowest point in the USA</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A storm tried to climb the mountain as we approached <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Places_of_interest_in_the_Death_Valley_area" target="_blank">Artist's Drive</a>, a one way loop through multi-colored sedimentary mountains </span></span><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Eiuo4o3Qjs8A7m789R7GQ6oATVxNDGfDKeYCIN6Y3h1gDZdQoIBMFeXJ6BalA02QEwE4gjN0L-12SlLEXhHROz0JePB-f7y0vnbxZ0mI0Dkr6L9VFuTha4BJWjUFSZd6F-VUJWVpwLY/s640/blogger-image-315183407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Eiuo4o3Qjs8A7m789R7GQ6oATVxNDGfDKeYCIN6Y3h1gDZdQoIBMFeXJ6BalA02QEwE4gjN0L-12SlLEXhHROz0JePB-f7y0vnbxZ0mI0Dkr6L9VFuTha4BJWjUFSZd6F-VUJWVpwLY/s640/blogger-image-315183407.jpg"></a></div><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Though the storm never caught us, it did send a washout across the road. We discovered that washouts are common in the American southwest, where rain water can quickly carve channels in the soft soil and create rivulets that build up enough to cross the road. We forged this one. If that litte Honda up ahead could do it, so could we!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Had to make a stop at the next gas station for some clean up</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We left Death Valley NP and snuck out of California between two storms. We were then escorted by big, puffy clouds and giant rock walls into Las Vegas, NV.</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Las Vegas has become a seminal, somewhat seedy, departure from real life for Americans. But how did it become a mirage in the Desert (with a real <a href="https://www.mirage.com/en.html" target="_blank">Mirage</a> resort, which is home to the best show in Vegas, <a href="https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/beatles-love" target="_blank">Love</a>, a Circque Du Soleil show set to Beatles music and themes)?</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Like Ballarat, it is the ghost of a western boom town with gambling and other uninhibited pursuits. But while Ballarat's ghost lies peacefully in its grave, Las Vegas is a zombie enlivened first by the decidedly east coast <a href="http://the-mafia.weebly.com/mafia-in-las-vegas.html" target="_blank">Mafia in the 1950's</a>, and now by the mostly east coast corporate interests of gambling conglomerates (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_Entertainment_Resorts" target="_blank">including Trump Entertainment Resorts, Inc.</a>).</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> *<a href="https://www.luxor.com/en.html" target="_blank">The Luxor</a> and <a href="https://www.mandalaybay.com/en.html" target="_blank">Mandalay Bay</a></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*<a href="https://www.caesars.com/caesars-palace" target="_blank">Ceasar's Palace</a></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Inside <a href="https://www.venetian.com/" target="_blank">The Venetian</a>, where <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gondola" target="_blank">Gondolas </a> can take you around the river to different parts of the resort.</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My wife was the lucky one during our visit to Vegas, and turned $2 into $1.80. Not bad!</span></span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAughqI9lX0dGgrsvOuEqOcWMDmEhSzPODGhGTGcjQEL7uQy24OWcx36vg_xfSL7l1cH6ypuYJtLBK_hVbtZ1-SwoVar5FBthYHlTv-u9wqu46cSXqWJeJMPJqnLfvZU549wVB-UQSn4/s1600/IMG_6927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAughqI9lX0dGgrsvOuEqOcWMDmEhSzPODGhGTGcjQEL7uQy24OWcx36vg_xfSL7l1cH6ypuYJtLBK_hVbtZ1-SwoVar5FBthYHlTv-u9wqu46cSXqWJeJMPJqnLfvZU549wVB-UQSn4/s640/IMG_6927.JPG" width="480"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Stay tuned as we travel from Las Vegas to Utah and visit <a href="https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm" target="_blank">Zion</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm" target="_blank">Bryce Canyon</a> National Parks, then pass back through Arizona across <a href="http://www.lakepowell.com/" target="_blank">Lake Powell</a> and stop at <a href="http://horseshoebend.com/#" target="_blank">Horseshoe Bend</a>.</span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-V1MGnl2p-xkoUnZkpFxyNN0Dd6RgpeLoK9VS69DnTseNL2dFe42hVXF0-6GNltGNUXZxRq-EO3YnFKAVitJKtBH7MevaTb3uO4FuBwW682lmb4HzBd31dJTrhDKMuCPNPKlRJ7aIzW4/s1600/IMG_5338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-V1MGnl2p-xkoUnZkpFxyNN0Dd6RgpeLoK9VS69DnTseNL2dFe42hVXF0-6GNltGNUXZxRq-EO3YnFKAVitJKtBH7MevaTb3uO4FuBwW682lmb4HzBd31dJTrhDKMuCPNPKlRJ7aIzW4/s640/IMG_5338.JPG" width="640"></span></a><br>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Zion National Park</span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuL-lzBE3r71bNq4DY_yMonoHKNihikbhUq1fg8WoQ_O9fbk_epKzGe8T20YoAEtWUuTKZicPE2OP9YwZ-QCP70VZGfEwxN936IbrpwWYyZWl6RkPuoqoC7xTBTfkQWhByaZx5wV_HP7g/s1600/IMG_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuL-lzBE3r71bNq4DY_yMonoHKNihikbhUq1fg8WoQ_O9fbk_epKzGe8T20YoAEtWUuTKZicPE2OP9YwZ-QCP70VZGfEwxN936IbrpwWYyZWl6RkPuoqoC7xTBTfkQWhByaZx5wV_HP7g/s640/IMG_0488.JPG" width="640"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> *Bryce Canyon National Park</span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLDu9aozBTBhJOkLWE0btknU-JSQ0alJSgjB4-mTSMDYb8XcTbSwY_INRq9q6nPffB7t310M0H0OE1_GmoCisykHOSiM6Z4GPzBkxuZzUT3aMOYUVUcy3cIGGIWe7YsSzTpkkt80T_IY/s1600/IMG_0529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLDu9aozBTBhJOkLWE0btknU-JSQ0alJSgjB4-mTSMDYb8XcTbSwY_INRq9q6nPffB7t310M0H0OE1_GmoCisykHOSiM6Z4GPzBkxuZzUT3aMOYUVUcy3cIGGIWe7YsSzTpkkt80T_IY/s640/IMG_0529.JPG" width="640"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Horseshoe Bend near Lake Powell, Arizona</span></div>
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-57794418807127773762016-07-21T16:12:00.002-07:002016-07-24T11:09:25.275-07:00Los Angeles, CA<div style="text-align: right;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>The Destination</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Los Angeles, California</i></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKPR12oHSWQSsUmUI1_-m9u6TXzI-ugwKqnsUzDkNMtlOreathjp_WuhElOsgLXqHgtvm9adQw66GXpLEgsMVRsCKxc0H7lkkpp7-9JFEA2Tslbbtw4D0X47Emmm18xTgCRSsxWBezsM/s1600/c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKPR12oHSWQSsUmUI1_-m9u6TXzI-ugwKqnsUzDkNMtlOreathjp_WuhElOsgLXqHgtvm9adQw66GXpLEgsMVRsCKxc0H7lkkpp7-9JFEA2Tslbbtw4D0X47Emmm18xTgCRSsxWBezsM/s640/c.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">L.A., like New York City, Houston, Chicago, and other megalopolises, is a sprawling giant. Interstates and other highways crisscross one another and occasionally rise into a tangled mass of curved bridges.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrW-w1nutcLyelcNDhD-koSIF5dKcYkheOczAjhckpI-ICvc5zh0-sMc5fRQdihdX6l2frag8BC834mdNhtVx5h2dqBEL7KJJn-c3iaVi41uA6mOpsOzlPnI-jl4vUFuznGtOjGo8wv9E/s1600/LA+roads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrW-w1nutcLyelcNDhD-koSIF5dKcYkheOczAjhckpI-ICvc5zh0-sMc5fRQdihdX6l2frag8BC834mdNhtVx5h2dqBEL7KJJn-c3iaVi41uA6mOpsOzlPnI-jl4vUFuznGtOjGo8wv9E/s640/LA+roads.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*<a href="http://usa.streetsblog.org/2014/07/01/8-monster-interchanges-that-blight-american-cities/" target="_blank">Image source</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Los Angeles has the worst traffic in the USA. As shared in <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-la-worst-traffic-20160314-story.html" target="_blank">this article</a>, you know a city's traffic is bad when residents rank concerns about traffic above personal safety, housing costs, and retirement savings. Plan for the conjested traffic, have some good music or books on tape, and your frustration level will stay much lower while you travel around in L.A.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We entered Los Angeles from San Bernadino, and passed through the city to Hollywood.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuq08gTQ_g9r2M0pML1nLC_9pftR1Rhf9zANpZ0nbBF-OS38yGCr6KiT-JSHV5TIJ9ztXqxknnqge_Q5rlo6a_lps3Unvh3Eg6Fy5j17mwmaiMUo-CKM5OBtrrB29qacH6cHvQcG9API/s1600/IMG_4691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuq08gTQ_g9r2M0pML1nLC_9pftR1Rhf9zANpZ0nbBF-OS38yGCr6KiT-JSHV5TIJ9ztXqxknnqge_Q5rlo6a_lps3Unvh3Eg6Fy5j17mwmaiMUo-CKM5OBtrrB29qacH6cHvQcG9API/s640/IMG_4691.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilKMhYvR2qm4CtE8PPHd9L6T_GyKLQNbuueTtm7ysbyRVgDq7ainI4FiwGpCWbjjUO4RgYHCh5mjepwyGYVLTKuE8NeS17CH22vV_Qij0drX6e5Oh7hkUQNJLiVFWg6k0bzXbh_PY_wk/s1600/IMG_4701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilKMhYvR2qm4CtE8PPHd9L6T_GyKLQNbuueTtm7ysbyRVgDq7ainI4FiwGpCWbjjUO4RgYHCh5mjepwyGYVLTKuE8NeS17CH22vV_Qij0drX6e5Oh7hkUQNJLiVFWg6k0bzXbh_PY_wk/s640/IMG_4701.jpg" width="434" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*We passed this <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitol_Records_Building" target="_blank">iconic building</a> on our way into Hollywood. It has been home to <a href="http://www.capitolrecords.com/" target="_blank">Capitol Records </a>since the 1950's, and since that time the light at its top has continuously flashed "Hollywood" in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_code" target="_blank">Morse Code</a>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4Wl4u1tuhbApnn4moiHLB8P_wS2el2tgAlCLKzLAmWnVhR2hAeQRPv4DgJhGnzCu_uaCmLI8MMrYupqQgNR6-_JLaDPnLhvjGIvH5tBXui37RvfIS421Q3STGigr6javAs85-afz5xg/s1600/IMG_4705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4Wl4u1tuhbApnn4moiHLB8P_wS2el2tgAlCLKzLAmWnVhR2hAeQRPv4DgJhGnzCu_uaCmLI8MMrYupqQgNR6-_JLaDPnLhvjGIvH5tBXui37RvfIS421Q3STGigr6javAs85-afz5xg/s640/IMG_4705.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*My wife and I had dinner at the excellent <a href="http://www.micelisrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Miceli's Italian Restaurant</a>, the oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood, where the waiters occasionally break into song to the live accompaniment of a pianist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Early the next morning, my wife ran a 5k race on Hollywood Blvd. All the lights of Hollywood were blazing at 5am!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5L1vQs5Q4kye9EsZiTavjFzcO73RM0jw8D5fNpcpUss5wCz4guLfSPetkmuE47QqwLSE1KXJgMh9Ffh3rpygfZOrUDm_RkEJq0FGAGfLlIYhE9Yru2vq6O19v-XYD1Xh9yHsCRXMwt5Q/s1600/IMG_1706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5L1vQs5Q4kye9EsZiTavjFzcO73RM0jw8D5fNpcpUss5wCz4guLfSPetkmuE47QqwLSE1KXJgMh9Ffh3rpygfZOrUDm_RkEJq0FGAGfLlIYhE9Yru2vq6O19v-XYD1Xh9yHsCRXMwt5Q/s640/IMG_1706.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJQOYfjExHTuBhJYa5cyQN2DzFTimtfAsxYL-Wd1Jzh4gwCTbBA507qDeRYCX3uG0ADDcoeH_1q4hjWiJk-1ZPKNqxNmUWpI-4WDi8SxszxJGDEchPeUz5y74v1ya17gkYbmaki7BBl0/s1600/IMG_1714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJQOYfjExHTuBhJYa5cyQN2DzFTimtfAsxYL-Wd1Jzh4gwCTbBA507qDeRYCX3uG0ADDcoeH_1q4hjWiJk-1ZPKNqxNmUWpI-4WDi8SxszxJGDEchPeUz5y74v1ya17gkYbmaki7BBl0/s640/IMG_1714.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After the race, before Hollywood Blvd was re-opened to traffic, I got a picture of my wife in front of the world famous Chinese Theatre.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT38vlXoXvJRnT5EaFnC08zMkDjzp9smVtdn-XNiNeTAU-ANJm4AeTPfs8kmqxmR-eUcUrnGh3YnfO14v_H1B8qnVGPAl3BVJrulboKOqYX5wKZyzU1YDIImPI5FA7Rnq2ckyKdknnDy0/s1600/IMG_1720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT38vlXoXvJRnT5EaFnC08zMkDjzp9smVtdn-XNiNeTAU-ANJm4AeTPfs8kmqxmR-eUcUrnGh3YnfO14v_H1B8qnVGPAl3BVJrulboKOqYX5wKZyzU1YDIImPI5FA7Rnq2ckyKdknnDy0/s640/IMG_1720.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Until recently, it was known as <a href="http://www.tclchinesetheatres.com/tcl-chinese-theater-history/" target="_blank">Grauman's Chinese Theatre</a>. Grauman opened it 1927, and it has been the site of many red carpeted opening nights for classic films. The hand prints of many of Hollywood's iconic stars through the years are imprinted in the concrete at the entrance to the theater.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoQzG21evn5PyQnrzj7KLnYtxsUGKXaIKKRfZLff2C1ZGcmuf_0WgOxB8-EGB9gexW6-iaIom5zh-LOE04eGkS8BzOQwFMnI2C0gnDJLSJmJBIvrNdKaBL5jFuQaXDSw1Y5ZrAvTaqGY/s1600/IMG_1700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoQzG21evn5PyQnrzj7KLnYtxsUGKXaIKKRfZLff2C1ZGcmuf_0WgOxB8-EGB9gexW6-iaIom5zh-LOE04eGkS8BzOQwFMnI2C0gnDJLSJmJBIvrNdKaBL5jFuQaXDSw1Y5ZrAvTaqGY/s640/IMG_1700.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlBrUycmUXAAacnP7Nhzu8wOU1yB5V_1oMB3ara7P6PSM4-devxvYj_geKQwIWu9Ctvu1Q_UBZis1wDzYRrT4ynwqAQvomW1k39IxN30lYrn15zyJETCNkk4_-IjFprK4xlqbFb-1gsw/s1600/IMG_1701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlBrUycmUXAAacnP7Nhzu8wOU1yB5V_1oMB3ara7P6PSM4-devxvYj_geKQwIWu9Ctvu1Q_UBZis1wDzYRrT4ynwqAQvomW1k39IxN30lYrn15zyJETCNkk4_-IjFprK4xlqbFb-1gsw/s640/IMG_1701.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The red carpet was pretty empty this morning. No <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paparazzi" target="_blank">paparazzi</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8XX3eepzHu4aMXHjHCba1VoHYi8lzp0wfiAJjgBRKQ5OMTW03xYdgBJ1w-MuWEIEey2S5mr3TZnstNxmG-stqyNq7aV_zZhGeolSNgi_yXnxZu39xWbA3BAxruGIqPMMmx3St2z-BiM/s1600/IMG_1709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8XX3eepzHu4aMXHjHCba1VoHYi8lzp0wfiAJjgBRKQ5OMTW03xYdgBJ1w-MuWEIEey2S5mr3TZnstNxmG-stqyNq7aV_zZhGeolSNgi_yXnxZu39xWbA3BAxruGIqPMMmx3St2z-BiM/s640/IMG_1709.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On our way out of Hollywood we passed this street vendor cooking out of a shopping cart (DHEC approved?).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our next stop was <a href="http://www.tarpits.org/la-brea-tar-pits" target="_blank">The La Brea Tar Pits</a>, located on <a href="https://www.latourist.com/index.php?page=museum-links-row" target="_blank">Museum Row on the Miracle Mile</a>. The Tar Pits are an active archaeological dig, where <a href="http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/otherprehistoriclife/ss/10-Facts-About-Mastodons.htm" target="_blank">Mastodons</a> and <a href="http://a-z-animals.com/animals/sabre-toothed-tiger/" target="_blank">Saber Tooth Tigers</a> are still being dug up every year. Over centuries, these creatures got stuck in the soil which was only a thin crust covering the sticky <a href="http://www.asphaltpavement.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=41" target="_blank">natural asphalt</a> that bubbles to the surface. There is a fee to enter the museum itself, but you can walk around the grounds and view the tar pits and ongoing digging and excavating for free!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our final stop in Los Angeles was also our first view of the Pacific Ocean on this trip. We visited the Santa Monica Pier, where Route 66 officially terminates (<u>on</u> the pier).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Santa Monica Beach from the entrance to the Pier. The sun is beginning to set over the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/places/Things-to-do-in-Pacific-Palisades-California/112257705467789/" target="_blank">Pacific Palisades</a> & mountainous <a href="http://www.malibucity.org/" target="_blank">Malibu</a> in the distance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> *The amusement park on the pier includes a still operational <a href="http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OPM/content.aspx?id=30818" target="_blank">1920's wooden carousel in The Hippodrome</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">At the end of the pier we had some neat views of a sea lion swimming nearby, and swirling water churning back under the pier.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Just outside of Los Angeles, we stopped at one of the great American restaurant chains, <a href="http://www.in-n-out.com/" target="_blank">In-N-Out Burger</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBeeWj80pijxXD_ujJVIaRgluhFvH5xhyphenhypheniW4zIQeOgvaFD9RidG4pQgN5aThPA6-Pj_Q_Hb4o4_oRCFxp-oe7u9rHdkN8Hgt9UHmdT1pWl34p-xA6REgCqpnm8Pvcfp1bJfGlGZqXpGg/s1600/IMG_4906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBeeWj80pijxXD_ujJVIaRgluhFvH5xhyphenhypheniW4zIQeOgvaFD9RidG4pQgN5aThPA6-Pj_Q_Hb4o4_oRCFxp-oe7u9rHdkN8Hgt9UHmdT1pWl34p-xA6REgCqpnm8Pvcfp1bJfGlGZqXpGg/s640/IMG_4906.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Founded in 1948, and with over 300 locations, In-N-Out Burger has a cult following. Yet if you live outside the Southwest or Pacific Coast, you have likely never been to one. Here is the entire menu...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpNyOPgP1wegLrQ6MuCqMSaRru8u2NJLv6_mTg1dxy9ydotOzU7rj0dFTkFgs3nB_-QceG_OkppJjNqrmFNL_x46UX_4paUjbKFnaAgyi3RPuYWst_psh2Mu2-9u6RIjhOyZ2R_dI_0I/s1600/in-n-out-burger-menu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpNyOPgP1wegLrQ6MuCqMSaRru8u2NJLv6_mTg1dxy9ydotOzU7rj0dFTkFgs3nB_-QceG_OkppJjNqrmFNL_x46UX_4paUjbKFnaAgyi3RPuYWst_psh2Mu2-9u6RIjhOyZ2R_dI_0I/s640/in-n-out-burger-menu.png" width="616" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Courtesy of http://secretmenus.com/in-n-out-burger/full-menu/</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Friendly, energetic folks are ready to serve you quickly. The restaurant is clean, the food is good, and the price is just right!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8NPiO3Cjo2wOFMDwb7HjdI1C0jUL4mPemUmp3uJOnko_QbGPqOqScgubIZT2hMXemC2XEyVddVfeUFXx-h7hKLfrRAjW_Y3Pz_QKY_8BtdJCuSidOVMNreMp7T1xe_Zsd4HwooxagNM4/s1600/IMG_4908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8NPiO3Cjo2wOFMDwb7HjdI1C0jUL4mPemUmp3uJOnko_QbGPqOqScgubIZT2hMXemC2XEyVddVfeUFXx-h7hKLfrRAjW_Y3Pz_QKY_8BtdJCuSidOVMNreMp7T1xe_Zsd4HwooxagNM4/s640/IMG_4908.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One the highlights of any In-N-Out meal is the fresh cut french fries. You can see the young man in the background of the picture below "making" the fries. Your french fries were probably whole potatoes half an hour before you get them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Stay tuned as we travel past a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_town" target="_blank">ghost town</a> through Death Valley, CA to Las Vegas, Nevada!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagl44dF6jlFS8D19O-JrKMxos78SjeILSUmHrURILCgT1p5hM21XBabf1Ialc_qCChYMszOVWJnUdWEF3ZezV2709kkPFZshTWRqaq8byZihmBR1qOznZ1pVqczpW41cNkBF_I044law/s1600/IMG_4942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagl44dF6jlFS8D19O-JrKMxos78SjeILSUmHrURILCgT1p5hM21XBabf1Ialc_qCChYMszOVWJnUdWEF3ZezV2709kkPFZshTWRqaq8byZihmBR1qOznZ1pVqczpW41cNkBF_I044law/s640/IMG_4942.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Ghost Town outside of Death Valley, CA</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfslTYyT7V_Vz1FbfN-ovnGy7rT8qc7ReNNuCDtG3F-iReGrWsEkHsqEgOdp7X6EfwsJIPeLuoXnzslxSFXJCgTIEK8U3p0MmxWUyiwfIDHdVF5rN6ZShbtE_m36dEfpcZCQaKYpHvi8/s1600/IMG_4923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfslTYyT7V_Vz1FbfN-ovnGy7rT8qc7ReNNuCDtG3F-iReGrWsEkHsqEgOdp7X6EfwsJIPeLuoXnzslxSFXJCgTIEK8U3p0MmxWUyiwfIDHdVF5rN6ZShbtE_m36dEfpcZCQaKYpHvi8/s640/IMG_4923.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> *Riding into Death Valley, CA</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eCZZ37ryR6c71Neqye9wOd1BN9VIdxodwHIZRR4AiCmC8DJCnXAc5k00xETqOCh12H8UubIkNC85YlEMZdXV2h5pw3REcZvDZFYJCGjUSkdD7cNWyDzQ5TbLSHcXhSqBAWItUx-Zcas/s1600/IMG_5019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eCZZ37ryR6c71Neqye9wOd1BN9VIdxodwHIZRR4AiCmC8DJCnXAc5k00xETqOCh12H8UubIkNC85YlEMZdXV2h5pw3REcZvDZFYJCGjUSkdD7cNWyDzQ5TbLSHcXhSqBAWItUx-Zcas/s640/IMG_5019.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Death Valley </span><br />
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-11283560156057155312016-07-11T09:23:00.000-07:002016-07-15T08:48:49.155-07:00Flagstaff, AZ to Los Angeles, CA<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">The Journey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Two days for travel and sightseeing</span></i></span></span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>The Route </u></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Flagstaff, AZ <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Route 66/I-40 to Hwy 95 to Lake Havasu City, AZ </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 95 to Parker, AZ </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 62 to Joshua Tree National Park </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 74 to Palm Springs, CA </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 79 to Hwy 60 to Los Angeles & Hollywood</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.historic66.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.historic66.com/" target="_blank">Historic Route 66</a> piggybacks on I-40 west of Flagstaff for about half the distance to California. While on the interstate, you will make quick work of the distance at 80 mph, but occasionally the "mother road" will detour through a town, veer off and follow a train track, or otherwise leave the fast lane.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> *Paul Bunyan makes many cameo appearances along Route 66</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> *Neon signs are numerous along Route 66. As with many others, the neon on this sign may or may not work completely. You only know for sure at night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As the road shuttles you toward California, you begin to see the southern offshoot of the <a href="http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/province/pacifmt.html" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Mountains.</a> These peaks were formed by, and stand as evidence of, one of the several <a href="http://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/fam/" target="_blank">fault lines</a> that run like arteries through California.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*Watch your step in the desert.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Near the border to California, in Lake Havasu City, AZ you can take a ride or stroll over the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge_(Lake_Havasu_City)#History" target="_blank">London Bridge</a>; yes, the real London Bridge. From the 1830s until 1967, the bridge stood over the River Thames in London, England. Then in the late 60's, after a new bridge better suited for modern traffic was constructed in London, the founder of Lake Havasu City purchased the bridge, had it deconstructed and shipped to Arizona, then reconstructed stone by stone and placed across the Colorado River.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We entered California from Lake Havasu City and drove south of the <a href="http://www.desertusa.com/mojave-desert.html" target="_blank">Mojave Desert</a> to Joshua Tree National Park. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm" target="_blank">Joshua Tree NP</a> is an impressive amalgamation of gigantic smooth boulders, <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/seussian" target="_blank">Seussian</a> Joshua Trees, and breathtaking views of the Coachella Valley. The boulders appear to have been randomly piled up around Joshua Tree by some prehistoric giants, but in fact they are the result of a unique geologic process, combining volcanology, water, wind, and time, which you can read about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/jotr/learn/nature/geologicformations.htm" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vzO2XnIwyBzZiRkSNONBbRhJpJqwltOWXqcw0uBXPVfnwrrWDFFIOWQuJMCWtANpryS0ebbI7FLRV_zD1ceFyNOVEQBubz1YoNim_kWDnH5VthfNEArUFhBkz06MBOlQW5ARH5DUQS8/s1600/IMG_4465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vzO2XnIwyBzZiRkSNONBbRhJpJqwltOWXqcw0uBXPVfnwrrWDFFIOWQuJMCWtANpryS0ebbI7FLRV_zD1ceFyNOVEQBubz1YoNim_kWDnH5VthfNEArUFhBkz06MBOlQW5ARH5DUQS8/s640/IMG_4465.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*I couldn't push them apart </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfVHyrQqh_OfyjIzSQd9a5le7WOGEnBp51mA9szOxuN12y07ogkCz6I1K1rULQUUpLnJwbG4x5pNu3oY6TGEwB4bh8NdsQsaC3fHS2DEJ_HfLayy5-r3byCVX3mRWYQbHvRRzu4NClZw/s1600/IMG_0376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfVHyrQqh_OfyjIzSQd9a5le7WOGEnBp51mA9szOxuN12y07ogkCz6I1K1rULQUUpLnJwbG4x5pNu3oY6TGEwB4bh8NdsQsaC3fHS2DEJ_HfLayy5-r3byCVX3mRWYQbHvRRzu4NClZw/s640/IMG_0376.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*My wife in the nostril of the aptly named Skull Rock</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is believed that <a href="https://www.nps.gov/jotr/learn/nature/jtrees.htm" target="_blank">Joshua Trees</a> were named by migrating Mormons after the <a href="http://www.gotquestions.org/life-Joshua.html" target="_blank">Biblical Joshua</a>, who led the Israelites into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. Fleshy, spiny, and snaky, never fully horizontal nor vertical, Joshua Trees appear to be blindly and jealously searching for water in this arid landscape.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*When driving through Joshua Tree NP, these passing trees' branches appear to move like tentacles in the blurred edges of your vision. It is not much of a stretch, in the recesses of your mind, to sense that the trees which have now passed fully behind your line of sight have begun to uproot and crawl... toward you... fodder for a nightmare...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">*This one appears to be pulling my wife in with one of its tentacular branches.</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/keysview.htm" target="_blank">Keys View</a>, on the peaks of the Little San Bernardino Mountains in Joshua Tree NP, provides panoramic views of the Coachella Desert Valley. Coachella is home to Palm Springs, CA and hosts the world famous annual <a href="http://splash.coachella.com/" target="_blank">Coachella music festival</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">The Coachella Valley receives strong winds that rush over the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Gorgonio_Pass" target="_blank">San Gorgonio Mountain Pass</a> (in picture above, top right near the bright spot in the sky). As we drove down from Joshua Tree NP into Palm Springs, we passed the massive turbines of wind farms which receive these winds and convert them into electrical energy for mass consumption.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaCqKV5I_rmzTMS0UbBQIwV6PqClHC2yT19Vi0ca4huBMjn3O3RiA4vI0ONBmdtsNG1s787jQm5otbCBZvj72qnMJVIgXJSEiofJEQ9Q0bIa6dKyCAr7_zsS-bDAs1VY55gB8SdTXrgk/s1600/IMG_4477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaCqKV5I_rmzTMS0UbBQIwV6PqClHC2yT19Vi0ca4huBMjn3O3RiA4vI0ONBmdtsNG1s787jQm5otbCBZvj72qnMJVIgXJSEiofJEQ9Q0bIa6dKyCAr7_zsS-bDAs1VY55gB8SdTXrgk/s640/IMG_4477.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Visiting Palm Springs is like taking a step back in time. The abundant <a href="http://www.visitpalmsprings.com/page/mid-century-modern-architecture/8185" target="_blank">mid-century modernist architecture</a> beneath the tall palm trees gives the city its unique flair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*Elvis' 1967 <a href="http://www.visitpalmsprings.com/overview/play/elvis-honeymoon-hideaway-alexander-estate/10885" target="_blank">honeymoon home</a> with Priscilla Presley</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">From Palm Springs, we climbed through the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains then descended into San Bernardino.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">From San Bernardino, we fought the Los Angeles traffic into Hollywood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stay tuned as we enjoy some time in the City of Angels.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> *Santa Monica Beach</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnAnt86KZ2P18uTGWG662ak_BhlnTLDu1VqKilKQwtwfw6DayZDxk_kL8kjFxZaXsgH9vyxZlIFL9lpbr0x6fIU_yPmHeCEoISpygTlfXHk5VjuoMVumKiFw8WIG91bPzTqUfGGgeM0Q/s1600/IMG_4907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnAnt86KZ2P18uTGWG662ak_BhlnTLDu1VqKilKQwtwfw6DayZDxk_kL8kjFxZaXsgH9vyxZlIFL9lpbr0x6fIU_yPmHeCEoISpygTlfXHk5VjuoMVumKiFw8WIG91bPzTqUfGGgeM0Q/s640/IMG_4907.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*In-N-Out Burger!</span><br />
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-91409705124606893382016-06-27T18:19:00.000-07:002016-06-29T12:20:41.236-07:00The Grand Canyon & Sedona, AZ<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>Base Camp</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Flagstaff, AZ</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One day round trip Flagstaff to The Grand Canyon. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>One day round trip Flagstaff to Sedona, AZ.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>The Route to The Grand Canyon</u></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hwy 89 to Sunset Crater National Monument <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 89 to Cameron </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 64 to The Grand Canyon</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In addition to having a fun downtown area, </span><a href="http://www.flagstaff.az.gov/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Flagstaff</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> sits in a beautiful part of the country. We arrived to a glowing sunset and woke the next morning to a view of the snow-capped San Francisco peaks (no, not in San Francisco) in the distance.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQI6KwwmHH0nJPB4O-yfGRotc8QJfjLJeTM_9ZgzAWbvY7PwP-iMCm_Qv9L14RkX4hgQ1wN2yrE410qy4WvNIXIK3BSOvDiNJ7qpguGE7th2okGGR_5BrgsR13joaacQQDnY2n8DWQXs/s1600/IMG_3333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQI6KwwmHH0nJPB4O-yfGRotc8QJfjLJeTM_9ZgzAWbvY7PwP-iMCm_Qv9L14RkX4hgQ1wN2yrE410qy4WvNIXIK3BSOvDiNJ7qpguGE7th2okGGR_5BrgsR13joaacQQDnY2n8DWQXs/s640/IMG_3333.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From Flagstaff, it is about a 30 minute ride to the <a href="http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/sunset_crater_volcano/national_monument.html" target="_blank">Sunset Crater National Monument</a>. The most prominent extinct volcanic mountain in this park is Sunset Peak, named by John Wesley Powell who "discovered" it in 1887. It looks like a sunburned black mountain, as the black volcanic ash has a slightly reddish tint.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The earth around this eerie peak is scarred and marred by the trauma of ancient volcanic eruptions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From here, traveling North on Hwy 89 over Gray Mountain through the <a href="http://www.hopi-nsn.gov/" target="_blank">Hopi Indian lands</a>, the views from the road are ruggedly beautiful. This is a very scenic prelude to the main attraction you are traveling toward.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Heading over the summit of Gray Mountain toward the Colorado River-carved valley </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Soon after tuning onto Hwy 64, you arrive at the south rim of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm" target="_blank">Grand Canyon</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What pictures, movies, billboards, descriptions, and even the name "Grand" can't capture is the vastness of this Colorado River Canyon. The erosive power of wind and weather are on full mind-boggling display here. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">At its widest point, the canyon is over 18 miles wide, and in many places it is more than 1 mile deep. Put another way, the island of <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Manhattan,+New+York,+NY/@40.7590403,-74.0392709,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c2588f046ee661:0xa0b3281fcecc08c!8m2!3d40.7830603!4d-73.9712488" target="_blank">Manhattan</a> (north to south) could stretch from one rim to the other with room to spare, and three <a href="http://www.nyctourist.com/empire1.htm" target="_blank">Empire State Buildings</a> could be stacked on top of one another from the bottom without reaching the top. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Grand Canyon, stretching over 250 miles long, is large and diverse enough that each new viewpoint on the canyon reveals distinctly unique scenery.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunOnS7zwD5Naodm7T7Ymw0auupkcEI7IVahNqvysaExn55_v6JiQF3DTOyjdnHrEQznJKXD6KA3sHzhoqWDXu5sQGmIKLWjbUIIvdCA871baWDtfWt3sWsFSAsJa6DNJyAI6zmzCPB8k/s1600/IMG_3479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunOnS7zwD5Naodm7T7Ymw0auupkcEI7IVahNqvysaExn55_v6JiQF3DTOyjdnHrEQznJKXD6KA3sHzhoqWDXu5sQGmIKLWjbUIIvdCA871baWDtfWt3sWsFSAsJa6DNJyAI6zmzCPB8k/s640/IMG_3479.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> *A glimpse of the natural chisel that carved this masterpiece</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*My sister's novel, <a href="http://www.jessicaholtwrites.com/" target="_blank">Behind My Eyes</a>, fits in nicely with the scenery</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On the eastern portion of the south rim of the Grand Canyon, you are near the site of the <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/1956-grand-canyon-airplane-crash-a-game-changer/" target="_blank">1956 collision</a> of two commercial airliners. The mid-air collision caused both planes to crash into the canyon, killing all 128 passengers aboard both planes. This tragedy played a significant role in the modern air-traffic-control monitoring system that was put in place soon after.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLo_VCRH4G3KgXgC1X3eqfV2N7U3jXLemnTbUAMC4wcherMCN4Hr2CS0l-HfLYF_5DyJLaXLx-RpwG4ZibNv6E8apaWLAElVKJAn83RguEaZyV0LNRFaY-Dz6iHjTlqocALra7gzKoiA/s1600/IMG_3569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLo_VCRH4G3KgXgC1X3eqfV2N7U3jXLemnTbUAMC4wcherMCN4Hr2CS0l-HfLYF_5DyJLaXLx-RpwG4ZibNv6E8apaWLAElVKJAn83RguEaZyV0LNRFaY-Dz6iHjTlqocALra7gzKoiA/s640/IMG_3569.JPG" width="425" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After a day at the Grand Canyon, take Hwy 64 to Hwy 180 back to Flagstaff, AZ.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><u style="font-size: x-large;">The Route to Sedona, AZ</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 89 Alt takes you straight there (& back)!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The road from Flagstaff to Sedona follows a forested path along a creek in a valley, with steep mountainous slopes guarding the sides. This reminded us more of Tennesee than what we had seen of Arizona. Along one stretch of road, we passed through a controlled burn of the surrounding woods.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;">*The smoke was so thick that the surrounding light reminded me of the subdued daylight during a <a href="http://www.mreclipse.com/Special/SEprimer.html" target="_blank">solar eclipse.</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As we began to emerge from the woods, we saw some natural wonders that definitely did not look like anything we had ever seen in Tennessee.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-flintstones-theme-song-lyrics-tv-theme.html" target="_blank">*"Flintstones, meet the Flintstones, they're the modern stone age family"...</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/best_places_USA/sedona-ariz-gma-beautiful-place-america/story?id=14233327" target="_blank">Good Morning America</a>, <a href="http://guidebookamerica.com/news/sedona_az/index.htm" target="_blank">Guidebook America</a> and <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g31352-i105409670-Sedona_Arizona.html" target="_blank">TripAdvisor</a>, among others, call Sedona "the most beautiful place in America." It is hard to argue with that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31352-d126801-Reviews-Bell_Rock-Sedona_Arizona.html" target="_blank">*Bell Rock</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We took a hike up Bell Rock to watch the sunset. As the sun went below the horizon, the red rocks seemed to glow until the light went out completely.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From Sedona, it is a short ride back up Hwy 89 Alt to Flagstaff, AZ. This, I promise, will be one of the few instances of back-tracking on this trip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Stay tuned as we next travel over the London Bridge (yes, the real one! Will explain later) and into California; then through the Mojave Desert, Joshua Tree National Park, & Palm Springs to Los Angeles, CA.</span></span><br />
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-46129405698957867492016-06-05T18:23:00.000-07:002016-06-22T16:00:17.864-07:00Carlsbad, NM to Flagstaff, AZ<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">The Journey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Two days from Carlsbad, NM to Flagstaff, AZ. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>This is the minimum amount of time to allow if you only want to scratch the surface.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>The Route </u></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Carlsbad, NM <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 285 to Roswell, NM </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 380 State Road 1 to Socorro, NM </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 60 to Eager, AZ </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 180 to Flagstaff, AZ</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Yes, I know this last map image shows some interstate travel. Hwy 180 merges and runs contiguously with I-40 from Holbrook, AZ west through most of the rest of the state. More on this below.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The relatively short trip from Carlsbad to Roswell, NM will be rewarded with several photo ops of the town famous for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell_UFO_incident" target="_blank">1947 UFO incident</a> that has launched a thousand conspiracy theories. I cannot promise that you will have a <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/41097626.cms" target="_blank">close encounter of the 3rd kind, and certainly not the 4th or 5th, but maybe the 1st or 2nd. </a></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzIZCsiuT0PaTlTL6PJTii2JjEzmbF0uNL9RiTV2_Dc8fDCht-m408EUhpVFDvGFFdTyFp6a-i8j8gnkfu2Pk3kwx5hvIXdl5z2eKrQFBDou_gUh6kFEogTyAh2h-iqjBdbqaXhHX_E4/s1600/IMG_2884+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzIZCsiuT0PaTlTL6PJTii2JjEzmbF0uNL9RiTV2_Dc8fDCht-m408EUhpVFDvGFFdTyFp6a-i8j8gnkfu2Pk3kwx5hvIXdl5z2eKrQFBDou_gUh6kFEogTyAh2h-iqjBdbqaXhHX_E4/s640/IMG_2884+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Roswell probed its way into American lore in the summer of 1947 when an unidentified flying object, observed to be shaped like a flying saucer, crashed near town. A local farmer was working in his crop field soon after when he came upon unusual aircraft wreckage. When he reported it to local authorities, he soon had FBI agents at his property collecting all the wreckage and providing no satisfactory explanation. Flying saucers, government conspiracies; it all began with Roswell...</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As we arrived in Roswell, we spotted a saucer shaped cloud (or was it?) in the distance.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hRianEAxUGhzV9u_GyHBNDh4thIR8RIGlCFuvzAmI4NbNJj2uk4QqqgIVNWYR7w3IZOhRt7V84FOZWAPZGW-wghlcKohlJmoT1gtx2CsQoWrOugNI9KLd_uVqKRkInNgzJKr5Ox_O6w/s1600/IMG_2892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hRianEAxUGhzV9u_GyHBNDh4thIR8RIGlCFuvzAmI4NbNJj2uk4QqqgIVNWYR7w3IZOhRt7V84FOZWAPZGW-wghlcKohlJmoT1gtx2CsQoWrOugNI9KLd_uVqKRkInNgzJKr5Ox_O6w/s640/IMG_2892.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The town displays its unique place in the American conscience in various ways. Most prominently, it is home to the </span><a href="http://www.roswellufomuseum.com/" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">International UFO Museum & Research Center</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">. We did not tour the museum, but found the various newspaper articles displayed in the windows, reporting unexplained disappearances and supposed abductions from around the world, interesting reading.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBvVQz-8PtObcFg1BCLaNWv8LLNIkd0iYGUm6kYBAkJJxeAZUQQKgazbps8qxEm6dMoSCzchUVTXYN6R99PuC59c9H_3MUAAPFt56o3DlCwA8ruIcBWaGiAZV1mKPkvSczp5CZ3uXD04/s1600/IMG_2893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBvVQz-8PtObcFg1BCLaNWv8LLNIkd0iYGUm6kYBAkJJxeAZUQQKgazbps8qxEm6dMoSCzchUVTXYN6R99PuC59c9H_3MUAAPFt56o3DlCwA8ruIcBWaGiAZV1mKPkvSczp5CZ3uXD04/s640/IMG_2893.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rZO6Jk8212QTt105ixtawDZlJDOwfgEh5LvE4FJ8e11bbW9WHt45NYJfeP1vSFMzDZI-KIj9ERSYRo26TWp4TbJJgH0PJ9hRTSPO_EquH7jLAlWFMH8jkCIb78AinoCLqYtcr3r13XQ/s1600/IMG_2902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rZO6Jk8212QTt105ixtawDZlJDOwfgEh5LvE4FJ8e11bbW9WHt45NYJfeP1vSFMzDZI-KIj9ERSYRo26TWp4TbJJgH0PJ9hRTSPO_EquH7jLAlWFMH8jkCIb78AinoCLqYtcr3r13XQ/s640/IMG_2902.JPG" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0Gwlo0thtsFSOWpmgQ7SVuYsWN-78vXo7k6CXXFsKwSh8LgJEVd3FKmcTBAR6x_FGgjTkFuOjfaYKYkrofqVVj8fgp2HvWqkgwu_LQ_dcUN40t71RdiZRsnCeJqmz5k95uHjtl5NRW8/s1600/IMG_2899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0Gwlo0thtsFSOWpmgQ7SVuYsWN-78vXo7k6CXXFsKwSh8LgJEVd3FKmcTBAR6x_FGgjTkFuOjfaYKYkrofqVVj8fgp2HvWqkgwu_LQ_dcUN40t71RdiZRsnCeJqmz5k95uHjtl5NRW8/s640/IMG_2899.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But the highlight and hidden gem of Roswell is <a href="http://www.foodspotting.com/places/136721-big-d-s-downtown-dive-roswell" target="_blank">Big D's Downtown Dive</a>. Thus far, this is the best restaurant we have stumbled upon on our travels. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCQd-mVv92TR-rH-IcsGsrgeq8HLXfMZk6bZig0vFnag9XBuEJdAWeBTe6idAKfwmEDa9d7G2-FSx53_S2xyoSIOAokej8X9QiwIopmbZ-7m1i_5Yr48WIBaIQx0VxQ9LqNssxuOvDrI/s1600/IMG_6634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCQd-mVv92TR-rH-IcsGsrgeq8HLXfMZk6bZig0vFnag9XBuEJdAWeBTe6idAKfwmEDa9d7G2-FSx53_S2xyoSIOAokej8X9QiwIopmbZ-7m1i_5Yr48WIBaIQx0VxQ9LqNssxuOvDrI/s640/IMG_6634.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Right up the street from the UFO museum, Big D's is in the heart of Roswell's sleepy downtown. You can sit at the bar along the wall-sized window facing out to main street, or at one of the few tables in the small dining room. We felt like we had found the perfect travel stop, with the license plate lined walls and the map-covered tables. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But the star of Big D's is the food. My wife had "one of the best burgers I've ever had" (she's a red-meativore, and eats a lot of burgers) and I had a great steak sandwich with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico_chile" target="_blank">green chile</a> (popular ingredient in and on all sorts of dishes throughout New Mexico).</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCD778UEo-UlAzCbwCGqtxLqd2Zss69ZSBjWIowhSuWcYyPEAYL1kJLL-PRjjMbpGXu46cKHCxydF2jQAloONT4kFHFA7YKsR1AI16e3i_FrfUCN1aeMJv0ku1nzlPf8xHII9-IznK_SQ/s1600/IMG_6636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCD778UEo-UlAzCbwCGqtxLqd2Zss69ZSBjWIowhSuWcYyPEAYL1kJLL-PRjjMbpGXu46cKHCxydF2jQAloONT4kFHFA7YKsR1AI16e3i_FrfUCN1aeMJv0ku1nzlPf8xHII9-IznK_SQ/s640/IMG_6636.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_na0Rmeg9onKncmFAcmqFs6yR45-0OUKmsiehLPzpxsDoyNa5r12samqTKpY1yc_SNxGWfBMr2imdAFK6yaXJYr1x6h03xcMLIGOJBTysBtdmIOmbQ4JwKlI48LPy6Wk8teClQBph7M/s1600/IMG_6635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_na0Rmeg9onKncmFAcmqFs6yR45-0OUKmsiehLPzpxsDoyNa5r12samqTKpY1yc_SNxGWfBMr2imdAFK6yaXJYr1x6h03xcMLIGOJBTysBtdmIOmbQ4JwKlI48LPy6Wk8teClQBph7M/s640/IMG_6635.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After lifting off from Roswell, you travel West on Hwy 380 along mountainous roads and past several otherworldly places, including <a href="http://www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/valley_of_fires/recreation_area.html" target="_blank">Valley of Fires</a> and the <a href="http://www.wsmr.army.mil/Pages/newhome.aspx" target="_blank">White Sands Missile Range</a>. The Missile Range is home to the <a href="http://www.wsmr.army.mil/PAO/Trinity/Pages/TrinitySiteHistoryAcopyofthebrochuregiventositevisitors.aspx" target="_blank">Trinity Site</a>, which holds the distinction as ground zero of the world's first detonated atomic bomb. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEflbU0Xxj3VeCgBRfcFamQ5Oz1ZzbL_XXHHkQm-MaGCpdlLKaQZsLQEpPsFCEp06eAmcnQGPGr-sJkC3ltsTaztKnAvW-vfBi9woghA5MwRl_xaQHYzmaElo5hKMQ4sP2Imh2f7Lnf8/s1600/IMG_2942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEflbU0Xxj3VeCgBRfcFamQ5Oz1ZzbL_XXHHkQm-MaGCpdlLKaQZsLQEpPsFCEp06eAmcnQGPGr-sJkC3ltsTaztKnAvW-vfBi9woghA5MwRl_xaQHYzmaElo5hKMQ4sP2Imh2f7Lnf8/s640/IMG_2942.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The sun went down, and we stopped for the night in Socorro, NM.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn08JABHhD2CoS8ALhPjBnQ6pKXQO86POlXO-P3mX5xWzqa8HQNhPnnHU56boBUAURPuqoniq2VXNGGbJJhn7EmYg82t5ePxJmnrgN44G65XjLhxhOX5GuyKEI24RJdrJAn1_QKFRdjM/s1600/IMG_2903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn08JABHhD2CoS8ALhPjBnQ6pKXQO86POlXO-P3mX5xWzqa8HQNhPnnHU56boBUAURPuqoniq2VXNGGbJJhn7EmYg82t5ePxJmnrgN44G65XjLhxhOX5GuyKEI24RJdrJAn1_QKFRdjM/s640/IMG_2903.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQjeazfctofSMbVGE_UNoMJ-czPl2BydPef_3S-URA1k_bwet50wOvFq794VoCGGErhfSAecWys6w1N-6Ju2VqxxavoNQunnEpxIsilPYRjSklqT53nAMMQiBM2SoBWPr-XVIWAmyiHk/s1600/IMG_2917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQjeazfctofSMbVGE_UNoMJ-czPl2BydPef_3S-URA1k_bwet50wOvFq794VoCGGErhfSAecWys6w1N-6Ju2VqxxavoNQunnEpxIsilPYRjSklqT53nAMMQiBM2SoBWPr-XVIWAmyiHk/s640/IMG_2917.JPG" width="426" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*One interesting feature of roads in New Mexico is the occasional dip that drops your car a few feet then bounces it back up. Fun, but hard to spot in the dark. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Just west of Socorro, in an otherwise empty meadowland plain in a valley guarded by mountains, sits the <a href="http://www.vla.nrao.edu/" target="_blank">Very Large Array</a>. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8aV1HpgFe_Lbjy2yVyroCDyf0-V1ibEGBIKJiusH-0lfVDZrcMq_Rojn4hWfKLV1W_GhtcaDDfjC2XUBopzFlAFgfaWIMsMWv7VmjFAPfwddXNUGc1z6Fqias3EwWCr1NoDLWYqbzz8g/s1600/IMG_3038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8aV1HpgFe_Lbjy2yVyroCDyf0-V1ibEGBIKJiusH-0lfVDZrcMq_Rojn4hWfKLV1W_GhtcaDDfjC2XUBopzFlAFgfaWIMsMWv7VmjFAPfwddXNUGc1z6Fqias3EwWCr1NoDLWYqbzz8g/s640/IMG_3038.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This collection of 27 giant radio antennae, spread as wide as 22 miles across, "looks" deep into space outside our solar system, and even outside our galaxy.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-k8nO_iS33clTZOXzBG8G0AI8fqLkBt8NpGl_ZGpk64SesNmoljPqZDPly6D_IMFmP701nl8Q9yzeMsRvPUCqa-zAYtJv6Plx1UoYdRVjgSHkDskfWcosEalZC4EpO4bQ6thjYPbMuU/s1600/IMG_3042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-k8nO_iS33clTZOXzBG8G0AI8fqLkBt8NpGl_ZGpk64SesNmoljPqZDPly6D_IMFmP701nl8Q9yzeMsRvPUCqa-zAYtJv6Plx1UoYdRVjgSHkDskfWcosEalZC4EpO4bQ6thjYPbMuU/s640/IMG_3042.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> *All pointed toward something many light years away</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ag-wUw-qXGZ-uYfilkl3trcYXuEoOSqcyqOCCvv1GKaqH-Q82HnSzdVngIlhOS0CwFul_r6APOb4JZi76PZEoCDQRs_q4Kw8nUEsOSNRPBhvURElpB6BEvwO8p1885RTxnLtWxQhNbE/s1600/IMG_3048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ag-wUw-qXGZ-uYfilkl3trcYXuEoOSqcyqOCCvv1GKaqH-Q82HnSzdVngIlhOS0CwFul_r6APOb4JZi76PZEoCDQRs_q4Kw8nUEsOSNRPBhvURElpB6BEvwO8p1885RTxnLtWxQhNbE/s640/IMG_3048.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Here you can see the railroad tracks the antennae sit on. They are moved along these tracks into different configurations to adjust their resolution (spread out further equals higher resolution looking deeper into space).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRT2cFB1DJvCkjkiRwIlFCSUdciucuHw0-kuw-Kg-9goga-IeuzanhPQ-3OUBJj1_MD6k007H9C307HuCU2yxBxdzX6w0dELcLk91wm0d0HmL8EhKvt7yf31Ip8JOh4atGsH_BJpRbJeg/s1600/IMG_3059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRT2cFB1DJvCkjkiRwIlFCSUdciucuHw0-kuw-Kg-9goga-IeuzanhPQ-3OUBJj1_MD6k007H9C307HuCU2yxBxdzX6w0dELcLk91wm0d0HmL8EhKvt7yf31Ip8JOh4atGsH_BJpRbJeg/s640/IMG_3059.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After a self-guided walking tour of the Very Large Array, we traveled back into the mountains past the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide_of_the_Americas" target="_blank">Continental Divide</a> to <a href="http://www.pietown.com/" target="_blank">Pie Town, NM</a>. Pie Town is a one-horse town, but with several pie shops. We stopped into the Homestead Cafe and had some great baked potato soup, and slices of pecan and strawberry <a href="http://www.almanac.com/plant/rhubarb" target="_blank">rhubarb</a> pie. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8siHuesTYlOHC1LydvYdpbruNWKEudHeY2eVRjWxcREqLtvqqB_kj5fWTkpoP47LpR3PGOqdWyIDopB1uXYW8W30gfot8uZhj2147NDEtw6kcaGNlUTLwAvxwtuIcnQSLwa2gWSIDF7c/s1600/IMG_3078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8siHuesTYlOHC1LydvYdpbruNWKEudHeY2eVRjWxcREqLtvqqB_kj5fWTkpoP47LpR3PGOqdWyIDopB1uXYW8W30gfot8uZhj2147NDEtw6kcaGNlUTLwAvxwtuIcnQSLwa2gWSIDF7c/s640/IMG_3078.JPG" width="426" /></a> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSv7HzEguHlfrGq59wNuqfpxH3SNdCOm3fONmY19tfRZBcQbjnR0FdM2dQCrWywDM9K4X9tTtmAK2_NhiLS0EL2imkhRuklhfelti5-GpWr5759UqqrtKPy85er3r6ZxyVmTtYfs4No4/s1600/IMG_3091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSv7HzEguHlfrGq59wNuqfpxH3SNdCOm3fONmY19tfRZBcQbjnR0FdM2dQCrWywDM9K4X9tTtmAK2_NhiLS0EL2imkhRuklhfelti5-GpWr5759UqqrtKPy85er3r6ZxyVmTtYfs4No4/s640/IMG_3091.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TdxsrQojXRtg3fujc7RvNd1lVGhOpq6Fz4K5O4Hkq6rRnjQW8Nv8hrgbYnMHHcD8s3SFnlapbtAN6VG5dyvNZhyLDSifZv1qikPBoO4DN_u0fIZVuhvohRGbJW2SvOEg3xJ-GUwgqK8/s1600/IMG_3089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TdxsrQojXRtg3fujc7RvNd1lVGhOpq6Fz4K5O4Hkq6rRnjQW8Nv8hrgbYnMHHcD8s3SFnlapbtAN6VG5dyvNZhyLDSifZv1qikPBoO4DN_u0fIZVuhvohRGbJW2SvOEg3xJ-GUwgqK8/s640/IMG_3089.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We shared the small dining room with Bill, a local cowboy, who told us a bit about the surrounding area and recommended we stop by <a href="http://www.westerndrugstore.com/" target="_blank">Western Drug & General Store</a> when we reached the Arizona border. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After another hour or so of travel, we crossed into Arizona.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC_Db69yJaxAkGWJSA65hq8K4f9cRb0Al2dJoN-FnUETEoRISRMc8zbeuYfENOKo-yRHHLHM1aUhKf9a9zY1tBWPBbdxBbg2julCenQnqSOZOkMBTW98zcksDJW4UdH1oBYuUJAUYWj4/s1600/IMG_3148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC_Db69yJaxAkGWJSA65hq8K4f9cRb0Al2dJoN-FnUETEoRISRMc8zbeuYfENOKo-yRHHLHM1aUhKf9a9zY1tBWPBbdxBbg2julCenQnqSOZOkMBTW98zcksDJW4UdH1oBYuUJAUYWj4/s640/IMG_3148.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_qtzG5juytkN5qVJGf8yAvYw8gQi2dye5JvqB8IRfkJatK18yLUN9oaylc3gfzzgYIPX-CoLvmEtYFzzCB4GEJw75PBwL7Rin4jenTZ181D8m_FK64W0p17Tv8KmEJam1mzN_Mth6Lg/s1600/IMG_3120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_qtzG5juytkN5qVJGf8yAvYw8gQi2dye5JvqB8IRfkJatK18yLUN9oaylc3gfzzgYIPX-CoLvmEtYFzzCB4GEJw75PBwL7Rin4jenTZ181D8m_FK64W0p17Tv8KmEJam1mzN_Mth6Lg/s640/IMG_3120.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkscpj65oTsnl8y_9KCmrnhJdy5fQk-l85MNL957VDQ3qAz5CfzvZOgO14bc7zFO-fTfWt-5YT6O6cASP_dYrpU6wqIQZMwzLGMIPgZJ7MLVHAqFjg5TWi-Me8x_A99_YuD1pbEltxPZo/s1600/IMG_3156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkscpj65oTsnl8y_9KCmrnhJdy5fQk-l85MNL957VDQ3qAz5CfzvZOgO14bc7zFO-fTfWt-5YT6O6cASP_dYrpU6wqIQZMwzLGMIPgZJ7MLVHAqFjg5TWi-Me8x_A99_YuD1pbEltxPZo/s640/IMG_3156.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*<a href="http://www.westerndrugstore.com/" target="_blank">Western Drug</a> in Springerville, AZ is a cowboy's Wal-Mart on steroids. In addition to everything else under the sun, it has the largest, most lethal collection of guns and knives I have ever seen under one roof.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 180 west from Eager, AZ unfortunately merges with Interstate 40 as they run together to Flagstaff, AZ. But the attractions along this stretch of road are not to be missed, beginning with <a href="https://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm" target="_blank">Petrified Forest National Park</a>. The <a href="http://geology.com/stories/13/petrified-wood/" target="_blank">petrified wood</a> in this park is spread among a red-tinted landscape of painted hills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">West of the Petrified Forest, Hwy 180 (I-40) also merges with <a href="http://www.historic66.com/" target="_blank">Historic Route 66</a>. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OqiVKPKBwuoGVwyIbhRwAgfhUNEeiI2wZXMuT21sKSgDZGng7p3-UGDAY2LHeCId5jgZqsRtGyNn2Fk-a2fi2baBPiOzxO4RLeXKMHRCYacRbZx2cKRKQ_CNOd8laXevvq0_ZRyZzsE/s1600/IMG_3222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OqiVKPKBwuoGVwyIbhRwAgfhUNEeiI2wZXMuT21sKSgDZGng7p3-UGDAY2LHeCId5jgZqsRtGyNn2Fk-a2fi2baBPiOzxO4RLeXKMHRCYacRbZx2cKRKQ_CNOd8laXevvq0_ZRyZzsE/s640/IMG_3222.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Route 66, "The Mother Road," has been an iconic thread in the fabric of Americana since before the Great Depression; never more poetically than in John Steinbeck's novel <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Grapes-Wrath-John-Steinbeck/dp/0143039431" target="_blank">The Grapes of Wrath</a></i>. We will weave on and off of Route 66 from here to the Pacific Ocean, and will (much) later pick it up in Chicago, IL and follow it faithfully to Oklahoma City, OK.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Following Route 66 on a short diversion from Hwy 180 & I40, we found ourselves "standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ." If this quoted phrase doesn't sound familiar, then take a listen to the Eagles song <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhH3mRkKDX8" target="_blank">Take It Easy</a> (</i>written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey, famous also for songs like <i>Doctor My Eyes </i>and <i>Hotel California</i>). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamG8kUByNs3BCp4WXRNmPoEN8liyxFBW9yqTO6rK17TjOG_-oOE-gFlmWBYNOerloyc0Ii9G7gDyQNcpG_S-gjHH0Hfe2WmgyzCzuNe7nfV9Sh_-eHLmTfGAQtQwTv3MDgwxfF_U66ZI/s1600/IMG_3230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamG8kUByNs3BCp4WXRNmPoEN8liyxFBW9yqTO6rK17TjOG_-oOE-gFlmWBYNOerloyc0Ii9G7gDyQNcpG_S-gjHH0Hfe2WmgyzCzuNe7nfV9Sh_-eHLmTfGAQtQwTv3MDgwxfF_U66ZI/s640/IMG_3230.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcoLgOlr_x-g-PWw3wzQ0LpQr2bcw4yaY8LYCYRDs7KneYbndBjy08kmyE3uIxC5Qm8ktzm-Luss9zv8uCE8Vcn2df8Yia7pbuJs-bwqiZuB8bYi6qQfPRG-xAj_Pc8BMKpoEAujY1no/s1600/IMG_3219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcoLgOlr_x-g-PWw3wzQ0LpQr2bcw4yaY8LYCYRDs7KneYbndBjy08kmyE3uIxC5Qm8ktzm-Luss9zv8uCE8Vcn2df8Yia7pbuJs-bwqiZuB8bYi6qQfPRG-xAj_Pc8BMKpoEAujY1no/s640/IMG_3219.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*The flowers and candles at the statue (which is actually of Jackson Browne) are in honor of Glenn Frey, who passed away in January of this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Continuing west, you come to an indisputably real site of an alien landing on earth (no offense to Roswell). Meteor Crater is a 550 feet deep hole in the earth; a colossal dimple in the flat red landscape of Arizona. Over 2 miles in circumference, it was formed by a meteorite about 150 feet wide that survived Earth's atmosphere and made contact with the ground at a speed of about 8 miles per second. This impact occurred before any human being had set foot in North America (luckily for human beings).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tdE6lWg23dlkP0USPHWozfnv0uPZ31RG3vAWadLaV33Kv2Y_oXU6gLF5DeOYK6Hp99zL6EmvnE5_uEgT4nb_-SQQu2uHuE13r4qqxtoLyAStDnMjoMRv1sHojKI975iYGNLtyayyVMc/s1600/meteor-crater--winslow--arizona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tdE6lWg23dlkP0USPHWozfnv0uPZ31RG3vAWadLaV33Kv2Y_oXU6gLF5DeOYK6Hp99zL6EmvnE5_uEgT4nb_-SQQu2uHuE13r4qqxtoLyAStDnMjoMRv1sHojKI975iYGNLtyayyVMc/s640/meteor-crater--winslow--arizona.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Aerial image of Meteor Crater courtesy of <a href="http://www.celysvet.cz/krasne-fotky/staty/193/meteor-crater--winslow--arizona.jpg">http://www.celysvet.cz/krasne-fotky/staty/193/meteor-crater--winslow--arizona.jpg</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Just west of Meteor Crater you will arrive in Flagstaff, AZ. From here, you are within an hour's driver of several of the most beautiful places in America.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Stay tuned as we travel from our base-camp of Flagstaff to Sunset Crater Volcano, Hopi Indian lands, The Grand Canyon, & Sedona, AZ.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTIoWFh7YoT6vjKNjUP2ZqujFj0ie3NveSPn-D7s3FGgefNVR0oInD8Bihi-giJg2yfNXV3BOHz2TV3TA_0gTO-C7Ok3xWE495UcNzqXBemOIoLKz9qdqQGz8Y-ug6D5dJF0uOcwtjOr8/s1600/IMG_3346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTIoWFh7YoT6vjKNjUP2ZqujFj0ie3NveSPn-D7s3FGgefNVR0oInD8Bihi-giJg2yfNXV3BOHz2TV3TA_0gTO-C7Ok3xWE495UcNzqXBemOIoLKz9qdqQGz8Y-ug6D5dJF0uOcwtjOr8/s640/IMG_3346.JPG" width="426" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Lava Rock in Sunset Crater </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDktb_o1lHpA3o-Ja7KKTCPedUF6mGOFjBlPVofsRq87JXrtGDlhv8VJD2Ebe7xY2Av3QSo7ZPER2W9-AgGzT7LbvCFLpLBAStVk-mvmsfNHR_eEo8Wj3EooLvDvGr_q0nsImRDR-WJU/s1600/IMG_3459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDktb_o1lHpA3o-Ja7KKTCPedUF6mGOFjBlPVofsRq87JXrtGDlhv8VJD2Ebe7xY2Av3QSo7ZPER2W9-AgGzT7LbvCFLpLBAStVk-mvmsfNHR_eEo8Wj3EooLvDvGr_q0nsImRDR-WJU/s640/IMG_3459.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Hopi Indian Lands </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlukJbkR_5E_LG_FcB0pnR6QlAVAgqAg2LYdq-mqOgAWAuo9wIb5LZZe9M6MmpclSbqAvpSfnbiCg8pLVEsMaNGqM6p-awftFn7SvgnVFxqC18qzL43hseM3x33v8GlpC6XkilONA6Bz0/s1600/IMG_3566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlukJbkR_5E_LG_FcB0pnR6QlAVAgqAg2LYdq-mqOgAWAuo9wIb5LZZe9M6MmpclSbqAvpSfnbiCg8pLVEsMaNGqM6p-awftFn7SvgnVFxqC18qzL43hseM3x33v8GlpC6XkilONA6Bz0/s640/IMG_3566.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> *The Grand Canyon</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJowQ5TEHeVC08fm27ZEpUTkAyCvzpScb0aZGKobXWIdW43jdpleAvH9ptbQjY3n26XW1Jr-3X9irWr41bb2QvLG5IUbJIWGnPHkw67o3sfJqipq5SnAJ1qztp8LQZ5RTk6AqgN3jBIco/s1600/IMG_3812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJowQ5TEHeVC08fm27ZEpUTkAyCvzpScb0aZGKobXWIdW43jdpleAvH9ptbQjY3n26XW1Jr-3X9irWr41bb2QvLG5IUbJIWGnPHkw67o3sfJqipq5SnAJ1qztp8LQZ5RTk6AqgN3jBIco/s640/IMG_3812.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Sedona, AZ, self-titled "most beautiful place in America." Hard to argue with that.</span></div>
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-76888747637455892102016-05-18T07:28:00.003-07:002017-02-28T07:43:08.908-08:00San Antonio, TX to Carlsbad, NM<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">The Journey</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One-day drive. </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>One day for touring Carlsbad National Park.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>The Route </u></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">San Antonio, TX <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 90 to Sanderson, TX </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 285 to Carlsbad, NM</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6BpB-MC1QSj-ML1ry4kzBTpBSOeS2Q3ey8c8VEFTX0CfsOrexIempSAptE0xrKDcDTlCMKQn64yw9qTCQe4zsiQGwffFbA8HOCFf8FXhzoiXRPzqm_2SgKTwNffwmZ4qHWz7mbsyuqA/s1600/IMG_1818+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6BpB-MC1QSj-ML1ry4kzBTpBSOeS2Q3ey8c8VEFTX0CfsOrexIempSAptE0xrKDcDTlCMKQn64yw9qTCQe4zsiQGwffFbA8HOCFf8FXhzoiXRPzqm_2SgKTwNffwmZ4qHWz7mbsyuqA/s640/IMG_1818+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<a name='more'></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPrVN9aBrXcLEYrrFXGWblpugN6vVlqVP2xmO06q3J6G70xtdmAwelhy2Kgf36-JLy3VqfBpnmRY3FeOXWuzsl_r35NLycPobw5uc2XF6LrJdqYBe1-ckJLlwhcsfH9KInxrdyf3PWgk/s1600/IMG_1819+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPrVN9aBrXcLEYrrFXGWblpugN6vVlqVP2xmO06q3J6G70xtdmAwelhy2Kgf36-JLy3VqfBpnmRY3FeOXWuzsl_r35NLycPobw5uc2XF6LrJdqYBe1-ckJLlwhcsfH9KInxrdyf3PWgk/s640/IMG_1819+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtl3m3SByDS-Mr1fAYaxBZzhL4nQaCPl1tTSEiCrTJ5dIkDLwj0X7PfBgM9WTEuD39V8ZEAhbgRh93UPVtpVKe_V5fVqcKV6ECLeoa7bb5Gzrkv81ADqR_HR1lqrZ46miEdzuWqwlclM/s1600/IMG_1820+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtl3m3SByDS-Mr1fAYaxBZzhL4nQaCPl1tTSEiCrTJ5dIkDLwj0X7PfBgM9WTEuD39V8ZEAhbgRh93UPVtpVKe_V5fVqcKV6ECLeoa7bb5Gzrkv81ADqR_HR1lqrZ46miEdzuWqwlclM/s640/IMG_1820+%25282%2529.JPG" width="486" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Soon after leaving <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2016/05/austin-tx-to-san-antonio-tx.html" target="_blank">San Antonio</a> on Hwy 90, you enter vast Texas plains and ranch country. Hundreds of cattle, and the occasional horse and elk, will cross your path along the way. We even saw two wild boar alongside the road but were not fast enough to catch a picture.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKLdE9kn6yglT03RZqTawFzQHLew_gWQBxo9vjJFyXv1XSVgICr2a9FWocu7eghtT_8VZsGnkhXLQw8bw81iqYekVWSMlArSiEsDS36EcTDhpc9sUnajxYR9a6D_v2LSSHLSsP6ncoyo/s1600/IMG_2084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKLdE9kn6yglT03RZqTawFzQHLew_gWQBxo9vjJFyXv1XSVgICr2a9FWocu7eghtT_8VZsGnkhXLQw8bw81iqYekVWSMlArSiEsDS36EcTDhpc9sUnajxYR9a6D_v2LSSHLSsP6ncoyo/s640/IMG_2084.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Small-town road signs along the way, like this one in Hondo, TX, will occasionally remind you that you haven't totally left civilization.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQtSLMDVJUPNqiHQ4YIkzXMv3u0970XaXFFaMxXwSfjR5Sv1QpZ-sxezl7LvM0zbINxgIuk2MjuKVfDSio36yAngEPtWuKsnMfNtF5_P8kjsX6ORARW2Vj_M4vW-cTz9GV6TVRlBmQlc/s1600/IMG_1790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQtSLMDVJUPNqiHQ4YIkzXMv3u0970XaXFFaMxXwSfjR5Sv1QpZ-sxezl7LvM0zbINxgIuk2MjuKVfDSio36yAngEPtWuKsnMfNtF5_P8kjsX6ORARW2Vj_M4vW-cTz9GV6TVRlBmQlc/s640/IMG_1790.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnosRX8zbwfEksH2MSEq2-KL__YWCEu0aft2aGGqNyQq5iw44fEtY20Necewomr3vXM_DXkg2ScT5pOuvCjqayfPPc-EmeIADZpsyNac75czsDsYy21stZPXSL67l3rHOtVRgSQ39Af44/s1600/IMG_1805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnosRX8zbwfEksH2MSEq2-KL__YWCEu0aft2aGGqNyQq5iw44fEtY20Necewomr3vXM_DXkg2ScT5pOuvCjqayfPPc-EmeIADZpsyNac75czsDsYy21stZPXSL67l3rHOtVRgSQ39Af44/s640/IMG_1805.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You will also see evidence of the wind that sweeps over these wide Western plains.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3m4OkFB-XGjtSQPGv4iFqtE3nEKgzFt7yvToXeSClHc3_kIsOm0U9tnlhdb-7ZN62y5oE9_MGvFa3vvv2EZ0thkzRh72v4lw3neLHU05vROthI984tHFKOQ2GyIaVG08VpF-ZxtZHelk/s1600/IMG_1848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3m4OkFB-XGjtSQPGv4iFqtE3nEKgzFt7yvToXeSClHc3_kIsOm0U9tnlhdb-7ZN62y5oE9_MGvFa3vvv2EZ0thkzRh72v4lw3neLHU05vROthI984tHFKOQ2GyIaVG08VpF-ZxtZHelk/s640/IMG_1848.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymC_W19LcfajUpEBr1osj0D2uwxLJ1bbMZvngIZEdUQLUEHRb1R6tEls5QiA6j5LwaKhp0duO11WSfRt8ImDliAO4b1iLOjTdX_4SYpWUsME5ACHFnLvg2NEx34xBC_FVGD3p9UM-vQw/s1600/IMG_1839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymC_W19LcfajUpEBr1osj0D2uwxLJ1bbMZvngIZEdUQLUEHRb1R6tEls5QiA6j5LwaKhp0duO11WSfRt8ImDliAO4b1iLOjTdX_4SYpWUsME5ACHFnLvg2NEx34xBC_FVGD3p9UM-vQw/s640/IMG_1839.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*A dust devil hard at work in a farm near Uvalde, TX</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">From Uvalde to Del Rio, waves begin to form in the road as you approach the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KufTqgHQWyaptFLsZaAGnhCq0C7Vbp2lEeJX9elYslZpQ73V5w-GMPP60AvByRLR3qH6ZZgONJxuAl9QGHeEp8xv5LpZAWf6fe_1wW5MqBmsN7YjqVkW_yvNgS91u-XZLjmSFkfjWOM/s1600/IMG_1992+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KufTqgHQWyaptFLsZaAGnhCq0C7Vbp2lEeJX9elYslZpQ73V5w-GMPP60AvByRLR3qH6ZZgONJxuAl9QGHeEp8xv5LpZAWf6fe_1wW5MqBmsN7YjqVkW_yvNgS91u-XZLjmSFkfjWOM/s640/IMG_1992+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You also know you are approaching Mexico by the noticeable presence of <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/along-us-borders/overview" target="_blank">US Border Patrol</a>. We felt like we had entered a police state as we passed a border patrol truck about every mile for over fifty miles. We were briefly stopped at a mandatory security checkpoint, where we must have seemed pretty innocently American since the Border Patrol officer didn't check our ID's or search our car, but simply told us to have a nice day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In Del Rio, 150 miles from San Antonio, we found the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/rigr/index.htm" target="_blank">Rio Grande</a>, which forms the natural border between the US and Mexico. When you first find it, it is a serene, blue river guarded only by green vegetation along the banks, sloping up to the nearby mountains on the Mexican side. From our vantage point, there was no obstruction preventing a good swimmer from traveling across to (or from) the other bank. But as you progress West of Del Rio, the river digs into the earth deep below carved canyon walls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We passed through a nearly extinct trading post town high above the Rio Grande. The post office provided evidence there was still an adequate population spread among the endless surrounding hills.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We crossed the International Amistad Reservoir parallel to an old rusty train track. The blue waters had pooled in some areas and receded in others to leave dry, dusty river beds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For a stretch of several hundred miles, the only town you will pass through is Sanderson, TX. This town, better defined as a crossroads, is home to a gas station and a few motels. You better fill up your tank here! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">From Sanderson, you veer away from the Mexican border and travel Northwest for many miles through mountains before landing in Fort Stockton, TX.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A unique statue greets you as you pass through Fort Stockton, TX. <a href="http://www.texastwisted.com/attr/paisanopete/" target="_blank">Paisano Pete</a>, as a matter of fact, is the largest road runner in the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As the sun set between Fort Stockton and Pecos, TX we began to see evidence of the <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Black+gold+(oil)" target="_blank">Black Gold</a> that has made many Texas millionaires.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pecos, TX holds a special place in Texas and American history as home to the <a href="http://visitpecos.com/historic-pecos" target="_blank">first rodeo, held on The 4th of July in 1883 at Buck Jackson Arena</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We pressed northwest from Pecos, and passed hundreds of gas flares as we moved from Texas into New Mexico.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">After a much-needed night of rest in the quiet little town of Carlsbad, we entered Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The drive to the caverns provides several neat sights, culminating with a panoramic view of the New Mexico plains near the elevated natural entrance to the caverns.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We entered the Caverns through the Natural Entrance, where swarms of birds (by day) and bats (by night) guard the entrance, circling and keeping watch over this other world.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JYIYmY_9Iu_Okst6lKskNxVa0I49S0WINleDbk4C90uJqIG9kHaqHrtKRgLVnSGzhey-U7juKtLZj_wEP1wsxhBdbRSKmIGMgPrygdEO2uLxmz9qndqHQd1cp-mFAnQLcdaIWuu-vLU/s1600/IMG_2686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JYIYmY_9Iu_Okst6lKskNxVa0I49S0WINleDbk4C90uJqIG9kHaqHrtKRgLVnSGzhey-U7juKtLZj_wEP1wsxhBdbRSKmIGMgPrygdEO2uLxmz9qndqHQd1cp-mFAnQLcdaIWuu-vLU/s640/IMG_2686.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKAsQ6rBsy7z1pugxVXkyWLajsxhXzO3hMjlAhMI650OG6-_dNyjUvt-rdAm8LerPpgOf68HTmDycx8bPH9sBnL7jVDldD4iUsa0QyAkbhSesO8cbK32m4CT40557yXAltOdZrGwm2wg/s1600/IMG_2695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKAsQ6rBsy7z1pugxVXkyWLajsxhXzO3hMjlAhMI650OG6-_dNyjUvt-rdAm8LerPpgOf68HTmDycx8bPH9sBnL7jVDldD4iUsa0QyAkbhSesO8cbK32m4CT40557yXAltOdZrGwm2wg/s640/IMG_2695.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*Before your eyes adjust, this is your view of what you are descending into.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbBs8cgFECXNulAMKXn1L-DQKy7EVT9HAsmX8VDgikhGI1_tsriW7zyoB_cj2y6dMMyxhC_z754Zdd0mqq6g85YJTZFwm57z3ytyzu_3k5cQep07qZ1ZwQ3wI_yI3kIIc0v8btc-Rr2I/s1600/IMG_2704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbBs8cgFECXNulAMKXn1L-DQKy7EVT9HAsmX8VDgikhGI1_tsriW7zyoB_cj2y6dMMyxhC_z754Zdd0mqq6g85YJTZFwm57z3ytyzu_3k5cQep07qZ1ZwQ3wI_yI3kIIc0v8btc-Rr2I/s640/IMG_2704.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*From just inside, here is a view of the light spilling in from the natural entrance. Slowly, as you descend further, this light is extinguished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Two disclaimers before you view more photos of Carlsbad:</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>First</u>, <a href="https://www.artsy.net/artist/ansel-adams" target="_blank">Ansel Adams</a>, the famed and accomplished photographer of America's National Parks, was never pleased with his pictures of Carlsbad Caverns. In his view, photographs do not capture the otherworldly vastness and eeriness of the caverns that are only experienced when you are actually there.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBl_Dwqg9RG0Ljc97vohaNF8MiJwz4wnwS-VLV-RX9inWx4iqp_thbM8G4bCS0wKUqbqMwQih3vCycRghcCAkeLtkrmNoHJ-QrCcKG-Ri8QsqyCw_qqc6JylMXMv5dZspQiN_l-hSs_R8/s1600/Carlsbad-_Rock_of_Ages_in_the_Big_Room_Aaw27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBl_Dwqg9RG0Ljc97vohaNF8MiJwz4wnwS-VLV-RX9inWx4iqp_thbM8G4bCS0wKUqbqMwQih3vCycRghcCAkeLtkrmNoHJ-QrCcKG-Ri8QsqyCw_qqc6JylMXMv5dZspQiN_l-hSs_R8/s640/Carlsbad-_Rock_of_Ages_in_the_Big_Room_Aaw27.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*Ansel Adams photo circa 1941</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Second</u>, there is an elevator which takes visitors to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cave/planyourvisit/bigroom_selfguided_tour.htm" target="_blank">Big Room</a>, the largest accessible chamber in the caverns. If you have the stamina to travel the over 80 stories (and several miles) deep into the earth (and to ascend back out) from the Natural Entrance, then skip the elevator. Otherwise, you will miss many of the wonders of this cave system</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Ansel Adams said this of Carlsbad Caverns. <i>"It is something that should not exist in relation to human beings. Something that is as remote as the galaxy, incomprehensible as a nightmare, and beautiful in spite of everything."</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr0CqGBn5KD9829LyeCcLF7x3mY_dzRLVVNwGoZlIX9LhOgKUUZsjSAOnT2VQeAF22tmMGEofXsXPX-vuAAThPHKdwitfAN8bRvss0EyT7ww3seYV-LNMop7PWttAtJ0h7U7YuCtE-2s/s1600/IMG_2699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr0CqGBn5KD9829LyeCcLF7x3mY_dzRLVVNwGoZlIX9LhOgKUUZsjSAOnT2VQeAF22tmMGEofXsXPX-vuAAThPHKdwitfAN8bRvss0EyT7ww3seYV-LNMop7PWttAtJ0h7U7YuCtE-2s/s640/IMG_2699.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*A view, not far from the natural entrance, toward <i>Bat Cave</i>. If you are lucky enough to be in this spot at sunset, you will have thousands of bats fly over head as they exit the caverns to night hunt.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNc2wG8eT-IPQc8InsUu1TGWdaHlmlMvTw8fejEWWrWi2Ub9s0QEWVaTjKLjVe8ZNTau_Mf9uyol7nNJlMYqJEA9GTGpBQznKM9pMMVOGZZQ8XT90kvwqVLryiXXC4PfubwSD1acLh6Z0/s1600/IMG_2716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNc2wG8eT-IPQc8InsUu1TGWdaHlmlMvTw8fejEWWrWi2Ub9s0QEWVaTjKLjVe8ZNTau_Mf9uyol7nNJlMYqJEA9GTGpBQznKM9pMMVOGZZQ8XT90kvwqVLryiXXC4PfubwSD1acLh6Z0/s640/IMG_2716.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*The path got a little tight here</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JCTiQy-7bFbd0UDiQQaJHfCbHhuqVtJAWXAMYpvCap99uC3STBjxv2BJ9hLayLcd_yStj9AX1MD6aWDPcTsdsHqhGGaXjASohZqm-7sKmXX6G9cHPmCWUnmCWiB2LnFN8g5CRjDr4nQ/s1600/IMG_2732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JCTiQy-7bFbd0UDiQQaJHfCbHhuqVtJAWXAMYpvCap99uC3STBjxv2BJ9hLayLcd_yStj9AX1MD6aWDPcTsdsHqhGGaXjASohZqm-7sKmXX6G9cHPmCWUnmCWiB2LnFN8g5CRjDr4nQ/s640/IMG_2732.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*An attempt to capture a picture of my wife with massive <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalactite" target="_blank">stalactites</a> in the Big Room behind her. The aptly named Big Room is larger than six football fields.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhWCrUzKQxLX2hgyABM1PB0qJ6MbTLn8LCqyDkrYhn8nqB0SSxQX-3oJrwtdH8kgFUN7d_sV0ihQqE7R9CjPPXOz5_7bzynPhwlf6M3VZAP2MfhsxrCi01ALuuGucE16pyPafFBEhvr4/s1600/IMG_6667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhWCrUzKQxLX2hgyABM1PB0qJ6MbTLn8LCqyDkrYhn8nqB0SSxQX-3oJrwtdH8kgFUN7d_sV0ihQqE7R9CjPPXOz5_7bzynPhwlf6M3VZAP2MfhsxrCi01ALuuGucE16pyPafFBEhvr4/s640/IMG_6667.JPG" width="512" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*Observing a stalactite and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalagmite" target="_blank">stalagmite </a>slowly, slowly coming together. Perhaps I'll return in four or five decades to see if they have made contact yet.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCejDbi4zy0v9T8SUmtKXmUQ38RTVvjjWFf8p7Mohmg2GG2oUF2jCa402tWXozCRUS2Y4vksX-wYUYsmbQQepWOzegrVSUq3T9EstN59-UrWTmPkwmKtCDd2vzupY-HQLDV4xbIoQkxCg/s1600/IMG_2783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCejDbi4zy0v9T8SUmtKXmUQ38RTVvjjWFf8p7Mohmg2GG2oUF2jCa402tWXozCRUS2Y4vksX-wYUYsmbQQepWOzegrVSUq3T9EstN59-UrWTmPkwmKtCDd2vzupY-HQLDV4xbIoQkxCg/s640/IMG_2783.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*A pool of water on the floor of the cavern, glowing green from its sulphuric content. This is handy for the prehistoric microbe residents that breathe sulfur instead of oxygen (in a reversal of our biology, oxygen is their byproduct as carbon dioxide is ours).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDqrbsqG-jdYgcydPl5y8vNrRVw0wor3TrLLA-Hw4ciMr9C2xB4lCpGkpGSOci-5RkAIpaOfhcavXViZQv-WF0l-dKqVCIiXmm52n8NXp9vu9IuKskp3QCwDLZrBVQx3AzZgj5Hkpj3A/s1600/IMG_2778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDqrbsqG-jdYgcydPl5y8vNrRVw0wor3TrLLA-Hw4ciMr9C2xB4lCpGkpGSOci-5RkAIpaOfhcavXViZQv-WF0l-dKqVCIiXmm52n8NXp9vu9IuKskp3QCwDLZrBVQx3AzZgj5Hkpj3A/s640/IMG_2778.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*The picture doesn't quite capture the vastness of these stalagmites</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6lLurWyauv6mBAsJriKHz72P5uf9dRiJZahfzKbiQLDX5Sva87vgvzeVeSBtr1b9HePWplML41Cdfaccr3jUKOWlwg5N6NFnjQ3nxYNVo78pMYe7XLiFC4CW_MvGC3OH6I7ylm8B600/s1600/IMG_2785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6lLurWyauv6mBAsJriKHz72P5uf9dRiJZahfzKbiQLDX5Sva87vgvzeVeSBtr1b9HePWplML41Cdfaccr3jUKOWlwg5N6NFnjQ3nxYNVo78pMYe7XLiFC4CW_MvGC3OH6I7ylm8B600/s640/IMG_2785.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*These thin stalactites are still forming as calcite is dissolved by water seeping from the ground above, and deposited at the tips of these dripstones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The climb back out of Carlsbad Caverns is quite a workout. My wife decided to make it tougher by running a large portion of it!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQ_2PZBx0vBRSYJQpBgWlVrlx4NyOtdxlA_lGQ_IlG9LyXR4HjhwObknbtau_czlLE7HTNvp714PGeo5j3B9mt8Orm7Gd_Ca5gxKBvsxi9y9ZxDKqw_gWQO9GCF4by5jrqt3FJ0UzRcI/s1600/IMG_2788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQ_2PZBx0vBRSYJQpBgWlVrlx4NyOtdxlA_lGQ_IlG9LyXR4HjhwObknbtau_czlLE7HTNvp714PGeo5j3B9mt8Orm7Gd_Ca5gxKBvsxi9y9ZxDKqw_gWQO9GCF4by5jrqt3FJ0UzRcI/s640/IMG_2788.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> *She's up ahead, approaching the light from the world above.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe2m7skz3zM7-ew1tG4Y3N0yRvWq3b28n937TYYn9WlR25BYqU5zvqR_zj8anRC_ld-4P59-WfZZ5wpAQEx13r_PrEK2gC6vQKnVmRJXl_feqOHtIuBD8yUL7luWAEStZqZzKA38Fv6c/s1600/IMG_2806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBe2m7skz3zM7-ew1tG4Y3N0yRvWq3b28n937TYYn9WlR25BYqU5zvqR_zj8anRC_ld-4P59-WfZZ5wpAQEx13r_PrEK2gC6vQKnVmRJXl_feqOHtIuBD8yUL7luWAEStZqZzKA38Fv6c/s640/IMG_2806.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">*We made it out, and she wanted to run <u>more</u>. I don't know why she's smiling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stay tuned as we travel west from Carlsbad, NM to Flagstaff, AZ. On this route, we will visit Roswell, NM, the <a href="http://www.vla.nrao.edu/" target="_blank">Very Large Array</a> (looking deep, deep, deep into space), Petrified National Forest, and (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standin%27_on_the_Corner_Park" target="_blank">standing on a corner in</a>) Winslow, AZ.</span></div>
Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-88169141831115011192016-05-03T09:34:00.003-07:002017-05-14T08:00:21.906-07:00Austin, TX to San Antonio, TX<div align="center">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">The Journey</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>A half day drive, </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>leaving extra time to enjoy Austin & San Antonio! </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>The Route </u></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Austin, TX <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 290 </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 12 </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 962<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">> Hwy 281 </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">San Antonio, TX</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNQ69b_7ZwcAau6Amqk1kZ5fodNXo5hmaQJUQlupXbSPocmj5p-OxDo-PQDRjW-h6ZJCmN-keV_jHU4vV_MYa50_UBCwIwL3B1kimrWVRgEjWgNKVb8i-6gfpipF59ikizo3k53RGbzA/s1600/IMG_1815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNQ69b_7ZwcAau6Amqk1kZ5fodNXo5hmaQJUQlupXbSPocmj5p-OxDo-PQDRjW-h6ZJCmN-keV_jHU4vV_MYa50_UBCwIwL3B1kimrWVRgEjWgNKVb8i-6gfpipF59ikizo3k53RGbzA/s640/IMG_1815.JPG" width="480" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Though the map appears to show us traveling Hwy 71, we in fact traveled on smaller hill country roads (Hwys 12 & 962) which run roughly parallel to Hwy 71. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Starting in Austin, TX</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Austin is the capital of Texas and home to the <a href="http://www.utexas.edu/" target="_blank">University of Texas Longhorns</a>. Above is a view of the great Austin skyline from <a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/page/lady-bird-lake" target="_blank">Lady Bird Lake</a>, named after Lady Bird Johnson, wife of President LBJ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Just minutes from downtown is <a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/department/barton-springs-pool" target="_blank">Barton Springs</a>, a natural pool fed by underground springs from the <a href="http://edwardsaquifer.net/" target="_blank">Edwards aquifer</a>. This landmark of Austin has been a draw for centuries, first enjoyed by Native Americans, early Western settlers, citizens of the independent republic of Texas, cowboys, skinny dipping hippies, and now us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One bit of trivia: Robert Redford learned to swim here when he was five years old.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYRmBNto04fVunBQEEh2BRWcVuTMMl-_7wP16G0p4Ro9BrhEeYuCvFfxAiJP9PYcytydmAeuD1U808DRiswpuUHVLP5APdxUGWrRYjo9K7OhOoFVIis_ymNSRj81aH1MlmfSpl46A8fQ/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYRmBNto04fVunBQEEh2BRWcVuTMMl-_7wP16G0p4Ro9BrhEeYuCvFfxAiJP9PYcytydmAeuD1U808DRiswpuUHVLP5APdxUGWrRYjo9K7OhOoFVIis_ymNSRj81aH1MlmfSpl46A8fQ/s640/IMG_1176.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On your way into downtown, take a stroll down South Congress Street, home to trendy shops and restaurants frequented by the locals. There are more taco stands and BBQ shacks on South Congress than you can count, and several have been featured on <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/diners-drive-ins-and-dives.html" target="_blank">Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives</a> including <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.greenmesquite.net/" target="_blank">Green Mesquite,</a> <a href="http://www.louiemuellerbarbecue.com/" target="_blank">Louie Mueller Barbecue</a>, and <a href="http://tacoxpress.com/" target="_blank">Taco Xpress</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Continue north on Congress Street into downtown, where the road terminates at the Texas state capital building. In the spirit of "everything is bigger in Texas," this is the largest capital building in the US. The capital dome is taller than the US Capital Building dome, so tall that the Statue of Liberty could sit inside the dome without touching the top.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In addition to the impressive dome, the Texas capitol building features portraits of all former Governors, and distinctive Texas-style detailing on the floors, walls, and even the doorknobs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Across the street from the capital building is The Old Bakery & Emporium. This neat old bakery building still has the wood-fired oven where bread was baked in the 1800's, and on the 2nd level there is a free museum telling the story of life in Austin through the family that lived and worked in the building in the 1800s and early 1900s. This exhibit includes old photos taken of cattle drives down Main Street, the parade celebrating the end of World War I, and other historic events. It also has a photo of the first Texas Longhorn football game in 1924, where the Longhorns defeated the Texas A&M Aggies 7-0.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">From Austin to San Antonio</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There are several unique features of traveling and staying at hotels in Texas. My wife enjoys the Texas-shaped waffles which seem to be a permanent fixture of all Texas hotel complimentary breakfasts. And our car, inside and out, experienced the effects of the very buggy conditions on the Texas roads.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0k6ruRixVu4Ey5exfDJwfddg7hPdEpN9Zq1lv7K8iNFh5PcIPjZbR7JhBWPPWNqb_tmGMiIiSm7TPqKNBbGhpfOG8YNx6UC6XMV44FqwVo6sgQ1H1sEbvBD-kPjlZ3AycbKONcEEVCyk/s1600/IMG_6410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0k6ruRixVu4Ey5exfDJwfddg7hPdEpN9Zq1lv7K8iNFh5PcIPjZbR7JhBWPPWNqb_tmGMiIiSm7TPqKNBbGhpfOG8YNx6UC6XMV44FqwVo6sgQ1H1sEbvBD-kPjlZ3AycbKONcEEVCyk/s640/IMG_6410.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Our bug friend who hitched a ride with us from just outside of Austin to just outside of San Antonio.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Soon after leaving Austin on Hwy 290 you will pass through Dripping Springs, where the water tower lets you know you are entering Texas Hill Country. The plains and prairies you have traveled though begin to quickly fold into the craggy Texas hills.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLvy73OL4Uyk5YHOTeOpneTF_uX-Bawj8Fr_BhP97GSFrHxrI-3CGkPkTuyLKN33kxb-e1hJaaxDVJ_r2DM6BkxLyWVxeWRWz6CakytyFF24ATPt9STmhgs12LiA0IH0rfWdGQdI78I4/s1600/IMG_1309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLvy73OL4Uyk5YHOTeOpneTF_uX-Bawj8Fr_BhP97GSFrHxrI-3CGkPkTuyLKN33kxb-e1hJaaxDVJ_r2DM6BkxLyWVxeWRWz6CakytyFF24ATPt9STmhgs12LiA0IH0rfWdGQdI78I4/s640/IMG_1309.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately the beautiful <a href="https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/find-a-park/hamilton-pool" target="_blank">Hamilton Pool</a> at Dripping Springs was closed due to weather when we passed through. But there were still several neat sites and locations along the way, not to mention a fun curvy hilly drive on seemingly deserted roads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hwy 287 takes you quickly (with 75 mph speed limit) from the sparse hill country to the heart of San Antonio. </span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">The Destination</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">San Antonio, TX</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">San Antonio is home to one of the most recognizable landmarks of American history, <a href="http://www.thealamo.org/" target="_blank">The Alamo</a>. The famed heroes of the Alamo, which included figures like James Bowie and <a href="http://www.history.com/topics/davy-crockett" target="_blank">Davy Crockett</a>, fought against Santa Anna's 5000 man Mexican army for Texas independence from Mexico. The roughly 200 defenders of the Alamo were besieged, defeated, and killed at the Alamo, but not before killing around 600 Mexican soldiers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Less than two months later, with the battle cry "Remember the Alamo!", <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/sam-houston-9344806" target="_blank">Sam Houston</a> led the Texas militia to victory over Santa's Anna's army in <a href="http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/batsanjacinto.htm" target="_blank">The Battle of San Jacinto</a>. This allowed the creation of The Lone Star Republic of Texas, which remained an independent nation for nearly a decade before joining the USA as the 28th state in the Union.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Not quite as heroic as defending the Alamo, my wife and I, and her parents who met us in San Antonio, survived the Alamo Beer Company 5k run.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39NUo_0tEhgzEuEri0G2mpGSXiO_wjKpa-ffnW6mYFS9JtNafKv7J3cfxR9i_UJYg30vSxeFQCQUqfxJ4WPO_KsMBLme4FPg7vIY6Lbn-18sKE-MgCwNt9aR0oov-EFl4dPwNRqqcbSo/s1600/DSC01294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39NUo_0tEhgzEuEri0G2mpGSXiO_wjKpa-ffnW6mYFS9JtNafKv7J3cfxR9i_UJYg30vSxeFQCQUqfxJ4WPO_KsMBLme4FPg7vIY6Lbn-18sKE-MgCwNt9aR0oov-EFl4dPwNRqqcbSo/s640/DSC01294.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Another landmark of San Antonio is the <a href="http://www.toweroftheamericas.com/" target="_blank">Tower of the Americas</a>, built in HemisFair Park for the <a href="http://www.worldsfair68.info/" target="_blank">1968 World's Fair</a>. It was the tallest observation tower in the US for nearly 30 years, and remains the tallest building in San Antonio and an eye-popping place to ride the exterior glass-windowed elevator to the observation deck or revolving restaurant and catch expansive views of the city and beyond.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdLK2I9GkM51DaWFnAnV0tK9SUMe5Jk529eETUW17YgAbz1q07TvZioW4DzGZ-HfkcdYP2kN3eOf71Ky3wxhrBrSVKnduThpNlCTrzcqwkM2lFD0T-wsBiSTOgtWc8_FPNOSMS7NAAZY/s1600/IMG_1555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdLK2I9GkM51DaWFnAnV0tK9SUMe5Jk529eETUW17YgAbz1q07TvZioW4DzGZ-HfkcdYP2kN3eOf71Ky3wxhrBrSVKnduThpNlCTrzcqwkM2lFD0T-wsBiSTOgtWc8_FPNOSMS7NAAZY/s640/IMG_1555.JPG" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuGGNmBPg-3Ezu5eXWfuSBvCmeyq7H59ZfJu5kL2kBJrbXQ_A4zCoaeLzq5C-ACuzTVruw7E2nESYuCRPN1Twcr1LlUrjzutNsR_z4SvoFGzwT3MebjAgj-MHigbpBYhQvgi95ClaW0I/s1600/IMG_1569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuGGNmBPg-3Ezu5eXWfuSBvCmeyq7H59ZfJu5kL2kBJrbXQ_A4zCoaeLzq5C-ACuzTVruw7E2nESYuCRPN1Twcr1LlUrjzutNsR_z4SvoFGzwT3MebjAgj-MHigbpBYhQvgi95ClaW0I/s640/IMG_1569.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">*My wife's parents from the restaurant atop the Tower of the Americas. That is not a painting in the background. That is the window with a view of the city from the Tower.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The main attraction of San Antonio, and the <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/worlds-most-visited-tourist-attractions/24" target="_blank">23rd most visited</a> tourist attraction in the world, is the <a href="http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/" target="_blank">San Antonio Riverwalk</a>. The Riverwalk is the main arterial system of San Antonio's unique and attractive downtown. Shops, restaurants, and hotels line the various arteries of the riverwalk system, where riverboats can carry you to your destination.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1Rc1UcGNRJzjUpghJgcRsnZyPZ7DkuVPA0Erg_6QiriQZgp3C4mMzHaoeOjpi6cmdRgqVhwI7K_nNdHHP5E1Cy2uxocUfexILh1djnIKbOBVJNbCL7-vfpTFreEK4M7_DR6f3apxC28/s1600/IMG_6518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1Rc1UcGNRJzjUpghJgcRsnZyPZ7DkuVPA0Erg_6QiriQZgp3C4mMzHaoeOjpi6cmdRgqVhwI7K_nNdHHP5E1Cy2uxocUfexILh1djnIKbOBVJNbCL7-vfpTFreEK4M7_DR6f3apxC28/s640/IMG_6518.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Wildlife intermingles with the boats and folks along the Riverwalk.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We stayed at the Marriott Rivercenter, which provided "out your front door" access to the Riverwalk and had great views of the city. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On our final morning in San Antonio, we walked from the Riverwalk to <a href="http://visitsanantonio.com/Browse-Book/Shopping/Market-Square-El-Mercado-(1)" target="_blank">El Mercado</a>, a Mexican market featuring many vendors of food, art, and authentic Mexican crafts. We had breakfast (yes, I said breakfast) at <a href="http://www.mitierracafe.com/" target="_blank">Mi Tierra</a>, a bustling Mexican restaurant the size of a city block.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After a fun several days in San Antonio, we struck out for west Texas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Stay tuned for our next post on wild and beautiful west Texas and otherworldly Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.</span><br />
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-41211953809563101002016-04-26T05:34:00.000-07:002017-06-16T13:46:14.775-07:00New Orleans, LA to Austin, TX<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">The Journey</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Two days' travel time. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>One night in Galveston, TX.</i></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As you see in the map above, there are several twists and turns between cities on this journey. This is far from the fastest way to connect the dots trough Louisiana and Texas. But if you have the itch to roam, this meandering journey will take you from the winding shore of the Mississippi to the western shore of the Gulf Coast to Texas ranch country before depositing you in Austin.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/louisiana/riverroad.htm" target="_blank">River Road</a> from New Orleans to Baton Rouge is advertised as the home to many historic southern plantations. And along with many mossy oaks, it certainly has its share of plantations, with names like <a href="http://bocageplantation.com/" target="_blank">Bocage</a>, <a href="http://neworleansplantationcountry.com/plantations/poche-plantation" target="_blank">Poche</a>, and <a href="http://www.houmashouse.com/" target="_blank">Houmas House</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">This was a road trip day for us, so there was no stopping at any of these beauties, no matter how much I oohed and ahhed and whined about it! For details on touring the plantations, hop over to the Independent Travel Cats' <a href="http://independenttravelcats.com/2016/07/04/louisiana-plantations-river-road-guide-baton-rouge-new-orleans/" target="_blank">guide to twelve River Road plantations</a>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">In sharp contrast to the old Southern plantations, the largest and most prominent residents of The River Road are the industrial plants with conveyor shafts stretching over the road to slurp up their raw materials and cargo from the Mississippi.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As you approach Baton Rouge, you will pass <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Stadium_(LSU)" target="_blank">Death Valley</a>, considered by many the hardest place to win a football game (unless, of course, you're the LSU Tigers). Much later in this journey, we visited the real <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2016/07/los-angeles-to-las-vegas.html" target="_blank">Death Valley in California</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In Baton Rouge, we drove by the impressive <a href="http://house.louisiana.gov/pio/virtualtour/lacaphistory.htm" target="_blank">Louisiana State Capital</a>. And we walked the steps down to touch the Mississippi, where we saw (and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eaArLJWyjM" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">heard</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">) docked river boats.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hwy 190 from Baton Rouge to Texas calls itself "The Scenic Highway." Some scenes along the way are Crawfish Farms (took us a bit to figure out what these flooded fields were), the painted Guitars in downtown Opelousas, and Eunice, "Gateway to the Great Southwest Prairie." Before you know it, you are crossing into Texas.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnY922v4vxu1jwBlDbHw8R415bF_F4vDePBuItOUIFtHHQqqcgro7loHiLFXe67v7Irb4Ke3V4a2khzk6vFyon3ixjwWQHPHi2yPs9G0ubURpz3-hfyLu-JmGHMem83141CGiZyRE5LBI/s1600/IMG_0942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnY922v4vxu1jwBlDbHw8R415bF_F4vDePBuItOUIFtHHQqqcgro7loHiLFXe67v7Irb4Ke3V4a2khzk6vFyon3ixjwWQHPHi2yPs9G0ubURpz3-hfyLu-JmGHMem83141CGiZyRE5LBI/s640/IMG_0942.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After passing through Beaumont, you travel the long straight roads out of civilization on the elongated peninsula to Port Bolivar. In this skinny strip of land between the Gulf of Mexico and Texas's East Bay, everything is on stilts, including the post office and the high school. You will take the free <a href="http://www.galveston.com/galvestonferry/" target="_blank">Galveston Ferry</a> from Port Bolivar to Galveston (runs 24 hours). Here is our GPS navigator showing us traveling over the water as we ride the ferry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> In our brief time in Galveston, we learned about the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States, <a href="http://www.1900storm.com/" target="_blank">the 1900 Galveston Hurricane</a>, commemorated by these and other monuments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the many attractions of Galveston is the seaside <a href="http://www.pleasurepier.com/" target="_blank">Pleasure Pier</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is a relatively short ride (about an hour) from Galveston over West Bay to Houston. Like a select few of America's largest cities, it is hard to fully understand the sheer size of the urban sprawl until you travel through it. On our ride through Houston we happened to pass the NCAA Final Four hosted at NRG Stadium, home of the Houston Texans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After escaping the urban-then-suburban sprawl of Houston, we began to pass through quaint small Texas towns. In Rosenburg, we stopped at 2M's Malt N Burger Mart where we had a Strawberry Malt, a Coke Float, and some freshly greased French fries; not a bad snack to hold us over until Austin, TX.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As you pass into rural Texas, greeted along the way by a water logged smiley face, the road and its surroundings flatten into a vast farmland spotted with Texas wildflowers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If, like us, you are traveling from the Eastern United States, you will know you are entering The West as you cross the Colorado River and see your first cactus near Altair, TX.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span> Austin, TX is often overshadowed by the other more gargantuan Texas cities, but it does not take long visiting Austin to fall in love with the history, attractions, and vibe of the Texas state capital.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stay tuned for highlights of <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2016/05/austin-tx-to-san-antonio-tx.html%20Done" target="_blank">Austin, San Antonio, and the route in between</a>...</span></div>
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-31769045934778028162016-04-12T07:34:00.001-07:002017-05-22T09:10:36.403-07:00A Weekend in New Orleans, LA<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Road Trip Destination</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Big Easy - New Orleans, LA</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEVEgv_o0nEZEWppu-0yoz_d6ha240AcYnS3VZCyZMHWiskvWZDi65JcCqcelOXE9cMKe6rdxoRGnV7oknP8z82SM6c5tNASYKEjlisjQAAxcTghAjUQ2jyWunC414MScrEwhQLdSuoc/s1600/NOLAcover001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEVEgv_o0nEZEWppu-0yoz_d6ha240AcYnS3VZCyZMHWiskvWZDi65JcCqcelOXE9cMKe6rdxoRGnV7oknP8z82SM6c5tNASYKEjlisjQAAxcTghAjUQ2jyWunC414MScrEwhQLdSuoc/s640/NOLAcover001.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="494" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">New Orleans is a fascinating city. We all know about <a href="http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/history.html" target="_blank">Mardi Gras</a> and <a href="http://www.neworleansonline.com/tools/streets/bourbonstreet.html" target="_blank">Bourbon Street</a>, the parades, and the party that never ends. And of course, we all remember the devastation of the <a href="http://www.npr.org/2015/08/03/427844717/ghosts-of-katrina-still-haunt-new-orleans-shattered-lower-ninth-ward" target="_blank">Ninth Ward</a> by Katrina. But the culture, vibe, and heritage of NOLA are infinitely more interesting than these broad brush impressions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">To begin with, New Orleans, like many of our cities, was first inhabited by Native Americans. It was gradually co-inhabited by French fur-traders in the 1600's until it eventually became the capital of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_(New_France)" style="font-size: large;" target="_blank">French Louisiana</a><span style="font-size: large;"> under the name "Nouvelle-Orleans" in 1722. France at that time had ambitions to control the vast middle of North America and box in the British colonies along the Eastern Seaboard. In the mid 1700's it was ceded to Spanish control, then ceded back to French control just before being sold by Napolean to the USA in the </span><a href="http://www.history.com/topics/louisiana-purchase" style="font-size: large;" target="_blank">Louisiana Purchase</a><span style="font-size: large;"> in 1803. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Only a decade later, New Orleans was the site of one of the definitive battles that secured long-term independence for America. In the often forgotten </span><a href="http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-new-orleans" style="font-size: large;" target="_blank">Battle of New Orleans</a><span style="font-size: large;"> in the often forgotten War of 1812, Andrew Jackson and his troops routed the British, and Jackson was declared governor of the city until he handed it back over to civilian government in an America that had now twice defeated the greatest military power in the world in less than half a century.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUl2yEm26yEB4jfB2wgLnvR91nbttSu8vZTOjiq3FnR4OSsew-V54khtrIJjsgGBt4ayJyIC395DTVKjal2iQ-5KSLmbqlGGMAJi5pup68HXZMXX1CdIkfKcZ2FN4X-xuUPsE8o5aEp5w/s640/Battle_of_New_Orleans.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">In this depiction by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Percy_Moran" target="_blank">Edward Percy Moran</a>, Andrew Jackson leads </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">his troops against the British during the Battle of New Orleans</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Like other cities with a rich heritage and a vibrant modern city center, New Orleans' architecture is an amalgamation of new and old, and the European influence is apparent everywhere you look. Historic buildings now sit next to modern skyscrapers.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBT6jLANf6c7tuzaz5XMoP2VOjVET-TRfjAAmzCQPqwKDJZPQaj5XgQPQbpjQvQO0CJQdqe8VGPmwzd5KjYJqwH1m3iE82MfeNCgIVk8f1ztkqqI6zpD2yxUMO4vWU9OILW8goox-jxU/s640/NOLA023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">The St. Louis Cathedral overlooks Jackson Square</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLl3I3QcDhVj18LAy-8PvzcssmHAehyljuqPakJtx15ILwxXbcHTtfOyfhCO0oXQwDev4Iw6h-66kbi-nkqHBRjnAE_rNMle4MuZOtzrcFx80JnIY_IQsjDKsrXVngoM1Pzhl2vTcUvg/s1600/NOLA022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLl3I3QcDhVj18LAy-8PvzcssmHAehyljuqPakJtx15ILwxXbcHTtfOyfhCO0oXQwDev4Iw6h-66kbi-nkqHBRjnAE_rNMle4MuZOtzrcFx80JnIY_IQsjDKsrXVngoM1Pzhl2vTcUvg/s640/NOLA022.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qk98I2V-8WstztqiKDc8JtlRhBuDsvNMNipFd6x-JE4gsuvJPCRR1otuci3yV5FsOvSY4JVnRII9kZDNp6zQsvuSj5hfJh_spoRNLTwJe5ZoFMzmxD_ANGtoq7feRJvl-zFl6V2v1s4/s1600/NOLA030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qk98I2V-8WstztqiKDc8JtlRhBuDsvNMNipFd6x-JE4gsuvJPCRR1otuci3yV5FsOvSY4JVnRII9kZDNp6zQsvuSj5hfJh_spoRNLTwJe5ZoFMzmxD_ANGtoq7feRJvl-zFl6V2v1s4/s640/NOLA030.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXg-lLpiGcmXizKytnBKTQ8Q7bwwW4FB8fQ5ZMqz1i_My5U7hWdlrb9Wq2S23pS5hsmVqhI75l_82H7s67FyL2RFSYoBVtu8rXKgFvdvd1AkzQP7bLpv2TaCyYmJQ3tUdzlQRk4IcJOA/s1600/NOLA042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXg-lLpiGcmXizKytnBKTQ8Q7bwwW4FB8fQ5ZMqz1i_My5U7hWdlrb9Wq2S23pS5hsmVqhI75l_82H7s67FyL2RFSYoBVtu8rXKgFvdvd1AkzQP7bLpv2TaCyYmJQ3tUdzlQRk4IcJOA/s640/NOLA042.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUkKE6wpiDMr2GrXn2QO8vXVh6YD5MU7N7lS47DbEjolxO3D5wqJ8RFDdeoTq1lsy9fsCJZtrtz8wtQiy0X1VjRXYbctoKcxZ7xSesDNXiHT9RaTprHhNb4YfdXaSV7RDNFeW8g6vUqE/s640/NOLA034.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">If you can tune out the modern cars, clothing and trash cans, there are blocks where you feel as though you've been transported across an ocean and back a century or two.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUkKE6wpiDMr2GrXn2QO8vXVh6YD5MU7N7lS47DbEjolxO3D5wqJ8RFDdeoTq1lsy9fsCJZtrtz8wtQiy0X1VjRXYbctoKcxZ7xSesDNXiHT9RaTprHhNb4YfdXaSV7RDNFeW8g6vUqE/s1600/NOLA034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But the distinctive architecture of the </span><a href="http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/fq/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;" target="_blank">French Quarter</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> and the voodoo artwork throughout the city are unique only to New Orleans.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRU_PX0RPHhaiLIbQzkSjfVBXTLV8JLm2vxsxEZW4SUYvg2BAVYs27STK_2wLyJ0tHQAzOJ0Zu0NwJbuMzyBXfBKX7Qc6gyqQGUvmVNogeyLJVP85a2arxvp2Hxz-HznBGossIN6J2rs/s1600/NOLA016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRU_PX0RPHhaiLIbQzkSjfVBXTLV8JLm2vxsxEZW4SUYvg2BAVYs27STK_2wLyJ0tHQAzOJ0Zu0NwJbuMzyBXfBKX7Qc6gyqQGUvmVNogeyLJVP85a2arxvp2Hxz-HznBGossIN6J2rs/s640/NOLA016.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjXdqh6sVbbdzKn06gr5EXGrGXGuitXarVUGm8MFgs3qaTvyFBsG5OYhO4iJ_hNthcGaghM2Ap5uZygBFvXJdzzY8DciLtOqU2j1JPuQqqzTTwsOh6DorIsJGXuYd7tAFfvmTH6T0QBA/s1600/NOLA006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjXdqh6sVbbdzKn06gr5EXGrGXGuitXarVUGm8MFgs3qaTvyFBsG5OYhO4iJ_hNthcGaghM2Ap5uZygBFvXJdzzY8DciLtOqU2j1JPuQqqzTTwsOh6DorIsJGXuYd7tAFfvmTH6T0QBA/s640/NOLA006.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnQH9uK7qQNs5rAao-_97PO26AJ-t-RdpTthA536XgEsj6v3h_TxSj0DmH7YlW1fiz-J3kskxd6H34l1ZerC87nfxczHN-c2tLFx3p3M8owPoTH0v8m5l1dyOhyvGi1F-RbjlJp1zRFE/s1600/NOLA003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnQH9uK7qQNs5rAao-_97PO26AJ-t-RdpTthA536XgEsj6v3h_TxSj0DmH7YlW1fiz-J3kskxd6H34l1ZerC87nfxczHN-c2tLFx3p3M8owPoTH0v8m5l1dyOhyvGi1F-RbjlJp1zRFE/s640/NOLA003.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Graffiti and art along Frenchmen St.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRKnq33YIV2ak-ot08K8tzqLVQeQs4FTCIuF3pvKVqdQ_QpCbeblZ1RQ2PcFhX0ZH3I_k5Wi_TqC6TtbOb9MAyKUkVqFGaWfD3mTTYbVjC2E8p2kVdb1l4KT8MfStfdbrJ20miCDN-nE/s640/NOLA007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="426" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">An inviting door to walk through in the French Quarter</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRKnq33YIV2ak-ot08K8tzqLVQeQs4FTCIuF3pvKVqdQ_QpCbeblZ1RQ2PcFhX0ZH3I_k5Wi_TqC6TtbOb9MAyKUkVqFGaWfD3mTTYbVjC2E8p2kVdb1l4KT8MfStfdbrJ20miCDN-nE/s1600/NOLA007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSh8I1bOTZ4w82qrL_rpMuPtoCEYzJqEUsBk3ZB079Q5zdc_ybLfC5nvoTdgkgPpTaDTAMlEMdeHeW917EbTZu7Y1P-Dh6W7fVVxby9n9xuocwU7K9haAa-evQfQLRlvy5Zv7xHJacwM/s640/NOLA031.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">A quiet Decatur Street early in the morning</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Jackson Square</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Of course, New Orleans is well known for its nightlife and jazz joints and live music bars. But while Bourbon Street is overcrowded and a little seedy, the real gem is </span><a href="http://frenchmenstreetlive.com/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Frenchmen St</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, just across Esplanade Ave. on the other side of the </span><a href="http://www.neworleansonline.com/directory/location.php?locationID=1277" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Old US Mint</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Take the time to tour the mint (it's free!). It contains US coins it minted in the early 1800's, as well as Confederate coins it minted during the Civil War until the South ran out of silver. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDco1yEqQ0zUfmzOj1XsZGnJjBS5_D0ruX7fiUCrF6ECZsL7KBqWmxIcbDD5hpxCYandPQjsUiU0xwaFI4vA5oW1ptxQsskkALCWLvgCGTmsDp6qfWc6fj5m3BS0sfd7OMdOhgScxY9s/s1600/NOLA033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDco1yEqQ0zUfmzOj1XsZGnJjBS5_D0ruX7fiUCrF6ECZsL7KBqWmxIcbDD5hpxCYandPQjsUiU0xwaFI4vA5oW1ptxQsskkALCWLvgCGTmsDp6qfWc6fj5m3BS0sfd7OMdOhgScxY9s/s640/NOLA033.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then take the stroll over to Frenchmen Street and find a place to grab a seat and enjoy some local talent. Take a mid-afternoon rest with a drink and live music in the quiet courtyard at <a href="https://frenchmenstreetlive.com/rare-form/" target="_blank">Rare Form</a>.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__iv_7R1CZ3BRP759J5qCnkD-mLIEwR3C5NFmN-q4VyxRIFAz_hQCFnxWlXZfyQ8E4vlT9A8m_Fr3RBRmn__trYhennr9ngFVVCgtXGEQMEvbRriWmkn1OyJmqU7XPMUhrkouOsQ7kVQ/s1600/NOLA018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__iv_7R1CZ3BRP759J5qCnkD-mLIEwR3C5NFmN-q4VyxRIFAz_hQCFnxWlXZfyQ8E4vlT9A8m_Fr3RBRmn__trYhennr9ngFVVCgtXGEQMEvbRriWmkn1OyJmqU7XPMUhrkouOsQ7kVQ/s640/NOLA018.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">I'm sure it's not always this quaint and quiet, but it was just what we were looking for.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvy0dKFuvKdeJ6s_fVRAcW_ata8YaqfOl5USOiq-CKUgRE-DSpeYFGmI1d7Zhy4qZZRHpO8weGfOQQTWavMfyNjUolN7CAuGxtNEBmIJhGOmKBlclAqHRAiZQRFOZL-hnrocOvbLtqPAQ/s1600/NOLA043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz_7W8RaGlwKX5W06ZIa3rmb0E4kP8N4DgYUmqk7x9kgPX8mIaBwFDWh5eUigPvYJiU8FzuTryR_TsjqZhbVA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> It's kind of sad that all the people listening to the band were staring</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> down at their phones instead of relaxing and taking in the environment around them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After your rest, continue along Frenchmen St. to take in more shops and restaurants.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktYCcdL5eCBMt9Td7hVvvnCAhRum2aQycKLXdiGcG5cqm9HWQVe652vWq1Wp8emuItJQuKKtZ_ve9kjdanHrUZEFrsjAbEZsrT36atHpeCw6HtrOnd1D6wEZEB7-aLKuZDaqYCn83coQ/s1600/NOLA019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktYCcdL5eCBMt9Td7hVvvnCAhRum2aQycKLXdiGcG5cqm9HWQVe652vWq1Wp8emuItJQuKKtZ_ve9kjdanHrUZEFrsjAbEZsrT36atHpeCw6HtrOnd1D6wEZEB7-aLKuZDaqYCn83coQ/s640/NOLA019.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For me, the real highlight of the city - and this region of the country - is the </span><a href="https://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2017/02/our-favorite-restaurants-in-america.html" style="font-size: large;" target="_blank">food</a><span style="font-size: large;">. New Orleans' food is the product of ingredients of Native American, French, Spanish, African, and eventually Italian influence that produced it (read an excellent brief summary of Cajun & Creole cooking, and differences between the two, </span><a href="http://www.langloisnola.com/creole-cajun-history/" style="font-size: large;" target="_blank">here on Langlois restaurant's website</a><span style="font-size: large;">). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/" target="_blank">Mother's Restaurant</a> boasts that it has the World's Best Baked Ham. I can't disagree, because I didn't try it. I did, however, have the Crawfish <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89touff%C3%A9e" target="_blank">Etouffee</a> with red beans and collared greens. The food was out of this world, and while eating we learned the interesting story of Hurricane Katrina's impact on this landmark restaurant. You can read how the lives of the workers and customers of Mother's were affected <a href="http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/hurricane_katrina.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3WtBu5uZCNRIj8X-7Obt8mLJy4dbbZiIBIP05e2brFBIXjiUORqLcJ_hMEbCEvZQxlzMTnd5LMgydiePB_XCB1A0aglRGxZvLly5W5_9aSU0cQvxp2AEXuZuugYuF0Jy_BDXDoqu8N4/s1600/NOLA044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3WtBu5uZCNRIj8X-7Obt8mLJy4dbbZiIBIP05e2brFBIXjiUORqLcJ_hMEbCEvZQxlzMTnd5LMgydiePB_XCB1A0aglRGxZvLly5W5_9aSU0cQvxp2AEXuZuugYuF0Jy_BDXDoqu8N4/s640/NOLA044.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Across the street from our hotel, in a quiet alley, was <a href="http://www.thebontoncafe.com/" target="_blank">Bon Ton Cafe</a>. Only open limited hours Monday - Friday and not at all on the weekends, Bon Ton is a small family-owned restaurant boasting can't-beat local fare. Having not fully satiated my desire for etouffee at Mother's, I had the Shrimp and Crap Etouffee at Bon Ton. Mmm, mmm, mmm.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHzzVn7BpHfLW_oBo8Bf8xE7GweRdPgaoC36nWsvesEK1JvDi-ru3eJ_VbpkU9FmbXCI50P3p1s6ogPbwFgVLBvM-BzMUgB2gOOp7Kbdg9LqqEAnlg34FSH-H8Cj4BwGrwpWvf0gx26M/s1600/NOLA013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHzzVn7BpHfLW_oBo8Bf8xE7GweRdPgaoC36nWsvesEK1JvDi-ru3eJ_VbpkU9FmbXCI50P3p1s6ogPbwFgVLBvM-BzMUgB2gOOp7Kbdg9LqqEAnlg34FSH-H8Cj4BwGrwpWvf0gx26M/s640/NOLA013.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZId4wYKMTdNjAfoRWJhtsgBOP7a9y4ySKXu3TaemuI9QFPVwKerXx7e8mQsm6S5De0t3-vxv6J3u0isjjwcwrzrIrWGZsuqOuhrsS7QBb9qxluPQtkzLAaYz6kVMZUQdOKZehoXTl-1E/s1600/NOLA045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZId4wYKMTdNjAfoRWJhtsgBOP7a9y4ySKXu3TaemuI9QFPVwKerXx7e8mQsm6S5De0t3-vxv6J3u0isjjwcwrzrIrWGZsuqOuhrsS7QBb9qxluPQtkzLAaYz6kVMZUQdOKZehoXTl-1E/s640/NOLA045.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcplX_a2gFzJfm766SGrJAR43kuI5JQQCsm7XafS8Q1fyRTvuu1-HIHUflnz1pV3qg3qF1HzdKLE8oEc_2PeTuqpjI5HtnM-pqGL7BLoIeWlMzH6AIc8k3jaNrbn_7MKoCbo5i2FXNdVI/s1600/Restaurants012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcplX_a2gFzJfm766SGrJAR43kuI5JQQCsm7XafS8Q1fyRTvuu1-HIHUflnz1pV3qg3qF1HzdKLE8oEc_2PeTuqpjI5HtnM-pqGL7BLoIeWlMzH6AIc8k3jaNrbn_7MKoCbo5i2FXNdVI/s640/Restaurants012.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There are candy shops and coffee shops galore in New Orleans, but two in particular took the cake for us. The well known <a href="http://www.cafedumonde.com/" target="_blank">Cafe Du Monde</a> is constantly swamped with tourists, but don't let the long lines deter you. The line moves quickly, and this open air restaurant is famous for its Cafe Au Lait (coffee with milk) and beignets (think French funnel cake loaded up with powdered sugar).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8IgYRPFqkJvw3kZlXHWo9pKWxf7OoGL3OSnKc3TZJw7h6a208JcO7mSJSbpfMl7W7ds6WTrYDK53ZJQ_UtKARnAln1Y398vH1EuFgfyLNEtdQ9jTr1jpZlvusBzBCl0fXTMsGy_FxXs/s1600/NOLA012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8IgYRPFqkJvw3kZlXHWo9pKWxf7OoGL3OSnKc3TZJw7h6a208JcO7mSJSbpfMl7W7ds6WTrYDK53ZJQ_UtKARnAln1Y398vH1EuFgfyLNEtdQ9jTr1jpZlvusBzBCl0fXTMsGy_FxXs/s640/NOLA012.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">We were definitely the only people drawing and blogging at <br />Cafe du Monde. Notice the evidence of the jazz band <br />providing entertainment out on the street as people wait <br />in line for a table and beignets</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCZFryCK39rTulKqCnugLDmeOCLcwVLdzNFojV137-g27KtrtfpbSlmK_H8bwPNKQ224N0w2kUjJvGdLAKhmE3M7ZaG1iCL0pvhcxFyQ4jeyG8amwHSySWjF3qa6u46Yy7CeMmxfLyaY/s640/NOLA039.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">My wife drawing while we ate at Cafe du Monde</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The supply of pralines in New Orleans is in no danger of running low. On nearly every street, there is a candy shop with pralines as its headliner. At </span><a href="https://www.laurascandies.com/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Laura's Candies</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, there certainly are pralines (tasty ones too), but their highlight is Mississippi Mud. You gotta try it.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Of course we couldn't pass up a candy shop called Laura's!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">This stuff is amazing.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqjVRr_OFNmBirUHVy33gX8_6_6yCXUPYjS4z7cILi1sS-GiH-8Lk2VaStlOw45RtCm5CYtC02hxJWEHuyU06fb9gVpVaHReYuYyk-hxGia2nBBrmMknibUu34QxWY-Hc2dNftYO0IlY/s640/NOLA011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">And it can be <a href="https://www.laurascandies.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=46" target="_blank">purchased online</a>...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">No Road Trip to New Orleans is complete without crossing Lake Pontchartrain on the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Pontchartrain_Causeway" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Causeway Bridge</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, the world's longest bridge over a body of water. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKwUGU0f72FmF_VzP2LSi3pIOkXa4HN0kKLhOysGCq0IIQHGJtuxBnhriX4nQr05uOeArquxQ1vy8IkAkz9wGmgee5K8YjcDKVJHjOYd3gVVGT8C6odc-SNnSIebsUqFy_jmVPVUqizI/s1600/NOLA014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKwUGU0f72FmF_VzP2LSi3pIOkXa4HN0kKLhOysGCq0IIQHGJtuxBnhriX4nQr05uOeArquxQ1vy8IkAkz9wGmgee5K8YjcDKVJHjOYd3gVVGT8C6odc-SNnSIebsUqFy_jmVPVUqizI/s640/NOLA014.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> The bridge is over 22 miles long!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A great seafood restaurant, </span><a href="http://middendorfsrestaurant.com/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Middendorf's</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, awaits you on the Pontchartrain's western shore in Akers, LA. In addition to a "beachfront" location, neat decor, and a sign on the building showing the waterline from Hurricane Isaac, Middendorf's has great seafood gumbo and is famous for its thin-fried Catfish.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMMmJbPHO3nveW2WJUF5sLFp8knKuCQc7Bcf_AXnS1UHNCvVjlmNKYV3ohlSzrlNZy8RPeV_fcYcqp13j4DxS76C20roEaetg8Aga3_4gY9SL_OrbBM3Juo4BTWxiE8YOI4LeB9Bodqs/s1600/NOLA015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMMmJbPHO3nveW2WJUF5sLFp8knKuCQc7Bcf_AXnS1UHNCvVjlmNKYV3ohlSzrlNZy8RPeV_fcYcqp13j4DxS76C20roEaetg8Aga3_4gY9SL_OrbBM3Juo4BTWxiE8YOI4LeB9Bodqs/s640/NOLA015.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eLKAnOTWq5SUtSQDa30S0PM73zvFfq1ri_MID4RvW3SKdMThddhvEBVWall8NLvYOHN-EH9ZDvcmlOMMPkEh9e3rnpG8-5BH9cnhgv21rmCPn3sjpqIzMXTuq-s_UoR2jR_WZcz9-N0/s1600/NOLA029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eLKAnOTWq5SUtSQDa30S0PM73zvFfq1ri_MID4RvW3SKdMThddhvEBVWall8NLvYOHN-EH9ZDvcmlOMMPkEh9e3rnpG8-5BH9cnhgv21rmCPn3sjpqIzMXTuq-s_UoR2jR_WZcz9-N0/s640/NOLA029.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Middendorf's capped off a great "food tour" of the Bayou, though I will have to return as I did not try many of the highlights of the region's food, including Jambalaya, crawfish pie, muffalettas, and local oysters. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoz4Hc1D9xW5gmEOjK26R9x7VeV5Wzs2phhSN8aUJsS56-Fk0zUnwVwnyUTPu1-2Z3uiuWKk4sFtMkGuAlbYFQMZqK_DZ2fLYNmuhds41B8Fnf6oL05E7mG1AnYv6svdKNbo0pTYPIIJc/s1600/NOLA037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoz4Hc1D9xW5gmEOjK26R9x7VeV5Wzs2phhSN8aUJsS56-Fk0zUnwVwnyUTPu1-2Z3uiuWKk4sFtMkGuAlbYFQMZqK_DZ2fLYNmuhds41B8Fnf6oL05E7mG1AnYv6svdKNbo0pTYPIIJc/s320/NOLA037.jpg" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Accommodation Recommendation</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.saintjameshotel.com/" target="_blank">The St. James Hotel</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We loved our hotel, which was located on a quiet street in the business district just a few blocks from the heart of New Orleans. We were close enough to the action to leave the car for two full days and explore the city on foot, but far enough away that we were able to leave the noise and activity of the French Quarter behind us each evening. Each morning, a European style breakfast is brought to guests in their rooms: warm croissants and jam and fresh juice or coffee. For us, this was really just a pre-breakfast snack before digging in at a local restaurant, but it stood out since this was the only hotel where we stayed on this entire trip that offered this service.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYutKxHu4-NlvuXH8_WHzRLx7hyqEVgagi3BAAfjrap5Bk581UFiMI35N4SpzxJZreYsgBPINdicYpaURk4cLHgOfmjA262fylSM7LaNN1GGw5lImblYGOioFCzbUmFaAH1Ym0vdLvMlU/s640/NOLA027.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="48 No Interstate | Back Roads Road Trip | Three Days in New Orleans" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">The charming St. James Hotel on Magazine Street</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Here's a map of all the locations we mentioned in this post:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our next post will feature the drive from <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2016/04/new-orleans-la-to-austin-tx.html" target="_blank">New Orleans to San Antonio</a> through Baton Rouge, LA, and Galveston, Houston, and Austin, TX.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/(http://www.facebook.com/groups/weekendwanderlust" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Weekend Wanderlust</a> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6738312209375621779.post-76291303607220680592016-04-08T09:23:00.001-07:002017-06-16T13:43:37.843-07:00The Journey: Panama City Beach, FL to New Orleans, LA<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Journey</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Another long drive. Start Early.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;">Hwy 30 takes you down the main drag of </span><a href="http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Panama City Beach, FL</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;">. All the necessary beach town accouterments are there: hotels, surf shops, mini-golf, seafood shacks, advertisements for spring breakers, and a good white sand beach!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVY1c6pxgNHB27ztB7e4xR8kfHBdjfOP2-0VXwTQNMLKtdclmmbsY0xc0bflENrk0u9ajO_wSghMinz7FHtJ-blPtG_TFnnwf-mUvhnbcLGwWmIjvgDGldXpuAeV49mihMRx610_FfWE/s640/PCBtoNO001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.jessicaholtwrites.com/" target="_blank">Behind My Eyes</a>, a novel written by Nick's sister, at a pier in Panama City Beach, FL. Great travel read by a first-time author!</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVY1c6pxgNHB27ztB7e4xR8kfHBdjfOP2-0VXwTQNMLKtdclmmbsY0xc0bflENrk0u9ajO_wSghMinz7FHtJ-blPtG_TFnnwf-mUvhnbcLGwWmIjvgDGldXpuAeV49mihMRx610_FfWE/s1600/PCBtoNO001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQAMk6fiig63g6_-KFVPEQZkCVoHMOu-zQAxcuALWAkqr_q3bJVm_UzgbV_zau8lPzyrcpNydAwnxfcIqSSJOTTGKr33EXGFUCDQ20Ff6J95MkSuHxex8SX6I6wqrXkLB6By0I4qbIn8/s640/PCBtoNO022.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Water tower in Destin</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">From Hwy 98 just past Destin, FL we turned on Hwy 399 and rode the bridge to <a href="http://www.floridasplayground.com/" target="_blank">Navarre Beach</a>, where we stopped for a picnic lunch. Now here was a beach! Miles of white sands, guarded by sand dunes, stretch across the Gulf Islands National Seashore between Navarre & Pensacola.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fWAC6Z0FT5tuWSKklelooBgurINyhybILrONnBSXRQBeYzUvHYUeSPPC3SAjSSXBKwL-wBNuEZHQYinRr3ZtWFkIZB7-EqIkiKZSzB-aYV3HBvS-VFlOlMiTtnCttMAxR2hD2101LN4/s640/PCBtoNO002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Quick stop for a picnic lunch in Navarre Beach</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fWAC6Z0FT5tuWSKklelooBgurINyhybILrONnBSXRQBeYzUvHYUeSPPC3SAjSSXBKwL-wBNuEZHQYinRr3ZtWFkIZB7-EqIkiKZSzB-aYV3HBvS-VFlOlMiTtnCttMAxR2hD2101LN4/s1600/PCBtoNO002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGK5puz-ZYXTGgtGgZCYa7ZMn4lqJhRyJReVpUNR-AOF8Aytsw7tyQqywERvbIV-mkYTcCa_EbEQ_spv3i7iJfGe00bgrSTqDNAVGTNJc9WPg2-zEkXIeSCOn4CZAvhRx3TffiDfi17M/s1600/PCBtoNO003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGK5puz-ZYXTGgtGgZCYa7ZMn4lqJhRyJReVpUNR-AOF8Aytsw7tyQqywERvbIV-mkYTcCa_EbEQ_spv3i7iJfGe00bgrSTqDNAVGTNJc9WPg2-zEkXIeSCOn4CZAvhRx3TffiDfi17M/s640/PCBtoNO003.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></i></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>We enjoyed the ride on Gulf Blvd (Hwy 399) through the dunes before entering Pensacola, FL.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLRAgxHVBcTHrDn92pw8GF9VAgIC65FWlDPdUY6i1xObcA-3yNcld3bLKhDYzAuvAETX8BHwm7efsu4Wsdt7oSyZxAf0Y4Fw55COti_D8RpfzdWHwuPbHn2L1i_rzER8e0pB5qHnNplw/s1600/PCBtoNO006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLRAgxHVBcTHrDn92pw8GF9VAgIC65FWlDPdUY6i1xObcA-3yNcld3bLKhDYzAuvAETX8BHwm7efsu4Wsdt7oSyZxAf0Y4Fw55COti_D8RpfzdWHwuPbHn2L1i_rzER8e0pB5qHnNplw/s640/PCBtoNO006.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As Hwy 90 crosses into Alabama near Seminole, there is an immediate change in scenery from beach towns to lush green roadway over hilly terrain, surrounded by tall pines.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ooZagJ-F22d8Y9GpskMqagZ4RMJLo0V4RBadlg1V_JThzZpHuPDLSt5XtwDoAME1i70NmAZUZFWEr33mHBePeoUp8D42axuXBk-EinZ1Cy3oabks4KrAH8csS_3eWa2HUcWHLj_a2mI/s1600/PCBtoNO007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ooZagJ-F22d8Y9GpskMqagZ4RMJLo0V4RBadlg1V_JThzZpHuPDLSt5XtwDoAME1i70NmAZUZFWEr33mHBePeoUp8D42axuXBk-EinZ1Cy3oabks4KrAH8csS_3eWa2HUcWHLj_a2mI/s640/PCBtoNO007.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">US 90, Southern Alabama</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxicuvB8D-50JS_pYEIWP0zDp7BOaRVzTi1tNRu5mVit4BRVXOR0J8fvRd7ManQ6yYwzMyjsPAb2tIxUKnia3h9pUzMwEGH4tw_bpQqZJ3C1KDbSDQoqhOgj_Cqt7UaJZyoBdL-PZSv8/s1600/PCBtoNO012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxicuvB8D-50JS_pYEIWP0zDp7BOaRVzTi1tNRu5mVit4BRVXOR0J8fvRd7ManQ6yYwzMyjsPAb2tIxUKnia3h9pUzMwEGH4tw_bpQqZJ3C1KDbSDQoqhOgj_Cqt7UaJZyoBdL-PZSv8/s640/PCBtoNO012.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">Hwy 90 passes by the <a href="http://www.ussalabama.com/" target="_blank">USS Alabama</a> as it goes over Mobile Bay, then through the Bankhead Tunnel under Mobile Bay, into Mobile, AL. Not long before entering the tunnel under the bay, we spotted an alligator along the side of the road in the marshy area beside the day. But we weren't fast enough to snap a picture of it!</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFrSAVsGnMfM-YGivlZJAmU4k7z2lOsQQo2D_ZIHPKeuu4aDRcNAt8KD5rRiUOkX8SUXQKsKo9Zi5bP-JBVE-I-suHkaMCUqQoq_efH8PWckJAhNIZvbLvVkdwqFzd681Bcpgk8PLuP0/s1600/PCBtoNO024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFrSAVsGnMfM-YGivlZJAmU4k7z2lOsQQo2D_ZIHPKeuu4aDRcNAt8KD5rRiUOkX8SUXQKsKo9Zi5bP-JBVE-I-suHkaMCUqQoq_efH8PWckJAhNIZvbLvVkdwqFzd681Bcpgk8PLuP0/s640/PCBtoNO024.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0vWJNuxqBXvHognaDn239GZfZyyL58oyZ2RDaNHDeAuORaMSGEf24E9XNyms0aSjT9YxrLvdVzT3QNL5df7vmTrbvXjynODHxSo_DuOIWBPPbRmELAyIH57hDArwqVDBLJ9iqNKjeQc/s1600/PCBtoNO009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0vWJNuxqBXvHognaDn239GZfZyyL58oyZ2RDaNHDeAuORaMSGEf24E9XNyms0aSjT9YxrLvdVzT3QNL5df7vmTrbvXjynODHxSo_DuOIWBPPbRmELAyIH57hDArwqVDBLJ9iqNKjeQc/s640/PCBtoNO009.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In Mobile, we detoured onto <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Dauphin_Street_Historic_District" target="_blank">Dauphin St</a>. and rode first through the downtown blues, jazz, & liquor joints with stringed lights overhead, then through the historic homes of the old South. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37LIoz60ggizdaAMuu3C3F2m4TqY5wueQM9X_DwzDxg1XrzFTCt-C7yxCtPsbM_OCdVLpUHmmyO-n_BS8Sgxss11vo6VsAKKzXKfZP11fhCALEhUGfOnmGSeo9xcn2Gl5IlMCRnHT6oo/s1600/PCBtoNO010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37LIoz60ggizdaAMuu3C3F2m4TqY5wueQM9X_DwzDxg1XrzFTCt-C7yxCtPsbM_OCdVLpUHmmyO-n_BS8Sgxss11vo6VsAKKzXKfZP11fhCALEhUGfOnmGSeo9xcn2Gl5IlMCRnHT6oo/s640/PCBtoNO010.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6kY25pg1g_YgOGUPSdPxThY5Li0oUM4Zrs0gjZQCoQToNmzvM45CaqTD4VFgrgGsriXRvXZLWCtOR5ETTWV3lAGnMeArDXGRnhCrgDO-gbkgdsv_Z8B2Fmqb3dxBpfcpmR-FMgaj9Fk/s1600/PCBtoNO011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6kY25pg1g_YgOGUPSdPxThY5Li0oUM4Zrs0gjZQCoQToNmzvM45CaqTD4VFgrgGsriXRvXZLWCtOR5ETTWV3lAGnMeArDXGRnhCrgDO-gbkgdsv_Z8B2Fmqb3dxBpfcpmR-FMgaj9Fk/s640/PCBtoNO011.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">From Mobile, Hwy 90 crosses into Mississippi and rejoins the Gulf Coast in Gautier, MS. Along the coast you pass by the massive </span><a href="http://www.biloxi.ms.us/visitor-info/casinos/" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank">casinos of Biloxi</a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">, then the historic old homes of </span><a href="http://www.cityoflongbeachms.com/" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank">Long Beach, MS</a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">. There are numerous interesting wood statues carved from old trees along the road on this stretch of Hwy 90 as well. </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXmr6aX-yuqwIPvryS7YxXQxjpITwUcnEza8M_yEDP2ici3whYgg8AG_rCqXZfam167lALXzbh9sM0y410-Y83-XvQpjyicy-K4rfEdQ9V41MHL8AZO21ljMswrrDnIkJttR0cEmk6zQ/s1600/6reasonstoroadtrip043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXmr6aX-yuqwIPvryS7YxXQxjpITwUcnEza8M_yEDP2ici3whYgg8AG_rCqXZfam167lALXzbh9sM0y410-Y83-XvQpjyicy-K4rfEdQ9V41MHL8AZO21ljMswrrDnIkJttR0cEmk6zQ/s640/6reasonstoroadtrip043.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As we crossed the Louisiana state line into the <a href="http://www.fws.gov/refuge/bayou_sauvage/" target="_blank">Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge</a>, the sun was setting over Lake Pontchartrain. This stretch of Hwy 90 as you approach New Orleans is a beautiful, peaceful ride. You will see Bayou homes, Bayou birds, and Bayou folks. On this stretch of road, named Chef Menteur <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chef_Menteur" target="_blank">('Lying Chief')</a> Highway, you do not feel like you are fast approaching one of the most lively and bustling cities in America.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMvILASMh2KE_gAGRaHq-88Blu8OxGw_qWgcNT7XRknx0ktpEUcGlKevwLr9XQwVnhrCRGFqymj1rAyuUedTmmyrQkMsZeifYOsnbz2bB6I2RoH9LvBVKhdQFgxU292YjwVxfRuR5Uk8/s1600/PCBtoNO014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMvILASMh2KE_gAGRaHq-88Blu8OxGw_qWgcNT7XRknx0ktpEUcGlKevwLr9XQwVnhrCRGFqymj1rAyuUedTmmyrQkMsZeifYOsnbz2bB6I2RoH9LvBVKhdQFgxU292YjwVxfRuR5Uk8/s640/PCBtoNO014.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Continue reading for ideas of what to do and where to eat on a low-key weekend in the <a href="http://48nointerstate.blogspot.com/2016/04/new-orleans-la.html%20Done" target="_blank">Crescent City</a>!</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5VC2qw5tiQfpRUrfdar4iN3cJbHneyUEbHSasX2zIn_aD5W3JL2h6gABMJvsPaQrcNptsr2motVwzQlcxxdnJJZUw_hpIWN58rtRghlrITK0j41DxNqNtFjjbS99OHTVv7fk0zvWEyw/s1600/PCBtoNO019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODwVBW5g5K_wm579oa-yWGi-A8caBh399CnluxSAHKfCXzHN4MFz56QbWcAhFGjLe1bswx1fHlWJqFA46ao8HxyMsxh_PpyksLtM_fsZWQVCXd_a3pUS4aWjcuMozFunv0gzvbkmhvK8/s1600/PCBtoNO023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODwVBW5g5K_wm579oa-yWGi-A8caBh399CnluxSAHKfCXzHN4MFz56QbWcAhFGjLe1bswx1fHlWJqFA46ao8HxyMsxh_PpyksLtM_fsZWQVCXd_a3pUS4aWjcuMozFunv0gzvbkmhvK8/s640/PCBtoNO023.jpg" title="Road trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on back roads with 48 No Interstate" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://malaysianmeanders.blogspot.de/2017/05/under-thames.html" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Weekend Travel Inspiration</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feetdotravel" style="font-family: "georgia", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Feet Do Travel</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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Homespun by Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524282732550886522noreply@blogger.com12