We live in a beautiful country

[brojcol]

Hey folks, just wanted to drop a line or two and tell you what you already know.

WE LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY!

My family and I have spent the last two weekends in southern Pennsylvania (is that an oxymoron?).  Anyway, I cannot get over how beautiful the country is.  Plus, we went to Gettysburg this weekend and I tell you now, it was a life-changing experience.  I want to issue the challenge to busnuts everywhere to go off the beaten path.  You really experience the countryside when you get off the interstates. 

Pennsylvania has to be one of the most beautiful places on the planet.  I can't imagine wanting to travel outside the US when there is so much to see here!

Jimmy

[gumpy]

I have to agree with you on this. One of my goals with the bus is to stay off the interstates as much as I can, and see new things. My family bought me a small book for Father's Day which is filled with all sorts of odds and ends places around the U.S. Many we've seen. Many more we're now looking forward to.

Here's a few for those looking for a bit of the unusual...

Carhenge in NE (The artistic humor and ingenuity here is staggering!)
Enchanted highway sculptures in ND (Interesting metal sculptures. This guy's passion must rival most busnuts' passion.)
Buffalo Bill monument in Oakley KS (Excellent bronze sculpture)
Salem Sue cow in ND (this one holds a very special memory for us, and we refer to it as Punkin's Cow).

[FloridaCliff]

Craig,

Whats the title of the book?

Sounds like a must have for the travel library.

Cliff

[gumpy]

I'll post it tonight, if I don't forget.

[FloridaCliff]

Craig,

Thanks.

Jimmy,

This is a beautiful country and having a bus makes seeing it all the better.

I know my wife wants to move to about every other place we visit.

I am making an effort to at least get off the interstates a couple of hours before we arrive somewhere and take the back roads.

Next year I want to do some trips where we just roam for a week,(I'm not retired, YET) no interstates, through all the old highways

that used to connect the old towns and citys before the major highways.

There is just so much to see

Cliff

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Jimmy,

I'll have to agree with you.  Besides, the interstates and the P.A. Turnpike are some of the bumpiest roads in the country!

Your bus will fair better on the country roads! 

Nick-

[TomC]

Some of my friends thought I was crazy to convert a bus since I spent 21 years and 1.3 million miles driving cross country.  I was always on irregular routes, so was taking different routes and when I did tried to take some of the back roads.  I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this is an unbelievable country (still don't understand why people want to see the rest of the world first?).  So now I know exactly what I want to see first and what I will see if there is time (see basically the perimeter of the country with the flat mid west if I have the time-not to insult anyone!).  Good Luck, TomC

[Len Silva]

One of our dreams has always been to follow some of the old roads as much as possible.  I was raised in Massachusetts and was always fascinated when my dad told me that Rt. 6 where we lived went all the way to California.

Now I live very close to U.S. 41 in Florida which runs way up to Copper Harbor, MI. That would be a neat trip.

I have a collection of old gas station maps from before the interstates and I can spend hours looking over the old roads.

Len

[kyle4501]

You all are right. This is why I want to be as independant as possible in my coach. It is amazing what you can do & where you can go if you don't need hookups.

I'm looking forward to the journey as much as the destination.

The best days I have shared with my wife involved roaming with out a map just to see where the roads take you & what lies around the next turn.

kyle4501

[JackConrad]

We are looking forward to our first "post retirement" trip this fall. With no need to back to work, we will take our time and no set schedule. Wether we go 100 miles or 400 miles in a day it will be our decision. We also enjoy the backroads, ask my wife about the road that turned into a dirt 2 trail for about 8 miles before becoming paved again. LOL  As many have already said there is so much to see in this great country and most if it is not on the interstates. The back roads take us through little towns that remind me of the town I grew up near (population 500). This is real Americana. We have stopped at yard sales and some of the best little mom & pop restaurants.  If you see the Orange Blossom Special II in a small town near you, by all means stop and say HI.  Jack

[Merlin]

I have a collection of old gas station maps from before the interstates and I can spend hours looking over the old roads.
Len

Those old maps are a travelers dream.  Great fun to locate the old "blue highways".  The old US 40 is one that can still be found running from coast to coast.  In some places it has been torn up to be used for the newer Interstate 70.  However here in central Ohio the old "40" has some very nice stretches and it is divided four lane in places.  Every chance we get, we use it because it is quiet and goes through quaint towns.  Traveling those old blue highways is a history lesson.  Abandoned "motor hotels", and Pure Oil (remember the roof style?) gas stations, now taken over by weeds and shrub trees.

We pulled over once at one of those abandoned gas stations on the old four lane highway.  There was nothing more happening than the sound of the wind and a few birds flapping in the rafters.  No cars passed there the whole time we were parked and eating lunch in the bus.  Bus is still unfinished but great for little jaunts like that. 

Looking forward to expanding our adventure once the bus is more livable.

Merlin

[ceieio]

You may like some of this artists work, I sure do.  He takes night photographs of the interesting "relics".  There is more that one trip inspiration here: http://lostamerica.com/images/roadside.html

I also like this guys stuff as well.  I ran into it while looking up history of the SS United States.  I think there is a few neat trips to be inspired buy this artists work as well: http://www.modern-ruins.com/index.html  Do check out the United States, she is quite a ship and the 360 views he provides are unique! (http://www.modern-ruins.com/ssunitedstates/index.html)

Craig - MC7 Oregon

[gumpy]

The book I mentioned above is called "The Great American Road Trip". Didn't see an author. It's a small, thick book, maybe 6" x 6" x 2".

[gumpy]

Is the SS United States still afloat?  Or did it finally get scrapped? 

I've always thought it would be a cool project to overhaul her and turn it into a cool luxury yacht.

[TomC]

As to the fate of the SS United States-it is still very much afloat in Philly, PA.  A few years back it was stripped and gutted of all its' cruise fixtures (when it was laid up, it had all linens, plates, bedding, etc like it were ready for the next cruise) and towed to Germany to have all asbestos removed. It was towed back to Philly.  About 2 years ago Noreigan Cruise Lines announced it had bought the ship and was to revamp it into a U.S. bannered cruise ship.  Some of the reasons-when it was laid up, someone had the foresite to keep the A/C running with the doors sealed that kept the interior in remarkably good condition; most of the cabin spaces are built with aluminum-for lightness-hence very little rusting up and beyond the surface stuff that you see; the ship was originally built with 4 steam turbines just like what was being used in the battleships, so that's why it was classified for many years-but the point, the ship's structure was built with big square access hatches leading to the top of the ship over every engine and boiler space (I believe four of these hatches) so removing all the steam equipment (was REALLY expensive to operate) will be as easy as it could be to be replaced by Diesel/electric with probably two propellers rather than the four it has now.  I doubt a cruise ship now needs a top speed pushing 50 knots! (they clocked it at 43 knots at 80% power and 23 knots in reverse). Obviously, I've been watching this also.  According to NCL, they are going to build two more ships and then start on the "The Big U".  Can hardy wait!  Good Luck, TomC