This trip has been a tough one to get started. It has its roots in some decade old thoughts about driving US-22 end to end that morphed into plans for combining that with a drive of US-44, the only other surviving twin-digit even-numbered US highway. I’ve had it penciled in a couple of times then had it all down in ink at the end of last summer. The route was plotted and motels booked for some of the key dates. I had my voucher for a one day dash-in dash-out tour of Boston to separate the eastbound staging from the westbound drive. The ink, however, was not waterproof. At least not waterproof enough for a hurricane. When it became apparent that Hurricane Irene and I were headed for the same spot at the same time, I played the gentleman and let the lady have it all to herself.
Plans for a spring time reschedule have been a little slippery but they’ve finally been tacked into place and I am now on the road. The cover page is still here where it’s been since last year’s.almost trip but now the first day is posted and there’s more on the way. A couple of days heading east, a day in Boston, and a couple on the cape. Then it will be back home on US-44 + US-22 — a.k.a, 66 the hard way.
This blog entry is to provide a landing spot for comments on the trip.
Looking forward to reports from the road!
They be comin’.
Enjoy 22 – first time I traveled over it, from NYC to Harrisburg, was on trips west to visit friends and relatives in Ohio. This was a little bit before interstates – try 1949!!! I suspect it has changed a bit since then – like U S 40, which we also traveled, I recognized nothing when I drove over it several years back.
Safe Travels – look fwd to your road trip and the Old 61/Old 51 loop offer is still open when you get down this way again. Got some interesting things to show you along the route – but I’ll keep those to myself.
Alex
In the mid-1970s, a friend and I did almost all of it coming home from New York though we weren’t religious about it. I believe it was still predominately 2-lane. I’ve since been on much in Pennsylvania along with all in Ohio and know that 2-lane US-22 is an endangered species. I’m still expecting it to be interesting, though.
Looks like another great trip just starting. If that motel was $40.00 a night–ya better spend a few nights there . . . it can’t last at that price. Out here Motel 6 costs more—for less!!
Awaiting Day Two!!
Safe Drive~~~~~~~~~~~“““““““—j
$43.68 with tax. The $40 base rate is actually a seasonal special compared to the normal $48. I know what you mean about Motel 6. It’s one of my go-to chains and I’ve paid over $80 for Motel 6 in California. It seemed outrageous but other motels were worse.
Alrighty. Got home last night and just got the last day’s journal posted. Six days getting to the east end of US-44, two day “layover” at Allentown, and six days driving west on 44 & 22. That was fun.
http://www.dennygibson.com/hardway66/