Augusta GA - August 2006

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, SC 277 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 338, GA 232, I 520, GA 104, GA 104 Connector, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 485 East/North, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
US 521 is no longer indicated on a BGS over I 77 at Billy Graham Parkway in south Charlotte NC. The BGS over the exit ramps from southbound I 77 now shows I 485 East and West. However, the BGS over the exit ramps from northbound I 77 still shows I 485 East and Inner.
Results

Virgilina, VA

Route
NC 50 North, NC 56 North, I 85 North, US 15 North, US 15 Truck, US 15 North, US 58 West, VA 49 South, VA 96 North, US 501 South, NC 157 South
Notes
US 15 Truck Route is part of the Oxford loop. The north side of the loop is US 158 Bypass and is a reasonable bypass of Oxford for through east/west traffic.. The south side of the loop runs through the business and industrial areas of town and is designed for local traffic only. For US 15, it is still better than going through downtown.
Virgilina is a little town on the NC/VA border which used to be a railroad town with the railway running along the state line. For roadgeeking, it is the site where two multistate state highways cross. Actually NC 49 and NC 96 merge in NC just south of the state line, cross into VA together and split keeping their original numbers, each continuing in the same general direction of their NC counterparts.
US 501 between Roxboro and the state line has been in the news lately as the planned upgrading to divided four lanes has been delayed yet again. The road certainly needs it.
Results
Clinch NC/VA 96.

Vass Bypass and I-277

Route
US 15/501 South, US 64 West, NC 87 South, US 1 South, NC 2 West, US 15/501 North, NC 73 West, US 220 South, US 74 Business West, US 74 West, NC 200 South, NC 75 West, SC 75 West, US 521 North, I-485 West, I-77 North, I-277 East, I-77 North, I-85 North, I-40 East, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill
Notes
The Vass Bypass is expressway with narrow shoulders and 55 mph speed limits. NC 24/27 and NC 690 are diamond interchanges. There are other at-grade road intersections, which are a form of a Michigan Left. There are left turn lanes from US 1 onto each side road, but there is no crossover for the side road. All traffic must turn right from the side road. Left and straight through traffic takes a U-turn (with a turning pad for trucks).

NC 2 through Pinehurst has the narrowest lanes. The residents don't want to lose the pine trees in the median, but the lanes are unsafe.

Paving on the under construction I 73/74 ends at NC 73. South of the bridge you see asphalt; north of the bridge you see sand.

US 74 is called the Andrew Jackson Highway and dedicated to Jesse Helms in Anson county.

Polkton prides itself in being the birthplace of LL Polk, who was an early NC educator, no relation to Jame Polk, who was born in Mecklenburg County NC.

The BGS over US 521 for I 485 still says that US 521 goes onto the freeway, instead of ending at I 485, which it does.

There is a stub ramp merging in to the on-ramp from US 521 onto I 485 west. This may well be a leftover from when I 485 ended at US 521.
Results
Reclinch US 1 (NC). Clinch I 277 (NC) and US 521 (NC).
More mileage on US 74 in NC.
Union (NC), Anson (NC) and Lancaster (SC) counties, for a total of 890.

US 158 West

Route
I 40 West, I 840 North, US 220 North, US 158 West, US 601 North, NC 801 South, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
US 601 north of I 40, NC 801 South and Farmington Road are marked with I 40 shields with a blue "Incident" banner over them. What is there between those the US 601 and Farmington Road exits that requires a permanent "Incident" detour?
The eastbound exit for NC 801 from I 40 goes into and out of a roundabout. The quadrant toward I 40 is blocked, so you cannot go all of the way around.
Results
US 158 is now complete from Merchant Mill Pond west. Connected US 601 from NC 801 to Mocksville.

Six Flags Over Georgia - March 2006

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 285 North, I 20 West to Six Flags Over Georgia
I 20 East, I 285 North, US 78 to Stone Mountain and return
I 20 East, I 75/85 North to Downtown, US 19 South, I 75/85 North, I 20 West
I 285 North, I 75 North to Marietta GA and return
I 20 East, I 285 South, I 20 East to Augusta GA
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 485 Inner, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
The I 485 exit from I 85 is labelled I 485 Outer.
US 521 is still indicated on BGS in both directions over I 85 at Billy Graham Parkway in west Charlotte NC.
On the ramp from I 77 North to I 485, the lanes are labelled I 485 East and I 485 Inner (instead of West).
Results
Clinch I 285 (GA) and I 485 (NC).
More mileagle on I 20 and I 75 in GA.
Douglas County GA, for a total of 887.

Pinnacles of the Dan - February 2006

Route
I 40 West, Bus I 40 West, I 40 East, US 52 North, Bus US 52 North, NC 103 East, VA 103 East, Local Roads, VA 103 East, VA 8 South, NC 8 South, NC 89 South, US 311 South, NC 65 East, US 158 East, NC 68 South, I 40 East

Notes
I've started to document exit numbers on NC non-Interstate freeways. I logged US 52 from Winston-Salem to Mount Airy on this trip.

NC 103/VA 103 is a pretty sorry multistate highway. Neither segment is more than 10 miles long. They both seem to be stubs.
There are light boards warning of "Narrow Lanes" on I 40 East at the construction of the interchange for the Greensboro Bypass. Both roadways are diverted around the bridge construction over the mainline. Only the eastbound lanes have the sign.

Since the Sheetz opened at Mebane-Oaks Road Exit on I 40/85, gas prices have fallen at other gas stations both at Mebane-Oaks and Buckhorn exits, as well as in Hillsborough. Maybe it will creep into Chapel Hill, the apex of gas prices in North Carolina.

Results
Clinch NC 103, VA 103. Clinch the section of VA/NC 8 from Hanging Rock to Stuart. I have just a few miles of VA 8 in the Blacksburg area to clinch VA 8.

Augusta GA - Christmas 2005

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 338, GA 232, I 520, GA 4, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 85 North, US 29 North (Kannapolis), I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
US 521 is still indicated on a BGS over I 77 at Billy Graham Parkway in south Charlotte NC.
After stopping for lunch on US 29 in Kannapolis, stayed on US 29 North to Spencer to avoid the the construction on I 85 in Salisbury.
Results
Filled in some mileage on US 29. US 29 is now clinched from Concord NC to US 33 in VA.

Wilson Creek Backpacking Trip

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, US 64 East (Morganton), NC 181 North, Local Roads, NC 90 West to Wilson Creek
NC 90 East, Local Roads, US 64 East (Gameville), I-40 East, NC 86 South
Notes
NC 90 is a gravel road in the middle of the Wilson Creek wilderness. It is a real highway and is co-signed with US 64 in Lenoir and point east.
I 40 East has been diverted around the interchange being constructed for the west end of the Greensboro I 85/I 40 bypass, similar to the configuration on the east end of the bypass, where I 40/I 85 Business swerves under I 85 and merges from the right.
Results
Alexander County, NC, for a total of 883 counties.

Bedford County, VA

Route
I 40 West, US 70 Business East, NC 86 North, VA 86 North, US 29 North, VA 43 North, VA 24 East, US 501 South, NC 157 South to Durham
Notes
Results
Bedford County, VA, for a total of 882 counties.

Augusta GA - August 2005

Route
I 40 West, Bus I 85 South, I 85 South, I 77 South, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 104, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
US 521 is still indicated on a BGS over I 77 at Billy Graham Parkway in south Charlotte NC.
The differential cost of gas is smaller between NC and Georgia. Unleaded was 2.49 in Haw River NC and 2.42 in Augusta GA. My brother told me that ever since Kenan bought out Smile gas, the Circle K gas stations are not pushing the price curve down.
Results

US 64 Bypass

Route
NC 54 East, I 40 East, Harrison Road, NC 54 East, Western Boulevard, I 440 West, I 40 East, I 440 West, US 64 East to Business US 64 (Wendell)
US 64 West, I 440 West, I 40 West, NC 54 West
Notes
Rode the new freeway for the first time. Two interchanges, New Hope Road and I 540 are still under construction. The "End US 264" sign is the largest End sign I have ever seen.
Results

East Lansing MI July 2005

Route
From DTW Airport: I 94 West, M 52 North, I 96 West, US 127 North to East Lansing MI
M 43 East, Grand River Avenue, I 96 East (Brighton), Local Roads, I 94 East, I 75 North, Local Roads, M 53 West, Local Roads, I 696 West, I 96 East to Livonia
Local Roads, Grand River Avenue, I 96 West (Kent Lake), US 127 North to East Lansing
US 127 South, I 96 East, US 23 South, M 17 West to Ann Arbor
Local Roads, I 94 West to DTW Airport
Notes
Reacquaint self with some old roads: M 52 through Dexter MI and Stockbridge; Grand River Avenue through Williamston, Fowlerville, Howell, Novi, Milford.
Visited Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, which has been in the same locale for at least twenty five years. I first visited it when it was part of Tally Hall, a shopping area designed after Boston's Faneuill Hall. Tally Hall is entirely gone, the buildings are not standard strip malls, but Marvin's still lives on.
Results

GA Tech April 2005

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, I 85 South, OH 140 West to Atlanta GA.
OH 141 South, I 285 East, I 85 South to GA Tech.
US 78 West, US 18 North, GA 13 North, I 85 North, US 23 North, GA 140 West.
GA 141 South, I 285 East, I 85 North, SC 11 East, SC 18 North, I 85 North, I 40 East, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill NC.
Notes
SC 11 is the "Cherokees Foothills National Scenic Highway" from the welcome center on North I 85 to I 85 in Gaffney SC. There is a great car themed restaurant in Chesnee SC on US 221 a few blocks south of SC 11 called the Bantam Chef. The place is decorated to mimic a 50s diner with road memorabilia covering the walls. It has a beautiful old Studebaker in a museum display like you see at the Henry Ford in Dearborn MI.
Results
Clinch SC 11.
One county for a total of 881.

Lansing MI April 2005

Route
Day 1. NC 86 North, I 40 West, Local Road, US 70 West, NC 87 North, US 29 North, NC 14 North, NC 87 North, VA 87 North, US 220 North, I 581 North, I 81 South, VA 419 South, US 460 West, US 11 South, VA 311 North, WV 311 North, VA 311 North, WV 311 North, I 64 West, US 60 West to Warm Springs VA, US 60 East, I 64 East to Covington VA, US 60 West, I 64 West, I 77 North to Mineral Wells WV
Day 2. I 77 North, OH 80 North, OH 37 West, OH 13 North, I 70 West, I 294 South, US 23 North, I 294 West, OH 315 North, US 23 North, OH 15 West, I 75 North, Ohio Turnpike West, OH 96 North, US 127 North to East Lansing MI
Local Roads around Lansing/East Lansing including Bus 69, MI 43, US 127
Day 3. US 127 South, I 96 East to Livonia MI
Day 4. I 275 South, US 24 South, I 75 South, I 475 West, I 75 South, US 15 East, US 23 South, US 30 East, I 71 South, OH 36 East, OH 83 South, I 70 East, I 77 South, US 460 West to Princeton WV
Day 5. US 460 West to Bluefield VA, US 19 East, US 460 West, US 52 South, Blue Ridge Parkway North, US 58 East, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill
Notes
On VA 311 there is a odd double tunnel with one span stone and one span corrugated steel culvert.
In Blufield VA, US 19 through town is signed both US 19 and US 460 with old cutout shields. In Blufield WV, the US 460 designation is dropped and the shields become modern shields. VA also uses old cutouts along US 52 in several small towns.
The I-73 corridor is signed along US 220 south of Roanoke VA and along US 460 between Princeton and Bluefield WV.
OH 83 and OH 37 run through oil country with working wells right next to the road.
In downtown Columbus, there are multiple signs to OH 315 from US 23, even one that looks like OH 315 is multiplexed with US 30, but OH 315 parallels US 23 and they never cross.
Results
Seventeen counties for a total of 880.
In Virginia, clinch VA 311, US 52 and I 581.
In West Virginia, clinch US 460 and WV 311.
In Ohio, clinch US 23 and OH 315.
In Michigan, clinch US 24 and US 127.

Clinching NC 62 and US 311

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, Future I 840 North, US 70 West, US 220 North, Local Roads
US 220 South, NC 62 West, NC 109 North, Business I 85 South, US 52 North, NC 8 South, Business I 85 North, NC 109 North, US 311 South, Business I 85 North, I 85 North, NC 54 East
Notes
The I 85 Bypass of Greensboro is open again.
There are detour signs for US 29 North and US 70 West from I 40/85 onto Future I 840. This has been for construction at the NC 6 and US 29 North interchange. Since I was headed into Greensboro, I followed them. However, I did not notice any more detour signs on Future I 840 or on US 70 West.
US 311 South has Future I 74 Corridor signs south of I 40. There are none on the new bypass of High Point, which definitely is meant to be I 74.
Since the bypass was built, I no longer had US 311 clinched.
Results
Clinch NC 62 and reclinch US 311.

Augusta GA - A family funeral

Route
I 40 West, Bus I 85 South, I 85 South, I 77 South, SC 277 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 104, Local Roads
I 20 East, SC 277 North, I 77 North, I 485 East, I 85 North, Bus I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
Exit 149 on I 85 is now open as University Drive to Elon. Elon has been removed from the exit 141 signs. This may cause a problem with truckers who have notes regarding the Elon exit on I 85/I 40.
I 485 West is still marked on the GBS on I 77 South and North as Future I 485.
There is the 44 Motel at exit 44 on I 20 in SC. There are businesses named after highways. How many are named after exit numbers?
The rest area at mile 63 on I 77 in SC used to have payphones with large signs saying "Chester" because they were served by the Chester Telephone Company. Now they just say "Sprint". A bit of local color has disappeared.
Results

Lansing MI

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, Bus 40 West, US 52 North, I 74 West, I 77 North, Ohio Turnpike West, US 23 North, I 96 West
Side Trip - I 96 West, I 69 South, Bus 69 South (Charlotte) and return
Local Roads - I 496, Bus 69 (Lansing), Bus 96, M 43
Return - I 96 East, US 23 South, I 75 South, OH 15 East, US 23 South, I 270 West, OH 315 South, I 71 South, I 270 East, US 23 South, US 35 East, I 64 East, I 77 South, I 74 East, US 52 South, Bus 40 East, I 40 East, NC 86 South

Notes
I 85 is blocked with barricades on the ramp from I 40/I 85 West east of Greensboro. Construction through Canton OH is done.
The turnpike plazas just east of Toledo OH look about ready to open.
There is no weather info in the turnpike plazas. My brother the trucker talked to another trucker to get info about conditions farther up into the snow storm.
Took the new US 35 freeway from US 50 to Richmond Dale OH. There are stubs of pavement from the old US 35 carriageway.

Results
Clinched I 69 completely.

Chatham County Trip

Route
Old Greensboro Highway West, NC 49 South, local road, US 421 South, US 64 West, Old US 421 South, NC 902 West, Local Roads, NC 42 East, US 421 West, NC 902 East, Local Road, US 64 East, US 15/501 North

Notes
My trips crisscrossing central North Carolina have covered many of the counties. I have clinched the state and US highways in Orange, Durham, Person and Granville counties. The only highways in Chatham county that I had not clinched (in the county) were US 421 and NC 42. My travels tend to cross these roads, but not travel along them. Since business took me to southwest Chatham county, I turned it into a roadtrip to cover those roads, at least in southwest Chatham county.

US 421 is being upgraded to four lane divided from Sanford to Goldston. The bypass around Goldston is a Super-2, but not for long.

Results
The only state highway left to clinch Chatham county is NC 42 from Corinth east.

Xmas in Georgia; Visit to GA Tech

Route
I 40 West, I 85 South, I 77 South, US 1 South, I 20 West to Augusta
GA 28, GA 104, I 520, GA 383, Local Roads
I 20 West, I 75/85 North to GA Tech
Local Roads, I 75 South, I 285 East, I 20 West to Augusta
I 20 East, SC 144 North, US 25 North, US 378 East, SC 39 North, SC 56 North, SC 72 East, I 26 West, I 85 North, I 40 West to Chapel Hill
Notes
Exit 149 on I 85 is now open as University Drive to Elon. Elon has been removed from the exit 141 signs.
When the HOV lane on I 77 South ends, the lane ends and you have to merge right.
I 485 West is still marked on the GBS on I 77 South as Future I 485
I 485 South has Rock Hill as its control city from I 85 South and Pineville as its control city from I 85 North.
Results
One County (Saluda SC), for a total of 863

Mount Rogers

Route
I 40 West, Bus I 40 West, US 52 North, I 74 West, I 77 North, US 52 West, VA 600 North
Notes
Previously, we went to Mount Rogers by way of Sparta NC, but this way is faster.
All lanes are open on I 85/I 40 at the bridge construction at Mile 140 west of Burlington NC, eliminating a bottle neck.
All lanes are open on Business I 40 from Kernersville NC to US 52.
Galax VA is one of smallest Independant Cities in Virginia. I had both of the counties that Galax is between, but not Galax.
In Greensboro NC, the BGSs on Eastbound I 40/Bus 85/US 421 at US 220 and Bus 85 do not mention I 85 at all now. You have to know that to get to I-85 South, you take Bus 85 South or go all the way to the I 40/I 85 split east of Greensboro.
Results
Picked up mileage on US 58. One county (Galax VA) for a total of 861.