Philadelphia Thanksgiving

Route

Great Falls of the Potomac

Day 1: US 15/501 North, I 85 North, I 95 North, VA 234 West to Montclair.
Local Roads, VA 123 South, I 95 North, MD 5 South, MD 233 North, MD 4 East, US 301 North, DE 1 North, I 95 North, I 495 North, I 95 North, I 476 North, PA 3 East to Havertown.
Day 4: Local roads, including PA 3, US 1, US 13.
Day 5: PA 3 West, I 476 South, I 95 South, I 495 South, US 13 South, I 295 South, I 95 South, I 495 West, VA 193 West to Great Falls Park.
VA 193 East, I 495 South, I 95 South, Local Road, US 1 South, US 17 Business North, I 95 South, VA 207 West, US 1 South, I 295 East, I 95 North, I 85 South, US 15/501 South to Chapel Hill.

Notes
Traffic was hell in both directions. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, traffic was okay until north of Fredericksburg. On the Saturday of Thanksgiving, traffic was okay until Dale City.
Construction for the I-95 Express Lane extension proceeds in the median down to VA 3 (Plank Road).

Results

DE: Mileage on US 13.
MD: Mileage on MD 4, 4, 233.
VA: Clinched I 295, VA 207. Mileage on I 95, US 1, VA 123, 193.

NPS Sites: George Washington Parkway: Great Falls Park.

I-295 Future, Again

Route
From Cary, NC 540 South, NC 55 Bypass West, NC 55 East, US 401 South, NC 217 North to Linden.
NC 217 South, US 401 South, NC 295 West, All American Freeway South, US 401 Business North, NC 87 South, I 95 North, NC 24 East, NC 242 North, I 95 North, I 40 West, NC 42 West, NC 55 West to Cary. 

Notes
Since the last time I was on NC 295 (I-295 Future), two more segments have opened. The segment from US 401 to NC 210 is 65 mph freeway. The segment from NC 87/24 to the All American Freeway is on the C/D lanes. The main line is not opened yet.
I needed NC 242 to clinch all of Johnston County highways.

Results
Clinched NC 295 (I-295 Future), NC 217. Mileage on US 421; NC 24, 242.

Outer Banks

Route

Cape Hattaras Light Station

Day 1: NC 54 East, I 40 East, US 64 East, US 64 Bypass East, NC 345 South to Wanchese. NC 345 North, US 64 West, NC 400 East, NC 400 West, US 64 West to Fort Raleigh. US 64 East, NC 12 North to Kill Devil Hills.
Day 2: US 158 East, NC 12 South to Hattaras. NC 12 North, US 158 West to hotel.
Day 3: NC 12 North to Corolla. NC 12 South, US 158 West, US 17 South, US 17 Business Edenton South, US 17 South, US 64 West, I 540 West, I 40 West to Chapel Hill.

Notes
We drove the new US 64 freeway from Columbia to the Alligator River bridge which was being built when we last were out there. There are a ton of impressive bridges on the way to Hatteras and back.

Results

NC: Clinched US 17 Business Edenton, US 64 Bypass Manteo, NC 400. Mileage on US 17, US 64, US 158, NC 12, NC 345.

NPS Sites: Fort Raleigh NHS, Cape Hattaras NS.

Fort Raleigh NHS

NC 24/27 Troy Bypass and US 74 Toll Road

Route
US 15/501 South, US 64 East, US 220 Business South, I 73/74 South, NC 24/27 West, NC 109 South, US 74 West, US 74 Bypass West, US 74 West.
US 74 East, US 601 North, NC 200 South to Reed Gold Mine.
NC 200 South, NC 24/27 West, US 601 North, NC 73 East, NC 24/27 East, NC 24 Bus/27 Bus East, NC 24/27 East, I 73/74 North, US 64 East, US 51/501 North to Chapel Hill  

Notes
NC 24/27 Bypass of Troy is not quite done. On the east end, the westbound pavement is closed to traffic. There is two way traffic on the eastbound pavement.
The bridges over US 74 tollroad are nicely designed, similar to those over NC 540 toll.
Mount Pleasant NC is a cute little town. On NC 73, there is a What-a-burger #13. There is a building named 73 & Main, at the corner of NC 73 and Main Street. East of town is Southern Grace Distilleries, which is in a former state prison.

Results
Clinched US 74 Bypass Toll, NC 24 Business, NC 27 Business. Mileage on US 74, 601; NC 24, 27, 73, 109, 200.

New York City

Route

Fort Wadsworth, Gateway NRA with Verrazano Narrows Bridge

Day 1: US 15/501 North, I 85 North, I 95 North, US 50 East, US 301 North, DE 1 North, I 95 North, I 295 North, Local Road, I 95 North, NY 440 North, NJ 440 North to hotel in Staten Island.
NJ 440 North, Local roads to Snug Harbor and Fort Wadsworth.
Local roads, I 278 West, NJ 440 South to hotel.
Day 2: NJ 440 North, NJ 185 North, local roads to Liberty State Park. Ferries to Liberty Island, Ellis Island, Manhattan and back to Liberty Landing.
I 78 West, I 95 South, Local streets, US 1/13 South, US 1 South, PA 3 to Havertown.
Day 3: Local roads, including PA 3, US 1.
Day 4: Local roads, including PA 3, I 476, I 95.
Day 5: Local roads, including PA 3, PA 252, I 76, I 476.
Day 6: PA 3 West, I 476 South, I 95 South, I 495 South, I 95 South, DE 1 South, US 301 South, US 50 West, I 95 South, I 85 South, US 15/501 South to Chapel Hill.

Notes
We drove the new US 301 toll road in Delaware. Even though it is a little longer, it saves on tolls and stress level from any route through Baltimore. There are times to avoid the Bay Bridge, like on Labor Day, where the backup was 14 miles long, but otherwise it should be better that going through Baltimore.

Results
Counties: Richmond NY. For a new total of 1166.

DE: Clinched US 301.
NJ: Clinched NJ 185. Mileage on I 78, I 295, NJ 440.
NY: Clinched NY 440. Mileage on I 278.
PA: Mileage on I 95, US 1, US 13, PA 3, PA 252.

NPS Sites: Castle Clinton National Monument, Gateway NRA, Statue of Liberty National Monument.

Castle Clinton NM

Statue of Liberty NM

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Route
NC 86 North, I 40 West, I 85 South, NC 273 South, NC 279 West to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
NC 279 West, I 85 North, I 485 Inner, I 85 North, NC 147 East, US 15/501 to Durham  

Notes

Results
NC: Mileage on NC 273, NC 279.

Alaska

Klondike Highway Suspension Bridge

Route
Day 1: From Sea-Tac: Airport Expressway North, WA 518 East, I 5 South, I 705 North to Tacoma.
WA 509 North, Local Roads, WA 509 North, Local Roads to Browns Point.
Local Roads, WA 509 North, Local Roads, WA 99 South, Local Roads, I 5 North, WA 520 East, I 405 North to Kirkland.
Day 2: I 405 North, WA 20 East to Ross Lake NRA.
WA 20 West, WA 530 West, I 5 South, I 405 South to Kirkland.
Day 3: I 405 South to Bellevue. I 405 North to Kirkland.
Day 4: I 405 North, I 5 North, WA 539 North, BC 13 North, BC 1 West, Local Roads to Canada Place.
Day 6: On foot, Local Streets, AK 7.
Day 7: Local Road, AK 7 North, Local Roads to Mendenhall Glacier.
Local Roads, AK 7 North to Echo Bay,
AK 7 South, Local Roads to Douglas Island.
Local Roads, AK 7 South to Juneau.
Day 8: Local Roads, AK 98 North, BC YT2 North, YT 2 North to Carcross.
YT 2 South, BC YT2 South to Fraser BC.
AK 98 South, Local Roads to Skagway.
Day 11: AK 9 North, AK 1 North, Alyeska Highway to Alyeska.
Alyeska Highway, AK 1 North, Local Roads to Anchorage.
Day 12: Local Streets to Anchorage train station.
From Denali train station, local roads, AK 3 North to McKinley Park.
Day 13: AK 3 South, Park Road to Denali NP.
Park Road, AK 3 North to McKinley Park.
Day 14: AK 3 North, Local Roads to Fairbanks.
Day 15: City Bus and on foot, Local Roads. Local roads to Airport.
Notes 
There is a most unusual suspension bridge on the Klondike Highway. It is suspended from only one side, so as to make repairs easier.
AK 3 is closed in west Fairbanks from Geist Road to Airport Way.
Results
New State: Alaska, for a new total of 47.
New Territory: Yukon, for a new total of 8.
State Capitol: Juneau AK.
Counties:
Alaska: Anchorage, Denali, Fairbanks North Star, Haines, Hoonah-Angoon, Juneau, Kenai Peninsula, Ketchikan Gateway, Matanuska-Susitna, Petersburg, Prince of Wales-Hyder, Sitka, Skagway, Wrangell, Yukon-Koyukuk.
For a new US total of 1165.
British Columbia: Central Coast, Comox Valley, Kitimat-Stikine, Mount Waddington, Powell River,  Skeena-Queen Charlotte,  Stikine,  Strathcona,  Sunshine Coast.
Yukon: Yukon.
For a new Canada total of 122.
Highways:
AK: Clinched AK 7 Juneau. Mileage on AK 1, AK 3, AK 9, AK 7 Ketchikan, AK 98.
WA: Clinched WA 530, WA 539. Mileage on WA 20, WA 509.
BC: Cliched BC 13, YT2.
YT: Mileage on YT2.
NPS Units: Denali NP, Glacier Bay NP, Kenai Fjords NP, Klondike Gold Rush NHP, North Cascades NP, Ross Lake NRA.

Denali NP

Kenai Fjords NP

Glacier Bay

Klondike NHP

Ross Lake NRA

North Cascades NP

Wilmington

Route
US 15/501 South, NC 54 East, I 40 East, US 74 East, US 17 South to Wilmington
US 17 North, US 74 West, NC 133 South, NC 87 South, NC 211 East to Southport
NC 211 West, NC 906 South to Oak Island.
NC 906 North, NC 211 West, US 17 South, NC 904 South, NC 179 East to Calabash
NC 179 West, NC 904 North, US 17 North, I 140 East I 40 West, NC 54 West, US 15/501 North to Chapel Hill.
Notes 
I 140 is a fast bypass around Wilmington. It has the rare trait of having no services at any of its exits for the length of the Interstate.

Results Clinched I 140.