Returning to NC - Featuring the Sideling Hill Cut on I-68 in Maryland

Our trip home last Sunday was along the I-95 corridor, a route I hadn't taken since 2004.

Route: PA 48, PA 51, US 40, PA 281, PA 523, US 40, I-68, US 522, VA 37, I-81, US 17, I-95, I-85, NC 56, NC 50.

This was the first time I took the I-68 - I-95 route to/from PA/NC since 2004. So in some ways a number of things changed - and some stayed the same.

First, by take a small detour loop on PA 281 and 523. I added new mileage along 281 and clinched PA 523.

All of the older signs on I-68 in Cumberland have been replaced and a few are now in Clearview.

The rebuilding of Noah's Ark by the God's Arc of Safety Church hasn't changed since 2004.

Oh well. If you want to learn more about this Interstate highway oddity, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran a feature on the church and pastor in 2006.

We stopped at the Sideling Hill Exhibit Plaza and I finally was able to take good photos of the Sideling Hill Cut. (Amazing what having a real camera can do for you.)

I was actually surprised that I-95 from Fredericksburg to Richmond was not as heavy with traffic as I typically recall a summer Sunday afternoon to be. $4.00 gas has had its impacts. Although we saw a few slowdowns on the northbound lanes.

Other than nothing overly noteworthy, but it was an enjoyable 9 hour drive...quicker than I expected and would have been about 8 hours and 15-30 minutes if we didn't stop a few times.

Comments

2018 Mojave Road Trip Part 2; The deadly desert highway (California State Route 127 and Nevada State Route 373)

After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley. To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker. Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa. The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language. The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246. CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County. CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward. South of CA 127 ...

Finding the Pre-Emption Road of New York State

The Pre-Emption Road (or rather a series of roads named Pre-Emption Road) follows a survey line called the Pre-Emption Line, drawn in the early days of the United States. The story begins with Massachusetts and New York having competing land claims to modern day Western New York State that have their roots in colonial charters granted by the British. After the Revolutionary War ended, this land became the frontier of the nation and its settlement became a priority for the new American government. During this era, there were a lot of competing land claims that needed to be settled. It was no different with the land claims between New York State and Massachusetts. On November 30, 1786, Massachusetts and New York sent representatives to Hartford, Connecticut to resolve their competing land claims. In less than three weeks, the representatives had reached a compromise. Massachusetts would receive pre-emption rights, meaning the right to sell the land after the Indian title ...

What's In a Name?: When the Roads Really Do Tell a Story

Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog