Author Topic: New Travels and Stats Discussion  (Read 430105 times)

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Offline cl94

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1005 on: May 03, 2024, 09:47:57 pm »
Work had me in the Bay Area this week, so it was a good chance to knock out some of the little remaining mileage between here and there. I stress "little" because, with the seasonal passes and one of the Delta ferries still closed, there's next to nothing I haven't driven that doesn't require a big detour. Grabbed the northern segment of CA 84 and its ferry on Monday, detoured for some segments of CA 12, 29, 121, and 221 (full clinch) at the beginning of the drive home, and I was able to work in both CA 113 and the slightly-realigned CA 20 in Nevada County on a "more reasonable" route home.

On the rail side, I clinched the BART yellow line and eBART going to/from a conference. Counties, I made my first entrances into El Dorado, San Francisco, Sutter, and Yuba for 2024.

Decent chance that this is my last new mileage until my next work trip, which will send me to Idaho next month. Either way, I really like this "employer-sponsored clinching" thing.

It looks like my car-specific alternate user "a3" is done adding TM mileage.  I've tracked my travels in my 2015 Audi A3 since I bought it 5 1/2 years ago.  It finishes with 6573 TM miles from the 92,000+ miles I put on the car.  Its engine failed last week with only 101,000 miles on the car, and it's becoming clear it doesn't make sense to repair (which would require an engine replacement).

Not sure what I'll do next, as I wasn't planning financially for a car replacement any time soon.  I hate car loans in any circumstance, but when interest rates are what they are, it's especially unappealing to go much beyond what I could put toward a car from savings.


Ugh. That's no fun. I had to replace my car in late 2022 and interest rates have only increased since then.

Offline froggie

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1006 on: May 04, 2024, 09:35:49 am »
It looks like my car-specific alternate user "a3" is done adding TM mileage.  I've tracked my travels in my 2015 Audi A3 since I bought it 5 1/2 years ago.  It finishes with 6573 TM miles from the 92,000+ miles I put on the car.  Its engine failed last week with only 101,000 miles on the car, and it's becoming clear it doesn't make sense to repair (which would require an engine replacement).

Not sure what I'll do next, as I wasn't planning financially for a car replacement any time soon.  I hate car loans in any circumstance, but when interest rates are what they are, it's especially unappealing to go much beyond what I could put toward a car from savings.


I ran into a similar problem 2 months ago.  Where I was looking at a car 23K miles past warranty and $2500 worth of bushings, bearings, and tie rods (amongst other repairs).  A week befire I was supposed to drive to Florida.  My wife commented that it “sounds like a car payment to me”.

I drove out of the dealership with a car lease.  Didn’t like the idea of a car payment again, but options were few.

Offline Markkos1992

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1007 on: May 08, 2024, 08:21:34 pm »
My Charlotte Meet Trip Report has been completed.

Secondly, I also attended the SWPA 25 Meet last weekend.  I basically drove out there via US 22 to check out the construction on PA 981 between PA 31 and PA 130, and then took PA 819 SB to US 119 SB to Uniontown to PA 21 WB to Masontown to complete PA 166.  I then took US 119 SB to Point Marion taking PA 88 NB to ultimately clinch that route.  (I bypassed the section between US 40 and PA 136 via PA 43 to save time.)  From PA 43 NB, I took PA 136 EB back to PA 88 NB to PA 51 SB.  I exited at Lebanon Church Rd towards McKeesport ending up at PA 148 to take that south to PA 48 taking that north to Luciano's (the lunch restaurant for the meet, I still did not make it until 11:30 AM).

The meet itself basically focused on the construction of the extension of PA 43 north to PA 837 south of the Monongahela River.  After that portion of the tour, some of us went to see the Elizabeth Bridge (PA 51), Boston Bridge (PA 48), and the rebuilt Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh.

After seeing all of that (some of it in light rain, some of it in heavier rain), I came back home basically by following US 30 east to Breezewood (clinching many Lincoln Hwy segments as I headed east, one of which is actually on Fred Rogers Dr) and then taking I-76 EB to Carlisle (to try to avoid more rain and fog) to US 11 NB to I-81 NB back to Harrisburg.

Clinched:  PA 166, PA 88

New Mileage: Lincoln Highway (PA, west of Bedford now clinched)
« Last Edit: May 08, 2024, 08:25:25 pm by Markkos1992 »

Offline mapmikey

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1008 on: May 09, 2024, 09:01:18 pm »
Just returned from a 2-week trip to Dallas/Austin...

New clinches in order: I-44 (MO), US 75 (TX), Tx Sp 366, Tx Sp 408, TX 174, TX 9, I-14,Tx Sp 1825, FM 620, TX 31 Bus (Athens), I-49 (Belcher LA), I-430, I-240 (TN)

Notable new mileage: multi-route freeway from Columbus to Coshocton OH; I-44 (OK) exit 302 to MO; US 69 from US 59-60 to TX; I-35 Round Rock to Waco; TX 31 Waco to Tyler (except Athens); I-49 (Texarkana) from LA to I-30; US 67-167 N. Little Rock to Bald Knob; US 64 Beebe AR to W. Memphis; US 64 Bartlett TN to I-65

Also picked up 35 new counties - MO (10), OK (8 ), TX (9), AR (3), TN (5)

Dodging flooding and widespread tornado outbreaks is no fun...
« Last Edit: May 09, 2024, 09:33:28 pm by Markkos1992 »

Offline Markkos1992

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1009 on: May 09, 2024, 09:34:00 pm »
That sunglasses whenever I put a parentheses after an 8 is super-annoying....

Offline rickmastfan67

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1010 on: May 10, 2024, 09:34:29 pm »
That sunglasses whenever I put a parentheses after an 8 is super-annoying....

I could fix that, but it would break all previous usages of that emote that were proper.  However, this was an issue from the start with SMF, as they were the ones that chose that text for the emote.

8) -> 8-)

?

Offline Markkos1992

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1011 on: May 10, 2024, 09:42:20 pm »
That sunglasses whenever I put a parentheses after an 8 is super-annoying....

I could fix that, but it would break all previous usages of that emote that were proper.  However, this was an issue from the start with SMF, as they were the ones that chose that text for the emote.

8) -> 8-)

?

To make it worse, Facebook does the same thing on photo captions.

Offline oscar

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1012 on: May 11, 2024, 11:40:49 pm »
I got back home last week from a month-long cross-country road trip. This was mainly to attend the Bakersfield road meet, but also for route clinching, and also to take photos for counties (mainly west of the Mississippi River) not covered in the US County photo challenge on the AARoads forum.

I started off with a dash to southwestern Kentucky, after Easter brunch with family in south central Pennsylvania, mainly on Interstates and parkways. This clinched new MD 219, and re-clinched US 641 after a few miles were rerouted south of Murray KY.

I then zoomed up to northern Illinois, to pick up multi-state route 92, from Illinois to Wyoming via Iowa and Nebraska. I had previously clinched NE 92, but was missing a lot of mileage on IL 92, and a little on IA 92 and WY 92. This leg took me through Nebraska, to take courthouse and other photos in some counties in the northern and western parts of the state. It was very windy in both Iowa and Nebraska, with a wind gust almost knocking me over at an Iowa rest area.

From there, I headed south to Texas, mainly via unclinched parts of US 83 and US 283. That, and traveling in early April before tornado season got going, avoided weather hazards. I got to Texas on Eclipse Day, but had already clinched US 283's south end in Brady (in the totality path), and wasn't interested in viewing the eclipse. So I left US 283 in Coleman, to head west through several counties just north of the totality path. The skies darkened as I approached Robert Lee, which got a 96% partial solar eclipse. That was the only place I saw eclipse-watchers, on the south side of the Coke County courthouse.

From there, via Sterling City, I meandered north toward Amarillo, on a mix of US and state routes. I got on I-27 just before sunset, and spent the night in Canyon.

New Mexico was next on my list. I re-visited Harding and Mora counties. Harding especially was a weak spot on my counties map, having previously made only a quick in-and-out on NM 39. This time I visited the county seat. For Mora, my previous visits were more substantial (I-25 passes though that county), but I've now visited the county seat as well.

From there, on to Bakersfield via I-25, I-40, AZ 89 (clinched), I-10, US 95, Bullhead City segment of AZ 95 (clinched), and a previously untraveled segment of historic US 66 back to I-40. Ahead of the Bakersfield road meet, I finally re-clinched CA 58 (rerouted through Bakersfield earlier this year). During the meet, I also clinched the freeway part of the county-maintained Alfred Harrell Highway. I'm inclined to add that to the usasf system, once I return home from the May 18 memorial service for my aunt in Minneapolis.

After Bakersfield, I headed north toward Sacramento, where I had my cracked windshield replaced. Along the way, I traveled a realigned segment of CA 180 east of Fresno, re-clinching usaca. Then I spent two nights in Yuba City, from which I headed west to Lakeport, and east to Downieville (small and remote for a county seat), to photograph their county courthouses. CA 49 out of Nevada City proved more of an adventure than I had remembered, both twisty and also a bit of a gas desert after hours, though I made it to Truckee on I-80 and refueled there.

From Yuba City, CA 99 north to CA 36, west to I-5, side trip on CA 299  to Weaverville and back, continuing north on I-5 and US 97 to Madras OR (middling city with a nice independent hotel where I spent the night). Then west on US 26 (terrific views of Mt. Hood as I left Madras) then north on OR 35 into Washington state. I then focused on clinching WA 14, with a side trip to clinch WA 142. Between US 97 and I-82, WA 14 goes through the middle of nowhere, but I saw freight trains on both sides of the Columbia River.

The next day started with a misadventure, when I realized that I'd left my regular eyeglasses at the hotel in Boardman I'd just checked out of. I raced to get back there from Lexington, snagging the Bombing Range Rd. segment of the Oregon Trail tourist route recently added to TM. Returning to Lexington, I continued east on OR 74 to complete my clinch of that route, then south on US 395 then east on US 20 to overnight in a Boise suburb. After some short Idaho side trips, including clinches of ID 24, ID 44, and ID 52, I took a two-night rest and resupply stop in Pocatello.

I then crossed Wyoming (two overnight stops, no new mileage) to Pierre SD. In the Badlands area of South Dakota, I decided to take SD 44 south of the national park and SD 377, instead of routes I'd already driven north of the park (I-90) or through the park (SD 240). Alas, on SD 44 a rock punctured one of my tires, with a slow leak, in an area with no cell service or tire repair shops. I managed to limp back to I-90 after reinflating the wounded tire with a portable air pump, and at a rest area replaced it with the full-size spare in my trunk. The rest of the trip into Pierre filled in the last gap in my coverage of US 83 in South Dakota. The next day, on my way out of South Dakota, I clinched the short SD 204 northwest of Pierre, and east of Mitchell clinched SD 38.

Back to I-80, I saw two 18-wheelers flipped on their sides in the I-80 median, one on each side of Omaha. Tornadoes had blown through the evening before. That was my closest encounter the entire trip with bad weather. I kept going east on I-80, clinching IA 38, IA 64, and IA 78 before I picked up I-74 in Galesburg IL.

Except for an optional detour onto IN 39 between I-74 and I-70, it was all Interstates and smooth sailing the rest of the way home.

23 states entered on trip (in order first entered): VA-MD-PA-WV-KY-TN-IL-IA-NE-WY-KS-OK-TX-NM-AZ-CA-NV-OR-WA-ID-SD-IN-OH

24 new counties where I spent the night (new U.S. total 774)

Major route clinches (lesser clinches noted above): MSR 92 (IL-WY); all of US 283 (NE-TX); US 83 in Kansas, north to the Canadian border; all of AZ 89 and AZ 95; all of CA 58, CA 180, and usaca system; all of OR 35, OR 74, WA 14, and WA 142; all of IA 38, IA 64, and IA 78.
« Last Edit: June 10, 2024, 09:07:33 am by oscar »

Offline Markkos1992

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1013 on: May 12, 2024, 08:30:13 am »
Yesterday, I did a mostly morning trip to finish the Lincoln Highway segments along US 30 east of Breezewood (meaning a full clinch in PA) and doing a few National Road segments in Hagerstown, Ellicott City, and Baltimore that I had not done. Otherwise it was mainly documentation along I-70 and I-83.

Offline kjslaughter

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1014 on: May 20, 2024, 10:34:50 am »
My wife and I took our first real international trip the past two weeks (not counting cruises 12 years ago) to the United Kingdom.  The bulk of our travels were on rail between Manchester, York, Edinburgh and London, but I was able to get some large chunk of roads in Scotland via a small group tour to the Western Highlands.  We took a large loop from Edinburgh west on M9 past Stirling Castle, then loop mostly on A811, A82, A83, A85 & A84 past Loch Lomond to far point of Inverary before return through Callander and Doune.  Sadly I couldn't talk the driver to divert route to cross one of the Firth of Forth of bridges.  :-(  I'm shocked to see I now rank 22nd in Scotland!  Also rode a tram in Edinburgh that got me some miles, sightseeing bus loops in York and London and a few roads just walking around York and London neighborhoods.  I was surprised by the highway density within London as opposed to so many U.S. cities where highways are routed around or co-routed through cities (except I guess Kentucky!).  While the Underground is also very efficient, hard to clinch highways that way.

Offline Markkos1992

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1015 on: May 20, 2024, 08:44:45 pm »
This past weekend I went out to the Pittsburgh for a Christian Conference in the area, but even with leaving after work Friday afternoon and coming back home Saturday Night, I did get a few route clinches in.

On Friday, I started by taking I-81 SB to I-70 WB in Hagerstown. While on I-70 WB, a passing tractor trailer blew tire (or some other rubber debris) onto my windshield, but thankfully no cracks or anything came out of it.  I continued on I-70 WB to I-68 WB exiting at US 40 Scenic WB so I could clinch the McFarland Rd segment of the National Road. 

As soon as I got back to US 40 Scenic, I ended up back on I-68 WB taking it to MD 144 west of US 220.  I took MD 144 to Bedford Rd (unsigned MD 807) taking Bedford St to Centre St into Cumberland to get another National Road segment before heading back to I-68 WB ultimately taking US 40 WB into PA.  I generally followed US 40 WB in PA clinching National Road segments along the way and using some PA 43, I-79, and I-70 to attempt to save some time.  Eventually, I reached Wheeling, WV, by taking I-470 WB to WV 2 NB and went to Wheeling Island so that I could walk the Wheeling Suspension Bridge for the National Road segment there.  I then went west into Ohio to Morristown and Fairview to finish the National Road segment that begins just west of Fairview along I-70 (Exit 198) (I was so glad to see a driveway to turn around at the west end of the segment) before spending the night in St. Clairsville by the western I-70/I-470 interchange.

On Saturday Morning, I left the hotel around 5 AM, and maybe did a bit too much roadgeeking as I did not get to the conference until around 9:30 AM.  However, I am still glad with what I accomplished.  I took I-70 EB to WV 2 NB to Wellsburg doing a long loop via WV 27, PA 844, PA 331, and WV 67 (all new clinches minus the previously clinched PA 844 in March 2023) though I really think that PA 331 and WV 67 should be decommissioned for being narrow, curvy, and not really being a worthwhile through route.  I then backtracked to cross the Wellsburg Bridge in both directions before taking WV 2 NB to Follansbee (the hometown of famous Notre Dame head football coach Lou Holtz (AKA Dr. Lou)) and clinching WV 27 ALT (also not worthy of being a state route IMO for the same reasons as WV 67 and PA 331, this one turns into a quadrant route in PA).  I continued north on WV 2 to Weirton and looped via WV 105 (to clinch) and US 22 before taking WV 2 NB to its northern terminus at US 30 in Chester (passing through New Cumberland along the way, wait am I in VA or PA and not WV???  ;D).

I then took US 30 EB into PA taking it to PA 151 EB clinching it by taking it to PA 51 SB.  I actually used PA 151 as a turnaround in May 2021 while clinching I-376 and I-376 BL by Pittsburgh Int'l Airport.  I took PA 51 SB to the Sewickley Bridge seeing slides and a flooding closure at University Blvd along the way.  I crossed the Sewickley Bridge in heavy traffic even at 9 AM on Saturday due to an event in the borough itself, and I also ended up turning around at a hospital because the Orange Belt signage confused me.  I eventually got to Blackburn Rd taking it east to Mount Nebo Rd to my destination for most of the day just east of I-79.

We ended up having a long lunch break so I did a freeway loop consisting of taking I-79 NB to PA 910 (turning around) to I-79 SB to I-279 SB to I-376 WB back to I-79 NB.

After the event, I took I-79 NB to PA 228 EB (doing another drive of this corridor, currently only two lanes between Three Degree Rd and PA 8 ) to PA 8 NB to Butler so I could finish my clinch of PA 356 by taking it south to PA 28.  Then I took PA 28 NB to US 422 EB (seeing some paving and beams at the Margaret Rd realignment) to US 219 SB to US 22 EB in Ebensburg.  Then it was just the usual US 22 EB to I-99 NB to US 322 EB back to Harrisburg.

Clinched: National Road (MD, PA, WV, OH (St. Clairsville segment)), WV 27, PA 331, WV 67, WV 27 ALT (Follansbee), WV 105, PA 151, PA 356

New Mileage:  WV 2, OH 149, OH 9, PA 18

« Last Edit: May 20, 2024, 09:07:44 pm by Markkos1992 »

Offline si404

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1016 on: May 21, 2024, 03:05:49 pm »
I was surprised by the highway density within London as opposed to so many U.S. cities where highways are routed around or co-routed through cities (except I guess Kentucky!).
When the roads were first numbered, 101 years ago, the counties/boroughs maintained everything and classification was about how much money they'd get from the national government to look after them (Class I 'A' roads getting more per mile than Class II 'B' roads which in turn get more than other roads - and it's still somewhat the case, though isn't quite the case anymore). As such a very large and dense network formed across the country*, and continued to do so after a limited amount were 'trunked' (ie national government took over the maintenance and improvement of).

The trunk road network got greatly reduced (about half went) in the early 2000s, and now it looks like this (England-only as Wales and Scotland have their own, regional, networks that didn't go through the pareing that UK-governed England's didn't). The Red Route network (map) that TfL maintain, instead of the boroughs, is London's state-equivalent road network (it's a bit bigger than the former trunk road network inside the boundaries, though lacks the long-distance motorways that enter the regions' borders).

The only large scale declassifying of roads in any English urban area is the 'Ring of Steel' declassifying of roads in the square mile of the City of London to supposedly confuse the IRA by removing road numbers (ironically almost returning the City to its initial state of having no classified roads - something which soon changed). Even large-scale urban downgrades are rare - Winchester is noteable for getting rid of its non-peripheral A roads (they became B roads and remain a dense network) when the M3 opened.

*Even when you consider that England is nearly as densely populated (1,134.4/sq mi) as New Jersey (1,263.0/sq mi) - the densest state, and has about 1.5 times (57m) the population of California (39m), the most populated state.

Offline mapmikey

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1017 on: May 25, 2024, 01:59:23 pm »
Took an 18.5 hr U-turn yesterday...

New clinches in order:
LSR 151, LSR 707, WV 131, WV 2 ALT, *WV 2 Spur (Moundsville), OH 872, US 250 Trk (Moundsville), *US 40 Spur, WV 88, WV 27, WV 27 ALT, *US 22 ALT, LSR 507, WV 105, WV 8, LSR 208, *OH 702, *WV 27 Spur, WV 67, PA 331

* - unsigned

New mileage: WV 20, WV 2, OH 7, PA 844, PA 18.

LSR 507 still has a structure reference marker on it with US 22 ALT shown - https://maps.app.goo.gl/RSdKEsC1L5zJeYkW9

Agree from above that PA 331 is abominable.  WV 67 is nowhere near as bad as WV 72 south of US 219 or the north half of WV 71...

Offline Markkos1992

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1018 on: May 26, 2024, 12:07:56 pm »
I guess I did clinch a new state route (OH 702) without even realizing it.

Offline oscar

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Re: New Travels and Stats Discussion
« Reply #1019 on: May 26, 2024, 03:59:55 pm »
Just got back home from a ~two-week road trip to Minneapolis, for an aunt's memorial service. The outbound trip was three relaxed driving days, on already-traveled Interstates, though I did work in a clinch of short WI 312 in Eau Claire.

After the service, I drove to southern Iowa, to clinch IA 92 Business (Knoxviile) and IA 1. The latter long frustrated me, hung up by a long construction closure of a one-mile segment in Fairfield. That was supposed to be done by May 31, but the project was completed ahead of schedule, perhaps to provide a detour for work on Business 34 in Fairfield, which I had already clinched. I also clinched IA 122 in Mason City, and closed up some gaps in other northern Iowa routes.

From there, I continued to an outer suburb of St. Louis, to dodge bad weather forecast for Iowa. Good thing, Iowa got whacked hard after I left, while northern Missouri was in the forecast tornado danger zone but wound up almost completely unscathed while I was out there. In northern Missouri, I focused on re-clinching counties, in the only lower-48 state where I've not re-clinched all the counties after I completed all the U.S. counties in 2010. I'm still missing some counties in southern Missouri, which I plan to cover in a separate trip. Aside from the county re-clinches, I clinched US 136 Business in Memphis (MO), US 36 Business in Monroe City, and MO 168.

From Missouri, a three-day mostly-Interstate return trip home. While I tried hard to avoid bad weather in the Midwest, I overlooked the torrential rains and thunderstorms awaiting me back home late yesterday evening. That made the last 30 miles of my trip really slow and unpleasant.