So I have done a lot of driving the last few weeks, and I finally just got my list file fully updated last night (minus the piece of CT 17 that I forgot to put in). These trips were to attend the Natchez, MS, Roadmeet on March 19th, the Meriden/Waterbury, CT, Roadmeet on April 2nd, and to see Mrs. MDRoads perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City on April 9th. I will divide the summaries as much as possible to keep your eyes from going crazy.
Natchez, MS, Trip
Day 1 (3/11/2022 (at 3 PM)-3/12/2022) (Harrisburg, PA, to Abingdon, VA)
After getting car maintenance done in the morning, it was clear that I needed to leave at 3 PM and drive overnight in order to minimize impacts from the upcoming winter storm. After following US 22, US 322, I-99, and US 22 west to US 219 in Ebensburg, I basically followed the US 219 corridor south all the way to its southern end at US 460 in VA (minus diversions to clinch PA 381, MD 42, WV 32 (since I had already clinched the US 48/US 219 concurrency), and a huge loop to clinch WV 63 as the snow really started to come down in the Lewisburg, WV, area).
Once I entered Virginia, the winter storm issues quickly dissipated. I took VA 61 in Narrows to drive the newer bridge crossing the New River and US 460, and then took VA 100 down to the southern segment of VA 42. I took VA 42 west to I-77 down to Wytheville in order to work on my second assignment in this section of the trip (to finish clinching US 11 in VA). Due to the winter weather dissipating to just flurries, I spent the rest of the day Saturday to drive around Bristol, VA/TN, before finishing the day mid-afternoon when I checked into my hotel in Abingdon, VA, after clinching the TN 44/VA 75 corridor. I even got to see the outside of Bristol Motor Speedway for the first time (even though I focused more on US 11E on Day 2).
Highlights:
1. Finished full clinch of US 219 in VA, WV, MD, and PA.
2. Drove the “Race Track” section of US 33/WV 55 for the first time.
3. Drove the solo section of WV 92 in Elkins.
4. Clinched US 11 in VA (notably dealt with doglegs that reminded me of DE 15 between Marion and Abingdon)
Clinched: PA 601, PA 381, PA 523, MD 42, US 219 (WV/MD), WV 32, WV 63, US 219 TRUCK (Lewisburg, WV), US 11 (VA), VA 217, VA 107, VA 75, US 19 (TN), TN 394, TN 126 BUS (Blountville), TN 435, TN 44, TN 390, TN 358
New Mileage: PA 985, PA 711, WV 26, PA 281, US 33 (WV), WV 55, US 250 (WV), WV 92, WV 39, US 60 (WV), WV 12, WV 3, VA 42 (South), US 21 (VA), VA 16, VA 91, US 58 (VA), US 58 ALT (Abingdon, VA), US 19 (VA), US 11W (TN), TN 126, US 421 (TN), US 11E (TN), US 19E (TN)
Day 2 (3/13/2022) (Abingdon, VA, to Chattanooga, TN)
Basically, I followed US 11E south to US 321 and then west to I-40 and south along I-75. A big lowlight of the day was receiving my first speeding ticket ever in Greeneville, TN, which I am pretty sure is a speed trap town (and then missed the exit to follow US 321 so I stayed on US 11E to I-81 before backtracking via TN 70). A second lowlight is that traffic in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, TN, area is bad even in mid-March. Note that Chattanooga itself will be covered more in my Day 3 post.
Clinched: US 11E BUS (Greeneville, TN), US 321 BUS (Greeneville, TN), US 411 TRUCK (Maryville, TN), TN 335, TN 35, TN 334, TN 444, TN 324, TN 323, TN 309
New Mileage: TN 126, US 11E (TN), US 19W (TN), US 321 (TN), TN 70, TN 32, US 441 (TN), US 129 (TN), US 411 (TN), TN 33, TN 95, TN 72, US 11 (TN), I-75 (GA/TN), US 74 (TN), US 64 (TN), TN 317
Days 3-4 (3/14/2022-3/15/2022) (Chattanooga, TN, to Birmingham, AL)
After driving around Chattanooga in the morning, I eventually traveled I-59 southwest to Birmingham (while getting I-759 along the way). I drove around Birmingham that night a bit due to the rainy weather forecasted the next day, which I had otherwise already scheduled as a break day, so Day 4 was just a couple quick route clinches as I went to pick up dinner. The lights on the bridges at the I-20/I-59 interchange at US 31/US 280 at night were my favorite part of driving around Birmingham.
Clinched: GA 146, TN 8 (Chattanooga), I-24 (GA), TN 27, TN 134, GA 299, TN 148, TN 318, I-124 (TN), TN 319, TN 153, I-59 (GA), I-759 (AL), AL 759, AL 291, AL 211, I-459 (AL), AL 151, AL 378, AL 149, AL 150, AL 261
New Mileage: US 41 (GA/TN), US 76 (GA/TN), GA 3, US 11 (AL, GA/TN), US 64 (TN), US 72 (TN), TN 17, US 27 (GA/TN), GA 1, I-24 (TN), US 127 (TN), TN 58 (Chattanooga), TN 156, GA 58, I-59 (AL), US 278 (AL), US 431 (AL), US 411 (AL), I-20 (AL), AL 75, AL 79, I-65 (AL), I-22 (AL), US 78 (AL), US 31 (AL), US 280 (AL), AL 5, AL 269
Day 5 (3/16/2022) (Birmingham, AL, to Vidalia, LA)
Today, I finished the full clinch of I-59 (sneaking in clinches of I-359, MS 184 (Laurel), and MS 198 (Hattiesburg)) along the way. Then I basically clinched all of the interstate mileage around New Orleans (and circled around a few times as I needed to clinch I-310 headed northbound instead of southbound due to road work). After completing the New Orleans area, I took I-10 west to Baton Rouge to I-110 north before getting a late dinner of chocolate chocolate chip pancakes at IHOP. Afterwards, I took US 61 north to Natchez, MS, and then US 84/US 425 to my hotel in Vidalia, LA, for the rest of the week.
Highlights:
1. Full clinch of I-59.
2. Clinches of I-10 and its auxiliaries in the New Orleans, LA, area.
3. Clinched US 90 from I-310/LA 3127 to Downman Rd east of Downtown New Orleans.
Clinched: I-59 (LA/MS/AL)-full clinch, I-359 (AL), MS 184 (Laurel), MS 198 (Hattiesburg), US 190 BUS (Slidell, LA), LA 1091, LA 1090, LA 3081, LA 3081 SPUR (Pearl River), LA 1253 (unsigned), LA 47, I-510 (LA), LA 3021, LA 3019, US 90 BUS (New Orleans, LA), I-910 (LA), LA 3139, LA 3046, LA 3152, LA 18 SPUR (Westwego), LA 633, LA 52, LA 3060, I-310 (LA), I-610 (LA), I-110 (LA), US 425 (MS)
New Mileage: AL 5, I-20 (MS/AL), US 11 (LA/MS, AL), US 82 (AL), AL 69, US 43 (AL), US 80 (MS), MS 19, US 84 (LA/MS), MS 15, MS 42, US 49 (MS), US 98 (MS), MS 43, I-10 (LA), US 190 (LA), LA 46, US 90 (LA), LA 611-1, LA 18, LA 541, LA 3127, LA 3154, LA 49, US 61 (LA/MS), LA 408, LA 67, LA 964, LA 10, LA 965
Days 6-8 (3/17/2022-3/19/2022) (Natchez, MS/Vidalia, LA, Area with a side trip to Vicksburg, MS)
On Day 6, I just walked along the Mississippi River in the morning and caught up in the online world before doing a brief trip in the area in the afternoon before getting dinner.
On Day 7, I drove up north to Vicksburg, MS, to drive through the Vicksburg National Military Park. If you are into seeing preserved warfield trenches, Vicksburg is for you though I wish it was more history-oriented beyond a video at the visitor center. I also found the west end of the old US 80 bridge across the Mississippi River at the east end of LA 3218 so of course I had to get some pictures.
Day 8 was the actual Natchez, MS, Road Meet that led to some of us like myself finally gaining mileage on the Natchez Trace Parkway when we went to tour Emerald Mound.
Highlights:
1. Clinched US 61 north of Natchez, MS, to the north end of Vicksburg, MS, where its splits from I-20/US 80.
2. Clinched US 65 from its southern end at US 425/LA 15 to US 80 in Tallulah.
3. Crossed the I-20/US 80 Mississippi River Bridge at Vicksburg.
Clinched: MS 555, MS 554, MS 553, LA 131, LA 3180, LA 3232, LA 903, LA 900, LA 3209, LA 896, LA 601, LA 3202, LA 602-1, LA 602-2, LA 3218, MS 822, MS 930, **Former US 61 BUS (Natchez, MS), **Former US 84 BUS (Natchez, MS)
New Mileage: US 61 (MS), US 84 (LA/MS), (*maybe US 98 (MS)?) US 425 (LA), LA 15, US 65 (LA), LA 568, LA 128, US 80 (LA/MS), I-20 (LA/MS), MS 22, MS 467, MS 27, MS 552, MS 28, MS 33, Natchez Trace Pkwy (MS)
*Depending on where you believe it ends
**Still signed for some reason
Day 9 (3/20/2022) (Vidalia, LA, to Tallahassee, FL)
I started by following US 84 east to MS 33 and then followed MS 33/LA 19 to Baton Rouge. After clinching a few Baton Rouge routes, I clinched I-12 and then followed I-10 east from there. I did loops around Slidell, LA, (to solidify my clinch of I-10 there), Biloxi, MS, (to clinch I-110), Mobile, AL, (to clinch I-165 (AL), AL 158, and AL 213), and Pensacola, FL, (to clinch I-110 (FL) and many other routes). Yes, I did get to use my EZPASS when I drove the Garcon Point Bridge on FL 281 (though my favorite bridge on this day was the Biloxi Bay Bridge on US 90).
Highlights:
1. Clinched I-10 in MS and AL.
2. Clinched all I-110s with the exception of the one in Los Angeles. I already had the one in El Paso, TX, and clinched the Baton Rouge, LA, one on Day 5.
3. Full clinch of I-12.
4. Drove the southern 13 miles of I-65 in AL.
5. Survived the Bucee’s on I-10 at Exit 49 in AL.
6. Note that I somehow clinched 42 LA Routes on this trip. How long will that be 42? I have no idea. (Ironically LA 42 may have recently been truncated)
7. Drove the southern section of US 29 in Pensacola, FL.
Clinched: MS 33, LA 19, LA 963, LA 953, LA 956, LA 957, LA 3006, LA 423, I-12 (LA-full clinch), LA 426, LA 3246, LA 327 SPUR (Baton Rouge), LA 3064, LA 3002, LA 1034, LA 3003, LA 1259, LA 3158, I-10 (MS/AL), MS 604, MS 609, I-110 (MS), I-165 (AL), AL 158, AL 213, FL 281, FL 399, US 98 BUS (Pensacola, FL), I-110 (FL), FL 289, FL 752, FL 742, FL 750 , FL 276
New Mileage: MS 24, LA 10, LA 68, LA 955, LA 412, LA 67, US 61 (LA), US 190 (LA), *LA 1248?, LA 42, LA 30, LA 73, LA 1032, LA 16, US 51 BUS (Hammond, LA), US 51, I-10 (LA), MS 607 (South), US 90 (LA/MS, AL, FL), US 98 TRUCK (Mobile, AL), I-65 (AL), US 45 (AL), AL 217, US 43 (AL), US 98 (FL), FL 292, FL 295, US 29 (FL), FL 296, US 27 (FL), FL 263
*if it still exists
Days 10-11 (3/21/2022-3/22/2022) (Tallahassee, FL, to Prince George, VA)
In summary, I followed I-10 east to US 301 north to Rocky Mount, NC, before side tracking further west to South Hill, VA, to get some more NC mileage along with SR 903 in Brunswick County, VA, before heading to my parents’ house for a few days via I-85 and VA 36. I also did some side tracking to clinch the routes around Fayetteville, NC, and the four US 70s of Selma-Smithfield, NC, which may not be around much longer with the impending signing of I-42. I did my Fayetteville driving overnight due to issues with the hotel I had reserved at using points rebranding right before my stay. I could have stayed there, but I felt uncomfortable there, and I was concerned with Fort Bragg traffic had I done Fayetteville during morning rush hour. Once I got to my parents’ house, I knew I could sleep for as long as I needed to.
Highlights:
1. Finished clinch of I-10 in FL. This means that I have I-10 clinched entirely east of I-110 in Baton Rouge, LA.
2. Finished clinch of US 301 north of US 27 in Ocala, FL.
3. Clinched I-295 (NC) and what may eventually be NC 555.
4. I was reminded of how tough it was to get around Raleigh during morning rush hour. Turning around on NC 42 to get back to US 70 BUS was an adventure.
Clinched: I-10 (FL), FL 14, FL 228 (West), US 301 (GA/SC/NC), US 301 BYP (Baldwin, FL), GA 40 CON (Folston), GA 73, US 301 BYP (Statesboro, GA), GA 67 BYP (Statesboro, GA), US 25 BYP (Statesboro, GA), GA 73 LOOP (Sylvania), US 301 BUS (Sylvania, GA), GA 21 BUS (Sylvania), US 178 BUS (Orangeburg, SC), US 21 BUS (Orangeburg, SC), US 601 TRUCK (Orangeburg, SC), SC 327, US 52 TRUCK (Florence, SC), US 501 (SC), I-95 BL (Fayetteville, NC), US 401 BUS (Fayetteville, NC), NC 162, NC 59, All American Freeway, I-295 (NC), US 70 BUS (Clayton-Smithfield, NC), US 70 BYP (Selma, NC), US 70 ALT (Pine Level, NC), US 301 BUS (Rocky Mount, NC), US 64 BUS (Rocky Mount, NC), NC 43 BUS (Rocky Mount), NC 4
New Mileage: FL 53, US 90 (FL), FL 121, US 301 (FL), US 1 (FL/GA), US 23 (FL/GA), GA 4, GA 15, GA 23, GA 121, GA 40, US 25 (GA), US 84 (GA), GA 38, GA 57, GA 67, US 80 (GA), GA 26, GA 24, GA 21, US 278 (SC), US 321 (SC), SC 64, US 601 (SC), SC 4, US 21 (SC), US 178 (SC), US 15 (SC), SC 6, US 521 (SC), US 378 (SC), US 52 (SC), US 76 (SC), SC 51, SC 9, SC 57, US 501 (NC), NC 20, NC 24, NC 210, NC 53, NC 87, US 401 (NC), NC 242, NC 50, NC 96, NC 42, US 70 (NC), NC 39, US 264 ALT (Wilson, NC), NC 58, NC 43, US 64 ALT (Tarboro, NC), NC 481, NC 561, NC 903