Figured that the Road Trip Board would be the best place to post this thread. I just started out on a huge Mid-West Road trip which will take me to two National Parks I've never been to and basically a complete circle of Lake Michigan. I started some of the blog posts with the aerial views of some highways like; CA 168, I-580, I-680, and CA 92 traveling from Fresno to San Francisco. I'm fairly certain I'll fall behind as soon as I hit the road from Detroit but for now this is the first road/travel blog post of what should be many:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/midwest-road-trip-day-1-part-1-mount.html
Associated Flickr Album:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm2Um8Bd
Landed in Detroit, I ended up taking US 23 to reach my destination which appears to have been an "almost" mistake given the heavy construction project for an apparent lane expansion between I-94 and I-96:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/midwest-road-trip-day-1-part-2-san.html
Of course the two Flickr albums for the day starting with the flight to Detroit:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm2xRCGr
And the drive up US 23:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm2VPqCN
Day 2; traveled the western outskirts of Detroit and revisited The Henry Ford down in Dearborn:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-2-hunting.html
The Flickr album for the day:
Drive to Greenfield Village via M5 and M39:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm34bc6X
Greenfield Village
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm6PdZ5F
The Drive back on US 24/Telegraph and I-96:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/55oT9P
Day 3 consisted of traversing Mid-Michigan via; I-96, US 127, US 10, M115, M55, and US 31 to reach M22. I did the entire 117 mile route of M22 from Manistee to Traverse City which surprisingly wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be on a summer weekend. I think that the painted M-22s on the asphalt and the shields lacking the "M" are completely awful, but there are a lot sign posts with obvious evidence of theft. I even had time squeeze in 5 miles over the Sleeping Bear Dunes to/from Lake Michigan before heading inland via M-72. I haven't had time to make the road blog for today but the Flickr Albums are ready to go:
Brighton to M22:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm383xyx
M22/Leelanau Peninsula/Sleeping Bear Dunes
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm2Ds8cz
M22 to Kalkaska:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm2Dskmp
That roundabout sign. (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/36509817292/in/album-72157685049655371/)
I mean, does that need to be spelled out?
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on August 19, 2017, 09:46:09 PM
That roundabout sign. (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/36509817292/in/album-72157685049655371/)
I mean, does that need to be spelled out?
Apparenty...there is actually two of those roundabouts on 72 east of US 31 and it is actually a four-lane divided through both.
Hmmm. Also, IDK about anyone else, but the M-less M-22 shields make me more want to steal one of them than it does stop me. It's just like those Mile 419.9 markers. The fact they make them unique because of theft makes them more unique to those who collect signs.
(Not that I would ever steal a sign don't get me wrong.)
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on August 19, 2017, 09:56:05 PM
Hmmm. Also, IDK about anyone else, but the M-less M-22 shields make me more want to steal one of them than it does stop me. It's just like those Mile 419.9 markers. The fact they make them unique because of theft makes them more unique to those who collect signs.
(Not that I would ever steal a sign don't get me wrong.)
The irony is that there is some local shop actually selling replicas that use the new "M-less" style and replicate it pretty well. I think the numeral font is hideous that large and without the "M" to accentuate it. The thing is that MDOT seems to think that every single street corner needs a reassurance shield. Its no wonder a lot of those signs get stolen because there is usually a plentiful supply out in the middle of nowhere on minor junction where it would be easy for someone to bust out the socket set.
Interestingly one of two signs I ever gave away as a gift was an M-22 shield to my Brother-In-Law. He has a cabin up on Leelanau and said he would be willing to pay if I ever came across a legit shield which I eventually did. He still has that shield in his garage mounted right next to the M-37 I found him also.
Just finished the Day 3 Road Blogs.
Brighton, MI to M-22:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-3-part-1.html
M-22 Route Clinch and closing the day out in Kalkaska, MI:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-3-part-2-m-22.html
I'm really not sure how far or if I want to even touch the Day 4 stuff right now but the photos are up and can be found here.
Kalkaska to the Mackinac Bridge:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/434e0L
The Mackinac Bridge:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/2Kt45k
Mackinac Island and the clinching of M-185:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm1xANyE
- For those don't know, M-185 is a 8.2 mile state highway on Mackinac Island that doesn't allow motorized vehicles.
The Day 4 Road Blogs are finished:
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-roadtrip-day-4-part-1.html
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-4-part-2.html
Plus the Day 5 photos are ready to go on Flickr:
- M-123 and Tahquamenon Falls State Park
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/F175Yf
An assortment of stuff on M-28 which included a couple ghost towns, the original routing of US 41/M-28 in Marquette, and Keweenah Bay:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm38EX9d
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm1AKxtU
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm1ALf8j
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm6RLpPN
I also checked out some of the major Copper Country sites like; Houghton, Hancock, the Quincy Mine, and Calumet:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/2N89oD
All the color photos should be in sequence, I think that I only missed one lettered county route trying to pass someone. M-123 is a complete clinch, although some of my photos in the morning with the fog got a little blurred up. Really its a toss-up between the Tahquamenon Falls or Calumet, I really didn't expect to find a city here abandoned to this degree (insert Detroit joke here) in Michigan of all places. Too bad my parents never saw fit to come this way when I was growing up here, seems odd that Isle Royale will be the 45th National Park I've been to.
Good stuff! I've always wanted to do the circle tour.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 21, 2017, 08:46:54 PM
All the color photos should be in sequence, I think that I only missed one lettered county route trying to pass someone. M-123 is a complete clinch, although some of my photos in the morning with the fog got a little blurred up. Really its a toss-up between the Tahquamenon Falls or Calumet, I really didn't expect to find a city here abandoned to this degree (insert Detroit joke here) in Michigan of all places. Too bad my parents never saw fit to come this way when I was growing up here, seems odd that Isle Royale will be the 45th National Park I've been to.
Calumet's been like that for quite some time. The population of Houghton County topped out at around 100,000 in 1913-14. In the 1920s and 1930s, as the price of copper dropped, mines closed, and people left the area. By 1950, the population had dwindled to what you see currently. There are a number of abandoned mining towns in the woods as well, all along the peninsula. There still is native copper to be mined on the Keweenaw, but it is fairly deep and expensive to get to.
Quote from: inkyatari on August 22, 2017, 10:47:45 AM
Good stuff! I've always wanted to do the circle tour.
Kind of makes me wonder how long it would take to do one of the signed circle routes. The Lake Michigan Circle Tour looks daunting by itself.
Quote from: Brandon on August 22, 2017, 01:25:48 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 21, 2017, 08:46:54 PM
All the color photos should be in sequence, I think that I only missed one lettered county route trying to pass someone. M-123 is a complete clinch, although some of my photos in the morning with the fog got a little blurred up. Really its a toss-up between the Tahquamenon Falls or Calumet, I really didn't expect to find a city here abandoned to this degree (insert Detroit joke here) in Michigan of all places. Too bad my parents never saw fit to come this way when I was growing up here, seems odd that Isle Royale will be the 45th National Park I've been to.
Calumet's been like that for quite some time. The population of Houghton County topped out at around 100,000 in 1913-14. In the 1920s and 1930s, as the price of copper dropped, mines closed, and people left the area. By 1950, the population had dwindled to what you see currently. There are a number of abandoned mining towns in the woods as well, all along the peninsula. There still is native copper to be mined on the Keweenaw, but it is fairly deep and expensive to get to.
I took M-26 back from Copper Harbor today to Houghton which took me through a ton of them. Really the stories don't do the reality justice, it is really just rows of abandoned cities all over the peninsula. Really I might consider coming back here some time and really diving into pretty much every ghost town, abandoned mine, or whatever interests me I can find....M-26 in particular had a CA 49 vibe to it.
Speaking of today, looks like I'll be a couple days behind on road blogs. I took the big trip to Isle Royale which was my 45th National Park. I did check out the terminus for US 41 past Copper Harbor:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/vtU0qu
My M-26 album is still in progress as I'll be clinching the rest of the route heading west tomorrow to Minnesota. For now the Copper Harbor to Houghton segment is done.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm75R9RT
Day 5 Road Blogs are now up:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-5-part-1-m.html
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-5-part-2-long.html
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-5-part-3.html
As for Day 7 I took the rest of M-26 and made my way to Minnesota via mostly WI 13. I checked out the Bayfield Peninsula and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Surprisingly the northern reaches of WI 13 are really a scenic, fun, and traffic free drive compared to US 2. This was more of a travel day more than anything....Flickr Albums are located below:
M-26 Complete Album:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm75R9RT
M-26 west to WI 13:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm78PePz
WI 13 north of US 2:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/1kD633
The rest of the way to Duluth including I-535:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm3iKySy
Took me forever to load my photos for Day 8. I started the day with heading up US 53 through the Iron Range. I checked out what I'm fairly is the original alignments of US 53 in Eveleth and Virginia, it seems that the latter is having a new expressway alignment built to the east of the city:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm1KLZt3
I continued on US 53 north to Voyaguers National Park which was the 46th I've been to:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/tLK4ib
US 53 is a pretty good road with lots of wide passing angles north of Cook and an expressway to Duluth but it wasn't something that I wanted to backtrack on. That being the case I took the 103 miles of MN 1 from US 53 to MN 61 through the Iron Range. I checked out the Iron Range town sites, the Soudan Mine, and even found a stray US 61 shield. MN 169 seems odd to me given it just dead ends a couple miles east of Ely, was that really mean to reach US 61 at some point? MN 1 is a really rough road east of Ely and in really bad shape. It looks like the road is being rebuilt west of Ely first with the work moving eastward:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/DW401h
On the coast along MN 61 I stopped to see the Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm3iXYUd
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm7dZE5Z
I even stopped at Park Point in Duluth to get a better view of the Blatnik Bridge carrying US 53/I-535. I really wish that I had attempted pictures of 7th Avenue given the huge grade:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/pe5p24
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 25, 2017, 07:54:34 AM
MN 169 seems odd to me given it just dead ends a couple miles east of Ely, was that really mean to reach US 61 at some point? MN 1 is a really rough road east of Ely and in really bad shape. It looks like the road is being rebuilt west of Ely first with the work moving eastward:
Originally MN-169 ended somewhere between Tower and Ely. For a short time in the 1940s-50s(?), east of Ely to Power Dam Rd (the current "dead end" [not really a dead end, just continues as a county road]) was known as MN-221, before it was renumbered to be an extension of MN-169. Given the BWCA and the whole lot of nothing out there, it was never meant to reach US/MN-61.
As for the stretch between Tower and Ely, yes, MnDOT is working on an enormous project to rebuild and straighten the highway. It's the Eagles Nest project (http://www.dot.state.mn.us/d1/projects/Hwy169eagles/). (South)east of Ely, I am unaware of any major projects soon to be for MN-1.
QuoteI checked out what I'm fairly is the original alignments of US 53 in Eveleth and Virginia, it seems that the latter is having a new expressway alignment built to the east of the city:
Kinda sorta. The construction you saw is intended to replace the existing alignment between Virginia and MN 135, which will go back to the adjacent mining company so they can mine it. US 53 will remain on its existing alignment through Virginia proper.
QuoteOriginally MN-169 ended somewhere between Tower and Ely.
At MN 135.
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on August 25, 2017, 09:56:43 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 25, 2017, 07:54:34 AM
MN 169 seems odd to me given it just dead ends a couple miles east of Ely, was that really mean to reach US 61 at some point? MN 1 is a really rough road east of Ely and in really bad shape. It looks like the road is being rebuilt west of Ely first with the work moving eastward:
Originally MN-169 ended somewhere between Tower and Ely. For a short time in the 1940s-50s(?), east of Ely to Power Dam Rd (the current "dead end" [not really a dead end, just continues as a county road]) was known as MN-221, before it was renumbered to be an extension of MN-169. Given the BWCA and the whole lot of nothing out there, it was never meant to reach US/MN-61.
As for the stretch between Tower and Ely, yes, MnDOT is working on an enormous project to rebuild and straighten the highway. It's the Eagles Nest project (http://www.dot.state.mn.us/d1/projects/Hwy169eagles/). (South)east of Ely, I am unaware of any major projects soon to be for MN-1.
So what was the point of having MN 169 be an extension of US 169? It sure looks like that they were going for something with US 169 being realigned to Virginia and MN 169 being signed, was it really as simple has just getting a US Route with in the neighborhood of Soudan and Ely? USends actually had a pretty interesting break down on the topic along with some maps:
http://www.usends.com/169.html
Quote from: froggie on August 25, 2017, 10:41:30 AM
QuoteI checked out what I'm fairly is the original alignments of US 53 in Eveleth and Virginia, it seems that the latter is having a new expressway alignment built to the east of the city:
Kinda sorta. The construction you saw is intended to replace the existing alignment between Virginia and MN 135, which will go back to the adjacent mining company so they can mine it. US 53 will remain on its existing alignment through Virginia proper.
QuoteOriginally MN-169 ended somewhere between Tower and Ely.
At MN 135.
Well that would certainly explain the detour for MN 135 down by Eveleth routed onto MN 37.
Not much doing today aside from an almost entirely all freeway and expressway for about 440 miles from Duluth to Chicagoland. I did do a photo clinch of I-535 and snuck in some pictures of US 53 coming off Miller Hill, I found both to be fascinating highways.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm3krZgJ
Really that whole traffic light/left entrance transition for US 53 really is weird to me, that must be a complete disaster during rush hour. I took US 53 down to I-94 and essentially stayed on it almost all way to Illinois....I-894 not withstanding. About the only interesting thing I saw was Mill Bluff State Park which got me a couple Interstate overview shots of I-90/I-94.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm2XvWsn
Interestingly there was a huge utility/power line project along I-90/I-94 that had an active plank road being used, it might be in some of my photos. Something I found odd is how Wisconsin has alternate routes signed onto surface alignments for Interstates, I did get a couple pictures of the shields and placards that were displayed. I had some amusement texting people asking if they wanted to see my "PP" when I passed County Route PP, but there wasn't much to keep my mind alive. Suffice to say Interstates and freeways really aren't what I enjoy the most on road trips.
Aside from that I'm working on the Day 6 Road blogs and completed the one for the US 41 North Terminus and Isle Royale:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-6-part-1-us.html
My WiFi connection luck continues to be bad in these hotels so I'm getting a little behind on road blogs, for now I'm just happy keeping up with my photo edits/uploads. I'm looking some stuff tomorrow in the Chicago area before bailing out for Indiana and Ohio.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 25, 2017, 09:57:34 PM
So what was the point of having MN 169 be an extension of US 169? It sure looks like that they were going for something with US 169 being realigned to Virginia and MN 169 being signed, was it really as simple has just getting a US Route with in the neighborhood of Soudan and Ely? USends actually had a pretty interesting break down on the topic along with some maps:
http://www.usends.com/169.html
MnDOT seems to have a thing for numbering certain state highways as extensions of, or former alignments of, US highways. MN-61 used to be US-61. MN-65 was once partially US-65 (the original length of MN-65 was an extension of US-65). MN-169 is an extension of US-169. MN-212 used to be a thing but was later renumbered as an extension of MN-5 after US-212 was shortened.
Edit: and of course I shouldn't forget former MN-218, an extension of US-218 that ran from Owatonna to Brainerd.
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on August 25, 2017, 10:22:53 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 25, 2017, 09:57:34 PM
So what was the point of having MN 169 be an extension of US 169? It sure looks like that they were going for something with US 169 being realigned to Virginia and MN 169 being signed, was it really as simple has just getting a US Route with in the neighborhood of Soudan and Ely? USends actually had a pretty interesting break down on the topic along with some maps:
http://www.usends.com/169.html
MnDOT seems to have a thing for numbering certain state highways as extensions of, or former alignments of, US highways. MN-61 used to be US-61. MN-65 was once partially US-65 (the original length of MN-65 was an extension of US-65). MN-169 is an extension of US-169. MN-212 used to be a thing but was later renumbered as an extension of MN-5 after US-212 was shortened.
Weird, I guess score one for route continuity I suppose? Hell seems like I really only ever discover oddities like this while I'm out traveling. MN 61 seems like it still would have been a really quality US Route given it goes all the way to Thunder Bay, shame US 61 couldn't multiplex I-35
Visited some family in Cleveland so I'll be a little behind on road blogs it seems pretty much until this trip is over. I have the Day 10 photos up, suffice to say things have gone from extremely rural to urbanized. Started out in downtown Chicago, among the many things I checked out on a morning run was the original terminus points of US 66 in addition to a lot of Lake Shore Drive and the start of I-55:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/1a969B
Drove the Chicago Skyway for the first time since 2001 which meant that I got to see it for the first time after it was rebuilt about a decade ago:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm7kMw3Z
For the most part I stuck to the Indiana Toll Road and Ohio Turnpike to Cleveland. I had a substantial detour to go see the Indiana Dunes, turns out the ramp from IN 39 is closed off:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm3x2Qbj
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/59W7Ne
I did see an older style Indiana Shield at the end of IN 49:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4441/36658134092_78848ecde9_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/XRmw7G)IMG_6179 (https://flic.kr/p/XRmw7G) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 25, 2017, 10:29:07 PMMN 61 seems like it still would have been a really quality US Route given it goes all the way to Thunder Bay, shame US 61 couldn't multiplex I-35
It did until 1990, when US 61 was removed north of the town of Wyoming and subsequently created MN 61 along the remaining independent portion from Duluth to the border. Apparently they first petitioned for the truncation of US 61 in 1971, but was denied at that time which was probably because I-35 wasn't finished to Duluth yet. I believe I-35 was completed (except for the tunnels) in 1977.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on August 26, 2017, 10:29:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 25, 2017, 10:29:07 PMMN 61 seems like it still would have been a really quality US Route given it goes all the way to Thunder Bay, shame US 61 couldn't multiplex I-35
It did until 1990, when US 61 was removed north of the town of Wyoming and subsequently created MN 61 along the remaining independent portion from Duluth to the border. Apparently they first petitioned for the truncation of US 61 in 1971, but was denied at that time which was probably because I-35 wasn't finished to Duluth yet. I believe I-35 was completed (except for the tunnels) in 1977.
Weird, it just seems like that would be a pretty handy US Route to have still around. Has the state been deleting large multiplexes recently? It seems like there was some odd ones from what I've read up on just for the Iron Range region.
Speaking of US 61 I completely forgot to post this guide sign I found exiting Ely on MN 1:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4418/35994426833_f50c84d156_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/WQGR56)61USa (https://flic.kr/p/WQGR56) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 26, 2017, 09:39:04 PM
I did see an older style Indiana Shield at the end of IN 49:
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4441/36658134092_78848ecde9_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/XRmw7G)IMG_6179 (https://flic.kr/p/XRmw7G) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
That's a newer install, but it has been there for at least the past 6 years. Snapped a photo of it back in 2011-12.
^ That style of Indiana 49 shield is also posted as trailblazer shields along US 12.
In regards to Indiana 49, does anyone know why that particular shield was installed with a retro design? Are there others in the state that might be like that?
Day 11....revisited Cuyhoga Valley National Park in the morning and got some decent trail running in.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm3JBTz8
I mostly avoided the Ohio Turnpike heading back to Michigan and swung up to OH 2 instead. I took US 23 out of Ohio to check the multiplex of US 223. US 223 is pretty well signed from the start point just south of the Ohio State Line on US 23 up to where it splits off in Michigan.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm7pBYN8
I finished the Day 6 and 7 road blogs...
Day 6 Part 1; the northern terminus of US 41 and Isle Royale National Park:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-6-part-1-us.html
Day 6 Part 2; M-26 from Copper Harbor back to Houghton:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-6-part-2-m-26.html
Day 7 Part 1; Finishing M-26:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-7-part-1.html
Day 7 Part 2; Crossing Wisconsin on WI 13 west to Duluth:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-7-part-2.html
Day 8 Road Blogs are now up...
Part 1; US 53/US 169/MN 169 alignments in the Iron Ranges and Voyageurs National Park:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-trip-day-8-part-1-eveleth.html
Part 2; MN 1 east of US 53, the Soudan Mine, and mystery of what could have possibly been an extension of US 169 to Lake Superior:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-8-part-2-103.html
Part 3; MN 61 south to Duluth along Lake Superior:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lake-road-trip-day-8-part-3-mn-61.html
Day 9 as well which had I-535, Mill Bluff State Park over I-90/94, and a whole lot of really boring countryside on the Interstates in Wisconsin:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-9-back-to.html
As for the Day 12 photos, I went to Hell....literally....it was around the corner on County Route D32:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm3vjPjd
Interestingly that makes both "Hells" that were in the United States. The Californian "Hell" was east of Desert Center on US 60/70 in the Sonoran but was razed during the construction of I-10:
33°41′27″N 115°16′22″W
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_California
Just got the Day 10 road blogs done...
Part 1; US 66 endpoints in downtown Chicago, Lake Shore Drive, and the Chicago Skyway:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-10-part-1.html
Part 2; Indiana Toll Road, Indiana Dunes, and Ohio Turnpike:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-10-part-2.html
The Day 11 Road Blog is up which consists of Cuyahoga Valley and the end point of US 223:
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-11-cuyahoga.html
QuotePart 1; US 53/US 169/MN 169 alignments in the Iron Ranges and Voyageurs National Park:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-trip-day-8-part-1-eveleth.html
- In local parlance, Iron Range is singular and not plural.
- Correct that US 53 came into Eveleth from the north via Grant Ave. South of town (really more like southeast of town), there is an abandoned road alignment visible from the southbound on-ramp from MN 37 that shows part of US 53's original alignment before the 4-lane was built. Near Eveleth Airport is a road named "Miller Trunk Road" that is also part of the original alignment.
- As noted in another thread, the major relocation project is for US 53 so that the land underneath existing US 53 between MN 135 and 2nd Ave W in Virginia can be mined.
QuotePart 2; MN 1 east of US 53, the Soudan Mine, and mystery of what could have possibly been an extension of US 169 to Lake Superior:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-8-part-2-103.html
- Regarding Tower "still being a city", all incorporated municipalities in Minnesota are officially considered cities, regardless of their population.
Quote from: froggie on August 29, 2017, 09:31:10 AM
QuotePart 1; US 53/US 169/MN 169 alignments in the Iron Ranges and Voyageurs National Park:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-trip-day-8-part-1-eveleth.html
- In local parlance, Iron Range is singular and not plural.
- Correct that US 53 came into Eveleth from the north via Grant Ave. South of town (really more like southeast of town), there is an abandoned road alignment visible from the southbound on-ramp from MN 37 that shows part of US 53's original alignment before the 4-lane was built. Near Eveleth Airport is a road named "Miller Trunk Road" that is also part of the original alignment.
- As noted in another thread, the major relocation project is for US 53 so that the land underneath existing US 53 between MN 135 and 2nd Ave W in Virginia can be mined.
QuotePart 2; MN 1 east of US 53, the Soudan Mine, and mystery of what could have possibly been an extension of US 169 to Lake Superior:
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-8-part-2-103.html
- Regarding Tower "still being a city", all incorporated municipalities in Minnesota are officially considered cities, regardless of their population.
So it seems that the apparent road grade I saw on Google was indeed US 53. It would be interesting to try to retrace the entire highway from Duluth northward before it was an expressway.
Completed the Day 12 and Day 13 Road Blogs...but I'll just repost everything in one shot so it can be read in order:
Day 1
Part 1; Fresno to San Francisco and Mount Diablo
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/midwest-road-trip-day-1-part-1-mount.html
Part 2; San Francisco to Detroit
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/midwest-road-trip-day-1-part-1-mount.html
Day 2; hunting memory lane and Greenfield Village in Western Metro Detroit
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-2-hunting.html
Day 3
Part 1; Brighton to M-22
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-3-part-1.html
Part 2; M-22, the Sleeping Bear Dunes, and the Leelanau Peninsula
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-3-part-2-m-22.html
Day 4
Part 1; crossing the Mackinac Bridge
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-roadtrip-day-4-part-1.html
Part 2; Mackinac Island and M-185
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-4-part-2.html
Day 5
Part 1; M-123, Tahquamenon Falls, and ghost towns
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-5-part-1-m.html
Part 2; the road across the UP to Houghton
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-5-part-2-long.html
Part 3; Copper County lore in Houghton, Hancock, the Quincy Mine, and Calumet
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-5-part-3.html
Day 6
Part 1; the end of US 41 in Copper Harbor and Isle Royale National Park
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-6-part-1-us.html
Part 2; M-26 through Copper County back to Houghton
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-6-part-2-m-26.html
Day 7
Part 1; Completing the clinch of M-26
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-7-part-1.html
Part 2; WI 13 along Lake Superior and the trek to Duluth
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-7-part-2.html
Day 8
Part 1; Iron Range and Voyaguers National Park
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-trip-day-8-part-1-eveleth.html
Part 2; 103 miles of MN 1 to MN 61/Lake Superior, the Soudan Mine, and Iron Range
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-8-part-2-103.html
Part 3; MN 61 south to Duluth along Lake Superior
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lake-road-trip-day-8-part-3-mn-61.html
Day 9; the return to civilization on a shit load of freeways ad expressways
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-9-back-to.html
Day 10
Part 1; Downtown Chicago, the eastern end of US 66, and the Chicago Skyway
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-10-part-1.html
Part 2; Indiana Toll Road, Indiana Dunes, and Ohio Turnpike
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-10-part-2.html
Day 11; Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the weirdness of US 223
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-11-cuyahoga.html
Day 12; to Hell and back
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-12-to-hell.html
Day 13; Old haunts in Western Metro Detroit
https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/great-lakes-road-trip-day-13-exploring.html
I also finished my shield gallery from this trip, apparently 713 photos in total:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsm2ZhLM6