AARoads April 2017

[I94RoadRunner]

Alex Nitzmann, Brent Ivy, Chris Kalina 4-22-17 to 4-28-17

Day 1 4-22-17: After landing in Denver, Brent and Alex needed to clinch I-76 Denver and Julesburg, CO. After clinching I-76 and taking some updated eastern terminus photos, we visited the ends of US 138. The east end shields along US 30 were signed as NE 138! The western terminus ends in Sterling, CO. We photographed the west end of US 138 and then clinched the I-76 business loop between Sterling and its west end at I-76 near Fort Morgan. After photos of the west end of I-76 we ended day 1.

Day 2 4-23-17: Clinch I-70 CO for Brent and I-70 business loop in Limon, CO. Took photos of a row of old traffic signals in Burlington, CO. Drove US 385 and US 287 to Amarillo, TX including the end of US 400 and photos. We took a few photos of the SE piece of the upgrades to loop 385 and then ended our day at the Big Texan for a steak dinner.

Day 3 4-24-17: Clinch I-27 for Chris and also drove the two I-27 business loops in Plainview and Hale Center. Also the US 82 Marsha Sharp freeway in Lubbock. Then back to Amarillo clinching both I-40 and all of the business loops and spurs along the way westward. Including a stop at the now ghost town of Glenrio, TX. Turned south onto I-25 to Truth or Consequences for the night also clinching the 3 business loops along the way.

Day 4 4-25-17: Finished clinching I-25 in NM to I-10 in Las Cruces. Then I-10 into El Paso and drove the local freeways - I-110, US 54, Spur 601, and the eastern half of loop 375 and photographed the end of US 62 & 85 before meeting Martin Bartlett for lunch at the L & J cafe. Martin is a local road guy in El Paso so it was nice to meet him and make a new connection. After lunch, we drove the rest of loop 375 back to I-10 and then west also clinching the I-10 business loops until Lordsburg where there was a detour due to a dust storm. The detour routed us up US routes 70 and 191 back to I-10. Then back on I-10 to Tucson for the night where we met up with Alex's high school friend Cary Todd.

Day 5 4-26-17: clinched I-19 to Nogales and also the business loop I-19 in Nogales. In Tucson, we drove what was once proposed I-710 - the Kino Pkwy and AZ 210 which is slated to be extended on both ends. Then west to Phoenix including a few photos of the east end of I-8. Clinched loops 101 and 202 in the Phoenix metro then northward clinching I-17 to Flagstaff. Clinched and photographed the business loop of I-40 Flagstaff.

Day 6 4-27-17: clinched I-40 west to Kingman including the business loops on the return trip in Kingman, Seligman, Ash Fork, and Williams. Then eastward on 40 and business loops to Albuquerque including a stop in Winslow, AZ to stand on the corner! This clinched the rest of I-40 for Alex.

Day 7 4-28-17: Clinched what was left of I-25 between I-40 and Denver for Brent and Alex to finish I-25 (Chris still needs I-80 northward to I-90) and the business loops and spurs. This would be the only day we encountered weather and the snow hit once in Santa Fe, NM and then again between Colorado Springs and Denver.

Day 8 4-29-17: all 3 of us fly out of Denver back home to FL or MN. Over 4400 miles total. Interstates clinched: 17, 19, 27, 76 and 110 TX. Several photos from the trip can be viewed on the AARoads Facebook page 😎