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Trip to Blacksburg, VA - October 2014

Started by Thing 342, October 25, 2014, 04:11:26 PM

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Thing 342



I recently took a trip to Blacksburg in order to attend the Virginia Tech open house. I used it as an opportunity to travel along some of the two-laners in central Virginia, taking US-60 and VA-24 to go between Richmond and Roanoke. I also took a detour out to New Castle to look at some fall colors and to clinch a few obscure VA counties (Craig and Giles). Photos and recap at my website: www.thing342.us


1995hoo

That town is easy to find. Go southwest until you smell it, then turn until you step in it.  :-P
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

broadhurst04

Quote from: 1995hoo on October 25, 2014, 06:41:44 PM
That town is easy to find. Go southwest until you smell it, then turn until you step in it.  :-P

Seems like a lot of bravado from someone whose alma mater lost by one point today to a bunch of "students" who take classes that don't exist. ;-)

74/171FAN

Quote from: broadhurst04 on October 25, 2014, 08:55:46 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 25, 2014, 06:41:44 PM
That town is easy to find. Go southwest until you smell it, then turn until you step in it.  :-P

Seems like a lot of bravado from someone whose alma mater lost by one point today to a bunch of "students" who take classes that don't exist. ;-)
Blacksburg is a great town, this may be (actually is) coming from a former VT student.  ( and the academics definitely outweigh a 30-6 embarrassment Thursday night)  Honestly, I ended up doing a few overnight trips home just so I could drive I-81 without being annoyed the whole time I was on it.

Also I have already accepted the Commonwealth Cup heading back to Charlottesville.  I have no idea how Ohio State lost that game these days (outside of JT Barrett being rattled).
I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.

Thing 342

Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 25, 2014, 09:48:04 PM
Quote from: broadhurst04 on October 25, 2014, 08:55:46 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 25, 2014, 06:41:44 PM
That town is easy to find. Go southwest until you smell it, then turn until you step in it.  :-P

Seems like a lot of bravado from someone whose alma mater lost by one point today to a bunch of "students" who take classes that don't exist. ;-)
Blacksburg is a great town, this may be (actually is) coming from a former VT student.  ( and the academics definitely outweigh a 30-6 embarrassment Thursday night)  Honestly, I ended up doing a few overnight trips home just so I could drive I-81 without being annoyed the whole time I was on it.

Also I have already accepted the Commonwealth Cup heading back to Charlottesville.  I have no idea how Ohio State lost that game these days (outside of JT Barrett being rattled).
This may be a bit controversial, but I think Beamer needs to retire. I think that by now, most of the teams in the ACC have solved Beamer's offense (as they have with Paul Johnson's down at Georgia Tech, 56-28 beatdown of Pitt notwithstanding).

SP Cook

Off topic, but the dissonance between VIP and UVa has always fascinated me.  Both are statewide schools in terms of students (obviously VPI skews a little more western due to geography and UVa a little more toward northern "Virginia", and Virginia has nearly a dozen other fine public colleges as well, but you can find students from every Virginia county (and independent city) at both and you can major in most any legitimate field of endeavor at either. 

But UVa is stereotypically, and actually, a bunch of sweater wearing, Volvo driving, arrogant snobs; while VPI is stereotypically, and actually, a bunch of cammo wearing, Ford F-150 driving, snuff dipping, common folk.  Self-selection, mostly.


Arkansastravelguy

The I-81/US 460 interchange is the only one I know of that you can either turn left (and cross traffic) or turn right (cloverleaf) to turn onto I-81 northbound. I also love the fact VA 314 goes from VT stadium directly to 460. Although I'd prefer VDOT made an exit instead of a light, keeping it limited access


iPhone

froggie

VDOT plans to replace that signal with a diverging diamond in 2015-16.  Along with other recent interchanges, that will complete a freeway section on the 460 Blacksburg Bypass.

hbelkins

I spent a week in Blacksburg 11 years ago for a class. The area is beautiful, there's just about anything you'd want in the way of shopping or eating in the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area, plus there's lots of good road stuff there. The US 460 freeway was so new at that time that all the overhead signs weren't even up. There are a couple of fairly complicated interchanges where the business and bypass routes of 460 intersect, gobs of old signs (cutouts and unisigns) and the Smart Road.

It would be a great place for a meet, especially if someone could hook the attendees up with a Smart Road tour.

In terms of the schools' rivalry, I'm not sure if it's much different than Alabama-Auburn or Michigan-Michigan State or Mississippi-Mississippi State or that school from Chapel Hill that specializes in academic fraud-NC State.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Mr_Northside

Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on October 26, 2014, 09:41:10 AM
The I-81/US 460 interchange is the only one I know of that you can either turn left (and cross traffic) or turn right (cloverleaf) to turn onto I-81 northbound.

It doesn't meet the qualification of turning onto I-81, but the northern end of US-29 has a similar setup for NB traffic to get to I-70 WB.
I don't have opinions anymore. All I know is that no one is better than anyone else, and everyone is the best at everything

Thing 342

Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on October 26, 2014, 09:41:10 AM
The I-81/US 460 interchange is the only one I know of that you can either turn left (and cross traffic) or turn right (cloverleaf) to turn onto I-81 northbound. I also love the fact VA 314 goes from VT stadium directly to 460. Although I'd prefer VDOT made an exit instead of a light, keeping it limited access


iPhone
On the few times I've been through there, I have found that doing the left turn is easier than using the cloverleaf.

Laura

Quote from: Mr_Northside on October 28, 2014, 08:07:35 PM
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on October 26, 2014, 09:41:10 AM
The I-81/US 460 interchange is the only one I know of that you can either turn left (and cross traffic) or turn right (cloverleaf) to turn onto I-81 northbound.

It doesn't meet the qualification of turning onto I-81, but the northern end of US-29 has a similar setup for NB traffic to get to I-70 WB.

AFAIK, you can also do this going from US 29 SB to US 17 SB in Opal, VA.

74/171FAN

Quote from: Thing 342 on October 28, 2014, 08:46:15 PM
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on October 26, 2014, 09:41:10 AM
The I-81/US 460 interchange is the only one I know of that you can either turn left (and cross traffic) or turn right (cloverleaf) to turn onto I-81 northbound. I also love the fact VA 314 goes from VT stadium directly to 460. Although I'd prefer VDOT made an exit instead of a light, keeping it limited access


iPhone
On the few times I've been through there, I have found that doing the left turn is easier than using the cloverleaf.

Yeah I agree.  That was what I ultimately ended up doing at the end of the day. 

The biggest traffic issues I have noticed in that area are Prices Fork Rd WB towards US 460 during rush hour.  Also the intersection of Toms Creek Rd and University City Blvd can be difficult to drive through often (especially if turning onto Toms Creek towards 460 as there is only one lane for going straight and turning right).
I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.

hbelkins

#13
Quote from: Laura on November 11, 2014, 12:07:04 AM
Quote from: Mr_Northside on October 28, 2014, 08:07:35 PM
Quote from: Arkansastravelguy on October 26, 2014, 09:41:10 AM
The I-81/US 460 interchange is the only one I know of that you can either turn left (and cross traffic) or turn right (cloverleaf) to turn onto I-81 northbound.

It doesn't meet the qualification of turning onto I-81, but the northern end of US-29 has a similar setup for NB traffic to get to I-70 WB.


AFAIK, you can also do this going from US 29 SB to US 17 SB in Opal, VA.
Also you can do it from US 119 northbound to I-64 in Charleston, WV.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.



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