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Greetings from South Jersey!

Started by J3ebrules, June 19, 2019, 06:20:45 PM

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J3ebrules

Hi everyone! I have been a road enthusiast since before I realized it was a thing. When I was on a field trip in first grade, I sat at the front of the bus and commented which route I would take to get to our destination (I think it was the Liberty Science Center). The bus driver was astounded and said he never met a six year old who knew where they were and where they were going with such precision. But I loved road trips - I was obsessed with reading all the signs, sitting in the front seat of my mother's "˜82 Celica before it was illegal for kids to do so.

Between family and a couple of moves, I grew up in the NY and Philly metro areas. My grandfather was a mechanical and electrical engineer and photographer who made several road trips before I was born, documenting his trips along the way in beautifully bound photo albums that I someday hope to get all scanned and put online (fortunately, he began the project himself and made ample headway before he died in 2011). When I do, I'd love to start linking to this site - I've seen so many topics covered that both my pictures and my grandpa's old photos document.

Anyway, that's my story! Thank you for having a forum like this - I'm thrilled to know this exists. If someone can just explain to me what the word "clinched"  means in all their posts (does it mean drive the entirety, or do you have the videotape the whole way down the road?), I'd appreciate it  :awesomeface:

Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike - they’ve all come to look for America! (Simon & Garfunkel)


hotdogPi

Welcome from Massachusetts!

"Clinched" just means that you need to drive the whole thing. (Some people count being a passenger; others don't.)
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

kevinb1994

#2
Quote from: J3ebrules on June 19, 2019, 06:20:45 PM
Hi everyone! I have been a road enthusiast since before I realized it was a thing. When I was on a field trip in first grade, I sat at the front of the bus and commented which route I would take to get to our destination (I think it was the Liberty Science Center). The bus driver was astounded and said he never met a six year old who knew where they were and where they were going with such precision. But I loved road trips - I was obsessed with reading all the signs, sitting in the front seat of my mother's "˜82 Celica before it was illegal for kids to do so.

Between family and a couple of moves, I grew up in the NY and Philly metro areas. My grandfather was a mechanical and electrical engineer and photographer who made several road trips before I was born, documenting his trips along the way in beautifully bound photo albums that I someday hope to get all scanned and put online (fortunately, he began the project himself and made ample headway before he died in 2011). When I do, I'd love to start linking to this site - I've seen so many topics covered that both my pictures and my grandpa's old photos document.

Anyway, that's my story! Thank you for having a forum like this - I'm thrilled to know this exists. If someone can just explain to me what the word "clinched"  means in all their posts (does it mean drive the entirety, or do you have the videotape the whole way down the road?), I'd appreciate it  :happy:
Hello from Sunny Florida! I'm a former Jerseyan myself. Born in New Brunswick (county seat of Middlesex County), raised outside of there in Somerset County (Franklin Township), though my mailing address was Princeton (which is technically in Mercer County) for the longest time (it was initially Franklin Park).

J3ebrules

Quote from: 1 on June 19, 2019, 06:22:02 PM
Welcome from Massachusetts!

"Clinched" just means that you need to drive the whole thing. (Some people count being a passenger; others don't.)

Ahhh! Ok, I wasn't sure if you had to officially map it somewhere, or what?! So the fact that I've probably driven the entirety of the NJ Turnpike, north to south and back, several times, means I "clinched"  it? Now I feel accomplished  :-D
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike - they’ve all come to look for America! (Simon & Garfunkel)

jeffandnicole

Welcome from a few miles down 130 from you!

webny99

Quote from: J3ebrules on June 19, 2019, 06:31:44 PM
Ahhh! Ok, I wasn't sure if you had to officially map it somewhere, or what?!

Welcome from Upstate NY!

Some users here map the routes they travel using a site called Travel Mapping, but the mapping part of it is just an extra - not required to "clinch" a route.  :D

Criteria for clinching can be somewhat open to your own interpretation, too, like deciding whether to count segments missed at exits or rest areas.

dlsterner

Quote from: J3ebrules on June 19, 2019, 06:20:45 PM
If someone can just explain to me what the word "clinched"  means in all their posts (does it mean drive the entirety, or do you have the videotape the whole way down the road?), I'd appreciate it  :awesomeface:

As others have said, "clinching" a road means having driven the entire length.  It does not have to be all at once.  Most people have their own set of "ground rules" as to what counts and what doesn't.

For example, some roads end at a gate to a military base, or end at an international border, which can be inconvenient.  Some people are strict about that, others allow a "sight clinch" - as in seeing the gate while you can still easily turn around.

Or, do you have to re-clinch if a route moves 100 feet to one side (like for a new bridge, or for widening).  What if it relocates to an entirely new routing, 25 miles away from the old one?

There are no right or wrong answers!  :)

Also, some people here clinch USA counties as well, keeping track of which ones they have been in.  Just driving one road in the county is enough; you don't have to drive every road to clinch the county (unless you want to).  Again, everybody has there own "ground rules" about what counts and what doesn't.

Anyway, welcome to the forum!

webny99

Quote from: dlsterner on June 19, 2019, 10:57:23 PM
Also, some people here clinch USA counties as well, keeping track of which ones they have been in.

Indeed, that is generally done through mob-rule.com.

02 Park Ave

Welcome from a few miles east on Route 561.
C-o-H

Roadgeekteen

God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

adventurernumber1

A warm welcome to the forum from a little bit northwest of Atlanta!  :wave:

I am thrilled to hear that your grandfather had documented some things on his past road trips, and his work is immensely appreciated. I would be very excited to see those photos when all the scanning and such is completed.  :nod:

I am looking forward to seeing you around on the forum!
Now alternating between different highway shields for my avatar - my previous highway shield avatar for the last few years was US 76.

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127322363@N08/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-vJ3qa8R-cc44Cv6ohio1g



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