I'm going to create this one thread, which you can follow if you're so interested. I'll update this thread with a post when I get a bunch of new photos in, with a link so you can check them out.
I just got back from a 2-day trip around eastern Iowa, from Keokuk to Ottumwa to Waterloo to Clinton. My goal is to fill this album (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/albums/72157667317347454) with shields of every state, US, and Interstate highway found in Iowa, as is my procedure for "conquering" a state's road system. (I have already conquered Illinois (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/albums/72157664140834769).) But the enjoyable Iowa photos for everyone to check out is found here:
Iowa Sign Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/albums/72157674194483526) <CLICK HERE for new Iowa photos
New album from a long weekend in Southern IL. We spent most of our time in southeastern Illinois, near IL13, IL1, IL145, IL142, and IL146.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/albums/72157686388999435/page1
Here are some samples
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4321/35931269836_48d8850987_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/WK89Gm)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4315/35931886006_fe6eec5efd_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/WKbiRY)
IL-250ET (https://flic.kr/p/WK89Gm) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IL-142ST (https://flic.kr/p/WKbiRY) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4315/35584328270_fd02448671_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/WdsZ4d)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4299/35163232723_a61b85e2b8_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/VzfL2a)
IL-001ST (https://flic.kr/p/WdsZ4d) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IL-034STF (https://flic.kr/p/VzfL2a) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4295/35162934653_319417762e_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Vzeeq2)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4311/35803174662_0e5ab4146c_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/WxNCsS)
IL-037-146S (https://flic.kr/p/Vzeeq2) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IL-142-242W (https://flic.kr/p/WxNCsS) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
Added a bunch of stuff from northern Utah, and a smidgen of photos from southeast Idaho. Since I consider it miscellaneous content, I threw it into my Mountain States album. https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/albums/72157675299893322/page1
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4366/36189216291_a308085308_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/X8Vcc2)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4301/35466218124_dd6b8353c0_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/W32D2o)
UT-127ET (https://flic.kr/p/X8Vcc2) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr ID-US91-036SN (https://flic.kr/p/W32D2o) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4330/35495224553_504b901498_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/W5AiCe)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4292/35466242614_62e0449ed4_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/W32LiC)
UT-240ET (https://flic.kr/p/W5AiCe) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr ID-I-15-036N (https://flic.kr/p/W32LiC) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
Hi everyone! It's Paul here, your friendly neighborhood Illinois roadgeek, who drives the poorly-maintained IDiOT roads so that you don't have to!
Randomly decided to take a day trip to Burlington, IA, and Henderson County, IL, which was one of the three counties in Illinois I had yet to enter. Now I'm only missing two.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/albums/72157684865121961
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4389/36356007622_03612129b3_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/XoE3rC)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4372/35705642063_79e28ae833_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/WpbKqk)
IA-US34X263EC (https://flic.kr/p/XoE3rC) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IL-017-180SA (https://flic.kr/p/WpbKqk) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4368/36514337305_4d7ec11d25_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/XCDwkK)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4332/36377104341_e4e160a857_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/XqwaLa)IL-135ST (https://flic.kr/p/XqwaLa)
IL-US34-167E (https://flic.kr/p/XCDwkK) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IL-135ST (https://flic.kr/p/XqwaLa) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
I haven't posted an update here in quite a while. If you're not familiar with my method of collecting sign photos, I try to put my own spin on "clinching" states by photographing one highway shield of every state, US, and Interstate highway in each state. In early March, I'm going to finally start sinking my teeth into Michigan, taking a bite out of what I need there. Check out my Photostream (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/) to see recent updates. The photo updates in the last 6 months have been:
- Early September trip with photos in Northwest Ohio and the IN-28 corridor in east-central Indiana
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4398/36201416414_2b3c4e4477_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/X9ZHRY)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4379/36863885952_7c2515c4c8_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Yax3Yy)
OH-015-034N (https://flic.kr/p/X9ZHRY) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IN-028-032WS (https://flic.kr/p/Yax3Yy) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
- October vacation to see 3 national parks in Oregon and extreme northern California ("North State")
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4443/36957160233_8f12b55be4_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/YiM7aP)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4514/37596057722_a90ccafdaf_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ZheC8L)
OR-062-230N (https://flic.kr/p/YiM7aP) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr CA-197NTSR (https://flic.kr/p/ZheC8L) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
- A few photos from Thanksgiving around Phoenix, Sedona, and central Arizona
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4538/37845837875_a2d2035a42_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ZEiP58)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4560/23868658207_a950f30786_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Cnc7vM)
AZ-I-17X287N (https://flic.kr/p/ZEiP58) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr AZ-089-071NA (https://flic.kr/p/Cnc7vM) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
- An impromptu trip to northeast Wisconsin in early December (it was warm!), with a few photos from the U.P.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4558/38146842024_afddb565dc_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/217Ux7Q)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4577/27086828619_91cefa1fcb_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Hgz5sx)
WI-155STNR (https://flic.kr/p/217Ux7Q) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr MI-095-US2NS (https://flic.kr/p/Hgz5sx) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
- Another impromptu trip to finish clinching Illinois counties, via Decatur, Taylorville, and Mt. Sterling, IL
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4755/39360251694_7161d9e2f8_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/22Y8zxd)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4648/26197197998_e6985e7718_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/FUXugy)
IL-107NT (https://flic.kr/p/22Y8zxd) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IL-048-I-72NSNA (https://flic.kr/p/FUXugy) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
This trip basically included the near-east, near-south, and near-west of Illinois. It was February 3rd, so I could reach Brown County and Christian County, the only two counties in IL I had yet to visit. Now the whole state is complete!
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7784/28840605852_844ba369d5_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/KWxDk3)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4715/39171174675_787245351e_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/22FqvwB)
IL-048-010N (https://flic.kr/p/KWxDk3) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IL-048-010S (https://flic.kr/p/22FqvwB) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
One of the earliest, crappiest photos from my route collection is this shot on IL-48 at IL-10. Boy, was I glad to update it. My shield-crop improved by a whole ton, as well. Just click on the new one to see how CRISP and CLEAN it is! :spin:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1459/25120567185_4bdff127eb_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/EgPtrk)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4760/40038466112_d5a1d948fc_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2414B4f)
Drove up and down the west side of Michigan's Lower Peninsula to make a trip to Traverse City this week, just to see SNOW FALLING ON EVERY SINGLE DAY WE WERE THERE :pan: :pan: :pan: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :hyper: :hyper: :hyper:
But yes, that does mean that I drove to the end of the Old Mission and Leelenau Peninsulas in a snowstorm! So check out my New Michigan Roads Album (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/albums/72157673871931192) for new content! Basically, every picture taken without summer sunshine is a picture I took this week. A couple of the shields (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/albums/72157674014563842) ended up slightly obscured by snowflakes, but I had no choice! Here are a few sneak peeks.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4801/39972442874_ef30553c7a_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23UedDy)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4779/40700484511_ea663c906c_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/251yC4z)
MI-201NR (https://flic.kr/p/23UedDy) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr MI-037NT (https://flic.kr/p/251yC4z) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4801/38889204070_82f0384811_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/22fvkus)(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4791/39972445434_411cd9364f_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23UeepG)
MI-091-057S (https://flic.kr/p/22fvkus) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr MI-109NTNA (https://flic.kr/p/23UeepG) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
Hello friends. I need your help.
Early this week, I took a three-day journey around the southwestern quarter of Indiana. As is my typical objective, I am trying to get a shield photo for every state highway in Indiana. This trip should bring me super-close to completing my Indiana highway collection. How close? That's where I need your help.
If you know anything about Indiana highways, please check out this link to my Indiana shields collection, (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/albums/72157669661614025) and let me know if there are any Indiana highways I missed. I know there's at least one I'm missing from my collection (see if you can point it out)--and remember, I'm going for state, US, and Interstate highways here. The link takes you to a Flickr album that basically serves as a checklist of all the Indiana highways I've encountered.
What you'll be most interested in, though, is the massive slew of photos added to the Indiana signs album:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/138603251@N02/64Xk8n
Here are some previews--
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/871/41125280654_746aea2929.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/25E6Pa1) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/827/27969293978_07cebe190d.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/JBxWEw)
IN-003-250NN (https://flic.kr/p/25E6Pa1) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IN-641-046WE (https://flic.kr/p/JBxWEw) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/973/40036123450_29d04ab334.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23ZRAEw)(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/982/40032516450_187fb16489.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23Zx7qS)
IN-062-462WF (https://flic.kr/p/23ZRAEw) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IN-446-US50NR (https://flic.kr/p/23Zx7qS) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
I took an impromptu trip to southwest Ohio early this week...because it was the only place around where it wasn't raining constantly! I added a whole bunch of new photos to my Ohio state route collection. This is a sampling of the source photos (https://flic.kr/s/aHskuBtfMk)-- my shield cutout checklist is here. (https://flic.kr/s/aHskvj6vbG) Most of the western half of Ohio is done--I just need to do my NE Ohio trip (4-5 days), my SE Ohio trip (4-5 days), my Virginia trip (4 days), and my Sandusky area trip (3 days). And I conquered Indiana in the process! I finished by getting photos of I-865 and IN-267...now I have a photo of every state, US, and Interstate highway in Indiana.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1915/45187903512_9e5ac8e15d_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2bR6PoG) (https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1930/31385096928_c418724de3_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/PPoPSQ)
OH-US52-232NR (https://flic.kr/p/2bR6PoG) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr OH-I-75 (https://flic.kr/p/PPoPSQ) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1970/31316562248_1e7538a23a_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/PHkyUq) (https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1962/44515756684_e8e41358fd_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2aPGTyh)
OH-US50-450N (https://flic.kr/p/PHkyUq) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr OH-I-471 (https://flic.kr/p/2aPGTyh) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1923/30319748467_b43ede2a6a_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/NcfCTV) (https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1939/43444851500_d4648c47fb_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/29c5dKN)
OH-028 (https://flic.kr/p/NcfCTV) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr OH-763 (https://flic.kr/p/29c5dKN) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1943/44279391915_493d3cd0f5_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2asPsxD) (https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1933/43424886670_7f1966d97b_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/29aiTUA)
IN-267-I-65SR (https://flic.kr/p/2asPsxD) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr OH-133-222NS (https://flic.kr/p/29aiTUA) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
Overall, 2019 has been a fairly slow year for my travels.
...Until now.
This past weekend has been the 4th of 8 consecutive weekends taking me out of state, with the impromptu trip I decided to take to northern Iowa. With the completion of this trip, I am now 18 routes away from photographing every state, US, and Interstate highway in the state of Iowa (my version of conquering a state). I filled in a few missing holes in my Wisconsin collection too, as I passed through the southwest corner of that state (US18 corridor).
Check out the status of my collection in my Iowa shield gallery (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/albums/72157667317347454), and view my new pictures in the Iowa sign photos album (https://flic.kr/s/aHskK7dJX9).
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48741193977_e6e7e5740e_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2hg6mRp) (https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48729896062_9b60201250_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2hf6snL)
IA-471STNR (https://flic.kr/p/2hg6mRp) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IA-128 (https://flic.kr/p/2hf6snL) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48734300173_02f8fdd688_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2hfu2yH) (https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48734292833_69efde9f2b_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2hftZoa)
IA-182-US18NR (https://flic.kr/p/2hfu2yH) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr IA-004-US18DW (https://flic.kr/p/2hftZoa) by Paul Drives (https://www.flickr.com/photos/138603251@N02/), on Flickr