In reading about Trans-Siberian Highway, I came across an article about Vladimir Putin taking off on a 1,242 mile road trip in connection with the opening of a section of the Trans-Siberian Highway last August and September (apologies if this has been covered in another thread; I looked here and on International page & could not find anything). Brief video with article even shows him pumping his own gas. Link:
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/putin-drives-lada-along-new-siberian-highway-48136
Of course, Eisenhower was a great leader in the development of the interstate system. Aside from him, have any other presidents (or nationally recognized politicians) demonstrated a love (or strong interest) for the road by taking off on a road trip in some form or fashion (even political photo-ops)?
Also, any major roadgeek/politicians in countries other than U.S.?
I have a book which describes a road trip taken by Harry Truman shortly after he left the presidency (http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Trumans-Excellent-Adventure-American/dp/1569767076/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1300731840&sr=1-1) (although my copy is the hardcover edition). If I ever take the time, I might finish it reading it.
There's this unsourced line in the Wikipedia article about the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodrow_Wilson_Bridge#President_Woodrow_Wilson):
"President Wilson was an advocate of automobile and highway improvements in the United States. In 1916, he stated 'My interest in good roads is... to bind communities together and open their intercourse, so that it will flow with absolute freedom and facility.'"
Of all our presidents, Dwight Eisenhower might be the "roadgeeky" of them all, participating in the 1919 Transcontinental Motor Convoy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcontinental_Motor_Convoy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcontinental_Motor_Convoy)
Theodore Roosevelt was the first President to own a car. I wish I could tell a tall tale and say that the following linked video was taken from a camera mounted on TR's dashboard so that he could share it with his fellow roadgeeks. Not so :-/; however, it is connected to TR in that it is a video of the route that he would soon take for a parade on Market Street in 1903 San Francisco. Although a stretch for this thread, I thought a 108 year old "road video" might be of interest. I particularly enjoy how a horse-and-buggy "cuts off" the driver; the driver, showing little patience, then passes the horse-and-buggy on the right. The link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=namLijmd5qg
Quote from: Mr. Matté on March 21, 2011, 03:46:50 PM
There's this unsourced line in the Wikipedia article about the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodrow_Wilson_Bridge#President_Woodrow_Wilson):
"President Wilson was an advocate of automobile and highway improvements in the United States. In 1916, he stated 'My interest in good roads is... to bind communities together and open their intercourse, so that it will flow with absolute freedom and facility.'"
That doesn't make him a roadgeek any more than Lincoln was a railfan.