The Lincoln Highway in PA

The Lincoln Highway was envisioned as an improved, hard-surfaced road that would stretch almost 3400 miles from New York to San Francisco. The Lincoln Highway Association was created in 1913 to promote the road using private and corporate donations. Today, the Lincoln Highway Association is dedicated to preserving and promoting this highway and has individual chapters in each state along the route.

Saturday, April 29, 2006

'Tis the Season for Traveling

Spring has finally arrived. Even though we didn't have a harsh snow-filled winter here in Pennsylvania, spring is always so welcome to me. I love the colors of spring: the beautiful spring green of the fields that they only have for a short time each year, the redbud trees in full bloom as you travel along the road.

When I was a kid, this is the time of year when "going for a ride" on a Sunday afternoon was a pretty common occurance. After church and dinner at grandma's house, we'd all pile into the car and my dad would take us for a ride. I didn't know at the time how much of an impression it would make on me now that I'm all grown up. I still find myself eagerly looking for the landmarks that used to mark our various routes. Many of those landmarks are on the Lincoln Highway.

I remember the first time that I discovered the Lincoln Highway went across the country. We were living in Chambersburg where the Lincoln Highway name is still widely used. I asked my dad why that road was called the Lincoln Highway. I don't remember what he told me about the name, but I do remember that he told me that I could get on the highway and drive west and eventually I would reach California. I don't think I had much concept of how far that really was but it made me feel so connected to the rest of the country. I remember thinking that someday, I was going to get on that road and travel the whole way.

I guess I'm still planning that trip....someday. I just haven't had the time to do it yet. But I sure do take every opportunity to drive on sections of it when I can. This June, I will drive from Pennsylvania to Iowa for National Conference. I love looking at the maps that will take me there and planning little stops along the way; just like when dad took us all for our Sunday rides. I have to admit sometimes it takes me a while to get where I'm going. I don't hesitate to stop and take pictures of things I find interesting. Last year, my drive from Sacramento to Ely, Nevada for National Conference included quite a few stops. That section of the Lincoln is Highway 50. I took pictures and I visited shops in small towns. I talked to people about the highway and asked them what sites I shouldn't miss. Thanks to Brian Butko's Lincoln Highway book, I made a note not to miss this great neon sign. The hotel is gone but the sign is still there. But that might not be the case for long. These photographs that I gather on my travels are not just a memory of the "ride" for me but sometimes an archive to icons that are lost over time.

So spring is here and even though gas prices are out of control, I encourage you to take a little time and "go for a ride". You don't know what you might find.

Happy motoring!

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