Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Historical US Route 6 Markers to be Planted in Iowa; Written By Josh O'Leary For the Iowa City Press-Citizen



Written by
Josh O’Leary
Iowa City Press-Citizen

  • FILED UNDER
As a kid, Rex Brandstatter’s parents would send him out of the house with one simple instruction.“They would tell me, ‘You can go anywhere, but you can’t cross the highway,’” said Brandstatter, a lifelong Coralville resident.
The highway was U.S. Route 6, at that time a major conduit bringing cars from all corners of the U.S. through Brandstatter’s small town in the 50's.
Rex Brandstatter, Coralville, IA
Today, Brandstatter, 63, is among a group of Iowans and other preservationists nationally working to plant historical markers along the original Route 6, which cut through Iowa City and Coralville when it was completed in the 1930s as the nation’s longest highway.
The U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association’s Iowa Division — one of 14 states along the highway’s path from Massachusetts to California — has begun marking segments of the old route, and it hopes to soon add Johnson County’s stretch.
The idea is to commemorate that golden age of two-lane travel and bolster tourism in towns the interstate bypassed decades ago.
Read the rest of the Iowa-City Press Citizen article HERE.
Read my original story about Rex, Route 6 and Coralville HERE. 

Posted by Malerie Yolen-Cohen at 7:08 AM 0 comments

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Tragedy on US Route 6

About 30 miles West of Denver, CO, Loveland Pass is the highest and one of the most thrilling stretches of transcontinental US Route 6.  Now, it's one of the most deadly.

Loveland Pass, US Route 6, Colorado
Yesterday, five snowboarders were killed when an avalanche swept over Route 6 near the Continental Divide, necessitating closure of the road for hours.  My prayers go out to their families.



To all of my readers, please be careful, when driving, when skiing and particularly when snowboarding in backcountry areas  As you can see, even "Avalanche Beacons" and preparation will not help in all cases.

Photo Is Video Still from Gannett Media
In case anyone missed the news, according to the Associated Press;


The Colorado Department of Transportation closed U.S. Route 6, which crosses the Continental Divide near the scene of the avalanche, to facilitate the search. The pass is heavily traveled by skiers visiting nearby Arapahoe Basin ski resort.
The bodies were taken to the Clear Creek coroner’s office. The victims’ identities weren’t immediately known.
Krueger said authorities were “pretty sure” the snowboarders triggered the avalanche, which he said traveled about 1,000 feet some 100 yards off Route 6.






Posted by Malerie Yolen-Cohen at 7:56 AM 0 comments

Monday, April 1, 2013

National Geographic Recognizes a US Route 6 Icon

National Geographic Magazine just ran a photo series of "The Best US Road Trips" and included US Route 6's own Bear Mountain Bridge among the illustrious list.  The bridge spans the magnificent Hudson River, and, if you've been following my blog (and have read my guidebook), you'll know that the portion of Route 6 leading up to the Bear Mountain Bridge - known affectionately as "The Goat Trail" - is one of the most fun drives of the whole 3,652 miles of the transcontinental route.

Bear Mountain Bridge; US Route 6 New York
Photo c/o Flickr

Posted by Malerie Yolen-Cohen at 7:20 AM 0 comments

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Look What's New On US Route 6; More Facebook Snippets from US Route 6 Communities


Posted by Malerie Yolen-Cohen at 4:05 PM 0 comments

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Congratulations "Rambler" Steve Austin and Thunder Press For Being the First to Follow The Guidebook Stay On Route 6 And Write About It!


It has come to the point where Stay on US Route 6; Your Guide To All 3,652 Miles of Transcontinental Route 6 has been available long enough for readers to actually plan and execute a coast to coast trip based on it.  For the most part, I have no way of knowing how many people have or plan to actually do this.  But thanks to "Google Alerts" I can find those who do and then write about it.

The first person to do so is a biker named "Rambler" Steve Austin who penned this account of his trip from the beaches of California to the beaches of Cape Cod.

One excerpt;

Stumbling along the back roads of discovery is OK, but guided discovery along that same road will often prevent missing some of the more important areas along the way like the World’s Largest Ball of String or, in the case of Route 6, the World’s Largest Ball of Stamps. You might even learn a little-known historical fact like Plymouth Rock being the Pilgrims’ second landfall, not their first. I enlisted the aid of a book entitled Stay on Route 6, by Malerie D Yolen-Cohen, to help me with this research. Actually, she had already done the research—I just needed to read her book. The author traveled Route 6 from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Long Beach, California, so I had to reverse all the directions, but she had all of the little tidbits I might have missed including directions through Los Angeles along the original route.

 Thanks Rambling Steve!  See you on Six!

Posted by Malerie Yolen-Cohen at 8:36 AM 1 comments

Monday, March 4, 2013

We Have Met The US Route 6 Road-Trippers and They Are Ours; The Battle of Lake Erie Bicentennial Celebration Off Sandusky, Ohio On US Route 6

Thanks to Chad Whaley for the following Guest Post;

 It’s been 200 years since a southwest wind carried Oliver Hazard Perry’s famous words across the tepid waters of Lake Erie, declaring an American victory over the British.  “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”  A triumphant slogan that can been viewed at Perry’s Monument, the third tallest memorial structure in the world that commemorates the Commodore and his crew.

One of the most famous sea battles in U.S. naval history surprisingly did not take place on the sea, but on the turbulent waters of Lake Erie between what is now Ontario, Canada and the village of Put-in-Bay, Ohio.    

The Battle of Lake Erie Bicentennial Celebration in late August through September 10th will bring together hundreds of thousands of people from the U.S., Canada and abroad. 

This two-week Celebration will include a large fleet of Tall Ships in a historic reenactment of the Battle of Lake Erie and a grand Parade of Sail and Port Festivals.  Visitors will be able to tour the Ships, enlist as Crew Members in the reenactment, or be part of the Bicentennial Fleet or Militia. 

Along with Tall Ships activities, surrounding days will include national speakers, marching bands, fireworks, concerts, food, entertainment, arts & crafts, historical activities and an International Freedom Celebration.  And for those who want to focus a little less on history, there’s even more reasons to celebrate.

Sunset view on the west side of South Bass Island
Nestled on the limestone banks of South Bass Island, the quaint village of Put-in-Bay has become legendary amongst midwesterners for it’s rich history and unique location. Just a short twenty-two minute ride on the Miller Ferry (just a few block from US Route 6), making your way to this closer-to-home-Caribbean is easy.  And whether it’s kayaking around the island, parasailing high above the harbor, taking a scenic bike ride or just simply relaxing with a cocktail at a waterfront restaurant, there’s something for everyone once you arrive. 
Posted by Malerie Yolen-Cohen at 3:20 PM 0 comments
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