Impressionistic travel. A blend of music & video playlists, maps & history. The stories, pictures and videos of people, places, and songs along famous routes. Currently travelling virtually on Route 66, Highway 101, Interstate 95, the Pan-American, Trans-Canadian, Lincoln, & Al-Can Highways.
Not all highwaysare on land. Some are on water. The Mississippi River is one. A ribbon of water that begins in the Great Lakes region. It runs a course through ten states. Draining into the Gulf Of Mexico. 2320 miles of watershed.
The headwaters of the Mississippi are in Clearwater County. Minnesota. Sprouting from Lake Itasca, the mighty river begins as a stream. The shallow water passable in only canoe or kayak. Tourists at the headlands walk with ease across the shallow creek bed.
The Mississippi River passes the Itasca State Park visitor center. We stop to explore Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center.
Back on the river. Here we scrape along a shallow stream. The trickling river meanders through park lands. At Coffee Pot Landing the river leaves Clearwater County.
The Alcan Highway, also known as the Alaska Highway, has long had a reputation among roads. It is famous for being one of the most remote and rugged major highways in North America.
The Alaska Highway begins in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. It runs 1387 miles (2232 km) through the British Columbian Canadian Rockies. It goes through Whitehorse, and Yukon Territories. Ending in Delta Junction, Alaska, outside of Fairbanks.
In early 1942, America was mobilizing after Japan had recently attacked Pearl Harbor. Japans was active off of the US West Coast. Threats to the Aleutian Islands were obvious. The was a need for an inland route to Alaska from the lower 48. A highway could transport supplies, men and equipment to Alaska.
In the 1920's a proposal were made for a highway. It would connect Central British Columbia with the Yukon Territory and Alaska. Cost and lack of serviced communities had prevented its construction. The plan was introduced several times without success. The war caused the highway to be approved.
The United States was anxious to address the supply chain issues. They offered to build pay and provide labor to build the highway. America would use it during the war. After the war, Canada was then to take over. The segment of the highway that passed through Canada was to be Canadian. Operations and maintenance expenses belonging to Canada. The Canadians agreed. Construction began in March 9, 1942.
The route connected airports found along the Northwest Staging Route. This was a network of airstrips built at the same time as the highway. The air bases were to transport planes to the Soviet Union, our ally at the time. The Staging Route never was used to supply the Soviets. It did provide stations for equipment to be flown in. This was helpful when building the highway.
Conditions were extreme. It was difficult for road building. There was Sub Arctic weather and heavy forests. Water was everywhere. Many lakes and rivers needed a bypass or forging. Large areas of permafrost created unique challenges. There was plenty of wildlife, especially bears.
Building The Highway
Building was in a dangerous environment. The job was almost always menial labor using shovels and axes. There is an obvious example of Army racism tied to the highway. The Army sent three of its new formed "Negro Regiments" to weather the extreme conditions. The heavy lifting of the remote and challenging project done by them.
When construction began that winter in 1942, the ground was frozen hard. The troops made fast progress. They worked with hand tools and light bulldozers. Slowly the troops scratched a path through the wilderness. At river crossings, pontoon bridges served until more permanent structures were built.
The troops had no experience building on permafrost. Some of the early road failed. As warmer weather hit the road exposed now thawing frozen areas. The sunlight was actually melting the ground the highway was built on. The roadbed in places sank into a swampy murk.
Solving this problem, a technique was adopted. New felled trees were placed down across the roadbed. They made a sort of corrugated cover to the permafrost. Several layers would be added. The logs to sank into the swampy earth. More layers would settle into a surface solid enough to overlay with gravel.
The workers had no pipeline to supply fuel for the heavy equipment. Fuel was airlifted to the site in 55 gallon oil cans. Many empty cans littered the construction sites. The road was jokingly called the Oilcan Highway by some.
An amazing display of urgency, the highway was completed in only 9 months. It was almost 1400 miles of rough, yet passable roadway. Teams from both working from both ends of the highway project met at Soldiers Summit on October 28th. A November 21 radio program aired of the grand opening ceremony. It was not until 1943 that the Alaska Highway was usable for general vehicles.
After the Allies won World War II, the Canadian Segment of highway returned to Canada in 1946. It wasn't until 1960 that the US portions were paved. The Canadian government took longer. They determined that the area served by the highway was too remote. It would cost to much to pave the gravel highway. It was not until the late 1980s that Canada completed paving of their part of highway.
Annual construction projects continue to this day. The highway requires constant repaving. Damage from winter storms and frost heaving take their toll every year. Bridges wash out. Things get damaged. Realignments are constant. Improving on the original quick, and sometimes poorly chosen routes.
The highways reputation for rugged scenic beauty has made it a bucket list drive for many RVers. On the Alcan, the guidebook of choice is an annual called The MILEPOST®. The guide lists the current status of services and general highway conditions. Even in a digital era, this paper guidebook is a must for those making the trip.
1.Building The Alaskan Highway - National Geographic (The Alcan) Documentary and Film 44:47 2.Alaskan Highway documentarySherway Academy of Music58:18 3.The ALASKA HIGHWAY - Yukon Travel DocumentaryLucas T. Jahn9:24 4.Road Religion: Yukon and the Alaska/Alcan Highway DocumentaryLinescrew139:51 5.THE ALASKA HIGHWAY (IN 4K!) & Solving Keep Your Daydream's RiddleTIM and FIN12:41 6.10 TIPS for traveling the Alaska Canada Highway (Alcan)Wild Faith14:49 7.RVING THE ALASKA HIGHWAY (EASIER THAN WE THOUGHT)Keep Your Daydream22:33 8.The Alaska Highway // 8 Things to do on the Drive to AlaskaNomads with a Purpose: Adventure Travel Family15:02 9.THE ALASKA HIGHWAY // Hasta Alaska // S04E13Kombi Life21:24 10.??"Secrets of the Alaska Highway" (or How to Take Your RV to Alaska and Live to Tell the Tale!) ??Long Long Honeymoon13:43
Lincoln Highway: 0 Miles/0 States/0 Counties/33 Videos/1 Post
Alcan Highway: 0 Miles/0 States/0 Counties/10 Videos/1 Post
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To read more Old Highway Notes, choose an off ramp and click on the highway sign:
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It was 1914. Cars had been around for a few years. Lately they had become a national craze. Henry Ford began producing the Model T in 1908. This made car ownership a reality for hundreds of thousands of Americans.
People loved the new cars, but there was a problem. The roads were awful. Larger cities had paved sections. A few early paved connector roads between cities existed. People wanted to use there cars to explore the country outside of the cities. That became difficult when the pavement ended.
Motorists in those early days in rural areas had to contend with muddy roads and deep wagon ruts. Railroad bridges were sometimes the only available river crossings. Horses still using the old dirt roads would get spooked by the automobiles. It was a difficult and often dangerous situation. Something needed to change.
Groups of early automotive boosters organized themselves. Their goal: establishing a paved road linking the east and west coast of the United States. They urged Congress to oppropriate funding for a national highway. They argued benefits to shipping. More important, the mobility of US troops within the nation would improve. The benefits to the average citizen were also stressed. Congress approved the Lincoln Highway. Construction began.
Opening in 1914, the highway was not one paved route throughout the country. It was a network of existing paved roads. New paving now connected these pre-existing roads. Together they would form one long, paved Lincoln Highway.
Lincoln Highway near Pennsylvania Tunnel-September 1922 Wikipedia
The Lincoln Highway was America's first national highway. The road was legendary long before Route 66 gained its infamy. This highway was at the birth of our modern road trip culture. It saw the rise of motor touring and the development of the car camp. Those old car camps sometimes added cabins and the motel was born.
Old Highway Notes asks you to join us. We will explore the Lincoln Highway in our usual style. A handpicked blend of YouTube video clips and music with a touch of history and tourism.
Before we hit the road here are some songs about cars from the Golden age of the highway 1914-1940.
1In My Merry OldsmobileBilly Murray3:01
2He'd Have To Get Out And Get Under (To Fix Up His Automobile)Billy Murray3:19
3The Little Ford Rambled Right AlongBilly Murray2:21
4Uncle Josh Buys An AutomobileCal Stewart3:17
5I'm Wild About Horns On AutomobilesJack Dalton and The 7 Blue Babies5:09
6Steppin' On The GasSam Morgan's Jazz Band3:23
7Get 'Em In A Rumble SeatBilly Jones & Ernest Hare3:28
8Henry's Made A Lady Out Of LizzieClicquot Club Eskimos2:40
9The Chevrolet SixFrank Hutchison3:10
10A Race Between a Ford and a ChevroletOscar Ford3:20
11Henry Ford BluesRoosevelt Sykes3:11
12Chevrolet CarSam McGee3:11
13Car SongWoody Guthrie1:53
14Hard Travelin'Woody Guthrie2:40
15This Land Is Your LandWoody Guthrie4:31
16Lost HighwayHank Williams3:13
17Terraplane BluesRobert Johnson3:02
18My Little MachineSonny Boy Williamson I3:03
19Mean Old HighwaySonny Boy Williamson I3:25
20Hard Driving BluesAmos Milburn2:43
Here is a bonus I found.
An American Songline: A Musical Journey Along the Lincoln Highway
Cecelia Otto
1It's a Long Way to California3:49
2Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life1:22
3Second Hand Rose0:42
4Beautiful Ohio2:30
5[Preparing for The] Lincoln Way5:40
6Along the Way6:34
7Goin' Home5:03
8In My Merry Oldsmobile3:10
9Let Me Stray3:02
10I Always Wear My Amber Shades (Even On a Cloudy Day)3:23
11Out Where the West Begins1:49
12I'm Always Chasing Rainbows3:13
13Land Of Lincoln2:53
Lincoln Highway: 0 Miles/0 States/0 Counties/33 Videos/1 Post
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To read more Old Highway Notes, choose an off ramp and click on the highway sign:
Vista Points
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The Trans-Canada Highway is actually a group of highways that, threaded together, connect Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. The "Mainline" of the highway connects many of Canada's largest cities. We will follow the mainline across the country and then explore its various spur roads.
The Mainline of the Trans-Canada Highway does not start on the mainland. It begins on Vancouver Island on the west coast of British Columbia. Vancouver Island is west across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Vancouver, British Columbia's largest city. It is only accessible from the mainland by ferry or plane.
The highway begins at milepost zero in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Appropriately, Victoria and its suburbs make up the Capital District.
Victoria is a city that seems transported from England...and placed in a rain forest. The climate shares a cool, yet mild dampness for much of the year and many of the buildings have a decidedly British flavor. When the sun comes out, flowers decorate the city. The people emerge from winters gloom and celebrate with a number of festivals. the videos I found show a lot of festival activity during the summer months.
Butchart Gardens was grouped with Vancouver, it is actually just outside of town and NOT on the Trans-Canadian Highway. Still, it is such a beautiful place, and the areas #1 attraction. I had to keep the video in the playlist. Lets explore Victoria B.C.!
If you like what you have read here I'd like to ask you a favor. If you purchase any item on Amazon after you link to them in the Amazon banner below, I will get a little something from them. It doesn't cost you any extra and I cannot see what you have purchased. With your help, I can keep the show on the road for you.
You Can Give me a Karma Donation Via PayPal
Keep Traveling!
To read more Old Highway Notes, choose an off ramp and click on the highway sign:
Vista Points
Be social, Get more info, View our YouTube playlist and more
