Rockets, Radios, and ROADS!!!
This entry was posted on 8/14/2009 8:53 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
At approximately 9:30 AM Eastern (8:30 AM Central) Time, "Operation R3" began.
From GRG HQ, here's the route...
- GA 20 to Cartersville
- US 411/GA 20 to Rome
- US 27/GA 1 from Rome to US 278/GA 6 in Cedartown via US 27 Bus/GA 1 Bus. ("Clinched" Polk County)
- US 278/GA 6 (AL 74) from Rome to AL 291 in East Gadsden ("Clinched" Cherokee and Etowah Counties)
- AL 291 to AL 759/I-759 to I-59. ("Clinched" I-759 and filmed it for a future "ROADGEEK-CAM!!!")
- i-59 to US 278/431/AL 1/74 to Attalla.
- US 431/AL 1 to I-565 in Huntsville. ("Clinched" Marshall and Madison Counties,)
- I-565 east to its end at US 72/AL 2.
- Turned around and traveled I-565/US 72 Alt/AL 20) west to Decatur ("Clinched" I-565 and filmed part of it for a future "ROADGEEK-CAM!!!". Also "clinched" Limestone County)
- Continued on US 72 Alt/AL 20 west through Decatur to "clinch" Morgan and Lawrence Counties.
- Turned around and went eastbound on US 72 Alt/AL 20 back to I-65.
- I-65 northbound to AL 53 (Exit 365).
- AL 53 to Ardmore (which is on the Alabama/Tennessee state line).
- AL 53 to TN State Secondary Route (SSR) 110.
- TN SSR 110 east to TN SSR 274 in Taft ("Clinched" Lincoln County, TN)
- TN SSR 274 north to TN SSR 273 west.
- TN SSR 273 west to I-65 ("Clinched" Giles County)
- I-65 south from TN SSR 273 (Exit 6) to US 72/AL 2 (Exit 351). in Decatur, AL.
- US 72/AL 2 east to Huntsville... the Rocket City!!!Some observations along the way...
- On US 27/GA 1 just south of where US 411/GA 53 splits and heads toward Centre, AL, I noticed a new interchange being built. This seems to be for the southern part of an "Rome Outer Loop" road that will run from US 411/GA 20 east of Rome to GA 20 just west of Rome. I stopped and took a few photos, which I'll post after I get back home to GRG HQ.
- Once you cross into Alabama on US 278, the pavement is better. Apparently, Alabama DOT (ALDOT) had resurfaced part of US 278/AL 74 in recent times.
- Spotted one "sign goof" just west of Cedartown. (The sign had "278" in a Georgia shield instead of a US shield. I stopped and snapped a photo of it.)
- US 278/AL 74 is mostly pretty desolate between the Georgia line and Piedmont, but nonetheless, it was a really peaceful and scenic drive.
- Just east of Gadsden in Hokes Bluff, US 278/AL 74 ibecomes a 4-lane divided highway. I wonder if ALDOT will eventually widen it all the way to the Georgia line. For that matter, I wonder if GDOT will extend it's 4-laned portion of 278 from Rockmart to the Alabama line. If GDOT did so, then they probably would need to extend the Cedartown By-Pass from US 27/GA 1 westward back to 278.
- US 72/AL 2 is a part of the Alabama Trail of Tears Corridor, as it runs through a section of northern Alabama where, during the 1830s, thousands of southeastern Native Americans were mercilessly forced to travel to Oklahoma from their respective native lands.- In Albertville, ALDOT had the left lanes of US 431/AL 1 blocked off while workers were installing new concrete medians in the existing grassy median areas.- On I-565 westbound at I-65, there were dual big yellow "End Controlled Access Highway, 1/2 Mile" signs with flashing yellow lights. I wish GDOT would do something similar to better warn drivers ahead of time, especially on I-575/GA 5 where it becomes GA 5/515 (Zell Miller Mountain Parkway).Overall, the trip was extremely fruitful, giving me 10 more "clinched" counties in 3 states, 2 more fully "clinched" Interstates (I-565 and I-759), and more I-65 mileage driven (AL Exit 360 to TN Exit 6).
During my travels through Alabama, I had the pleasure of talking with several fellow ham radio operators on Guntersville's KC0ONR (147.38 MHz) and Decatur's W4ATD (147.00 MHz) repeaters. Thanks to all those folks who I "ragchewed" (talked) with during my travels and hopefully, we'll meet at tomorrow's
Huntsville Hamfest at the Von Braun Center.
Tomorrow afternoon after the hamfest, I'll be heading back to GRG HQ.
"Operation R3" was a not only a success, but most of all, it was one heck of a roadtrip through Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee!
That's it for now. Thanks for reading and please come back again.
P.S. If you happen to be at the hamfest, look for KC4AZO. I'll be wearing my "Mile 0" hat along with my badge.-
