The topic about Route 250 to Cedar Point made me think of this topic.
From your home city, which drives to parks do you love? Which ones do you hate? From Columbus:
PKI: the worst. Straight, un-scenic Interstate 71 all the way.
CP: Seems like there's no "good" way to get there. Whether you take 250 or 23, you have to turn off multiple times, and you always get stuck behind a semi. And it always seems to take longer than it should.
SFWoA: This one also is all interstate, though when you get near Cleveland it gets hilly and somewhat scenic.
Holiday World: I love this drive. You get to go through two beautiful riverfront cities (Cincinnati and Louisville) and the Hoosier State Forest (or is it National Forest?).
Kennywood: All interstate, all boring, but the entrance into Pittsburgh through the Fort Pitt tunnel is amazing.
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He let the contents of the bottle do the thinking; can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding.
Driving from Lexington, I love the drive over to PKD and BGW and the DC area on I 64. Its quite a long haul, but going through the mountains is quite lovely.
Another ride i really like for some reason is the drive from Cincy to Sandusky. Just going right through Ohio once a year...through all of those tiny towns like Siam and places like that is just kinda a nice once a year ritual. I guess I just get a kick out of seeing populations signs under 100, lol. Just going through the corn fields, listening to Neil Young, or Simon and Garfunkle, or Lucinda Williams or somebody like that. I dunno. I guess I just like it because its so much different from Kentucky. Its really quite dull but I guess that's what appeals to me.
Last one, and I'm sure that most people from So Cal will think I'm odd, but my first trip to LA was over New Years, and i was just fascinated. We drove all over LA on that trip, and I just marveled the whole time at how different it is from the rest of the country. I definately wouldn't want to live in LA, but the drive from Orange County up to SFMM was just really cool, I thought.
I love my coasters, but my first passion is just travel in general. I think my favorite thing in the world is just getting in a car and going somewhere i've never been before.
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If the shoe fits, find another one.
Ravenguy, you and I would get along. I also love going places I've never been before - doesn't matter what's there. I study my U.S. Atlas on a regular basis.
I nearly forget.... on the way to BGW/PKD, passing through the Sideling Hill area of Maryland (the skinny part between West Virginia and Pennsylvania). .... that cut-out through the mountain is something that has to be seen to be believed.
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He let the contents of the bottle do the thinking; can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding.
Den said:
that cut-out through the mountain is something that has to be seen to be believed.
Dude, that's my favorite part when I go that way. *puts you on my cool list* ;)
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If the shoe fits, find another one.
Ravenguy, I LOVE to go on roadtrips just as much as I love CP. My favorite way to CP is the Drive down Lake Road (U.S. 6) From My House to Cedar Point. It's a lot nicer than the turnpike or route 2 and you get a view of beautiful Lake Erie to your right. You also get to drive through quiant little towns, such as vermilion and huron.
When we went to PKI in 2000, we took 71, which I thought was a pretty boring south of Coumbus until you reached Warren County, which is where it get's a little hilly.
As for driving from Columbus to CP, I remember one year me and my Aunt and Cousins (Who live in Pickerington, Fairfield County) took I-71 north to the Ashland Exit (U.S. 250) and we took that north about 40 miles until we reached Sandusky.
Later,
EV
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"Just remember, wherever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
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Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein
There is no drive that is duller than Phx to SFMM. ALL desert, ALL the way. For 6 hours!
If you turn off and take SR60 & SR91 toward Anaheim, there are some nice green rolling hills.
But taking the I-10 to the SR210 through San Bernardino en route to SFMM is soooo boring, The only reprive is that when you get close, there is a big sign for a road called "LA TUNA CANYON". hehe . Think about it guys.
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I've traded in my 2000 Giovanola for a 2002 Arrow X4D
My other car is now an Arrow X4D!
*** This post was edited by LoadedG on 3/6/2002. ***
The drive from my home to Six Flags Astroworld involves turning right on Old Spanish Trail, right on Almeda, turning onto the 610 feeder and after the first light turning into the Astrodome parking lot. Total duration: 8 minutes.
The drives to both SFOT or SFFT are pretty dull, however.
Dennis,
I don't mind the drive to PKI from Columbus most of the time. My favorite part of that drive is the large bridge going over that awesome valley. I LOVE that view and have stopped at the scenic overlook a few times. In the fall, I like that drive quite a bit more.
I drove from the PKI area just two nights ago. Usually that drive gets rather boring going north back to Columbus and seems a lot longer than the hour and fifteen minutes it is, but the other night it flew right by. I actually enjoyed the drive quite a bit. Perhaps I had the right music playing or something? Or it might have been that Frapachino (sp?) I was drinking?
I am so used to the drive to CP from Columbus that it doesn't seem all that long most times, but it can be very difficult to drive back after spending the entire day at the park. On closing day in 1997, I was driving back after the park closed for the evening. Once I hit Route 4, I honestly didn't see a single car until I reached the southern side of Attica. I don't know what was going on, but for some reason no one was on the road. It was REALLY eerie.
Last year, one of my friends and I drove back to Columbus after ERT ended at Coastermania. That was a big mistake. We were so tired that we were seeing things in the road that weren't there. At one point I thought I saw some midgets running in front of the car. Ahhhh, the beauty of sleep deprevation.
I also agree with the drive to Pitt. That tunnel exit is one of the most impressive views I have seen of a city and it gets me every time.
Ravenguy,
I am with you on the L.A. drive. I love that area. I have always been attracted to the West. I think I could live in the surrounding L.A. area, but not in the actual city. One of my favorite drives I have ever done was back in 1995 when I went from L.A. to Las Vegas. To this day it amazes me.
Other locations that I love to drive are Orlando, the Spokane, Washington area. Driving through Brooklyn was also pretty cool, but trying to drive up to Rye was seriously screwed. We never made it to Rye. =:^(
The places I don't care to drive are the Boston area (especially that mess by the airport), and the actual Cincinnati area just south of PKI. The drive to SFWoA from Columbus is something I don't like to do often either. Too much construction, and whenever something ends up getting finished, there is always something else being started.
-Sean
I don't much care for the drive from Columbus to PKI, although it is considerably more scenic than the Northern route. It feels like it takes forever to get down there, and at 65 MPH it doesn't feel like you're making any progress.
The drive from Columbus to Cedar Point isn't too bad once you get off of US-23. It's dead straight, but there are all these little towns that are barely big enough to be interesting, but small enough to not present much of a delay. Watch out for the trains, though!
The Pittsburgh approach through the tunnel and then over the bridge is breathtaking, and I have managed to save myself a lot of grief at the I-70/I-79 split (which has been under construction for at least ten years now, and might be finished by the time I am ready to retire) by taking US-22. From about Steubenville, US-22 is an expressway...but between Steubenville and Byesville (IR-77) it's a winding, hilly road that I find fun to drive. The quickest route seems to be IR-70 to IR-77 to US-22, but I frequently will take OH-209 up from IR-70 into downtown Cambridge and catch US-22 there.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
I agree with a few of you C-Busites being from Columbus myself. The drive to PKI for me is great because since its one route that isn't country roads, I can "fly." I usually like to "find" that one person on the highway that likes to drive quickly to put it one way and follow behind them. They're my personal radar block. disclaimer- Kids, don't try this at home.
CP going up isn't too bad. Coming back for me has always been h-e double hockey sticks. My last trip to CP in 2001 I went with some friends. I swear the front seat passenger literally had to punch my arm a couple times because he said I started swerving. Don't you hate when you've used up all of your conversation topics in long queues so driving home is almost dead silent?
I love going to SFWOA, but what's up with the interstates? Everytime I went up there last season, weekday or weekend, traffic was unbearable near the Cleveland corridor area. Come on ODOT! I thought the orange barrel capital of the world was only suppose to be Columbus.
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OHIcOaster
"Back seat, no hands."
*** This post was edited by OHIcOaster on 3/6/2002. ***
I don't mind the drive to PKI from Columbus most of the time. My favorite part of that drive is the large bridge going over that awesome valley. I LOVE that view and have stopped at the scenic overlook a few times.
Sean, I nearly forgot about the bridge over the Little Miami River. That thing must be 400 feet above the water!
Going north during the winter, there's a great sign before the bridge that says, "Scenic View Closed." I imagine a huge curtain pulled across the valley. ;)
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He let the contents of the bottle do the thinking; can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding.
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--Greg
"The collective women in your life have more baggage than a Samsonite factory..."
My page
*** This post was edited by GregLeg on 3/6/2002. ***
I personally love the drive to SFWoA. I drive straight up Rt 44 to Rt 43. Both beautiful roads during the different seasons. Since I live about .5 miles off of Rt 44 this is an easy treck for me and I never get the Cleveland traffic. When I do have to take the interstate I get off at the Kent exit and go up 43 so I dont have to do all interstate. And at most it only takes me 45 minutes to an hour to get there!
I do hate the trip to CP though. It is all interstate from I-77 to I-80 to 250. All concrete and trucks. 250 is the only road that isn't "half" bad. But I still do it every year!
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There is NoLimit when it comes to Roller Coasters
*** This post was edited by NoLimitChic on 3/6/2002. ***
I love road trips! The drive to PKI from Lexington is pretty cool. After miles of unspoiled countryside on I-75, you reach nice communities like Florence. Then there's the Ohio River into Cincinnati, which is always an interesting sight.
Be careful of traffic, though. Work is done often on that road, but resist the temptation to get out and run, ok? ;)
Viva la Ale-8-One!
I love Ale-8-One! Hey, some of you Lexington people, next time you drive through Columbus, maybe you can drop some off for me!
I have a friend who lives in Lexington who knows someone who works at the Ale-8 factory, so last time I was there I got a tour. Cool.
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He let the contents of the bottle do the thinking; can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding.
I think one of the best drives would be is going through the Wisconsin area and the Wisconsin dells going down on I-94 east to Chicago. I enjoy going through the dells area one of the nicest drives. Carefull going on I-94 going to the dells troopers love to sit in the center for radar patrol ;).
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Wild Thing: 75Laps! Power Tower: 73 Rides. Valleyair Security 2002! 8Years Working at Valleyfair :)!
As you may have guessed, when I drive, I like to drive fast. If I want to look at landscapes and whatnot, I'd rather fly. You get a better view and you dont have to watch out for idiots on their cell phones...
jeremy
--"My philosphy is: Sleep Late. Drive Fast. And not take any of this 'S-H' seriously"; 'Kevin Donaldson' Spacecamp
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