Driving direction help, please.

[elleng]

In Dayton now for a funeral, drove from SilSpg through Morgantown to Wheeling, WV, spent night in Cambridge,OH, then through Columbus, OH to Dayton.

Leaving tomorrow afternoon, and don't want to take same route home, just for variety. Suggestions???

Thanks

E

[2naSalit]

1. Ummm

Do you want a straight shot or the scenic route?

[elleng]

2. Scenic.

Did the 'straight' route, and not in a rush.

[2naSalit]

3. Okay

A couple options present themselves, depending on what kind of scenery interests you.

You're in Dayton so the best way to start is to get on US35 and switch to...

Option 1) US22 to US 33 to US50 at Athens; take that to Winchester, VA then get on VA7 into Leesburg and pick your favorite route home from there.

Option 2) Us22, stay on a little longer to Zanesville, OH cross the river and take the scenic route (OH60) to Marietta, OH and get on I77 to Parkersburg, WV and get on US50 and follow above route.

I know the river route from Zanesville south is pretty this time of year but that's probably true of most of either of those routes in late May.

Enjoy,

2na

[elleng]

4. THANKS, 2na.

Will check them out!

[2naSalit]

5. I used to run

through those parts back in the 70s and early 80s.. very historic, but I'm sure you know that living where you do!

Have a safe and pleasant journey!

[Staph]

6. I love driving US 50 in West Virginia

but it's not for the faint of heart. There are some mountains that you have to cross with 180 degree hairpin turns, sheer drops with extremely narrow shoulders (two or three feet between the road and the cliff!), and recommended speeds of 25 or 30 mph.

That said, the scenery is gorgeous! That is the "Almost Heaven" part of West Virginia.

[elleng]

7. Sounds GREAT, Staph,

but considering my friend the driver's (its his car!) technique, I may postpone that for a while!!!

[Staph]

8. You could follow a part of the recommended routes,

but continue on US 50 to Grafton, West Virginia. (You could stop by the International Mother's Day Shrine -- Mother's Day was started in Grafton by Anna Jarvis to honor her mother.) Head north on US 119, then go east on Interstate 68. At exit 14 in Maryland, you can jump on alternate US 40, the original National Road.

[elleng]

9. Thanks. Yes, have been on 'original' National Road.

[2naSalit]

11. I know

used to run old hwy 40 in an over-length semi, one of those corners in particular was only doable because there was a picnic area on one side of the road... I used the whole thing since there was an outcropping on my side of the road (heading west).

Some things you just never forget.

[elleng]

21. Did some of it today,

and more tomorrow! In Bridgeport now, after THIS!!!

[elleng]

22. Did it all and survived, Staph!

Here are a few pics:

[elleng]

16. its 10 pm friday,

Last edited Sat May 24, 2014, 12:16 AM - Edit history (2)

and we're in Gallipolis, at motel across street from Ohio River. Trying to download pic of barge to post, but photobucket too busy!

Took 35, and as friend had a friend from Chillicothe MANY years ago, we passed through. Friend enjoyed rolling and green countryside, and we proceeded to Gallipolis, where we happened to pass a neat small motel essentially on the river, and as that's my kind of thing, here we are. Will post pics when I can. May look for meteor shower, too.

[2naSalit]

26. Glad it's working out

well. I love to go touring, haven't been able to for too long! Nice pictures, thanks for posting them!

Hope you get home safe and sound and with some new memories to enjoy.

2na.

[elleng]

28. AM home now,

here's me at the cottage in southern Maryland!



and a lovely flower, may be a peony but looks different from the others, on the path on the way in:



and a happy Osprey couple, nesting on top of shed adjacent to cottage:



HAPPY to be back, and THANKS for the tips!

[2naSalit]

29. You're

entirely welcome. Glad to help, glad my travels were of some use to someone else (other than the freight I was hauling to whomever!).

Looks like a nice place you have there. Glad to know you are home safe and in good spirits!

[elleng]

30. Thanks. Its a wonderful place,

and very happy to be back, safe and sound!

[elleng]

31. Home sweet home!

[2naSalit]

32. Wow

What a beautiful sunset!

Thanks for posting that! Looks like some higher power is glad you are home too!

[elleng]

33. THANKS, 2na!

My 'higher power' is nature, so sounds just about right!

[2naSalit]

34. Mine too! n/t

[elleng]

35. COOL!

[greatlaurel]

10. A couple of other routes through southern Ohio for consideration

You could take 35 out of Dayton to Charleston, WV before heading east. This would take you through Chillicothe and Gallipolis, both interesting and historic towns. If you have time to mosey through the downtowns they have a few nice old buildings. The square in Gallipolis is very nice and you can picnic looking out over the Ohio River. I really like Gallipolis and for fast food the Shake Shoppe has great ice cream and decent hamburgers. If you want to keep heading east rather than south, you can pick up 50 in Chillicothe and go through McArthur and Athens to Parkersburg, WV. 35 is a very good highway.

Or you can go south to Cincinnati and pick up the Appalachian Highway(State Route 32) to go east. It is a little slow near Cincinnati with lots of stop lights, but once you get away from the city, it is easy driving. The Appalachian Highway will take you through Athens, Ohio which is home of Ohio University, established in 1804, and fondly known by alumni as the Harvard on the Hocking(River). It is a nice town and the campus is lovely. There are several good local eateries in Athens, too. Larry's Dawg House is a local fast food place that has good sandwiches and good milkshakes. Their specialty is chili dogs.

If you have a lot of time, there are several fascinating Hopewell mounds in Southern Ohio. The Serpent Mound and Fort Ancient are really interesting, but might be a little out of the way for you. There is the Hopewell Culture National Historic Park just off 35 on SR 104 in Chillicothe that is well done.

Route 60 is a very pretty drive along the Muskingum River and an excellent suggestion. Marietta is a very pretty town on the Ohio River. Blennerhassett Island is near Marietta if you had the time to stop for a tour.

So sorry you for your loss. Take care and have a very safe and pleasant trip home.

[2naSalit]

12. Those

with the exception of going down to Cincinnati, are the routes I looked up. I forgot about the Hopewell mounds, though. Glad you mentioned that! And glad you have more intimate info to offer.

I, too, am sorry for your loss, Ellen. I hope your trip home is enhanced by all this info.

[elleng]

15. Thanks, greatlaurel;

I'll add yours to our options.

I actually attended Miami U, 'Mother of Fraternities,' but doesn't look as if we'll pass thru Oxford on the way home. Various other options, including yours, sound preferable!!!

[elleng]

17. DID Chillicothe, and staying at neat motel in Gallipolis,

Riverside, across street from Ohio River! Probably check out Charleston tomorrow, as daughter said its most beautiful state capitol.

[elleng]

20. Coal barge on Ohio River across from motel yesterday:

Pleased with view. Will see what's happening now, and start to head back to Maryland via Charleston, maybe Parkersburg, WV, and Clarfksburg and Winchester, VA.

[No Vested Interest]

23. I love to observe the large barges pushing up the Ohio River

here in Cincinnati.

Southern Ohio really is beautiful, and I've taken that drive east through Jackson to Gallipolis (stopped at the original Bob Evans Farm restaurant and met Bob himself once there - in Rio Grande (pronounced Ry-oh Grand.)

Am now looking at a trip east going through Marietta, which I believe was Ohio's first capital and modeled on a New England town.
So much to see, so little time.

[elleng]

24. Hi! Sorry I missed you!

Thought of driving thru Oxford (attended Miami) and Cinti, but took a different route. Thought of Bob Evans, but my friend had picked up coffee at McD's before I woke.

Love rivers, nice to see this one, and the barge was a special surprise!

[No Vested Interest]

25. Miami U. - a son & a daughter also

graduated there- 1984 & 1988.

[elleng]

27. Say HI!!!

[madinmaryland]

13. Welcome to ohio!!

Have a safe trip back. The route you listed is the one we take. I hate the PA turnpike.

[elleng]

14. Was SO hoping to catch you here, mad!

Amazing, 1700+ people visited funeral home yesterday, heading to church shortly, then to 'club' for lunch, then hitting the road for a scenic ride.

No No NO PA turnpike!

[greatlaurel]

18. I love Gallipolis, it is so pretty on the Ohio River and the people are very nice.

Each little town has a distinct local culture. Someone who was born near Gallipolis more than 100 years ago once told me the houses painted blue were where you went for gambling and the red painted houses were for the ladies of the evening back in the day. There is a huge Juneteenth celebration at the county fairgrounds which is tremendously interesting, too.

Hope you enjoyed your drive today, you traveled through quite a diverse geography from the glaciated part of the state in Dayton to the unglaciated foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Southern Ohio is still beautiful despite all the ecological abuse the land has endured. Hope you get to see some meteors! I can't stay up to watch. We will be traveling west on 35 tomorrow and have to get an early start.

The drive to Charleston is very pretty, too. Have a safe trip and enjoy the scenery! Next trip to southern Ohio you will have to come through the Hocking Hills Region.

GL

[elleng]

19. Thanks, greatlaurel.

In addition to enjoying our drive today, we found, just a bit up the road from our motel, a very good Italian restaurant, which we learned had burned down only a few months ago, but was rebuilt and is doing nicely now. Named TUSCANY CUCCINI.