View From the Road
Travel Before Super Highways
By
Jun 21, 2007, 13:41

In the process of moving to my new location I took several different routes to and from Riverview. I will be living about two hours north of here, so there are a number of choices on which way to travel.

Coming back one day this week, I avoided Interstate 75 and came back on U.S. 301. When I was a child that was the route that my family drove, when we traveled between here and northern Ohio. There was no Interstate 75 then and either U.S. 41 or U.S. 301 where the ways to travel.

The area from north of Bushnell to Riverview was a more peaceful trip, except maybe around Zephyrhills. The traffic was kinder and little less intense. The scenery was pleasant and going through the small towns and the farm area was a pleasant reminder of days gone by. Pickup trucks on the corners selling produce seemed to relax me and remind me of what was once a very common sight in our once sleepy little area.

It was late afternoon as I wandered down the highway, remembering my family moving to Florida. My mother with our station wagon, and my father driving his car pulling a trailer loaded with our priceless belongings. We children would change cars on the stops for gas or restrooms, spending time with each parent, helping to keep them alert.

The journey from Ohio took about two and a half days. We could not travel at high speeds. The loads in the cars and the frequents stops made travel slow,
We were on a great adventure, so time was not a factor to us children.  Going through town after town seeing so many new things kept our minds occupied.

My short trip down U.S. 301 this week brought back memories of travel before the super highways. Life seemed simpler then; maybe my “View From The Road” will include even more detours like this.


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