US Route 6 versus US Route 20

Iza and I are leaving next weekend to head from Ohio to Massachusetts. We are cruising in our '82 Vanagon and we want to avoid the boring interstates.

I'm researching possibilities, and two good ones seem to be US Routes 6 and 20. Any DUers have experience cruising these roads? Any fun sights, good campgrounds, things not-to-be-missed?

Thanks in advance! :D

you'll drive past my house.

It's a scenic road through this part of CT, but the traffic lights are killer. In the inhabited areas, they're literally every single block. Also, if it's around a meal-time there is a burger-place called Five Guys across from Tunxis CC in Farmington that is supposed to be the best fast-food hamburger in America. I know the fries are amazing and they put up a sign every day identifying the the heirloom/varital variety of potato being used. Often it's Yukon golds...sometimes Idaho russets.

Where in Mass? If you're headed to western MA. I suggest US-44, it's a very pretty rural drive, much of it through the Berkshires.

That's good to know. Maybe if we go that way we'll cut north before then... we are ultimately going to just NW of Boston. :hi:


ETA: your post made me want French fries! :rofl:

a short stretch of the Hartford segment of rt. 6 in CT (exits 38 to 61) is actually I-84, but if you mapquest there are scenic street level connectors to "belt" around that part.

It's only about 18 miles worth of interstate but it's somewhat necessary because there are very-few points where it is possible to bridge the CT river (it's why Hartford is where it is...it was the northernmost of 3 crossable points in CT.) and street-level traffic through downtown/riverfront Hartford does not move.

That's good to know. We don't mind a short stretch of interstate - it's just that being on 90 for 10 hours is soooo boooooooring.... ;)

:hi:

It sucks. Also, many different, large changes in speed limits, and nothing to do cops around to bag you. I think there's some great powerlines to view on the way, and a few good scenic spots.

We would like to minimize the suckage. ;)

I have two route 20 stories, and both took place in Ware.

1. My best bud in college was speeding west on Rt 20 when he encountered a cop car heading east. The car put it's lights on and began to change directions (not easy to do without a 3 point turn there, unless there's a side road) to pull him over. Since he was driving without a license, and without insurance he immediately floored it and took off. He took a side street and parked behind some building with a few other cars, got out and started smoking a cig while pretending to be just a local walking around. The cop drove by tons of times without finding the car, or stopping him. That's one of the only times I've heard of someone escaping a chase.

2. I was riding shotgun in the company vehicle at my first company (post-college) when we crested a bend in Ware, and I notice a line of wild turkeys crossing Rt 20, and I yelled out to the driver, making him slam on the brakes. He proceeded to curse me out since he would have had several wild game to take home. (That also reminds me of the time when I was riding shotgun in an Amherst DPW truck through the woods when I noticed a doe and her fawn leaping through the woods ahead of us, and I screamed out to cause the driver to slam on his breaks. The mother kept going and the fawn went back to the woods to our right. The driver yelled at me for causing him to lose out on venison. We sat there for several minutes as he was waiting for one or the other to cross the road to reunite so he could run it/them over).

Maybe the moral is, we just need to reroute around Ware! :rofl:

I hope the little deer got reunited with mama...

It's mostly a main road connecting very small towns. You'll see a lot of farms, farmland, barns, and cows. :rofl:

I don't know about 20, though.

Good luck and have so much fun on your trip! Be safe. :hug:

I'm so excited for the trip - that's why i'm investigating routes instead of working. ;)

Did you have a good weekend? :hug:

We went fish shopping yesterday. Lots of new kids for the fish tanks. :)

And then, our roommate went out of town on a whim, so that was very nice. :evilgrin:


Yours? :hi:

You'll have to post some pics. :D

Glad to hear you and ZI are getting some "quality time!" ;)

:hug:

I know that one little kuhli loach has already disappeared somewhere. They like to dig into the substrate, so we may not see him again until we completely clean the tank out. :crazy:

He looks like this:

How did it take so long??? :o

Ate at a lot of small towns though.

sounds like it was an adventure! :D

:shrug:

I will keep that in mind for our crazy road trip next summer! :D

Mainly because it turns off about five minutes before my house. I can't speak for the route in other states, but it's a cool road in WNY, especially when it's linked up with 5 (the ol' 5&20 coach road)--lots of antique stores and stuff and old cheesy motels that have kitsch value. Kinda like a mini Route 66. :hi: