Earlier this year, this was a narrow, curvy 2 lane country road, trees over-hanging both lanes, and woods as far as you could see.

Now a freeway is being built, the trees are gone, the curves have been straightened, the road widened & elevated, to pass over the soon to arrive East-West corridor for semi's and straight lane travelers.

It was a nice day to ride, but I need to search out some new roads that have not been violated by progress.

 

"Violated by progress"...heh...yeah that's a good way to put it.

Sucks hearing about a super slab being put over your way.

Over in my parts, due to those big storms that ripped through a couple of years ago (Sandy, Irene)...and toppled trees in the highways, they've been busy the past 2-3 years clearing the woods next to highways. They're cutting the trees next to the highways...so there's about 100-150 feet or more of width now next to the roads. Instead of the trees coming up to 25 feet or less in places.

Makes the road more boring...sterile or something. Dunno, just takes away from it. One thing I notice...don't get to hear the pipes as much, echoing off the trees. Parts of the highway there tall trees were lined up close to the road, I loved that sound chasing you down the highway.

Guess on the plus side, you have lots more field of view and ability to spot deer about to run across the highway...since we're in a very high deer population area.

 

With apologies to Joni Mitchell

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel *, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
Put 'em in a tree museum *
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em

 

The pesky trees were in the way of seeing ahead of you and seeing the sky. Now you can see for tens of yards ahead. //sarcasm

 

Face it, a MODERN highway is a conveyor belt to quickly transport containers of zoned out people from A to B as safely as possible
Last summer, we put on 3000 miles in the 5 NW states without any 4 lane and without even seeing a major city. It took a bit of planning; using Butler & Goggle maps and a bit of my Zumo but was one of our best trips ever.
30 states and 6 provinces so far; backroads and places are far and away the absolute best.

 

Damn shame. That's all I got to say.

 

From your title I thought this was going to be about Wood's Cams. Hmmmm , can't see the forest for the trees.....

 

Yeah Man,, I know that one,,
I-94 just outside of town did just that too, a few years back.
Don't fret too much,, there's more twisties waiting to be discovered.

 

Just last year I checked out some favorite haunts and rides from 30 to 45 years ago on google maps and streetview, and found... almost nothing. You youngsters born after 1980 missed so much of this country. Highways, subdivisions, shopping centers... Hell, even some airports and small rivers have disappeared. And most of what's left is fenced off. I don't even want to think of what it will be like when over a billion people live in this country, although that's something I don't have to worry about at my age.

 

Many of my favorite roads over the years have been straightened out and upgraded. The price we have to pay for progress. Nowadays it seems to be all about how fast you can get there, not about enjoying the trip along the way.