Monday, April 30, 2018

Old '61

Originally a Military Road from St. Paul to LaCrosse starting around the 1850's the highway from St. Paul south that followed the Mississippi River and later was MN Star Route 3 until the 1920's.  From what I can tell, this section was paved in 1926.

Hard to imagine today's traffic barreling down these narrow lanes at 65 MPH.

This section south of Red Wing.....


As a Federal Highway, 61 ran from the Canadian border in Minnesota to New Orleans.

A busy week with car repairs, cars replaced, a deer incident (we're now up to 8 total) but this weekend I managed some miles again on both the TW200 and the KLR.  The bike being sold was on blocks all week, missing its front wheel and had the rest of them blocked in well enough that it was just too much trouble to get anything else out.  A new tire on rim, wheel on bike and the Sold bike out for a test run.  Soon there will be time on some of the other machines.

Next weekend, we gather for the Slimey Crud Run.  It will be the next blog Post.

14 comments:

  1. I read that todays interstates were designed first for military use.. supplies.. troop deployment...ect etc. The Roman's built roads for the same purpose.

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    1. That's what I understand. Over by Fond du Lac, I was poking around various sections of the old Military Road that ran from Green Bay to Prairie du Chien. They were Military to settle/defend and eventually grow the new frontier.

      It was Eisenhower's administration that got the big "I's" going. There's a lot of interesting road history.

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  2. Doug, is the KLR on a part of an old alignment of 61, and if it is, how did you find out that it was? Where is it? Did you see Kathy Wurzer's TPT special about Hwy 61? Only the MN section but there's a book too.

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    1. S, there are small sections down here and you can see them quite easily south of Red Wing, paralleling the modern route....a section just across from the Correctional Facility, then not a mile further south from there there are sections on both sides of the current highway.

      This section that I photographed is just a mile north of Frontenac, swings away from the BNSF and current highway. It seems to me that the original road stayed further from the low swampy areas, attempting to stay on higher ground. Another section south of Kellogg.

      Almost Frontage roads, neighbors use the longer local sections for exercise and to walk their pups. The section I stopped on is used daily by some of our neighbors; their only access out to 61.

      I saw Kathy's show and had to do some digging to (again) find the website where I learned about 1926. Don't know if you saw it, but I rode on the most northern section while at a North Shore Guzzi Rally up at the old US/Canada border crossing on the Pigeon River.

      http://www.deadpioneer.com/routes/US61/us61history.htm

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    2. Instead of just talking about it, I think I better actually DO 61 one of these days. Kind of a warm-up for the avowed bucket list trip on Route 66 on another someday.

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    3. Time's a wastin' Mr. Mo. I've done a lot of 61 in pieces over the years, got almost to the very southern end, but not quite.

      Only the tiniest bits of 66, parts of 50 and 30.

      Get out there and go!!

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  3. Enjoy the SCR weekend. I’ll be with you in spirit.

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    1. Eric, you're already being missed. I'll do an extra fine job of documenting the escapades.

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  4. Looking forward to your writings. Taking a saw?

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    1. Not back to my grind until Wednesday, I’m still creating. Had the crew near the “saw road” yesterday but only close. I attempted to avoid potential tree issues this weekend. We’ll find some when you next join the ride.

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  5. There of plenty of old HWY 61 remnants right around the eastern Iowa area too. From Dewitt north to Dubuque there are the odd sections one can see when traveling north on the new 61.

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    1. Scott, I would have guessed but didn’t know. Not a regular down there, I don’t remember having seen those sections.

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  6. I imagine you are out having fun at the SC right now. Sounds like you needed some fun after a hectic week.

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    1. Yes Brandy, that is in fact what’s happening. Home Tuesday night. I’m marveling at the buds popping this weekend; it’s amazingly green and soon, no peeking at all the normally hidden secrets.

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