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Tennessee-Virginia-North CarolinaTrip
July 1-2, 2008

These photos are from a trip to North Carolina and Virginia on July 1 and 2, 2008. This was to be a 3 1/2 day trip, but it got cut short and ended up only being a 1 1/2 day jaunt. However, I was still able to get plenty of photos. To view the full-sized photos, click on one of the thumbnails on this page. You will then be presented with navigation controls to view the images on individual Web pages as a slide show.


Pound, Va. claims to be the hometown of Francis Gary Powers. He was actually born in neighboring Letcher County, Ky.

No, we aren't in Massachusetts or Maine. This is in Wise, Va., and that should be a US 23 sign.

Except for the US 23 shield, this is an older assembly. Secondary 757 is the old routing of US 23 between Wise and Norton.

Heading out of Norton on Alternate US 58.



Did the used vehicle research company get its name from this road or the Carfax community in Wise County, Va.?



This is the first notation of Bristol on the signage. Alternate 58 does not go to Bristol but US 19 does, and the two routes join at Hansonville.


Approaching the US 19 intersection on Alternate 58.


First US 19/Alternate 58 signage with mileage board attached.


Advance for split of the two US routes outside Abingdon.

Approaching US 11.

The typo of "Buisness" on this sign that was there about 10 years ago has long since been corrected.

It's a blurry shot, but this older US 11 sign still stands at the US 19 intersection.

The two US shields are of older vintage, particularly the US 19 one.



Someone forgot the US 19 sign for this post.

Signage at the limits of Bristol.


Approaching the intersection where US 11 splits into E and W branches.





US 421 follows a convoluted route through Bristol, Va. Just ahead is the Tennessee state line.




This is at Martin Luther King Boulevard, where US 421 splits away from the truck route for US 11/19.

Looking across State Street, which serves as the state line through Bristol.

US 421 has been routed onto a new bridge on the Tennessee side of Bristol. TN 34 is the hidden state route for US 421 as it heads toward Mountain City and the North Carolina border and is also the hidden state route for US 11E.


The new Anderson Street Memorial Bridge that carries US 421.

Closeup of an "Overmountain Victory" marker where US 421 joins Pennsylvania Avenue northbound in Tennessee.

The old configuration of this intersection had US 421 continuing straight. The traffic light in the distance is State Street, where 421 turned left.


Heading toward the foot of the Anderson Street bridge where 421 joins MLK Boulevard and enters Virginia. a block later.

This is old signage at the corner of MLK and State Street.


Looking north into Virginia on Commonwealth Avenue (US 11E/US 19). This is also the beginning of the unsigned VA 381.

There should be a US 19 sign to go along with US 11.

In Abingdon.


Older US 19 and US 11 signage.

On US 58 east of I-81.

In at least three places between Abingdon and Damascus, US 58 is signed like this at intersections with secondary routes.


Older Virginia 716 secondary sign in Damascus.

At VA 91 and US 58 in Damascus.


US 321 joins US 421 at Vilas, N.C.




Wrong-way routing of NC 194 with US 321/421.




Advance for the split of US 321 and US 421 in Boone.

US 221 used to be included in this intersection and joined US 421 here, but 221 has been removed to a bypass a few blocks east.

Heading south on US 321 out of Boone.

US 221 joins US 321.




Glad it wasn't a Thursday when I was driving this route.

The Blue Ridge Parkway was closed in the area, resulting in a detour signed along US 321.


Beyond the BRP.

Advance for the split of US 221 and US 321 in Blowing Rock.




The left sign should say "South," not "By-Pass."

This is near the Eastern Continental Divide.

The beginning of a huge construction project on US 321.







Ever wonder what a four-digit US route would look like? Here's your answer.




Approaching the southern end of the alternate route for US 321, nearing Hickory.
















In Newton.






On the southeast corner of this intersection is Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet.





Heading east on NC 150.

A new county for me!




In Mooresville.

The terminus of NC 3 as seen from westbound NC 150.

Approaching NC 3 on eastbound NC 150.

Turning onto NC 3, which was renumbered from NC 136 in memory of Dale Earnhardt.



Another new county!

Lots of things named after Earnhardts in this area, but not just for the famous race car driver. The name is indigenous to the area.



Kannapolis pays tribute to its most famous native son by designating several streets, including NC 3 (Mooresville Road) and Dale Earnhardt Boulevard (see streetsign in lower left corner of photo) as "The Dale Trail."


Out-of-focus, unfortunately, at Main Street and DE Blvd. in Kannapolis.

On NC 3.

NC 3 departs DE Blvd. here.

On I-85 heading north from Kannapolis.

Another new county!









Unusual "exit only" ground mount instead of an overhead mount.



And yet another new county!


Three US routes join I-85 for the ride.

An older state name I-85 shield with the three US route shields.








Pretty flowers in the median of I-85.




Heading toward Asheboro on US 64.




And another new county.



Two future interstates that are well out of place in the numbering system.



On US 220 north in the cloverleaf interchange with US 64.




Unusually configured exit.







Beyond the US 311 exit, there is no mention of I-74 except for an "End Future I-74" assembly. I-74 will run on the alignment of US 311 when the expressway is completed through High Point.



The sun angle highlights the "green-over" with Winston Salem on this overhead.



The I-85 marker should be a green business loop marker, not a traditional interstate marker.







US 421 runs along with I-40 here. Since it's not mentioned on the overhead signage, it gets surface signage instead.






I traveled this route on May 31, 2008 and the I-40 sign here was still a traditional red, white and blue interstate shield. In the intervening month, ti was replaced. But there are still six diferent numbered routes and three different directions on this short stretch of highway in Greensboro.



On northbound US 220.










On US 220 (Wendover Avenue) crossing US 29.





Unusual font on the US 220 overhead.

Heading north on US 220 toward the Virginia state line.






Another new county -- my last for North Carolina on this shortened trip.














Henry County, Virginia, a new county for me as well.

Is this the "Future Future I-73" corridor? On US 220 north of the state line in Virginia.








There are a lot of fold-down signs in Martinsville and vicinity. Probably has something to do with the speedway there and handling race day traffic.



Clearview!

More Clearview!







Martinsville is an independent city in Virginia and therefore must be visited separately of visiting the county that surrounds it if you are conscientious about counting counties. It is a separate entity on the mob-rule.com county-counting site.

Unisign in Martinsville.

Another Unisign.

And another unisign!



This is actually Business US 58.





Patrick County was another new one for me. "Patrick" and "Henry;" wonder if that's coincidental?








Advance for the split of US 58a nd VA 8.







Older VA secondary route marker in the Meadows of Dan area.

Older Meadows of Dan sign.

US 58 has a new four-lane bypass of Meadows of Dan.

The Blue Ridge Parkway crosses new US 58 without an intersection.



Another older Virginia secondary route marker.

US 58 briefly enters Floyd County.




Nice serving of "sine salad" outside Hillsville.



Cutouts -- and borderless at that -- in Hillsville. These little critters can be found at all four corners of this main intersection in Hillsville.


The VA Secondary 780 sign looks like something you might see in Kentucky, or one of those error route 527 signs in Huntington, WV.





Galax is an independent city that I had not yet visited.

Unusual shield shapes and older directional banners in Galax.

Cutout goodness!

Another cutout.








The US 221 sign looks like something you might see in Georgia.


In Independence.



Terminus of VA 93, which only runs one mile before it enters North Carolina.









Warning sign for US 58 traffic heading west toward Abingdon. It's similar to the sign on the Abingdon/Damascus end.

Oops, blurry -- this is heading north on VA 16 away from Volney and US 58.


Unusual white-on-black arrow for the bike route sign.

No mileage to Marion -- just an arrow.






What is this supposed to be? Some kind of Virginia state route marker that's been bastardized to turn it into a US 11 sign of sorts.

At the end of the ramp from I-81 south to US 11 in Abingdon.

This assembly replaced a neat old cutout assembly in Abingdon.

Take a look at this sign assembly closely. All directional banners are correct.

Can you spot the error in this assembly, having just seen the one prior?

Heading out of Abingdon.



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