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[[Image:Alaska tok cutoff.jpg|thumb|right|Driving south on The [[Tok Cut-Off|Alaska Tok Cutoff Highway]].]]
[[Image:Zzyzx Road.jpg|right|thumb|[[Zzyzx, California|Zzyzx]] Road exit sign on [[Interstate 15]]]]
[[Image:OldalignIL.jpg|thumb|An abandoned early [[Route 66]] alignment in southern [[Illinois]] in 2006.]]
A '''roadgeek''' (sometimes '''roadfan''' or '''Roads Scholar''', the latter being a play on the term [[Rhodes Scholarship|Rhodes Scholar]]) is a person who is interested in [[road]]s as a [[hobby]].<ref>[http://www.houstonfreeways.com/statesman_2004-12-12.htm Road to future or a dead end.], ''Austin American Statesman,'' 12 December 2004 (accessed [[20 January]],[[2007]])</ref>
A '''roadgeek''' (sometimes '''roadfan''' or '''Roads Scholar''', the latter being a play on the term [[Rhodes Scholarship|Rhodes Scholar]]) is a person who is interested in [[road]]s as a [[hobby]].<ref>[http://www.houstonfreeways.com/statesman_2004-12-12.htm Road to future or a dead end.], ''Austin American Statesman,'' 12 December 2004 (accessed [[20 January]],[[2007]])</ref>


==Roadgeek behavior==
⚫
== Notable Roadgeeks ==
Typical roadgeek behaviors include:
*Taking [[road trip]]s for the roads rather than the destination (sometimes called '''roadgeeking''' or '''Roads Scholaring''')
*Bragging about the extent of their travels, such as the number of [[Interstate Highway]] sections they have "clinched"<ref>[http://www.triskele.com/highway-heaven/my-clinched-freeways Mike the Actuary's Musings, My Clinched Freeways], accessed [[November 16]], [[2007]]</ref>
*Taking photos of [[road sign]]s or the highways themselves
*Collecting old [[road map]]s to study the roads
*Maintaining [[web site]]s dedicated to the road network or highway system in a particular area.
*Correcting errors in newspaper articles and other publications about highway terminology and the history of highways<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40612-2005Feb20.html John Kelly "A Long Way to Go for a Refund: Highways, Revisited," ''Washington Post,'' Page C11, February 21, 2005], accessed [[June 27]], [[2008]]</ref>
*Designing graphics or fonts to facilitate the work of others.<ref>[http://www.triskele.com/roadgeek-fonts Mike the Actuary's Musings, Roadgeek Fonts], accessed [[November 16]], [[2007]]</ref>



⚫
Alex Nitzman of [http://www.interstate-guide.com/ AAroads] has collected extensive USA interstate facts, trivia and photos.
==Sites of interest to roadgeeks==
⚫
James Love of [http://www.milebymile.com Mile By Mile Media] has the largest collection of highway photos in the world.{{Fact|date=June 2008}}

===[[Arkansas]]===
*[[Arkansas Highway 43]]/[[Oklahoma State Highway 20]] [[concurrency]], possibly unique instance of two highways from different states overlapping

===[[California]]===
* The [[Ridge Route]], the first paved highway directly linking the [[Los Angeles Basin]] with the [[San Joaquin Valley]] over the [[Tejon Pass]], a portion of which is in the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. It was documented by uber-Roadgeek, Harrison Irving Scott, in 2002. in ''Ridge Route: The Road That United California.''
*[[Skyline Boulevard]], the road that spans the highest ridge of [[Santa Cruz Mountains]], making it possible to see the [[Pacific Ocean]] and [[San Francisco Bay]] simultaneously.
*Decomissioned portions of [[U.S. Route 6 in California#History|U.S. Route 6]], now part of [[California State Route 14#History|State Route 14]], are the subject of significant roadgeek interest.<ref>[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/119615812.html?dids=119615812:119615812&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=May+14%2C+2002&author=LISA+LEFF&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=BEHIND+THE+WHEEL%3B+Road+Scholars+Driven+to+Go+the+Extra+Mile%3B+A+small+but+dedicated+band+of+buffs+spends+free+time+studying+and%2C+yes%2C+traveling+the+state's+highways+and+byways.&pqatl=google Lisa Leff, ''Los Angeles Times,'' May 14, 2002, "BEHIND THE WHEEL; Road Scholars Driven to Go the Extra Mile; A small but dedicated band of buffs spends free time studying and, yes, traveling the state's highways and byways"], accessed [[June 27]], [[2008]]</ref>
*[[Zzyzx Road]], a landmark about halfway between [[Los Angeles]] and [[Las Vegas]], known for its unusual name. It is the last place on Earth, at least in the English alphabetical order.

===[[Colorado]]===
*[[Glenwood Canyon]], an engineering marvel
*[[Eisenhower Tunnel]], the highest point on the [[Interstate Highway System]]

===[[Maryland]]===
*I-70's eastern terminus at a Park & Ride on [[Security Boulevard]] in Baltimore, one of the more unusual Interstate termini

===[[Missouri]]===
*Galena [[Y-Bridge (Galena, Missouri)|Y-Bridge]], an unusual bridge with three land connections

===[[Montana]]===
*[[Going-to-the-Sun Road]], a scenic road crossing [[Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park]], designated both a [[National Historic Landmark]] and a [[Historic Civil Engineering Landmark]].<ref>[http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/goingtothesunroad.htm National Park Service "Going-to-the-Sun Road"]</ref>

===[[Oklahoma]]===
*[[Arkansas Highway 43]]/[[Oklahoma State Highway 20]] [[concurrency]], possibly unique instance of two highways from different states overlapping

===[[Pennsylvania]]===
*[[Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike]], an example of 1930's-era highway standards
*[[Breezewood, Pennsylvania]], a gap in [[Interstate 70]] that routes traffic down US 30 through town
*[[Centralia, Pennsylvania]], site of underground coal fires undermining the area highways


⚫
== Notable roadgeeks ==
*Steve Anderson, creator of [http://www.nycroads.com/ NYCROADS.COM], "described himself as a 'hard-core road fanatic' (others, he allowed, might say 'road geek') from childhood" according to ''The New York Times'' in 1999<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00EED91F31F933A25753C1A96F958260 Marcia Biederman, "Giving Highways Their Due," October 10, 1999, ''The New York Times''], accessed [[June 27]], [[2008]]</ref>

⚫
*James Love of [http://www.milebymile.com Mile By Mile Media] has the largest collection of highway photos in the world.{{Fact|date=June 2008}}
⚫
*Alex Nitzman of [http://www.interstate-guide.com/ AAroads] has collected extensive USA interstate facts, trivia and photos.
*Adam Prince, of [http://www.gribblenation.com/ GribbleNation.com] and "a self-described 'road geek' whose hobby is learning everything he can about America's highways and byways," according to the ''Washington Post''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A56265-2004Feb19?language=printer ''Washington Post Answer Man'', Sunday, February 22, 2004; Page M08, "What is the Seminole Trail? What do the green signs that say 'Seminole Trail' along Route 29 in Virginia refer to?"], accessed [[June 27]], [[2008]]</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}



== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 17: Line 67:
*[[Railfan]]
*[[Railfan]]
*[[Sport touring]]
*[[Sport touring]]



== External links ==
== External links ==
*[news://misc.transport.road misc.transport.road] ([[Usenet]])
*[news://misc.transport.road misc.transport.road] ([[Usenet]])
*[http://www.roadfan.com/mtrfaq.html misc.transport.road FAQ]
*[http://www.roadfan.com/mtrfaq.html misc.transport.road FAQ]
*[http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/ Society for All British Road Enthusiasts (SABRE)]


[[Category:Road transport]]
[[Category:Road transport]]

Revision as of 09:11, 28 June 2008

Driving south on The Alaska Tok Cutoff Highway.
Zzyzx Road exit sign on Interstate 15
An abandoned early Route 66 alignment in southern Illinois in 2006.

A roadgeek (sometimes roadfan or Roads Scholar, the latter being a play on the term Rhodes Scholar) is a person who is interested in roads as a hobby.[1]

Roadgeek behavior

Typical roadgeek behaviors include:

  • Taking road trips for the roads rather than the destination (sometimes called roadgeeking or Roads Scholaring)
  • Bragging about the extent of their travels, such as the number of Interstate Highway sections they have "clinched"[2]
  • Taking photos of road signs or the highways themselves
  • Collecting old road maps to study the roads
  • Maintaining web sites dedicated to the road network or highway system in a particular area.
  • Correcting errors in newspaper articles and other publications about highway terminology and the history of highways[3]
  • Designing graphics or fonts to facilitate the work of others.[4]


Sites of interest to roadgeeks

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Maryland

  • I-70's eastern terminus at a Park & Ride on Security Boulevard in Baltimore, one of the more unusual Interstate termini

Missouri

  • Galena Y-Bridge, an unusual bridge with three land connections

Montana

Oklahoma

Pennsylvania


Notable roadgeeks

  • Steve Anderson, creator of NYCROADS.COM, "described himself as a 'hard-core road fanatic' (others, he allowed, might say 'road geek') from childhood" according to The New York Times in 1999[7]
  • James Love of Mile By Mile Media has the largest collection of highway photos in the world.[citation needed]
  • Alex Nitzman of AAroads has collected extensive USA interstate facts, trivia and photos.
  • Adam Prince, of GribbleNation.com and "a self-described 'road geek' whose hobby is learning everything he can about America's highways and byways," according to the Washington Post[8]

References

  1. ^ Road to future or a dead end., Austin American Statesman, 12 December 2004 (accessed 20 January,2007)
  2. ^ Mike the Actuary's Musings, My Clinched Freeways, accessed November 16, 2007
  3. ^ John Kelly "A Long Way to Go for a Refund: Highways, Revisited," Washington Post, Page C11, February 21, 2005, accessed June 27, 2008
  4. ^ Mike the Actuary's Musings, Roadgeek Fonts, accessed November 16, 2007
  5. ^ Lisa Leff, Los Angeles Times, May 14, 2002, "BEHIND THE WHEEL; Road Scholars Driven to Go the Extra Mile; A small but dedicated band of buffs spends free time studying and, yes, traveling the state's highways and byways", accessed June 27, 2008
  6. ^ National Park Service "Going-to-the-Sun Road"
  7. ^ Marcia Biederman, "Giving Highways Their Due," October 10, 1999, The New York Times, accessed June 27, 2008
  8. ^ Washington Post Answer Man, Sunday, February 22, 2004; Page M08, "What is the Seminole Trail? What do the green signs that say 'Seminole Trail' along Route 29 in Virginia refer to?", accessed June 27, 2008


See also


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