Longest Mileage to an Exit

[SmithSwede]

I was riding south on Interstate 75 somewhere in the middle of Michigan.  I saw an official Interstate road sign that announced the number of miles to various upcoming exits.  What surprised me was the sign listed Tampa, and said it was 1,200 some-odd miles away. 

Huh???

Now I’ve seen signs on the east Texas border that announce that Texas ends after 860 some-odd miles. That makes sense—it is all in Texas, and it’s Texas bragging about being big. 

But why is I-75 in Michigan talking about the upcoming Tampa Florida, exit?

What is the longest announced exit you have seen?

[Vecchio Lupo]

I have seen this heartbreaker too many times

[nc43bsa]

There is a sign on I-40 in Wilmington NC stating that Barstow CA is ~2500 miles away.

[Huzo]

Does this count ?

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

US 6 in Bishop, CA has a sign for Provincetown, MA 3205 miles




Not my photo, found online.

[cloudbase]

Texas is so big that when it's Tuesday in Orange, it's Thursday in El Paso.
Texarkana is closer to Chicago than it is to El Paso.

[bmc5733946]

Michigan is the most northern state along I75 it's terminus being the Mackinaw bridge I believe. Is Tampa it's southern terminus? Just a possibility, maybe a corresponding sign near Tampa?

Brian

[Huzo]

Texas is so big that when it's Tuesday in Orange, it's Thursday in El Paso.
Texarkana is closer to Chicago than it is to El Paso.

Jeez that’s surprising.
How does that work ? 

[Guzzidad]

Michigan is the most northern state along I75 it's terminus being the Mackinaw bridge I believe. Is Tampa it's southern terminus? Just a possibility, maybe a corresponding sign near Tampa?

Brian

   No, Tampa is not the southern terminus. I75 continues south to Naples and then turns east to Ft. Lauderdale, also called alligator alley.

[bmc5733946]

Well that's interesting!
My favorite signs are the ones that change an interstate highway's direction. One near here says I69 North becomes I69 East. Generally the federal highway system sticks to odd numbers for North and South highways and even numbers for East and West but obviously ther are exceptions I69 is one.

Brian

Edited to add: The bridge is not the Northern terminus of I75 either,  Sault Ste. Marie is. I was wrong on all counts!

[nc43bsa]

The US Interstate Highway System has a number of anomalies.

Between Wytheville and Ft. Chiswell VA, two highways converge and if you are driving north-bound on one you are driving south-bound on the other.  And all the while you are actually traveling mostly in an east-west direction.

At two places on I-40 in NC, you will be facing due west while driving in the east-bound lanes.

At two places in NC, the lanes cross over so the on-coming traffic is on your right instead of your left.

[Tom H]

Make me wonder if the far city is the Sister city to the one your heading to/in. Still interesting!!!

Tom

[Sykestone8886]

Somewhere east of Baltimore MD on I 70 I saw a sign for Denver CO I believe it was 1400 miles

[pressureangle]

I was riding south on Interstate 75 somewhere in the middle of Michigan.  I saw an official Interstate road sign that announced the number of miles to various upcoming exits.  What surprised me was the sign listed Tampa, and said it was 1,200 some-odd miles away. 

Huh???

Now I’ve seen signs on the east Texas border that announce that Texas ends after 880 some-odd miles. That makes sense—it is all in Texas, and it’s Texas bragging about being big. 

But why is I-75 in Michigan talking about the upcoming Tampa Florida, exit?

What is the longest announced exit you have seen?

Because 75% of Tampa residents came from Michigan. Ok, that's only half joking...

Longest exit is somewhere in New Mexico on I-10. At least it looked that way out of gas 6 miles to the exit.

[Perazzimx14]

 

[LowRyter]

interesting and totally irrelevant factoid.  Driving from El Paso to Chicago, Texarkana TX is halfway point. 

Of the three cities, I've only been to Chicago.

[dguzzi]

  The longest I think is the one that runs you out of gas! In my case at the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. Thankfully the Minnesota State Police post was right of the exit! I pushed for about 1/4 mile and got a free tank of greenish/blue gas, maybe the best there was at that time.  It was 90% @90º of course!

[SmithSwede]

US 6 in Bishop, CA has a sign for Provincetown, MA 3205 miles




Not my photo, found online.

Wow.  I think that’s the winner so far !

[Scout63]

Wow.  I think that’s the winner so far !

That’s because Route 6 runs clear across the continental US from Provincetown to Long Beach, CA.  Well not really clear.  It follows surface streets so getting through the cities is tough. I’d like to try the whole thing some day.

[Scout63]

I found this great quote on Wikipedia:

George R. Stewart, author of U.S. 40: Cross Section of the United States of America, initially considered US 6, but realized that "Route 6 runs uncertainly from nowhere to nowhere, scarcely to be followed from one end to the other, except by some devoted eccentric".

[s1120]

That’s because Route 6 runs clear across the continental US from Provincetown to Long Beach, CA.  Well not really clear.  It follows surface streets so getting through the cities is tough. I’d like to try the whole thing some day.

eccentric or not that would be a cool trip.

[Huzo]

Oh…
This one is a fave.

[chuck peterson]

A van full of school kids are waving, yelling and pointing at me as they pass me on the interstate…

Huh….i pull over to the shoulder. The straps came loose on my back rack.! Of those five items i put there only two remain….somewhere in the last miles a few have jumped ship

15 miles to the next exit, about 30 to turn around the other direction and get an exit to return on the section I believe i lost my s$@&t

Found my tent bounced to the side if the road…several miles later the sleeping bag…a few more the pad.

Considering i was on the first day of two weeks I got lucky

[Vagrant]

I only trust ROX straps. Worth every penny.

[Bulldog9]

I was riding south on Interstate 75 somewhere in the middle of Michigan.  I saw an official Interstate road sign that announced the number of miles to various upcoming exits.  What surprised me was the sign listed Tampa, and said it was 1,200 some-odd miles away. 

Huh???

Now I’ve seen signs on the east Texas border that announce that Texas ends after 860 some-odd miles. That makes sense—it is all in Texas, and it’s Texas bragging about being big. 

But why is I-75 in Michigan talking about the upcoming Tampa Florida, exit?

What is the longest announced exit you have seen?

Disney world?  Or is that Orlando?

I don't pay attention to that stuff generally, but as childhood star Dickie Richards would say "That's Nukin Futs!"

[Sykestone8886]

I’ll second that on the ROK straps no metal to Mark things up and once cinched up they never let loose until you loosen them !!!

[JJ]

On 95 north from Las Vegas to Tonopah...when the sign says:  NEXT GAS 100 MILES...

You had better heed that warning.   

[Moparnut72]

From Tonopah to Ely is 160 miles, no gas in between, actually not much in between.
kk

[JJ]

From Tonopah to Ely is 160 miles, no gas in between, actually not much in between.
kk

Yes, I know...   My buddy Mike's BMW "ran dry" about 1/4 mile from Tonopah....Luckily, I had a siphon and about 1/2 gallon left in the White Whale.  I ran up the road and filled her up and came back to rescue my buddy.  We laughed about it later over a beer at the Mizpah Hotel   

[Vagrant]

But, when you're still 20 miles out and alone and it's 102 with no shade the laughing stops quickly.