Evening star., 1926-11-07

There Is portentous crispness in
the air these bright Fall mornings
crispness that is a portent of coal
bins and coal bills and. for the thou
sands who do not enjoy the luxury of
Janitor. coal shoveling.
For scores of others it is a portent
OF the annual trek to Florida.
washington. a large portion of 1t
elorying in the act, is turning it's back
on Summer. This portion includes
the mighty host that favors change
of all kinds and revels particularly In
the change of season that brings
Winter with its bright social program,
Its theaters. it's dances. its parties
It's snow and its invigorating cold
DAYS and colder nights.
Another part of the Capitals popu
lation however. finds the change of
season it's cue for a change of scene.
In this group there now Is a re-
awakening of the impulse to flee
troricward where the days are long
and lethargic and the nights lovely
and languorous.
Map Part of Equipment.
Many who belong to the latter
group already are filling up the cars
gasoline tank, changing the oil, pack
ing their bags and making all the
ward Florida.
.Any preparations for the trip nec-
essarily must include a map and ad-
vance knowledge Of the road and
other conditions that will be en-
countered before one traverses the
1000 miles to "the land of enchant-
ment." Accordingly, The Star has
prepared map showing the main
routes that may be taken by the
Southbound notorist.
\ ma jority Of those who will go to
Flo"ida and other South, rn States this
Winter will make the trip by automo-
bile. 1t has been said that the COM
pletiOn of any phase of life in these
days demands the flexible transporta-
tion that can be had only from the
motor car. Life in the South emphat-
ically is no exception to the rule.
1t is particularly true that Florida
Is best seen from an automobile.
Railroad facilities in the peninsula
are excellent as far as they go, but
the ms jority Of tourists want TO go
farther than is possible by rail.
Roads Not Always Best.
For the Washington, Maryland or
Virginia motorists who are consider.
ing taking the trip by auto for the
first time, it can be said that they will
find roads that. in spots, scarcely
mea sure up to the standard Of those
In and around the Capital. This should
not be a deterrent to driving through,
for all the roads are passable at vir-
tually all times, and even If trouble
and delays are encountered. having
the car at ones pleasure during the
stay in the Southland will be sufficient
compensation for any hardship in
volVed in getting it there.
Two main routes are available to
the Florida-b bound motorist.
Taken in the order Of their poten-
tial attraCtiveness. they are the Shen-
endoah Valley route and that which
leads through Richmond.
The former. on the whole, is longer
and more mountainous. but to com.
pensate for these seeming deficiencies
y offers better highways and perhaps
more generally attractive scenery.
The motorist who chooses this
route wIl enter the famous Blue
Ridge country at Winchester. going
there by way OF Frederick. If he pre-
fers the best route, although a some
what longer one. From Winchester
he will traverse the rich and fertile
valley through towns that are quaint
ly charming and rural districts that
offer scenic grandeur that Is never
endingly seductive to Washington mo-
torists Leaving Winchester, he will
pass through Staunton, Roanoke and
Wytheville until he reaches Bristol
on the Tennessee border. Every inch
of the trip to Bristol will be made
over excellent highway.
Journey Through Tennessee.
The journey next will take one
through the picturesque northeast
corner Of Tennessee. Elizabethton,
nesting in the shadows of the noun
tains, is the only town Of Importance
through which one will pass while in
Tennessee After leaving this point
one will strike the first stretch Of
gravel road. but 1t can be traversed
in short time and without difficulty.
After crossing the North Carolina
line. one again comes upon hard road,
which is followed into Asheville. Re
yond AShevile. on the way TO Green
willie. S. G.. one finds another short
gap If gravel but it. too. is in good
condition at virtually all times. An
derSon. s c.. is the next siZahl place
through which the tourist will pass.
and AT this point one runs into a
comparatively long and, In spots, try
Ing stretch OF gravel or sandClay.
The motorist whose objective is
Florida. will be likely to turn straight
southWard at Athens. instead of going
ia Atlanta The route this way is
shorter and more direct, hut offers no
hard.surfaced highway beyond neg
hgihle stretch on either side of
Athens Between this city and
Macon. the next large center. the
read is gravel and sand-Clay, but
leaving Macon one finds an excellent
hard surfaced highway that covers
about one-tifth of the way to Tifton.
Half way between Tifton and Naldosta
one will encounter concrete again and
after this. there is but one negligible
spot of natural" road on the way to
Lake City. the western gateway to
Florida.
Arriving at Lake City one will find
thai Florida has gone ahead rapidly
with its road work since last Win