WELCOME
On this website you can view photographs that I have taken during my travels exploring the roadscape, and read about the places that I have visited, alone or with my faithful canine companion, Ruby.
I have a fascination with historic architecture and with the history of the automobile and automobile travel. In particular U.S. 40 – which superseded the Cumberland Road, or the Old National Road, and was replaced by Interstate 70 – peaked my interest as I travel frequently between Ohio and Kansas City using said I-70. Traveling and photographing the four-state stretch from Wheeling, WV, to East St Louis, IL, started in 2014 and took the better part of the decade thereafter. You can find my travelogues under the heading “U.S. 40” organized going from east to west. Initially, my intent was to document each and every aspect of the Old National Road and its later incarnations. This evolved into quite a lengthy pictorial narration that hopefully is of interest to readers.
Shorter photo-blogs are found under the heading “Day Trips” exploring sites and buildings that piqued my interest.
Choose any of the links below for specific topics
About Me
I am a professor in the Department of Geography and Atmospheric Science at the University of Kansas. When I don’t have to be in Lawrence KS to teach or do other university-related work I spent my time at Indian Lake.
On many of the trips featured on these pages Ruby has been my faithful travel companion. She was a Puggle rescued from Wayside Waifs in Kansas City and shown in the photograph on the left.
Ruby passed away peacefully on March 10, 2023.
Comments, suggestions, and corrections
I welcome any corrections or additions to anything written on these pages.
Feel free to email me:
cjvdv1956@gmail.com
“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J.R.R. Tolkien
Copyright Notice
© Unauthorized use and/or duplication of photographic material on this website without express and written permission from this site’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Travels with Ruby with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.