I'm really not a fan of the New York State Thruway. I don't like paying the toll, and it too quickly zips you past some of WNY's beautiful scenery. When I do drive it, I can't help but feel I'm being jettisoned down a pneumatic tube. There's not much to the right of me, and even less on the left. Just zoom, zoom past guard rails and weeds to my destination.
When my wife and I needed to drive to Massachusetts for a wedding last spring, we traversed nothing but New York's "back roads." Avoiding the Thruway added two hours to our trip both ways, but it was worth it. We saw every rustic village along the way and ate in some nice locally owned restaurants, rather than cookie-cutter chains at Thurway rest stops.
As we drove along the 5 & 20, I thought what a great route -- the businesses should band together along the 5 & 20 to promote tourism. When I got home, I found this 5 & 20 Web site.
Kelly Rapone, over at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, is involved in a 5 & 20 promotional project and asked that I pass along a link to a survey the group is doing. If you take the survey you will be entered into a chance to win a $100 gas card.
So, take the survey, drive the 5 & 20, and support local and regional businesses.
