| The year was 1900. Henry Ford and Ransom Eli | | | | |
| Olds had their cars on the road, and the | | | | Amazing, isn't it? |
| speed limit for this new mode of | | | | |
| transportation was 10 miles per hour. Just | | | | Imagine leaving New York at 6:00 a.m., having |
| imagine... | | | | lunch with Grandma in California at noon, and |
| | | | dinner at five... then returning to New York |
| 9 hours to travel across New Jersey's 90 | | | | in time for the 11:00 news. |
| miles. (Today... about 1-1/2 hours) | | | | |
| | | | We have, understandably, become a traveling |
| 30 hours to travel across the central part of | | | | world. |
| Virginia's 300 miles. (Today... about 5 | | | | |
| hours) | | | | Also, we have become travelers demanding |
| | | | comfort, safety, and reasonable cost in our |
| 31 hours to travel across Pennsylvania's 310 | | | | traveling. This has been assured by a |
| miles (Today... about 5 hours) | | | | longtime American tradition - competition! |
| | | | |
| Cross country ... forget it! We're talking | | | | Airlines, railways, bus companies, car rental |
| about 300 hours nonstop! | | | | businesses, hotels, resorts, and makers of |
| | | | travel needs such as luggage, camping gear, |
| And that's by car. Now go back a little | | | | etc., compete with like entities for the |
| further to the horse and buggy days, and a | | | | millions of travelers who use such services |
| lot further to the covered wagon days, and it | | | | every day. |
| becomes obvious that - by comparison - we are | | | | |
| living in an era when our country has become | | | | Another time-saver for travelers is the |
| much like our "backyard." | | | | method of finding the "best deal." The |
| | | | Internet has all but replaced the "walk-in" |
| Now look at the figures above and replace | | | | travel agency, with millions of travelers |
| state crossings by car with an airplane. | | | | planning their trips through the many sites |
| | | | available to them from the comfort of their |
| New Jersey - a fraction of an hour. | | | | homes - via the internet! |
| | | | |
| Virginia - maybe an hour and a half | | | | The Keyword "travel" will lead the traveler |
| | | | to many sites which cover the traveler's |
| Pennsylvania - maybe an hour and a half | | | | needs from his or her front doorstep to the |
| | | | exotic island, the exciting European capitol, |
| Cross-country - six hours | | | | or the hot sands at the seashore just a few |
| | | | states away. Some sites include luggage and |
| It is not unusual for travelers to go around | | | | camping gear deals as well as travel |
| the world in the length of time it would have | | | | arrangements. |
| taken in bygone days to cross one of our | | | | |
| states. The world has become much like "the | | | | There is no limit to the opportunities that |
| next town." | | | | await the traveler on the Internet. |