Book Answers Question, 'What's Great About I-95?'
By John Ostapkovich
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - This story is something that may take a little getting-used-to, given how the morning commute usually goes around here. It's a book in praise of I-95.
Pittsburgh native Barbara Barnes says she got the idea for What's Great About I-95? by driving the Pennsylvania Turnpike and saying, 'man, this is one boring road.' I-95 which runs from Maine to Florida except for that little mix-up in New Jersey, is longer and boring-er, so she compiled interesting things that happened at various mileposts along the way. 
Like at milepost 20 in Philadelphia: "One of my favorite things is the Sparks shot tower. They found out if they dropped molten lead straight down into a little pile of water it would make perfect balls, so he made his own shot."
The tower looks like an old smokestack near Front and Carpenter.
Heading north, at milepost 157 in Maine, you'll pass near Sabasticook Lake. "It was just an ordinary lake. As you know, Maine has a million lakes up there, but there was a drought one year and the lake level fell so far it revealed an ancient fish trap. It turned out to be a 6,000 year-old fish trap."
In South Carolina, the book treats travelers to the story of Joel Roberts Poinsett, a politician assigned to Mexico who brought back that festive Christmas plant that bears his name.
Barnes says her book is not the kind of guide with things you off 95 to find, but just wave at as you pass. She says she doesn't go into the traffic jams because, well, you'll find out soon enough.
