Born in the footprints of a young surveyor named George Washington, U.S. 50 has deviated little from the path he mapped to the Ohio River. It remains a two-lane road - a "The Forgotten Highway" - through an America missed by those seeking the quickest drive between two points. It takes the skill of an attentive driver to negotiate the twists, turns, steep declines and sharp rises as the road snakes across a section of America most travelers never see. It remains intimate, enough so to allow visitors to share the joys and heartaches of the folks who live along the route. On this journey from the East Coast to Washington, the author finds the charm of dozens of small towns like Middleburg and Upperville (Va.) Romey and West Virginia (W. Va.), Athens and Chillicothe (Ohio), Vincennes and Versailles (Ind.) and Salem and Carlyle(Ill.). And he records conversations with museum keepers, mayors and an assortment of personalities that add to the flavor of this interesting travel guide. "Thanks again for another good book," June Gregg, Bainbridge, Ohio. " A wonderful book . . . an extensive job. I enjoyed it," Mayor Jimmy Colombo, Parkersburg, W. Va.