Less Beaten Paths

Road Trip Home from Idaho – Day 5: Des Moines, IA to Springfield, IL – Dutch, American Pickers and Cozy Dogs

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Sumoflam

Antique Archaeology

April 3, 2013: Yet another day on the road home as Julianne and I take our time to see a few of the sites on the way. This day we drove from Des Moines to a couple places in Iowa and eventually into Illinois. Here is our route:

View Larger Map – Des Moines, IA to Springfield, MO

First thing we did was head to Pella, Iowa, which is not too far from Des Moines. Pella prides itself as being a “Touch of Holland” and indeed is very Dutch. Home of the largest working Dutch windmill in the United States. Pella was originally settled in 1847 by about 800 Dutch immigrants. They named the town Pella, which in Dutch means City of Refuge, due to the fact that these immigrants were fleeing religious persecution in their home country of the Netherlands. Pella is also the birthplace of Wyatt Earp, the famed sheriff of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Downtown Pella

Welcome to Pella

We had been advised by friends to definitely try the “Dutch Letters” while here. Dutch Letters are a flaky almond paste filled pastry. Shaped like an S, they were apparently a traditional Christmas pastry in Holland. We stopped at the Jaarsma Bakery on Franklin Street in Pella to have some of these. They would be our breakfast. Turns out they have a lot of other goodies!!

Jaarsma Bakery – Pella, Iowa

Yummy Goodies at Jaarsma Bakery

Almond Pies at Jaarsma Bakery

Famous “Dutch Letters” from Jaarsma Bakery

Another treat we were advised to try was Pella Ring Bologna. There are two well known places to get this ring bologna in Pella and we stopped at Ulrich’s Meat Market which is a couple doors down from the Jaarsma Bakery. Not onl is the ring bologna good — the meat sticks were fabulous!!

Try smoking Pella Bologna

Pella Ring Bologna

The town of Pella is quaint and picturesque. It was a pleasure to walk around and see some of the scenery, including a few smaller windmills and the larger one. Here are a few scenes from Pella.

Daffodils in Bloom – Pella, IA

Pella is famed for its tulips, but we were too early for them. But, daffodils are another Dutch bulb plant. And they were in full bloom.

Colorful building fronts in Pella, IA

Unique building corner turret in Pella, IA

Small Clock Tower in Pella

Old Brick Wall Advertisement in Pella

Dutch-style Tiled Walls in Pella

Dutch Wooden Shoes – Pella, IA

Of course, perhaps the most famous thing in Pella (besides the famed Pella window factory) is the huge authentic working Dutch Windmill. The Vermeer Mill, as it is called, is an 1850s style working windmill. It is 124 feet tall and is the largest working windmill of its kind in the United States. The mill is totally wind powered and is actually used like the windmills of old to grind wheat into flour. It was built in Holland and assembled in Pella in 2002.

Sumoflam and the Vermeer Windmill

Vermeer Windmill – Pella, Iowa

Vermeer Windmill towers above Pella to catch the wind

There is a Dutch Interpretive Center and small Dutch Village attached to the Windmill. Within its confines are a number of Dutch style buildings , including Wyatt Earp’s birthplace. We didn’t go into the village since admission was $10 per person, which we though was rather pricy.

After a pleasant time in Pella, we were back on the road. With my penchant for going to strange named towns, I wanted to make our way down some back roads to What Cheer, Iowa. Originally named Petersburg in 1865 but was renamed What Cheer in 1879 after the Postal Service declined the name of Petersburg. The Wikipedia article linked here has some details as to the origin of the name What Cheer.

Welcome to What Cheer, Iowa

Ironically, as we drive through town, I exclaimed to my wife that the town name should be “What Cheer?” as the small town looks like it is falling apart and many of the businesses have been abandoned. There were a little over 600 people in this small town according to the 2010 census.

Back road to What Cheer, IA…. a six mile long dirt road. My GPS took us this route!!

Downtown What Cheer – many abandoned buildings

Reminiscent of downtown Pella, there is one nicely kept building in What Cheer, with the nice corner turret. It used to be a bank, but is apparently now a residence.

Corner Tower on building in What Cheer, IA

Corner Turret on building in What Cheer, IA

What Cheer

What Cheer Post Office – even this sign is becoming illegible and run down

What Cheer, Iowa

There was one other refreshing site in town. One home had some unique artwork surrounding the yard.

Bonnie’s House in What Cheer, IA

Wheel Fence at Bonnie’s house in What Cheer

A “Flower Bed” in What Cheer, Iowa

From What Cheer we made our way northeast to I-80 and then into Le Clair, Iowa, a small touristy town along the Mississippi River. This was my second visit to Le Claire as I had been here before to visit Antique Archaeology, home of the “American Pickers” TV show on History Channel. On my previous visit back in June 2012 I even got to meet Danielle and get a shot with her.

Sumoflam with Danielle Colby Cushman - June 20, 2012

Sumoflam with American Pickers star Danielle Colby – June 2012

When I visited in June last year Danielle had a shop in Le Claire across the street from Antique Archaeology called 4 Miles 2 Memphis. She is actually well known for “up-cycling” things and making them into clothing, jewelry, etc. The shop has since moved to Chicago.

Antique Archaeology, home of American Pickers

Antique Archaeology’s famous old car

Antique Archaeology

Sumoflam at Antique Archaeology

There are lots of unique things for sale at the shop, many which had been picked from shows past. Here is a small sample of some of the things in the shop. Recognize anything?

Old boots and stuff – Antique Archaeology

Motorcycle Goggles and Hat – Antique Archaeology

Mike’s favorite subject – Indian Motorcycles – Antique Archaeology

Yucky Mask – Antique Archaeology

Old Motorcycle – Antique Archaeology

Laurel and Hardy and Sumoflam

A video clip of the American Pickers episode with the Laurel and Hardy masks.

You would be mistaken if you think that Antique Archaeology is the center piece of Le Claire. This unique little town is chock full of personality, antique shops and more.

Old neon for Pelo’s Sundries

Old back porch behind Pelo’s in Le Claire

Pelo’s is your typical old sundry and fountain type shop, except that it now has a coffee shop, open mike nites and more.

River Boats in Le Claire, IA

Wooden Flag in Le Claire, IA

More Antiques – Mike and Frank are not the only pickers in town

The Auction Center

Old Milk Cans – Le Claire, IA

Lots of stuff – Le Claire, IA

More stuff – Le Claire, IA

Whimsy in Le Claire

Julianne was thrilled to visit some of the shops, but her biggest thrill was being able to “pick” a 1930s quilt from a shop in Le Claire. This hand pieced and hand sewn quilt was in a small shop along the river. The gal in the shop obviously didn’t know quilts like Julianne does as she had this quilt for sale for $150!! It was a splurge purchase for us, but, we believe that the value of this quilt is really closer to $800 or $1000 due to its age and almost pristine quality, along with all of the 1930s fabric.

Julianne all smiles after getting a steal of a deal on a quilt. She is a Real Picker!!

Le Claire was fun

We could have spent more time in Le Claire, but had to move on. My ultimate goal stop for the day was to get to Cozy Dog in Springfield, Illinois.

Illinois Route 66

Springfield is one of those iconic Route 66 towns and along this road is the Cozy Dog Drive In, which claims to be the home of the all-American famed Corn Dog! Though there is some dispute as to the true origin of the corn dog, the Cozy Dog story is that Ed Walmire and his friend Don Strand invented the deep fried battered hot dog on a stick while stationed in Amarillo, Texas during World War II. They called them crusty curs, but, upon Ed’s return to Springfield, Ed and his wife decided on the name “Cozy Dog” and began selling them from their house and at the Illinois State Fair in 1946. Ed’s wife designed the “hot dogs in a loving embrace logo” for the drive in. In 1996 they moved their Drive In a bit up the road to its current location and gave it a decidedly Route 66 theme.

Cozy Drive In – Home of the famous Hot Dog on a Stick

Route 66 Memorabilia in Cozy Drive In

Cozy Drive In – Springfield, Illinois

Typical Table Top at Cozy Drive In – Springfield, Illinois

Cozy Drive In is an official Route 66 attraction

And of course, this is why we come to Cozy Dog – not healthy at all, but sure Yummiferous!!

Cozy Dogs and Homemade Fries – Cozy Dog – Springfield, IL

We got our kicks with a Cozy Dog!!

Sumoflam and Cozy Dog

This was officially our final stop on the way home so it was a perfect place to “cozy up” with my sweetheart….

Cozying up at Cozy Dog

After spending the night in Springfield, Julianne and I booked it back to our old Kentucky Home in Lexington. It was a long trip, almost 2,800 miles (including side trips into towns, etc.) and over 55 hours of driving time. We traveled from Rexburg, ID to Shelby, MT (to see the grandkids) and then across northern Montana, south into North and South Dakota, east thru Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and finally home. This was Julianne’s longest road trip ever (her previous one was when we moved from Mesa, AZ to Frankfort, KY in 1991 — that was about 2100 miles).

Map of our entire road trip – April 2013 – over 2800 miles

Now that is how you ENJOY THE RIDE!!

Some roadside assistance provided by friends at……

Posted in Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Montana, North Dakota, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, South Dakota, Television Shows, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon | Tagged American Pickers, Antique Archaeology, Corn Dogs, Cozy Dogs, Danielle Colby, Dutch Letters, Dutch Windmills, Eateries, Jaarsma Bakery, Le Claire, Mississippi River, Pella, Pella Bologna, Route 66, Springfield, Ulrich's Meats, Vermeer Windmill, What Cheer, Wyatt Earp, Yard Art | Leave a comment

Road Trip Home from Idaho – Day 4: Oacoma, SD to Des Moines, IA

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Sumoflam

Covered Bridges of Madison County in Iowa

April 2, 2013: After a good night’s rest in Oacoma, we were back on the road heading east with our first planned stop being an early morning visit to the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota.

View Larger Map – Oacoma, SD to Des Moines, IA

Originally built in 1892 as the “Corn Belt Exposition,” it became an iconic landmark and attraction in Mitchell after 1921. Every year the exterior decorations are stripped and a new theme is created. The work is done by local artists. The 2013 theme is “We Celebrate” and each mural is a depiction of an American holiday. The artists use 13 different colors or shades of corn to decorate with. Typically there are over 275,000 ears of corn used annually on the murals. There is a nice list of the history of the murals here. The Corn Palace has a full sized basketball court inside and even has big name concerts.

The Corn Palace – 2013

One of the Corn Pillars of the Corn Palace

World’s Only Corn Palace

Mural depicting Easter

Mural depicting Valentine’s Day

Sumoflam at the Corn Palace

Not sure which of these two is the cornier??

Not all corn in Mitchell. There is also a giant cow advertising a steak house

From Mitchell we continued east on I-90 toward Sioux Falls. Unbeknownst to me, in the small town of Montrose, South Dakota, right off the freeway (near Exit 374), there was an unusual site. I actually pulled onto the shoulder to get out and get shots of what is known as the Porter Sculpture Park, which includes an amazing 60-foot tall bull’s head, which is what got me. For some reason I had overlooked this one!! I got a few photos from where I was, but was already past the exit and we were pushing the clock.

60 foot tall bull’s head at Porter’s Sculpture Park

Porter’s Sculpture Park, Montrose, SD

A skeleton sentry watches over the park

A giant hammer adorns the park’s whimsical displays

Vultures that represent politicians and buzzards holding giant knives are just some of the over 40 creations that came from the inventive mind of Wayne Porter, a blacksmith who uses his appreciation of history to create metallic works of art at his establishment. Apparently, Porter spent approximately three years creating the 25-ton bull’s head which is mostly made out of railroad tie plates. This could definitely be the largest bull’s head statue around.

A hodge podge of scrap metal art at Porter’s Sculpture Park in Montrose, SD

Porter Sculpture Park as seen from a Google Satellite image

From Montrose we continued east towards Sioux Falls and then on to I-29 south past Sioux City, Iowa. Along the way I saw a sign for Onawa, Iowa noting it as the home of the Eskimo Pie. I had to drive through the town of about 3000 and see if we could find where it was invented. Research shows me that someone named Christian Nelson invented it in 1920. Interestingly enough, he originally called it an I-Scream Bar. He later partnered with candy maker Russell Stover to patent the product. (See History here) They also claim to have the widest Main Street in the U.S.A. Though I drove around a bit, I couldn’t find a museum or anything…but, there were the hanging banners!! I wish I could have found an Eskimo Pie!!

Onawa, Iowa, Home of the Eskimo Pie

After that little detour we continued south until we hit I-680 north of Omaha and headed towards Des Moines on I-80 until we got to Exit 106. I have always wanted to go to Winterset, Iowa, famed for the “Covered Bridges of Madison County” (See a map here). Robert James Waller made these famous with his book called The Bridges of Madison County. The county originally had 19 covered bridges, but now only six remain. There are actually a couple of other places in Ohio with quite a few covered bridges including the bridges in Greene County (see map) near Xenia (see my write up of my visit to many of these), the 18 bridges in Fairfield County (also see map) and the 17 bridges in Ashtabula County (also see map here), including the newest and longest, which is the Smolen-Gulf Bridge at 613 feet long (see my photo of this bridge). There are just over 125 covered bridges still in the United States and I have been fortunate to have visited many of them. Therefore this was an exciting visit for me.

Madison County Courthouse, Winterset, Iowa

First thing you see in Winterset is the amazing Madison County courthouse! This courthouse was built in 1876. The Renaissance Revival structure has four wings which join to form a Greek cross. The silver-colored dome reaches a height of 136 feet (41.5 m) into the air and it contains a 1500-pound (680.4 kg) bell. The inside is wonderful as well. I got to go in for a look see.

Fons and Porter’s Quilt Shop – Winterset, Iowa

Across the street from the Courthouse is the famous Fons and Porter’s Quilt shop. Fons and Porter are two famous quilters that have produced a TV Show, the Love of Quilting Magazine and more. Though I am not a quilter, my wife is and she was excited to visit here. We found out that the store front was built specifically because people were always looking for one in their travels to Winterset.

Building front in Winterset

More Winterset building fronts

Winterset is also famous as the Birthplace of John Wayne. I did drop by there for a visit. The visitor’s center was closed when we got there, but I did get a photo opp in front.

Sumoflam at the Birthplace of John Wayne

John Wayne Drive, Winterset, Iowa

John Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, the son of Clyde and Mary Brown Morrison. Interestingly, on May 24-25 (in nine days), the center will host Maureen O’Hara, who starred with John Wayne in 5 of his movies. Over his 50-year career, John Wayne appeared in more than 175 movies from major Hollywood epics to shorts, documentaries, promotional films, television shows and special appearances. Though there are actors who may have appeared in more movies, it is yet to be seen if any actor will ever better Duke’s record of being the lead in more than 140 films.

Welcome to Winterset, Covered Bridge Capital of Iowa

Cedar Covered Bridge, Winterset, Iowa

But the real interest in Winterset was the covered bridges. Our first one was the Cedar Covered Bridge. This bridge was built in 1883 by Benton Jones and is 73 feet long.

Side view of the Cedar Bridge

Unfortunately, the original Cedar bridge was destroyed by an arsonist in September 2002. They have reconstructed it and the new bridge was dedicated on October 9, 2004.

Roseman Covered Bridge in Winterset, Iowa

Like the Cedar Bridge, the Roseman Covered Bridge was also built by Benton Jones. It is 107 feet long. This bridge is also known as the “haunted” bridge. Apparently this is where two sheriff’s posses trapped a county jail escapee in 1892. It is said the man rose up straight through the roof of the bridge, uttering a wild cry, and disappeared. He was never found, and it was decided that anyone capable of such a feat must be innocent. This bridge was renovated in 1992.

Holliwell Covered Bridge in Scott, Iowa

The Holliwell Covered Bridge is another bridge built by Benton Jones in 1880. It is the longest of the Madison County bridges at 122 feet. It is located in Scott, Iowa. Like the others, it was renovated in 1995.

Holliwell Covered Bridge, Scott, Iowa

Along the way to Holliwell, we came across a nice pond with a Blue Heron ( I love these birds!!) and a nice windmill shot.

Old Windmill on road to Holliwell Covered bridge

Herry the Heron visited us near Scott, Iowa

We didn’t have time to get to the Hogback Covered Bridge or the Cutler-Donahoe Bridge, but we did make it to the Imes Covered Bridge in St. Charles, Iowa. This bridge was built in 1877 and actually moved three times. It was moved to its current location in 1977. this is the oldest of the remaining covered bridges, though it was also renovated in 1997. It is 81 feet in length.

St. Charles, Iowa welcome sign near Imes Covered Bridge

Imes Covered Bridge, St. Charles, Iowa

From St. Charles it was a short jump to I-35 and we went north into Des Moines for the night. It was a beautiful day going through Iowa.

Posted in Animals, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Bridges, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Giant Things, Iowa, Large Statues, South Dakota, Television Shows, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places | Tagged Bird Photos, Birthplace of John Wayne, Blue Heron, Cedar Covered Bridge, Corn Palace, Covered Bridges of Madison County, Eskimo Pie, Fons and Porters Quilt Shop, Giant Bull Head, Giant Cow, Holliwell Covered Bridge, Imes Covered Bridge, Iowa, Madison County, Mitchell, Montrose, Offbeat Attractions, Onawa, Porter Sculpture Park, Roadside Attractions, Roseman Covered Bridge, Scrap Metal Animals, scrap metal sculptures, Scrap Metal Statues, South Dakota, St. Charles, States and Provinces, Sumoflam, Winterset | Leave a comment

Road Trip Home from Idaho – Day 3: Glendive, MT thru Enchanted Highway, Mt. Rushmore to Oacoma, SD

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Sumoflam

South Dakota Badlands in northern South Dakota as seen from SD Hwy 79

April 1, 2013: We started the month of April off with a non-foolish bang as we got up fairly early to hit the road towards home, with a detour through North and South Dakota.

This is the route we took on this leg of the trip:

View Larger Map - Glendive, MT to Oacoma, SD

We first took a brief zip around Glendive to catch some of the sights…

Giant Dinosaur Sign in Glendive, Montana next to the museum

Mural at the Glendive Museum

There were signs like these in various parts of Glendive

Glendive, Montana is surrounded by badlands and there have been many finds of dinosaur bones and tracks in the area, thus the signs, museum, etc. We went to Makoshika State Park, which is a nice badlands area. In fact, Makoshika is a Lakota word for “land of bad spirits.”

A peak in Makoshika State Park in Glendive, Montana

Badlands in Makoshika State Park

More badlands in Makoshika State Park

From Glendive we headed east on I-94 towards North Dakota with a brief stop to get the sign for “Home on the Range”, an unusual sign in the middle of the prairie in North Dakota, east of Beach, ND. It turns out that Home on the Range is a working Catholic-run ranch for boys and girls ages 12-19, especially those that were abused or come from broken families. It helps them readjust and cope. Appears to be a great program.

Home on the Range sign in North Dakota

We continued east until we got to Exit 72, which leads to the Enchanted Highway, one of those AWESOME adventure highways with some unique roadside attractions. I recently did a full blog post just on this highway. Therefore, I will only post a couple of photos here. Please see the blog post for the details on that portion of this trip.

The Enchanted Highway in Western North Dakota

The main attractions are shown below.

“Geese in Flight” – Stop #1 on Enchanted Highway. Off of I-94, Exit 72

Enchanted Highway Stop #2 – ‘Deer Crossing”

Giant Grasshopper at Stop #3, "Grasshoppers in the Field"

Enchanted Highway Stop #3, “Grasshoppers in the Field”

Enchanted Highway Stop #4 – “Fisherman’s Dream”

Enchanted Highway Stop #5 – Pheasants on the Prairie

Enchanted Highway Stop #6 – Teddy Rides Again

Enchanted Highway Stop #7 – Tin Family

After the trip down the Enchanted Highway, we arrived in the small town of Regent, home of the Enchanted Highway museum and gift shop, the Enchanted Castle Hotel and a couple of gas stations. We had hoped to eat lunch there, but nothing was open. And it was a Monday….oh well…

End of the Road – Enchanted Castle Hotel in Regent, ND…includes a drawbridge!

Still hungry, we decided to move on and head south towards Mt. Rushmore. We went west on ND Hwy 21 until we got to Hwy 22 and then went south towards South Dakota. We stayed on Hwy 22 until we got to South Dakota.

Welcome to South Dakota

Scene from ND Hwy 22 heading south

Badlands in Northern South Dakota off of HWY 79 – also see the photo at the top of this post

Typical Landscape in North and South Dakota

We then followed SD Hwy 79 all the way into Newell, South Dakota, which is known as the Sheep Capital of the United States. We meandered into T.J.’s Cafe and Waterin’ Hole in Newell for lunch. It was almost 3 PM so we were quite hungry. This unique diner was what we needed. I loved some of the furnishings, as you can see below.

Livestock Sign – Newell, SD

T J’s Cafe in Newell, SD

Bar Stools (or should I say saddles) at TJ’s Cafe in Newell, SD

Wall Decoration at TJ’s Cafe in Newell, SD

Sign at the door of TJ’s Cafe in Newell, SD. Bear in mind this is sheep country.

TJ’s Cafe Lunch – a Reuben Sandwich and Sweet Potato Fries

After a nice lunch and some homemade pie for dessert, we were back on the road heading towards Mount Rushmore. On the way we passed through Sturgis, SD, famed for its annual motorcycle event in August. I had never been here. We passed right by the Full Throttle Saloon, claimed to be the World’s Largest Biker Bar and also famed for its TV Show on TRU-TV, which, but the way, I have never watched.

Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, SD

Giant scrap metal chopper and rider at Full Throttle Saloon

Lighting was not good for this shot, so see this photo for a better one (not my photography).

Giant Muffler Man turned cowboy at Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, SD

Sturgis T-Shirt Shop

From Sturgis we booked it down to Keystone and to Mt. Rushmore.

Welcome to Keystone, SD

We pulled through Keystone, SD at about 5:10 PM on our way to Mt. Rushmore. As this was the off season, almost everything was closed. We made it to the National Monument after closing time but still with daylight. We were able to get up into the parking lot for free and got some good photos before the sunset.

Mt. Rushmore – April 1, 2013

Profile shot of George Washington

Julianne and David at Mt. Rushmore, April 1, 2013 – no joke!

We were thrilled to be able to see Mt. Rushmore. BY the time we were done it was getting dark. We headed east from there, passed by the Badlands National Park, by Underwood, South Dakota, home of the World’s SMALLEST Biker Bar, and by Wall Drug (which I have visited in the past – see my post from 2005). We also passed by the big dinosaur skeleton being led by a human skeleton near Pioneer Village and could barely make it out as it had gotten dark.

Walking the Pet Dino near Exit 170 (Pioneer Village) on I-90. It is on the north of the freeway. I took this in 2005.

We finally got into Oacoma, SD, our stop for the night. It was another long day, but was lots of fun!! Nothing like a full day of road tripping and seeing the sights and creating the memories!!

Posted in Animals, Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Giant Things, Large Statues, National Monuments, National Parks, North Dakota, Roadside Attractions, South Dakota, Television Shows, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places | Tagged Badlands, Big Things, Dinosaurs, Enchanted Highway, Full Throttle Saloon, Glendive, Home on the Range, Keystone, Makoshika, Montana, Mt. Rushmore, Muffler Man Statue, Newell, North Dakota, Offbeat Attractions, Quirky Attractions, Regent, Roadside Attractions, scrap metal sculptures, Sheep Capital of America, South Dakota, Sturgis, TJ's Cafe | 7 Comments

Road Trip Home from Idaho – Day 2: Along the Montana Hi-Line from Shelby to Glendive

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Sumoflam

Abandoned Schoolhouse – Fresno, Montana (east of Kremlin)

March 31, 2013: After spending a few wonderful days in Shelby, Montana with family (see my previous post on Shelby), it was time to head back to Kentucky. This segment of the trip we would take US Route 2 along what is called the Montana Hi-Line. Basically, the highway parallels the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF). The full Hi-Line in Montana stretches from North Dakota to Idaho border, for a distance of more than 650 miles. However, it seems that to many of the residents in the area, the Hi-Line is really the stretch of US Route 2 from about Cut Bank, MT all the way east to the North Dakota border. US Route 2 is the northernmost east-west route in the United States and is broken into two segments – the western segment is the longest stretching from Everett, WA all the way to St. Ignace, MI for a distance of 2112 miles. We drove the route all the way to Wolf Point, MT and then headed south to Glendive, for a total of about 420 miles for the day.

View Larger Map - Shelby, MT to Glendive, MT

The Hi-Line drive is predominantly wind swept rolling prairies, wheat fields and small towns dotted with tall grain elevators, silos and old abandoned buildings. The hey day of the early railroads is long gone and many of the towns now cling to life with farming and support of the BNSF tracks that run though the dozen or so small towns.

A typical Hi-Line scene

Between Shelby and Chester there is not much. We passed by the Frontier Bar in Dunkirk and then, past there we saw a few old wooden cabins, barns and elevators.

Old Wooden Homestead east of Shelby, MT

Wind Blown Cabin near Galata, MT

As a throwback to the 60s, we did come across an old RV Park in Galata, MT. I loved the old vintage sign.

RV Motel in Galata, MT

Train tracks and silos span the entire way along Route 2. Scenes like the one below are not at all uncommon.

Tracks and Silos just west of Galata, MT

Old Wooden Grain Elevator near Chester, Montana

Continuing east from Galata, our next stop was in Chester, MT, a town of about 850 people. You can tell by the welcome signs that it is most definitely a railroad town.

Chester, Montana welcome sign on East side of town

Chester, Montana welcome sign on West side of town

Museum Sign near Chester, MT

Spud’s Cafe – Chester, MT

Old Car – Chester, MT

Main Street, Chester, Montana

Old Sugar Shack Diner, Chester, Montana

Apparently, the Sugar Shack Diner was a prefab “Valentine Diner” built by Valentine Manufacturing of Wichita, Kansas in the 1950s. It is a 10-stool diner built in 1953, with previous homes in Conrad and Chinook, before being moved here. There is an interesting site on these prefabs done by the Kansas Historical Society. Following is the advertising graphic for this type of diner from the 1950s:

Valentine “Little Chef” Diner model

Of course, I continue to collect Wall Art/Murals from my trips. Here are a couple I saw in Chester.

Wall Murals in Chester, Montana

Old Tractor Mural – Chester, Montana

From Chester we headed east. To the north we could see the Sweet Grass Hills far beyond the prairies. These are legendary to the local Blackfeet.

The Sweet Grass Hills

These are prominent in the area in that the three main buttes and the surrounding hills jut up out of the prairies, with a couple of them having a towering vertical rise of over 3000′ above the land level. The main hills are West Butte (6983′), Gold Butte (6512′) and East Butte (6958′). The three buttes and the hills between them run for about 50 miles east to west and are about 10 miles in distance from north to south.

Sweet Grass Hills north of US Hwy 2 just east of Chester, Montana

Sweet Grass Hills in the distance

Our next stop was in Joplin, Montana, a small town of barely 150.

Abandoned Grain Elevator – Joplin, Montana

Joplin, Montana sign

Joplin, Montana…Biggest Little Town on Earth

There wasn’t much in Joplin but a few buildings, so we pressed forward to Rudyard, Montana, which promised to have a bit more personality. Before we got to Rudyard, off to the right of the highway we came across a big metal triceratops skeleton. It was so random!

Rudyard Dinosaur – Triceratops

Rudyard Dinosaur – Front View

Sumoflam and Dino – near Rudyard, Montana

Apparently, this dinosaur is the work of a metal artist in Rudyard as I found another site that had some photos of some other pieces. I’ll check it out next time in Shelby to see the family.

Rudyard Welcome Sign

Like many of the towns on the Hi-Line, Rudyard is a small town. They claim to have 596 Nice People and 1 Old Sore Head as can be seen by the sign above. Even though the town is small, they also have a small museum, which apparently has some dinosaur-related things.

Rudyard Depot Museum

The charm of small towns are the museums and historical centers. Unfortunately, we were driving through on a Sunday afternoon and things were not open. But, Rudyard boasts a couple of museums – see the Rudyard Historical Society site for more details. Following are a few photos from Rudyard.

Hi-Line Theatre – operating since 1949

Vintage Auto Museum – Rudyard, Montana

See the link for the Vintage Auto Museum

Indian Motorcycle Sign – Rudyard, Montana (Mike from American Pickers would love it!)

The Sorehead Cafe – Rudyard, Montana — This must be the one sorehead??

Actually, there is apparently a story about “Old Sorehead” being a dinosaur. Check it out here. So, even though it is a small town, there is certainly a story here.

The other thing I learned about Rudyard is that it is the only populated spot in the United States that has an antipode that reaches a landmass. The antipode is the opposite point of any point on the surface of the Earth, so that if you connected the two points with a line through the center of the Earth, that line would be an exact diameter. Mathematically, the antipode of a point whose latitude and longitude are (A,B) equals (-A, B ± 180°). Almost everywhere in the U.S. hits a point in the Indian Ocean, except for two unpopulated sections of Colorado and then a section of Northern Montana (see this map). The town of Rudyard has an antipode in one of the small islands of the Kerguelen Islands (also known as the Desolation Islands) in the southern Indian Ocean. There is also a great little animation about antipodes here.

Silos near Kremlin, MT

Enough about geography…back on the road eastward with the next stop being Kremlin, Montana.

Kremlin Post Office, Kremlin, Montana

Welcome to Kremlin sign

The town of Kremlin apparently got its name from a Russian immigrant who was laying railroad track in the area around 1890. He saw the Bears Paws mountains in the distance and they reminded him of home. There is a nice story here.

Old McCabe Grain Elevator in Kremlin, MT

Continuing east on US Hwy 2 towards Havre we took a sideroad to visit a small abandoned schoolhouse in what used to be Fresno, Montana. This schoolhouse has been photographed numerous times and is kind of indicative what things looked like on the prairies. From US Hwy 2 we took a left on Smith-Frisno Road, crossed over the tracks and went north about a mile. The old schoolhouse is on the left…you can’t miss it. It’s actually about 8.5 miles from downtown Kremlin.

Old Abandoned Schoolhouse – Fresno, MT

Front view of old schoolhouse in Fresno, MT

Havre is probably the midway point on the Hi-Line and is by far the biggest town on the Hi-Line as well with more than 10,000 residents. The town was in incorporated in 1893 and was founded primarily to serve as a major a major service center for the Grand Northern Railroad which was built by James J. Hill, who was also known as “The Empire Builder.” The town was named for Le Havre in France due to the number of Frenchmen working with Hill.

James J. Hill Statue in front of Amtrak station in Havre

The main industry for many years has been the railroad. BNSF was, for many years, the main employer in town, though the hospital and a university may now be the biggest employers. It is also about 6 miles north of Fort Assiniboine which served as one of Montana’s chief military posts from 1879 through the early 1900s.

The “Main Drag” in Havre. US Hwy 2 runs right through the middle of town.

1960s Motel Sign in Havre, Montana. There are still a few of these in town.

Hands Across the Border Statue by Lyndon Pomeroy

Former Havre resident Lyndon Pomeroy is a well known Montana metal sculptor. He created the Hands Across the Border piece to represent U.S. and Canadian partnership in northern Montana. He has a few other works in Havre and also a number of them in Billings., where he now resides. He also has done a recent large piece for Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls.

The Canadian side of “Hands Across the Border” by Lyndon Pomeroy

The U.S. Border Patrol side in “Hands Across the Border” by Lyndon Pomeroy

Big Bison in downtown Havre

The above bison was created by Havre resident Cory Holmes, who used three miles of old telegraph wire to create this nine-foot long, six-foot tall 2000 pound bison. Cory is better known for his “Fence Post Art,” some of which can be seen here. He has work in 19 states and two Canadian provinces. The fence sculptures cover a wide range of subjects: people, animals, insects, abstract and impressionist pieces. Can’t wait for my next trip to Montana to look for these!!

Welcome to Havre sign at Amtrak Station

Stained Glass Goat on left of Welcome to Havre sign

Stained Glass Train on right of Welcome to Havre Sign

From Havre it was east to Chinook. This town of a little over 1200 people. Like many of the towns in northern Montana, Chinook was born from the railroad. In the late 1880s the railroad was coming through here and by the early 1900s the town had hotels, businesses and a bustling economy. In 1924 the Utah-Idaho Sugarbeet company moved to Chinook to make molasses and sugar beet pulp. There are still many nostalgic signs hanging in town.

Welcome to Chinook sign

Big water tower welcome in Chinook, Montana

Old Chinook Hotel Sign

Mint Bar neon in Chinook, Montana

Old Cowboy Bar – Chinook, Montana

Motel sign in Chinook, Montana

From Chinook the drive gets more scenic as it also runs along the Milk River. Unfortunately, the day was passing by as we passed small towns like Zurich, Harlem and Malta on our way into Glasgow. I wanted to get to Glasgow before dark so I could get shots of the dinosaur statues on a hill as you enter town. Another quirky way to end the daylight portion of the trip before pushing our to Wolf Point and then into Glendive.

Welcome to Glasgow – large metal artwork by Buck Samuelson

As you approach Glasgow from the west on US Hwy 2 you will see a large hill to the left, covered with metal art by local metal sculptor Buck Samuelson, who has some of his work cataloged by the Smithsonian Institute. See some closeups here.

Giant Dino by Buck Samuelson

Big Dino by Buck Samuelson

Giant Eagle by Buck Samuelson

A menagerie of animals by Buck Samuelson

Some bugs

Something by Buck Samuelson — who knows what this is?

It was really a long day, especially since we left Shelby at 2 PM to head east. We made it into Glendive around 11 PM, but had a great eventful day along the Hi-Line. The next day will be a fun one too with the Enchanted Highway and Mount Rushmore on the agenda!! Watch for that post soon.

Posted in Animals, Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Giant Things, Large Statues, Montana, Mythical Creatures, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, States and Provinces, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon | Tagged Abandoned buildings, antipode, back roads adventures, BNSF, Buck Samuelson, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Chester, Chinook, Cory Holmes, Fence Post Art, Galata, Glasgow, Glendive, Havre, Joplin, Kremlin, Lyndon Pomeroy, Montana, Montana Hi-Line, Murals, offbeat sights, Roadside Attractions, Route 2, Rudyard, scrap metal art, scrap metal buffalo, scrap metal dinosaurs, scrap metal sculptures, Shelby, Sweet Grass Hills, US Hwy 2, Valentine Diner's, Vintage Neon, wall art | Leave a comment

A Few Days in Shelby, Montana and surrounding area

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Sumoflam

Shelby, Montana

March 28, 2013: On our way back to Kentucky from Rexburg, Idaho we made a three day detour to Shelby, Montana to visit our daughter and her husband and their 4 children. During our three days here, we were very busy with a trip to the base of Glacier National Park, a drive around town capturing the “Neon Essence” of Shelby, and a trip north to Sweetgrass, just south of the Canadian border, where we also visited a Hutterite colony and learned of their amazing communal ways. This post will cover these activities through photos and some details.

Shelby, Montana — a railroad town

Shelby is a city of about 3400 people (including 6 of my children/grandchildren!!). It was started as a railroad town and continues as such today. Named after Peter O. Shelby of the Montana Central Railway, the town really got its start in 1891 when the Great Northern Railroad was making its way to the Marias Pass. The story goes that the builders threw a box car from the train and called it a station.

Old Motel Sign in Shelby, Montana

One of the endearing characters of Shelby is all of the old neon signs still hanging around the town. Obviously, as an Amtrak town, there are still lots of motels in Shelby. As well, it is a nice pit stop for many.

Vista Motel – Shelby, Montana

Sherlock Motel – Shelby, Montana

Big Motel sign in downtown Shelby

Old Motel Sign – Shelby, Montana

There are lots of bars and restaurants as well…

Oasis Bar – Shelby, Montana. Love the old Dancing neon sign

Sports Club – Excellent Food – Shelby, Montana

The Mint Club – Shelby, Montana

Montana Grill and Roxy Theater in Shelby, Montana

On a previous trip I took the kids to see a movie at the Roxy. Old style theater still in operation. It was fun.

Here are a few other scenes from around the town itself…

Wall Art in downtown Shelby

H-O Motor Supply – old advertising

Bowling anyone? – this is the only place to bowl in Shelby.

Unusual sign seen in a shop in Shelby

Iwo Jima Metal Art at Veteran’s Memorial in Shelby, Montana

Vietnam War Veteran John Alstad of Sunburst created most of the pieces at the Veteran’s Memorial in Shelby. He estimates he spent nearly 700 hours working on the various pieces at the monument, the most prominent of which is the Iwo Jima piece.

Found this old truck driving through a neighborhood in Shelby

As I noted, Shelby is a railroad town. As I drove around town getting the shots above, we were stuck at a track for nearly 20 minutes as a long train made its way to a grain elevator. The photo at the top shows the train at the elevator.

Long train running in Shelby, Montana

I have always enjoyed looking at the graffiti on trains. You see it all over the country. Here are a few examples I got as the train moved slowly past us. I couldn’t go anywhere, so, why not?

Train Graffiti

Train graffiti

After the trains, I drive a bit east of town on US 2 to get a view of Shelby from the hill. We came across this unique Historical Marker.

The Oily Boid gets the Woim – a unique historical marker

One of the evenings Julianne and I went with my daughter and her husband to the “premier” steak place in the Shelby area. Trust me, you would never know how good this place was inside by driving by it!! It is in an old whitewashed building literally in the middle of nowhere in a place called Dunkirk, on the outskirts of Shelby. All that is indicated is the sign.

Frontier Restaurant near Shelby, Montana

Mailbox outside of Frontier Bar and Grill

Hanging with the Frontier Guy

Frontier Bar in Dunkirk, east of Shelby

I guarantee that this place is no bull!!

Once in the place, it is a whole different story. Linen napkins and nice china. The water glasses were the nice stem ware one sees in an upscale restaurant. The prices are also synonymous with ritzy… But so was the meal.

Dinner at Frontier – 16 oz. Cajun blackened New York Strip with a huge potato and green beans

After a nice dinner, we walked out of the restaurant and OH WHAT A VIEW!!

Mountains to the north of Shelby, with an awesome sunset

Close up of Gold Butte – mountains on fire

The next day my son in law Aaron, his two boys and I all took off west towards Glacier National Park. Though it was officially closed, we were able to get close enough to the mountains to catch a beautiful sunrise. I will have a special photo album of shots of the mountains, but will include a couple of them here as well.

We left early, while still dark and headed towards Cut Bank and Browning. We then took Hwy 464 towards Duck Lake. As we headed north towards Babb, the sun began to rise.

Sunrise in Northern Montana near Babb, Montana

Snow covered prairies north of Browning, Montana

First sunrise on the mountains of Glacier National Park near Babbs, Montana

First sunrise on the mountains of Glacier National Park near Babb, Montana

Sunrise a little later in Glacier – Chief Mountain on Right, Sherburne Peak and Yellow Mountain on the left

Chief Mountain at sunrise

Heading to the mountains on Montana Hwy 464 near Duck Lake

Clouds in the Mountains near Babb, MT

Old truck – Babb, Montana

Babb Bar and Supper Club

After the sun was finally up, we backtracked to Babb and dropped in at the Leaning Tree Cafe, which is about a mile from the US 89 Junction. It opened at 8 AM and it was time for a great meal.

Leaning Tree Cafe, Babb, Montana

Leaning Tree Menu – lots of good breakfast

The kids were excited to eat at a place like this

They sell grubs here too – didn’t have any of those for breakfast

Mary runs the Leaning Tree Cafe. She makes a great breakfast

My breakfast at leaning tree – eggs, sausage, hash, potatoes and toast – YUM

Happy after my breakfast

You can see a complete gallery of the Glacier N.P. Mountains –> Click Here

We headed back towards Browning, and along the way saw a couple of bison. Not too good of shots, but, I didn’t want to get out of the car

Bison on Hwy 464

We made our way into Browning, Montana. The mountains were beautiful, but I was actually quite shocked at all of the garbage in the fields (mind you, I come from Lexington, KY which always looks like a park)

Browning, Montana – notice all of the garbage along the fence

Don’t Drink and Drive sign – makes for empty lodges

Big Lodge Espresso – the Espresso Tipi in Browning

Cowboy Museum in a Native American town

Murals on the side of a shop in Browning

Mural on the side of a shop in Browning

Metal Teepees in front of a shop in Browning

Another nice mural in Browning, Montana

From Browning we headed east again towards Cut Bank, we took a small detour off of US Hwy 2 to visit the Camp Disappointment historic site and monument near milepost 233. There is a historical marker as well as a large obelisk monument dedicated to the site.

Camp Disappointment Historical Sign

Camp Disappointment Monument west of Cut Bank, Montana

The biggest disappointment is all of the graffiti on the obelisk. I don’t know why people feel like they need to vandalize monuments like this.

Close up of text on the monument

Another shot of Camp Disappointment Monument

From Camp Disappointment we continued east into Cut Bank. The skies were clear blue and it was a great opportunity to stop and get some close up shots of the Blackfoot Warriors, made out of scrap metal. These were created by native Blackfeet artist Jay Polite Laber and were commissioned by the Blackfeet Tribal Leaders. They were created in 2000. He actually created a set of these to welcome travelers into the Blackfeet reservation from all four directions — the northern site is at the US/Canadian border on US 89, the eastern site in East Glacier on US Hwy 2, the western site is near Cut Bank on US Hwy 2 (these are below), and the southern site is on US 89 near Birch Creek and Heart Butte.

Blackfeet Warriors by Jay Polite Laber, in East Glacier, Montana

Blackfeet Warriors by Jay Polite Laber, in Cut Bank, Montana

Warrior 1 – by Jay Polite Laber, near Cut Bank, Montana

Warrior 2 – by Jay Polite Laber, near Cut Bank, Montana

The Warriors, by Jay Polite

Closeup of horse

From the warriors we went through town and made the requisite stop at the world’s largest penguin!

Cut Bank Penguin

Being another train town, there is a large Train Bridge in Cutbank

Cut Bank Creek Trestle, built in 1900

Even though we had a busy morning and got into Shelby around noon, we were then again back on the road north towards Sweetgrass and off to visit a Hutterite colony, which was an amazing experience.

Striped fields in Northern Montana

Blue roofed church in Sweetgrass, Montana

Another view of the Blue Roofed Church

From Sweetgrass we headed west on a dirt road towards the Hillside Colony of the Hutterites. AS we visited we learned some amazing things: the Hutterites are almost totally communal. All of them share everything. Unlike the Amish, the Hutterites have adopted technology and are fabulously industrious. They make their own clothes, they grow most of their own food, they all live in a small community. Their homes are sparse. It should be noted that I took a number of photos, with their permission, but, by their request, very few and only select photos are being added below.

Jerusalem Rocks near Sweetgrass

We saw the above rock formations on the way to Hillside. However, these were just an inkling of the bigger ones, which I have visited in the past.

On the road to the Hillside Colony

The Hillside Community

As seen above, the Hutterites in Hillside Colony live in the prefab buildings as seen above. The apartments are small and have little or no belongings in them. Each of the steps represent a single domicile.

The belongings in the kitchen

One thing noticed immediately, there are no stoves, ovens or refrigerators in the homes. They have a couple of chairs, perhaps a bench, a bed or two and some dressers. The bed frames, dressers, kitchen tables, the cup holder above and the chairs are all hand made in the community.

Home made chairs

The hat rack – the men wear hats in the public

Laundry Carts are used and they hang the laundry out. They do use washing machines

Communal Dining Room

All meals are eaten together as a community — men on one side, women on the other. The women prepare the meals while the men work out on the farms, the chicken coops, the woodworking section, or otherwise.

Hat hanger in the Dining Room

Hutterite Food Storage

Overall, we were so impressed about the kindness of the Hutterite folk. We picked up some potatoes, home made sausage and some of their wonderful bread. They are as industrious as bees and ants and all share completely. Each individual has their own assigned jobs, many for life. It was a great visit.

Cousin Thomas

One last little visit was made while we were in Shelby. We got to visit Harry J. Benjamin, who makes all kinds of trains and pedal cars. Below is his “De-Railed” Steam Engine, which he shows off in parades in northern Montana. This engine pulls a set of cars that reaches 60 feet long.

Harry J. Benjamin

Well past his 80′s, Mr. Benjamin, a former farmer and mechanic, is famed in the area for building things out of junk parts and pieces. He has built a number of trains, some other vehicles for the local high school and a number of children’s toys.

Harry driving his smaller train

Smokin…

Benjamin’s creations – a couple of tractors

De-Railed

Toy Tractor

Grandkids Enjoy the Ride

Here’s a video of one of his creations:

But, I must admit, the BEST part of the entire visit to Shelby was this….

….reading to the Grandkids

Next stop…heading home via US 2. Watch soon for the next great adventures on Less Beaten Paths.

Posted in Backroads Discoveries, Large Statues, Montana, National Parks, Roadside Attractions, States and Provinces, Train Bridges, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon | Tagged Babb, Big Things, Blackfeet, Browning, Buffalo, Camp Disappointment, Cut Bank, Cut Bank Creek Trestle, Frontier Bar & Grill, Giant Penguin, Glacier National Park, Gold Butte, Harry Benjamin, Hutterite Colonies, Iwo Jima, Leaning Tree Cafe, Lewis & Clark, metal art, Montana, Mountains, Photography, Roadside Attractions, scrap metal art, scrap metal sculptures, Shelby, States and Provinces, Sumoflam, Sweetgrass, train bridges, Trains, Veteran's Memorial, Vintage Neon | Leave a comment

Road Trip Home from Idaho – Day 1: Rexburg, ID to Shelby, MT

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Sumoflam

Gold Butte in Northern Montana as seen from Frontier Bar near Shelby, Montana

Mar. 27, 2013: After almost two weeks in Rexburg working with my new employer DSN America, it was time to return back to Kentucky and home sweet home. They had flown Julianne out to Idaho, so I was blessed to have my very best friend and sweetheart with me for the long drive home, with a brief stopover in Shelby, Montana to see our daughter and their kids. It was an easy first day.

Rexburg, ID to Shelby, MT

We left Rexburg in the afternoon and eventually zipped up I-15. We crossed over Monida Pass, which serve as the border between Idaho and Montana. The mountains were still snow covered and beautiful, especially as we came close to the Montana border.

Garfield Mtn (R) and Lima Peaks just south of Lima, Montana

Lima, Montana is just a small dot on the map and there is not much there. But, it is really a quite unique place. There are barely 200 people living in the town at the base of the mountains. Many of the buildings are really old. In some respects, the town almost looks like it is a period movie set rather than a real town. The Red River runs nearby the small town. Lima was originally called Allerdice until a train station for the Utah and Northern was built there. It was changed to Spring Hill at that time. It was eventually changed to Lima by Henry Thompson, who named it for his former home in Lima, Wisconsin.

Downtown Lima, Montana

We drove around the small town, much of which was dirt roads. There is a woodworker that makes whirly-gigs, a couple of interesting buildings and a unique kitschy store front.

Down Moose Alley to the hand made wood toys place

Wood Shop was closed when we got there

Whirly-gigs

Peat Bar and Hotel in Lima, Montana – Home of the Cook Your Own Steak

Peat Hotel – Lima, Montana

Peat Bar & Steak House

We also found the Lima Historical Society building, originally built in 1880. It was originally called the Bailey Building, having been built and resided in by E.A. Bailey and sons, as a Mercantile. It really did evoke an Old West feel to the place.

Lima Historical Society Building – Lima Skyscraper

Lima Historical Society

Perhaps the most interesting place we saw in town was the Wild West Weed Patch, at least that is what I think it is called based on the writing on the Saw Blade sign. The shop was not open, but there were a number of unique things there. Still, I am certainly not sure what it is called. The closest thing I have ever seen to this kind of hodge podge is Hillybilly Hotdogs in Lesage, West Virginia. (See my Trip Journal of my West Virginia Trip with photos)

The Wild West Weed Patch?? – shades of West Virginia’s Hillbilly Hotdogs

Wild West Weed Patch Sign – Lima, Montana

Steak and Burgers – Lima, Montana

Ice Cream Cones – Lima, Montana

Lots of Stuff

FJ’s Skull?

After our little diversion in Lima we continued north on I-15 until we got to Red Rock Ranch Rd., south of Dillon. On my trip down to Rexburg I had passed a ranch with hundreds of buffalo and I wanted a closer look on the way back to Shelby. So, the night before the trip there I did some research and discovered it was one of Ted Turner’s Buffalo Ranches. Called Red Rock Ranch, it could kind of be reached by taking Exit 29, north of Dell, Montana. We went under the freeway and then turned right and almost immediately the road was a dirt road. We followed it north, but alas, no buffalo to be seen. So, after almost getting all the way to Clark Canyon Reservoir, we turned around. Shortly down the road off to my left (the car window was open), I heard some birds squawking. At first I thought they were geese, but they sounded different. Then, all of a sudden I saw these two HUGE birds zip on past. I whipped out the camera and took a bunch of shots hoping that one would reveal the secret. Here are a couple of the shots of what I realized were Red-Crested Sandhill Cranes. I had never seen these in the wild so it was a real treat.

Sandhill Cranes near Red Rock Ranch in Montana

Such beautiful birds!!

Well, we did finally get to see the buffalo, but not until we were continuing north on I-15. I was determined to get some photos, so we stopped and I took these from my car on the side of the interstate.

Ted Turner’s Buffaloes on Red Rock Ranch

More of the Buffaloes

Buffaloes at Red Rock Ranch Rd. in Southern Montana

Thank goodness for telephoto lenses!!

We continued north and made a brief stop in Dillon. I wanted to just kind of drive through the town and get a glimpse of it. I had seen in my research that it had a very nice courthouse.

Big Moose Statue in Dillon, Montana

I saw this moose, to add to my collection, but the lighting was not too good. It was across the street from the post office.

Mural in Dillon, Montana

Beaverhead County Courthouse

Hotel Metlen in Dillon, Montana

The courthouse was one of the nice ones such as the ones can be seen in Texas and other places. But, it was not the only unique building. The Hotel Metlen was also a nice building. It was built in 1897 and is now apparently up for sale, based on the link above.

We then continued north on I-15 towards Butte and made a brief stop for fuel

Welcome to Butte

After Butte we zipped up the interstate through Helena and and then a brief stop in Great Falls to get a birthday present before heading to Shelby. Saw a nice George Washington statue at the Mall in Great Falls. Similar to the statues I saw in Jackson, Wyoming done by Gary Lee Price, but I am not sure if it his work.

George Washington at mall in Great Falls

Cuddling with GW

Finally, we made our way to Shelby to visit the grandchildren. We spent three nights in Shelby and during that time did a number of things. These will be noted in the next post.

Posted in Animals, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Idaho, Large Statues, Montana, Roadside Attractions, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places | Tagged Animal Photos, Buffalo, Butte, Courthouses, Dillon, Lima, Lima Peaks, Montana, Mountain Scenes, Old Buildings, Red Rock Ranch, Sandhill Crane | Leave a comment

Sumoflam is Everywhere – A Photo Gallery

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Sumoflam

Following is a gallery of over 300 photos of my travels in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan and the Philippines, covering a span of nearly 40 years. The unique thing about all of these is that I am in the photos.

Sumoflam and Thunderbirds in Bismarck, ND

Over the years I have taken nearly 30,000 photos of my travels and in most cases I have not been in the photos. Over the coming months I will add new galleries that are thematic. this is the first one. Enjoy!!

[Show as slideshow]

Posted in Alberta, Antsy McClain, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Big Cities, Birds, Cebu, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Giant Things, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Japan, Kentucky, Large Statues, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, South Carolina, States and Provinces, Television Shows, Tennessee, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming | Tagged Big Things, giant things, Muffler Man, Photography, Roadside Attractions, States and Provinces, Sumoflam | Leave a comment

Traveling the Enchanted Highway in North Dakota

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Sumoflam

If you are at all interested in the whimsical, unique and humongous roadside attractions of this great country, then a drive down the amazing Enchanted Highway in North Dakota is a MUST!!

Sumoflam on the Enchanted Highway near Regent, ND

On April 2, 2013, I finally had the opportunity to drive one of the “Bucket List” trips for me in all of my travels across the country. The 32 mile drive features a number of pieces of the amazing artwork of retired Regent, ND school teacher Gary Greff who has taken on this effort in order to keep the small dying town from becoming a ghost town. I hope to have a pretty comprehensive overview of the entire route, including the map below and detailed directions, mileage, photos and even some details about each stop along the way.

The Enchanted Highway – from I-94 near Dickinson to Regent, ND

GEESE IN FLIGHT – STOP #1

To get started you must get to Exit 72 on I-94 east of Dickinson, ND. You most certainly cannot miss the first stop, which is called “Geese in Flight” and has been listed as the largest scrap metal sculpture in the world by the Guinness World Book of Records.

“Geese in Flight” – Stop #1 on Enchanted Highway. Off of I-94, Exit 72

Sumoflam at Geese in Flight

“Geese in Flight”, in my opinion, not only has the geese, but the giant backdrop appears to look like a giant eye looking out towards the Enchanted Highway. For my trip south on the Enchanted Highway, this is Mile Point 0 (zero).

The road to Geese in Flight, lined with dozens of metal geese all the way to the top of the hill

One of the dozen of small geese lining the road to Geese in Flight

One of the dozens of small geese lining the road to Geese in Flight

This piece was erected in 2001 and weighs over 78 tons. The main structure is 154 feet wide and 110 feet tall. The largest goose has a wingspan of 30 feet. On a clear day this structure can be seen from nearly 5 miles away (it was a clear day for us – thank goodness!!). Gary Greff used oil tanks and oil well pipe for the materials to construct this humongous piece of art.

Giant Goose on the Structure – 30 foot wing span

Close up of Geese in Flight

Geese in Flight from Google Maps satellite shot

View of “Deer Crossing” from “Geese in Flight”, about 3 miles away

DEER CROSSING – STOP #2

The drive from Stop 1 “Geese in Flight” to Stop 2 “Deer Crossing” is about 3.4 miles. As shown above, you can see Deer Crossing and the Enchanted Highway from the top of the “Geese in Flight” hill.

“Deer Crossing” – Stop #2 on the Enchanted Highway

Sumoflam at Deer Crossing

“Deer Crossing” is one of the newer works by Mr. Greff. It was erected in 2002 just a bit south of the small town of Gladstone. The jumping buck is 75 feet tall and 60 feet long. The doe is 50 feet long and 50 feet tall. Mr. Greff used oil well tanks for the material to construct this.

Geese in Flight as seen from Deer Crossing – over 3 miles away

Deer Crossing as seen from Google Map Satellite

GRASSHOPPERS IN THE FIELD – STOP #3

The next stop on the trek south to Regent is “Grasshoppers in the Field”. It is about 12 miles down the road from “Deer Crossing”. You must pass the small — nearly ghost town — of Lefor, ND before the giant grasshoppers appear on the right side of the road.

First sight of “Grasshoppers in the Field” as seen coming south from Lefor, SD

Giant Grasshopper

Unlike the first two on the drive, “Grasshoppers in the Field” was a complex set of sculptures. There is one large grasshopper and a couple of smaller ones. As well, Mr. Greff had added large strands of wheat to the sculpture (made of metal of course!!). The design of the grasshoppers was similar to the Balsa Wood animals and insects that can be purchased at hobby shops.

Medium Grasshopper

Wheat and Grasshopper

Closeup of Giant Grasshopper

All of the grasshoppers have stringed lighting so I am assuming they can be lit up at night as well. This work was completed in 1999. The Giant Grasshopper 60 feet long and 40 feet tall. The Medium Grasshopper is 24 feet long and 12 feet tall. Some of the wheat pieces are well over 40 feet tall. Fuel tanks and oil well tanks were the predominant materials used for these pieces.

Sumoflam with Giant Grasshopper

Grasshoppers in the Field looking north

Grasshoppers in the Field as seen from Google Maps Satellite view

FISHERMAN’S DREAM – STOP #4

Fisherman’s Dream

The next stop on the Enchanted Highway is the newest of Mr. Greff’s creations. Called “Fisherman’s Dream”, this complex and beautiful work is 14.8 miles south of the “Grasshoppers in the Field”. Greff completed this work in 2007. It includes 6 large fish of different sizes including a 60 or 70 foot leaping trout going after a giant dragonfly.

60-70 foot tall trout grabbing dinner – centerpiece of “Fisherman’s Dream”

Fisherman’s Dream as seen from “underwater”

I must say that I was most impressed with this stop more than any of the others. All of them are impressive, but the use of colors, the variety, the complexity of the fish scales and even the use of the small fisherman in the boat was just fabulous.

Giant Catfish at “Fisherman’s Dream”

Giant Blue Gill at “Fisherman’s Dream”

Another fish

Happy Fisherman at “Fisherman’s Dream” floating on the lake

Another view of “Fisherman’s Dream”

Sumoflam at “Fisherman’s Dream”

Fisherman’s Dream as seen from Google Maps satellite view

PHEASANTS ON THE PRAIRIE – STOP #5

Pheasants in the Field as seen approaching from the north

Pheasants on the Prairie as seen approaching from the north

Continuing south for about 4.5 miles from “Fisherman’s Dream” is the next stop, called “Pheasants on the Prairie”. This is also a quite impressive work of art with a giant rooster and hen and their three chicks.

Pheasant Chicks as seen from the Road

This work was erected between 1996 and 1997. The pheasant rooster weighs over 13,000 pounds and is 70 feet long and over 40 feet tall. The hen weighs 12,000 pounds and is 60 feet long and 35 feet tall. Each of the chicks are about 5000 pounds and are about 20 feet long and 15 feet tall. Greff used pipe and wire mesh to construct these. Ironically, the mesh construction was conducive for numerous birds to build nests in!!

The Hen at Pheasants on the Prairie – over 12,000 pounds of bird

The Rooster at Pheasants on the Prairie weighs over 13,000 pounds is over 40 feet tall

Chicks looking down – make you feel like you are bird food

Sumoflam at Pheasants on the Prairie

Pheasants on the Prairie as seen from Google Maps satellite view

TEDDY RIDES AGAIN – STOP #6

Teddy Rides Again as seen approaching from the north

The next stop is quite different from most of the others. It is about 2.2 miles south of the “Pheasants on the Prairie” and honors the inventor of the National Park System in the United States. This is more like a giant wire sculpture of Teddy Roosevelt. Erected in 1993 out of well pipes, it is 51 feet tall and weighs over 9000 pounds. This little park also includes a small wooden stage coach being pulled by horses.

Closeup of Teddy Roosevelt

The Wooden Horses at “Teddy Rides Again”

Another view of the Stagecoach

Sumoflam at Teddy Rides Again

Teddy Rides Again as seen on Google Maps satellite view

THE TIN FAMILY – STOP #7

The Tin Family as seen approaching from the north

The last big stop on the road to Regent is the Tin Family. It is about 3.4 miles south of “Teddy Rides Again” and can be seen for a distance before you get there. This one has a Dad, a Mom and a son. The Dad is 45 feet tall, the Mom is 44 feet tall and the boy is 23 feet tall. Mr. Greff used farm tanks, telephone poles, barbed wire and augers to make these, the first of his sculptures.

Mom and Dad and “Tin Family” Kiosk

As can be seen in the photo above, each of the sites has an informative kiosk that notes the name of the work, notes the names of donors and other information.

Mom Closeup

Mom’s Flower Bouquet

Dad Closeup

The boy and sucker closeup

The whole Tin Family

Sumoflam with Mom and Dad

Tin Family as seen from Google Maps satellite view

REGENT, NORTH DAKOTA – STOP #8

Welcome to Regent and Enchanted Highway

Continuing south from the Tin Family about 1.9 miles you pull into the small town of Regent. Though we arrived around lunch time on a Tuesday (April 2), the town was pretty much dead. There was a gas station (and believe me…you better fill up here!!) and a small grocery store. We inquired about cafes and there were two and both were closed. Even the Enchanted Highway Visitor Center was closed. Off season I guess.

Enchanted Highway art in downtown Regent, ND – whirlygigs and more

Enchanted Highway Gift Shop in Regent, ND – closed the day were there

More Enchanted Highway Scenes in Regent, ND – the bison are all fabricated metal

End of the Road - Enchanted Hotel in Regent, ND

End of the Road – Enchanted Castle Hotel in Regent, ND – even has a Drawbridge!!

After filling up with gas, we meandered our way to the end of Main Street to see the Enchanted Castle Hotel, which was apparently built from an old school. We didn’t have time to stop there as we continued to head south.

Enchanted Highway Kiosk

The Enchanted Highway makes for a great diversionary trip, especially if you plan to head south to Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills. Definitely one of the Dream Places!!

A few sites in Southeast Idaho – Idaho Falls and Blackfoot

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Sumoflam

Potato Museum – Blackfoot

While in Rexburg for the last week of March and the first week of April, I had the opportunity to take a couple of trips south to Blackfoot and Idaho Falls, where I was able to catch a few of the interesting sites in the area. I even caught an amazing quarrel between a Canadian goose and a couple of seagulls.

Idaho Falls

The waterfalls on the Snake River. Idaho Falls, as they are called, were once rapids on the Snake

Idaho Falls is a nice little town at the base of the foothills with the Snake River running through the middle of town. It is currently the largest city in Southeastern Idaho with a population of nearly 57,000 and a metro population of a little over 136,000. Like Rexburg, it has a large LDS (Mormon) population and a large temple.

Carved Wooden Indian (Nov. 1980) – by Peter Toth

One of my trip highlights was being able to see the large Indian wood carving by Hungarian-born and American immigrant sculptor Peter Toth. Over the years Toth has created at least one of these huge statues (all different) for each state in the United States. All of them collectively (at least 74 are documented) are known as the “Whispering Giants”. I hope to be able to begin my quest to visit many more over the years. Many of the Whispering Giants can been here.

Located in North Tourist Park, one of over 70 from around the US. This one is just over 27 feet tall

The Indian depicted above is a combination of tribes native to Idaho. This sculpture was the 37th state in the series. As with all of his works, Toth did the work free of charge with supplies and materials donated by local businesses. The local Chamber of Commerce hosted the dedication program. Governor John V. Evans accepted and dedicated the sculpture.

Wild West Designs

Ironically, just north of the Whispering Giant is a unique shop called Wild West Designs Antler Art. They have many interesting home furnishings inside, but it was the unique wooden carvings outside that caught my eye!!

Giant Bear with Fish

The giant bear above adorns a place in the front of the shop. This wooden grizzly is about 16 feet tall.

Cute “Welcome” Bear

Bear chasing a Trapper

Further into town I came across a piece of nostalgia in Scotty’s Hamburgers. This iconic drive-in has been around Idaho Falls since the 1960s.

Scotty’s Hamburgers – Nostalgic 1960s Drive-In

Unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to eat there since they were closed on Sunday and that was my day to drive thru town.

Idaho Falls Temple of the LDS Church

Like Rexburg, the crown jewel for Idaho Falls is the large LDS Temple. Dedicated in September 1945 it was the first LDS temple in Idaho and is one of the older LDS temples, currently the 8th oldest in operation (see entire chronology here). It was the only temple dedicated between 1927 and 1955. Originally, it did not have an angel Moroni on top. This was added by helicopter in September 1983.

Snake River in Idaho Falls

The area around the temple is a beautiful riverine green space — a haven for relaxation and ducks, geese and seagulls.

Snake River in Idaho Falls

As I drive around looking at the wonderful river sights, I came across some folks feeding the birds…it was a virtual crowd of ducks and geese and seagulls. I was quite amazed to see them all congregated together fighting over the morsels of bread coming their way.

Gathering of the Birds

Solitary Seagull waiting for a quick grab at some bread

A proud goose

But, the real excitement came when a goose got a big piece of a baguette and was then attacked by a couple of hungry seagulls. I had never seen anything like this so I had the camera on fast snap to get the following sequence of shots.

Fighting over bread – the beginning

Fighting over bread – the goose wins

It was really something watching this 2 minute battle for the bread!!

Old Bonneville Restaurant

Idaho Falls still has a number of nostalgic locations. The Bonneville, an old Chinese restaurant, appears to be closed now, but the sign remains. I love old neon signs like these. This one is especially classy with the dot on the I being a star.

Yummy House Chinese Food

And who can resist the Yummy House? I had to, they were closed.

Approaching Wolverine Creek Wind Farm, near Iona, ID

As I typically do, if I see a Wind Farm, I tend to go there. I am so excited to see natural energy in action and the wind farms are always like a giant flower garden blooming out of the ground. The Wolverine Creek Wind Farm is housed in the foothills west of Idaho Falls, in the town of Iona. There are 43 turbines, which can be seen from Rexburg on a clear day. This site produces about 64.5 Mw of power.

Turbines from the Wolverine Creek Wind Farm

Another view of the turbines

Blackfoot, Idaho

Blackfoot, Idaho

I was excited for the chance to get to Blackfoot, Idaho so that I could visit the famous Idaho Potato Museum. So, on a trip to Pocatello, accompanied by a business partner from Rexburg, we stopped in Blackfoot on the way home for a quick look see.

Idaho Potato Museum, Blackfoot, Idaho

When we arrived it appeared to be snowing, but I actually think it was potato flakes falling from the sky to welcome me!!

Sumoflam at the Potato Museum

Sumoflam and Giant Potato – must be potato flakes and not snow!!

Like other similar museums have visited in the past (like the Mustard Museum in Wisconsin, the JELLO museum in New York, the SPAM Museum in Wisconsin…to name a few), the focus of this museum was a certain food, in this case, the potato. During the visit I learned a great deal about potato farming in Idaho, I learned that Sweet Potatoes are not related to a potato and I saw the Guinness Certified “World’s Largest Potato Chip”, which is housed in the museum and was created by Pringle’s in June 1991.

History of the Idaho Potato

Sumoflam with a Potato Picking Bag

a Sample Potato T-Shirt

World’s Largest Potato Chip – 23″ x 14.5″ – equivalent of 80 regular Pringle’s Chips

For fun, we took a drive around the small town to see another giant, a few murals and finally get a lunch at one of the oldest drive-ins (and eat ins) in town.

Giant Waitress at Martha’s Cafe in Blackfoot, Idaho

This former Uniroyal Gal (there are still of a few of these around the country) turned waitress adorns the front entrance to Martha’s Cafe. She has gone through a couple of changes. She was formerly blonde (in 2011) and actually held a plate (see photos on this blog).

Mural at Eastern Idaho State Fairgrounds

As with many of my town visits around the country, I also take a liking to wall art and murals. I found a whole set of murals on the side of the wall near the fairgrounds.

Fairgrounds Wall Mural – Blackfoot, Idaho

We also spotted a couple of other older wall murals in town

Salt Lake Mural near Tent and Awning Shop – Blackfoot, Idaho

Are We There Yet? Mural near Tent and Awning Shop – Blackfoot, Idaho

Finally, we stopped at a great place for lunch. I had a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich and almost ordered a Rice Krispy Treat Milk Shake!!

Rupe’s Burgers – Blackfoot, Idaho

Rupe’s Burgers is like so many other lat 60s/early 70s drive-in diners. Great greasy not good for you food…and lots of it. This one opened in 1962 as an A & W Root Beer. It was open thru 1978 when the Rupe family sold it. The place became R & B’s thru 1986 and then went out of business. In 1987 the Rupe family bought it back. The place seats about 100 inside and has room for 20 cars outside.

Marilyn Monroe in a Potato Sack

I finished off a couple of different visits and after a two and a half week stay in Idaho, it was time to get back on the road home to Kentucky!!

Posted in Backroads Discoveries, Eateries, Giant Things, Idaho, Large Statues, Roadside Attractions, States and Provinces, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places | Tagged Blackfoot, Bonneville Restaurant, Folk Art, Geese, Giant Potato, Giant Potato Chip, Idaho, Idaho Falls, Idaho Potato Museum, LDS Temples, Martha's Cafe, Mormon Temple, Nostalia, Old Drive-ins, Old Neon Signs, Peter Toth, Photography, Rupe's Burgers, Scotty's Hamburgers, Seagulls, States and Provinces, Sumoflam, Uniroyal Gal, wall art, Wall Murals, Whispering Giants, Wild West Designs, Wind Farms, Wolverine Creek Wind Farm, Wooden Folk Art, Wooden Indian Sculptures, Yummy House Chinese | Leave a comment

In and Around Rexburg, ID

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Sumoflam

Rexburg, ID

I spent two weeks in Rexburg from March 11 thru March 25, 2013 working on a job possibility. During my free time I spent a good deal of time in town and also looking around town and some of the surrounding areas.

Rexburg LDS Temple at sunrise

Perhaps Rexburg is best known for its LDS (Mormon) population, BYU-Idaho and the Rexburg Temple of the church (shown above). But Rexburg is also famous as the town that was practically destroyed by the Teton Dam Flood in June of 1976 (see story here). The town has been totally rebuilt since that time.

More murals from downtown Rexburg

Rexburg is kind of in a bowl, with mountain ranges all around it. To the east are the Grand Tetons, to the northwest is the Lemhi Range, which includes the 12,197 foot tall Diamond Peak. To the southeast are the mountains of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The Craters of the Moon National Monument is southwest of Rexburg. (Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to get there on this trip.

Old Rexburg Tabernacle which houses the Teton Flood Museum

There are a number of old things in and around town that have remained from the flood.

Teton Vu Drive-in

The Teton Vu Drive-in has had a few resurrections over the years. It was reopened in 1999, closed again in 2006 and has since reopened again in 2009 under new ownership. They offer shows and goodies. I liked the drive in sign – totally vintage.

Frontier Pies in Rexburg

In and around Rexburg there are a few great places to find goodies to eat. I had dinner a couple of times at the Frontier Pies Restaurant, which not only has pies but some good home cooking. The pies were awesome…

Frontier Pies

There is another famous place on the outskirts of Rexburg where giant burgers are the norm…

Big Jud’s Gourmet Burgers

Big Jud’s Country Diner is located in the small community of Archer, Idaho, a few miles south of Rexburg. This place has the hugest hamburgers I have ever seen and has even been featured on the TV Show Man vs. Food. Here are a few shots from Big Jud’s:

Big Jud’s Menu – notice the Man versus Food Burger!!

Home of the 1 LB Burger

My “small’ burger

Total indulgence in a Big Jud’s “small” burger

This guy ordered a medium

Another notable place to get goodies in Rexburg is Florence’s Exquisite Candies Chocolate shop, which can be found downtown. They hand make all of their chocolate offerings and the shop also has a unique interior.

Florence’s Exquisite Candies

Florence’s Exquisite Candies – handmaking them

One of the unique scenes in the candy shop

Another interesting item in and around Rexburg are the gas stations with “Coke Can” gas tanks. Here are a couple of examples.

Coke Can Gas Tank

Another Coke Can Gas Tank

There are other nearby communities that have some unique things to see as well.

Old Sugar City Grain Silo

Welcome to Sugar City on the silo

Sugar City is a bedroom community to Rexburg. Like Rexburg, it went through some devastation during the Teton Flood. The town was founded in 1903 to house sugar beet factory workers of the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company. The factory closed in the 1940s and then, after the devastation of the flood in 1976, most of the businesses did not reopen.

Elk Bull in Sugar City

The Rocky Mountain Elk Ranch is located in Sugar City and I got to take a drive by there and see all of the elk. I only saw a couple of bulls with their antlers. They breed the elk locally and then release them to some of the mountain areas for hunting trips, etc.

Another Elk Bull

One afternoon, while my wife was out in Rexburg, we took a drive north towards St. Anthony, Idaho, another nearby community. We had as a goal to get to the St. Anthony Sand Dunes then, if possible, take a drive up the Mesa Falls Scenic Loop north of there, near Ashton, Idaho. Following is a map of the exact route we ended up taking and some of the photos we took during the trip.

St. Anthony, Ashton and Driggs

St. Anthony Sand Dunes

St. Anthony is a small town of about 3500 just north of Rexburg and is the gateway to the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, a unique area west of town and one of those unexpected discoveries. I would have never thought about sand dunes in them as much as 400 feet tall. To get there we had to go through Parker and then to the Egin Lakes area campground.

Unique Yard Art in Parker, Idaho

Along the way we saw a house in Parker that has lined their fences with old highway signage. Amazing how people do these things!!

St. Anthony Sand Dunes Sign

St. Anthony Sand Dunes

From the dunes we returned to St. Anthony and then headed north to Ashton, Idaho, which sits at the base of the mountains north of Rexburg and is the gateway to the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, which we had hoped to take.

Welcome to Ashton – the Potato Seed Capital of Idaho

Upon arrival in the small town, the first thing I noticed was the Frostop Drive In – a page out of nostalgic America. Frostop Root Beer is one of those old well known brands, having its start in Springfield, Ohio in 1926. The diner in Ashton has been there since 1965 and has gone through a few owners.

Frostop Drive-in – Ashton, ID

Frostop Mug

The big root beer mug rotates and draws you in to the old style drive in. We didn’t really want drive in fare, so we meandered across the street to a restaurant that looked like a huge log cabin.

Chriswell’s Trails Inn Restaurant – Ashton, ID

Chriswell’s Trails Inn Restaurant is rustic, homey and full of animal trophies. Last time I was in a place like this was at Ole’s Big Game Steak house in Nebraska (see the blog post here). I ordered a chicken fried steak, their speciality, and the thing was bigger than my plate. Further, unlike the chicken fried steaks I have had in the past, this one was made with real steak, not ground steak!!

Sumoflam at Chriswell’s with a Sand Crane

Road Kill Beef Jerky sign at Chriswell’s

Some of the trophies

Digging into the Chicken Fried Steak – gravy was so good my nose wanted some too!!

Like other small towns in the west, there are still plenty of nostalgic signs. Here are a couple from Ashton.

Nostalgic sign in Ashton – still have cabins for rent

Otis Place nostalgic neon sign in Ashton

From Ashton we headed up north on Idaho Highway 47, which is the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway. There were signs warning us that the road was closed ahead, so we followed it as far as we could go. It took us up into Targhee National Forest, and as we climbed in altitude, the snow got ever deeper. Bear in mind that this was the end of March.

Idaho 47 north of Ashton

A snowy scene

Along the Warm River on Meas Falls Scenic Byway

Snow Covered Cabins near Warm River resort

Road Closed – snowmobiles only

We finally hit the dead end where only snowmobiles were allowed, and had to turn around and head back to Ashton.

Another scene near the Warm River

Once back in Ashton we made our to Idaho Highway 32 which would take us through the small towns of Drummond and Felt, and hopefully would offer us a few glimpses of the Tetons from the west. This was an extremely beautiful drive, particularly since we went through pristine snow covered hills…snow was very deep and practically untouched most of the way.

Snowy Scenes along highway 32

The Tetons as seen from near Drummond, ID

Nothing but snow and mountains

Old Cabin near Drummond

The Grand Tetons from Felt, Idaho

More snow and mountains from the road

All in all, that Sunday drive from Rexburg to Ashton and Drummond and back was marvelous.

Old Sugar Mill Market

On another trip south of Rexburg, near Rigby, on US 20, you can see an old sugar mill off to the side of the road. Someone has meticulously painted the facade and it was, apparently at one time, the Old Sugar Mill Market. It appears to be out of business now, but it is eye catching from the highway.

Old Sugar Mill Market – all of the windows and flowers are hand painted

Old Sugar Mill Market, near Rigby, ID

Old Sugar Mill Market – near Rigby, ID

Old Sugar Mill Smokestack

Also, Rigby, Idaho is noted as the birthplace of the television. Philo T. Farnsworth invented the television tube here and there is a museum dedicated to him (along with other items from the Rigby area.)

Farnsworth TV and Pioneer Museum – Rigby, ID

Downtown Rigby, ID

There are a few other places I visited in the area…here are some of the sights

An old truck in Archer, ID

An elk horn mailbox in Thornton, ID

Old wall sign in Thornton, ID

An old barn with junk on it near Thornton, ID

Beautiful skies over SE Idaho

Scary storm north of Rexburg

Hay stacked in the fields near Ashby, ID

Hay stacked in the fields near Archer, ID

Old Rail Road Bridge near Rigby

Old tractor in Thornton

My car after a late March snowstorm in Rexburg

One antlered elk bull on a breeding farm near Archer, ID

Posted in Backroads Discoveries, Dream Highways, Eateries, Giant Things, Idaho, Roadside Attractions, States and Provinces, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places | Tagged Americana, Animal Photos, Archer, Ashton, Big burgers, Big Jud's Diner, Chriswell's Trails End, Drummond, Eateries, Elk, Farnsworth Museum, Florence's Chocolate, Frontier Pies, Frostop Drive In, Frostop Root Beer, Grain elevator, Grand Tetons, Idaho, LDS Temple, Nostalgia, Old Cabins, old trucks, Parker, Photography, Rexburg, Rexburg Temple, Roadside Attactions, Snow scenes, Snowy Mountains, St. Anthony, St. Anthony Sand Dunes, States and Provinces, Sugar City, Sugar mill, Sumoflam, Teton Flood, Teton Vu Drive in, Thornton, Unique Places, Warm River | Leave a comment

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