States and Provinces – Less Beaten Paths of America Travel Blog

April 23, 2019April 23, 2019

Everywhere a Sign – Some T Signs From 2018 #AtoZChallenge

Travel is my passion. It is a terrific passion that tantalizes every nerve in my soul.

Needless to say, I am a tenacious traveler. I try to track down every nook and cranny on the back roads of this terrific country. From the twisted and tortuous mountain roads to the tall tree-lined highways, I am always tempted to go yet another mile. I hope you will enjoy some of the T Signs I discovered in my 2018 travels. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride.

Telephone, Texas

I was so thrilled for this place. It had a laundromat and a restroom!!

There are so many unique places in Texas. I just accidentally came across this one….

Telephone, Texas was a surprise for me. Didn’t know this town was here, but it was on my way north to Oklahoma from Fort Worth (on country back roads of course!) When I got to the small community of about 200, I was thrilled to see the “Telephone Travel Stop.” It was a small motel with an attached laundry room + rest room (much needed!).

Timberline Motel, Peshastin, Washington

Timberline Motel, Peshashtin, Washington

Saw this classic motel sign in Peshashtin, Washington on US Hwy 2, just east of Leavenworth, Washington. The motel is now closed, but the lovely vintage sign remains.

Totem Pole Trading Post, Rolla, Missouri

Totem Pole Trading Post, Missouri’s Oldest on Route 66

Old Totem Pole Trading Post Sign, Rolla, Missouri

Route 66 has many Trading Posts and tourist stops. The Totem Pole Trading Post is apparently the oldest one in Missouri and sits in Rolla, Missouri on US Highway 66. Great old sign! The history of the place says that in 1933 Harry Cochrane opened up the first Totem Pole Trading Post on Arlington Hill just 10 miles to the west of the existing location. The location included both a gift shop and a tourist camp. It changed hands around 1950. It is still in business today. Fun fun fun

Tonica, Illinois

In my S post I mentioned Starved Rock State Park. Tonica, Illinois is on the south end of the region. Nothing special. Just a nice sign. Tonica is located just off of Interstate 39 and US Highway 51.

Texas Plaza, Decatur, Texas

In my P post for this series, I mentioned the Petrified Wood Gas Station. The Texas Plaza sign is for the entire complex, including the old tourist camp, the cafe and the station

Like what you see? Well, there is lots more! I currently have two books about offbeat and quirky places to take on your road trips. You can see both of my books at http://amzn.to/2ks6fQZ. Working on Book 3, coming in late Spring 2019!!

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April 22, 2019

Everywhere a Sign – Some S Signs From 2018 #AtoZChallenge

Since man could walk, travel has been a part of life. The sensational opportunity to see the world has kept most of us from being sedentary. The singular driving force is the strong desire of discovery.

For nearly 50 years I have sought the sensation, the scintillating, the stylish and the silly in my travels. In 2018, that striving for something special continued. I hope you will enjoy some of the S Signs I discovered in my 2018 travels. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride.

Smiley, Texas

The Smiley Water Tower. Not even a Smiley Face on it!

I was down in Houston in February 2018 and took the grandsons on an expedition. One of my “goal places” was Smiley, Texas. I always love places with unique names. The small community’s name has nothing to do with smiles. Rather, it was named after trader and sheepherder John Smiley in the 1870s. The town of about 450 is located at the intersection of US Highway 87 and Farm Roads 3234 and 108. Honestly, the town looked very depressed and run down. Probably not much to smile about.

Sunset Motel, Belle Fourche, South Dakota

Great little place in the geographic center of the continental US!

Sunset Motel Sign on a building in downtown Belle Fourche.

When I take a long road trip, I don’t typically plan on a place to stay until late in the day. I never know how far along I’ll get before it gets dark. Such was the case with my visit to Belle Fourche. After traveling west on Interstate 90 thru to Wall, SD, I decided to head northwest on US Highway 85 towards Montana and made it into Belle Fourche. I always try to stay at a local, vintage motel on these trips nowadays, just for the experience (good or bad). I got to Belle Fourche at sunset, just in time to get a nice shot of the sunset with the Sunset Motel 5 sign. It was a nice stay.

Starved Rock State Park, Oglesby, Illinois

Starved Rock State Park near Oglesby, IL

I made my way to Starved Rock State Park which is a huge natural park situated on the Illinois River just south of North Utica, Illinois and east of Oglesby, Illinois. My sole purpose was to track down one of the Whispering Giant carvings by artist Peter Toth. I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw and hope to visit there for a more extended trip sometime in the near future. The park has 18 small canyons and numerous waterfalls that can be seen from a number of hiking trails.

Skykomish, Washington

Skykomish – interesting name and splendid vistas! I pulled into Skykomish on a beautiful April day after coming down from the snow-packed Stevens Pass on US Highway 2. Though the altitude is only 928 feet, it feels completely like a mountain town as it is surrounded by the tall scenic mountains of the Cascade Range. The name “Skykomish” derives from the Skykomish or Skai-whamish tribe who inhabited the area before any Europeans arrived. The town of Skykomish was officially incorporated on June 5, 1909. The main purpose of the town was to be a fueling station for the railroad.

Sabine Theatre, Many, Louisiana

The old classic move marquee is slowly disappearing, so, whenever I hit a small town with a huge classic marquee, I want to grab a shot. Such was the case of the Sabine in Many, Louisiana. Built in 1947, the Sabine Theatre was acquired by the town of Many in the mid-1990’s. Like many theatres across the country, the Sabine is now typically used for live theatre, musical performances, occasional movies, and other community events.

Shiner, Texas

When I hear the word shiner, I usually think of a black eye. So, on my trip to see Smiley (see above), I also went through the town of Shiner, Texas. Located on US Highway 90, the town is now locally famous in Texas as the home of the Spoetzl Brewery, best known for producing Shiner Bock, a dark German/Czech-style beer that is now distributed in 49 states. I didn’t visit the brewery, but learned that the town was named for Henry B. Shiner, who donated 250 acres of land in 1887 and then incorporated in 1890.

Sublime Baptist Church, Sublime, Texas

Sublime Baptist Church in Sublime, Texas

Continue East on US Highway 90 from Shiner and you’ll pass through the small community if Sublime. Isn’t that just sublime? There isn’t much here. The population is about 75, and has been since the 1950s. The name was set in 1875 when a post office was established there.

Stardust Motel, Wallace, Idaho

Like the Sunset Motel in South Dakota, I ended up in the mountain town of Wallace, Idaho on my way west to Washington in April 2018. I just stopped in and got a room at the Stardust. Classic vintage motel sign drew me in. Nice rooms, good rates and a lovely little town.

Spar Cafe, Olympia, Washington

I stopped in to Olympia to have breakfast with some old friends. We ate the Spar Cafe in downtown Olympia. First established in the 1930s, the eatery is filled with interesting art. Originally touted as a “fine eating and recreation parlor,” can you still see the original bar, artwork, chandeliers, and other furnishings. I heard that even the drinking water is served up old school—straight from its own artesian well.

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April 20, 2019April 19, 2019

Everywhere a Sign – Some R Signs From 2018 #AtoZChallenge

Road trips can be redundant. Road trips can be real fun. Rarely is there anything dull along the way. Visit a small town on a back road and you will find something. Here are some R signs, including a collection of Roxy Theaters and Restroom signs…yes, some potty humor. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride.

Rustic Rose Mercantile, Evant , Texas

Don’t know a thing about this place, but sure love the sign. Evant, Texas is a small community at the intersection of US Highway 281 and US Highway 84. I drove through here on my way from Lampassas to Hamilton.

Rover, Arkansas

Rover, Arkansas is a small place on Arkansas Highways 27 and 28 on the border of the Ouachita National Forest. Just a quick photo stop for me.

Red Light Garage Antiques and Restaurant, Wallace, Idaho

I spent the night in Wallace, Idaho on a snowy April evening. Beautiful little town off of Interstate 90 between Missoula, Montana and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. It is one of those places I would love to have an extended visit to. I got in late and so this restaurant was closed. Maybe next time.

Rayne, Louisiana

Rayne, Louisiana has laid claim to be the moniker of “Frog Capital of the World.” To celebrate that, they have dozens of small frogs at store fronts around the town. There are over a dozen frog-themed murals all over town as well. A fun little place.

Rayne is located off of Interstate 10 or US Highway 90 between Lake Charles and Lafayette.

Rusty Rooster, Elmore City, Oklahoma

Rusty Rooster Resale Shop, Elmore City, Oklahoma

On our way home from Texas in April 2018, we drive through Duncan, Oklahoma and then took US Highway 81 north to Marlow and then east on OK Highway 29, where we passed through Elmore City. Loved the building that we saw there. This is one of the reasons I always go through small towns on back roads.

Ronald Reagan Trail, Sparland, Illinois

I always enjoy taking labeled scenic highways and “trails.” In early April 2018 I drove to Washington State and passed through Illinois along the Illinois River Road, which, at least in Sparland, Illinois included the Ronald Reagan Trail. The trail runs from Reagan’s ancestral home in Fulton, Illinois along the Mississippi River, where both of his parents came from, to his own birthplace in Tampico, Illinois, where one can still visit the apartment on the town strip where he was born. The Reagan Trail includes his boyhood home of Dixon, his birthplace in Tampico, his homes in Galesburg and Monmouth and the place which helped make him into a leader, Eureka College. I took Illinois 29 north through Hopewell and Henry and followed the trail there a bit.

Roxy Theater Marquees – All Over the Place

There are many theaters named Roxy dotting small towns and big towns across America. Some of these above I have found (some were actually in 2017 travels as well).

What I didn’t know until this post, was that the name “Roxy” comes from the famed American dance/theatre/vaudeville and cinema entrepreneur Samuel L. Rothapfel, whose nickname was “Roxy.” It was Roxy that was responsible for the great appeal of spectacular movie palaces. His philosophy:

“Giving the people what they want is fundamentally and disastrously wrong. The people don’t know what they want. They want to be entertained, that’s all. Don’t give the people what they want–give ’em something better.”

Roxy is also the man who created the Radio City Music Hall. So, next time you go to a great old grand movie theater, think about Roxy!

Restrooms on the Road – A fun look at some of the places

When you are on a long road trip, face it, you gotta go. Many places take advantage of this by creating an interesting “going experience.” I keep my iPhone with me at all times just in case. Here are a few that I came across over the past year. Go with me on this potty adventure…and don’t forget to wash your hands! And yes, I do take Selfies in the Restrooms.