Colorado – Less Beaten Paths of America Travel Blog

April 19, 2019April 19, 2019

Everywhere a Sign – Some Q Signs From 2018 #AtoZChallenge

It is a challenge to find signs and places that begin with Q. This post only has one. So, for fun, I am also adding a Quirky Quickies section to the post…a number of quirky or otherwise interesting photos from the road that didn’t really fit into any of my other A to Z Challenge posts. It will be a quick read with quaint and quirky and maybe even quizzical signs. I hope they quench your travel fancy. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride.

The Queen City, Cincinnati, Ohio

The Queen City sign taken from way up high, Cincinnati, Ohio

Another view of the Queen City sign

Cincinnati is a beautiful city. I really love taking trips up to this beautiful city on the Ohio River. The city has been nicknamed The Queen City and the Queen of the West since around 1820, only a few short years after the city was incorporated in 1802 (the city was first settled in the 1780s). One possible birth of this nickname likely came from writer Ed B. Cooke of the (then) Inquisitor and Cincinnati Advertiser wherein he wrote in the May 4, 1819 edition of the paper:

“The City is, indeed, justly styled the fair Queen of the West: distinguished for order, enterprise, public spirit, and liberality, she stands the wonder of an admiring world.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow also mentioned it in his poem Catawba.

Quirky and Quick Signs From the Road

A fun little view of some of the more offbeat things I see while on the road

Unique We’re Open sign from Decatur, Texas

Social Vegan sign, seen in Houston, Texas

Boomerang Diner… I guess it’ll make you wanna come back? Taken in Shawnee, Oklahoma

The Local Wag, a dog place in Lexington, Kentucky

No Spitting sign , Doolittle, Missouri

Be-Sure In-Sure sign, Carmine, Texas

I’m Melting on an old movie marquis in Austin, Texas

BBQ Shit is one of many products by Special Shit products of Big Cock Ranch in Austin, Texas. Really!

Please Pick Up in Uranus, Missouri

Black Bear Motel Be Nice sign, at Belle Inn in Belle Fourche, South Dakota

Dr. Pierce’s Barn Sign – a magic potion! Taken in Waterville, Washington

Brothel sign at Black Bear Motel in Davenport, Washington

Old theater turned in Magic Mirror Beauty Salon in Wilbur, Washington

Chicken Plop in Brothers, Oregon

Antique Archaeology van, Le Claire, Iowa

Open sign in Uranus, Missouri

Fresh Shrimp, right off of the boat! Biloxi, Mississippi

Seen at a Walgreen’s in Cypress, Texas in mid-July 2018. Check out the temperature!

LOVE sign — all you need is LOVE. Walnut Ridge, Arkansas

Belcherville Cemetery, Belcherville, Texas…population 34

Bull Frog Brand Juice sign on a wall in Rayne, Louisiana — Frog Capital of the World

Found this sign at a place in Telephone, Texas

April 20 is coming…. In Colorado that means the 420 Fest, Taken in Manitou Springs, Colorado

We have all seen Attorney Billboards. How about THIS Attorney? David Komie, the Attorney that rocks! Austin, Texas

Always Carry Cash on a road trip. Some places don’t take credit cards. This sign was at Voodoo Doughnut, in Austin, Texas

You need to watch your children on road trips….or else…. Taken at Star Pizza in Houston, Texas

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 12, 2019April 11, 2019

Everywhere a Sign – Some K Signs From 2018 #AtoZChallenge

(Editor’s Note: For my 2019 posts, I will be posting photos from my travels in 2018. I visited 26 states and drive over 13,000 miles in 2018. These posts will feature of few of the road signs and business signs I came across, as well as some stories behind them. Enjoy the Read and Enjoy the Ride!)

From Kentucky to Kansas and all places around them east and west, there are killer signs that kan be found. And here are some of the K signs I found in 2018. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride.

Kingston, Washington

Kingston, Washington is home to one of the large Puget Sound Ferry ports and I loved the colorful Welcome Sign. From the ferry you can drive inland on Washington Hwy 104 into the northern section of the beautiful Kitsap Peninsula area of Washington.

Kountry Korners Krazy Kreatures, Kingston, Washington

Kountry Korners Krazy Kreatures in Kingston, Washington

And while driving down WA 104, watch closely for some unique chainsaw-carved wooden Kreatures, better known as the Kountry Korners Krazy Kreatures. These unique carvings by local artist Terry Tessmer were moved to a new location in town in 2018 after the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe bought the Kountry Korners gas station where these carvings sat for about 30 years. The Krazy Kreatures can now be found in front of the Kingston Mercantile and Marine store which is up the road on WA 104

Kickapoo Joy Juice Sign, Trimble, Arkansas

Kickapoo Joy Juice sign in Trimble, Arkansas

OK. I admit it. I have never tried Kickapoo Joy Juice or any of the other three Kickapoo Soda Flavors (including Fruit Shine – Sangria Flavor, Fuzzy Navel – Peach Flavor and Malibu – Piña Colada Flavor.) According to the Kickapoo Website, the original Joy Juice drink was inspired by the Li’l Abner comic strip wherein Al Capp, the comic creator, referred to it as a “volatile brew.” In the comic it was brewed by Hairless Joe and Lonesome Polecat, a couple of backwoods poachers. The actual soda was introduced to the U.S. in 1965. Based on the description as a citrus flavored drink, I am assuming it is similar to Mountain Dew, which back in the day used a hillbilly on its packaging. The drink is touted to be “Weirdly Refreshing. Refreshingly Weird.” I suppose I ought to give it a try. Looks like you can get it at Cracker Barrels around the country, as well as other locations.

Kit Carson, Colorado

Kit Carson Restaurant and Trading Post, Kit Carson, CO

Sumoflam at the Kit Carson Trading Post. After a 100 mile straight drive down Colorado 94 it was a much needed stop!

Another town named (with the full name) of a famed historical figure, Kit Carson, Colorado was established in the eastern plains of Colorado in 1838 as a trade and supply outpost. By 1872 it was a booming commercial center. The town still survives off of ranching, railroad, oil wells and tourists traveling on US Highways 287 and 40.

On a long windy and dusty stretch from Colorado Springs (about a 100 mile long straight road – has slight turn), taking Colorado Highway 94 through Ellicott, Yoder, Rush and Punkin Center, I eventually made my way into Kit Carson. I stopped at the Kit Carson Trading Post and Restaurant for restroom break and a hot meal. Good family restaurant with plenty of tasty food.

KY Head Hunters, Greensburg, Kentucky

Actually, the place is called Adolphus Ennis Lunch Room and is really famous for their Original Slawburger. The country rock band, the Kentucky Headhunters kind of referred to it in their song Dumas Walker. The Headhunters were from Wisdom, Kentucky and would frequent A. Ennis to get a “slawburger, fries and a bottle of Ski (a local soft drink). Like Kickapoo Joy Juice, Ski is a citrus flavored soft drink manufactured by the Excel Bottling Company of Breese, Illinois. As for the restaurant, I have not been inside, but it is apparently still like an old diner. Next trip down south requires a visit so I too can have a slawburger, fries and a Ski.

Like what you see here? 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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March 5, 2019March 7, 2019

Travel in 2018: The Best of the Roadside Attractions – Part 1

Obviously, one of my favorite things to do on road trips short or long is locate the fun, unique and offbeat roadside attractions. And, fortunately, 2018 provided me a plethora of these. I have already written about a few of them individually in past months, but this post will be a nice little “photo tour” of some of my favorites.

Having been through 26 different states in 2018, I had plenty of sites and loads of fun. I got to share many of these with grandchildren, which made it even better.

Dignity: Of Earth and Sky – 50 foot tall statue by Dale Lamphere

Sumoflam with Dignity near Chamberlain, SD

Perhaps my favorite from 2018 was the amazing giant Dignity: Of Earth and Sky statue in Chamberlain, South Dakota. This giant 50 foot tall steel statue honors the women of the Lakota and Dakota tribes. It was created by artist South Dakota Dale Lamphere. It sits in a rest area overlooking the Missouri River and can be seen from quite a distance.

The statue also features a Star Quilt that has more than 100 blue diamond shapes that move in the wind. Really a wonderful site and it is also one of America’s tallest statues (the 20th tallest according to Wikipedia listing).

80 Foot Long and 37 Foot Tall Brontosaurus statue in Wall Drug created by Emmett Sullivan

Sumoflam takes a selfie with Wall’s giant Brontosaurus

Another giant is just down the road from Dignity. Wall Drug’s giant brontosaurus stretches 80 feet and sits 37 feet tall as it overlooks Interstate 90 at the Wall Exit. Even there is no time for a visit to Wall Drug, there is always time to stop for a photo-op with a giant friendly dino!

Dinosaurs seem to be all over the country and on my four big trips in 2018 I came across a few more of them. Always fun!

A colorful scrap metal dinosaur in Carmine, Texas

Skeleton Walking Dinosaur near Murdo, SD

A T-Rex stands at the entrance to Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, Texas

Grandson Rockwell and I hanging with Ms. Pearl

Dinosaurs are not the only giants that I came across on the road in 2018. One of my favorite “giants” was “Ms. Pearl” the giant squirrel in Cedar Creek, Texas at the Berdoll Pecan Candy factory. Created in 2011, it stands 14 feet tall and currently lays claim to be the tallest squirrel statue in the world. Like many “roadside” attractions, this one is very visible off of TX Hwy 71.

Nice thing about Berdoll’s is that you can get your picture with Ms. Pearl and even get some Pecan goodies from their 24/7 Pecan Vending Machine.

Ms. Pearl, the 14 foot tall squirrel in Cedar Creek, Texas

Other big things I came across in 2018

A Big Bull and Bison at Chef Louie’s steakhouse in Mitchell, SD

There is a big pig (named Wilbur of course) and then a spider web, with Charlotte, in Wilbur, Washington

Giant Shark Head at Sharkheads in Biloxi, Mississippi

The Big Black Muffler Man wielding a miner’s ax in Helper, Utah

Then there are the big Muffler Men and Big John statues. There are dozens and dozens of these dotting the landscape. I came across a couple of fun ones in 2018. In Helper, Utah there is one that is painted totally black…to represent the Coal Miners.

These guys are about 15 feet tall and basically all look alike except for the additional things added to them by the local sites. Over the years I personally have photographed nearly 40 different versions of Big John, Muffler Men or Uniroyal Gals.

You can find them looking like Paul Bunyan, cowboys, Indians and other fun things.

I always like coming across these unique pieces of funky Americana.