This is the final post from my April 2018 cross-country road trip from Lexington to Port Orchard, Washington and back. As a reminder, I covered 6000 miles and ventured through 16 states. Along the way I not only stopped to visit attractions and see the sites in towns small and large, but I also tried to capture the grandeur of the landscapes and scenery I passed by along the way. Following are a number of scenic photos from that trip. Enjoy the ride! I have randomized these, so they are not in any particular order. Captions tell the story.
Sunset in Colorado, taken on US 24 near Hartsel, ColoradoLovely sunset after a windy day. Taken on a side road of Interstate 70 just east of Abilene, KansasMorning sky taken between Bend, OR and Brothers, OR (near Millican, OR) on US Hwy 20 heading east.This is a sunset scene taken from the Edmonds to Kingston Ferry in Washington. The mountains in the distance are Olympic National Park. Water is Puget Sound.This is US Route 2 heading west towards Waterville, WAA huge dust storm as seen from Nevada Hwy 140 west of Winnemucca, NVLovely mountain scene from US Route 2 near Skykomish, WAMt. Rainier as seen from the Edmonds to Kingston Ferry crossing the Puget Sound.US 101 near South Bend, WA. I was heading south and it was raining. Still beautifulAnother shot of Garden of the Gods in Manitou Springs, COThis is Hole in the Mountain Peak, taken from I-80 near Deeth, NV. I was heading east and this was south of me.Blue Mesa Reservoir in Curecanti National Recreation Area east of Gunnison, CO. This was taken from US Hwy 50.Mt. Aetna as seen from US 50 near Monarch Pass, Colorado. heading east.Sunbeams over Garden of the Gods in Manitou Springs, COOne of the peaks of the Cascades near Goldbar, WAA snowy Interstate 90 heading west towards Livingston, MontanaSeattle, Washington as seen from a ferry in Puget SoundA scene of the high Utah desert near Crescent Junction, UTHeading towards Pine Canyon near Waterville, WASunset over Sinclair Inlet near Port Orchard, WAMissouri River Valley near Chamberlain, South Dakota
US Route 2 just past Steven’s Pass, WA – notice how high the show walls are on the side
Wenatchee Valley, near Wenatchee, WAUS Route 2 in Eastern WashingtonA view from Oregon 202Colorado Highway 94 near Rush, ColoradoUS 50 East of Gunnison near Monarch, COFrenchglen Highway in Central OregonSkykomish River near Skykomish, WA as seen from US Hwy 2A beach scene in Manchester, WAThe Bonneville Salt Flats in UtahThe high deserts of central Oregon are lovely.The view of the Cascades as seen from the Skykomish / Gold Bar area of Washington, east of Everett.
ENJOY THE RIDE! CHOOSE HAPPY!
If you like what you see, you may want to check out my book: Less Beaten Paths of America: Unique Town Names, available on Amazon. My second book, Less Beaten Paths of America: Quirky and Offbeat Roadside Attractions, is currently being worked on and I hope to make it available in late June 2018. Click on the photo below for more details or to get a copy of the book.
One thing that we all see when traveling America’s highways is signs. All kinds of them: road signs, exit signs, mile markers, billboards, “Welcome to Our Town” signs and the massive assortment of business signs from fast food places to local eateries. Indeed, our eyes and minds are deluges with them!
Over the course of my 6000 mile road trip to Washington State and back, I probably saw way more than a sign a mile (on average). Yes, there are many places with no signs, but then, there are others, such as going through small towns, where they are in abundance.
One of hundreds of Wall Drug signs to be seen on I-90 from as far away as Minnesota.Lostant The Mint Bar and a Coca-Cola Wall Art sign in Livingston, MontanaZigzag Inn – Zigzag, Oregon
This post presents a variety of signs from the road. This “eye-candy” is just one more fun piece of the travel puzzle. Discovering new signs, whether they be unique neon signs advertising local burger joints to the unique town signs and water towers, these signs are the little “color fillers” on the grand expanse of two lane highways zig-zagging this nation.
I always watch for fun town name signs. This one is in Illinois….not sure if they found the ant.Welcome to Gold Bar, Washington.
Follow me along on this colorful journey (in no particular order) to see some of the signs I saw along the way. And watch for the occasional Wall Drug sign to pop up on the ride (just like they do on I-90).
Saigon Rendezvous Restaurant – Olympia, WashingtonStarve Rock State Park – IllinoisLuxury 5 Cinema in Mitchell, SDBilly Burgers – Wilbur, WashingtonOld Piggly Wiggly Ad on the side of a building in Helper, UtahWall Drug Sign on I-90 in South DakotaA Sign at a convenience store door in Ferdinand, Indiana. So bummed! Wanted to go into store Donald Duck style….Sunset Motel Ad on building in Belle Fourche, SDClassic neon Stardust Motel in Wallace, IdahoWelcome to Nevada – Denio, NevadaSasquatch Sign Company, Manitou Springs, ColoradoCorn Palace – Mitchell, South DakotaWelcome to Henry, IllinoisLivingston Bar & Grille – Livingston, MontanaWall Drug sign in southwest MinnesotaSafeco Field Sign in Seattle, WAMurray Theatre – Murray, UtahWelcome to Tonica, IllinoisWelcome to Davenport, WashingtonLogger Restaurant in Astoria, OregonAl’s Oasis in Chamberlain, South Dakota – Largest stop for 200 miles (next one down the road is Wall DrugBrothers Stage Stop – Brothers, OregonCuster Battlefield Trading Post – Crow Agency, MontanaWelcome to Kingston, WashingtonSilver Saddle Motel in Manitou Springs, CO. I stayed there. Nice place. That is Pkes Peak in the background.Iowa River Greenbelt – Iowa Falls, IowaDr. Pierces Golden Medical Discovery Barn Ad in Waterville, WashingtonKit Carson Trading post, Kit Carson, ColoradoOyster Capital of the World – South Bend, WashingtonWinners Casino – Winnemucca, NevadaLame Deer, MontanaRoxy Theater – Ottawa, IllinoisOld Hotel Newhouse neon sign in Helper, UtahPunkin Center, Colorado. Smack dab in the middle of nowhereCenex Sign on I-90 warning of last gas station for miles. Chamberlain, South DakotaWall Drug Sign on I-90 in South DakotaWarrior Trail – US Hwy 212 in Montana…taken near Ashland, MontanaSolomon, KansasPapa Joe’s in Crescent Junction, UT – The middle of nowhere touristy stop for gas, snacks and odds and ends quirky souvenirs.Antique Archaeology in LeClaire, IowaJerry Strong Landing on the Illinois River in Lacon, IllinoisSign at door of Belle Restaurant in Belle Fourche, SDCutter’s Barber Shop in Olympia, WashingtonPortway Tavern – Astoria, OregonDirection Signs in Wallace, IdahoBlack Bear Clothes wall ad in Sultan, WashingtonWallace, IdahoYet another Wall Drug Sign – in Western MinnesotaThe Empire Theater in Livingston, MontanaBig Foot Road, near the Badlands National Park in South DakotaKountry Korners Krazy Kreatures in Kingston, WashingtonWelcome to Helper sign with old Coke Wall Ad in backgroundWelcome to Kentucky, home sweet homeWall sign in Olympia, WashingtonColorado State Line
ENJOY THE RIDE! CHOOSE HAPPY!
If you like what you see, you may want to check out my book: Less Beaten Paths of America: Unique Town Names, available on Amazon. My second book, Less Beaten Paths of America: Quirky and Offbeat Roadside Attractions, is currently being worked on and I hope to make it available in late June 2018. Click on the photo below for more details or to get a copy of the book.
In April 2018 I took a nice long road trip from my home in Lexington, Kentucky to my daughter’s home in Port Orchard, Washington and back. Though I was gone for 15 days, I spent nine of them traveling more than 6000 miles through 14 states. Many of my stops were in anticipation of my new book as I wanted some fresh content to add to it.
Lots of great two-lanes on this trip
In the past, I typically wrote one or two huge blog posts about long roadtrips, but, I have decided that a focus on some of the sites would be more apropos, so I am providing a general overview of my trip herein with maps and a few photos. Following there will be a number of posts about many of the places I visited along the way.
Lexington to Storm Lake, Iowa – about 900 miles on Day 1 and 2
DAY 1/2 – Lexington to Storm Lake, Iowa
Stopped to see Peter Toth’s Whispering Giants
My first two days were quite eventful as I drove nearly 900 miles with an overnight stay in Bloomington, IL and then proceeded northwest to Storm Lake, Iowa for night two. The weather was rainy and yucky most of the way and by the afternoon of Day 2, had turned into snow and, in some cases, blizzard-like conditions. Not fun!
I had very few stops along the way, with the only planned stops being at four locations to see four of Peter Toth’s amazing Whispering Giants. My next post will be all about the Whispering Giants I visited on this trip and also in past trips.
Stopped at Starved Rock State Park near Utica, Illinois and was pleasantly surprisedIf driving through northeast Iowa, a stop at the home of American Pickers is always fun.Storm Lake, Iowa to Belle Fourche, South Dakota – about 680 miles
Day 3 – Storm Lake, Iowa to Belle Fourche, South Dakota
Dignity is a stainless steel, 50-foot-tall statue was specifically designed by sculptor Dale Lamphere to honor the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people.
Day 3 was really one of my typical road trip days with plenty of stops along the way, but it was slowed down considerably due to the snow and icy conditions. Despite that, I visited places such as the Corn Palace (a required stop on a route like this as it changes each year), Wall Drug and a few in between. The highlight of this day was seeing the amazing (and fairly new) fifty foot tall Dignity statue at a rest area overlooking Chamberlain and Oacoma, South Dakota. The work was meticulous and lovely.
The Sunset Motel in Belle Fourche, SD
I decided to stay at a non-chain older Motel on this night and ended up at the cozy little Sunset Motel. In fact, I got there about sunset and was even able to grab a photo of the sunset with the Sunset Motel sign. This is the kind of motel that still has a real key on an old plastic diamond key holder.
Can’t skip the Corn Palace – a major roadside attraction. Changes every year.Can’t skip the 80 foot tall Wall Drug Dino!!Day 4 – Belle Fourche, SD to Wallace, Idaho
Day 4 – Belle Fourche, South Dakota to Wallace, Idaho
Snowy morning in Belle Fourche
I woke up to a cold, snowy morning in Belle Fourche on April 5. It was a concern as I knew I would need to be driving through a mountain range across southern Montana on US 212. Fortunately, the roads weren’t bad until I got up on the pass and then they cleared up with occasional snow showers through Billings, Bozeman and Butte. I was slowed down somewhat, so I ended up stopping in the small mountain town of Wallace, Idaho for the night.
Snow in Broadus, MontanaStardust Motel in Wallace, Idaho
Once again, I stayed at a cool little motel called the Stardust Motel, ironically in the same room number I had the night before. In both cases, I did not request the room numbers.
Wallace is a really unique, touristy town nestled in the Idaho mountains. I’ll have a blog post about this town over the next couple of weeks.
I did get to see some beautiful scenery on the trip and even visited my old high school in Bozeman, Montana as I made my way north towards Idaho.
Snow covered Teepees in Crow Agency, MontanaThe interstate near Livingston, MontanaMen’s restroom door in Northern Cheyenne country – Ashland, MontanaRoad Trip Day 5 – Wallace, Idaho to Port Orchard, Washington
Day 5 – Wallace, Idaho to Port Orchard, Washington
Sumoflam and Roger Vollmer, former boss from Nava-Hopi tours.
One of the highlights of my trip was visiting an old friend and former boss from my days as a tour guide for Nava-Hopi Tours in Flagstaff, AZ in the 1980s. Roger Vollmer, who later purchased and then sold the company, now resides in upper Idaho and I was able to drop by Cracker Barrel in Coeur d’Alene and have a nice breakfast and a couple of hours of reminiscing. Honestly, Roger really helped me lay the foundation in my work ethic and I had a blast working with him. It was good to see him.
The US 2 Sign at Stevens Pass in Washington
Another great part of this portion of my road trip was hitting US Route 2 from Coeur d’Alene and traveling it all the way to the end in Everett, Washington. I have now traveled that highway from Ironwood, Michigan all the way to Washington. I still have a small portion from Eastern Michigan to Ironwood and about 450 miles from Maine to New York to be able to say have driven the entire length. I have driven all of US 66 and all of US 89 at one time or another.
US 2 from Spokane west goes through Washington’s high desert and then eventually into the Cascades and up over Steven’s Pass, which still had snow on both sides of the highway, almost six feet deep in places. It was spectacular!
A snowy stop sign at Steven’s Pass in WashingtonThe view of the Cascades as seen from the Skykomish / Gold Bar area of Washington, east of Everett.
Upon arrival in Port Orchard, I spent a week with my daughter and her family. We took the ferry into Seattle, I traveled with grandchildren to see the rocky beaches and watch seagulls. Following are just a couple of pics from the visit.
With some of the karvings at Kountry Krazy Kreatures in Kingston, WASeattle as seen from Manchester, WAGranddaughter Livvy poses in the rocksA seagull gathers clams in Sinclair Inlet near Port OrchardAlso saw this bald eagle flyover me at Sinclair InletSome of the buildings of downtown SeattleA beach scene in Manchester, WA
Finally, early on Saturday, April 14, I was back on the road, heading south towards Portland and eventually east, to spend the night in Bend, Oregon.
Port Orchard, WA to Bend, Oregon
Travel Day 6 – Port Orchard, Washington to Bend, Oregon
As with some of my other travel days, I had to deal with rain and fog for the first part of the trip. I had hoped for a fun drive down part of US 101 and, despite the weather, I really had a great drive, even if I only drive about 450 miles. Unlike some of the other drives, I enjoyed forests, mountains, snow, ocean scenes and eventually high desert scenes. I also made a stop in Olympia, Washington’s state capital, and visited some friends for breakfast. I’ll have separate posts about Olympia and its awesome wall art/murals. I’ll also have a nice post about the town of Raymond, Washington.
One of many murals in Olympia, WARaymond, WA has an entire community of lifesize metal peopleZigzag, OregonUS 101 near Allyn, WARan into Bigfoot in Allyn, WA. At least he was smilingDrove over Mt. Hood highway heading southeast out of PortlandThe high deserts of central Oregon are lovely.
Travel Day 7 – Bend, Oregon to Murray, Utah
Day 7: Driving from Bend to Murray, UT thru Nevada
Day 7 of my driving days was a long day through nearly 750 miles of high desert through Oregon and Nevada. My destination was my old hometown of Murray, Utah. The drive from Bend, OR to Denio, NV is pretty much through high desert. I took the Frenchglen Highway, which was a beautiful drive on a beautiful day. really not many places to stop along the way. I’ll have a separate post about the Frenchglen Highway (including Brothers, Frenchglen and Fields). It had also been over 40 years since I had set foot in Nevada, so it was fun to get travel blog photos. I spent the night at the home of one of my best friends and had dinner with some of my high school friends and their wives. Great times!
Standing in the middle of the road…no cars..on the Frenchglen Highway in central OregonAnother scene from SE OregonFinally back in Nevada…at Denio, NVDowntown Winnemucca, NVThe Bonneville Salt Flats in UtahHanging with Friends
Travel Day 8 – Murray, Utah to Manitou Springs, Colorado
Travel Day 8 – Murray, UT to Manitou Springs, COHitting the Colorado border
Day 8 of travel was another long day as I drove nearly 600 miles from Murray, Utah to Manitou Springs, Colorado. This day once again took me through deserts, high deserts, mountain passes and into some beautiful country. I hit the town of Helper, UT which is nestled in a canyon and was a railroad and mining town. Also passed through Price. When working for a record and tape rack jobber back in 1974-75, I made weekly trips to Helper and Price. Things have changed considerably. Crescent Junction had a unique place, Papa Joe’s, which I’ll write about separately.
Papa Joe’s in Crescent Junction – fun “tourist trap”Soldier Summit, UT between Spanish Fork, UT and Price, UT on US Rt. 6. Elevation 7,477Another Whispering Giant by Peter Toth, in Murray, UT
The drive from Grand Junction through Delta, Montrose, Gunnison and Buena Vista was absolutely beautiful (US Hwy 50), especially going over Monarch Pass at 11,312 feet in altitude. On the way down the hill towards Poncha Springs I even go to see a couple of mountain goats crossing the roads.
Once again, I stayed in a local motel. Always interesting.
Monarch Pass – the Continental Divide at 11,312 feet in ColoradoJust barely was able to whip out the camera to catch this mountain goatOld Hotel Neon in Helper, UtahA scene from US 50 in Colorado near CimarronMule deer taken near Poncha Springs, COUS 50 East of Gunnison near Monarch, COStayed at the Silver Saddle Motel in Manitou Springs
Travel Day 9 – Manitou Springs, Colorado to Kansas City, Missouri
Day 9 drive from Manitou Springs, CO to Kansas City, MOEntering Kansas on US 40 near Weskan, Kansas
Talk about a long, straight drive. Made the trip from Manitou Springs, after a visit to Garden of the Gods, (which I’ll write about in a separate post), and went through the deserts of eastern Colorado and Western Kansas on a super windy and dusty day. Did catch a pretty amazing sunset as a result of the dust storms. I decided to really go back roads on this leg of the trip by taking the straight as an arrow drive on Colorado Hwy 94 through Yoder, Rush and Punkin Center. The highway eventually met US Hwy 287 near Wild Horse, CO. Basically, the highway was 85.5 miles long running almost perfectly west to east the entire length.
Garden of the Gods near Manitou SpringsColorado Hwy 94 – 85 miles of straight highway in the middle of nowherePunkin Center, Colorado
I finally got to stop at a place to eat in Kit Carson, Colorado and then continued east on US 40 in Kansas through Cheyenne Wells, Sharon Springs and Oakley, where I got on to Interstate 70 to finish up the ride into Kansas City. I was fortunate to stay with my good friend Brad Sweeten in KC.
Lunch at Kit Carson Trading PostKansas Sunset near Abilene, Kansas
Travel Day 10 – Kansas City, Missouri to home in Lexington, Kentucky
Travel Day 10 – the last leg. Kansas City, Missouri to Lexington, KentuckyDriving with the windows open and the wind blowing through my hair
On the last day it was pretty much straight through driving. I enjoyed another beautiful sunrise east of Kansas City and then just made my way home with a couple of restroom and gas stops along the way. What a long, wonderful trip it was!
Over 6000 miles, 14 states, 5 motels, lots of friends and time with family. I traveled through blizzards, rainstorms, snow covered mountain passes, high desert, long lonely highways. Enjoyed sunsets, sunrises, good meals at local places. Saw eagles, mountain goats, mule deer, hawks and assortment of water fowl. And, of course, a variety of roadside attractions along the way.
Back in KentuckyThe Shelbyville Horse at the Kentucky Welcome Center near Shelbyville
ENJOY THE RIDE! CHOOSE HAPPY!
If you like what you see, you may want to check out my book: Less Beaten Paths of America: Unique Town Names, available on Amazon. My second book, Less Beaten Paths of America: Quirky and Offbeat Roadside Attractions, is currently being worked on and I hope to make it available in late May or early June 2018. Click on the photo below for more details or to get a copy of the book.
