New Jersey – Less Beaten Paths of America Travel Blog

May 3, 2018May 3, 2018

A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The W Things #AtoZChallenge

In 2018 I will feature a random (yet alphabetical) selection of photos I have taken from my nearly 20 years of back roads travel in the United States and Canada. I may even throw in a few random shots from other trips to Japan, Mexico and the Philippines. My theme is called America’s Back Roads: A Grab Bag of Places in Pictures.

Let’s start this off with a Whispering Bang!!

Whispering Giants – art by Hungarian artist Peter Toth – Idaho Falls, Idaho; Bethany Beach, Delaware; Murray, Utah; Red Lodge, Montana; Ottawa, Illinois; Hopewell, Illinois; Paducah, Kentucky; Astoria, Oregon; Ocean City, Maryland; Iowa Falls, Iowa; Utica, Illinois

Over 62 of these around the U.S. Here are the ones I have seen:

Gigantic Peter Toth carved Indian Head in North Tourist Park in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Placed in 1980

Chief Little Owl in Bethany Beach, Delaware placed in 2002

Chief Wasatch in Murray, UT placed in 1985

Detail of the “Whispering Giant” of Red Lodge, Montana, placed in 1979

Ho-Ma-Sjah-Nah-Zhee-Ga in Ottawa, IL, placed in 1990

Hopewell Giant in Hopewell, IL placed in 1975

Chief Wacinton in Paducah, KY placed in 1985

Ikala Nawan in Astoria, Oregon placed in 1987

The Inlet Indian, Nanticoke, dedicated to the Assateague tribe, is in Ocean City, MD and placed in 1976

Whispering Giant of Iowa Falls, IA in Veterans Park, placed in 1999

Chief Walks With The Wind in Starved Rock State Park, Utica, IL

Wigwam Village – Sleep in Wigwam – Cave City, KY

Sleep in a Wigwam neon sign in Cave City, KY

Hanging with ALL 10 Grandkids at Wigwam Village in Cave City, KY

Wahkeena Falls – Corbett, Oregon

Wupatki National Monument – near Cameron, Arizona

Son Seth at Wupatki Ruins off of US 89 south of Flagstaff in 1992

Water Buffalo – Cebu, Philippines

Carabao Water Buffalo taken on Cebu Island in the Philippines

Winnett, Montana

Wallace, Idaho

Weatherford, Texas

Skinnys Hamburger sign in Weatherford, TX

Murals of Welland, Ontario

Mural of Grandfather telling stories about Welland to Grandson

A portion of a massive mural on the side of a shopping mall. Entitled “History of the Niagara Peninsula” by Heinz Gaugel

Washington, Pennsylvania

Washington County Courthouse in Washington, PA

Williams, California

Williams Hotel mural by John Ton in Williams, CA

Detail of a mural on the side of a building in Williams, CA

Winner, South Dakota

Winner Winner..no chicken dinner, just the name of a town in SD

Waldo, Arkansas

Winterset, Iowa

Welcome to Winterset, Covered Bridge Capital of Iowa

Roseman Covered Bridge in Winterset, Iowa

Wyoming Dinosaur Center – Thermopolis, Wyoming

Large Sign about the Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis, Wyoming

World Trade Center (before 9/11) – New York City

In New York City in 1990 before the World Trade Center Twin Towers met their demise

One World Trade Center (after 9/11) – New York City

One World Trade Center all lit up at night, as seen from Sinatra Park in Hoboken, NJ

One World Trade Center under construction – March 2, 2013

Wall Drug – Wall, South Dakota

One of many Wall Drug Billboards – notice the uniqueness?

West Virginia Capital Building with the gold dome – Charleston, West Virginia

Wonde West Virginia’s Capital Building in Charleston, WV

Wharton, Texas

Future of Wharton, TX Mural by Dayton Wordrich

Wonderland Road – Upton, Kentucky

Winter Wheat – Sparta, Ontario

Broom People at Winter Wheat in Sparta, ON

Walpi, Arizona

While working in Arizona I made over 100 trips to Walpi on the Hopi Indian Reservation in Northern Arizona

White Sands National Monument – east of Alamagordo, New Mexico

Granddaughter Joselyn runs on a sand dune at White Sands National Monument in NM

Walnut Ridge, Arkansas

Sumoflam with the Beatles in Walnut Ridge, AR

Wendy’s Museum – Dublin, Ohio

Dave Thomas statue at Wendy’s in Dublin, OH

The Wendy’s Original $150,000 Crystal Cheeseburger created by Waterford Crystal

“Where’s the Beef?” memorabilia from the famed advertising campaign in the Wendy’s Museum in Dublin, OH

Wigwam Drive-In – Ravenna, Kentucky

Sumoflam at the Wigwam Drive-In in Ravenna, KY

Interior of the Wigwam Drive-in Ravenna, KY

Washington Court House, Ohio

The Washington Court House in Washington Court House, OH was one of many unique buildings I got to visit in 2016

Whitetop, Virginia

All of us at Whitetop Station at the beginning of the 10 mile downhill Virginia Creeper Bike Trail near Damascus, VA

West Side Theater – Newman, California

West Side Theatre – a common stop for Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours

Wimpy’s Hamburgers – Dallas, Texas

Walcott Castle – Walcott, Iowa

One of the Towers on Castle Hall in Walcott

Wind Farms – Shelby, Montana; Nekoma, North Dakota; Adair, Iowa; Bloomington, Illinois; Iona, Idaho; Rugby, North Dakota; Port Burwell, Ontario

An old cabin falls apart in the midst of the giant wind turbines of the Glacier Wind Farm near Shelby, Montana

A silo and wind turbine coexist near Nekoma, ND

Wind Turbines of the Rolling Hills Wind Farm near Adair, IA

Approaching Wolverine Creek Wind Farm, near Iona, ID

Wind Turbines seem to blossom like flowers out of the corn fields of Iowa

Wind Farm info center in Port Burwell, Ontario

Watkins Glen State Park – Watkins Glen, New York

One of over 50 waterfalls in Watkins Glen State Park, NY

Wilbur, Washington

Big Pig and Spider at Welcome center in Wilbur, WA

Winnemucca, Nevada

Mount Washington – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Panoramic View of Pittsburgh from atop Mt. Washington

West Yellowstone, Montana

Whiskey Rebellion – Washington, Pennsylvania

Whiskey Rebellion Statue in Washington, PA

Webster Falls – Hamilton, Ontario

White Castle, Louisiana

There is a White Castle Fire Dept, but no White Castle restaurants to be seen

Worland, Wyoming

Mammoth Bronze Statue by Chris Navarro in Worland, WY

Working Women mural – Welland, Ontario

“Working Women” by Ted Ziegler shows the contribution of women to the industrial
work force in the factories of Welland

Wolf Creek Pass – Colorado

Wind River Canyon – Wyoming

One of many spectacular views of Wind River Canyon

Entering Wind River Canyon on US 20 from Thermopolis, WY

Walking to the Sky Sculpture – Pittsburgh, Penssylvania

“Walking to the Sky” by Jonathan Borofsky

Washington Monument – Washington, D.C.

The Washington Monument and the US Capitol in Washington DC in 2016

Willie the Walleye – Baudette, Minnesota

Son Solomon (at 6’3″) at Willie the Walleye in Baudette, MN

Wichita, Kansas

Keeper of the Plains – 50 foot tall statue in Wichita

What Cheer, Iowa

Downtown What Cheer – many abandoned buildings

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, will be available in late April or early May 2018. Click on the photo below for more details or to get a copy of the book.

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April 8, 2018April 8, 2018

A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The F Things #AtoZChallenge

Feely, Montana

Fiberglass Snowman – Lewisburg, West Virginia

Fireplace of States – Bemidji, Minnesota

Fat Smitty’s – Port Townsend, Washington

Fat Smitty’s, a burger joint near Port Townsend, WA.

Fat Smitty’s ceiling covered with money.

Futuro Flying Saucer House – Covington, Kentucky

Four Corners – Teec Nos Pos, Arizona

Frank L. White Grave Marker (The Cream of Wheat Guy) – Leslie, Michigan

Grave Marker of Frank L. White, the man featured on Cream of Wheat boxes. In Woodlawn Cemetery, Leslie, MI

Frostop Root Beer – Ashton, Idaho

Fair Play, South Carolina

Fisherman’s Wharf – San Francisco, California

Fayetteville, West Virginia

The Hobbit Hole – a unique and quirky shop in Fayetteville, WV

Fisherman’s Dream – Enchanted Highway – Regent, North Dakota

Fisherman’s Dream, one of the many Ginormous scrap metal sculptures on the Enchanted Highway

Sumoflam at “Fisherman’s Dream” on Enchanted Highway in North Dakota

First Church of Peculiar – Peculiar, Missouri

First Church of Peculiar – A Peculiar Church in Peculiar, MO

Fox in the Snow – Grand Teton National Park

Fox on Snow in Grand Teton National Park

Flippin, Arkansas

Fallasburg Covered Bridge – Fallasburg, MI

Fourway, Texas

Forest Fire Department – Forest, Mississippi

Flatrock Coffee – Nashville, Tennessee

Had lunch at Flatrock Coffee in Nashville. Great food and a large collection of one of a kind Antsy McClain art on coffee cups

Antsy McClain art on Coffee Cups — one of dozens of original pieces on display at Flatrock Coffee in Nashville

Flying Saucer Monument – Mars, Pennsylvania

Flying Saucer in main town square in Mars, PA

Friendship, Arkansas

Frank Sinatra Park – Hoboken, New Jersey

Blue Eyes Pizza and Gelato in Frank Sinatra Park

Flower Man House – Houston, Texas

Fly, Ohio

Future City, Illinois

Fox Theatre – Detroit, Michigan

Frog Pond Bar-B-Que – Frog Pond, Tennessee

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center – Glen Rose, Texas

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas

Flood Wall Murals – Paducah, Kentucky; Jeffersonville, Indiana; Point Pleasant, West Virginia; Portsmouth, Ohio

One of the many flood wall murals of Jeffersonville, Indiana

Dafford’s History Mural on flood wall in Point Pleasant, WV

Chillicothe Street 1940s by Robert Dafford in Portsmouth, OH

Fort Worth Stockyards – Fort Worth, Texas

Pecos Bill, the giant longhorn for photo ops at the Fort Worth Stockyards

Floodwood Catfish – Floodwood, Minnesota

A Catfish monument in Floodwood, MN where they claim to be the Catfish Capital of the World

Friendly, West Virginia

Meeting a Friendly guy outside the Friendly, WV Post Office

Fort Steuben – Steubenville, Ohio

Fort Steuben Historical Site, Steubenville, OH

Findlay Market – Cincinnati, Ohio

Sumoflam at Findlay Market in the Over-the-Rhine District of Cincinnati

Frontier Bar & Supper Club – Dunkirk, Montana

Frontier Bar and Supper Club – Dunkirk, Montana

Sumoflam and the Mailbox Guy at Frontier Bar and Supper Club

Mount Fuji – Fuji City, Japan

Mt. Fuji framed by Japanese flag, ca. 1978

Mt. Fuji in the trees and clouds (ca. 1978)

Flower Bed Art – What Cheer, Iowa

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April 7, 2018April 7, 2018

A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The E Things #AtoZChallenge

Elk Bar and Good Food – Chinook, Montana

I love old neon signs!!

End of Trail Motel – Broken Bow, OK

More good old neon

End of Trail Motel Neon sign in Broken Bow, OK

End of The Trail – Dawkins Rail Trail – Hager Hill, KY

End of Dawkins Line Rail Trail near Hager Hill, KY

Elvis Statue – Memphis, Tennessee

Earth, Texas

Eagles – The Living Kind – Lexington, Kentucky; Cave Run Lake, Kentucky; Lewistown, Montana

Eagle at Jacobson Park, Lexington, Kentucky

Eagle I saw when driving by Lewistown, Montana

Eagle taken at Minor E. Clark Fish Hatchery near Cave Run Lake, Kentucky

Eclipesville USA – Hopkinsville, Kentucky & Cadiz, Kentucky

Three of my grandchildren at the Eclipseville Photo Board (courtesy of Marissa Noe)

The “diamond ring” effect begins as seen from Cadiz, KY

Ehlenbach Cheese Chalet – DeForest, Wisconsin

One of the two murals that decorate the outside of Ehlenbach’s Cheese Chalet

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Echo Lake – Mount Evans, Colorado

Sitting on top of the world at Echo Lake near the base of the summit of Mt. Evans near Denver, Colorado

Elephant Buttes – Tuba City, Arizona

Elephant Buttes east of Tuba City on US 180

Eskimo Pie – Onawa, Iowa

Elbe, Washington

El Kapp Motel – Raton, New Mexico

More great neon

Eiheiji Temple – Fukui, Japan

Main gate to Eiheiji. Note the monk walking across. He was barefoot. (ca 1976).

Easy Street – Port Orchard, Washington

Eiffel Towers of Paris, Texas and Paris, Tennessee

These two compete for the tallest – Paris, Texas added a cowboy hat to make theirs tallest.

Eiffel Tower in Paris, Tennessee is 60 feet tall

The Paris, Texas Eiffel Tower with a Cowboy Hat on top

Erie Canal – Medina, New York

Egg Harbor, Wisconsin

Lake Eufala, Oklahoma

Egrets – Lexington, Kentucky; Cave Run Lake, Kentucky; Uncertain, Texas

Egret flies off at Jacobson Park in Lexington, KY

A Great Egret relaxes in the swamp near Uncertain, Texas

Egret taking a walk along a pond at the Minor E. Clark Fish Hatchery near Cave Run Lake, KY

Empire State Building – New York City

Empire State Building – as seen from Hoboken, New Jersey

Enchanted Highway – Regent, North Dakota

Sumoflam on the Enchanted Highway near Regent, ND

Everglades National Park – Florida

Sumoflam at the Everglades in Florida in July 1990

Enjoy the Ride

My Travel Theme!

Eagle Art from All Over: Kingston, Washington; Cut Bank, Montana; Joseph, Oregon; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Oglesby, Illinois;

Found this eagle in Kingston, Washington

Large eagle sculpture in Idaho Falls, Idaho

Wooden carved eagle at Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby, Illinois

Embro, Ontario

Eighty Four, Pennsylvania

Welcome to 84 Country – Eighty Four , PA

Elk Photos – Elkton, Oregon; Yellowstone National Park; Sugar City, Idaho

A solitary elk bull relaxes in the meadow at Yellowstone

Euclid, Ohio

Elliston Place Diner – Nashville, Tennessee

At Nashville’s oldest eatery – Elliston Place Diner – Featured in Antsy McClain’s video

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Category: New Jersey

A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The W Things #AtoZChallenge

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