Pennsylvania – Less Beaten Paths of America Travel Blog

May 1, 2020April 30, 2020

Pulling Out All the Stops! — Waiting for COVID-19 to Stop

I am like millions of others…not on the road, basically stick at home in a semi-lockdown situation. It is May 1, 2020 and some states are finally opening up, a bit. But it doesn’t mean that a nice road trip is in my near future.

For the month of April I posted dozens of photos and stories of my Epic 8154 mile road trip across America with my daughter and three grandchildren. We took that trip BEFORE anyone knew that COVID-19 was already here. We were in Washington and California WHILE there were already people being infected and it still was not in the news. By the time we returned to Kentucky on February 18, there were rumblings of it being in China, though it was also discovered that there were cases (beginning on January 21) in Washington and later in April it was discovered that there were deaths in California in February. All I can say is that I am grateful we weren’t impacted by all of the closures that now are impacting our highways, restaurants, rest areas, etc.

Click on the photo above to visit my A to Z posts. Links to all of them are on this page.

Stop sign out in the high desert of Colorado – Karval, Colorado

But, like all of you, I am wanting it all to STOP! So, how can I express this wish better? I am pulling out all the stops! I have found every photo of a stop sign I have taken over the years. Going to put them all together in this post in hopes that COVID-19 will get the message! (Yes, I know that it won’t really…coronavirus doesn’t care). But, it is a fun way to share a few STOP sign photos.

I hope you’ll enjoy this virtual stop sign tour from around the country. Each photo will include details about where the photo was taken. Enjoy the Ride!!

Stop sign at corner of Woody Guthrie St. and Broadway St. in Okemah, Oklahoma

Back side of a stop sign on Friendly Lane in Haltom City, Texas

A Stop sign in the middle of a field near Great Falls, Montana. It is actually there for snowmobilers in winter.

Stop sign in the snow at Stevens Pass on US Highway 2 in Washington

I parked next to this stop sign which was covered by the snow…it was this deep all around. Taken on the Beartooth Scenic Highway in Montana/Wyoming on Memorial Day 2017

Stop Sign at Yellow Brick Road in Dayton, Ohio

Stop Sign in Pinckney, Michigan. Took this on my way to Hell.

Stop Superman. Taken in Metropolis, Illinois

End of the Dawkins Line Rail Trail in Hagerhill, Kentucky

Stop Sign sitting on the border between Texico, New Mexico and Farwell, Texas…on Stateline Road

Stop Sign at Jemez Springs State Park in Jemez Springs, New Mexico

Stop Sign at White Squirrel Drive in Kenton, Tennessee – Home of White Squirrels

Stop Sign and colorful T-Rex in Carmine, Texas

Ha Ha Tonka Cut Thru Stop Sign in Camdenton, Missouri

Shot up Stop Sign on Kentucky 799 on a back road near Morehead, Kentucky

Stop Sign in Trenton, Tennessee (home of the 31 MPH signs)

Happyville Rd. Stop Sign in Glasgow, Kentucky

Stop Sign on Route 66 in Gallup, New Mexico

Stop Sign at Wonderland Road in Upton, Kentucky

Stop Sign at US 79 and US 41 in Guthrie, Kentucky

Stop Sign at corner of This Way and That Way in Lake Jackson, Texas

Stop Sign on Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail in Morrow, Ohio

Back of Stop Sign on Sky Ct. in Lexington, Kentucky

And finally….

Snow covered Stop Sign in Lexington, Kentucky

WATCH FOR MY NEW BOOK “8154” — COMING SOON TO AMAZON

I am currently working on my FOURTH book, titled “8154” to represent the mileage of my epic road trip with family. You can visit my Amazon Author Page to see my other books at https://amzn.to/3azY36l

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August 24, 2019

Less Beaten Paths of America – Book 3 NOW AVAILABLE Amazon

Imagine my excitement as I woke up this morning to see the PAPERBACK edition of my brand new Book 3, titled Beyond Description – More of the Strange and Unique, had cleared review and is now available for purchase on Amazon! Like Book 2, it is 120 pages full of color photos and interesting stories. This one looks at unique and fun destinations like Carhenge (NE), Paradise Point Marketplace (KY), Bowlin’s The Thing (AZ), Uranus ,Fudge Factory and General Store (MO), Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland Museum (KY), Wall Drug (SD), Lost River Trading Post (WV), Henrys Ra66it Ranch (IL) (and more) and then some themed towns like Vulcan, AB; Hell, MI; Mt. Horeb, WI; Santa Claus, IN, Winslow, AZ and Roswell, NM. Finally, there is a chapter on the Trail of the Whispering Giants and artist Peter Wolf Toth.

You can order the book beginning NOW and probably have it by Wednesday. I appreciate all of the past support and hope that you will continue to Enjoy the Read and Enjoy the Ride! Here’s where you can get it. (And please don’t forget to do a review!)

The paperback book is available on Amazon at

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1729428363

The Kindle Edition is available on Amazon on the link below:

https://www.amazon.com/Less-Beaten-Paths-America-Description-ebook/dp/B07WNXP71D/

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April 30, 2019April 30, 2019

Everywhere a Sign – Some Y Signs From 2018 #AtoZChallenge

For the month of April I have yearned to get back on the road, be youthful and young-at-heart. I have desired some of the yummy things that can be discovered along the way.

Sadly, life goes on. But I’ll be on the road again soon like the days of yore driving yonder to bring all sorts of yeasty adventures! And here are the few Y signs I could garner during 2018. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride.

Y City, Arkansas

Y City, Arkansas sits at the junction of U.S. Routes 71 and 270 in the southern in Scott County, Arkansas. This is another of this places I just happened upon in my travels in 2018.

Yummy Palace, Irwin, Pennsylvania

World’s Largest Big Mac in N. Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

I didn’t eat at the Yummy Palace in Irwin, Pennsylvania. Supposedly really good Thai food. It just happened to be next door to the McDonald’s restaurant that houses the largest Big Mac statue and the history of the Big Mac. Created near North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, the Big Mac has become an icon of the burger industry. In 2018 it celebrated its 50th Anniversary and I was able to visit and also have the full collection of commemorative coins. Not a Y per se, but the Yummy Palace is next door….

Yinzer’s, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Yinzers in Strip District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Last stop on the Y Train is Yinzers in the Burgh. This is apparently one of the biggest Pittsburgh Sports gear stores. Yinzer is supposedly a slang reference to identify the blue collar workers who spoke a locally Pittsburghese dialect. The term stems from the word yinz (or yunz), a second-person plural pronoun, brought to the area by early Scots-Irish immigrants. Over time, yinzer has been used by many Pittsburgh residents to self-identify, even if they didn’t speak with a thick accent. (So, I learned something new from this one! Did you?)

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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