Tennessee – Page 9 – Less Beaten Paths of America

02Apr 2016 by David Kravetz

A to Z Challenge: The B Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Giant Things, Idaho, Large Statues, Minnesota, Montana, Mountains, Murals, National Parks, Oregon, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Tennessee, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 2, US Highway 89, Wall Art

During the month of April I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge has each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. My blog is number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts will take you across the back roads of America to many unique towns, some known for their names, other for unique sites in town. To see what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The B Towns Bemidji, Minnesota [caption id="attachment_8772" align="alignnone" width="300"] Paul Bunyan and Babe in Bemidji, MN[/caption] [caption id="attachment_12470" align="alignnone" width="300"] Big Indian in Bemidji, MN in…

09Mar 2016 by David Kravetz

Traveling US Numbered Highways – Part I: An Overview and History

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Dream Highways, Family Travel, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 2, US Highway 20, US Highway 212, US Highway 287, US Highway 61, US Highway 79, US Highway 89, US Highways, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

[caption id="attachment_8529" align="alignleft" width="300"] US 89 and US 2 meet up in northern Montana[/caption] When I was young and living in Albuquerque, NM in the 1960s, there were not many Interstate Highways. Most of the country still relied on the U.S. Numbered Highway System. Even to this day I can recall our family drives along the iconic Route 66 out of Albuquerque to Gallup, NM and then, eventually, when we moved to Dallas in 1968 we took it all the way to Amarillo, TX. Even at that young age I was already enamored by the maze of highways and the desire to see what lays along these long black roads with millions of white lines in the middle and endless telephone poles and wires along both sides. I too remember…

24Sep 2015 by David Kravetz

Finally Made It! All 50 US States – Sept. 2015

Alabama, Alaska, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Big Cities, Bucket List Trips, California, Caves and Caverns, City Skylines, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Dream Highways, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Farmland, Florida, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Georgia, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Graffiti Walls, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indian Ruins, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Rhode Island, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Route 66, Selfies, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 2, US Highway 212, US Highway 61, US Highway 89, Utah, Vermont, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art

WARNING-This is a long post. It took me nearly 59 years to get to all 50 states! [caption id="attachment_14144" align="alignleft" width="210"] Made it to State #50![/caption] On September 8, 2015, I set foot on the side of the road just north of Brattleboro, VT after we crossed over the Connecticut River from New Hampshire on Hwy 9. I got out and took a selfie of myself under a Welcome to Vermont sign. I had finally set foot in my 50th US state...a nearly 59 year journey. Stay 3 or more nights & save up to 25% now! At participating hotels Following is a state by state chronicle of my nearly 59 year journey in order of states visited. [caption id="attachment_14142" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Four Corners - July 15, 1993[/caption] My 50…

02Jul 2015 by David Kravetz

Ten Really Obscure Quirky Places You May Have Never Heard Of

#TBT, Alberta, Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Illinois, Michigan, Murals, Mythical Creatures, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Roadside Attractions, Tennessee, Throwback Thursday, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_5742" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cadillac Ranch - Amarillo, Texas[/caption] Over the years I have traveled tens of thousands of miles of back roads across the United States (only missing Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont...they will be hit soon!). Through all of these travels I have seen the many "famous" unique and quirky tourist spots like Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, TX (the one with all the Cadillacs in the ground), the giant Paul Bunyan and Blue Ox in Bemidji, MN, the Enchanted Highway in ND or the competing Eiffel Towers in Paris, TX and Paris, TN. [caption id="attachment_8772" align="alignright" width="300"] Paul Bunyan and Babe in Bemidji, MN[/caption] Among the 100s of places I have been, there are a few that really stand out to me and I would consider as future…

19Mar 2015 by David Kravetz

#TBT – Oh the Places I’ve Been: Some Odds and Ends

#TBT, Alaska, Alberta, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Backroads Discoveries, California, Canada, Caves and Caverns, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Florida, Fuji City, Fukuoka, Geologic Formations, Giant Twine Balls, Himeji, Hiroshima, Hot Springs, Illinois, Indian Ruins, Japanese Castles, Japanese Shrines, Kyoto, Landscapes, Mexico, Minnesota, Museums, Nagasaki, National Monuments, National Parks, New Mexico, New York, Ogaki, Oita, Ontario, Philippines, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Sendai, Tennessee, Tulum, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Washington DC

"You're on your own, and you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go!" - Dr. Seuss, Oh The Places You'll Go [caption id="attachment_12572" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Sumoflam at the White House - July 1990[/caption] As a Throwback Thursday menagerie, I thought I would throw in some of my odds and ends from the past...some going way back and some not so long ago. I have been blessed to travel so many places and many of my travels happened long before I began writing about them. So, here they are, a potpourri of places diverse. ENJOY THE RIDE! [caption id="attachment_12627" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Mt. Fuji, Japan as seen from my airplane seat in 1990 as I flew to Tokyo from Oita. Indeed, I soared to high…

28Feb 2015 by David Kravetz

Fiberglass Giants Part II: Giant Cows, Pink Elephants and More

Backroads Discoveries, Canada, Cross Country Road Trips, Giant Things, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Large Statues, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Roadside Attractions, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Around the country one can find a number of fun and large Fiberglass Giants. Though most of what I touch on in this post is fiberglass, I do mention so HUGE giants made of other materials due to their fame and as a comparison to the sizes. [caption id="attachment_12437" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Salem Sue - New Salem, ND[/caption] GIANT COWS AND BULLS The fiberglass giant makers have had fun over the years as they have created some real huge and udderly mooooving creations. The giant shown above Salem Sue, the World's Largest Holstein Cow. This monstrous mooer was built in 1974 at the cost of $40,000. The project was sponsored by the New Salem Lions Club in honor of the local dairy farming industry. The statue stands 38 feet high and…

15Feb 2015 by David Kravetz

Fiberglass Giants Part I – The Muffler Men and Such

Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Giant Things, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Large Statues, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Muffler Man, New Mexico, Oregon, Roadside Attractions, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Let's face it, Americans love those quirky roadside attractions! We all know it and its time to admit it. As far back as the 1930s they have been around. But it was the 1960s and 1970s that really got the roadside things going as people traveled Route 66 and other US Highways. The quirky and offbeat were the drawing cards...the highways were our Disneylands! Remnants of those days still hang around even as some artsy companies keep pushing them out to roadside restaurants, garages and filling stations. [caption id="attachment_12522" align="aligncenter" width="280"] The Old Muffler Man - (photo courtesy Roadside America - used with permission) This one known as the Joor Muffler Man in Escondido, CA[/caption] One of the most iconic of the roadside tchotchkes were the Muffler Men, those roadside…

30Jan 2015 by David Kravetz

#TBT – Looking back to a day in Arkansas 2007

#TBT, Antsy McClain, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Giant Things, Large Statues, National Parks, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Television Shows, Tennessee, Texas, Throwback Thursday, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Yard Art

For this edition of Throwback Thursday (a day late....), I look back to June 2007, when my son Solomon graduated from Lafayette High School in Lexington. He was the last of my five children to graduate. On the occasion of this event, my sister Sherry and her husband Brian, in Ft. Worth, TX, kindly and generously offered to give Sol their 1998 Toyota Camry, which they no longer needed. There was some work required, which Solomon had paid for, but the real catch was that he needed to go down there to pick it up. So, early on June 2 he and I drove down to Ft. Worth to get the car. It would be a short trip in terms of days and a long trip in terms of miles. …

20Jan 2015 by David Kravetz

Top Ten Travel Photos for 2014

Alligators, Animals, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Illinois, Kentucky, Large Statues, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Murals, National Monuments, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 2, US Highway 212, US Highway 89, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Water Towers, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art

Throughout my travels I drove over 10,000 miles and took over 3000 photos in 2014. I have numerous shots from the road of quirky places, offbeat sites and some nice looking places. If you missed my "nature photos", some of which are from my travels, please check them out on my Sumoflam's Singlewide Site. Following are my ten favorite travel shots from 2014 and the stories behind them (and a number of honorable mentions). NUMBER 1 - OLD PRAIRIE SCHOOL HOUSE [caption id="attachment_9237" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Old Prairie School House on Smith-Frisno Road west of Havre, Montana. I wanted this one in black and white...more authentic feel[/caption] I once saw a photo of this old school house and knew that I had to get to this relic of the past. So,…

18Dec 2014 by David Kravetz

Deep in the Heart of Texas: Galveston-Houston

Alligators, Animals, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Birds, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Landscapes, Large Statues, Murals, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wildflowers, Yard Art

After a great three days in Galveston, it was time to get back on the road. I would head north to Houston, then on to Austin and eventually into Fort Worth. Texas is a BIG state and there is lots of ground to cover. My first day would cover some backroads from Galveston and meander my way into Houston where I would stay overnight with my uncle. [caption id="attachment_11544" align="aligncenter" width="693"] Heart of Texas Route Day 1 - Galveston to Houston the long way[/caption] There were things I had planned to see along the way and found a few things along the way as well. I figured that I may not get this way again (south of Houston) for a while, so I took advantage of a full day of…

Category: Tennessee