Book 4 – 8154: An Epic Family Road Trip Across America – NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon

Book 4 – 8154: An Epic Family Road Trip Across America – NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon

Adventure, Animals, Antelope, Antique Shops, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Bison, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buffalo, Burger Joints, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Dinosaurs, Donut Places, Dream Highways, Eagles, Eateries, Egret, Family Travel, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Highways and Roadways, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Jimmy Jackson, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lighthouses, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Murals, Museums, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Monuments, National Parks, Nature and Scenery, Nebraska, Nevada, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Oklahoma, Oregon, People Shots, Place Names, Post Offices, prairie dogs, Pronghorn Antelope, Quirky Things, Raccoon, Restroom Signs, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Sandhill Cranes, Seagulls, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Snow Geese, South Dakota, Street Art, Swamps, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, US Highway 16A, US Highway 2, US Highway 20, US Highway 31, US Highway 60, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Welcome Signs, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_33522" align="alignleft" width="193"] 8154 Cover[/caption] Big News!!  My newest book, titled "8154: An Epic Family Road Trip Across America" is now available on Amazon in both print and Kindle versions. The book details the three week long 8,154 mile road trip with my daughter Marissa Noe and her three children. New print programs on Amazon have also made it cheaper than previous books!! The book is 138 pages and full of color photos from 20 different states.  I have included a chapter all about how to plan for a long trip like this, especially with children.  A long road trip can be a challenge for the kids, so there are all sorts of ideas including in this book for making it fun and memorable for the kids. There are…
Read More
AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The U Signs #atozchallenge

AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The U Signs #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Less Beaten Paths Books, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Stop Signs, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, Utah, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, Wyoming
I have fallen way behind on my A to Z posts this year due to added work and travel, but I will get them all!  This year I am doing signs that I have seen across the country.  This post will feature signs associated with the Letter U. ENJOY THE RIDE! We can't avoid signs.  They are everywhere.  Advertisements, informational signs, directional signs, business signs and, sometimes, even humorous and fun signs.  Each of my posts in this years' challenge will feature a hodgepodge of signs I have come across in my travels.  In most cases, I'll also note where they were taken.  Some were actually inside of shops or otherwise, so not all will have locations.  I hope you enjoy the remainder of my posts as get to them…
Read More
AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The N Signs #atozchallenge

AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The N Signs #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Books, Burger Joints, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Ghost Signs, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Murals, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Place Names, Restroom Signs, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 16, US Highway 16A, Vintage Neon, Wanderlust, Washington, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wyoming
Welcome to another year of the AtoZ Challenge.  This year I am doing signs that I have seen across the country.  This post will feature signs associated with the Letter N. ENJOY THE RIDE! We can't avoid signs.  They are everywhere.  Advertisements, informational signs, directional signs, business signs and, sometimes, even humorous and fun signs.  Each of my posts in this years' challenge will feature a hodgepodge of signs I have come across in my travels.  In most cases, I'll also note where they were taken.  Some were actually inside of shops or otherwise, so not all will have locations.  I hope you enjoy this fun trip each day of April. So, let's start off with Nice....you can be Nice or Leave.  I like Nice! [caption id="attachment_32576" align="alignnone" width="700"] Welcome…
Read More
Roadtrippin’ 2020: The Roadways – Seeing the USA on back roads

Roadtrippin’ 2020: The Roadways – Seeing the USA on back roads

Adventure, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Farmland, Geologic Formations, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Mountains, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ocean Scenes, Oregon, Roadsigns, Route 66, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, US 129, US Highway 101, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, US Highway 16A, US Highway 2, US Highway 20, US Highways, Washington, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_30279" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sumoflam stands among the giant Redwoods on the Avenue of the Giants[/caption] The most time consuming part of any extended road trip is being on the road.  For me, this is the icing on the cake.  Sure, I love to see all of the quirky places, unique towns, Mom and Pop eateries and more.  But, there is something about driving a two-lane highway (or narrow road or even gravel road) that brings out the wanderlust in me big time.  Watching those white/yellow lines pass by while seeing the scenery, wildlife, buildings, etc., as I drive by, is one of the best parts of travel.  Of course, a good soundtrack, like the thousands of songs on my Spotify playlists, also adds to the fun. I am a…
Read More
Roadtrippin’ 2020: An Overview

Roadtrippin’ 2020: An Overview

Adventure, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Bison, Books, Bridges, Buffalo, California, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Dinosaurs, Dragons, Dream Highways, Eagles, Family Travel, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Mountains, Murals, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oregon, Place Names, Quirky Things, Raccoon, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Route 66, Sandhill Cranes, Seagulls, Selfies, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US 129, US Highway 101, US Highway 16, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Welcome Signs, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_25138" align="alignleft" width="300"] With family at Stitch the Dragon on the Tail of the Dragon (US 129) in Tennessee[/caption] The year 2020 has been a tough year for many people around the world.  Its thrown me for a few loops as well.  But, overall, as I look back on the year, it has been an absolutely amazing one.  In fact, this may very well have been one of my biggest domestic road tripping years ever.  Including the 8154 epic road trip in January and February, I put on an additional 4-5000 miles.  Following are some of the highlights,  which will be covered in separate posts over the next few days. Many of the trips included some of my children and grandchildren.  We had some mini-reunions together.  From the Blue…
Read More
8154: Experiencing America’s Amazing Landscapes

8154: Experiencing America’s Amazing Landscapes

Adventure, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bridges, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Eagles, Family Travel, Farmland, Geese, Geologic Formations, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lighthouses, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Mountains, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ocean Scenes, Oregon, Pronghorn Antelope, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Route 66, Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese, South Dakota, Swamps, Tennessee, Texas, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 1, US Highway 101, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, US Highway 16A, US Highway 18, US Highway 180, US Highway 2, Washington, Wyoming
In early 2020 I traveled across the country over the course of three weeks with my daughter and three grandchildren.    During this trip we traveled 8154 miles across 20 states and visited over 100 destinations, saw all sorts of animals, all sorts of geography, 10 National Parks and Monuments, various state parks, oceans, deserts, mountains, beaches, grasslands, canyons and more. This is the fourth of a few posts about some of the fun from this EPIC Road Trip.  In this post I'll share some scenes of some of America's diverse landscapes that we experienced on this epic road trip. Enjoy the Read! Enjoy the Ride! (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz and, when noted, Marissa Noe) OH BEAUTIFUL FOR SPACIOUS SKIES [caption id="attachment_24234" align="alignnone" width="640"] SD Hwy 244 north…
Read More

AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The A to Z Links Page #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Books, Bucket List Trips, California, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Giant Things, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Oklahoma, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, South Dakota, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, US Highway 16A, US Highway 2, US Highway 20, US Highway 60, US Highway 61, US Highway 70, US Highways, Vintage Neon, Washington, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wyoming
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with  the course of three weeks.  My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip.  During this trip we traveled 8154 miles across 20 states and visited over 100 destinations, saw all sorts of animals, all sorts of geography, 15 National Parks and Monuments, various state parks, oceans, deserts, mountains, beaches, grasslands, canyons and more. Each entry highlights a few stories with photos based on the alphabet and not the order of the trip. This post is an index for all of the posts in case you may have missed some. Enjoy the Read! Enjoy the Ride! (all photography by David…
Read More

AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The X Stories #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Family Travel, Farmland, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Place Names, Roadsigns, South Dakota, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unique Places, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, US Highway 16A, US Highway 18, US Highway 2, US Highway 54, US Highway 65, Wyoming
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with  the course of three weeks.  My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip.  Each entry will highlight a few stories with photos based on the alphabet and not the order of the trip.  I hope you will enjoy this bouncy ride across the back roads of America.  Please enjoy the X Stories. (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) Traveling the X-Roads (Crossroads) of America - Part One Throughout the course of our 8154 Road Trip, there was not anything with an X in it.  So, I thought I would take readers on a Virtual Road Trip along the highways…
Read More

AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The U Stories #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Interviews, Junk-art Sculptures, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Montana, Museums, Offbeat Places, People Shots, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, Vintage Neon, Welcome Signs, Wyoming
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with  the course of three weeks.  My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip.  Each entry will highlight a few stories with photos based on the alphabet and not the order of the trip.  I hope you will enjoy this bouncy ride across the back roads of America.  Please enjoy the U Stories. (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) This post is basically short and sweet. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride. Ucross, Wyoming We passed through this non-descript little community that sits at the intersection of US Route 14 and US Route 16.   It has an interesting name, but…
Read More

AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The S Stories #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Books, Bucket List Trips, California, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geese, Giant Things, Illinois, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lighthouses, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Mountains, Museums, National Parks, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Oregon, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Sandhill Cranes, Seagulls, Selfies, Snow Geese, Street Art, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 16, Vintage Neon, Washington, Welcome Signs, Wyoming, Yard Art
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with  the course of three weeks.  My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip.  Each entry will highlight a few stories with photos based on the alphabet and not the order of the trip.  I hope you will enjoy this bouncy ride across the back roads of America.  Please enjoy the S Stories. (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) Please note that this one is a fairly lengthy post. So, Enjoy the Read and Enjoy the Ride! Sesame Street - Seabeck, Washington While driving through Seabeck, Washington we came upon Sesame Street.  So now I can tell you how to…
Read More