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

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Iowa, Jackalope, Junk Art, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Minnesota, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Swamps, Texas, Tourist Traps, Virginia, Welcome Signs, 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 J. 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. Finding signs with the letter J is more of a challenge than many of the other letters.  But, I…
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A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The J Things #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alaska, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Burger Joints, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Dragons, Dream Highways, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Jackalope, Junk Art, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Minnesota, Montana, Mountains, Mythical Creatures, New York, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, South Dakota, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
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.   Judy Garland Birthplace - Grand Rapids, Minnesota [caption id="attachment_8741" align="alignnone" width="400"] Sumoflam at Judy Garland birthplace in Grand Rapids, MN[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8748" align="alignnone" width="383"] Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, MN[/caption] Jakeman's Maple Syrup - Beachville, Ontario [caption id="attachment_5170" align="alignnone" width="400"] Jakeman's Maple Products - Beachville, Ontario[/caption] [caption id="attachment_5171" align="alignnone" width="400"] Jakeman's Sign[/caption] Jackalopes Everywhere - Superior, Wisconsin; Wall, South Dakota; Douglas, Wyoming; Fort Worth, Texas [caption…
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A to Z Challenge: The D Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Arizona, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Horse Art, Illinois, Jackalope, Landscapes, Large Statues, Lewis and Clark Sites, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, Ohio, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, South Dakota, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 101, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard 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 D Towns Douglas, Wyoming [caption id="attachment_560" align="alignnone" width="300"] Large Jackalope - Douglas, WY[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10135" align="alignnone" width="300"] Another Jackalope is spotted in Douglas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_9979"…
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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…
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From Cody to Carhenge with a Jackalope in-between

Animals, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Bison, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Family Travel, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Landscapes, Large Statues, Murals, National Monuments, Nebraska, Pronghorn Antelope, Roadside Attractions, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 20, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wyoming, Yard Art
After a marvelous time in the mountains of Wyoming and Montana, it was time to head east through the high deserts of Wyoming and across Nebraska and eventually back home to Kentucky. [caption id="attachment_10276" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Map of trip from Cody to Grand Island, Nebraska[/caption] After a restful evening at the Moose Creek Lodge in Cody, Wyoming, I was ready to hit the road running early the next morning. I had visited Cody in 2013 and so I didn't spend a lot of time, but I did want to get back over to the Buffalo Bill Center and take some pictures of some of the numerous statues there. [caption id="attachment_10012" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Buffalo Bill Cody statue in Cody, Wyoming[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10013" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Plaque under Buffalo Bill statue[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10278"…
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4600 Miles of Back Roads Bliss

Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Horses, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Large Statues, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, North Dakota, People Shots, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, Squirrels, Street Art, Train Bridges, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wildflowers, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_8557" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Following My Bliss![/caption] [caption id="attachment_8476" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Shaded hills on US Route 2 as the sun lowered in the sky east of Wolf Point, MT[/caption] As I returned home from my long nine-day trip across America I wanted to take a quick look back at all the events. [caption id="attachment_8471" align="aligncenter" width="474"] The Rugby Geographical Center of North America monument juxtaposed with the HUB Motel sign in Rugby, ND[/caption] Over the course of this trip I have covered 12 states, over 4600 miles, taken almost 2000 photos (including over 100 "selfies" and have seen all kinds of things. [caption id="attachment_8450" align="alignleft" width="474"] The famed Paul Bunyan and Babe statues made in 1937 in Bemidji, MN[/caption] The big highlights of this trip were visiting the Paul Bunyan…
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Creating the Wanderlust – 30 Years of Family Travel – Pt 3

Antsy McClain, Arizona, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Georgia, Giant Things, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Musicians, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, People Shots, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, South Carolina, Texas, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wisconsin
[caption id="attachment_6868" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Joselyn on the Beach - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina summer 2013[/caption] This is the last in my 3 part series on "Creating the Wanderlust" through family travel adventures. (see the other two Part 1  Part 2 ) [caption id="attachment_6856" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Autumn in Rhinelander, WI  with the Hodag - Aug 2012[/caption] After three weddings in 2005 I was fried...and, to top things off I had knee surgery later in the year, so there was no travel the rest of that year.  In fact, I didn't take any trips until 2007 when I had a couple of big ones.  These were with Solomon as Seth was off serving a Mormon mission in Utah.  Then, since that time many of the trips from 2008 thru 2013 have…
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Jackalope Heaven – Douglas, Wyoming

Jackalope Heaven – Douglas, Wyoming

Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Giant Things, Jackalope, Large Statues, Museums, Mythical Creatures, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wyoming
Large Jackalope - Douglas, WY Railroad Museum[/caption] Douglas, Wyoming claims to be the "Official Home of the Jackalope."  Throughout the west one can find jackalopes in shops and statues of them.  They even have a Jackalope Days in June. [caption id="attachment_558" align="aligncenter" width="239"] Jackalope Crossing[/caption] According to legendsofamerica.com, "The jackalope is said to be an antlered species of rabbit, sometimes rumored to be extinct. One of the rarest animals in the world, it is a cross etween a now extinct pygmy-deer and a species of killer rabbit. The antlered species of rabbit are brownish in color, weigh between three and five pounds and move with lighting speeds of up to 90 miles per hour. [caption id="attachment_556" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Wyoming Jackalope[/caption] Apparently the first jackalope was spotted in 1829 near the…
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