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.
The Nutt House Hotel – Granbury, Texas
Who would stay in the Nutt House Hotel?
Nice, California
We all know who is really Nice! Nice, CA
New River Gorge – Victor, West Virginia
A view of the New River Gorge in West Virginia taken in 1995New River Gorge Bridge – One of the largest Arch bridges in the United States
Neah Bay, Washington
At Neah Bay in the northwesternmost corner of the contiguous United States in 2015Looking out at Wa’atch Point, which is a cape off the northwestern peninsula near Neah Bay
Nashville, Indiana
One of the many kitschy shops in Nashville, Indiana. Really a fun place to visit
Not the Hotel California – Lima, Montana
“Not the Hotel California” in Lima, MontanaNo Steaks and Burgers at this place in Lima, Montana
Tuckhannock Viaduct – Nicholson, PennsylvaniaThe viaduct is dizzying when looking up from below
Nekoma Pyramid – Nekoma, North Dakota
The Pyramid in Nekoma, NDSumoflam and MSR Pyramid in Nekoma, ND
Nada Tunnel – Slade, Kentucky
The rough hewn stone Nada tunnel near Slade, Kentucky
Niagara Falls – Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, OntarioNiagara Falls
Novelty, Ohio
I found Novelty in OhioNovelty Post Office
Normal, Illinois
Am I Normal? Who knows?A Normal Water Tower
Nikko Shrine – Nikko, Japan
Perhaps the best “old shrine” in Japan, Nikko has been around for centuries. This is north of Tokyo. I visited Nikko in 1990.The colorful pagoda in Nikko
National Mustard Museum – Middleton, Wisconsin
National Mustard Museum Sign, Middleton, WIPoupon U Degree from the Mustard Museum – I got my MBA (Master of Bad Attitude)
North Bend Rail Trail – Cairo, West Virginia
My wife Julianne and her sister Laura at the North Bend Rail Trail HQ in Cairo, WV
Naches Tavern – Greenwater, Washington
Naches Tavern in Greenwater, WA (featuring Bigfoot!)Dollar Bills on the walls at Naches Tavern
Newport, Oregon
Giant Mural on outside of Mo’s in Newport, OregonMo’s Seafood – Newport, Oregon
Salem Sue – New Salem, North Dakota
Salem Sue Sign in New Salem, NDSalem Sue in New Salem, ND – the World’s Largest Holstein Cow (Yes, that’s Sumoflam under the Udders)
Northside Murals – Cincinnati, Ohio
Large Mural on side of building representing the Northside districtTall mural on side of a building in Cincinnati’s Northside
Nagasaki, Japan
Remains from A-Bomb in Nagasaki in 1988Japans second most famous China Town (Tokyo’s is first). This one is located in Nagasaki
JJ’s Cafe – Newell, South Dakota
J J’s Cafe in Newell, SDSign at the door of TJ’s Cafe in Newell, SD. Bear in mind this is sheep country.
Nitro, West Virginia
Nitro WW I museum – Nitro, WVBig Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox in Nitro, WV
Nolan Ryan Statue – Alvin, Texas
Sumoflam with Nolan Ryan in Alvin, TXWelcome to Alvin, Texas, hometown of Nolan Ryan
New Orleans, Louisiana
Bourbon Street in New Orleans in 2011
Nebraska City, Nebraska
Sapp’s Coffee Pot Water Tower in Nebraska CityArbor Day Farm Tree Adventure – Nebraska City, NebraskaDowntown Nebraska City
Nauvoo, Illinois
The completed LDS Nauvoo Temple in 2002
The Jay Vintage Neon – Needville, Texas
The Jay Cafe in Needville, Texas. Vintage neon sign
Mark Twain Statue – New London, Missouri
Mark Twain Statue in New London, Missouri
Willie Nelson Shrine – LSA Burgers – Denton, Texas
Willie Nelson Shrine at LSA Burger Co. in Denton, TXWillie Nelson Portrait above his shrine
Nanobozho Muffler Man – Bemidji, Minnesota
Nanobozho, Muffler Man Indian in Bemidji, MN
Number Hill – Arco, Idaho
Number Hill – Arco, ID
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.
I am always intrigued about the ingenuity of humans. Their ability to build and create things that solves problems for them.
There are many examples of ingenuity to can be seen on the back roads of America. Whether it be bridges or towers or buildings. There is always something unique and interesting to see.
Tuckhannock Viaduct – Nicholson, PennsylvaniaNicholson’s welcome sign features the Viaduct
One of my brightest memories of fascination comes from a town in eastern Pennsylvania called Nicholson. In this town, the train company needed a solution to get the train up high to pass by as the town was down in the valley. So, a giant viaduct was built. Called the Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct, this giant structure. towered over the town and allowed the trains to pass by way up on top of the town nestled below in the valley. To realize that this was built in 1915 is amazing to me. It is 2375 feet long, 240 feet tall and 34 feet wide. Yes, 24 stories tall!!!!! The bridge was built as
The viaduct is dizzying when looking up from below
part of the Clark’s Summit-Hallstead Cutoff, which was part of a project of the Lackawanna Railroad to revamp a winding and hilly system. This rerouting was built between Scranton, Pennsylvania and Binghamton, New York. All thirteen piers were excavated to bedrock, which was up to 138 feet below ground level. Almost half of the bulk of the bridge is underground. The bridge was built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad and was designed by Abraham Burton Cohen. Construction on the bridge began in May 1912, and dedication took place on November 6, 1915.
Tuckhannock Viaduct towers over the small town of Nicholson, PACleveland’s tallest buildings
One needs only go to some of the older big cities such as New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland or Cincinnati, to see the tall buildings that were built in the 1930s and 40s. Naturally, these were to accommodate offices are in a crowded area. The building designs were amazing and are still beautiful to look at.
I really love the older buildings as they were obviously much more difficult to build and their architecture is so reminiscent of the times. I guess I grew up watching the old Superman movies and saw the old buildings used in these.
New York City 1959 (from an old family picture – I was actually there when this was taken. Only 3 years old)New York City, 2013 – taken from Hoboken, NJCincinnati Skyline with its old buildings and numerous bridgesThe Ascent at Roebling’s in Covington, KY across the river from Cincinnati
But not all of the buildings are old. There is a unique condominium structure that was built in Covington, which is a suburb of Cincinnati across the Ohio River into Kentucky. The structure is unique in its architecture. And the amazing PPG Building in Pittsburgh really blows my mind…a true glass castle!
A view from below One PPG PlaceBridge over Mississippi River at Cairo, IL
I have also grown a fascination with bridges. These are massive structures that cross rivers great and small. In Cairo, Illinois there are two massive and Long Bridges. Cairo is where the confluence of the Ohio River flows into the Mississippi River. The Ohio River is at its deepest and widest point here and when going south through this area one must cross a bridge over the Ohio and then over the Mississippi. These bridges are amazing and it stuns me that the traffic and the years have not worn these bridges away.
The New River Bridge in West Virginia is THREE Statues of Liberty high above the river. An amazing feat of engineering.
River Crossing near Cairo, ILA view of the Detroit-Superior Bridge in ClevelandHigh Level Bridge in Lethbridge, Alberta was built in 1909. It is 5327 feet long and the largest of its type in the worldRoberto Clemente Bridge in PittsburghCut Bank Creek Trestle, built in 1900 in Cut Bank, MontanaSunset over Tacoma Narrows bridge in WashingtonBridges of PittsburghSome of the kids viewing the massive New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia in August 1995Green Bridge near Redcliff, Colorado
I once crossed over a bridge in a valley in the mountains of Colorado (see above). This bridge to was stunning to me is you come down off of the hill and see the bridge down below. I wondered out loud at the time how engineers could fulfill this feat.
Golden Gate Bridge in 2016
Another of the great and fascinating Bridges is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Not only is it massive like the bridges in the east, it is also crossing over a giant bay and must also be earthquake proof.
Delaware Seashore BridgeVeterans Memorial Bridge in Steubenville, OH
Some of the newer bridges are more unique and have their own kind of personality. The bridge crosses the bay in Delaware was stunning to me. I was fortunate enough to be at this bridge during sunset and cut the lovely photo of it above.
Many of the newer bridges have dozens of cables attached to large pillars. They look futuristic and are cool to drive over. I have seen quite of a few of these in recent years.
William H. Harsha Bridge from Maysville, KY into Ohio.Rexburg, Idaho LDS Temple
Ingenuity is this not stop just at skyscrapers and bridges. There are many religious structures that can be seen across the country that are also amazing feats of engineering. Take for instance today LDS temple in Salt Lake City. The stones gathered to build that building came from the canyons and had to be hauled by horse drawn wagons.
Many of the other LDS temples are also spectacular. But they are not the only religious buildings.
Old Church “San Xavier del Bac” in Tucson
The old church in Tucson, Arizona called San Xavier del Bac, was built in the 1700s and one can only wonder how the Spaniards built this beautiful and unique structure in the middle of the desert.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church in GalvestonChapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, AZSt. Mary’s Basilica, Marietta, OHCentral Presbyterian in Cambridge, ONHoover Dam and Bridge (photo credit hdrinc.com)
I have crossed over the Hoover Dam in Nevada and the Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona numerous times. These are some of the largest dams in the United States and when you stand on the edge and look down it is dizzying. And to think that these damn’s were built in the 1940s and 1950s is amazing. The ingenuity of the engineers that designed and manage the construction of these is beyond words to me.
On the top of the world on Beartooth Highway that borders Wyoming and Montana south of Red Lodge, MTSumoflam at the Oak Creek Canyon Overlook in 1982. You can see hairpin turns at right
And finally, some of the highways themselves are stunning pizza engineering. Have I overused those words already? The Beartooth Highway in northern Wyoming and the highways that go across the Rocky Mountain National Park are a couple prime examples of this. Even the winding hairpin turns of Oak Creek Canyon Road from Flagstaff to Sedona are quite amazing.
Ingenuity from the 1880s — Longest Covered Bridge in Canada, West Montrose Covered Bridge, West Montrose, ON opened in 1881
Though I am more drawn to the unique and quirky things to see around the country and perhaps closer to the nature of birds and animals and trees and clouds, I am nevertheless grateful and overwhelmed by the ingenuity of humans in the spirit of design and innovation. What needs only open their eyes on the highway and think about some of the things that have been built whether they are bridges, buildings or even monuments to fallen heroes. There is always inspiration to be seen and felt from the ingenuity of the human spirit.
During the month of April 2016 I participated in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge had each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays.
This was my first opportunity to really participate in this annual event, which just completed its 6th year. It was not easy!! I had to not only post something daily, but also create a theme and stick with it. And, in my perfectionist way, I wanted to make sure there were plenty of photos and commentary. I wrote in such a way to draw people to the more detailed posts, where ever possible.
It was a load of fun and I completed the challenge. Not sure how many actually did, but it was certainly tough, yet fulfilling.
What I really loved about the event was being able to communicate and link up with others doing the same thing. I have made some new friends on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. I have found some interesting blogs to follow and also have a few new followers.
I most certainly look forward to participating again next year. Now to start thinking of a good theme for next year. May actually take a long time!!!
A BIG Thanks to Arlee Bird and her wonderful team!!
My blog was number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts took readers across the back roads of America to many unique towns. See what other bloggers posted about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016
Following is a complete listing of each with the banners associated with each post’s link. Click on the Lettered Banner to go to the specific post.
The A Towns: Amarillo, TX – Adair, IA – Alzada, MT – Alamogordo, NM – Alligator, MS – Alliance, NE – Ada, MI – Akela Flats, NM
The B Towns: Bemidji, MN – Boring, OR – Blackfoot, ID – Burk’s Falls, ON – Booger Holler, AR – Brownsville, TN – Babb, MT – Blackwater, MO – Bena, MN – Bucksnort, TN – Bugtussle, KY – Bugtussle, TX
The C Towns: Cactus Flat, SD – Centralia, MO – Cape Elizabeth, ME – Climax, NC – Climax, KY – Choteau, MT – Cave City, KY – Charm, OH – Chelsea, MI – Champaign, IL – Cut Bank, MT – Caledonia, ON – Cut and Shoot, TX – China Grove, TX – Cool, TX – Coolville, OH
The D Towns: Douglas, WY – DeForest, WI – Discovery Bay, WA – Dublin, OH – Dublin, TX – Dragoon, AZ – Denton, TX – Durant, OK – Danville, IL – Dallas, SD – Denver, NC – Damon, TX
The E Towns: Earth, TX – Eureka Springs, AR – Elbe, WA – Easton, PA – Eldon, IA – Egg Harbor, WI – East Peoria, IL – Embro, ON – Eagle, CO – Endeavor, WI
The F Towns: Flagstaff, AZ – Friendly, WV – Friendship, AR – Flippin, AR – Fair Play, SC – Fergus Falls, MN – Feely, MT – Flippin, KY – Fly, OH – Four Way, TX – Future City, IL
The G Towns: Gainesville, TX – Gothenburg, NE – Guthrie, KY – Gregory, SD – Galata, MT – Glasgow, MT – Glasgow, KY – Gardiner, MT – Gillette, WY – Granbury, TX – Grand Forks, ND – Gravel Switch, KY – Gilboa, OH – Georgetown, TX
The H Towns: Hell, MI – Hamtramck, MI – Hamilton, ON – Hatch, NM – Hico, TX – Hopland, CA – Hoboken, NJ – Hugo, OK – Hershey, PA – Home on the Range, ND – Hamburg, IA
The I Towns: Indian Head, SK – Intercourse, PA – Ironwood, MI – Independence, MO – Idaho Falls, ID – Iona, ID – Inverness, MT – Iron River, WI
The J Towns: Jamestown, ND – Joseph, OR – Jeffersonville, IN – Juneau, AK – Jackson Hole, WY – Janesville, WI – Jackson Center, OH – Jamaica Beach, TX – Jamestown, NY
The K Towns: Kemmerer, WY – Keystone, SD – Ketchikan, AK – Kensington District, ON – Kadoka, SD – Kremlin, MT – Kirkwood, MO
The L Towns: LeClaire, IA – Lake Nebagamon, WI – Lesage, WV – LeRoy, NY – Lizard Lick, NC – Lake Jackson, TX – Lost Springs, WY – Langdon, ND
The M Towns: Mt. Horeb, WI – Meadville, PA – Metropolis, IL – Marshfield, WI – Moenave, AZ – Mystic, CT – Montrose, SD – Minot, ND – Mitchell, SD – Mapleton, ON – Medina, NY – Moose Jaw, SK – Mars, PA
The N Towns: Nicholson, PA – Nekoma, ND – Natchez, MS – Neah Bay, WA – Nauvoo, IL – Newport, OR – Newark, OH – Normal, IL – Nice, CA – New Salem, ND
The O Towns: Only, TN – Old Orchard Beach, ME – Okay, OK – Oil Springs, ON – Oak Creek, CO – Oacoma, SD – Odd, WV – Onawa, IA – Oddville, KY
The P Towns: Pella, IA – Peculiar, MO – Pierre Part, LA – Point Pleasant, WV – Paris, KY – Paris, TX – Paris, TN – Paris, ON – Port Orchard, WA – Powder River, WY – Paducah, KY – Port Gibson, MS – Palmyra, NY – Perryville, KY – Paxton, NE – Pembroke, NY – Penn Yan, NY – Ponder, TX
The Q Towns: Quincy, IL – Quartzsite, AZ – Queen City, OH (Cincinnati) – Quicksand, KY
The R Towns: Roswell, NM – Regent, ND – Rhinelander, WI – Rabbit Hash, KY – Raton, NM – Red Lodge, MT – Riverside, IA – Rugby, ND – Rudyard, MT
The S Towns: Steubenville, OH – Stanley, ID – Sedona, AZ – Santa Rosa, CA – Staunton, IL – Sisters, OR – Seymour, WI – Santa Claus, IN – Sandwich, NH – Sweet Grass, MT – Shakespeare, ON – Stratford, ON – Sikeston, MO – Success, MO – Soda Springs, ID
The T Towns: Tightwad, MO – Talent, OR – Toad Suck, AR – Thermopolis, WY – Teton Valley, ID – Tetonia, ID – Tuba City, AZ – Tornado, WV – Tavistock, ON – Tomahawk, WI – Tripp, SD – Tunica, MS – Tioga, TX – Ten Sleep, WY – Torch, OH
The U Towns: Uncertain, TX – Uncasville, CT – Upper Lake, CA – Ukiah, CA – Upton, KY
The V Towns: Vulcan, AB – Valier, MT – Vernal, UT – Vandalia, IL – Vicksburg, MS – Versailles, KY – Vincennes, IN
The W Towns: Wharton, TX – Welland, ON – Wapiti, WY – Wall, SD – Winterset, IA – Winner, SD – Walla Wall, WA – Worland, WY – Walcott, IA – Waldo, AR – West Montrose, ON
The X Towns: Xenia, OH – Lexington, KY – Cotopaxi, CO – Oxford County, ON – Texarkana, AR – Texline, TX – Rexburg, ID – Exie, KY
The Y Towns: Yampa, CO – West Yellowstone, MT – Yellville, AR – York, NE
The Z Towns: Zanesville, OH – Zelienople, PA – Zurich, MT
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.
![A-to-Z Reflection [2016]](https://i1.wp.com/lessbeatenpaths.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/A-to-Z-Reflection-2016.jpg?resize=400%2C190)
