O is for Offbeat Oddities – #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Mythical Creatures, New York, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
For me there is a difference between "Offbeat" and "Quirky."  I like to look at things that are offbeat as being similar to something conventional or recognizable, but just somewhat off.  On the other hand, quirky is closer to non-conventional and sometimes even absurd (my Q post will focus on Quirky). [caption id="attachment_783" align="aligncenter" width="529"] Oddville, Kentucky[/caption] When I am traveling I love looking at the beauty and nature around me, but I also seek out the offbeat and quirky.  One source I always use to help me find these locations is the Roadside America app. This app covers all 50 states and most of Canada and includes almost anything offbeat, odd, quirky and even downright outlandish and ridiculous. There are literally 1000s of sites and things to find and…
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Roadside America Celebrates 20 Years on the Web today

Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Large Statues, Muffler Man, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, Roadside Attractions, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Vintage Neon
My friends at Roadside America (www.roadsideamerica.com) are celebrating 20 years on the World Wide Web today (September 1, 2016.) [caption id="attachment_17149" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Home page from 1996 kickoff of Roadside America website[/caption] I have actually been using their site since the beginning and over the years have submitted stories, updates and photographs from my travels to the 50 United States and parts of Canada. [caption id="attachment_8762" align="alignnone" width="960"] Sumoflam and Big Fish in Bena, MN, one of the 1000s of sites covered[/caption] There are many travel sites on the web, but this, in my opinion, tops them all!! If there is a quirky, offbeat, unique roadside attraction on the back roads of America, chances are you can read about it and see photos on its site. I am honored to…
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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…
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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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Going to California: Real Goods Solar in Hopland, CA

Backroads Discoveries, California, Car Art, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Large Statues, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 101, Yard Art
[caption width="225" id="attachment_12961" align="alignleft"] Welcome to Real Goods[/caption]As I mentioned in my previous post, along the way to Red Bluff and Woodflock, we made a stop at Real Goods in Hopland, CA.  The place was so unique and fun that it deserved its own special blog post. The Real Goods Store got its start in 1978 with a focus on solar equipment. According to their website, the store was originally envisioned as a one-stop-shop where people could find everything they needed for their remote homesteads. The store began with the sale of the first retail solar panel in the United States and the humble goal of changing the world. [caption width="300" id="attachment_12951" align="alignright"] Setting up solar water heater on Hopi Reservation in 1990[/caption]This is of particular interest to me as…
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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…
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#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. …
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Travel #TBT: Jan. 2010 – A Weekend in KC and St. Louis

Antsy McClain, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Indiana, Landscapes, Large Statues, Missouri, Murals, Museums, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, Street Art, Throwback Thursday, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Yard Art
A weekend in St. Louis/Kansas City - Jan. 14-17, 2010 January 14, 2010: ROAD TRIP!!  After quite a hiatus on road trips, I finally took one.  Now that I am working for iHigh.com (was until 2012) I do have occasion to take a trip or two for support.  In this instance I was to travel to Kirkwood High School in St. Louis to Live Stream a basketball tournament on January 15, and then travel to Kansas City to Live Stream a large wrestling tournament at Center High School.  Naturally, along the way both there and back I made some side trips, as is always my custom, but in this case I did not veer too far off the beaten path. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1145"] Lexington, KY to Santa Claus, IN…
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Ten Giant Reasons to Visit North Dakota

Animals, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Birds, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Landscapes, Large Statues, National Parks, North Dakota, Roadside Attractions, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 2, Water Towers, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_11604" align="aligncenter" width="699"] MapLoco States I Have Visited[/caption] In the last few days there has been a viral survey on Facebook (seems like there is one every week!!).  Simply put, "How Many States Have You Visited" is fun for all because it is simple and adds color and is really a "go viral" piece.  MapLoco.com has apparently used it to draw attention to their site.  I did it and my results are above - yes, I only have three states to go.  Many of my friends have done it as well and one common theme I found among many of them....they had not yet been to North Dakota.  In fact, a couple of my friends even indicated that they may never find a reason to go to North Dakota.…
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Taking the Long Way Home from Nebraska – 800 miles in a day

Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Bucket List Trips, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Farmland, Giant Things, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Large Statues, Missouri, Muffler Man, Nebraska, Roadside Attractions, Unexpected Discoveries, Water Towers
[caption id="attachment_10327" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Giant Clouds over Concordia, Missouri[/caption] The best and worst part of a long road trip is the coming home part.  Its always nice to be at home in my own bed after a grueling trip across the country.  But, it is bittersweet.  All of the adventures, sights, sounds and exhilaration are behind me.  The last leg of the trip is usually on the Interstates to get home as quickly as possible (with a few brief stops along the way).  This trip was no different.  My trip home was the "long way home" as it covered over 870 miles on the last day as I traveled straight from Grand Island, Nebraska to Lexington (via Kansas City and St. Louis in order to visit a friend in KC).…
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