Towns of America A to Z: The M Towns #atozchallenge

Towns of America A to Z: The M Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alabama, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, California, Church Signs, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Distilleries, Dragons, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Illinois, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Louisiana, Montana, Muffler Man, Murals, New Mexico, North Carolina, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Saskatchewan, Selfies, South Dakota, Unique Eatery, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wisconsin
There are Many places that Make up towns that begin with the letter M.  I hope to Magnify some of these Marvelous locations in this post. From the town of Many to Metropolis, the home of Superman and on to a Magnificent Menagerie of other M towns, I am sure that you will Marvel at how fun these can be.   ENJOY THE READ!  ENJOY THE RIDE! MARVEL, ALABAMA I have always been a fan of Marvel heroes, so, on a road trip with my granddaughter, we made our way into the very small community of Marvel, Alabama, where there isn't even a green sign by the road to tell you that you are there.  But, there is a church!  So, in our Maarvel t-shirts, we visited Marvel, Alabama! [caption…
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AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The T Signs #atozchallenge

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Burger Joints, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Graffiti Walls, Hot Dog Places, Ice Cream Places, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Murals, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Turkeys, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Volunteer Fire Departments, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, 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 T. 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…
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AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The P Signs #atozchallenge

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alabama, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bridges, Burger Joints, Church Signs, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Elephants, Family Travel, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Highways and Roadways, Hot Dog Places, Illinois, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, Nebraska, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, prairie dogs, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Uncategorized, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Utah, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wisconsin, 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 P. 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. P is the perfect letter for this post. Ponder about the peculiar, prosperity, paradise and even peeing....but let's start…
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AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The M Signs #atozchallenge

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Books, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Burger Joints, California, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Ghost Signs, Graffiti Walls, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Mail Pouch Barns, Missouri, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, Nebraska, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Utah, Vintage Neon, Washington, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, West Virginia
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 M. 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. From Moon to Mars to Mystic - there are plenty of places to see signs that begin with the…
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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…
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Everywhere a Sign – Some WELCOME Signs From 2018 #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Amish Country, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, California, Canada, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Family Travel, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Manitoba, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Murals, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Well, the Blogging Challenge is winding down.  It has been a wild and wacky challenge for me. Through the month I have provided readers with a wide variety of wonderful signs which I wandered upon during the year.  As I do with all of my posts, I try to be witty and wry in my presentation. I hope that I have brought out the wanderlust in my readers as well.  This post will be all about Welcome Signs. Please now enjoy my special edition of W Signs from my travels over the years.  Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride. Welcome Signs Everywhere! [caption id="attachment_19874" align="alignnone" width="525"] Welcome to my happy place...traveling everywhere[/caption] I love feeling welcome in places!  Perhaps one of my bigger "collections" of place signs along the highways…
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Travel in 2018: The Best of the Roadside Attractions – Part 1

Adventure, Alabama, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Dream Highways, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Muffler Man, Nevada, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, Selfies, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Toy Collections, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 101, Utah, Washington, Water Towers, Whispering Giants, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_20889" align="alignleft" width="225"] Sharkheads in Biloxi, MS[/caption] Obviously, one of my favorite things to do on road trips short or long is locate the fun, unique and offbeat roadside attractions.  And, fortunately, 2018 provided me a plethora of these.  I have already written about a few of them individually in past months, but this post will be a nice little "photo tour" of some of my favorites. Having been through 26 different states in 2018, I had plenty of sites and loads of fun.  I got to share many of these with grandchildren, which made it even better. [caption id="attachment_20271" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Dignity: Of Earth and Sky - 50 foot tall statue by Dale Lamphere[/caption] [caption id="attachment_20268" align="alignright" width="225"] Sumoflam with Dignity near Chamberlain, SD[/caption] Perhaps my favorite from…
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April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: The Landscape in Photos

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Farmland, Geologic Formations, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Nevada, Oregon, Roadside Attractions, South Dakota, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 2, US Highway 20, US Highway 24, US Highway 50, Utah, Washington
[caption id="attachment_20669" align="alignleft" width="300"] Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, CO[/caption] This is the final post from my April 2018 cross-country road trip from Lexington to Port Orchard, Washington and back. As a reminder, I covered 6000 miles and ventured through 16 states. Along the way I not only stopped to visit attractions and see the sites in towns small and large, but I also tried to capture the grandeur of the landscapes and scenery I passed by along the way.  Following are a number of scenic photos from that trip.  Enjoy the ride!  I have randomized these, so they are not in any particular order.  Captions tell the story. [caption id="attachment_20671" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Sunset in Colorado, taken on US 24 near Hartsel, Colorado[/caption] [caption id="attachment_20654" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Lovely sunset…
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April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Ghost Signs, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Minnesota, Montana, Murals, Nevada, Offbeat Places, Oregon, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, South Dakota, Street Art, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Utah, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington
[caption id="attachment_20124" align="alignleft" width="225"] Sign post in Broadus, Montana[/caption] One thing that we all see when traveling America's highways is signs.  All kinds of them: road signs, exit signs, mile markers, billboards, "Welcome to Our Town" signs and the massive assortment of business signs from fast food places to local eateries.  Indeed, our eyes and minds are deluges with them! Over the course of my 6000 mile road trip to Washington State and back, I probably saw way more than a sign a mile (on average).  Yes, there are many places with no signs, but then, there are others, such as going through small towns, where they are in abundance. [caption id="attachment_20107" align="aligncenter" width="450"] One of hundreds of Wall Drug signs to be seen on I-90 from as far away…
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April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: The Overview – Kentucky to Washington

Adventure, Animals, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Birds, Books, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, City Skylines, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Dinosaurs, Dream Highways, Eagles, Eateries, Family Travel, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Horse Art, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, LDS Temples, Less Beaten Paths Books, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Muffler Man, Murals, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Seagulls, Selfies, South Dakota, Street Art, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 2, US Highway 212, US Highway 6, Utah, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington, Whispering Giants, Wildflowers, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_19571" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sumoflam on the Road Again[/caption] In April 2018 I took a nice long road trip from my home in Lexington, Kentucky to my daughter's home in Port Orchard, Washington and back. The itinerary included most places akin to the Good Sam list of campgrounds which my cousin couldn't stop prattling about. Though I was gone for 15 days, I spent nine of them traveling more than 6000 miles through 14 states.  Many of my stops were in anticipation of my new book as I wanted some fresh content to add to it. [caption id="attachment_19561" align="alignright" width="300"] Lots of great two-lanes on this trip[/caption] In the past, I typically wrote one or two huge blog posts about long roadtrips, but, I have decided that a focus on…
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