Everywhere a Sign – Some T Signs From 2018 #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Family Travel, Illinois, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 2, Vintage Neon, Washington
Travel is my passion.  It is a terrific passion that tantalizes every nerve in my soul. Needless to say, I am a tenacious traveler. I try to track down every nook and cranny on the back roads of this terrific country. From the twisted and tortuous mountain roads to the tall tree-lined highways, I am always tempted to go yet another mile.  I hope you will enjoy some of the T Signs I discovered in my 2018 travels. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride. Telephone, Texas [caption id="attachment_21279" align="alignnone" width="525"] Telephone, Texas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_21342" align="alignnone" width="525"] I was so thrilled for this place. It had a laundromat and a restroom!![/caption] [caption id="attachment_21343" align="alignnone" width="525"] There are so many unique places in Texas. I just accidentally came across this one....[/caption] Telephone,…
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Everywhere a Sign – Some S Signs From 2018 #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Idaho, Illinois, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, South Dakota, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 2, US Highway 85, US Highway 87, Wanderlust, Washington, Water Towers
Since man could walk, travel has been a part of life.  The sensational opportunity to see the world has kept most of us from being sedentary. The singular driving force is the strong desire of discovery. For nearly 50 years I have sought the sensation, the scintillating, the stylish and the silly in my travels.  In 2018, that striving for something special continued.  I hope you will enjoy some of the S Signs I discovered in my 2018 travels. Enjoy the Read. Enjoy the Ride. Smiley, Texas [caption id="attachment_21323" align="alignnone" width="525"] Smiling in Smiley, Texas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_21291" align="alignnone" width="525"] Smiley, Texas - didn't find many smiles here[/caption] [caption id="attachment_21328" align="alignnone" width="385"] The Smiley Water Tower. Not even a Smiley Face on it![/caption] I was down in Houston in February 2018…
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April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: Miscellaneous Leftovers

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Burger Joints, Car Art, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Illinois, Junk Art, Less Beaten Paths Books, Montana, Murals, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, South Dakota, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 50, Utah, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_20013" align="alignleft" width="300"] Steven's Pass - Washington[/caption] On a long road trip like the one I did in April, there are so many places visited, but some didn't fit into a post for one reason or another.  Here are some odds and ends leftovers from my 6000 mile cross country trek through 14 states.  There is really no rhyme or reason, but the opportunity to address these places in a little more depth. Papa Joe's Stop & Go - Crescent Junction, Utah [caption id="attachment_19673" align="alignright" width="300"] Papa Joe's in Crescent Junction - fun "tourist trap"[/caption] Out in the middle of nowhere in Utah is the small place called Crescent Junction at the junction of I-70 and US 191.  There is really not much there and it is basically a…
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April 2018 Cross-Country Road Trip: Dignity of Earth and Sky Statue in South Dakota

Adventure, Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Illinois, Kansas, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Offbeat Places, Oklahoma, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, South Dakota, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Whispering Giants
[caption id="attachment_20268" align="alignleft" width="225"] Sumoflam with Dignity near Chamberlain, SD[/caption] I love having the opportunity to come upon new and unplanned discoveries in my roadtrips.  While traveling, I constantly check my Roadside America app (which is available for iPhone download here) which has a handy dandy location finder and will tell you the closest of their featured attractions.  While driving through South Dakota near Chamberlain, I did so and came across "Dignity: A 50 foot-tall Indian Woman" statue entry.  Turns out it is located at a rest area near Chamberlain, SD overlooking the Missouri River valley way below.  It was also a Lewis and Clark stopover. [caption id="attachment_20271" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Dignity: Of Earth and Sky - 50 foot tall statue by Dale Lamphere[/caption] [caption id="attachment_20270" align="alignright" width="225"] Dignity statue as…
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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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