A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The T Things #AtoZChallenge

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.

Talent, Oregon

Tee Pee Motel – Wharton, Texas

Sumoflam at the Tee Pee Motel in Wharton, TX

Thoroughbred Park – Lexington, Kentucky

Horse and jockey racing down the track. Perhaps my favorite photo of all from Thoroughbred Park

Tightwad, Missouri

Tightwad Bank – no longer in business, but was fun to see while there

Tornado, West Virginia

Top of the World Store – Beartooth Pass – near Cody, Wyoming

Welcome to Top of the World Store on Beartooth Pass Highway north of Cody, Wyoming.

Sumoflam at Top of the World on the Beartooth Highway in Wyoming

Tulum, Mexico

Enjoying a visit to the Tulum Ruins on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico

Tews Falls – Hamilton, Ontario

Trailer Park Eatery – Austin, Texas

Trailer Park Eatery in Austin — a hybrid “food truck” type of place comprised of trailers that are actually like food trucks

Trailer Park Eatery. Check out the Airstreams!

Teddy Rides Again – Enchanted Highway – Regent, North Dakota

Enchanted Highway Stop #6 – Teddy Rides Again

Two Medicine Dinosaur Center – Bynum, Montana

Texas Instruments Sculpture – LSA Burger Co. – Denton, Texas

Texas Instruments, a unique sculpture at the LSA Burger Co., in Denton

Three Sisters – Sisters, Oregon

Three Sisters – nicknamed Faith/Hope/Charity near Sister’s Oregon

Toad Suck, Arkansas

Trillium Woods Provincial Park – Woodstock, Ontario

A walking trail at Trillium Woods Provincial Park

Torch, Ohio

Tacoma Narrows Bridge – Tacoma, Washington

Mt. rainier as seen from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge

Turkey Vultures – McKee, Kentucky; Versailles, Kentucky; Taylorsville, Kentucky

Turkey Vultures guard their meal near McKee, KY

A Turkey Vulture, also called a buzzard, flying way overhead in Versailles, KY

Turkey vulture gathering on a road in central Kentucky

Thermopolis, Wyoming

A sign about the Hot Springs of Thermopolis

Trail Town USA – Damascus, Virginia

Damascus calls itself Trail Town USA for a reason. The Appalachian Trail, the Virginia Creeper Trail and others come to a crossroads here.

At the Cross Roads of the Virginia Creeper and Appalachian Trails

Ten Sleep, Wyoming

Ten Sleep Canyon on US 16 near Ten Sleep, WY

Thronehenge – Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden – Calvert City, Kentucky

Tomahawk, Wisconsin

Texan Motel – Raton, New Mexico

Teton Drive In – Rexburg, Idaho

This Way and That Way – Lake Jackson, Texas

Corner of This Way and That Way in Lake Jackson, TX

Plaque describing the naming of the roads This Way and That Way in Lake Jackson, TX

Taughannock Falls – Ulysses, New York

Turtle Twist Ice Cream – Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

Turtle Twist Ice Cream in Canonsburg, PA

Theodore Roosevelt National Park – Medora, South Dakota

Some of the scenic and colorful hills of Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Teepee Cafe – Bonesteel, South Dakota

Taisekiji – Fujinomiya, Japan

One of the huge buildings of Taisekiji in Fuji-no-miya (ca. 1978)

Towering pillars of Taisekiji. Notice the little dots at the bottom…those are people. (ca. 1978)

Tower Rock State Park – Cascade, Montana

Tioga, Texas

Tallman Hotel – Upper Lake, California

Tersier (Actually called a Tarsius) – Bohol, Philippines

Tunica, Mississippi

Thorncrown Chapel – Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Tom Sawyer’s Fence – Hannibal, Missouri

My two sons, Seth and Solomon, at Tom Sawyer’s Fence in Hannibal, Missouri., Summer 2001

Threadgill’s – Austin, Texas

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Two-Tailed Walleye – Shell Lake, Wisconsin

Sumoflam with the Shell Lake Two-Tailed Walleye

Train Murals – Gauley Bridge, West Virginia; Ravenna, Kentucky; Glasgow, Montana

Train Mural in Gauley Bridge painted by Nancy Lane to commemorate the rich rail heritage of the town.

A large mural of a train welcomes visitors to Ravenna, KY

Train mural in Glasgow Montana on the side of a building

Texas Pipe Supply – Houston, Texas

Giant Armadillo – Texas Pipe Company – Houston, Texas

Big Scrap Metal Stegosaurus – Texas Pipe Company – Houston, Texas

Twin Buttes – Atomic City, Idaho

Twin Buttes near Atomic City as seen heading west to Arco, ID

Three-Legged Willie – Georgetown, Texas

Statue of Three-Legged Willie in Georgetown, TX

Totem Poles – Neah Bay, Washington; Blueberry, Wisconsin; Ketchikan, Alaska; Superior, Wisconsin

Scrap Metal totem pole outside of Blueberry, WI Antique store

Wooden Bear Totem Pole – Gronk’s in Superior, Wisconsin

Troll City – Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin

One of dozens of HUGE trolls in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin

Grumpy Troll Brew Pub and Restaurant, Mt. Horeb, WI

Another Mt. Horeb Troll – for good measure

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.

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April 7, 2017April 5, 2017

F is for Falls – #atozchallenge

I love visiting all of the offbeat and quirky places when I’m out on the road. But, I must confess that I am also addicted to the beauty of nature in all its forms.

One of the more splendid beautiful objects of nature is the waterfall. Every state in the country has waterfalls, those though some are more magnificent than others.

Sumoflam at Cumberland Falls in Kentucky

Like millions of other tourists, I have most certainly been to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side and to American Falls on the American side. These are beyond spectacular!

Though the roar of Niagara Falls will always be in the back of my mind, there are others that I’ve drawn me closer in that I have enjoyed.

You can almost feel the mist and hear the roar of Niagara Falls in this photo

American Falls on the Niagara River in New York

Maid of the Mist boat at the bottom of Niagara Falls filled with tourists

When I made my first trip to Portland Oregon in 2011, one of my main objectives besides visiting voodoo doughnut, was to visit Multnomah Falls. Of course you know that one! That’s that beautiful tall waterfall with a bridge going in front of it that shows up all over the place.

When I first saw photograph of that waterfall I had to research and find out what it’s name was and where it was and when I realized it was in Oregon it became the top of my list to get to and I didn’t make it.

Multnomah Falls in Oregon…one of my favorite places in the US

Some tourists enjoy Multnomah Falls from the bridge

The wonderful thing about going to Multnomah is that there are numerous other waterfalls along the highway before you get there. So, along the way I did drop by to see a couple of them. In their own right, these are beautiful waterfalls.

Over the years and over the miles on my road trips, I have made it a point to visit waterfalls and in some cases have just come across some.

Otterville Falls in Otterville, Ontario, Canada

A small waterfall in Red River Gorge, Kentucky

One of those that I made a point to get to was the beautiful waterfalls in Yellowstone National Park. The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River are magnificent. Of course, this canyon in Yellowstone was forged by the river. The walls of the canyon a filled with stone that is yellow and this is where the actual name of the park comes from.

Yellowstone has numerous waterfalls, but none as glorious as this one. Indeed, this has to be one of America’s greatest waterfalls to visit. I certainly was in awe.

Another smaller waterfall along the road in Yellowstone National Park

Another of the classic waterfalls that I have enjoyed thoroughly is right here in my own state of Kentucky. Cumberland Falls is down in Southern Kentucky near the Tennessee border. This lovely waterfall is similar to Niagara Falls, but of course, not nearly is huge. The falls themselves are beautiful, but this waterfall is also known for its famed “Moonbow”, something which I have yet to witness. Sometime….

Grand Falls of the Little Colorado in Arizona

One more waterfall of note today must include in this is in the desert of Arizona of all places. This waterfall is typically only visible in the springtime as the remainder of the year there’s typically nothing but a trickle. I am referring to the Grand Falls of the Little Colorado River. This large stairstep waterfall is located east of the Grand Canyon near Cameron, AZ. The Little Colorado River always flows red because of all of the red sandstone. When there are heavy rains in the spring, the falls can be seen in their magnificence. As a tour guide in Flagstaff in the 1980s, I was able to visit Grand Falls numerous times. And I’ve been able to pick up a couple of wonderful photos of it.

A tourist observes the grandeur of the Grand Falls of the Little Colorado in Arizona in 1984

David and Julianne at Chagrin Falls in Ohio

Most of the waterfalls I’ve noted above are not in the middle of towns, but on the outskirts are far removed. There are, however, some waterfalls that can be seen within towns. Perhaps one of the most interesting is the town of Chagrin Falls in Ohio. This town is south of Cleveland and actually has two waterfalls flowing right through the middle of town. You can stand on one bridge and look at one fall to your left and one to the right. The town is a little tourist attraction because of the falls and has restaurants that reside right on the edge of the falls to where you can eat and look at the beauty of the falls. On our visit in 2016 we did not have time to sit down and eat there but we still got to enjoy the waterfall.

The waterfalls on the Snake River called Idaho Falls

Another set of lovely waterfalls in the middle of a town are those in Idaho Falls, Idaho. From the waterfalls you can actually view the Idaho Falls Temple of the Mormon church but also enjoy the lovely view of the falls from the pathways to go along it.

With my oldest daughter Amaree at the same Great Falls in 2006

Heading east from Idaho Falls to Montana, there are the famed Great Falls of the Missouri River located in, you got it, Great Falls, MT. Back in the days when Lewis and Clark we’re traversing the Missouri River, they came across the falls and all of their glory but now the falls have been dammed up a bit. Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful sight to visit.

Great Falls of the Missouri in Great Falls, MT

The same Lewis and Clark start of their adventure on another river waterfall in Kentucky and Indiana as they passed by the falls of the Ohio River. Today, these falls or not so exciting to see as they probably were back in the days of Lewis and Clark.

For the real fan of waterfalls, perhaps the best thing to do is go into Hamilton, Ontario northwest of Niagara Falls. There are a number of waterfalls that feed into the Niagara River eventually. One can walk literally to the side of many of these waterfalls and look down. There is Tews Falls and a couple of others that were very nice and easily can all be seen the same day as one sees Niagara Falls.

I have yet to hit many of the huge waterfalls in California. I have missed some of the other big ones in the United States and Canada as well, but I’ve been fortunate enough to see a number of them. In the following photos you will see a few other waterfalls including one in Alaska and some from other points across the United States.

Ragged Falls in Algonquin National Park in Ontario

Indian Falls from the parking lot of the Indian Falls Log Cabin restaurant in New York

One of many waterfalls seen along WA 123 in Washington near Mt. Rainier NP

With my wife at a waterfall near Mendenhall Glacier not far from Juneau, AK

A far off waterfall in Glacier National Park

When you are on the back roads of America, always keep your eye open for a sign to a waterfall. You’ll be glad that you did.

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April 9, 2016April 9, 2016

A to Z Challenge: The H Towns #atozchallenge

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 what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016

The H Towns

Hell, Michigan

Direction to Hell from Pickney, MI — Direction to Hell from Pinckney, MI

I can’t in good conscience include a post about towns that begin with H without starting with Hell, Michigan. Located near Pinckney on a beautiful forest drive, Hell is a great tourist spot. There are only a few buildings there including an unofficial Post Office (it is actually part of Pinckney, but they have this one there and will do a Hell post mark). There is an ice cream/gift shop called I Scream, then there is the Dam Fine Food and Spirits place and you can even get official Dam U T-shirts (Damnation University). No public restrooms, just Porta Potties. You can see my complete post about Michigan and Hell that I wrote back in 2008 HERE.

Hamtramck, Michigan

The creation of Ukranian born Dmytro Szylak, Hamtramck Disneyland still brings in vistors to Detroit

A menagerie of oddball and offbeat things all over the roof, side of the house and the yard - Hamtramck Disneyland — A menagerie of oddball and offbeat things all over the roof, side of the house and the yard – Hamtramck Disneyland

Hamtramck Disneyland in 2008 - Detroit — Hamtramck Disneyland in 2008 – Detroit

Old Ice Cream Shop in Hamtramck — Burks Igloo Ice Cream Shop in Hamtramck

A Shop converted to a Mosque in Hamtramck, MI

Sticking in Michigan, swing over to the Hamtramck suburb of Detroit. This is a very interesting place to say the least. Hamtramck was originally settled by German farmers, but Polish immigrants flooded into the area when the Dodge Brothers plant opened in 1914. Poles used to make up a large proportion of the population. It is sometimes confused with Poletown, a traditional Polish neighborhood, which used to lie mostly in the city of Detroit and includes a small part of Hamtramck. But more recently (November 2015) the blue-collar city that has been home to Polish Catholic immigrants and their descendants for more than a century has now become what demographers think is the first jurisdiction in the nation to elect a
majority-Muslim council. In fact, in 2013 the town earned the distinction of becoming what appears to be the first majority-Muslim city in the United States following the arrival of thousands of immigrants from Yemen, Bangladesh and Bosnia over a decade.

Despite all of this, tucked away on a side street is probably one of the most interesting accumulations of weird whirly gigs, mannequins, and a plethora of oddball knick knacks. Known as Hamtramck Disneyland, it is a yard art folk art located owned by a man named Dmytro Szylak. Hamtramck Disneyland was started in 1992 and came to be finished in 1999. Szylak died at age 92 in May 2015 and now the future of the place, located at 12087 Klinger St in Hamtramck, is in question. But the menagerie of fun will always be etched in my mind.

Hamilton, Ontario

Hutch's Burgers and French Fries in Hamilton, Ontario — Hutch’s Burgers and French Fries in Hamilton, Ontario

While living in Ontario in 2008, I visited a number of places and always seemed to pass through Hamilton, a wonderful place to visit. In the town itself is the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, which contains over 40 different aircraft. Then there are the waterfalls!! The township has over 100 waterfalls within a short drive from downtown, and many of them are spectacular. The area is part of the Niagara Escarpment which provides perfect geological conditions for waterfalls to occur, from Tobermory to Niagara Falls. The most scenic waterfall in Hamilton is Webster’s Falls. With its 98 ft crest, it is the largest waterfall within the city. Tew’s Falls is a 135 ft ribbon waterfall, and is the tallest waterfall found in Hamilton. Both are in photos above. There is a website dedicated to the waterfalls of Hamilton HERE. And then, after all of the waterfalls, head over to Lake Ontario and to the shoreside burger joint known as Hutch’s on the Beach for a great burger in a 1960s style diner.

Hatch, New Mexico

We’ll move from Hutch’s on the Beach clear south to Hatch, New Mexico. Hatch is known as the Chile Capital of the World. Located off Interstate 25, between Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences, the Village of Hatch has a population registered at little over 1,600 people. Chiles can be seen everywhere, both dried and fresh. The Hatch Green Chiles are my most favorite in the world!! Stop into one of the shops and get some and you too will be hooked. Every year in September they have their Hatch Valley Chile Festival which looks amazing. While in Hatch, check out Sparky’s burger joint which has a vintage A&W Family on the roof and nearby is giant Muffler Man. Ronald McDonald, Colonel Sanders and other fun stuff decorates the place known for BBQ and their World Famous Green Chile Cheeseburger. I went through there a few years ago, but never got around to writing a blog post. But many of my photos can be seen HERE.

Hico, Texas

Portion of a mural in Hico, TX by artist Stylle Read

Hico is Texas all the way. Only about 1400 people live there, but everything is BIG there. From the giant 12 foot tall spurs in front of a business to the many murals splashed on walls throughout the town, it is a fun place. And of course, you can’t miss the Billy the Kid Museum in downtown. The town where “Everybody is Somebody” is covered in my 2012 Blog Post HERE.

Hopland, California

"Horn Dragon" by Diego Harris. Currently on display at Real Goods Store in Hopland, CA — “Horn Dragon” by Diego Harris. Currently on display at Real Goods Store in Hopland, CA

In May 2015 I was in the San Francisco area to participate in Antsy McClain’s Woodflock gathering in Red Bluff, CA. Along the way we passed a sign that said “Needing to Pee?” What a kick! It was one of many signs in Hopland advertising the naturalist’s department store known as Real Goods. Hopland It is located on the west bank of the Russian River 13 miles south-southeast of Ukiah, at an elevation of 502 feet and has a population of about 750 environmentally conscious folks. I got to meet one of America’s Solar Pioneers while there and saw a plethora of interesting items inn the shop, which is an extension of their massive website catalog. The place has a see through working beehive, the strangest restrooms in the world and some interesting, unique and even quirky items for sale. See my full post about Real Goods HERE.

Hoboken, New Jersey

The grandkidz get a view of Manhattan from Frank Sinata Park in Hoboken. (Photo by Marissa Noe) — The grandkidz get a view of Manhattan from Frank Sinatra Park in Hoboken. (Photo by Marissa Noe)

At Carlos Bake Shop in Hoboken, NJ in 2015

Famed Cannoli at Carlo's Bake Shop in Hoboken — Famed Cannoli at Carlo’s Bake Shop in Hoboken

On another family trip in 2015, my wife, daughter and grandchildren all headed east to Connecticut for a baby blessing. On the way we made a stop in Hoboken, NJ, which offers amazing views of New York City and is also the home of world famous Carlos Bake Shop, from the TV show Cake Boss. The town is packed, the roads are narrow, but the atmosphere, even at 11 PM, is amazing. See my complete roadtrip report, including Hoboken photos (and Hershey, PA photos) HERE.

Hugo, Oklahoma

Elephant Statue in front of the Hugo Chamber of Commerce

Old wall mural in Hugo depicts some of the history of the town.

Showmen's Rest, a cemetery for circus workers in Hugo, Oklahoma — Showmen’s Rest, a cemetery for circus workers in Hugo, Oklahoma

On a return trip from Texas in 2014, I made my way into southeast Oklahoma for a visit to Hugo, which has the nickname of Circus City USA as it is perhaps best known as a resting place for Circus Performers and, has become the eternal resting place for many of these performers. Hugo has been a circus wintering ground since 1942 and is still such for three circuses and their staff and performers, The Carson and Barnes Circus, The Kelly-Miller Circus, and the Culpepper-Merriweather Circus. It is a common site to drive past their grounds in the winter and see them taking care of an elephant or working on their equipment. The town cemetery, Mt. Olivet Cemetery, has a special area called Showmen’s Rest which features unique headstones and grave sites for circus performers and owners. there is also a section called Bull Rider’s Reprieve set aside as a resting place for rodeo riders that have passed on. I thoroughly enjoyed the brief visit to this hallowed ground to remember circus performers. Here are a few photos from this fascinating corner of a cemetery. Read more about it in my 2015 post HERE.

Hershey, Pennsylvania

Hershey's Chocolate World — Hershey’s Chocolate World

Amaree, Seth and Marissa at Hershey Chocolate World in 1990s — Some of my children at Hershey Chocolate World in 1990s

In the southwest region of Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg, the chocolate scented town of Hershey rests. Home of the Hershey Chocolate company, the town is decorated everywhere with chocolaty things, right down to the town’s Hershey’s Kiss shaped streetlights. I visited there in 1998 and then again in 2015. Hershey’s Chocolate World has some great stuff, lots of chocolate for sale and even a factory tour. We visited Hershey on the same trip as Hoboken, so check out my blog link above.

Home on the Range, North Dakota (Honorable Mention)

Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam…well, Home on the Range is somewhere in Western North Dakota off of Interstate 94. It turns out that Home on the Range is a working Catholic-run ranch for boys and girls ages 12-19, especially those that were abused or come from broken families. It helps them readjust and cope. Appears to be a great program.

Hamburg, Iowa (Honorable Mention)

Stoner Drug - Hamburg, Iowa - what a name for a drug store — Stoner Drug – Hamburg, Iowa – what a name for a drug store

Finally, I wanted to mention the small town of Hamburg, Iowa only because of the unique shop there known as Stoner Drug Store. They even sell T-Shirts!! The Drug store still has a working Malt/Soda Bar like they had in the 1960s. You can see more HERE.