2023 Gulf Coast Road Trip: The Overview

2023 Gulf Coast Road Trip: The Overview

Adventure, Alabama, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Beaches, Big Cities, Big John, Birds, Books, Bridges, Brown Pelican, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Cities and Towns, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Florida, Found Metal Sculptures, Georgia, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Highways and Roadways, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Muffler Man, Murals, Museums, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Monuments, Nature and Scenery, Offbeat Places, Peter Wolf Toth, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, US Highway 98, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, Whispering Giants, Whispering Giants, Wood Stork, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_37550" align="alignnone" width="640"] On our way for a fun road trip! Autumn in the front with me and Chelsea and Jorge in the back.[/caption] I  was thrilled to finally get in a good road trip in July 2023.  My last multi-day road trip took place back in October 2022 when I traveled Route 66 in Illinois to celebrate by 66th birthday.  The July 2023 was taken south to the Gulf Coast, then along the coastal highways and eventually into New Orleans.  From there were went on to Houston, Keller and Uncertain, all in Texas, before heading back to Kentucky.  All in all, we traveled 3001 miles over an eight day period and traveled through ten different states.  I say we as on this trip I was accompanied by my…
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8154: What’s a Trip Without Faces?

8154: What’s a Trip Without Faces?

Adventure, Animals, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bison, Blue Heron, Books, Buffalo, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Dinosaurs, Eagles, Egret, Elk, Family Travel, Geese, Horse Art, Idaho, Illinois, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Murals, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Oregon, People Shots, prairie dogs, Quirky Things, Raccoon, Roadside Attractions, Sandhill Cranes, Seagulls, Selfies, South Dakota, Street Art, Texas, Tourist Traps, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wall Art, Washington, Wyoming
In early 2020 I traveled across the country over the course of three weeks with my daughter and three grandchildren.    During this trip we traveled 8154 miles across 20 states and visited over 100 destinations, saw all sorts of animals, all sorts of geography, 10 National Parks and Monuments, various state parks, oceans, deserts, mountains, beaches, grasslands, canyons and more. This is the fifth of a few posts about some of the fun from this EPIC Road Trip.  In this post I am sharing FACES. What is a trip without faces?  And over 8000 miles of travel opens up the opportunity to see all kinds of faces -- family, friends, strange people, aliens, wild animals, birds, art, statues and who knows what else?  Here are 125 of them. Enjoy…
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8154: Visiting National and State Parks and the Junior Ranger Programs

8154: Visiting National and State Parks and the Junior Ranger Programs

Adventure, Antelope, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Bison, Books, Buffalo, California, Cormorants, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Dream Highways, Eagles, Egret, Family Travel, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Montana, Mountains, Mountains, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ocean Scenes, Oregon, prairie dogs, Pronghorn Antelope, Raccoon, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, South Dakota, Swamps, Tennessee, Texas, Travel with grandchildren, Unique Places, US Highway 101, Wanderlust, Washington, Welcome Signs, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_24469" align="alignleft" width="300"] George Washington on Mt. Rushmore in SD[/caption] In early 2020 I traveled across the country over the course of three weeks.    During this trip we traveled 8154 miles across 20 states and visited over 100 destinations, saw all sorts of animals, all sorts of geography, 10 National Parks and Monuments, various state parks, oceans, deserts, mountains, beaches, grasslands, canyons and more. This is the second of a few posts about some of the fun from the EPIC Road Trip with my daughter and three grandchildren.  Enjoy the Read! Enjoy the Ride! (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz and, when noted, Marissa Noe) [caption id="attachment_24584" align="alignnone" width="525"] Departing for the Epic Road trip in late January[/caption] Taking a road trip with kids is always a fun…
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AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The A Stories #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Ghost Towns, Iowa, Junk Art, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Montana, National Parks, Nebraska, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, South Dakota, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 60, Vintage Neon, Welcome Signs
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with one of my daughters and three grandchildren.  We traveled 8154 miles through 20 states over 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 A Stories. (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) Alcatraz Island - San Francisco, CA While in California in mid-February, we visited San Francisco and viewed Alcatraz Island, the famed island-prison, from afar. [caption id="attachment_22941"…
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Offbeat and Quirky Roadside Attractions Now Available on Amazon!

Adventure, Antsy McClain, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Books, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Junk Art, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Muffler Man, Mythical Creatures, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Wanderlust, Whispering Giants, Yard Art
Yesterday my new book, "Less Beaten Paths of America: Quirky and Offbeat Roadside Attractions" made its debut on Amazon! The book is 130 pages of FULL COLOR whimsy and kitsch as I tell stories of my visits to these places all over the U.S. and Canada. Definitely was fun taking these back roads trips to quirkville and I am excited to share them with you in words and photos. Even more exciting was that after a few hours the book was already #5 on Amazon's Road Travel New Releases chart and #24 on their Travel Reference chart!! I hope you will be able to check out the book or even get it on Kindle (#14 on the Road Travel chart). You Chang the book here: SEE NEW BOOK
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My new book is right around the corner!

Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Books, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Dragons, Enchanted Highway, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Junk Art, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Muffler Man, Mythical Creatures, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street Art, Tourist Traps, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Wanderlust, Whispering Giants, Yard Art
Getting so close to publishing my second book! I am getting so excited! My good friend Antsy McClain completed the back cover of the book so, attached you can see the front and back cover of the book. Start getting excited because I hope that by October 1 or thereabouts my book will be ready for purchase
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A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The U Things #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, California, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Giant Things, Idaho, Iowa, Japan, Japanese Shrines, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Museums, Offbeat Places, Oita, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Texas, Town Names, Travel in Japan, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal
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.   Usa Shrine - Usa, Japan [caption id="attachment_6975" align="alignnone" width="400"] Family at Usa Shrine in Oita Prefecture ca. 1990[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6982" align="alignnone" width="400"] Daughter Amaree in Usa, Japan 1987[/caption] Uncasville, Connecticut [caption id="attachment_14706" align="alignnone" width="400"] Wells Dinosaur Haven in Uncasville, CT[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15085" align="alignnone" width="400"] Sumoflam and Bronto at Wells Dinosaur Haven in Uncasville, CT[/caption] Upper Lake, California [caption id="attachment_12906" align="alignnone" width="400"] Welcome to Upper Lake, CA[/caption] [caption…
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DFW Elite Toy Museum

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Giant Things, Museums, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Television Shows, Texas, Toy Collections, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wanderlust
[caption id="attachment_19054" align="alignleft" width="300"] Visiting the DFW Elite Toy Museum[/caption] Yesterday I posted about the Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland in Kentucky.  Keeping with the theme, today's post will be about my visit to the DFW Elite Toy Museum in Haltom, TX on February 23, 2018. While in Fort Worth visiting my sister in late February, I decided to make a trip to Haltom City, Texas to check out some of the old retro neon signs, old hotel signs and things like that (having been referred by fellow travel blogger, author and friend Tui Snider).  While I was doing so, I decided I would just check in on my handy-dandy RoadsideAmerica.com app and see if there was anything of interest in the area. One of the places that came…
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Announcing My First Book! Now in progress

Less Beaten Paths Books, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries
[caption id="attachment_17818" align="alignleft" width="300"] Finding Success in Missouri[/caption] Hello all! Just wanted to announce that I am in the midst of writing my FIRST BOOK (in a planned series of 12) - Titled "Less Beaten Paths of America: Unique Town Names," the book is all about a number of unique named places I have been to on my numerous travels along the back roads of America. The cover art is currently being designed by my good friend Antsy McClain, who is not only an amazing singer/songwriter/storyteller, but also a very accomplished graphic artist. I also want to thank my friend and fellow travel writer Tui Snider for her divine advice on self-publishing. [caption id="attachment_17230" align="alignnone" width="525"] Happy Happy Happy...yes, there is a Happy, KY[/caption] I hope to have the book…
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P is for People – #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Alberta, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Bobby Cochran, Bruce Wandmayer, Burger Joints, Canada, Cebu, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Edgar Cruz, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Twine Balls, Iowa, Japan, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michael Kelsey, Missouri, Mythical Creatures, Nebraska, Offbeat Places, Oklahoma, Ontario, Patti Hall, Pauly Zarb, People Shots, Philippines, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street People, Television Shows, Texas, Tommy Emmanuel, Tulum, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
I am enriched by people. They inspire me, they teach me, they bring me joy. I have often been told that I have never met a stranger. And it's true. I am unabashed around people. Whether it's joking with a person in line at a grocery store or interacting with the person at a table next to me in a restaurant, I always feel comfortable. [caption id="attachment_17999" align="aligncenter" width="432"] Having a huge elephant ear with friend Robert Phinney in Dayton, WA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_18000" align="alignright" width="265"] Got to meet Nelson Campbell, Director of the well know documentary Plant Pure Nation, in Louisville, KY[/caption] The same goes with my travels. I have been blessed to have met hundreds of unique individuals from all walks of life. The diversity of people enriches us.…
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