30Apr 2018 by David Kravetz

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…
Read More
19Apr 2016 by David Kravetz

A to Z Challenge: The P Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Iowa, Kentucky, LDS Temples, Lewis and Clark Sites, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, Nebraska, New York, Ontario, People Shots, Place Names, Post Offices, Random Thoughts, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 20, US Highway 61, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers, West Virginia, Wyoming, Yard Art
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 P Towns   Pella, Iowa [caption id="attachment_3137" align="alignnone" width="300"] Welcome to Pella[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6116" align="alignnone" width="199"] Vermeer Dutch Windmill in Pella, IA - the largest working windmill in the United States[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3573" align="alignnone" width="300"] Jaarsma Bakery - Pella,…
Read More
10Feb 2015 by David Kravetz

North Texas/Oklahoma Odyssey and beyond

Antsy McClain, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Landscapes, Large Statues, Murals, Museums, Oklahoma, Ontario, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Street Art, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highways, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Water Towers, Yard Art
(Note: This is part 3 of my Texas road trip reports from June 2014, covering the trip from Austin to Ft. Worth and then on to Denton, Paris, Oklahoma, Arkansas and home to Kentucky.) After spending a nice day in Austin, it was time to head north to Ft. Worth and then on to Kentucky.  Along the way I went from weird to spooky to strange to Friendship.  Here is the map of this portion of the trip. [caption id="attachment_12336" align="aligncenter" width="664"] My route from Austin, TX (weird) to Friendship, AR. Traveled in late June 2014[/caption] On this route I visited friends but also visited some other fun and quirky places.  My first stop was in Georgetown, TX.  Georgetown is home to some lovely Victorian architecture and also has one…
Read More
31Dec 2014 by David Kravetz

2014: The Highlights and Top 10 Sites Visited

Alligators, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Illinois, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Murals, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, North Dakota, Roadside Attractions, States and Provinces, Street Art, Texas, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 2, US Highway 212, US Highway 61, Wall Art, Wyoming, Yard Art
The year 2014 brought me some wonderful opportunities to travel and even fulfill some travel dreams. In the past year I traveled nearly 10,000 miles on road trips and traversed through 19 states (including my home state of Kentucky).  With all of this travel I was able to hit a few "bucket list" stops and also drive a good part of some "bucket list" highways as well. Overall, the year was splendid. The Big Highlights 9,700 Miles Driven Traveled through 19 states Drove about 1,200 miles of US Route 2, one of my Bucket List Highways.  Drove from Ironwood, MI to Browning, MT Drove the Blues Highway in Mississippi Drove the Beartooth Highway in Wyoming (which Charles Kuralt noted as "the most beautiful drive in America" and I concur My…
Read More
27Jun 2014 by David Kravetz

It’s All in the Trip

Antsy McClain, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Large Statues, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, States and Provinces, Tennessee, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wildflowers, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="768"] The Corner of This Way and That Way in Lake Jackson, TX[/caption] I started off today on the last leg of a 9 Day Road trip. This was my second 9 day road trip in one month. Both road trips were mainly for family affairs of one type or another. So, that being said, I did have destinations for both trips. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Giant Cow with glasses in Guthrie, KY[/caption] My first trip took me to Montana for my grandson's baptism. I've already posted some content about that, but that trip took me almost 4600 miles in nine days and thru 12 states. I still have a few post to go to finish my blogs on that trip. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Riding the…
Read More
03Mar 2014 by David Kravetz

New Book on Texas Travel: Tui Snider – Unexpected Texas

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, National Monuments, National Parks, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, States and Provinces, Street Art, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places
[caption id="attachment_8227" align="alignleft" width="300"] Tui Snider - author of "Unexpected Texas" (courtesy of Tui Snider)[/caption] Throughout my time as a travel blogger I have had the opportunity to correspond and exchange notes with many other travel bloggers who are also find of the offbeat and quirky. One of those with whom I have worked with often is Tui Snider, from Azle, Texas. Tui is a freelance writer and travel blogger specializing in offbeat sites, overlooked history, cultural traditions, and quirky travel destinations. Her articles and photos have appeared in BMIbaby, easyJet, Wizzit, Click, Ling, PlanetEye Traveler, iStopover, SkyEurope, and North Texas Farm and Ranch magazines, among others. She also wrote the shopping chapter for the “Time Out Naples: Capri, Sorrento, and the Amalfi Coast 2010” travel guidebook. Unexpected Texas is…
Read More