White Sands National Monument – Less Beaten Paths of America Travel Blog

July 5, 2019August 24, 2019

June 2019: The Great Southwest Trek

On June 5 I departed home on a 10 day adventure to the southwest U.S. I had made plans with my sister Sherry to accompany her and her family to Tucson and Albuquerque to visit our brothers Aaron and Gary, both of whom neither of us had seen on over 20 years.

I love my road trips. But I really looked forward to this one as much of it would take me to many of my old stomping grounds. Plans were to visit Aaron in Tucson, then go up to Flagstaff, via Sedona, for a couple of days of touring around there and then off to Albuquerque to visit Gary.

San Francisco Peaks outside of Flagstaff, Arizona

I was really excited about the Flagstaff part. From 1980 to 1984 we lived in Flagstaff, where I attended Northern Arizona University and, for three years, worked as a Tour Guide/Driver for the Gray Line Tours franchise called Nava-Hopi Tours. That job was always one of my favorites as I got to take people from all over the world to see parts of the world that were fascinating. The geography and geology of the area is world-renown. The history, with the ancient American relics and the present day Native American Navajo and Hopi tribes and their life styles were also fascinating. I really was excited to visit many of the places I had not visited since the 1990s, when I took a return trip up there after getting back from Japan.

This ten day adventure took me over 6000 miles of highway and through nine states. During the trip we got to visit two National Parks (including Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest) and four National Monuments (White Sands, Sunset Crater, Wupatki, Montezuma Castle). We visited mountain tops and deserts and saw a lot of great scenery.

It has taken a while to compile much of the road trip fun. Hopefully, over the next couple of weeks I will be able to get a few fun posts out about what will likely be my big road trip for 2019.

Watch for detailed posts on the road trip and the many places. ENJOY THE RIDE!

Like what you see? Well, there is lots more! I now have three books available about offbeat and quirky places to take on your road trips. You can see all of them at http://amzn.to/2ks6fQZ. Book 3 was published and available on August 24, 2019.

Book Cover for Book 3 – Cover Art and design by Antsy McClain

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May 3, 2018May 3, 2018

A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The W 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.

Let’s start this off with a Whispering Bang!!

Whispering Giants – art by Hungarian artist Peter Toth – Idaho Falls, Idaho; Bethany Beach, Delaware; Murray, Utah; Red Lodge, Montana; Ottawa, Illinois; Hopewell, Illinois; Paducah, Kentucky; Astoria, Oregon; Ocean City, Maryland; Iowa Falls, Iowa; Utica, Illinois

Over 62 of these around the U.S. Here are the ones I have seen:

Gigantic Peter Toth carved Indian Head in North Tourist Park in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Placed in 1980

Chief Little Owl in Bethany Beach, Delaware placed in 2002

Chief Wasatch in Murray, UT placed in 1985

Detail of the “Whispering Giant” of Red Lodge, Montana, placed in 1979

Ho-Ma-Sjah-Nah-Zhee-Ga in Ottawa, IL, placed in 1990

Hopewell Giant in Hopewell, IL placed in 1975

Chief Wacinton in Paducah, KY placed in 1985

Ikala Nawan in Astoria, Oregon placed in 1987

The Inlet Indian, Nanticoke, dedicated to the Assateague tribe, is in Ocean City, MD and placed in 1976

Whispering Giant of Iowa Falls, IA in Veterans Park, placed in 1999

Chief Walks With The Wind in Starved Rock State Park, Utica, IL

Wigwam Village – Sleep in Wigwam – Cave City, KY

Sleep in a Wigwam neon sign in Cave City, KY

Hanging with ALL 10 Grandkids at Wigwam Village in Cave City, KY

Wahkeena Falls – Corbett, Oregon

Wupatki National Monument – near Cameron, Arizona

Son Seth at Wupatki Ruins off of US 89 south of Flagstaff in 1992

Water Buffalo – Cebu, Philippines

Carabao Water Buffalo taken on Cebu Island in the Philippines

Winnett, Montana

Wallace, Idaho

Weatherford, Texas

Skinnys Hamburger sign in Weatherford, TX

Murals of Welland, Ontario

Mural of Grandfather telling stories about Welland to Grandson

A portion of a massive mural on the side of a shopping mall. Entitled “History of the Niagara Peninsula” by Heinz Gaugel

Washington, Pennsylvania

Washington County Courthouse in Washington, PA

Williams, California

Williams Hotel mural by John Ton in Williams, CA

Detail of a mural on the side of a building in Williams, CA

Winner, South Dakota

Winner Winner..no chicken dinner, just the name of a town in SD

Waldo, Arkansas

Winterset, Iowa

Welcome to Winterset, Covered Bridge Capital of Iowa

Roseman Covered Bridge in Winterset, Iowa

Wyoming Dinosaur Center – Thermopolis, Wyoming

Large Sign about the Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis, Wyoming

World Trade Center (before 9/11) – New York City

In New York City in 1990 before the World Trade Center Twin Towers met their demise

One World Trade Center (after 9/11) – New York City

One World Trade Center all lit up at night, as seen from Sinatra Park in Hoboken, NJ

One World Trade Center under construction – March 2, 2013

Wall Drug – Wall, South Dakota

One of many Wall Drug Billboards – notice the uniqueness?

West Virginia Capital Building with the gold dome – Charleston, West Virginia

Wonde West Virginia’s Capital Building in Charleston, WV

Wharton, Texas

Future of Wharton, TX Mural by Dayton Wordrich

Wonderland Road – Upton, Kentucky

Winter Wheat – Sparta, Ontario

Broom People at Winter Wheat in Sparta, ON

Walpi, Arizona

While working in Arizona I made over 100 trips to Walpi on the Hopi Indian Reservation in Northern Arizona

White Sands National Monument – east of Alamagordo, New Mexico

Granddaughter Joselyn runs on a sand dune at White Sands National Monument in NM

Walnut Ridge, Arkansas

Sumoflam with the Beatles in Walnut Ridge, AR

Wendy’s Museum – Dublin, Ohio

Dave Thomas statue at Wendy’s in Dublin, OH

The Wendy’s Original $150,000 Crystal Cheeseburger created by Waterford Crystal

“Where’s the Beef?” memorabilia from the famed advertising campaign in the Wendy’s Museum in Dublin, OH

Wigwam Drive-In – Ravenna, Kentucky

Sumoflam at the Wigwam Drive-In in Ravenna, KY

Interior of the Wigwam Drive-in Ravenna, KY

Washington Court House, Ohio

The Washington Court House in Washington Court House, OH was one of many unique buildings I got to visit in 2016

Whitetop, Virginia

All of us at Whitetop Station at the beginning of the 10 mile downhill Virginia Creeper Bike Trail near Damascus, VA

West Side Theater – Newman, California

West Side Theatre – a common stop for Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours

Wimpy’s Hamburgers – Dallas, Texas

Walcott Castle – Walcott, Iowa

One of the Towers on Castle Hall in Walcott

Wind Farms – Shelby, Montana; Nekoma, North Dakota; Adair, Iowa; Bloomington, Illinois; Iona, Idaho; Rugby, North Dakota; Port Burwell, Ontario

An old cabin falls apart in the midst of the giant wind turbines of the Glacier Wind Farm near Shelby, Montana

A silo and wind turbine coexist near Nekoma, ND

Wind Turbines of the Rolling Hills Wind Farm near Adair, IA

Approaching Wolverine Creek Wind Farm, near Iona, ID

Wind Turbines seem to blossom like flowers out of the corn fields of Iowa

Wind Farm info center in Port Burwell, Ontario

Watkins Glen State Park – Watkins Glen, New York

One of over 50 waterfalls in Watkins Glen State Park, NY

Wilbur, Washington

Big Pig and Spider at Welcome center in Wilbur, WA

Winnemucca, Nevada

Mount Washington – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Panoramic View of Pittsburgh from atop Mt. Washington

West Yellowstone, Montana

Whiskey Rebellion – Washington, Pennsylvania

Whiskey Rebellion Statue in Washington, PA

Webster Falls – Hamilton, Ontario

White Castle, Louisiana

There is a White Castle Fire Dept, but no White Castle restaurants to be seen

Worland, Wyoming

Mammoth Bronze Statue by Chris Navarro in Worland, WY

Working Women mural – Welland, Ontario

“Working Women” by Ted Ziegler shows the contribution of women to the industrial
work force in the factories of Welland

Wolf Creek Pass – Colorado

Wind River Canyon – Wyoming

One of many spectacular views of Wind River Canyon

Entering Wind River Canyon on US 20 from Thermopolis, WY

Walking to the Sky Sculpture – Pittsburgh, Penssylvania

“Walking to the Sky” by Jonathan Borofsky

Washington Monument – Washington, D.C.

The Washington Monument and the US Capitol in Washington DC in 2016

Willie the Walleye – Baudette, Minnesota

Son Solomon (at 6’3″) at Willie the Walleye in Baudette, MN

Wichita, Kansas

Keeper of the Plains – 50 foot tall statue in Wichita

What Cheer, Iowa

Downtown What Cheer – many abandoned buildings

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 29, 2017April 29, 2017

V is for Vistas – #atozchallenge

Vistas are the joy of back roads travel. Every corner, every crest of a hill, every mile offers a new vista. And this country has some spectacular and splendid vistas.

Over the years I have seen some amazing vistas. Whether they be in the deserts of the southwest, the high plains of Montana or on the oceans in the east or the west, the views are endless and inspiring. Following are some of the vistas I have enjoyed and their locations. Enjoy the ride and the views.

A view of the Portland Head Light in Maine

Hills of Shenandoah Valley in presunrise hours on Easter 2017

Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean as seen from Old Orchard Beach, ME

A lonely highway in south central Nebraska, near Overland

Spacious skies over the Grand Canyon in Arizona

The river into Juneau, Alaska as seen from a mountain top near Juneau

The mountains and the Yellowstone River as seen from US 89

The long straight highway near Cohagen, MT

Beautiful Highway heading into Virginia from Kentucky

Louisville, KY as seen from across the Ohio River in Indiana

The Oyate Trail highway in southern South Dakota

Fall colors from the Virginia Creeper Trail in Virginia

Beach at Clallam Bay, WA adorned with seagulls

New York City at night as seen from Hoboken, NJ

Sawtooths as seen from Lower Stanley, Idaho

Scenic cinder Hills and Shadows as seen on Idaho Hwy 33

Bison relax along Lava Creek in Yellowstone while pronghorned antelope look on from the background

The Tetons as seen from near Drummond, ID

Sunset in the Sweetgrass, north of Dunkirk, MT

A view of the New River Gorge in West Virginia

Pennsylvania sunrise as seen from Boyce Mayview Park near Upper St. Clair, PA

Fall Colors from the Eagle’s Nest above Bancroft, Ontario near Algonquin

Texas Hwy 30 between Huntsville and Shiro

Hells Canyon in northeast Oregon is actually wider and deeper than the Grand Canyon

Three Sisters – nicknamed Faith/Hope/Charity near Sisters, Oregon

View of the Beartooths near Red Lodge, Montana from the highway was awesome

America the Beautiful – A scene near Glacier National Park

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