(Editor’s Note: For my 2019 posts, I will be posting photos from my travels in 2018. I visited 26 states and drive over 13,000 miles in 2018. These posts will feature of few of the road signs and business signs I came across, as well as some stories behind them. Enjoy the Read and Enjoy the Ride!)
Everywhere you drive you see signs…all kinds of them — road signs, directional signs, business signs, advertisements, and more. As I drive, with camera by my side, I am always on the look out for something unique, interesting and fun. Here are just a couple of “A” Signs that I came across in my road trips across America in 2018.
Alzada, Montana
I drove through Alzada on a snowy April morning. Alzada is just barely a dot on the map. A couple of houses, a convenience store/gas station and a very unique Biker Bar known as the Stoneville Saloon with the famous slogan: “Cheap Drinks, Lousy Food.” I wrote about it in another blog of mine about 10 years ago – READ IT HERE
Al’s Oasis – Chamberlain, South Dakota
Driving west on Interstate 90 from Minnesota on, one will often see signs for Wall Drug. – A huge “tourist trap” in South Dakota. The signs boast “Wall Drig only 450 miles” (or other various things such as “Free Ice” and “Five Cent Coffee”). But, you also, on occasion, see signs for another fairly well known, but not quite as famous place known as Al’s Oasis, which is 200 miles east of Wall Drug, in the Chamberlain/Oacoma area of South Dakota. Established in the 1950s by Albert and Dena Mueller (and their son Alfred and his wife Vena), they created a stop for weary travelers, offering Vena’s apple pies, hamburgers and 5¢ coffee. Today it is a sprawling tourist trap (I say this with kindness…once you are drawn in, its hard to eave because it is so much fun.) So, next time, give Al a try on your I-90 drive.
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is a city in Oregon, on the Columbia River and the border with Washington. Famous for the Astoria Column (which I was not able to visit the day I got there due to schedule). It is also home to one Peter Toth’s many “Whispering Giants,” which was the main reasons I stopped here. (See my May 2018 post about the Whispering Giants)
Looking for a unique and fun gift for yourself or your traveler friends? How about a book about offbeat and quirky places to take on your road trips? You can see both of my books at http://amzn.to/2ks6fQZ. Working on Book 3, coming in late Spring 2019!!
What an interesting theme for this year’s April A to Z! 5 cent coffee! Give me one of those! 😀
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Love the theme! We are trying to get more off the beaten path here in Florida and visiting more small towns. It’s fun seeing new places!
Don’t hesitate to look at my 350+ posts for fun and interesting ideas for road trips.
I admit it. I’d stop at Al’s Oasis.
Hey…why not. It’s a fun place. Most tourist traps are
Sam and Phyllis Kooistra just visited wall drug last week they had a blast,, great photos Dave
Thanks Ricky!! Glad they had a good time!!!
Welcome back for another Challenge. I’ve seen that Al’s Oasis sign in passing many times, but I can’t recall ever stopping there. As always, I like your travel theme.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Interesting theme for this A to Z. Lots of good info too. I’ll be following 🙂