Animals – Less Beaten Paths of America

05Apr 2024 by David Kravetz

2023: Year in Travel and Other Stories – Part 1

Adventure, American Kestrel, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Belted Kingfisher, Camel, Distilleries, Eagles, Family Travel, Geologic Formations, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Museums, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 31

The year 2023 was a roller coaster ride!! Some wonderful travel opportunities happened, but there were accidents and operations that seemed to throw hurdles in the way. Following is a highlight post for the year. [caption id="attachment_37711" align="alignnone" width="640"] Welcome to Hocking Hills, Ohio[/caption] We actually started off 2023 on the road with a trip up to Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. My wife met her sister and they camped out in the cold with our daughter in a nice big tent. I spent the night in a nearby motel in Logan, Ohio. It was January. It was cold. While they slept, I visited Lake Logan State Park to check it out. Much of the lake was nearly frozen over. Logan, Ohio is a nice little town. Saw a…

20Apr 2023 by David Kravetz

2023: Life Throws Us Loops But We Move On

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Belted Kingfisher, Camel, Church Signs, Deer, Distilleries, Eagles, Emu, Geologic Formations, Hiking & Biking, Hiking Trails, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Sandhill Cranes, Selfies, Sheltowee Trace, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wall Art, Waterfalls, Welcome Signs, Wildflowers

[caption id="attachment_37040" align="alignleft" width="300"] Here goes a new year![/caption] The first 3 months of 2023 were pretty wild for me. If you, my readers, have wondered about the relative drought of blog posts and book reveals, then read on. I started off the new year with a quick trip to Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. My wife, my daughter Marissa and my wife's sister Laura did some hiking and camping. It was a cold, but fun adventure for them. They stayed in tents while I stayed in a hotel in nearby Logan, Ohio. Nothing like starting off the new year with a trip. While they hiked, I drove around and did my usual sightseeing. Fun for all of us. Hocking Hills is a beautiful place. It has some nice…

07Feb 2023 by David Kravetz

2022: The Year in Travel – April/May Staycation Fun in Kentucky

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Bison, Books, Bridges, Buffalo, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Caves and Caverns, Deer, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Box Turtle, Eastern Kingbird, Elk, Family Travel, Farmland, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Graffiti Walls, Hiking & Biking, Hiking Trails, Horses, Indiana, Indigo Bunting, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Mountains, Murals, Nature and Scenery, Northern Cardinal, Offbeat Places, Osprey, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Sheltowee Trace, Staycations, Tennessee, Town Names, Turtles, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wall Art, Water Towers, Waterfalls, Welcome Signs, Wildflowers

[caption id="attachment_36906" align="alignleft" width="300"] Staycationing in Kentucky in 2022[/caption] What a year 2022 was!! I started off the year in the midst of another COVID outbreak and high fuel prices. My hopes for much travel in 2022 weren't very high. I expected it would be a lean travel year, but it turned out much different than I had anticipated. By December 31 I had visited 14 states and driven nearly 21,000 miles. This included nearly 1,300 miles (out of a total of 2,400) of driving on Route 66 from Albuquerque to Chicago. I had actually dreamt of driving the entire length of Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, CA in October, which was when I would celebrate my 66th birthday, but it wasn't meant to be. Nevertheless, I was…

03Dec 2022 by David Kravetz

Olney, Illinois: White Squirrels and More

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Illinois, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Squirrels, Street Art, Tennessee, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 50, Wall Art, Washington, Welcome Signs, White Squirrels, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_36318" align="alignleft" width="225"] Sumoflam, sun and a White Squirrel[/caption] I have already posted about my Illinois Route 66 trip, but along the way I had many small adventures. One of the bigger "small" adventures was a visit to Olney, Illinois on October 1. The town of Olney is on US 50 where it crosses IL 130 and is only about 34 miles east of the Indiana border. Its biggest drawing card is their White Squirrels. Yes, White Squirrels. Recorded sightings of the Olney-area white squirrels go as far back as the 1890s. Bu 1941 there were about 800 white squirrels. Since the mid-1970s the town has done a white squirrel census annually. But, cats and dogs often had a negative impact, so, in 1997 the Olney City Council made…

11Sep 2022 by David Kravetz

Saguaro National Park – A Magnificent Display of Desert’s Giants

Adventure, Animals, Arizona, Back Roads, Barrel Cactus, Books, Cross Country Road Trips, Desert Cardinal, Desert Scenes, Gila Monster, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, Nature and Scenery, Ocotillo, Plants, Prickly Pear Cactus, Saguaro Cactus, Selfies, Squirrels, Tree Cholla Cactus, Unique Places, Welcome Signs

[caption id="attachment_35561" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sumoflam at Saguaro National Park[/caption] In early August 2022 I had an opportunity to visit Arizona's Saguaro National Park, making it my 36th National Park (out of the current 63) visit over the course of my life. Though I had lived in Arizona for a number of years, I never had the opportunity to get to Saguaro. So, in the middle of a hot summer morning, we made our way to the home of the majestic saguaro cactus outside of Tucson. It was a splendid day to see these symbols of the American west, despite the cacti really only growing in a small portion of the United States. The saguaro, the largest of all cactus species, can grow over 40 feet tall and can live over…

26Apr 2022 by David Kravetz

Towns of America A to Z: The R Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Antique Shops, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Church Signs, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Frogs, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Mountains, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Monuments, National Parks, New Mexico, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Peter Wolf Toth, Place Names, Quirky Things, Random Thoughts, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Route 66, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Stop Signs, Street Art, Street People, Tennessee, Tourist Traps, Unique Eatery, Vintage Neon, Washington, Welcome Signs, Whispering Giants, Whispering Giants, Wisconsin, Yard Art

Folks, I know I am behind on my posts, but I promise I have not forgotten!! I have been to Reminderville, so I cant forget. I've been kicked in tow different Rugbys and have been scared into catching up by a monster in Rhinelander! Actually, life has been pretty swamped, but I have so many places I want to introduce you to and the R towns really will add a chunk of fun to my sections of the A to Z Challenge! ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! RUGBY, NORTH DAKOTA There are eight different towns in the United States named Rugby. Though I have only been to two of them, I would argue that they are the two best places named Rugby in the United States. Arguably, Rugby, North…

25Apr 2022 by David Kravetz

Towns of America A to Z: The Q Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Airlines, Antique Shops, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bison, Books, Bridges, Buffalo, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, Museums, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Signs and Billboards, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Unique Shops, US Highway 1, Welcome Signs

Tis will be one of the Quicker reads for y'all since there are not many places that begin with the letter Q and I have been to even less of them. However, I will queue up a few for your viewing enjoyment. Honestly, since I watch a lot of TV, and have a liking for Family Guy, I ALMOST included Quahog, Rhode Island in this post. This is the town where the Griffin family resides. Quahog (pronunced KO-hog) has about 800 people and even has a Zip Code of 00093. Ironically, there is town in Rhode Island called Quonochontaug (pronounced kwan-a-kan-tawg) located a couple of miles south of US 1 on the Atlantic Coast, but I have not been there (though I have been to Rhode Island). It is actually…

22Apr 2022 by David Kravetz

Towns of America A to Z: The P Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alligators, Antique Shops, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Burger Joints, Church Signs, Cross Country Road Trips, Donut Places, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Iowa, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lighthouses, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Mountains, Murals, Museums, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, Nature and Scenery, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Restroom Signs, Restrooms, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Street Art, Swamps, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Travel Blogging, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Yard Art

There are loads of places whose names begin with P. For instance, there are 22 different places (15 cities) named Paris in the United States. I'll cover a few in this post. You can also Ponder and Prosper, and even reach Prosperity. If you're lucky you may even make it to Paradise. I'll take you on a Peculiar trip all over and hopefully you will have a great P experience. ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! PARIS, TEXAS [caption id="attachment_33415" align="alignleft" width="300"] Paris, Texas - Home to the Cowboy Hat topped Eiffel Tower[/caption] I am going to start with the tales of a few places named Paris and will hit the town of Paris, Texas first. Paris, Texas currently lays claim to the tallest "Eiffel Tower" in the United States,…

20Apr 2022 by David Kravetz

Towns of America A to Z: The O Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Burger Joints, Canada, Church Signs, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Dolphin, Dragons, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Ice Cream Places, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Murals, Nature and Scenery, Nature Events, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, People Shots, Peter Wolf Toth, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Unique Shops, US Highway 62, Vintage Neon, Volunteer Fire Departments, Washington, Water Towers, Waterfalls, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Whispering Giants, Whispering Giants, Woody Guthrie, Yard Art

It may not yet be Obvious, but this one should be an Outstanding post about O towns as seen from my eyes. This is your Opportunity to visit the Only town named Only I hope you find this post Noteworthy while also swinging by a couple of and even one that is just Okay. I'll bring you some Obscure places and many Offbeat attractions in this post as well. ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! ODDVILLE, KENTUCKY [caption id="attachment_30747" align="alignleft" width="300"] Oddville, Kentucky[/caption] I am going to start off with one close to home here in Kentucky, where I live. Oddville, Kentucky can be found on US 62. The place was established in 1799 and the name was apparently chosen so that its post office, which operated from 1851 to…

18Apr 2022 by David Kravetz

Towns of America A to Z: The M Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alabama, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, California, Church Signs, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Distilleries, Dragons, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Illinois, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Louisiana, Montana, Muffler Man, Murals, New Mexico, North Carolina, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Saskatchewan, Selfies, South Dakota, Unique Eatery, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wisconsin

There are Many places that Make up towns that begin with the letter M. I hope to Magnify some of these Marvelous locations in this post. From the town of Many to Metropolis, the home of Superman and on to a Magnificent Menagerie of other M towns, I am sure that you will Marvel at how fun these can be. ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! MARVEL, ALABAMA I have always been a fan of Marvel heroes, so, on a road trip with my granddaughter, we made our way into the very small community of Marvel, Alabama, where there isn't even a green sign by the road to tell you that you are there. But, there is a church! So, in our Maarvel t-shirts, we visited Marvel, Alabama! [caption…

Category: Animals