Train Bridges – Less Beaten Paths of America

19Apr 2022 by David Kravetz

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Books, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, California, Cities and Towns, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Farmland, Giant Things, Highways and Roadways, Illinois, Indiana, Japan, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Mississippi, Murals, Nagasaki, National Parks, Nature and Scenery, Nikko, North Dakota, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Tennessee, Town Names, Train Bridges, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Unique Shops, US Highway 20, US Highway 61, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Welcome Signs

Whether Naughty or Nice, its always fun to travel the back roads of America to discover interesting places. Viewing Natural scenery on Narrow roads can be Nourishing to the soul. Obviously, on my trips I do come across sites that may be Nutty or Notorious or even Nostalgic. I hope you find this post Noteworthy despite some sense of Normal. ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! NICE, CALIFORNIA I choose to be nice and never be naughty, Therefore, I was excited to make my way into the beautiful area known as Nice in California. And we'll start it off with a big Welcome to Nice!! [caption id="attachment_32576" align="alignnone" width="700"] Welcome to Nice - California[/caption] NEAH BAY, WASHINGTON [caption id="attachment_32028" align="alignleft" width="300"] Welcome to Neah Bay, Washington[/caption] Neah Bay represents the…

12Apr 2022 by David Kravetz

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alaska, Alligators, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big Cities, Bison, Books, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Buffalo, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Burger Joints, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Giant Things, Indiana, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Mountains, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Monuments, National Parks, Nature and Scenery, New York, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, People Shots, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Train Bridges, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 287, Virginia, Wall Art, Welcome Signs, Wyoming

I am all Jazzed to present you with some J towns to jump to on your road trips. This post will be Jam-packed with some joyful places so I hope you just have a jubilant time. There are not a lot of J Towns that I have been to, but the ones for this post were the best of the bunch. ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! JOLLY, TEXAS [caption id="attachment_29444" align="alignleft" width="195"] Jolly, Texas[/caption] Let's kick it off on a happy note with a visit to Jolly, Texas. This is practically a truck stop town off of US Highway 287 southeast of Wichita Falls. Only has a population of about 170 jolly old souls. I made a stop because of the Jolly Travel Center, a fairly large…

21Jun 2018 by David Kravetz

Cincinnati: A View from the Top – Carew Tower

Adventure, Backroads Discoveries, Bridges, City Skylines, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Ohio, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Train Bridges, Unique Places, Vintage Neon

[caption id="attachment_20739" align="alignleft" width="300"] A view of downtown Cincinnati from atop the Carew Tower[/caption] Had a wonderful (but hot) Father's Day 2018. My wife asked me what I wanted to do, and I said I wanted to take a trip to Cincinnati and visit the downtown area for fun. Cincinnati is one of those cities that has a great skyline to photograph. So, before we went, I looked for places that we could get good views of Cincinnati. In the past, I have taken shots from across the river in Newport, KY and a couple of other spots, but I wanted something more unique. [caption id="attachment_20704" align="aligncenter" width="333"] Cincinnati skyline as seen from Devou Park in Covington, KY. Carew Tower is tall brown building on the left[/caption] [caption id="attachment_20779" align="aligncenter"…

15Dec 2017 by David Kravetz

Sumoflam’s 2017 Travels in Review

Adventure, Alabama, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Bike Trails, Birds, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, Caves and Caverns, City Skylines, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Delaware, Eagles, Eateries, Eclipse, Family Travel, Farmland, Geologic Formations, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, LDS Temples, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Murals, National Monuments, National Parks, New York, North Carolina, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Staycations, Street Art, Television Shows, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Train Bridges, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Virginia, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Waterfalls, West Virginia

[caption id="attachment_18682" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sunrise in Ocean City, MD on New Year's Day 2017[/caption] On January 1, 2017 I sat on a beach in Ocean City, Maryland to watch a spectacular sunrise and pondered to myself about the opportunities I would have to travel throughout the year. Little did I really know the extent that I would actually contact a mini bus rental in Chicago and travel over the year and I’m grateful that I’ve had a wonderful year of seeing more of this beautiful country. [caption id="attachment_18697" align="alignright" width="300"] Oddville, Kentucky[/caption] Beginning with that glorious morning in Maryland, over the course of the year I have driven nearly 15,000 miles on road trips, many to visit family or be with family, but all of the trips have been…

01Jul 2017 by David Kravetz

West Virginia’s Midland Trail – US Route 60 from Virginia to Charleston

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Farmland, Geologic Formations, Murals, National Parks, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street Art, Town Names, Train Bridges, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 60, Waterfalls, West Virginia, Yard Art

During the month of May I made several trips to West Virginia to assist a friend in need. Also, during Easter Weekend (2017) I had occasion to take my wife to northern Virginia near Shenandoah National Park and on my return started my treks along US Route 60 in West Virginia, what they refer to as the Midland Trail. On subsequent visits, I tried to hit US 60 in the western part of the state as well. [caption id="attachment_18311" align="alignnone" width="525"] A scene from along US 60 in WV[/caption] [caption id="attachment_18256" align="alignright" width="300"] The WV State Capitol Building in Charleston[/caption] The Midland Trail crosses some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain of the Mountain State and extends for approximately 100 miles from White Sulphur Springs in the east…

03May 2017 by David Kravetz

Blogging A to Z Challenge – The Complete List for 2017 – #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Alligators, Amish Country, Animals, Antelope, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Big Cities, Bike Trails, Birds, Bison, Blue Heron, Bobby Cochran, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Buffalo, Burger Joints, California, Canada, Car Art, Cebu, City Skylines, Colorado, Connecticut, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Delaware, Dinosaurs, Dragons, Dream Highways, Eagles, Eateries, Edgar Cruz, Egret, Elk, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Farmland, Florida, Found Metal Sculptures, Fox, Fuji City, Geese, Geologic Formations, Georgia, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Graffiti Walls, Hawaii, Himeji, Hiroshima, Horse Art, Horses, Idaho, Illinois, Indian Ruins, Indiana, Iowa, Japan, Japanese Castles, Japanese Shrines, Kansas, Kentucky, Kyoto, Landscapes, Large Statues, Lewis and Clark Sites, Lighthouses, Louisiana, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mexico, Michael Kelsey, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Muffler Man, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, Nagasaki, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ogaki, Ohio, Oita, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Patti Hall, Pauly Zarb, Pelicans, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Philippines, Place Names, Post Offices, prairie dogs, Pronghorn Antelope, Quirky Things, Random Thoughts, Rhode Island, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Sandhill Cranes, Saskatchewan, Seagulls, Selfies, Sendai, South Carolina, South Dakota, Squirrels, States and Provinces, Street Art, Street People, Swamps, Television Shows, Tennessee, Texas, Tommy Emmanuel, Town Names, Train Bridges, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Tulum, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Utah, Vermont, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Volcanic Sites, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Washington DC, Waterfalls, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art

During the month of April I participated with nearly 2000 other bloggers worldwide in the "Blogging from A to Z Challenge" which is now in its 7th year. This was my second year to participate and this year's theme for my series was "Wanderlust." As a "Travelographer," my posts tend to be photo heavy. I travel and take loads of photos. This is my way of sharing the wonders of the back roads of America. [caption id="attachment_17824" align="aligncenter" width="523"] Corner of This Way and That Way in Lake Jackson, TX[/caption] Following are links to the complete A to Z set. Just click on the banner for each and letter and enjoy the posts and the photos. I hope all readers will Enjoy the Ride as much as I have enjoyed…

14Apr 2017 by David Kravetz

K is for Kentucky – #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Backroads Discoveries, Blue Heron, Bridges, Eagles, Farmland, Horses, Kentucky, Landscapes, Museums, National Parks, Roadside Attractions, Sandhill Cranes, Selfies, Staycations, Street Art, Television Shows, Town Names, Train Bridges, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Waterfalls

One word: Staycation My family moved to Kentucky with in 1993. We moved from the western United States and had not lived in a humid, green environment since our time in Japan in the late 1980s. [caption id="attachment_17836" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Kentucky the Beautiful[/caption] [caption id="attachment_17860" align="alignright" width="178"] Kentucky Backroads[/caption] Like many others, when we heard the word Kentucky, we thought about the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Kentucky bourbon. There was not much else to really understand or know about Kentucky. Honestly, looking back I can say that our move to Kentucky was one of the best things we ever did. Kentucky is a beautiful and diverse state. Living in Lexington, which is the Horse Capital of the World, we are surrounded by beautiful horse farms. In fact, I…

11Apr 2017 by David Kravetz

I is for Ingenuity – #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alberta, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bridges, California, Canada, City Skylines, Colorado, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Family Travel, Giant Things, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, LDS Temples, Mountains, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Texas, Train Bridges, Unique Places, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming

I am always intrigued about the ingenuity of humans. Their ability to build and create things that solves problems for them. There are many examples of ingenuity to can be seen on the back roads of America. Whether it be bridges or towers or buildings. There is always something unique and interesting to see. [caption id="attachment_2664" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Tuckhannock Viaduct - Nicholson, Pennsylvania[/caption] [caption id="attachment_781" align="alignright" width="300"] Nicholson's welcome sign features the Viaduct[/caption] One of my brightest memories of fascination comes from a town in eastern Pennsylvania called Nicholson. In this town, the train company needed a solution to get the train up high to pass by as the town was down in the valley. So, a giant viaduct was built. Called the Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct, this giant structure. towered…

25Jul 2016 by David Kravetz

A visit to Damascus, Virginia

Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Bike Trails, Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Farmland, Flowers, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Kentucky, Landscapes, Murals, Muscovy Duck, People Shots, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street People, Tennessee, Train Bridges, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 119, US Highway 23, US Highway 58, Virginia, Wall Art, Wildflowers, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_16847" align="alignleft" width="210"] Welcome to Damascus[/caption] Last weekend we made a trip to Damascus, VA with the goal of Julianne and our daughter Marissa riding their bikes on the Virginia Creeper Trail, one of many wonderful Rails to Trails bike trails that can be found in this part of the country. I will have a different post about the Virginia Creeper Trail as part of my Bike Trail Series, but I wanted to post an article about the non-bike portion of our trip to Damascus, Abingdon, and Bristol, VA. Besides the bike trail, there is so much more to see and do on a road trip down to this part of Appalachia. We began our trip by leaving early in the morning on Saturday to drive to Damascus…

05Jul 2016 by David Kravetz

An Afternoon in Pittsburgh

Backroads Discoveries, Bridges, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Murals, Museums, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street Art, Train Bridges, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Wall Art

[caption id="attachment_16596" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Welcome to Pittsburgh[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16593" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Fort Pitt Tunnel in Pittsburgh[/caption] As noted in my previous post about Prosperity/Canonsburg/Washington areas of Pennsylvania (see post HERE), we took an afternoon with my wife's sister and her family to take a drive around Pittsburgh. Obviously, an afternoon does no justice to a large beautiful city like this, but that was all the time we had. Fortunately, I have been to Pittsburgh before and have knocked out a few places worth visiting (see my post which includes some Pittsburgh sites HERE). [caption id="attachment_16603" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Bridges in Pittsburgh[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16594" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Crossing into Pittsburgh[/caption] [caption id="attachment_16621" align="alignleft" width="223"] The PPG Glass Castle (One PPG Place) in downtown Pittsburgh[/caption] Our drive took us past the amazing glass…