AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The R Signs #atozchallenge

AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The R Signs #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Books, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, California, Donut Places, Family Travel, Ghost Signs, Graffiti Walls, Hot Dog Places, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, Nebraska, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Restroom Signs, Restrooms, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Tennessee, Texas, Toy Collections, Travel Blogging, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Washington, Welcome Signs
I have fallen a few days behind on my A to Z posts this year, but I will get them all.  This year I am doing signs that I have seen across the country.  This post will feature signs associated with the Letter R. ENJOY THE RIDE! We can't avoid signs.  They are everywhere.  Advertisements, informational signs, directional signs, business signs and, sometimes, even humorous and fun signs.  Each of my posts in this years' challenge will feature a hodgepodge of signs I have come across in my travels.  In most cases, I'll also note where they were taken.  Some were actually inside of shops or otherwise, so not all will have locations.  I hope you enjoy this fun trip each day of April. I am gonna start off big…
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AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The G Signs #atozchallenge

AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The G Signs #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alligators, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Big John, Books, Burger Joints, Church Signs, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Ghost Signs, Ghost Towns, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Muffler Man, Murals, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Travel Blogging, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Uniroyal Gal, Wall Art, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Welcome to another year of the AtoZ Challenge.  This year I am doing signs that I have seen across the country.  This post will feature signs associated with the Letter G. ENJOY THE RIDE! We can't avoid signs.  They are everywhere.  Advertisements, informational signs, directional signs, business signs and, sometimes, even humorous and fun signs.  Each of my posts in this years' challenge will feature a hodgepodge of signs I have come across in my travels.  In most cases, I'll also note where they were taken.  Some were actually inside of shops or otherwise, so not all will have locations.  I hope you enjoy this fun trip each day of April. This daily blogging is really a gas!  Speaking of gas, how about a few gas signs? [caption id="attachment_31018" align="alignnone"…
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8154: Unique Discoveries and Unplanned Adventures

8154: Unique Discoveries and Unplanned Adventures

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Illinois, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Montana, Murals, Museums, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, Offbeat Places, Oregon, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, South Dakota, Texas, Tourist Traps, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 180, US Highway 385, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, Wyoming, Yard Art
In early 2020 I traveled across the country over the course of three weeks with my daughter and three grandchildren.    During this trip we traveled 8154 miles across 20 states and visited over 100 destinations, saw all sorts of animals, all sorts of geography, 10 National Parks and Monuments, various state parks, oceans, deserts, mountains, beaches, grasslands, canyons and more. This is the third of a few posts about some of the fun from this EPIC Road Trip.  In this post I'll introduce you to some of the unique places we happened upon on our back roads travels. Enjoy the Read! Enjoy the Ride! (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz and, when noted, Marissa Noe) THE JOY OF BACK ROAD TRAVEL One of the reasons I like traveling on…
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8154: The Whimsical Wonders of Sebastopol, California

8154: The Whimsical Wonders of Sebastopol, California

Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Dragons, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street Art, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_24408" align="alignleft" width="300"] Hanging in Sebastopol with A Sumoflam Fan[/caption] In early 2020 I traveled across the country over the course of three weeks.    During this trip we traveled 8154 miles across 20 states and visited over 100 destinations, saw all sorts of animals, all sorts of geography, 15 National Parks and Monuments, various state parks, oceans, deserts, mountains, beaches, grasslands, canyons and more. Over the next few weeks I will be posting about some of the fun from the EPIC Road Trip with my daughter and three grandchildren.  Enjoy the Read! Enjoy the Ride! (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) [caption id="attachment_24404" align="alignnone" width="525"] Patrick Amiot's house on Florence Street in Sebastopol, CA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_24431" align="alignnone" width="525"] There are a couple of finely painted cars in front…
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AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The P Stories #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Arizona, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Eagles, Eateries, Family Travel, Giant Things, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Montana, National Parks, New Mexico, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Oregon, Place Names, Plovers, prairie dogs, Quirky Things, Raccoon, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, South Dakota, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 16A, US Highway 70, Vintage Neon, Washington, Welcome Signs
In early 2020 I traveled across the country with  the course of three weeks.  My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip.  Each entry will highlight a few stories with photos based on the alphabet and not the order of the trip.  I hope you will enjoy this bouncy ride across the back roads of America.  Please enjoy the P Stories. (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) Today's post is extra long.  Lots of P Stories out there.  Some fun variety below.  Enjoy the Read! Enjoy the Ride! Prairie Dogs - Custer State Park in South Dakota As we entered Custer State Park from Wind Cave National Park,…
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Download BOTH of my books on Kindle for FREE: November 1 – November 5

Adventure, Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Amish Country, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big Cities, Big John, Books, California, Car Art, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Dinosaurs, Dragons, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Florida, Found Metal Sculptures, Georgia, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Junk Art, Kansas, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Muffler Man, Murals, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Quirky Things, Rhode Island, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, South Carolina, South Dakota, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Toy Collections, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Utah, Vermont, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Whispering Giants, Wisconsin, Wyoming
As an After Halloween Treat, for a limited time you will be able to download both of my books - my newest -- "Less Beaten Paths of America: Quirky and Offbeat Roadside Attractions" and also "Less Beaten Paths of America: Unique Town Names." TOTALLY FREE!! This is part of the Trick-Or-Treat Book Blog Hop hosted by Author Patricia Lynne. Both of these volumes are collections of my many travels across the United States and Canada. As you know, I have photographed well-known and not so well-known attractions along the way. In this book I share my experiences and occasional challenges, but always provide some fun and personal anecdotal stories of the quirky and offbeat places that the large and small communities offer. My first book is all about Unique Town…
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Experiencing Old-Timey Decatur, Texas

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 287, Vintage Neon, Wall Art
Heading north out of Keller, Texas on US 287 you can enjoy a scenic ride and make your way into the town of Decatur, Texas.  Named after naval hero Stephen Decatur, the town was originally set up in 1856 and eventually was a stopover for ranchers and herders on the Chisholm Trail. [caption id="attachment_21052" align="aligncenter" width="525"] The old Eighter from Decatur Sign[/caption] By 1882, the railway came into Decatur from Fort Worth.  It was apparently at that time a gambling railway worker was talking about a female from Decatur and coined the phrase an "Eighter from Decatur," which has stuck around ever since. [caption id="attachment_21050" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Welcome to Decatur sign[/caption] Today, the peaceful little town still draws traffic from ranchers and railway folk, but also from tourists trying to…
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A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The P Things #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alberta, Animals, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Birds, Bison, Books, Bucket List Trips, Budgies, Burger Joints, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Hot Dog Places, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Junk Art, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lighthouses, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Muffler Man, Murals, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pelicans, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, prairie dogs, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, South Dakota, Street Art, Swamps, Television Shows, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Utah, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Volcanic Sites, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers, Waterfalls, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Zoos
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.   Peculiar, Missouri [caption id="attachment_794" align="alignnone" width="400"] Welcome to Peculiar, MO[/caption] [caption id="attachment_36" align="alignnone" width="400"] A Peculiar Police Car[/caption] [caption id="attachment_37" align="alignnone" width="400"] A Peculiar Elementary School[/caption] Possum Trot Supper Club - Oakwood, Illinois [caption id="attachment_1784" align="alignnone" width="400"] Possum Trot Supper Club, Oakwood, IL[/caption] Pierre Part, Louisiana [caption id="attachment_10835" align="alignnone" width="400"] Sumoflam in Pierre Part, LA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_14077" align="alignnone" width="400"] Visiting Troy Landry of Swamp People fame in…
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A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The H Things #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Burger Joints, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Himeji, Horses, Hot Dog Places, Illinois, Indiana, Japanese Castles, Junk Art, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Murals, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, New Mexico, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Street Art, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington, Waterfalls, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
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.   Home on the Range, North Dakota [caption id="attachment_3012" align="alignnone" width="400"] Home on the Range sign in North Dakota[/caption] Hammering Man - Seattle, Washington [caption id="attachment_13688" align="alignnone" width="300"] The Hammering Man by Jonathan Borofsky[/caption] Ho-Hum Motel - West Yellowstone, Montana [caption id="attachment_4148" align="alignnone" width="400"] Ho-Hum Motel in West Yellowstone, Montana[/caption] Hillybilly Hot Dogs - Lesage, West Virginia [caption id="attachment_3359" align="alignnone" width="400"] Yes, they do have a Website!![/caption] [caption…
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Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland – Calvert City, KY

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Junk Art, Kentucky, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, Offbeat Places, People Shots, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street Art, Toy Collections, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 68, Wanderlust, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_19043" align="alignleft" width="300"] Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden[/caption] Down in southwestern Kentucky, Calvert City (near Paducah) there’s a little back road (actually US Highway 68) that takes you to a place called Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland. It is not necessarily what you would think of as a “garden,” but it is certainly hillbilly fun. And the toyland is amazing! I visited there in early February 2018 and had a real good time with the proprietor Keith Holt who, ironically, looks like a hillbilly! [caption id="attachment_19041" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Hanging with the fascinating Keith Holt[/caption] [caption id="attachment_18990" align="alignright" width="225"] Signs at Hillbilly Garden[/caption] I will tell you upfront, this place is not for everyone. Some people may look at it is a big junkyard. Others, like myself, look at it…
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