A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The R Things #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alabama, Alberta, Arizona, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Books, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, California, Car Art, Colorado, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Geologic Formations, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Junk Art, Kentucky, Landscapes, LDS Temples, Less Beaten Paths Books, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Murals, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Squirrels, Street Art, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Water Towers, Waterfalls, Wyoming, Yard Art
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.   Ric's Grill - Steak in Water Tower - Lethbridge, Alberta [caption id="attachment_3228" align="alignnone" width="131"] Ric's Grill - Lethbridge, Alberta[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3229" align="alignnone" width="300"] Ric's Grill - Lethbridge, Alberta[/caption] Route 66 Soda / Route Beer - Mokena, Illinois [caption id="attachment_6685" align="alignnone" width="400"] Route 66 "Route Beer"[/caption] Rabbit Hash, Kentucky [caption id="attachment_8249" align="alignnone" width="266"] Welcome to Rabbit Hash, KY[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8243" align="alignnone" width="400"] Sign at Rabbit Hash Road[/caption] [caption…
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Planning on a Blue Moon to Release my new book!

Adventure, Antsy McClain, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Books, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Enchanted Highway, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Horse Art, Junk Art, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Muffler Man, Murals, Museums, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Vintage Neon, Wanderlust, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_19139" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Books 1 & 2[/caption] Hey all. Just a reminder that I am working on my new book -- Book 2 (Quirky and Offbeat Roadside Attractions) -- and hope to have it available for purchase on Amazon by March 31... yes, it'll take a Blue Moon for me to get this done. Also, if you don't have Book 1 yet, please go grab a copy online! Some crazy author in Central Kentucky will be grateful (he told me so!) You can get Book 1 (Unique Town Names) on my Amazon Page. http://amzn.to/2ks6fQZ Book Two will have over 200 pages chock full of fun places to visit on the back roads of America and ALL COLOR PHOTOS this time.  I'll even have a chapter about the amazing Roadside…
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DFW Elite Toy Museum

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Giant Things, Museums, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Television Shows, Texas, Toy Collections, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wanderlust
[caption id="attachment_19054" align="alignleft" width="300"] Visiting the DFW Elite Toy Museum[/caption] Yesterday I posted about the Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland in Kentucky.  Keeping with the theme, today's post will be about my visit to the DFW Elite Toy Museum in Haltom, TX on February 23, 2018. While in Fort Worth visiting my sister in late February, I decided to make a trip to Haltom City, Texas to check out some of the old retro neon signs, old hotel signs and things like that (having been referred by fellow travel blogger, author and friend Tui Snider).  While I was doing so, I decided I would just check in on my handy-dandy RoadsideAmerica.com app and see if there was anything of interest in the area. One of the places that came…
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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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SPOILER!: Cover Art for Book 2 – Quirky and Offbeat Roadside Attractions

Adventure, Antsy McClain, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Enchanted Highway, Giant Things, Less Beaten Paths Books, Minnesota, Offbeat Places, Oklahoma, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Texas, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wanderlust
[caption id="attachment_18667" align="alignleft" width="225"] Big Cabin, OK[/caption] My second book - Less Beaten Paths of America: Offbeat and Quirky Roadside Attractions is currently being worked on.  My hope is to have it published by June 30. Like the first book, this will also be available for Kindle.  Unlike the first book, Volume Two will be chock full of COLOR photos from all over the U.S. and Canada and will include my fun stories about the dozens of quirky attractions I feature in the book.  It will definitely be a fun read!! GET BOOK ONE HERE IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT   The cover for the new book has just been completed.  Once again, this was nicely done by my good friend Antsy McClain.  The original photography is mine with some cute…
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Quirky Roadtripper Haven: Paradise Point Market Place, Scottsville, KY

Quirky Roadtripper Haven: Paradise Point Market Place, Scottsville, KY

Adventure, Antsy McClain, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Car Art, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Graffiti Walls, Hot Dog Places, Kentucky, Offbeat Places, People Shots, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Staycations, Street Art, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 31, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_18936" align="alignleft" width="300"] From one hot dog to another...[/caption] During the break between Christmas 2017 and New Year's Day 2018 I took some of my family down to Barren River Lake State Resort Park in Lucas, KY. It was a wonderful time relaxing and going out around the lake and surrounding area looking at sunrises, sunsets and chasing down sandhill cranes, which have migrated in for the winter. [caption id="attachment_18947" align="aligncenter" width="450"] They put the FUN in Funky![/caption] [caption id="attachment_18959" align="alignright" width="300"] The Junk Truck at Paradise Point[/caption] While there, we came across a fun little spot on US 31E, heading towards Scottsville, KY.  During the winter, the place is closed, except on weekends, and I first saw it on a Thursday and HAD to stop for a few…
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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…
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Y is for Yard Art – #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Burger Joints, Car Art, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Horse Art, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Large Statues, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, South Dakota, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Yard Art
One of the more interesting things I look for on roadtrips as I pass through small communities on back roads is yard art.  Funky art and decorations in people's yards, on their fences, on their houses. People have ingenuity.  Some people have junk.  But, as the saying goes, "One Man's Junk is Another Man's Treasure." [caption id="attachment_2184" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Unique Yard Art in Parker, Idaho[/caption] For me, Yard Art is anything unique and unusual.  It could be chain saw art - wood carvings made with chain saws.  It could be art made from scrap metal.  It could be, like the photo above, a hodge podge of signs, junk or other things.  Following are some selections of yard art I have taken over the years.  Don't judge...some of these people love…
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Q is for Quirky – #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, California, Car Art, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Horse Art, Iowa, Large Statues, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Yard Art
There is a difference between quirky and offbeat in my mind.  Quirky is typically off the chain and unexpected, or even downright weird.  On the other hand, as noted in my O is for Offbeat post, the offbeat and odd things are typically recognizable. Obviously, there is a fine line between what is quirky and what is offbeat.  I think we all make those determinations ourselves.  In this post, I will offer up a few Quirky things...those that I think are beyond offbeat and into the realm of quirky. [caption id="attachment_12871" align="aligncenter" width="485"] "Cyclisk" - Obelisk made out of bicycle parts in Santa Rosa, CA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_12834" align="alignleft" width="225"] Sumoflam at the base of "Cyclisk"[/caption] I'll start off with a biggie...a giant obelisk made completely of bicycle parts.  Why quirky? …
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J is for Joy – #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alberta, Alligators, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, California, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Indiana, Kentucky, Large Statues, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Mountains, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, South Dakota, Television Shows, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Wanderlust, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Traveling this great country brings me joy!  You can see this thru the myriad selfies I take while on the road. I make it a point to take selfies for posterity sake.   First of all, it proves I was there.  Secondly, it provides a record for my family to see where I've been. Lastly...it shows my joy of being on the road! [caption id="attachment_4867" align="alignnone" width="480"] Jolly Sumoflam! In Jolly, TX[/caption] It makes me Jolly. [caption id="attachment_12842" align="alignnone" width="553"] We all know who is really Nice! Nice, CA[/caption] It makes me Nice. [caption id="attachment_17185" align="alignnone" width="501"] I found Novelty in Ohio[/caption] Travel is always a Novelty Wherever I go I try to Endeavor, [caption id="attachment_17233" align="alignnone" width="480"] Made it to Hope, AR,[/caption] To have Hope [caption id="attachment_17818" align="alignnone" width="544"] Finding…
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