Unexpected Discoveries – Page 35 – Less Beaten Paths of America

06Jan 2013 by David Kravetz

Jackalope Heaven – Douglas, Wyoming

Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Giant Things, Jackalope, Large Statues, Museums, Mythical Creatures, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wyoming

Large Jackalope - Douglas, WY Railroad Museum[/caption] Douglas, Wyoming claims to be the "Official Home of the Jackalope." Throughout the west one can find jackalopes in shops and statues of them. They even have a Jackalope Days in June. [caption id="attachment_558" align="aligncenter" width="239"] Jackalope Crossing[/caption] According to legendsofamerica.com, "The jackalope is said to be an antlered species of rabbit, sometimes rumored to be extinct. One of the rarest animals in the world, it is a cross etween a now extinct pygmy-deer and a species of killer rabbit. The antlered species of rabbit are brownish in color, weigh between three and five pounds and move with lighting speeds of up to 90 miles per hour. [caption id="attachment_556" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Wyoming Jackalope[/caption] Apparently the first jackalope was spotted in 1829 near the…

23Sep 2012 by David Kravetz

Screaming Heads and Midlothian Castle – Ontario

Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Family Travel, Farmland, Giant Things, Large Statues, Mythical Creatures, Ontario, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Yard Art

Just about 4 years ago I took a drive through Algonquin National Park in Ontario. On the trip we also headed west into Burk's Falls to visit the famed "Screaming Heads" and Midlothian Castle. This was a fascinating trip. This entire project was begun by school teacher and artist Peter Camani. He is a Secondary School teacher, but has also spent over 25 years constructing Monolith-like sculptures in the shape of giant heads, which are scattered throughout the property. A two-headed dragon sits atop the chimney of his Midlothian Castle and he has a version of the See/Say/Hear No Evils greet visitors. There are more than a hundred “screaming head” sculptures, each one at least 20 feet in height. According to Wikipedia, Camani says he "built his otherworldly creations as…

21Jun 2012 by David Kravetz

Lost Springs, Wyoming: Population 1

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Landscapes, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 20, Wyoming

Lost Springs, WY Population 1[/caption] In September 2007 Solomon and I made our way to Lost Springs, Wyoming. We made our way south on I-25 until we got to Exit 126, where we would then head east on US 18/20. Along the way we came to the sprawling metropolis of Lost Springs, WY. According to a Wikipedia article, Lost Springs is one of only five towns in the United States that are officially registered in the census to have only one (1) person. The others are Hibbert's Gore, ME, Erving's Location, NH, New Amsterdam, IN and Monowi, NE. Apparently, in 2009 the population had increased to 4. [caption id="attachment_291" align="aligncenter" width="438"] Welcome to Lost Springs[/caption] The photo above shows the sign one sees as they enter town. What is not…

05Jun 2012 by David Kravetz

Now for Something Completely Different: Taxidermy and Cheese Store

Backroads Discoveries, Canada, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Ontario, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places

Mapleton Taxidermy and Cheese Store[/caption] I was stunned to see the above sign, so much so that I had to stop and take a look see. While there, I entered the store and tried my best to get a shot of the nexus of taxidermy and cheese, as shown below: [caption id="attachment_282" align="aligncenter" width="432"] Taxidermy and Cheese[/caption] Upon exiting I ran into Dave...he is the husband and runs the taxidermy side. His wife runs the cheese store. Dave was out tanning some bear hides. He told me some interesting stories. [caption id="attachment_281" align="aligncenter" width="327"] David Snook, the Taxidermist[/caption] If you are ever in southern Ontario and making your way to Sparta (which is really a cool and unique little town in and of itself -- see my Trip Journal), make…

06May 2012 by David Kravetz

A Super Place called Metropolis

Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Family Travel, Giant Things, Illinois, Large Statues, Muffler Man, Murals, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, States and Provinces, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery

Metropolis Welcome Sign[/caption] This blog entry not only includes a unique name of a town, but is now introducing the second theme of this blog...the big statues and unusual sites along the road. [caption id="attachment_265" align="alignleft" width="96"] Metropolis Signs[/caption] Metropolis is the home of the Giant Superman Statue - a 200 foot tall statue of the Man of Steel. Funny thing is, as I drove into this town, the first big statue I saw was in front of a grocery store and was NOT the Giant Superman Statue!! The town is really all about Superman. [caption id="attachment_266" align="aligncenter" width="199"] The Giant non-Superman Statue - Big John the Grocery Clerk[/caption] [caption id="attachment_268" align="aligncenter" width="199"] Giant Superman with not so giant Sumoflam[/caption] [caption id="attachment_267" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Flying Superman…

16Apr 2012 by David Kravetz

Bugtussle? What is it? Where is it?

Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Roadside Attractions, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places

[/caption] So, have you ever heard of Bugtussle? I did, I remember the episodes from the Beverly Hillbillies where the "Mayor of Bugtussle" paid a visit to its richest former citizen Jed Clampett. This fictitious Bugtussle was in Tennessee. Well, on a trip in February 2010 I became possibly the only person to ever drive from one Bugtussle to another one, all in one day (see entire trip journal). [caption id="attachment_234" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Bugtussle Rd, Kentucky"][/caption] In my research on the Bugtussles of America, I found three actual places called Bugtussle...one in Kentucky, on in Alabama and on in Texas. So, I chose the two between Lexington, KY and Keller, TX. [caption id="attachment_232" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Bugtussle Blvd., Texas"][/caption] I left very early in the morning and got to Bugtussle, KY…

13Apr 2012 by David Kravetz

Oregon's got Talent!!

Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Found Metal Sculptures, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Yard Art

Welcome to Talent, Oregon[/caption] I am currently on another business trip in Oregon and was down in the Ashland area in Southern Oregon. Just near Ashland is a small town called Talent, OR. I first heard about it when there was a participant from Talent that appeared on America's Got Talent. [caption id="attachment_223" align="alignleft" width="256"] Welcome to Talent[/caption] Called "The City of Talent", I am not sure how much talent there actually is here. The community does have nearly 7000 people. According to the Talent website, the story of Talent begins in 1852 with the arrival of the first recorded settler, Jacob Wagner. Jacob completed his homestead in 1853 and named his settlement "Wagner." In 1854, the military came from Yreka and set up a fort on Jacob's property. The…

08Apr 2012 by David Kravetz

A place called Tightwad….really?

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Missouri, People Shots, Place Names, Random Thoughts, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places

Tightwad Bank[/caption] On a trip to Kansas City back in November 2011, I returned via some back roads in south central Missouri. My main destination of choice was Tightwad, Missouri. This is an unincorporated town of about 65 or 70 people. [caption id="attachment_201" align="alignleft" width="300"] Tightwad, Missouri[/caption] The village's unusual name is said to stem from an episode in which a store owner cheated a customer, who was a postman, by charging him an extra fifty cents for a better watermelon. Some sources claim the transaction involved a rooster rather than a watermelon. However, there is really nothing definitive. Nonetheless, the town is fun. Perhaps the biggest point of excitement is the Tightwad Bank, a real bank. According to its website, The bank was founded on September 5, 1900 as…

26Mar 2012 by David Kravetz

Trying to find Romance

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Missouri, Place Names, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places

Road to Romance[/caption] It has been a few days since I have posted anything. I was in Hutchinson and Salina in Kansas for the NJCAA tournament and was too busy to post. On the way to Arkansas, where I am meeting with the Bass Federation, I drove by the above sign. I took the road and it was a dead end. How funny... [caption id="attachment_174" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Romance Baptist[/caption] ...I took the road to Romance and ran into a dead end. Never could locate Romance. No longer there???? View Larger Map Romance, Missouri]]>

15Mar 2012 by David Kravetz

An Alien in Mars

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Yard Art

Famous Spaceship in Mars, PA[/caption] On a trip between Canada and Lexington in April 2008 I took a trip to West Virginia and Pennsylvania and made my way to Mars (see full report). [caption id="attachment_168" align="alignleft" width="227"] Welcome to Mars[/caption] Mars is a small town in western Pennsylvania. From what I could locate there is not really any history as to how the town got its name. The town was founded in 1873 by a Samuel Parks, where he eventually had a Post Office added to his home and had assistance from a certain Samuel Marshall. The original name was Overbrook, but in 1882 it was changed to Mars since there was already a train station along the way called Overbrook. Speculation has it that the town was a shortened…

Category: Unexpected Discoveries