Roadside America Celebrates 20 Years on the Web today

Backroads Discoveries, Big John, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Large Statues, Muffler Man, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, Roadside Attractions, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Vintage Neon
My friends at Roadside America (www.roadsideamerica.com) are celebrating 20 years on the World Wide Web today (September 1, 2016.) I have actually been using their site since the beginning and over the years have submitted stories, updates and photographs from my travels to the 50 United States and parts of Canada. There are many travel sites on the web, but this, in my opinion, tops them all!! If there is a quirky, offbeat, unique roadside attraction on the back roads of America, chances are you can read about it and see photos on its site. I am honored to know one of the founders and to work with these guys! check out the whole story at https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/54539  
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Bike Trails: Ohio Erie Towpath Trail, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH

Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Museums, National Parks, Ohio, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places
This is the second in a continuing series of Bike Trail posts.  Like the back roads of America, the recent interest in bike paths and rails-to-trails paths provides a new insight on "back roads".  Each Bike Path post will include surrounding information, vehicle support info and trail ratings as provided by my wife Julianne.  One bike pump equals a "poor" rating while five pumps equals an "excellent" rating.  We'll also provide links to the RTC TrailLinks overview of the trail. Complete Trails Overview Post is HERE Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail – Cuyahoga Valley N.P., OH Click here for RTC TrailLink Details The Ohio Erie Towpath Trail runs along the old Erie canal towpath and covers approximately 85 miles. It has trailheads in Cleveland and continues south through the…
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Rails to Trails for Biking: An Overview

Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Farmland, Kentucky, Landscapes, National Parks, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Staycations, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, West Virginia
In recent weeks, my wife Julianne has taken to riding on bike trails around the upper Midwest. In the past few weeks she has ridden bike trails in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky, and will soon be on a nice trail in Virginia. She is finding these very enjoyable and has done some with her sister and some with our daughter Marissa, and one even with the grandchildren.  As a support driver I enjoy taking her and driving the back roads to meet her (and the others) along the trail. Many of my upcoming blog posts will cover some of these scenic bike trails, many which are called Rails to Trails. This post is an overview of these trails with links to my posts below and also brief details…
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Ohio Travel Stops: Dublin and Wilmington – Museums and Murals

Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Ghost Signs, Large Statues, Murals, Museums, National Parks, Ohio, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 22, US Highway 68, Vintage Neon, Wall Art
In May, I had occasion to take my wife to Kirtland, Ohio for a conference and spent time myself in my birthplace of Little Italy and Cleveland. I've covered most of this in some previous blogs (Little Italy post   Cleveland post   Kirtland/Novelty post), but wanted to touch on a couple of other places that we passed on our way to Kirtland and on our way back home to Kentucky. Visiting Dublin, Ohio On the way up, we had a friend to visit in Dublin, Ohio and so made our way there. While my wife was tied up at her friend's house for an hour or so, I made a drive over to Wendy's headquarters. Dave Thomas got his start here in Dublin with the first Wendy's in the company which…
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Northern Ohio: Kirtland, Novelty, Chagrin Falls & Cuyahoga Valley NP

Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Bike Trails, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Ghost Signs, Landscapes, LDS Temples, Murals, Museums, National Parks, Ohio, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Wall Art, Waterfalls
During a trip in May 2016 I visited my birthplace in the Little Italy neighborhood (See Little Italy Post) of Cleveland and then spent a day with family driving around Cleveland and catching a few sites (see post about Cleveland).  On my final day I picked up my wife in Kirtland, OH.  She had been there for a conference with her sister.  While there we visited a few places and I also had the opportunity to drive a few back roads while they were busy on the conference.  Actually, some of the locations I visited on one of the mornings prior to returning to Cleveland, but they are all compiled here. On the Sunday morning I was there we got the special opportunity to ring the Temple bells at 9…
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A to Z Challenge: Reflections #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Alaska, Alberta, Amish Country, Arizona, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Big Cities, Bucket List Trips, California, Car Art, City Skylines, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Horse Art, Hot Springs, Idaho, Illinois, Indian Ruins, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Lewis and Clark Sites, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Muffler Man, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Saskatchewan, Selfies, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, Utah, Vintage Neon, Washington, Water Towers, Waterfalls, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
During the month of April 2016 I participated in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge had each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. This was my first opportunity to really participate in this annual event, which just completed its 6th year.  It was not easy!!  I had to not only post something daily, but also create a theme and stick with it.  And, in my perfectionist way, I wanted to make sure there were plenty of photos and commentary.  I wrote in such a way to draw people to the more detailed posts, where ever possible.  It was a load of fun and I completed the challenge.  Not sure how many…
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A to Z Challenge: The Y Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Bison, Bucket List Trips, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Family Travel, Geologic Formations, Montana, Mountains, National Parks, Nebraska, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 412, US Highway 81, US Highway 89, Vintage Neon, Water Towers
During the month of April I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge has each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. My blog is number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts will take you across the back roads of America to many unique towns. To see what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The Y Towns Yampa, Colorado I made my way into Yampa, Colorado late on an afternoon as I drove from Idaho to Texas in 2013.  The town is south of Steamboat Springs on Colorado Hwy 131. I…
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A to Z Challenge: The X Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Colorado, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Geologic Formations, Idaho, Kentucky, Landscapes, LDS Temples, Mountains, Murals, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, Ohio, Ontario, Place Names, Post Offices, Random Thoughts, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 50, US Highway 87, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Water Towers
During the month of April I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge has each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. My blog is number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts will take you across the back roads of America to many unique towns. To see what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The X Towns For the X towns, I am taking a little deviation.  Since there are really only two places in the United States whose names begin with X (namely Xenia, Ohio and Xenia, Illinois), I am…
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A to Z Challenge: The W Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Antsy McClain, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Bison, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Car Art, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Iowa, Landscapes, Large Statues, Lewis and Clark Sites, Mountains, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Ontario, Place Names, Post Offices, Random Thoughts, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, South Dakota, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, US Highway 169, US Highway 20, US HIghway 59, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers, Wyoming, Yard Art
During the month of April I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge has each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. My blog is number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts will take you across the back roads of America to many unique towns. To see what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The W Towns Wharton, Texas Lots of fun things to see in the little town of Wharton.  My main reason for visiting Wharton was to visit the Tee Pee Motel, a retro throwback to the 50s and…
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A to Z Challenge: The V Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Alberta, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Horse Art, Horses, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Lewis and Clark Sites, Montana, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Place Names, Random Thoughts, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Television Shows, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 41, US Highway 50, US Highway 61, US Highway 62, US Highway 89, Utah, Wall Art, Water Towers
During the month of April I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge has each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. My blog is number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts will take you across the back roads of America to many unique towns. To see what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The V Towns Vulcan, Alberta Back in 2007 I had occasion to visit a friend of mine in Alberta, Canada.  One of the side trips we tool was to the town of Vulcan, which has taken full…
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