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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Amish Country, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Delaware, Dinosaurs, Dragons, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Giant Things, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Junk Art, Kansas, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Mountains, Murals, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, South Dakota, Television Shows, Texas, Town Names, Toy Collections, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Utah, Virginia, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers
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.   Dupuyer, Montana Dinosaur National Monument - Vernal, Utah Dolphin Swimming in the Atlantic - Ocean City, Maryland DISH, Texas Dutch Haven Cafe - Ronks, Pennsylvania Shoo Fly Pie - YUM! Do Drop Inn Juke Joint - Shelby, Mississippi Daffin's Candies Chocolate Kingdom - Sharon, Pennsylvania Giant chocolate animals Deer Photos - Shenandoah National Park, VA; Mt. Rainier National Park, WA; Lewistown, Montana Duck Commander, home of Duck…
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A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The C Things #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Books, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, California, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Junk Art, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Philippines, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Television Shows, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Volcanic Sites, Wall Art, Water Towers, Waterfalls, West Virginia, Wisconsin, 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.   Cyclisk - Santa Rosa, California Charles Nagreen Statue - Seymour, Wisconsin Sam & Eulalia Frantz "Field of Corn"- Dublin, Ohio CastlePost Castle - Versailles, Kentucky Coal Mine Canyon - near Tuba City, Arizona Chunky, Mississippi Chelsea Teddy Bear Company - Chelsea, Michigan A Christmas Story House - Cleveland, Ohio Cadillac Ranch - Amarillo, Texas One of America's most famous roadside attractions Christman Studio & Sculpture Park -…
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A Grab Bag from America’s Back Roads – The B Things #AtoZChallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alligators, Animals, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Big John, Bison, Blue Heron, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Buffalo, Burger Joints, Cross Country Road Trips, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Muffler Man, Murals, Museums, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oita, Ontario, Oregon, Philippines, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, South Dakota, Television Shows, Tennessee, Texas, The Beatles, Town Names, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Virginia, Washington, Water Towers, Wisconsin, 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.   Blueberry, WI Brazos Bend State Park - Needville, TX Bruce Windmill Farm - Woodstock, ON Bison/Buffalo - Yellowstone National Park Blackwater, Missouri Boring Post Office - Boring, Oregon Bridges of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Bugtussle, Kentucky Remember Jed Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies?? Buffalo Bill Museum - LeClaire, Iowa Beloit Smiley Water Tower - Beloit, WI Two-State Sign - Bristol, TN and Bristol, VA Beatles Tribute - Walnut Ridge,…
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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
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.   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 wonderful. Some have been close by doing what I refer to as “staycation“ trips in Kentucky. But, throughout the course…
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Back at the Blogging – Lots of Catching Up to Do

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Books, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Caves and Caverns, City Skylines, Eateries, Family Travel, Giant Things, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, National Parks, New York, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Waterfalls, West Virginia
It has been a while since I’ve written in the blog. The last few months have been a whirlwind of activity beginning in July with a family reunion and continuing on with the new job at comicbook.com. In the midst of all of that I have spent the last couple of months using most of my “writing time“ to complete my first book which was referred to in my previous post a couple of days ago. Now that that book is published and on Amazon.com. I’m going to try to knock out a few of the blog posts that have been piling up on me. Over the next couple of weeks you’ll see blog posts about the new murals in Lexington, KY; Mammoth Cave National Park and the Wigwam Motel in…
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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.   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 to Charleston in the west. The trail is believed to have been originally carved into the mountains by buffalo and native peoples. In…
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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. 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 sharing it! With over 6,300 locations worldwide, Choice Hotels has you covered! Book on our…
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Z is for Zeal – #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big Cities, California, Canada, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Florida, Georgia, Graffiti Walls, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Lighthouses, Louisiana, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Murals, 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, Quirky Things, Random Thoughts, Rhode Island, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Saskatchewan, Selfies, South Carolina, South Dakota, Staycations, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 2, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wall Art, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
I am a zealous traveler. I travel passion and with all the gusto I can.  A roadtrip with me can be grueling, but it is always fun.  Indeed, I travel with the intent of creating many good memories.  Many call me a Road Warrior. Well, I love that term. I travel with zeal. When on roadtrips, I like to be up with the sun and travel until the sun goes down.  I stop for the night wherever I am at sundown...I can't take many pictures at night now can I? In my zealous travels, I have visited all 50 states and a few Canadian Provinces. I have at least one photo of me in almost all of them...a few exceptions where I traveled to those places years ago and the…
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X is for Xtreme Skies – #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Farmland, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, National Parks, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Sandhill Cranes, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
OK.  I know.... Xtreme is not really a dictionary word, but many advertisers use it and there are company names and even a band name.  So, it is fair game. This post is about xtreme (extreme) skies - unique cloud formations, colorful skies, sunrises, sunsets, sunbeams, moon shots, rainbows and more.  A traveler on the highways of America always sees the skies.  It can't be helped. For me, I actually pay attention to them for the skies present their own fascinating form of art. For this post, I will provide an assortment of photos I have taken on my road trips (and a couple of local ones too - let's face it, I used a road to get there right?).  The skies offer up their own amazing beauty. I am…
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W is for Wildlife – #atozchallenge

Adventure, Alligators, Animals, Antelope, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Bison, Blue Heron, Buffalo, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Delaware, Eagles, Egret, Elk, Fox, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Oregon, Pelicans, Pennsylvania, prairie dogs, Pronghorn Antelope, Rocky Mountains, Sandhill Cranes, Seagulls, Squirrels, Swamps, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Virginia, Wanderlust, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
There are not many better things on a back road trip than running into unexpected wildlife. There is an abundance of birds and animals to be discovered on the road.  For me, my camera is always at the ready for the chance meeting of some interesting animal or bird. One such incident happened on a gravel road near Dell, Montana.  I was on the lookout for bison as I drive along Ted Turner's massive bison ranch.  While stopped to look I heard a strange bird call that I had never heard and shortly thereafter a pair of large birds came zipping by.  I got some shots, but wasn't sure what I had until I got to the hotel later that night and discovered they were a pair of Sandhill Cranes,…
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