Towns of America A to Z: The F Towns #atozchallenge

Towns of America A to Z: The F Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bridges, Church Signs, Cities and Towns, Covered Bridges, Dragons, Elephants, Family Travel, Farmland, Fuji City, Giant Things, Giraffe, Japan, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Mountains, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, Nebraska, Offbeat Places, Ohio, People Shots, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Restroom Signs, Restrooms, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, South Carolina, Texas, Tourist Traps, Unique Eatery, Water Towers, West Virginia
Another day, another A to Z post.  Today I post about places that begin with the letter F. As with all of my posts, I have been to all of these places and all of the photography is mine as well.  I never write about places I haven't personally visited. You even get a visit to Japan in this post! And a good place to begin with the F places are towns that have the name Friend in them. There is also sorts of FUN and FANCY in this F Tour. ENJOY THE READ!  ENJOY THE RIDE! Friendly, West Virginia [caption id="attachment_34758" align="alignleft" width="236"] Friendly, West Virginia[/caption] I have been to Friendly a few times.  It is a small town that was established in 1898.  The Parkersburg and Ohio Valley…
Read More
Towns of America A to Z: The C Towns #atozchallenge

Towns of America A to Z: The C Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Animals, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Canada, Car Art, Cebu, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Illinois, Iowa, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Lighthouses, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Murals, National Parks, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Place Names, Post Offices, prairie dogs, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, South Dakota, Tersier, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Welcome Signs, West Virginia
It's another year and another opportunity to provide a fun VIRTUAL road trip.  For the 2022 A to Z  Challenge, I will be taking you, the readers, to some of the many places I have visited.  Almost every little town to every big city has something unique to offer visitors. I hope to take you to some of these places across the United States, and even to Canada, the Philippines and Japan on some select posts, for a virtual trip to see places you may not know about. Today's post covers a number of towns and cities that begin with the letter C. These are all over the place, including the Philippines and Canada!!  I have been to dozens of towns that begin with the letter C, but here is…
Read More
The Year in Travel – 2021 (Long post – may take a minute to load)

The Year in Travel – 2021 (Long post – may take a minute to load)

Adventure, Back Roads, Bike Trails, Books, Bridges, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Church Signs, Family Travel, Hiking & Biking, Hiking Trails, Indiana, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Mountains, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, Nature and Scenery, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Sandhill Cranes, Selfies, Sheltowee Trace, Signs and Billboards, Staycations, Street Art, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Unique Shops, US Highway 127, Virginia, Wanderlust, Waterfalls, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Yard Art
What an interesting year 2021 turned out to be for me.  I started out the year with dreams of a road trip down the Florida panhandle to the southernmost point, but it didn't pan out. With COVID on the rampage, there were limitations and I didn't want to risk getting out too much.  But, I was also very heavily engaged in doing support driving for the Sheltowee Trace Association and my wife and daughter who participated in the 2021 STA Hiking Challenge, hiking sections of the 343 mile trail each month.  This took up a great deal of my time and ended up becoming the theme of my fifth Less Beaten Paths book, which was published on November 30 (see the bottom of this post for more details).  I drove…
Read More
SURPRISE! – Brand New Book on Sheltowee Trace is now available

SURPRISE! – Brand New Book on Sheltowee Trace is now available

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Bike Trails, Books, Burger Joints, Eateries, Family Travel, Farmland, Flowers, Geologic Formations, Hiking & Biking, Hiking Trails, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, Nature and Scenery, Place Names, Selfies, Sheltowee Trace, Signs and Billboards, Tennessee, Travel Blogging, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Unique Shops, Wanderlust, Waterfalls, Wildflowers
[caption id="attachment_33788" align="alignleft" width="222"] Book 5[/caption] The year 2021 was a momentous year in terms of unique travel.  I spent nearly a month of driving and support on the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail from Big South Fork in Tennessee to the Northern Terminus north of Morehead, Kentucky.  The trail itself is 343 miles long and my wife Julianne, daughter Marissa and over 90 others completed the Sheltowee Trace Association Trace Challenge over the course of the year, hitting sections month by month.  I decided back in October to change my book writing schedule so that I could cover this amazing adventure as a support driver and Driving the Sheltowee Trace - Highlights from a Support Driver is now available in both Kindle and Paperback as Book 5 of my…
Read More
Visiting Muhlenberg County, Kentucky: A Visit With the Big Twigs

Visiting Muhlenberg County, Kentucky: A Visit With the Big Twigs

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Family Travel, Giant Things, Hiking & Biking, Hiking Trails, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, Nature and Scenery, Offbeat Places, People Shots, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Tennessee, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Welcome Signs
[caption id="attachment_33710" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sumoflam visiting with Happy Malone[/caption] This is the seventh post in my series on Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. On August 18, 2021 I was invited by Misty Deason, the owner of Apple House Mercantile and a member of the Muhlenberg County Board of Tourism, to come out for a visit.  She now carries my Less Beaten Paths books in her shop and wanted me to come out and sign them and then visit some of the major tourist attractions in this small, but unique, Kentucky county.   [caption id="attachment_33695" align="alignnone" width="700"] The Big Twigs[/caption] I had many reasons for a visit to Muhlenberg County via Misty's kind invitation.  Besides signing the books, I was most excited to visit with the county's newest giant residents in Lake Malone…
Read More
Visiting Muhlenberg County, Kentucky: The Music and Motorsports Museums – Part II

Visiting Muhlenberg County, Kentucky: The Music and Motorsports Museums – Part II

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Museums, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Unique Places, Vintage Neon
[caption id="attachment_33611" align="alignleft" width="182"] Motorsports Museum[/caption] In my previous post, I presented the Muhlenberg County Music Museum.  It is only part of the bigger picture as the entire back of the building features the Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum. As with the Music Museum, Dr. Freddie Mayes manages the facility.  The museum features a variety of motorsports treasures that includes most everything from racing.  Dr. Mayes said that their current garage can't handle a Monster Truck yet, but they are working on a way to display one.  The facility also includes a vintage soda shop, a number of vintage neon signs, Hall of Fame trophies and other memorabilia.   [caption id="attachment_33613" align="alignnone" width="700"] A view of the Motorsports Museum[/caption] [caption id="attachment_33612" align="alignnone" width="700"] Another view of the Motorsports…
Read More
Visiting Muhlenberg County, Kentucky: The Music and Motorsports Museums – Part I

Visiting Muhlenberg County, Kentucky: The Music and Motorsports Museums – Part I

Adventure, Backroads Discoveries, Chet Atkins, Everly Brothers, Family Travel, Ike Everly, John Prine, Kennedy Jones, Kentucky, Merle Travis, Mose Rager, Murals, Museums, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Staycations, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places
[caption id="attachment_33608" align="alignleft" width="300"] Don Everly put his 1977 MG on display in the Music Museum.[/caption] Yesterday was August 21, 2021.  Famed singer and part of the Everly Brothers, Don Everly, passed away at the age of 84.  Just a few days ago I was standing next to his car and listening to Everly Brothers music at the Muhlenberg County Music Museum.  We had been discussing how Don Everly was still alive and well and living in the county. Things can change in an instant. That said, I had a fun time visiting the dual museums -- The Muhlenberg Music Museum and the Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum.  Both museums are housed together in a large building on First Street in Central City. My guide, Misty Deason, owner…
Read More
Book 4 – 8154: An Epic Family Road Trip Across America – NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon

Book 4 – 8154: An Epic Family Road Trip Across America – NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon

Adventure, Animals, Antelope, Antique Shops, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Bison, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buffalo, Burger Joints, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Dinosaurs, Donut Places, Dream Highways, Eagles, Eateries, Egret, Family Travel, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Highways and Roadways, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Jimmy Jackson, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lighthouses, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Murals, Museums, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Monuments, National Parks, Nature and Scenery, Nebraska, Nevada, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Oklahoma, Oregon, People Shots, Place Names, Post Offices, prairie dogs, Pronghorn Antelope, Quirky Things, Raccoon, Restroom Signs, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Sandhill Cranes, Seagulls, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Snow Geese, South Dakota, Street Art, Swamps, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 14, US Highway 16, US Highway 16A, US Highway 2, US Highway 20, US Highway 31, US Highway 60, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Welcome Signs, Wyoming
[caption id="attachment_33522" align="alignleft" width="193"] 8154 Cover[/caption] Big News!!  My newest book, titled "8154: An Epic Family Road Trip Across America" is now available on Amazon in both print and Kindle versions. The book details the three week long 8,154 mile road trip with my daughter Marissa Noe and her three children. New print programs on Amazon have also made it cheaper than previous books!! The book is 138 pages and full of color photos from 20 different states.  I have included a chapter all about how to plan for a long trip like this, especially with children.  A long road trip can be a challenge for the kids, so there are all sorts of ideas including in this book for making it fun and memorable for the kids. There are…
Read More
AtoZ Challenge 2021 – Signs Signs – The T Signs #atozchallenge

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Burger Joints, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Graffiti Walls, Hot Dog Places, Ice Cream Places, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Murals, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Turkeys, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Volunteer Fire Departments, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wyoming
I have fallen way behind on my A to Z posts this year due to added work and travel, 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 T. 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 the remainder of my posts as get to them…
Read More