14Jul 2016 by David Kravetz

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
[caption id="attachment_16787" align="alignleft" width="300"] Julianne the biker![/caption] 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…
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12May 2016 by David Kravetz

Staycation Mini-Roadtrip: Kentucky Highway 89

Backroads Discoveries, Bridges, Car Art, Eateries, Family Travel, Farmland, Flowers, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Horses, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Murals, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Staycations, Town Names, Train Bridges, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 421, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wildflowers, Yard Art
[caption id="attachment_15890" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Kentucky Scenic Byway Highway 89[/caption] Oftimes when we think of a road trip, we typically think of some far off location with fun sites and unique places to visit.  Indeed, we may often overlook what is right in our backyard.  Thus the word "Staycation" was born.  A staycation is typically defined as a period in which an individual or family stays home and participates in leisure activities within driving distance, sleeping in their own beds at night. Most of the time it involves dining out more frequently than usual. Staycations achieved popularity in the US during the financial crisis of 2007–2010. [caption id="attachment_15867" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Map of my May 9 trip on KY 89[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15842" align="alignright" width="300"] Kentucky Highway 89 south out of Winchester[/caption] I…
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13Apr 2016 by David Kravetz

A to Z Challenge: The K Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Alaska, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Ghost Signs, Graffiti Walls, Landscapes, Missouri, Montana, Murals, National Parks, Ontario, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, South Dakota, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 2, US Highway 30, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, 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 what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The K Towns Kemmerer, Wyoming [caption id="attachment_15493" align="alignnone" width="300"] Welcome to Kemmerer-Diamondville, Wyoming[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4434" align="alignnone" width="300"] US 30 east of Kemmerer/Diamondville[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15496" align="alignnone" width="300"] Harvey Jackson mural on a corner in Kemmerer, WY[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15494" align="alignnone" width="300"] Oregon…
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11Apr 2016 by David Kravetz

A to Z Challenge: The I Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Antelope, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Idaho, Landscapes, Large Statues, LDS Temples, Lewis and Clark Sites, Michigan, Montana, Murals, Museums, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Saskatchewan, Selfies, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 2, US Highway 20, US Highway 26, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wisconsin, 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 what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016 The I Towns Indian Head, Saskatchewan [caption id="attachment_15441" align="alignnone" width="225"] Sumoflam at Indian Head Statue in Indian Head, SK in Canada in Sept. 2007[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15440" align="alignnone" width="224"] Indian Head Side View, Indian Head, SK, Canada[/caption] It is interesting that…
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24Sep 2015 by David Kravetz

Finally Made It! All 50 US States – Sept. 2015

Alabama, Alaska, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Big Cities, Bucket List Trips, California, Caves and Caverns, City Skylines, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Dream Highways, Eateries, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Farmland, Florida, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Georgia, Giant Things, Giant Twine Balls, Graffiti Walls, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indian Ruins, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Landscapes, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Murals, Museums, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Rhode Island, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Route 66, Selfies, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 101, US Highway 2, US Highway 212, US Highway 61, US Highway 89, Utah, Vermont, Vintage Neon, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art
WARNING-This is a long post. It took me nearly 59 years to get to all 50 states! [caption id="attachment_14144" align="alignleft" width="210"] Made it to State #50![/caption] On September 8, 2015, I set foot on the side of the road just north of Brattleboro, VT after we crossed over the Connecticut River from New Hampshire on Hwy 9. I got out and took a selfie of myself under a Welcome to Vermont sign.  I had finally set foot in my 50th US state...a nearly 59 year journey. Stay 3 or more nights & save up to 25% now! At participating hotels Following is a state by state chronicle of my nearly 59 year journey in order of states visited. [caption id="attachment_14142" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Four Corners - July 15, 1993[/caption] My 50…
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07May 2015 by David Kravetz

#TBT – Visiting Erie Canal, JELL-O Museum, Bethlehem, Nicholson Bridge

#TBT, Antsy McClain, Backroads Discoveries, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, New York, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Throwback Thursday, Train Bridges, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Wildflowers
(Author's note: This post is another in my Throwback Thursday series.  Taken from August 2008 on a visit to Bethlehem for the Music Festival to join Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours.  I also visited a number of other sites. At the time I was still working in Woodstock, Ontario) August 1, 2008: Instead of heading back to Kentucky for the weekend, I had the opportunity to go to Bethlehem, PA and join Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours for their two performances at the 2008 Bethlehem MusikFest.  I decided to make a weekend of it and visit more places along the way that I had yet to get to.  It would be a fun weekend indeed!! I headed out early and headed southeast towards Buffalo.  My adventures…
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23Apr 2015 by David Kravetz
#TBT – Going Through Hell to Get to Grand Rapids, MI

#TBT – Going Through Hell to Get to Grand Rapids, MI

#TBT, Backroads Discoveries, Bridges, Canada, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Michigan, Museums, Ontario, People Shots, Roadside Attractions, States and Provinces, Throwback Thursday, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Wildflowers, Yard Art
(Note: This is a Throwback Thursday post of a trip I made to Michigan from Woodstock, Ontario in May 2008.  Main reason for the trip was to see an Arena Football game, but I made a grad tour road trip of it, including a visit to Hell (MI)!) [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="432"] by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz (on the "Blaze Bench")[/caption] May 31, 2008: This weekend was yet another opportunity for me to go see my friend Aaron Boone play football.  The Utah Blaze will play in Grand Rapids, MI tomorrow and I decided I would drive there to see the game.  It is actually the closest of the three games that I will be able to attend this season. (The others were Cleveland and Philadelphia).  In looking at the map…
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10Feb 2015 by David Kravetz

North Texas/Oklahoma Odyssey and beyond

Antsy McClain, Arkansas, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Landscapes, Large Statues, Murals, Museums, Oklahoma, Ontario, Place Names, Roadside Attractions, Street Art, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highways, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Water Towers, Yard Art
(Note: This is part 3 of my Texas road trip reports from June 2014, covering the trip from Austin to Ft. Worth and then on to Denton, Paris, Oklahoma, Arkansas and home to Kentucky.) After spending a nice day in Austin, it was time to head north to Ft. Worth and then on to Kentucky.  Along the way I went from weird to spooky to strange to Friendship.  Here is the map of this portion of the trip. [caption id="attachment_12336" align="aligncenter" width="664"] My route from Austin, TX (weird) to Friendship, AR. Traveled in late June 2014[/caption] On this route I visited friends but also visited some other fun and quirky places.  My first stop was in Georgetown, TX.  Georgetown is home to some lovely Victorian architecture and also has one…
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06Feb 2015 by David Kravetz

#TBT – Yard Art, Swans and Mennonites in Southern Ontario

#TBT, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Bucket List Trips, Canada, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Landscapes, Large Statues, Mennonite Country, Museums, Ontario, People Shots, Roadside Attractions, Street Art, Swans, Throwback Thursday, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Yard Art
(Note: I was working at the Toyota Plant in Woodstock, Ontario as a Japanese interpreter at the time I wrote this post in 2008) March 26, 2008: It was a beautiful day and I got off work at 4:00 and decided to head out on a small road trip around the region.  A couple of days ago I met with Cathy Bingham, Director of the Oxford County, Ontario Tourism Office in Woodstock. She had contacted  me about my Jakeman's Syrup page and wanted to meet with me to give me more ideas.  We had a wonderful visit and she gave me some unique ideas, told me about the history of the area and focused me in on some different places to see, both in Oxford County as well as the…
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22Jan 2015 by David Kravetz

#TBT Travel: The Mission Days in Japan-1976-78

#TBT, Backroads Discoveries, City Skylines, Farmland, Giant Things, Japan, Landscapes, Large Statues, Throwback Thursday, Travel Blogging, Travel in Japan, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places
[caption id="attachment_12012" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Mt. Fuji and Fuji City  (ca. 1978)[/caption] For this week's edition of #TBT, I take a look back to 1976 when I served as an LDS missionary in Japan. Just a year earlier I had joined the church and, like some of my friends, as a 19 year old I was off to serve in a very foreign country.  (Please forgive the schmutz on the photos...many of these were scanned from 38 year old slides) [caption id="attachment_12026" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Mt. Fuji framed by Japanese flag, (ca. 1978)[/caption] Prior to my trip to Japan, I had never been to a foreign country other than a couple of marching band trips to Alberta in Canada. Therefore, this was a new experience for me. I had to have a…
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