Flowers – Less Beaten Paths of America

07Feb 2023 by David Kravetz

2022: The Year in Travel – April/May Staycation Fun in Kentucky

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Bison, Books, Bridges, Buffalo, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Caves and Caverns, Deer, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Box Turtle, Eastern Kingbird, Elk, Family Travel, Farmland, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Graffiti Walls, Hiking & Biking, Hiking Trails, Horses, Indiana, Indigo Bunting, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Mountains, Murals, Nature and Scenery, Northern Cardinal, Offbeat Places, Osprey, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Sheltowee Trace, Staycations, Tennessee, Town Names, Turtles, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wall Art, Water Towers, Waterfalls, Welcome Signs, Wildflowers

[caption id="attachment_36906" align="alignleft" width="300"] Staycationing in Kentucky in 2022[/caption] What a year 2022 was!! I started off the year in the midst of another COVID outbreak and high fuel prices. My hopes for much travel in 2022 weren't very high. I expected it would be a lean travel year, but it turned out much different than I had anticipated. By December 31 I had visited 14 states and driven nearly 21,000 miles. This included nearly 1,300 miles (out of a total of 2,400) of driving on Route 66 from Albuquerque to Chicago. I had actually dreamt of driving the entire length of Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, CA in October, which was when I would celebrate my 66th birthday, but it wasn't meant to be. Nevertheless, I was…

16May 2022 by David Kravetz

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

A to Z Challenge, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, California, Canada, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Distilleries, Family Travel, Flowers, Ghost Signs, Graffiti Walls, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Mountains, Mountains, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Ontario, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Sandhill Cranes, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, States and Provinces, Street Art, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Unique Shops, Volunteer Fire Departments, Washington, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art

Sadly, I didn't get all of these posted with the month of April, but I most certainly want to finish. I am like the guy in the 5K that shows up last....at least I will complete the race. So, the biggest list of town names in the alphabet is probably those that begin with the letter S. There are a load of towns and places, but I will limit them to a readable amount. I do have some fun names at the end. ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! SANDWICH, NEW HAMPSHIRE [caption id="attachment_15115" align="alignnone" width="522"] Sandwich Historical Society - Sandwich, New Hampshire[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15107" align="alignnone" width="516"] Signposts in Sandwich, NH. No restaurants![/caption] Hungry? Maybe a sandwich? If so, don't visit Sandwich, New Hampshire as there is not a place…

30Nov 2021 by David Kravetz

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…

11Nov 2021 by David Kravetz

Visiting Muhlenberg County, Kentucky: Greenville, Kentucky

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Books, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Covered Bridges, Family Travel, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Hiking & Biking, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Unique Places, Unique Shops, Vintage Neon, Welcome Signs

[caption id="attachment_33745" align="alignleft" width="300"] Visiting Greenville[/caption] This is the eighth and final installment on my visit to 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_33738" align="alignnone" width="700"] Greenville Alley[/caption] [caption id="attachment_33741" align="alignright" width="700"] Colbi Ferguson in her domain at the Greenville Tourism Office.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_33740" align="alignleft" width="300"] Greenville Tourism and Courthouse[/caption] I had a great visit with Colbi Ferguson, the director of the Greenville…

31Mar 2021 by David Kravetz

Sakura – A Cherry Blossom Story

#TBT, Flowers, Fuji City, Gifu, Japan, Kentucky, Nature and Scenery, Ogaki, Oita, People Shots, Selfies, Travel in Japan

[caption id="attachment_30917" align="alignnone" width="300"] Sakura - Cherry Blossoms[/caption] Back when I was in first grade (around 1963 or 1964) I learned a song in school. It was a Japanese song called "Sakura Sakura," which means Cherry Blossom, Cherry Blossom. It was a springtime song and the class sang it for the parents. I have never forgotten the words to the song over all these years. However, as a young child, it didn't even dawn on me that someday I would go to Japan and experience the Cherry Blossoms myself! In Lexington, where I reside, the cherry blossoms are in bloom, especially at the Lexington Cemetery. Each year as I go see them, I recite the words to the song again. Translated, this simple song says: Cherry Blossoms, Cherry Blossoms In…

05Apr 2020 by David Kravetz

AtoZ Challenge 2020 – 8154: An Epic Road Trip – The D Stories #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arizona, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Deer, Dinosaurs, Family Travel, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Junk Art, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Sandhill Cranes, Selfies, Snow Geese, Street Art, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 101, Vintage Neon, Washington, Welcome Signs, Yard Art

In early 2020 I traveled across the country with one of my daughters and three grandchildren. We traveled 8154 miles through 20 states over the course of three weeks. My A to Z posts this year will have the "8154" theme, which will also be the title of my forthcoming new book that will document the epic road trip. Each entry will highlight a few stories with photos based on the alphabet, and not the order of the trip I hope you will enjoy this bouncy ride across the back roads of America. Please enjoy the D Stories. (all photography by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz) Dinosaurs Seems like whenever you get near a trading post a fun place, there always seems to be a dinosaur or two hanging around. I have…

04May 2018 by David Kravetz

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Covered Bridges, Cozumel, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Flowers, Hot Dog Places, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Mexico, Murals, Nebraska, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Pelicans, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Seagulls, Selfies, Texas, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Washington, Water Towers, Wildflowers

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. Since there are so few places or sites that begin with X, I am throwing a few eXtra items into the miX. TeXas Signs [caption id="attachment_14101" align="alignnone" width="400"] Visiting Texas in 2014[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10848" align="alignnone" width="400"] Welcome to Texas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6709" align="alignnone" width="266"] Big Texan Steak House - home of the FREE 72 OZ Steak (if you can eat it all) - Amarillo, Texas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4812" align="alignnone"…

08Apr 2018 by David Kravetz

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Animals, Antsy McClain, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Burger Joints, California, Covered Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Fox, Fuji City, Geologic Formations, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, National Monuments, National Parks, New Jersey, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Ontario, Ostrich, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Washington, West Virginia, 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. Feely, Montana [caption id="attachment_1983" align="alignnone" width="400"] Feely, Montana[/caption] Fiberglass Snowman - Lewisburg, West Virginia [caption id="attachment_18302" align="alignnone" width="400"] Huge snowman in Lewisburg, WV[/caption] Fireplace of States - Bemidji, Minnesota [caption id="attachment_8778" align="alignnone" width="400"] Fireplace of States in Bemidji, MN[/caption] Fat Smitty's - Port Townsend, Washington [caption id="attachment_13632" align="alignnone" width="400"] Fat Smitty's, a burger joint near Port Townsend, WA.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_13854" align="alignnone" width="400"] Fat Smitty's ceiling covered with…

25Jul 2016 by David Kravetz

A visit to Damascus, Virginia

Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Bike Trails, Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Farmland, Flowers, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Kentucky, Landscapes, Murals, Muscovy Duck, People Shots, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street People, Tennessee, Train Bridges, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Unique Places, US Highway 119, US Highway 23, US Highway 58, Virginia, Wall Art, Wildflowers, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_16847" align="alignleft" width="210"] Welcome to Damascus[/caption] Last weekend we made a trip to Damascus, VA with the goal of Julianne and our daughter Marissa riding their bikes on the Virginia Creeper Trail, one of many wonderful Rails to Trails bike trails that can be found in this part of the country. I will have a different post about the Virginia Creeper Trail as part of my Bike Trail Series, but I wanted to post an article about the non-bike portion of our trip to Damascus, Abingdon, and Bristol, VA. Besides the bike trail, there is so much more to see and do on a road trip down to this part of Appalachia. We began our trip by leaving early in the morning on Saturday to drive to Damascus…

03Jul 2016 by David Kravetz

Finding Prosperity near Canonsburg & Washington, PA

Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Birds, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Geese, Giant Things, Landscapes, Murals, Museums, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Swans, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 19, US Highway 40, Wall Art, West Virginia, Wildflowers

[caption id="attachment_16653" align="alignright" width="225"] Welcome to Canonsburg, PA[/caption] Just a week after a nice three-day visit to northern Ohio (see post HERE), Julianne and I made our way to Canonsburg, PA, which is south of Pittsburgh. Julianne's sister Laura recently moved there from Idaho with her husband and daughter and wanted us to visit. [caption id="attachment_16693" align="alignleft" width="274"] Sumoflam with Julianne and Autumn heading to Pittsburgh[/caption] From Lexington, Canonsburg is about a 5 Hour drive. We loaded Julianne's bicycle onto the bike rack and were off shortly after she got off of work. We also took our first trip with one of our grandchildren, our oldest named Autumn. She has traveled with her mother and me on a long trip to Wisconsin, but this is her first trip alone with Grampz…