Road Trip Home from Idaho – Day 5: Des Moines, IA to Springfield, IL – Dutch, American Pickers and Cozy Dogs

Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Illinois, Iowa, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, Selfies, States and Provinces, Street Art, Television Shows, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Yard Art
Antique Archaeology[/caption] April 3, 2013: Yet another day on the road home as Julianne and I take our time to see a few of the sites on the way.  This day we drove from Des Moines to a couple places in Iowa and eventually into Illinois. Here is our route: View Larger Map - Des Moines, IA to Springfield, MO First thing we did was head to Pella, Iowa, which is not too far from Des Moines.  Pella prides itself as being a "Touch of Holland" and indeed is very Dutch.  Home of the largest working Dutch windmill in the United States.  Pella was originally settled in 1847 by about 800 Dutch immigrants.  They named the town Pella, which in Dutch means City of Refuge, due to the fact that…
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In and Around Rexburg, ID

Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Buffalo, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Elk, Farmland, Idaho, LDS Temples, Mountains, Murals, Museums, National Parks, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Rocky Mountains, Selfies, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Yard Art
Rexburg, ID[/caption] I spent two weeks in Rexburg from March 11 thru March 25, 2013 working on a job possibility.  During my free time I spent a good deal of time in town and also looking around town and some of the surrounding areas. [caption id="attachment_2176" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Rexburg LDS Temple at sunrise[/caption] Perhaps Rexburg is best known for its LDS (Mormon) population, BYU-Idaho and the Rexburg Temple of the church (shown above). But Rexburg is also famous as the town that was practically destroyed by the Teton Dam Flood in June of 1976 (see story here).  The town has been totally rebuilt since that time. [caption id="attachment_2179" align="aligncenter" width="448"] More murals from downtown Rexburg[/caption] Rexburg is kind of in a bowl, with mountain ranges all around it.  To the…
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Road Trip to Idaho – Day 2: Savage, MN to Miles City, MT

Backroads Discoveries, Bison, Bridges, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Dream Highways, Enchanted Highway, Family Travel, Farmland, Found Metal Sculptures, Geese, Geologic Formations, Giant Things, Landscapes, Large Statues, Lewis and Clark Sites, Minnesota, Montana, Murals, North Dakota, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 2, Wall Art, Yard Art
Rural Scene on Enchanted Highway, South of Gladstone, ND[/caption] I embarked on Day 2 of my trip to Idaho - left Savage, MN in the midst of snow and fog.  The roads were scary heading northwest to Fargo, ND. [caption id="attachment_1818" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Snowy highways in Minnesota[/caption] Today (March 9, 2013) was the second leg of my trip to Idaho.  Today I drove from Savage, MN to Miles City, MT.  I drove 781 miles over a 14 hour stretch.  Following is the map of the trip. View Larger Map My first stop along the way was for gas.  I stopped in Avon, MN.....which, I discovered, is also the home of the Lake Wobegon Trail.  The trail is 46 miles long and 10 feet wide.  It opened in 1998.  Avon is…
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A dream day – Kentucky Back Roads driving and then Tommyfest in E-town

Amish Country, Antsy McClain, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Eateries, Edgar Cruz, Family Travel, Farmland, Kentucky, Landscapes, Michael Kelsey, Musicians, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Tommy Emmanuel, Town Names, Trinity Music Productions, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places
Tommy Emmanuel, c.g.p. and Michael Kelsey         courtesy of Marc Manning[/caption] Today (Feb. 15, 2013) was one of those delightful days when I got to enjoy most of my passions...mainly travel, photography and music.  Ultimately, the main reason for the trip was to go to Elizabethtown to see Tommy Emmanuel and Michael Kelsey.  But, I took the long way to do it.  Following is a map with the stops I made. View Gravel Switch to E-Town in a larger map [caption id="attachment_1613" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Perryville Mural[/caption] I drove from Lexington thru Danville and then into Perryville.  I made a quick drive through the old Merchant's Row area of Perryville. [caption id="attachment_1614" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Merchant's Row Plaque[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1616" align="aligncenter" width="199"] Severed Head Trading Post[/caption] After Perryville it…
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Lost Springs, Wyoming: Population 1

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Landscapes, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 20, Wyoming
Lost Springs, WY Population 1[/caption] In September 2007 Solomon and I made our way to Lost Springs, Wyoming. We made our way south on I-25 until we got to Exit 126, where we would then head east on US 18/20.  Along the way we came to the sprawling metropolis of Lost Springs, WY.  According to a Wikipedia article, Lost Springs is one of only five towns in the United States that are officially registered in the census to have only one (1) person. The others are Hibbert's Gore, ME, Erving's Location, NH, New Amsterdam, IN and Monowi, NE.  Apparently, in 2009 the population had increased to 4. [caption id="attachment_291" align="aligncenter" width="438"] Welcome to Lost Springs[/caption] The photo above shows the sign one sees as they enter town.  What is not…
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Oregon's got Talent!!

Oregon's got Talent!!

Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Found Metal Sculptures, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Houses, Unique Places, Yard Art
Welcome to Talent, Oregon[/caption] I am currently on another business trip in Oregon and was down in the Ashland area in Southern Oregon.  Just near Ashland is a small town called Talent, OR.  I first heard about it when there was a participant from Talent that appeared on America's Got Talent. [caption id="attachment_223" align="alignleft" width="256"] Welcome to Talent[/caption] Called "The City of Talent",  I am not sure how much talent there actually is here.  The community does have nearly 7000 people.  According to the Talent website, the story of Talent begins in 1852 with the arrival of the first recorded settler, Jacob Wagner. Jacob completed his homestead in 1853 and named his settlement "Wagner." In 1854, the military came from Yreka and set up a fort on Jacob's property. The…
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An Alien in Mars

An Alien in Mars

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Pennsylvania, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Yard Art
Famous Spaceship in Mars, PA[/caption] On a trip between Canada and Lexington in April 2008 I took a trip to West Virginia and Pennsylvania and made my way to Mars (see full report). [caption id="attachment_168" align="alignleft" width="227"] Welcome to Mars[/caption] Mars is a small town in western Pennsylvania.  From what I could locate there is not really any history as to how the town got its name.  The town was founded in 1873 by a Samuel Parks, where he eventually had a Post Office added to his home and had assistance from a certain Samuel Marshall.  The original name was Overbrook, but in 1882 it was changed to Mars since there was already a train station along the way called Overbrook. Speculation has it that the town was a shortened…
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Going through a Hurricane and a Tornado in the same day

Going through a Hurricane and a Tornado in the same day

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Murals, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, West Virginia
Through a Hurricane and a Tornado all in one afternoon[/caption] I got back yesterday from a trip to Oregon and left again today for a trip to North Carolina.  On the way, I took some back roads through West Virginia and literally went through a Hurricane and then a Tornado. [caption id="attachment_148" align="alignleft" width="300"] A Wall Mural in Hurricane, WV[/caption] According to the Hurricane Website, "it was a cool, misty morning in the year of 1774. A party of surveyors, commissioned by George Washington, traveled down the Kanawha River. As the sun was slowly rising, cutting through the fog of this early spring day, they noted in their journal that all the trees at the mouth of the creek were bent in the same direction. and they called the location…
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Hungry? How about a visit to Rabbit Hash?

Hungry? How about a visit to Rabbit Hash?

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Kentucky, Landscapes, Place Names, Post Offices, Random Thoughts, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Yard Art
Rabbit Hash, KY[/caption] In October 2008 I took a two day road trip with my wife.  We went to Indiana and then came back via some back roads along the river.  Along the way we arrived at the scenic and unique riverside village called Rabbit Hash. [caption id="attachment_115" align="alignleft" width="199"] Rabbit Has Mayor - Lucy Lou[/caption] According to the Rabbit Hash website: "The town's name, "Rabbit Hash" is said to have originated during the flood of 1847 when the abundant local rabbit population was driven to higher ground and became a food staple in a special stew called "hash." Little documented history of Rabbit Hash actually survives, primarily because devastating Ohio River floods in 1884, 1913 and 1937 deluged the little town and ruined many records." Rabbit Hash is basically…
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Coolville – Now that's an awesome name!

Coolville – Now that's an awesome name!

Backroads Discoveries, Cross Country Road Trips, Ohio, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 50
Coolville, OH[/caption] Back in May 2008, on a return trip to Canada for work at the Toyota Plant in Woodstock, Ontario, I took a trip up along the Ohio River, basically on the Ohio/WV border.  (see my entire trip report for some unusual other places here).  Along the way I came into the town of Coolville.  Pretty cool name!! [caption id="attachment_69" align="alignleft" width="300"] There is a Post Office in Coolville![/caption] You Scooby Doo fans out there may remember the fictional place called Coolsville, OH in the cartoon series.  This is NOT that place.  Rather, Coolville is a small town of about 530 people clear in the southeastern part of the state.  It was named after Ashel Cooley, who was apparently a great grandson of Benjamin Cooley of Springfield, MA (see…
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