Yard Art – Less Beaten Paths of America

29Jan 2025 by David Kravetz

2024 in Review: Roadside Attractions – Part 1 – The Big Stuff

Adventure, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Garth Brooks, Giant Things, Illinois, Indiana, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kansas, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Muffler Man, Murals, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Quirky Things, Roadside America Books, Roadside Attractions, Sasquatch Art, Selfies, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, West Virginia, Yard Art

At the beginning of 2024 I had hopes of traveling across the country to Washington State, but sadly, that didn't work out. Sickness, job losses and other challenges seriously reduced my travels. Despite all of that, I still was able to get some travel in. I had the opportunity to travel to or through eleven different states as I visited my sister in Texas and in Oklahoma. She also traveled with me on a couple of occasions. I also made trips to Ohio for family, a small trip to West Virginia and trips to Indiana and Missouri for my late 2024 job with Uranus Fudge Factory while it lasted. Along the way, as is my travel routine, I hit up numerous road side attractions and oddities. I had a few…

18Nov 2024 by David Kravetz

2023: Year in Travel and Other Stories – Part 4 – North Central Tennessee – August 2023

Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Books, Car Art, Eateries, Family Travel, Ice Cream Places, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, Offbeat Places, People Shots, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Sasquatch Art, Selfies, Tennessee, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unique Places, US Highway 127, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Welcome Signs, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_38779" align="alignnone" width="640"] Cookeville, Tennessee[/caption] In August 2023 we made another kayak/hiking trip to North Central Tennessee. While my wife kayaked, I visited an old high school friend in Cookeville, Tennessee. It also happened to be the weekend of the famed US 127 "World's Longest Yard Sale" which covers 690 miles through six states. I took advantage of grabbing a few shots. Sadly, my favorite motel, The Jordan Motel in Jamestown was both booked solid for that weekend and was also consumed by dozens of folks selling their wares in the yard sale. Cookeville is a fun little town. A few murals, some cool railroad stuff and a few other things that make it a cool place. [caption id="attachment_38780" align="alignnone" width="474"] Cookeville Proud Mural[/caption] [caption id="attachment_38773" align="alignnone" width="471"] Another Cookeville,…

05Aug 2023 by David Kravetz

2023 Gulf Coast Road Trip: The Overview

Adventure, Alabama, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Beaches, Big Cities, Big John, Birds, Books, Bridges, Brown Pelican, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Cities and Towns, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Florida, Found Metal Sculptures, Georgia, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Highways and Roadways, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Muffler Man, Murals, Museums, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Monuments, Nature and Scenery, Offbeat Places, Peter Wolf Toth, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, US Highway 98, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, Whispering Giants, Whispering Giants, Wood Stork, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_37550" align="alignnone" width="640"] On our way for a fun road trip! Autumn in the front with me and Chelsea and Jorge in the back.[/caption] I was thrilled to finally get in a good road trip in July 2023. My last multi-day road trip took place back in October 2022 when I traveled Route 66 in Illinois to celebrate by 66th birthday. The July 2023 was taken south to the Gulf Coast, then along the coastal highways and eventually into New Orleans. From there were went on to Houston, Keller and Uncertain, all in Texas, before heading back to Kentucky. All in all, we traveled 3001 miles over an eight day period and traveled through ten different states. I say we as on this trip I was accompanied by my…

18Jan 2023 by David Kravetz

2022: The Year in Travel – January thru March

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Graffiti Walls, Hiking & Biking, Hiking Trails, Ice Cream Places, Indiana, Kentucky, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Murals, Offbeat Places, Pelicans, Place Names, Post Offices, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Staycations, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, US Highway 31, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Water Towers, Waterfalls, Welcome Signs, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_35952" align="alignleft" width="300"] Welcome to Pontiac, Illinois[/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 thrilled…

03Dec 2022 by David Kravetz

Olney, Illinois: White Squirrels and More

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Illinois, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Squirrels, Street Art, Tennessee, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, US Highway 50, Wall Art, Washington, Welcome Signs, White Squirrels, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_36318" align="alignleft" width="225"] Sumoflam, sun and a White Squirrel[/caption] I have already posted about my Illinois Route 66 trip, but along the way I had many small adventures. One of the bigger "small" adventures was a visit to Olney, Illinois on October 1. The town of Olney is on US 50 where it crosses IL 130 and is only about 34 miles east of the Indiana border. Its biggest drawing card is their White Squirrels. Yes, White Squirrels. Recorded sightings of the Olney-area white squirrels go as far back as the 1890s. Bu 1941 there were about 800 white squirrels. Since the mid-1970s the town has done a white squirrel census annually. But, cats and dogs often had a negative impact, so, in 1997 the Olney City Council made…

27Nov 2022 by David Kravetz

Route 66 in Illinois – Celebrating 66th Birthday

Adventure, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Big Cities, Books, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, Cities and Towns, City Skylines, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Highways and Roadways, Hot Dog Places, Illinois, Interstate 55, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Muffler Man, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Monuments, Nature and Scenery, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Quirky Things, Restroom Signs, Restrooms, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Street Art, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Unique Shops, US Highway 30, US Highway 40, US Highway 60, US Highways, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_35900" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sumoflam on Route 66 in Illinois[/caption] Everyone knows that Route 66 is considered to be America's most iconic highway. Known as the Mother Road, there have been songs written about it, TV shows that feature it and hundreds of groups that travel it. To me, US Route 66 is really just another US Highway, but, due to its pop culture status, it is a fun highway to travel. As 2022 kicked in, it was my hope that I could use my 66th birthday on October 4 as an excuse to travel the entire length from Chicago to Santa Monica. As is typically the case, things don't always go as planned and/or hoped for, and such was the case for my 2022 Route 66 plan. Nevertheless, I…

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…

26Apr 2022 by David Kravetz

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Antique Shops, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Church Signs, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Dream Highways, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Frogs, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Mountains, Mountains, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Monuments, National Parks, New Mexico, North Dakota, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Peter Wolf Toth, Place Names, Quirky Things, Random Thoughts, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Rocky Mountains, Route 66, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Stop Signs, Street Art, Street People, Tennessee, Tourist Traps, Unique Eatery, Vintage Neon, Washington, Welcome Signs, Whispering Giants, Whispering Giants, Wisconsin, Yard Art

Folks, I know I am behind on my posts, but I promise I have not forgotten!! I have been to Reminderville, so I cant forget. I've been kicked in tow different Rugbys and have been scared into catching up by a monster in Rhinelander! Actually, life has been pretty swamped, but I have so many places I want to introduce you to and the R towns really will add a chunk of fun to my sections of the A to Z Challenge! ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! RUGBY, NORTH DAKOTA There are eight different towns in the United States named Rugby. Though I have only been to two of them, I would argue that they are the two best places named Rugby in the United States. Arguably, Rugby, North…

22Apr 2022 by David Kravetz

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alligators, Antique Shops, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Burger Joints, Church Signs, Cross Country Road Trips, Donut Places, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Iowa, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lighthouses, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Mountains, Murals, Museums, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, Nature and Scenery, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, People Shots, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Restroom Signs, Restrooms, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Street Art, Swamps, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Travel Blogging, Unique Eatery, Unique Houses, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Yard Art

There are loads of places whose names begin with P. For instance, there are 22 different places (15 cities) named Paris in the United States. I'll cover a few in this post. You can also Ponder and Prosper, and even reach Prosperity. If you're lucky you may even make it to Paradise. I'll take you on a Peculiar trip all over and hopefully you will have a great P experience. ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! PARIS, TEXAS [caption id="attachment_33415" align="alignleft" width="300"] Paris, Texas - Home to the Cowboy Hat topped Eiffel Tower[/caption] I am going to start with the tales of a few places named Paris and will hit the town of Paris, Texas first. Paris, Texas currently lays claim to the tallest "Eiffel Tower" in the United States,…

20Apr 2022 by David Kravetz

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Burger Joints, Canada, Church Signs, Colorado, Cross Country Road Trips, Dolphin, Dragons, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Ice Cream Places, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Murals, Nature and Scenery, Nature Events, Ocean Scenes, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, People Shots, Peter Wolf Toth, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Unique Shops, US Highway 62, Vintage Neon, Volunteer Fire Departments, Washington, Water Towers, Waterfalls, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Whispering Giants, Whispering Giants, Woody Guthrie, Yard Art

It may not yet be Obvious, but this one should be an Outstanding post about O towns as seen from my eyes. This is your Opportunity to visit the Only town named Only I hope you find this post Noteworthy while also swinging by a couple of and even one that is just Okay. I'll bring you some Obscure places and many Offbeat attractions in this post as well. ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! ODDVILLE, KENTUCKY [caption id="attachment_30747" align="alignleft" width="300"] Oddville, Kentucky[/caption] I am going to start off with one close to home here in Kentucky, where I live. Oddville, Kentucky can be found on US 62. The place was established in 1799 and the name was apparently chosen so that its post office, which operated from 1851 to…

Category: Yard Art