2023 Gulf Coast Road Trip: The Overview

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…
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Olney, Illinois: White Squirrels and More

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…
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Casey, Illinois: Big Things, Small Town

Casey, Illinois: Big Things, Small Town

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bucket List Trips, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Illinois, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, Offbeat Places, People Shots, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Street Art, Unique Places, Unique Shops, US Highway 40, US Highway 50, US Highway 60
[caption id="attachment_36139" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sumoflam at the World's Largest Rocking Chair in Casey, Illinois[/caption] In my previous post I wrote about taking Route 66 for my 66th birthday in October.  On the way to Chicago, I made a detour to visit the fun little town of Casey, Illinois which prides itself for its numerous roadside attractions, unique downtown area and their small town charm. The real draw for this place is all of the World's Largest and numerous other Big Things that are peppered around the town.  The town features 12 Guinness World Book certified World's Largest things and at least 25 other Big Things.  On my visit I didn't get to all of them, even though I spent the night.  Casey is really an all-day experience  for those that want to see…
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Route 66 in Illinois – Celebrating 66th Birthday

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…
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New Murals in Cincinnati – 2022

New Murals in Cincinnati – 2022

Big Cities, Books, Graffiti Walls, Less Beaten Paths Books, Murals, Ohio, Selfies, Street Art, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wall Art
[caption id="attachment_35832" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sumoflam at the Cincinnati Toy Heritage mural, Nov 2022[/caption] It has been a while since I posted photos of murals in Cincinnati. My previous post that included a number of murals was in 2014 (See it here). Like many larger cities, Cincinnati has an organization dedicated to the promotion of public and theirs is called ArtWorks. ArtWorks has been around since 1996 and, since that time, has completed more than 14,000 public and private art projects in its 26 years, including more than 230 permanent outdoor murals. This post will feature a few of them that I captured on November 6, 2022. It by no means even comes close to all of the murals to be found in the Cincinnati Metro area. [caption id="attachment_35849" align="alignnone" width="700"]…
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Towns of America A to Z: The S Towns #atozchallenge

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

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

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

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…
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Towns of America A to Z: The K Towns #atozchallenge

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

A to Z Challenge, Adventure, Alaska, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, California, Cross Country Road Trips, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Japan, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kyoto, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Montana, Murals, Museums, National Parks, Nature and Scenery, Offbeat Places, Ohio, People Shots, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, South Dakota, Squirrels, Street Art, Tennessee, Tourist Traps, Travel Blogging, Unique Houses, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Washington, Welcome Signs, Wyoming, Yard Art
I am Kind of enjoying all of these posts this. Today I am offering up a few K towns for your reading and virtual travel enjoyment. I hope you will be Keen on what I have written below and Kindly acknowledge the Knowledgeable info and the sometimes Kitschy photos. I promise there is nothing Kinky or Klutzy in here, but can't promise that there are Kooky things.  Either way, I hope everything is Kosher with you, the readers. ENJOY THE READ!  ENJOY THE RIDE! KYOTO, JAPAN I am going to start it all off with a quick trip over to Japan. How about a visit to Kyoto to see the Gold Pavilion (KinKakuJi) and a quick visit with a Geisha (and no...there was no hanky panky!!) [caption id="attachment_34944" align="alignnone" width="423"]…
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